The Unwritten Curriculum of Future CPOs

If someone asked me what prepared me for executive leadership in HR and Talent Development, I could certainly point to the obvious...graduate coursework, certifications, conferences, books, mentors...you know, the usual suspects.

All of those things played a part, but they weren't the whole story.

In fact, some of the most important lessons I've learned over the course of my career, particularly these past few years, were never included in a training program at all.

Nobody handed me a detailed syllabus.

There wasn't a handy facilitator guide.

No one said to me, "Today we're going to teach you how to communicate at the executive level, advocate for a new position, or influence organizational decisions.

And yet, those are the skills that matter most. I've come to believe that every aspiring Chief People Officer is completing an unwritten curriculum throughout their career. The challenge is that many aspiring leaders don't realize the curriculum is in progress until years later.

But I have good news for you, friend. You don't have to wait.

Stop studying the job. Start studying the problem.

One of the biggest mistakes aspiring executives make is trying to understand the title. They ask:

• What does a Chief People Officer do?
• What are their responsibilities?
• What meetings do they attend?

Memorizing the CPO job description isn't going to take you very far. A better question is more contextual...instead, ask:

What problems do CPOs solve?

After stepping into my current role, I quickly learned that executive people leaders spend their time navigating complexity. They help organizations - not departments - make decisions about:

• Talent shortages
• Leadership transitions (even ones that are a few years out)
• Organizational change and its impact
• Culture challenges
• Workforce planning
• Competing business priorities

Preparing for an executive role means paying attention to the problems, not the position.

Seek exposure before you need it.

Many midlevel HR/Talent leaders assume they'll learn by doing after they become executives. Executive functioning needs to start early, and that comes from exposure. Pay attention when opportunities arise to:

• Participate in cross-functional projects (and lead, when possible)
• Observe talent reviews
• Contribute to strategic planning discussions
• Support organizational change initiatives
• Collaborate with leaders outside your immediate function

Some of the most valuable moments in my own development have come from simply being part of conversations I wasn't expected to lead. Simply being in the room to listen, observe, and note how leaders assessed risk, balanced priorities, and made difficult decisions provided a rich learning space that connected important dots.

The lesson here: you don't need a seat at the head of the table to learn from what's happening around it.

Build judgment and discernment, not just expertise.

Early in our careers, expertise gets rewarded. At higher level, judgment and discernment become the differentiator.

The most effective executive people leaders aren't necessarily the ones who know the most about HR, Talent Development, or leadership theory. They're the ones who can answer questions like:

• What's the real issue here?
• What are the unitended consequences?
• Where is this headed?
• What happens if we do nothing?

Those aren't technical skills, they're judgment skills that come from wisdom that is built through experience, occasional missteps, reflection, feedback, and perspective. This is why I often encourage aspiring leaders in any function to seek mentors, stretch assignments, and opportunities to venture beyond their comfort zone.

It's chess, not checkers.

The future CPO curriculum isn't hidden, but I'll admit it's rarely documented. (Note to self: we should change that!)

The curriculum is found in challenging conversations, stretch assignments, failed ideas, executive meetings, difficult decisions, and relationships with leaders who are a few steps ahead of you.

If you're aspiring to executive leadership, don't wait for someone to invite you to a class or workshop. Start paying attention and take ownership now.

Because ultimately, the lessons that really prepare you for the C-suite are often the ones that nobody formally teaches at all.