NICE TO MEET YOU
About Your Talent Sherpa
If you’re stepping into the CHRO role, chances are you’re excited, ambitious, and also secretly asking yourself, “Am I really ready for this?” I hear you, and believe me, you’re not alone.
I’m Jackson, your Talent Sherpa. Since 2013, I’ve been right where you are now, navigating the steep climbs and tough terrain of senior leadership. I’ve sat in the CHRO chair, built a successful consulting firm dedicated to aligning talent strategy with business goals, and personally hired, coached, and developed nearly two dozen sitting and former CHROs.
And here’s what I’ve learned, firsthand:
Your first CHRO role can break you if you walk in unprepared.
You might think becoming CHRO is just another promotion, but deep down you already know it’s something else entirely, don’t you? It’s a total identity shift, and the truth is, most new CHROs underestimate it. Badly.
- Technical expertise got you here, but let’s face it: your CEO doesn’t hire a CHRO for traditional HR work. You’re hired to drive enterprise value through talent, strategy, and insight. Your scoreboard just changed.
- Political fluency matters. Influence is your currency, not authority. You’ll have to carefully navigate boardroom power plays, executive egos, and organizational politics, all without sacrificing your principles or leverage.
- Your calendar is your strategy. Be careful: getting lost in operational details can feel productive, but six months in, you might look up and realize you’ve built nothing truly impactful.
- Psychological resilience isn’t optional. You’re now the emotional shock absorber for the entire company. CEOs vent, executives rage, and employees plead. It’s on you to stay clear-eyed, calm, and decisive under pressure.
- Lonely is your new baseline. As CHRO, you’re counselor, confidant, and challenger, but rarely just “one of the team.” Without the right guidance, you risk burnout or worse.
Why am I telling you this? Because I’ve been in your shoes, climbed these same mountains, and watched talented leaders stumble, exhausted and isolated, without the right guidance.
Here’s the good news: Exceptional CHROs aren’t born, they’re coached and supported into greatness. You already know you have the potential inside you, don’t you? All you need now is someone who’s climbed ahead, knows the terrain, and can guide you step-by-step toward becoming the high-impact leader your business urgently needs.
I’ve climbed this mountain. Let me help you climb yours.