082: What If the CEO Ran Human Resources?

Nov 4, 2019

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Let’s Fix Work Episode 82

Earlier this year I was invited to speak to a bunch of corporate executives about the future of work. I was there as the special guest expected to bring some new ideas on how to rethink and re-imagine the world of human resources. I love these opportunities because it gives me a chance to try out new material. I decided to talk about something I've been thinking about for a long time. What if the CEO ran human resources?

What would happen in your company if your CEO woke up tomorrow and suddenly decided to run human resources? Sure, it could mean a big disruption and there would be a huge learning curve for most CEOs. If you're a CEO, you may be thinking you would be way too busy to run the HR department. In this episode, I explore what the world of Human Resources would look like if we passed the reins to the CEO. Sure, your reaction listening to this episode may turn out just like the audience I presented this topic to; they were mad. They even heckled me. They thought it was a stupid idea. All of this tells me I'm on to something good. So if you are interested in exploring what a human resources department run by a CEO might look like, then sit back and listen to this episode of Let’s Fix Work.

In this episode, you’ll hear:

There needs to be a re-imagining of the world of HR, why not give it to the CEO
When your CEO runs human resources, it breaks down this notion that there are people and then there are profits
As a leader, you cannot guarantee that people are having a good experience at work unless you have a direct line of sight and accountability into that function
Why I'm in love with the idea that CEOs should run the human resources department
Ask the person who is the most creative, most powerful, and most responsible for fixing work to run the HR department, the CEO

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