3 ways to build a lock-step HR/CEO relationship

Being a lone wolf in business isn’t fun, nor is it very effective. If every executive is a crusader fighting for their own priority, taking all they can and giving as little as possible, the business ultimately suffers. Conversely, when HR and CEOs align and ascend in sync, people and business interests across the board advance as well.

That said, anyone who has ever run a three-legged race knows there’s an art to racing in tandem. It takes balance, commitment, communication, and, ultimately, it takes trust. And while creating this type of symbiotic relationship takes some time and practice, my experience as an HR executive has taught me that these three principles are also crucial to building a lock-step relationship with my CEO partner:

Be the vault.

HR knows things. We design executive compensation. We hear when executives are weighing other opportunities. We may even have the inside track on other executives’ personal lives and struggles. And who do people call at the end of a board meeting to get the relevant context for different agenda items? HR. We’re the information hub for the company and for executives and board members too.

To manage this information, HR must set hard boundaries and expectations of confidentiality in every relationship. Personal matters stay private. Business matters stay need-to-know. Information can’t ever be used as personal or professional currency.

Your consistency builds others’ confidence and trust in you. Get comfortable being really candid about what information you can discuss and what you can’t. Don’t be afraid to clearly lay out a boundary, even with the CEO. You can soften the blow by explaining how you keep the same confidentiality with their information too. Swapping juicy details may be satisfying short term, but it’s detrimental to trust in long-term professional relationships like the one you should be building with your CEO.

Create quick feedback cycles.

One of the most valuable results of a strong HR/CEO relationship is the shared perspective. HR and CEO have different purviews that will inform and improve each others’ work, but only if HR and CEOs are providing each other with feedback and perspective often.

Get on the phone after a board meeting and ask for feedback. Send an email with suggestions for improving a presentation or proposal. With time and increased trust, feedback sessions will become quick and direct with little need for softening or context. Start now by setting the expectation and creating plenty of opportunities for these quick feedback cycles.

Just as valuable as the opportunity to iterate and improve specific work is the opportunity frequent feedback creates to build your relationship. I find the most valuable quality in my relationship with CEOs is the ability for us to be completely direct with each other. I don’t have to worry what the CEO thinks of my work because I expect the feedback and vice versa.

Kill the ego.

Ego is a red flag in any relationship but it’s a kill shot for an HR/CEO relationship. There is simply no time or room for insecurity or drama when you’re leading an organization together. Put your personal feelings aside. Leave any competitive edge for your extracurriculars; you must play as a team to win as a team.

Business needs and people needs are of equal importance in overall business success, so being a “yes man” also won’t work for either party. Instead, HR and CEOs should push for what’s best for the team and the business and make decisions based on what makes sense for the whole.

Working as and respecting each other as equals brings balance to the company. Back to the three-legged race: you can only reach speed when you step together. If one team mate tries to out-pace the other, the only outcome is disaster.

Related: Three ways to cultivate a stronger CEO-CHRO partnership

The HR/CEO relationship

Competition for customers and candidates seems to increase constantly. Instead of in-fighting, HR and CEOs should fight back-to-back in order to win. When HR and CEOs build a trusting and direct relationship through confidentiality, frequent feedback, and humility, they set the tone for the rest of the company and lay the groundwork for success.

Anita joined BambooHR in 2022 as the Head of HR, bringing with her a long history of creating award-winning workplaces that set people free to do great work.