Priti Patel
Chief People Officer
G2
Episode 53
Stop separating HR from ROI: A people-forward financial strategy for leaders.
Current chapter: This podcast is presented by Previ. Covering monthly expenses is the number one concern among employees
Built By PeopleSeptember 16, 2025 · 15:02
Thesis
“Successful HR leadership requires a deep understanding of business financials and a people-centric approach, proving that people-forward strategies directly drive measurable business ROI rather than being mutually exclusive.”
Show notes
Before Priti Patel became CPO at G2, she ran mergers and acquisitions at GE — and built a meditation training business on the side. That combination turns out to be exactly the right preparation for leading people strategy in a high-growth tech company: financial discipline, business rigor, and an unusually deep understanding of how humans operate under stress.
Priti's path to the C-suite cuts against every standard HR narrative, and that's what makes her perspective so useful. She brings a finance executive's instinct for ROI to every people initiative she runs — and a meditation practitioner's understanding of emotional intelligence to every difficult conversation she navigates. Early in her career, she faced a moment that tested both: an investigation that required her to uphold a values-based decision that wasn't popular. She did it. That experience became the foundation of her leadership identity.
She's also refreshingly candid about the feedback she received along the way — that she was "too much," too direct, too energetic for certain rooms. Her response was not to dial it down, but to learn to read the room without losing herself. For HR leaders trying to hold their values intact while navigating organizational politics, this is a conversation worth listening to twice.
- Why a finance background is a superpower in HR — how business acumen changes the kind of CPO you become
- Values under pressure — the early career decision that defined Priti's leadership identity
- Reading the room without losing yourself — adapting your communication style while staying authentic
- HR as a business driver, not a back office — measuring the ROI of people initiatives like a finance executive would
- Emotional intelligence as a strategic tool — understanding the "why" behind your leaders to unlock better outcomes
- Knowing when to stay and when to move on — staying connected to your purpose as your career evolves
Previ is an employer network that provides private pricing for employees — saving the average employee $2,200/year on essentials like cell phone service and insurance, at no cost to the company.
What you'll take away
- 1Consistently upholding company values is paramount for strengthening organizational culture and building trust, akin to effective parenting.
- 2Developing emotional intelligence (EQ) and learning to 'read a room' allows leaders to adapt their communication for better outcomes, which is a strategic skill, not a departure from authenticity.
- 3HR leaders must proactively understand the motivations and strengths of individuals across the organization, especially senior leaders, to gain critical context for their strategic contributions.
- 4HR's significant impact on operational expenses, particularly in SaaS, positions them as strategic C-level leaders, making it crucial to demonstrate the clear ROI of their initiatives.
- 5Maintaining a deep connection to the 'humanity' in HR decisions is essential; if the 'tough' decisions cease to feel tough, it signals a potential misalignment with the role's core purpose.
What most organizations get wrong
- •Priti challenges the idea that one must always be 'authentically yourself' in professional interactions, suggesting that strategically meeting people 'where they're at' is a valuable skill for effective communication, rather than being inauthentic.
- •She pushes back against the false dichotomy of being either 'people-centric' or 'business-centric' as an HR leader, asserting that truly strategic HR leaders are both, focused on demonstrating the clear ROI of people-focused work.
In Priti's words
“My career journey may be a little bit unique in its, in its, what seems like windy path to getting to be G2's Chief People Officer for the last 4 years.”
This quote introduces her unconventional background, which ultimately shaped her unique perspective on HR leadership.
“Having the underpinnings of business in this role, I think, is my secret weapon. Maybe not so secret.”
She highlights the critical importance of business acumen and financial understanding for effective Chief People Officers.
“If we are consistently upholding our expectations of what a great culture is and what G2's culture is, I think over time that strengthens what it means to work here.”
This emphasizes the power of consistent adherence to values in building a robust and trusted company culture.
“it's actually like knowing your customer and knowing your, your audience in a way that they'll decode.”
She redefines authenticity in communication as adapting one's style to the audience for better reception and understanding.
“It's hardly ever the content, the topic of the conversation. It's almost always the context.”
This powerful statement from conscious leadership highlights that underlying motivations and emotions often drive workplace conflicts.
“I don't think doing what's best for people and doing what's best for businesses has to be mutually exclusive.”
This is her core thesis, challenging the common misconception that people-centric and business-centric goals are at odds.
The problems this episode addresses
- •Navigating C-suite dynamics and delivering critical feedback effectively, especially as a younger leader, can lead to imposter syndrome and challenges with perceived 'candor.'
- •HR leaders face fear and difficulty in making tough decisions, such as terminations, while simultaneously needing to uphold core company values consistently.
- •Proving HR's strategic value and demonstrating the measurable ROI of people initiatives is a common struggle for Chief People Officers, particularly in SaaS where HR impacts a significant portion of OpEx.
- •Misinterpreting the root cause of workplace conflicts by focusing solely on the 'content' rather than the underlying 'context' (feelings, egos, stories) can hinder effective resolution.
- •Maintaining empathy and avoiding disconnection from the 'humanity' of HR work in a high-pressure, decision-heavy role is an ongoing challenge for leaders.
In this episode
This podcast is presented by Previ. Covering monthly expenses is the number one concern among employees
Built by People
Dave Zirin has been G2's Chief People Officer for four years
How G2's Chief People Officer Started Her Career
What motivated you to make the transition into HR
What Motivated You to Make the Transition into HR?
Preeti says a termination at G2 was career defining moment
What's your most career-defining moment?
Preeti faced imposter syndrome early on in her career
Preeti On The Challenge Of Desiring Support
Any other input around that you, that you would provide to HR leaders on conscious leadership
WSJD Live: The Need for Conscious Leadership
Preeti, what's a legacy you hope to leave as a leader
What's a legacy you hope to leave for your team?
What parting advice would you like to provide to our broader HR community
What parting advice would you like to provide to your HR community?
Topics covered
Organizations and entities mentioned
Full transcript
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