Sandy Cross
Chief People Officer
PGA of America
Episode 338
Beyond HR: How a 360-degree People Strategy Builds Purpose-Led Culture
Current chapter: Covering monthly expenses is the number one concern for employees in 2024
Built By PeopleJanuary 21, 2025 · 14:23
Thesis
“A Chief People Officer with a non-traditional background offers a crucial 360-degree perspective, moving beyond institutional HR to strategically foster a values-driven, purpose-led culture that is developed by and for the people.”
Show notes
Sandy Cross was a Division I volleyball player who spent her early career in college athletics. She became the Chief People Officer at the PGA of America without a traditional HR background — and she'll tell you that's precisely what made her effective. Her 360-degree perspective on how people actually experience organizations, unclouded by institutional HR assumptions, gave her the vantage point to build something the PGA needed: a values architecture that the people shaped themselves.
The values work at PGA of America is notable for how it was done. Rather than a top-down exercise in executive wordsmithing, Sandy built the shared values framework from character-based surveys across the organization — resulting in language that felt owned rather than imposed. That sense of ownership proved to be the cultural connective tissue that held the organization together through a corporate relocation and the disruption of the pandemic. When employees believe the values are theirs, they actually use them.
Her advice for anyone stepping into the CPO role — traditional background or not — is direct: the job will consume you if you let it. Put your own oxygen mask on first. The capacity to lead people well depends entirely on the reserves you protect for yourself.
- The value of a non-traditional CPO background — how the absence of institutional HR assumptions can be a strategic advantage
- Building values "by our people, for our people" — why character-based surveys produce values that employees actually use
- Embedding values across the employee lifecycle — from talent acquisition to offboarding, values as an anchoring mechanism rather than a poster
- Guarding against values weaponization — how to keep shared values from becoming a cudgel rather than a compass
- The CPO's personal wellbeing imperative — why self-care isn't a perk but a prerequisite for effective people leadership
This episode is sponsored by Previ, helping employees save on the household expenses that matter most.
What you'll take away
- 1Consider non-traditional backgrounds for CPO roles to gain a more holistic, business-integrated perspective on people strategy.
- 2Develop shared values 'by our people for our people' through inclusive methods (e.g., character-based surveys) to ensure genuine buy-in and cultural resonance.
- 3Actively embed shared values into the entire employee lifecycle, from talent acquisition to offboarding, as an anchoring mechanism.
- 4Continuously guard against the 'weaponization' of shared values and ensure leaders model expected behaviors, fostering accountability.
- 5Prioritize the CPO's personal well-being ('put on your own oxygen mask first') as essential for effectively leading and supporting the organization.
What most organizations get wrong
- •Hiring a CPO without a traditional HR background can be a strategic advantage, offering a fresh, 360-degree lens to cultural and people experience aspects beyond standard HR operations.
In Sandy's words
“My career journey is interesting. I was an athlete my whole life, and in college at University of Buffalo, I played 4 years of volleyball, and I worked in the athletic department. And I had aspirations to work in college athletics for my life.”
This quote highlights the guest's unique professional path, emphasizing her non-traditional entry into HR leadership.
“Seth recognized and felt that that was important to have that role at the executive table.. And he gave me the opportunity to step into that role, which was incredibly exciting for me. Daunting too, because I didn't come from that background.”
This quote underscores the CEO's foresight in creating a CPO role and the guest's personal challenge in embracing it without a conventional HR background.
“it was developed by our people for our people. It wasn't something that was developed at the top and pushed down upon the people.”
This quote captures the essence of the PGA of America's approach to creating authentic shared values through employee-led development.
“I think it was the best thing we ever did because it provided this cultural connective tissue that kept our team together.”
This quote illustrates the profound impact of shared values on team cohesion and resilience, especially during the disruption of the pandemic.
“But yeah, put your own oxygen mask on first and make sure you're taking care of your physical and mental and emotional health, because that's going to allow you to really deliver for your people broadly and for the business.”
This quote provides practical, empathetic advice to HR leaders about prioritizing self-care to sustain their ability to support others.
The problems this episode addresses
- •Organizations often lack a strategic 'people lens' at the executive table, focusing too narrowly on operational HR rather than holistic employee experience and culture.
- •Maintaining cultural cohesion and shared identity is challenging during periods of rapid, multi-faceted change (e.g., corporate relocation, technology overhauls, global pandemics).
- •Ensuring genuine accountability for shared values across all levels of an organization, particularly among leadership, and preventing their misuse.
- •The inherent difficulty for HR leaders in prioritizing their own well-being while constantly supporting the entire workforce, leading to potential burnout.
In this episode
Covering monthly expenses is the number one concern for employees in 2024
Built by People
Your career journey began as a temporary assignment at the PGA of America
The Professional Golfers Association of America's Chief People Officer
Sandy's transition into HR during an unprecedented period shape your approach to leadership
PGA of America's Sandy Cohen on her transition into HR
PGA of America brought in someone without a traditional HR background for new role
The PGA of America's First Vice President for People
The PGA of America developed its shared values journey in early 2020
The PGA of America's Shared Values
Sandy: Two challenges in embedding shared values include accountability and weaponization
In Embedding Shared Values
Sandy, what advice would you give organizations rethinking what they need in CHRO
A Chief People Officer for Business
Topics covered
Organizations and entities mentioned
Full transcript
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