Sean Hartley
Global Human Resources Leader
Safeguard Medical
Episode 51
Why True HR Leaders Prioritize Organizational Impact, Not Personal Legacy
Current chapter: Built by People podcast features insights from world's top HR leaders
Built By PeopleSeptember 18, 2025 · 9:56
Thesis
“Effective HR leadership is not about leaving a personal legacy but about stewarding a role to leave the organization in a better state, driven by a customer-centric and experimental mindset that values transparency and empowers teams.”
Show notes
What if your HR team had to operate like a profit center — would it survive? Sean Hartley has been asking that question his entire career. A 25-year HR veteran with COO roles and expat stints in France and the Netherlands under his belt, Sean has built a leadership philosophy shaped by stepping well outside the traditional HR lane — and he argues that stepping outside is exactly what makes you better at the job you came back to.
Sean shares how leading business units changed how he thinks about what HR should actually deliver, and why the most productive reframe he ever made was asking: would the business pay for this if they had a choice? That question cuts through the noise of HR activity and forces clarity on what actually creates value. He also reflects on what he's shifted away from in his leadership thinking — including the legacy myth that drives so many leaders toward the wrong goals — and toward a stewardship model that turns out to be far more durable.
With stories from the global HR trenches and a career built on saying yes to opportunities before he felt ready, Sean's conversation is a practical guide for anyone trying to build a more credible, connected, and strategically relevant people function.
- HR as a profit center mindset — the test every HR team should be able to pass
- What COO experience taught him about HR — the view from outside the function that changed how he leads inside it
- Context over direction — why your team performs better when they understand the "why," not just the task
- Rethinking legacy — why stewardship is a more durable goal than monument-building
- Saying yes before you're ready — the growth opportunities that come from accepting discomfort
- Cross-org visibility as a strategic advantage — how breadth of exposure makes HR leaders more credible
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What you'll take away
- 1Embracing a non-traditional career path, including roles outside of HR, significantly enhances an HR professional's perspective by fostering a customer-centric view of HR services.
- 2HR should evaluate its value to internal customers as if it were a 'profit center' to ensure relevance and strategic contribution, rather than relying on internal funding.
- 3Effective HR leadership requires empowering your team by providing clear context ('the why') and necessary tools, moving away from micromanagement and toward trusting talent.
- 4Focus on 'stewarding' your role and leaving the organization in a better state for the next person, recognizing that personal 'legacies' are often quickly forgotten.
- 5Never shy away from taking on new responsibilities or experiences, even outside your comfort zone, as these opportunities are privileges that accelerate learning and career growth.
What most organizations get wrong
- •Sean challenges the conventional focus on 'leaving a legacy,' advocating instead for 'stewarding a position' to ensure the organization is better off for the next leader.
- •He pushes back on the idea of HR professionals strictly 'doing HR,' encouraging them to leverage their cross-organizational exposure to break down silos and take on broader business functions.
In Sean's words
“being on the other side of the fence, to look at what HR is providing the customer and how I've done it versus what the customer's actually looking for has been very helpful.”
Highlights the importance of adopting a customer-centric perspective in HR by experiencing other business functions firsthand.
“Sean, if your executive team came to you and said, We are no longer going to fund HR. The only way that the HR department is going to stay relevant is for your customer to pay for your services. How would you do it differently?”
A provocative thought experiment that forces a re-evaluation of HR's value proposition as if it were a profit center.
“I learned a heck of a lot from that to say, you know what, you've got a team, you've hired a team, you put a team in place, make sure that you use them. They want to add as much value as you do. So allow them to do that.”
Emphasizes the critical lesson of empowering and trusting one's team rather than micromanaging or solely driving personal ambition.
“Information is not a power tool. It's there to be shared across your team.”
A strong statement advocating for transparency and open communication within teams, rather than hoarding knowledge.
“is it about leaving a legacy or stewarding a position, a role, so it's better, you've left it in a better state than what you received it in?”
Redefines the concept of leadership impact, shifting focus from personal glorification to organizational improvement and continuity.
“never shy away from taking on something that you didn't have any experience on because you will learn from it. You will get better at it and you can offer the organization something or a new organization.”
Encourages professional bravery and continuous learning by taking on diverse responsibilities for personal and organizational benefit.
The problems this episode addresses
- •HR teams often struggle to align their services with the actual needs of business units, operating with internal biases rather than a true customer-centric approach.
- •Leaders, particularly early in their careers, can fail to empower their teams, leading to disengagement and underutilization of talent due to a lack of context and trust.
- •Organizations may suffer from functional silos, hindering HR's ability to connect cross-functional initiatives and drive holistic business improvements.
- •HR functions can be perceived as cost centers, making it difficult to demonstrate strategic value, secure funding, or gain executive buy-in for initiatives.
In this episode
Built by People podcast features insights from world's top HR leaders
Built by People
Dave Schulz shares a little bit about his career journey on the podcast
Dave On His Career Journey
John, how have those international assignments and also your roles leading business units influenced how you lead
John, how have those international assignments and also your roles leading business
Sean, can you tell us about a career-defining moment?
Sean, Can You Tell Us About A Career-Defining Moment
You faced a challenge in your career where you didn't give your team context
Challenge of the Year
Dave: What do you hope to leave as an HR leader
What's a Legacy to Leave for Your HR Leaders?
Dave: Sean, what parting advice would you share with our community
A parting message for HR professionals
Topics covered
Organizations and entities mentioned
Full transcript
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