SHRM26 Debrief · Leadership & Development · #2944

Be Bold: Unlocking Your Leadership Power and Influence as an HR Leader

with Heidi Hartman

▶ Watch on the SHRM portal ~58 min, distilled

leadership developmentpersonal brandingnetworking

"Anxiety, and fear, and excitement have the exact same physiological makeup. It's all in how you frame it."

What it was about

Every HR professional, regardless of title or level, has agency to be bolder by getting grounded in their values and purpose, building an intentional network, embracing failure and feedback, using their voice, and strategically building influence and visibility.

By the numbers

85%

portion of the time people are unaware of their own emotions

75%

portion of the 'pie' you miss by using the golden rule instead of the platinum rule

three to seven (ideally three to five)

recommended number of core values to narrow down to from a longer list

Key notes

Define your core values by starting with a long list and whittling it down to three to seven values, then use them as a filter for what to say yes and no to.
Identify the five people outside your family you spend the most time with, since research suggests they influence your behavior and outcomes, and be willing to 'trim the tree' on relationships that no longer serve you.
Build a diverse 'heart hive' of mentors (plural), advocates, and people who challenge you rather than surrounding yourself only with people who agree with you.

The contrarian takeAn audience member (an HR practitioner) argued the gender pay gap is partly driven by women submitting less detailed, one-page resumes that under-quantify and under-qualify their accomplishments compared to male counterparts, and that coaching women to expand their resumes yields more competitive salary offers — a claim Heidi endorsed rather than challenged.

Take this back Monday

Do this for your team

Send your manager a two-line email listing your last two wins and one thing you need. Don't assume they already know.

Say this in your next leadership meeting

Power only matters if you convert it into influence, so I'm mapping our stakeholders and building visibility, not just doing good work quietly.

Watch out for

Assuming your boss or boss's boss automatically knows about your work and contributions without you telling them.
Surrounding yourself only with 'yes people' who don't challenge or stretch you, creating an echo chamber.
Treating feedback as purely emotional criticism instead of neutral data that you can choose to act on or discard.

Fun fact · Heidi Hartman

She published her first book after interviewing over 100 women leaders to distill 7 strategies for advancing your career.

If this landed, see these

↳ Go deeperExpanding the Circle: How HR Leaders Build Influence That MattersBreaks influence-building down further: trust, credibility, relationships, and visibility as separate levers.⇄ The counterpointThe Silent Killer of Culture: Undeveloped Leaders and How HR Can Fix ItComplicates the self-help framing: most 'boldness' problems are really untrained accidental managers.✦ The unexpected oneAre You Okay? Fight Burnout Using PlayBurnout, not fear, may be the real reason people stop using their voice at work.