CHROs: Are You Carrying Too Much Alone?
Are You Carrying Too Much Alone?
Why Even Top CHROs Need a Hive - Not Just a Network
As a Chief HR or People Officer, you are entrusted with decisions others can’t touch. You advise the CEO. You influence culture. You lead people through change.
Yet one thing many CHROs don’t say out loud is: you often don’t have someone to talk to.
You’re expected to have the answers - for the executive team, the board, the organization. But where do you go when you don’t know?
You’re probably seeing all of this:
- The business landscape feels more volatile than ever - AI, shifting workforce models, board scrutiny. You’re asked to “see around corners” while also putting out fires today.
- Reading reports and case studies helps - up to a point - but ideas get flat in isolation. It’s not the same as being inside a conversation with peers wrestling with the same issues, live.
- You pour energy into others - your CEO, your leaders, your teams. But who is pouring into you? Even elite athletes build rest and recovery into their routines; without that rebound, performance crumbles.
This is not just a “leadership pain.” It’s a strategic vulnerability. The roles are more complex, the stakes are higher, and the mask has to stay on.
Why the Pressure of Isolation Isn’t Just Emotional - It Erodes Performance
Isolation is real in the C-suite. A 2023 McKinsey study found that 40% of C-suite leaders report feeling isolated within their organizations - even when surrounded by teams, advisors, stakeholders. (Lantern)
When leaders become isolated:
- Decision fatigue intensifies. Without a sounding board, second-guessing spirals.
- Innovation suffers. Echo chambers form; you begin to circle on ideas you’ve already thought of.
- Well-being declines. Leadership stress, exhaustion, and “always-on” demands compound silently.
Multiple leadership studies and HBR articles confirm the hidden cost of climbing too high without peer support.
Harvard Business Review’s research on peer forums has shown that small, confidential groups (4–10 leaders) offer unique value: fresh perspective, candid reflection, emotional fuel, and mutual accountability. (Harvard Business Review)
Likewise, The Surprising Power of Peer Coaching argues that facilitated small-group peer coaching often produces results that exceed what one-on-one coaching can deliver - precisely because of the cross-fertilization of insight among equals. (Harvard Business Review)
In other words: the sharpest CHROs don’t just consume advice - they co-create insight in conversation with peers who understand.
The Hidden Truth: Your Value Isn’t in Volume - It’s in the Clarity of Your Thinking
You may feel pressure to be the loudest, the connector, the one who “knows everybody.” But the most durable C-suite leaders I know don’t rest their value on reach or name-dropping. They rest it on the quality of thinking they bring to the table - and the energy with which they bring it.
That kind of clarity doesn’t come from head knowledge. It comes from being in a selective, high-trust hive of peers who move at your level. A place where:
- You can say what’s really on your mind (no filter).
- You hear fresh perspectives untainted by internal politics.
- You walk away sharper, lighter, and re-charged.
Consider resonant analogies:
- Pro athletes rarely train alone - they train with people who push them because iron sharpens iron.
- Mountaineers rope themselves to others - not out of weakness, but out of wisdom and safety.
- An orchestra: even a stellar soloist sounds different when surrounded by other virtuosos.
- A beehive: one bee contributes, but the hive produces collective intelligence far greater than any individual.
That’s what a true CHRO hive looks like.
Why a Hive Trumps Networking or “Another Consultant” Approach
Many HR leaders try to fill the gap with consultants, large conferences, or superficial networking. But those fall short:
- Consultants may offer answers - but not the co-creation of insight.
- Conferences provide inspiration - but not sustainable accountability.
- “Networking” often leads to transactional relationships, not deep trust or confidentiality.
What you actually need is a personal hive of advisors - a curated peer group that:
- Thinks at your level (not junior HR folks, not surface-level coaches)
- Shares relevant context and domain fluency
- Holds confidentiality, candor, and generosity
- Meets consistently - building trust and momentum
That’s not “networking.” It’s the kind of peer architecture that helps you thrive - not just survive - in the CHRO role.
What a CHRO Hive Looks Like in Practice
- Small cohort (ideally 25-30 peers)
- Regular meetings (virtual or in person) with structured agenda
- A blend of hot-topic discussions, deep reflection, peer coaching
- Rotating “case presenter” format - you bring your own strategic challenge
- Feedback loops, poised questions, accountability checkpoints
- Psychological safety norms (confidentiality, candor, respect)
- Expert guests, spot topic facilitators
Leaders who embed themselves in such environments report dramatic shifts - faster decisions, clearer thinking, reduced isolation, more courage to act. HBR calls them a “safe lab” for experimentation. (Harvard Business Review)
You Don’t Need More Contacts. You Need a Hive.
If you feel drained, stuck, or repeatedly exploring the same leadership dilemmas alone - that’s precisely when a hive is most necessary.
I help CHROs build that exact experience: a trusted hive of high-caliber, peer-level advisors who challenge you, support you, and help you lead - not by staying safe, but by getting sharper.
If you’d like to talk through:
- What’s the strategic problem you’re stuck on?
- What high-value decision is still unresolved?
- How a tailored hive of CHROs could help you execute it with more clarity, confidence, and energy
Let’s have a confidential conversation.
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For CHROs, CPOs and direct reports
