Fostering Genuine Partnerships Between HR and Business Leaders

Assertive relationships are the foundation of effective collaboration and organizational success. As an HR professional, your ability to build genuine, trust-based connections with business leaders is crucial to driving results and creating a positive impact.

A study by the Harvard Business Review found that the most influential HR professionals are those who can build meaningful relationships with stakeholders, understand the business, and communicate the value of HR initiatives. Therefore, building these relationships requires a combination of authenticity, empathy, and adaptability.

"Authenticity is your superpower because it means you will ask questions and grow from different perspectives."

By approaching each interaction with a genuine desire to understand and support the needs of your business partners, you can foster the trust and credibility needed to be an effective HR leader.

However, building strong relationships with business leaders across various functions and levels can be challenging as you encounter diverse communication styles and preferences. Also, acknowledging the importance of flexibility is crucial because you may align and meet people where they are, but keeping your North Star is also essential. Navigating these differences while remaining true to yourself is a vital skill for HR professionals seeking to build bridges and drive collaboration.

9 Strategies for Building Authentic Relationships with Business Leaders

Authenticity, empathy, and curiosity are the cornerstone of building strong, collaborative relationships with business leaders. By approaching each interaction with an open mind and a willingness to understand your business partners' unique needs and challenges, you can foster the trust and credibility needed to drive organizational success.

One panelist emphasized the importance of being yourself while adapting to others, stating, "It's like being flexible in approach, but not in principle. You have your principles, you know who you are, but when you read the room, you adapt and meet people where they are." This balance of authenticity and adaptability is critical to building meaningful connections with business leaders across various functions and levels of the organization.

1. Listen Actively and Attentively: Practice active listening by paying your full attention to business leaders during conversations. Maintain eye contact, avoid distractions, and use nonverbal cues to demonstrate your engagement and interest in understanding their perspectives, concerns, and goals. Paraphrase their main points to ensure you accurately capture their message.
2. Ask Thoughtful Questions: Demonstrate your interest and curiosity by asking thoughtful, open-ended questions to encourage business leaders to share their challenges, opportunities, and aspirations. Use probing questions to gain deeper insights into their needs and concerns, such as "Can you tell me more about the impact of this issue on your team?" or "What do you see as the biggest obstacle to achieving your goals?"
3. Communicate with Clarity and Empathy: Express yourself clearly and concisely, avoiding jargon or HR-specific language that may confuse or alienate your business partners. Show empathy by acknowledging their feelings and perspectives, even if you disagree. Use phrases like "I understand how challenging this situation must be for you" or "I can see why this is a top priority for your team" to demonstrate your understanding and support.
4. Adapt Your Communication Style: Adjust your communication style to the preferences and personalities of individual business leaders while remaining true to your authentic self. For example, if a business leader prefers direct, action-oriented communication, focus on delivering key points and actionable steps. If another leader values relationship-building and personal connection, take time to engage in more informal, conversational exchanges.
5. Maintain a Positive Intent: Approach each interaction positively, assuming the best in others and focusing on finding mutually beneficial solutions. In challenging situations, maintain a constructive attitude and seek collaboration and problem-solving opportunities. Use phrases like "I believe we can find a way to address this issue that works for everyone" or "Let's focus on what we can do to move forward together" to reinforce your positive intent.
6. Seek Feedback and Input: Actively seek feedback and input from business leaders to demonstrate your openness to their ideas and your willingness to collaborate. Regularly ask for their thoughts and opinions on HR initiatives, strategies, and challenges. Use questions like "What do you think about this approach?" or "How can HR better support your team's goals?" to solicit their input and show that you value their perspectives.
7. Follow Through on Commitments: Consistently follow through on your commitments to build trust and reliability in your relationships with business leaders. When you promise or agree to take action, ensure you deliver on your word. If you encounter obstacles or delays, proactively communicate with your business partners and work together to find alternative solutions or adjust expectations as needed.
8. Celebrate Successes Together: Acknowledge and celebrate your business partners' wins and contributions, fostering a sense of shared purpose and achievement. Recognize their accomplishments in team meetings, company-wide communications, or personal acknowledgments. Use phrases like "I wanted to take a moment to highlight the incredible work your team has done on this project" or "Your leadership has been instrumental in driving these results" to show your appreciation and support.
9. Continuously Nurture Relationships: Invest time and effort in creating relationships with leaders, even when no pressing issues or projects are at hand. Schedule regular check-ins, share relevant articles or resources, and take an interest in their personal and professional lives. By consistently demonstrating your commitment to the relationship and genuine care for their success, you can build solid and lasting partnerships that withstand challenges and drive long-term results.

6 Challenges of Diverse Communication Styles

Navigating diverse communication styles and preferences is one of the most significant challenges when building relationships with business leaders. Each individual has a unique way of processing information, expressing themselves, and engaging in conversations. As an HR leader, it's essential to recognize and adapt to these differences while remaining true to your authentic communication style.

Understanding your audience is imperative in making the conversation relevant to the individuals and leaders. It's about comprehending how to make those conversations pertinent to those individuals, especially if you need the support of the downward messaging from the executives. By taking the time to understand each business leader's communication preferences and tailoring your approach accordingly, you can create a productive dialogue.

Here are six tips for navigating these challenges while remaining true to yourself:

1. Understand Your Communication Style: Gain a deep understanding of your communication style, strengths, and areas for improvement. Reflect on how you typically express yourself, process information, and respond to different communication styles. Consider taking a communication style assessment or seeking feedback from trusted colleagues to gain insights into your preferences and tendencies. This self-awareness will enable you to adapt your approach while staying true to your authentic self.
2. Observe and Learn: Pay close attention to the communication styles and preferences of individual business leaders. Observe how they interact with others, express themselves in meetings, and respond to different communication approaches. Take note of their body language, tone of voice, and language. By actively observing and learning from each leader's unique style, you can gain valuable insights into communicating effectively and building rapport with them.
3. Flex Your Style, Not Your Personality: Align your communication style to better connect with different business leaders while remaining true to your core values and personality. This may involve adjusting your pace, level of detail, or communication channels to match your preferences. For example, if a business leader prefers concise, action-oriented communication, focus on delivering your message clearly and directly. If another leader values relationship-building and personal connection, take the time to engage in more informal, conversational exchanges. Remember, flexing your style is not about changing who you are but finding ways to bridge communication gaps and build stronger connections.
4. Find Common Ground: Look for shared interests, experiences, or goals to build rapport and establish a foundation for authentic relationships. Take the time to learn about each business leader's background, hobbies, and aspirations. Share your experiences and find points of connection that can help you relate to one another on a more personal level. Discovering common ground can create familiarity and trust, facilitating more open and productive communication.
5. Be Open and Transparent: Practice open and transparent communication, sharing your thoughts, concerns, and ideas honestly and respectfully. Encourage a culture of transparency by being forthright about HR initiatives, challenges, and successes. Share relevant data, insights, and examples to support your ideas and demonstrate your commitment to collaboration. When faced with difficult conversations or conflicting opinions, approach them with a spirit of openness and a willingness to find mutually beneficial solutions.
6. Seek to Understand, Then to Be Understood: Prioritize understanding the perspectives and needs of your business partners before seeking to have your views understood. Practice active listening, paying full attention to the other person, and genuinely seeking to understand their point of view. Ask clarifying questions, paraphrase their main points, and empathize with their challenges and concerns. By first seeking to understand, you demonstrate respect for your business partners and create a more receptive environment for sharing your ideas and perspectives.

12 Actions to Strengthen Your Relationships with Business Leaders

Building and maintaining solid and authentic relationships with business leaders requires consistent effort and intentional action. You can ignite a culture of collaboration and trust by proactively engaging with your business partners, seeking to understand their needs, and demonstrating your value as a strategic partner.

1. Schedule regular one-on-one meetings: Set up recurring meetings with key stakeholders to discuss their challenges, priorities, and goals. Come prepared with a clear agenda and follow up on action items to demonstrate reliability.
2. Attend business meetings and events: Attend departmental updates, strategy sessions, and town halls to gain a deeper understanding of the business. Share your observations and insights to show your engagement.
3. Share relevant HR insights and data: Proactively share HR data and best practices to help business leaders make informed decisions. Adapt your messaging to their specific needs and interests.
4. Offer your expertise and support: In solving business challenges, such as organizational design or change management. Follow up with a thoughtful proposal outlining how HR can help.
5. Seek opportunities to collaborate: Actively seek opportunities to collaborate on cross-functional projects that align with organizational goals. Communicate the value of HR's contributions in terms of business impact.
6. Participate in company-wide events: Participate in company-wide events and initiatives to build relationships across the organization and demonstrate your commitment to the company culture.
7. Provide timely and constructive feedback: Offer constructive feedback to help business leaders grow in their roles. Frame your feedback as an opportunity for development and provide specific suggestions for improvement.
8. Celebrate achievements and milestones: Recognize and celebrate the achievements of your business partners, both publicly and privately. Send a personalized note highlighting their specific contributions.
9. Invest in your professional development: Continuously invest to enhance your business acumen and leadership skills. Share what you learn with your HR team and business partners.
10. Seek feedback from business leaders: Regularly seek feedback on how you can better support their needs. Use the feedback to identify areas for improvement and develop action plans.
11. Advocate for the needs of your business partners: Use your position within HR to advocate for the needs and concerns of your business partners. Keep them informed of your advocacy efforts and outcomes.
12. Continuously reflect on your relationships: Regularly reflect on your relationships with business leaders, identifying areas for improvement. Set clear goals and track your progress over time.

Action Plan

To strengthen your relationships with business leaders and become a more effective HR partner, follow this action plan:

1. Conduct a relationship audit: Assess the strength and quality of your current relationships with business leaders. Identify areas where you can enhance communication, collaboration, and trust.
2. Define your relationship goals: Set measurable goals for your critical business partnerships. These include increasing the frequency of communication, collaborating on a specific project, or improving the quality of feedback you receive.
3. Create a communication plan: Develop a plan for regularly communicating with each business leader. Determine each individual's best channels (e.g., one-on-one meetings, email updates, or informal check-ins) and frequency.
4. Identify opportunities for collaboration: Look for ways to partner with business leaders on initiatives that align with their priorities and showcase HR's value. This could include co-leading a project, providing insights on talent strategy, or developing a joint presentation for leadership.
5. Seek continuous feedback: Implement a process for regularly gathering input from business leaders on your performance and the impact of HR initiatives. Use this feedback to identify areas for improvement and prove your commitment to ongoing learning and growth.
6. Measure and celebrate progress: Track your progress against your relationship goals using specific metrics (e.g., increased participation in HR initiatives, improved survey scores, or positive feedback from business leaders). Celebrate your successes and share them with your HR team and leadership to reinforce the importance of solid business partnerships.

Key Insights

• Authenticity and emotional intelligence are the cornerstones of successful business partnerships.

HR professionals who bring their authentic selves to work and demonstrate high emotional intelligence are better equipped to build trust, navigate complex relationships, and drive results. By leading with empathy, self-awareness, and a genuine desire to understand others, you can create a foundation of trust and respect that enables effective collaboration.

• Aligning HR priorities with business objectives is essential for demonstrating value and impact.

To be seen as a strategic partner, HR must consistently demonstrate how its initiatives and programs support the organization's goals and drive business results. By profoundly understanding each business unit's priorities, challenges, and opportunities, you can proactively align your efforts and communicate HR's impact in terms that resonate with business leaders.

• Investing in your professional development is key to staying relevant and credible.

HR professionals must continuously update their skills, knowledge, and expertise to remain valuable partners to the business. By proactively seeking learning opportunities, staying current on industry trends, and developing your business understanding, you can enhance your credibility and provide strategic, impactful guidance to your business partners.

• Embracing a growth perspective and a willingness to adapt is vital to long-term success.

Building and maintaining solid relationships with business leaders requires a growth perspective and a willingness to adapt to changing circumstances. By embracing feedback, learning from setbacks, and continuously looking for ways to improve, you can demonstrate your resilience, agility, and commitment to personal and professional growth. This mindset enables you to navigate any business partnership's inevitable challenges and changes and emerge more substantially and effectively over time.

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