Rebecca Trotsky

IQ / EQ - what is the right balance for leaders to have? "IQ propels leaders forward and gets them in the role. EQ keeps their employers from abandoning them," said Evan Sinar, PhD, former chief scientist at DDI. According to the High-Resolution Leadership report published by the DDI, a successful leader is well-rounded and distinguished by genuine intellectual talent, not just emotional balance. Take Indra Nooyi for example. The former Pepsi CEO has been said to have high levels of both IQ and EQ. She took on a feat that many leaders do not have the time or patience to do - writing hundreds of heartfelt letters to the parents of her senior leadership team and wider staff, acknowledging their contributions to Pepsi, while also showing her gratitude for the parents. This simple, yet thoughtful act forged deep emotional connections with Pepsi employees. They truly felt like their work was appreciated and noticed, which positively affected their performance too. Overall, there is no definite balance and both traits are not mutually exclusive. What sets a strong leader apart from others is their ability to understand when to rely more on IQ or EQ in any given situation. #leadershipskills #emotionalintelligence #effectiveleadership #indranooyi Maiko Ashby (she/her) Symphone'e Lindsey Beth Brickel (she, her)

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the CHRO role has undergone a fundamental transformation that few boards have fully recognized. the uncomfortable truth: modern CHROs aren't just running HR – they're architecting how entire organizations function. yet many operate in a dangerous gray zone of informal authority. consider this reality: ⭐ they're orchestrating hybrid work transformations that reshape entire business models ⭐ leading AI/automation decisions that fundamentally alter workforce composition ⭐ managing talent strategies that directly impact market valuation ⭐ driving culture shifts that determine competitive advantage ⭐ running ESG initiatives that influence investor confidence the hidden cost of this evolution: organizations that don't formally acknowledge this expanded scope create systemic dysfunction, in the form of: ↪ strategic misalignment ↪ board decisions suffer from incomplete operational context ↪ resource allocation becomes politically charged ↪ innovation gets stifled by unclear decision rights ↪ talent risk ↪ top CHRO candidates increasingly decline roles without broader scope ↪ existing CHROs face burnout from shadow responsibilities ↪ succession planning becomes murky the real conversation boards need to have: is maintaining traditional C-suite structures worth the cost of organizational friction? or is it time to fundamentally reimagine how we structure executive leadership for the AI age? just one of the things that keeps me up at night 🤣

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Here we go. It's time for CLOs and TM leaders to take back the real thought leadership in your space.

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It's not the right time to survey the employee voice, we are going through a major crisis or budget crunch.   WRONG!   Anytime, including (and especially) times of crisis or tightening, is the perfect time to listen to the voice of your employees.    When you ask how they are doing, they increase their feelings of trust and belonging - ultimately leading to improvements in performance.   So don't shy away from asking how they are doing and assessing their engagement during stressful times. They are ready to be heard if you are ready to listen.   #employeeengagement #iamtalentcentric

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Had a conversation with one of my favorite executives. We discussed the power of questions. We shared questions we like to ask during interviews, or just to ask day-to-day to spark interesting discussion with direct reports and colleagues. I love this: "In what new things have you invested yourself recently?" And this: "What thought leaders have most influenced your work?" What are your favorite questions to spark conversation and/or get to know someone better?

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📢 True Influence is Indirect 🌟 ✨Discover How to Navigate the Influence Paradox ✨ Are you ready to discover a new way to think about influence, grounded in humility & authenticity? In this 5 minute talk, I explore the "Influence Paradox" presented in the unique DisruptHR format, offering insights into why we need to get out of our own way, how we can feel more confident and ways to show up & inform others to become truly influential. 🌿 📺 Watch the video here: https://lnkd.in/eg4XQ8Gb   Key Takeaways: 🔹 Respecting others choices to act on their terms is a key to unlocking your influence. 🔹 Shift your thinking from knowing & telling to wondering & listening. 🔹 Influence others by showing up authentically and being yourself. Embrace the paradox and become the strategic leader you were meant to be! 🚀   #HRLeadership #BeKindWorks #Influence #DisruptHR #LeadershipCoaching #HRBP

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SHRM announced that they will be adopting the acronym 'I&D,' instead of 'IE&D.'" Their statement: "This strategic decision underscores our commitment to leading with Inclusion as the catalyst for holistic change in workplaces and society... By emphasizing inclusion-first, we aim to address the current shortcomings of DE&I programs, which have led to societal backlash and increasing polarization." What does this move mean for #DEI Programs? Is it a slow dismantling of the entirety of DEI work? Where does "#equity" go? Join the conversation on the #WayForward for #DEI Work - Let us ideate together, share our own experiences and best practices and learn from each other. #CultureFirst #GlobalChapter #DEI #Equity #ActionNow

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How would you like to get your hands on a super-informative and super-easy-to-use resource for employee compensation topics? You can with Compensation $ense 101. With its Q and A format, 8 logical chapters with topic previews, and a 9-page glossary, you are sure to be “in the know.” https://buff.ly/2zLBpqF #EmployeeCompensation #CompensationSense #CompensationSense101

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Corporate Culture Matters. Just Ask Your Board of Directors. I shared some thoughts on why it is important for boards to focus on Corporate Culture. We can no longer sit in board meetings and assume that the detrimental impact of people's behaviors is not going to affect the brand and the organization and that we as board members have a fiduciary responsibility to be aware of the organization culture. Culture is an organization asset. #Boardsandculture #corporateculture Nidhi Madhavan Reworked #SJW

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Transforming HR/Compensation: From Rules-Based to Business Partner Shifting your HR/Compensation team from rules-based policing to a business partner (internal consulting) is a daunting task.  Here is my advice to CHROs and CEOs who need to make this happen to better align their people impacting decisions to business realities. Become a Business Partner: The 5 Guiding Principles: 1.        Business Acumen and Context – Know how your business drives revenue and manages expenses. It’s all about money and profitability. How do employees and financial capital get deployed to achieve these goals? 2.        Guidelines Not Rules – Know your guidelines, but know what you are able to make an exception for and why. Not all rule breaking is against the law. Don’t act like it is. There are a lot of gray areas to navigate. If you don’t know how to do it effectively, ask for advice from more experienced colleagues. 3.        Listen to Understand (not to respond) and Ask A Lot of Questions – You don’t know everything you need to know in a situation. Listen, ask questions, and ask more questions. What is motivating the actions of your leaders and employees? What needs are they trying to meet? Why is it important to them? What aren’t they telling you? Use your emotional intelligence skills. 4.        Facts not Fiction or Friction – Make observations without judgements, assumptions, evaluations, interpretations, or speculating about motives. Focus on the facts. What is true? Restate what you heard to ensure you understand, and they feel heard and understood. Be the person in the room that shares the facts. Do not allow fiction and friction (conflict) to cause you to dilute your advice. Speaking truth to power takes courage and integrity. Practice makes this easier. So does having a financial cushion so your need for a paycheck doesn’t create the need for you to act in a way that isn’t aligned to your personal values. 5.        Communicate with empathy, compassion, and assertiveness. Whether you are talking to the C-suite leaders or front-line employees, recognize the human beings in front of you and what they are trying to achieve. Don’t be a jerk. There will be tension and conflicting needs. That doesn’t mean you can’t communicate respectfully. Dictating without telling people why you made the decision you made isn’t going to lead to success. You don’t need everyone to agree. But you do need everyone to understand, feel heard, seen, and appreciated. If you don’t prioritize that, employees will go where this is prioritized. And if you don’t have self-awareness and emotional regulation skills, you need to invest in yourself. If you’ve made this shift to being a business partner (HR or Compensation) in your organization, what would you add to this list? https://lnkd.in/gv7Jey8d #businesspartner #hr #humanresources #compensation #rewards #communication #listen

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The best CEOs avoid over-hiring. Savvy leaders bring in a Fractional CHRO to scale HR when it counts. Need a culture overhaul? An M&A expert? A strategic HR fixer? Fractional CHROs deliver targeted solutions for short term needs. I’ve helped companies tackle acquisitions, reshape cultures, and navigate HR transitions. Here’s how I’ve made a difference: 💁🏼‍♀️ A division was sold to private equity. I guided them through the sale, set up HR operations, and hired my CHRO successor. 💁🏼‍♀️ A PE portfolio company was navigating multiple acquisitions.  I streamlined employee integration and merged HRIS systems seamlessly. 💁🏼‍♀️ A public company reassigned HR to a C-Suite leader with no HR experience. I served as an advisor, guiding key initiatives and reorganizing the team. 💁🏼‍♀️ An HR VP resigned just as a major initiative was starting. The CEO brought me in to provide interim support and keep the project on track. 💁🏼‍♀️ A Founder and CEO of a growing company wasn’t ready for a full-time CHRO. I provided ongoing guidance for strategic planning and ad hoc challenges. 💁🏼‍♀️ A board faced a tough cultural challenge and needed strong Employee Relations skills with an objective perspective. I partnered with them to assess the situation and build a plan around culture, compliance, and total rewards. Facing similar challenges? I can help you, too. Smart companies don’t hire full-time execs for short-term problems. They know when to call in fractional expertise—someone who can jump in, solve, and step back without the overhead. Here’s a few ways I can make a difference in your organization: ✅ Leading Change: HR leadership during restructuring, M&A, or rapid growth. ✅ Part-Time Support: Dedicated capacity to drive HR initiatives and ensure progress. ✅ Interim Leadership: Bridging the gap during transitional phases. ✅ Strategic Advising: Delivering HR insights to boards or leadership teams for optimal business growth. Your legal team has outside counsel, your finance team has external advisors—give your HR team the same advantage. Ready to offload the HR stress? Let’s get started. ❓Wondering where to begin? 📍 Our HR Strategy & Operations diagnostic pinpoints your top priorities. 📥 DM me to find out more.

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"When asked whether they think their organization cares about their well-being, only 24% of U.S. employees strongly agree, whereas 65% of CHROs agree with the statement." What is your gap? [A] "tactic for improving well-being is investing in employee recognition. When employees receive recognition and appreciation for doing good work, the likelihood of them being engaged at work increases substantially. There are three types of recognition that organizations can provide employees that can help improve well-being." We can help. Learn more here: https://lnkd.in/diKVpmmn #recognition #wellbeing #appreciation #humanresources

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Love how WorkBravely 2024 lives up to its name! Register now to join these brave conversations about the big issues facing HR today. Details below 👇🏼 #WorkBravely2024 #HRConference #HRevents

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