Melanie Berman

As Gen Z prepares to take the lead, the way we identify and develop new leaders is shifting. This article from SHRM highlights a crucial point: preparing for this transition is not just about succession planning, but about aligning emerging talent with your organization's evolving cultural and strategic needs. With women making up nearly half the workforce, a truly inclusive leadership development approach has become more essential than ever. #Leadership #GenZ #SuccessionPlanning #FutureOfWork #DiversityAndInclusion #WorkplaceCulture https://lnkd.in/gdwtSA6V

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HR leaders who embrace "career quilts"—where employees build capability through diverse experiences rather than climbing traditional ladders—are creating more resilient organizations and retaining talent that competitors are losing: https://ow.ly/MxAa30sTZEH

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After years of market uncertainty, companies have gotten more comfortable with ambiguity. Rather than waiting for the perfect conditions before acting, they're recalibrating how they grow, where they invest, and which leaders they rely on to deliver results. Amid these shifting priorities, HR leadership is increasingly central to business performance, as the ability to align talent strategy with operational priorities, manage workforce risk, and build teams that can adapt quickly has become a core competitive advantage. CHROs then must be comfortable in the boardroom, but capable of directly leading business strategy as well.

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Leaders today face an unprecedented level of disruption and uncertainty. In Through the Fog, Dan Bozung shares insights from decades of leadership experience, helping leaders balance hope, truth, and action as they guide their organizations forward. Learn more about bringing this program to your organization at www.inclinehr.com.

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Tougher times for Job Searchers: Is the Labor Market described as “Low-Hire, Low-Fire” trending Worse? Last week had several troubling headlines: > Job Losses: Professional and Business Services Sector down by 57K Jobs in January from ADP employment report > Unemployment Benefit Claims: Initial claims in most recent reported week were 231K, a large increase from the previous week’s 209K and the market forecast for 212K > Job Openings: Declined to 6.5 million in December, down from 7.2 million in previous month and to the lowest levels since September 2020 during the pandemic, in report from the US Bureau of Labor Statistics > Hiring Announcements: In a report from Challenger, Gray & Christmas, Inc., employers announced hiring plans were the lowest January since Challenger began tracking hiring plans in 2009 This week, the delayed US Jobs report will be released on Wednesday. Report will provide update on employment, wages, and the unemployment rate. #economy #jobs #employment #humanresources #jobsearch #outplacement #layoffs

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As Navigator Executive Advisors celebrates 20 years of providing global outplacement support to displaced employees across all levels and industries, we are proud to share this series of “Durfee’s Laws” — more than 70 practical job search lessons developed through decades of recruiting, executive advising, and career transition coaching. #outplacement #jobsearch #resumewriting #careertransition #interviewingskills

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As a CHRO, I have learned that one of the most critical and often underestimated drivers of organizational success is the strength of the CHRO–CFO partnership. In every organization, people and money are the two largest levers of impact. When the leaders responsible for each are deeply aligned, we create a direct bridge between workforce strategy and financial outcomes. A connection that research consistently reinforces, including findings that underscore how CEO–CHRO–CFO alignment elevates performance and improves the return on workforce investments. Here are three reasons this partnership matters: People Strategy IS Business Strategy: Labor is not just a cost; it is a strategic asset. When HR brings predictive analytics, workforce planning, and culture insights to the table, and Finance brings financial modeling and risk intelligence, we build a shared view of how talent decisions shape the organization’s future. Clarity Drives Confidence: Employees thrive when strategy, resourcing, and expectations are aligned. A tight CHRO–CFO partnership ensures that compensation strategies, performance‑based increases, talent investments, and organizational design choices are financially grounded and transparently communicated. Skilled Leadership in Both Seats Is Non‑Negotiable: The CHRO and CFO roles demand leaders who not only excel in their craft but also understand the interdependence of people and financial outcomes. These positions require strategic acumen, systems thinking, and the ability to influence at the highest levels. When both roles are held by high‑caliber, forward‑thinking leaders, the organization benefits from harmony rather than friction, and performance becomes predictable rather than reactive. At the end of the day, the CHRO and CFO working in true partnership do not just run functions, they shape the organization’s future. And in a world where every smart investment begins and ends with people, that partnership is not just valuable… it is mission‑critical.

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The Crucible of Leadership: Why Promoting Talent Isn’t a "Roll of the Dice" I’ve often sat in boardrooms where the "Promotion Paradox" plays out. On one side, we have the HR rigor—looking for every "tick in the box" before entrusting a leader with the keys to the culture. On the other, we hear the business logic: "How do we know if he’s ready until we actually promote him?" With all due respect to the urgency of business, that logic is a dangerous gamble. Sending an unproven leader into a high-stakes role just to "see if they survive" is like sending a soldier directly to the Line of Control (LOC) to evaluate if they can fight a war. By the time you get your answer, the damage—to people, performance, and culture—might already be done. Leadership isn't a "test-and-learn" experiment; it is a structured evolution.Drawing from the 70-20-10 framework and years of witnessing talent transitions, here is how we move from "guessing" to "growing" our future leaders: As the saying goes, "Chanakya didn't choose Chandragupta for what he was, but for what he could become." When hiring, don't just look at the current skill set. Look for the **Growth Mindset.** Are they curious about problems outside their JD? Do they ask about the mission? If you hire for the long haul, the promotion becomes a milestone, not a surprise. The "Larger Pot" Philosophy In botany, a plant’s roots only expand when it is moved to a larger pot. If you wait for someone to check 100% of the boxes, your best talent will find a larger pot elsewhere. We don’t need to send soldiers to the border to test them; we use **Stretch Assignments.** These are the "simulators" of the corporate world.70% of growth happens through these challenging, real-world experiences.Give them a project that pushes their boundaries while they have the safety net of their current role. Growing a leader doesn't happen automatically. It must be ingrained in the company’s DNA. When we choose an internal candidate, we are choosing a "known quantity"—someone who breathes our values. They might lack the "superstar" credentials of an outsider, but they possess the cultural lighthouse that guides teams through storms. The Bottom Line for my fellow HR Leaders:Our job isn't just to "fill slots." It’s to build a pipeline where the transition to leadership feels less like a leap of faith and more like the next natural step in a well-charted journey. Don't wait for "perfect." But don't settle for "luck." Build the process, trust the potential, and give your people the space to flourish. #HRLeadership #TalentManagement #LeadershipDevelopment #CHROInsights #SuccessionPlanning #GrowthMindset #ExecutiveCoaching

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Really excited for tomorrow's session sharing what we've learned in our 2026 Talent Acquisition Trends survey. I'll be sharing what TA leaders told us actually worked in 2025, what they're quietly abandoning, and where their budgets are shifting for 2026. Just patterns from real conversations with people doing the work. If you're heading into planning season and want signal instead of noise, join me tomorrow. Link in comments (or below).

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What does the future of work(force) planning look like? This white paper from Peter Töpler and his talented team, including input from the heads of strategic workforce planning at several companies, provides an excellent view. This is great work - please share with anyone you know that's responsible for or looking into strategic workforce planning. 🙏

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HR is at the center of today’s biggest workplace shifts—AI, hybrid work, and the race for talent. Great read on where leaders should focus next.

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How you support leaders through transition matters Not just for them But for your entire organization Executive departures are complex They impact culture, reputation, and what comes next The right outplacement support brings structure, clarity, and confidence to that moment It helps leaders move forward with purpose While protecting what they leave behind Because a thoughtful transition is not just an ending It is a reflection of your organization’s values 🔗 https://lnkd.in/g47QE6Qt

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This recent article from the SHRM Quarterly highlights the importance of going well beyond the resume in your hiring selection processes. It points out the usefullness (and importance) of cognitive and behavioral assessments in the hiring process. As a certified Predictive Index consultant, I can bring these tools to your organization. https://lnkd.in/e7QAKWYv

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Whether with high achievers or inconsistent performers, managing performance requires understanding an employee’s level of engagement and providing consistent, direct feedback. Thanks to the American City Business Journals #Bizwomen Newsletter for inviting me to share my experience managing inconsistent performers. The article also includes excellent performance management insights from Hillary Spreizer, Juliet Fox, Ann Houser,. At Talent Engagement Strategies, I partner with organizations to design sustainable systems and processes that not only address performance challenges but also strengthen engagement, accountability, and long-term success. DM me if you’d like to explore creating new performance programs for your organization.

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The role of the CHRO has never been more complex or more critical. At the Gartner CHRO Inner Circle in New York this week, my colleague Catie Brand and I had the privilege of spending time with over 75 CHROs. The conversations were candid, and the patterns were hard to miss. Here’s some highlights that surfaced again and again: - AI’s real opportunity is long-term The focus should be on unlocking AI’s long-term potential. Coaching and recruitment stood out as the areas where AI can have the biggest impact, scaling access and insight, but only if it remains human-led and tech-enabled. - Change fatigue is hitting harder than ever LHH research shows 56% of leaders are burned out, and 75% want more support. I heard similar observations from the CHROs at this event: nonstop transformation is draining trust and energy. At LHH we see that the organizations that get change right prioritize investing in their leaders. They give them the development support to build the hard and human skills to manage change with confidence. And they create a coaching culture within the organization that makes it safe to talk honestly, learn quickly, and keep energy through disruption. - Reinvention is the new normal We spoke about how forces like AI, economic shifts, and demographics are reshaping careers, not just jobs. LHH research shows 58% of people in transition moved into completely new occupations in the last year. What we see making a big difference in talent management is companies adopting skills-based hiring, investing in upskilling on the job, and providing mobility or outplacement programs that help people spot transferable skills and step into new careers with confidence. The conversations at Gartner confirmed what our data shows daily: the future of work won’t be solved by one-off fixes. It will be built by CHROs who design systems that are adaptable by design and where talent strategies turn disruption into opportunity. A sincere thank you to the CHROs I met during this session. Your candor and insight were invaluable and a reminder of the depth of expertise driving this profession forward.   #FutureOfWork #CHRO #Leadership #AI

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Imagine L&D so critical to a Fortune 10 company, its leader co-chairs meetings with the CEO. Martha Soehren made that a reality at Comcast. Most L&D leaders dream of truly influencing top-tier strategy. Martha Soehren, PhD, former Chief Talent Development Officer at Comcast, didn't just get a seat at that table; she co-chaired the Executive Learning Council alongside the CEO. This isn't merely about taking orders and delivering impactful learning; it's about redefining L&D's strategic importance and embedding it directly into the highest levels of business decision-making. In the latest episode of The Learning & Development Podcast presented by 360Learning, Martha unveils the audacious steps she took to transform a fragmented learning operation (with 79 different reporting relationships!) into a centralised powerhouse. Her story is a masterclass in governance, influence and proving value that delivered millions of dollars in documented ROI. Dive into this episode to discover how Martha: - Orchestrated a massive L&D centralisation by building a robust business case, using external benchmarks and compelling storytelling; - Secured consistent executive buy-in by mastering "over-communication" and proactive alignment, ensuring L&D was always positioned for success; - Navigated complex organisational politics and turned tough feedback into significant wins; - Connected learning outcomes directly to business success, saving millions and elevating L&D's credibility across the organisation. If you're an L&D leader ready to elevate your function from order-taker to strategic partner and genuinely influence your organisation's trajectory, you need to hear Martha's story. This is how you truly control the L&D narrative. Listen to the full episode via the link in the comments…

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