Prioritizing what matters most in a chief human resources officer career

Understanding the real priorities of a chief human resources officer

Clarifying What Truly Matters in the CHRO Role

For anyone stepping into the chief human resources officer position, the sheer volume of urgent tasks and requests can feel overwhelming. Every day brings new challenges, from compliance issues to executive demands. Yet, the most effective people in this role know that success depends on focusing on what is truly essential, not just what is urgent.

One of the most powerful habits highly effective leaders develop is the ability to distinguish between urgent activities and those that drive long-term goals. This approach, inspired by the time quadrant model popularized by time management experts, encourages leaders to spend time on important but not urgent matters. These are the things that shape the future of the organization and your own career.

• Urgent matters: Immediate problems, crises, and pressing requests that demand attention now
• Important but not urgent: Strategic planning, leadership development, and building effective management systems
• Not important: Activities that do not align with your goals or add real value

Building the habit of putting things first—prioritizing essential actions over distractions—requires discipline and clarity. It is easy to fall into the trap of managing time around urgent tasks, but this habit things approach rarely leads to long-term success. Instead, effective management means aligning your daily actions with both personal and professional goals.

Consider how you spend your time each day. Are your actions aligned with your most important objectives? Are you investing in activities that will help you and your team thrive in the long term? Developing this awareness is the first step toward becoming a highly effective CHRO.

To help you build these habits, it can be useful to learn from proven strategies. For example, executive onboarding is a critical activity that often gets overshadowed by urgent demands, yet it is essential for long-term success. You can find practical guidance on this topic in this resource on making executive onboarding a success.

Ultimately, the things you choose to focus on each day will define your effectiveness as a leader. By clarifying your priorities and developing the habit of focusing on what matters most, you set the foundation for impactful HR leadership.

Balancing urgent demands with strategic goals

Finding the Balance Between What’s Urgent and What’s Important

Every chief human resources officer faces a daily flood of urgent tasks, requests, and issues. It’s easy to let these urgent matters dominate your day, but effective management means learning to distinguish between what’s urgent and what’s truly essential for long-term success. The challenge is not just about managing time; it’s about putting things in perspective so your actions align with your strategic goals.

One practical approach is to use the time quadrant model, which helps you categorize activities based on their urgency and importance. This method, inspired by the habits of highly effective people, encourages you to focus on important but not urgent activities—like developing people, building effective habits, and planning for the future. These are the things that will help you achieve your personal and professional goals over time.

• Quadrant 1: Urgent and important—crises, pressing problems, urgent activities
• Quadrant 2: Not urgent but important—relationship building, strategic planning, personal development
• Quadrant 3: Urgent but not important—interruptions, some meetings, most emails
• Quadrant 4: Not urgent and not important—trivial activities, time wasters

Highly effective people spend time in Quadrant 2, where long-term success is built. Developing the habit of regularly reviewing your tasks and activities helps you avoid the trap of always reacting to urgent matters. Instead, you can focus on what will make the biggest difference for your team and organization.

Building this habit takes discipline, but it’s essential for effective management. It’s about making conscious choices every day—deciding which things habitually deserve your attention and which can wait. Over time, this approach will help you create a life and career that reflect your true priorities.

For more insights on how strategic HR leaders manage competing demands, you might find this article on exploring the dynamics of supply chain management demonstrations relevant, as it highlights the importance of balancing operational needs with long-term goals.

Building relationships that support your priorities

Building Trust and Influence Across the Organization

For any chief human resources officer, success is not just about managing urgent tasks or setting strategic goals. It’s about building relationships that help you focus on what truly matters. The most effective people in HR leadership know that their day is shaped by the quality of their connections—with executives, managers, and employees alike. These relationships are not just nice-to-have; they are essential for aligning actions with long-term goals and ensuring your priorities get the attention they deserve.

• Spend time intentionally: Make it a habit to invest time in understanding the needs and motivations of key stakeholders. This habit will help you identify which activities are urgent matters and which are essential for long-term success.
• Effective management of expectations: Clear communication about priorities and urgent activities helps avoid misunderstandings and ensures everyone is on the same page. This is a cornerstone of effective time management and helps you avoid getting lost in the quadrant of urgent but not important tasks.
• Focus on mutual goals: When your actions align with the broader objectives of the organization, you build credibility and trust. This makes it easier to get support for initiatives that matter most, even when urgent demands compete for attention.

Developing strong relationships is not a one-time task. It’s a habit highly effective leaders cultivate over time. By putting things in perspective and prioritizing essential connections, you create a support system that helps you manage both urgent and important things. This approach echoes the principles of the time quadrant, where you focus on activities that drive long-term impact rather than just reacting to urgent tasks.

For more practical insights on how to boost engagement and build relationships that support your priorities, explore this resource on boosting engageability as a chief human resources officer.

Ultimately, the habit of building effective relationships will help you navigate the complex mix of urgent and important things in your professional life. It’s a key part of managing time, achieving your goals, and ensuring your actions align with both personal and organizational success.

Developing a personal framework for decision-making

Creating a Consistent Approach to Decision-Making

Developing a personal framework for decision-making is essential for any chief human resources officer. The role is filled with urgent tasks and unexpected demands, but effective management comes from knowing how to focus on what truly matters. Building this framework helps you align your actions with long-term goals and ensures that your daily activities support both personal and professional success. One practical approach is inspired by the time quadrant model, which divides activities into urgent and important categories. Many effective people use this method to avoid spending too much time on urgent matters that do not contribute to strategic objectives. Instead, they prioritize tasks that are important for long-term growth, even if they are not immediately pressing.

• Identify essential goals: Clarify what success looks like in your role. This will help you filter out distractions and focus on high-impact activities.
• Build effective habits: Make a habit of reviewing your priorities regularly. This habit ensures you are putting things in the right order and not just reacting to urgent activities.
• Use time management tools: Leverage calendars, lists, or digital tools to track your progress and manage your time effectively. This helps you see where your time goes and adjust your focus as needed.
• Reflect on your decisions: At the end of each day or week, review the decisions you made. Did your actions align with your goals? This reflection helps you improve your decision-making habits over time.

It is important to remember that the most effective leaders are those who develop habits highly aligned with their values and organizational objectives. By consistently applying your personal framework, you will find it easier to balance urgent demands with strategic goals and spend time on the things that matter most. This approach not only helps in managing time but also supports long-term success in the chief human resources officer career.

Navigating change and uncertainty in HR leadership

Adapting to Shifting Priorities in HR Leadership

In the world of human resources, change is constant. Whether it’s a new business direction, evolving workforce expectations, or sudden organizational challenges, chief human resources officers must be ready to adapt. Navigating these changes effectively means understanding which things are truly essential and which are simply urgent matters demanding immediate attention.

Making Time for What’s Essential

It’s easy to get caught up in urgent tasks—emails, meetings, and daily fires that seem to require instant action. However, effective management comes from recognizing the difference between urgent activities and those that drive long-term success. One helpful approach is to use the time quadrant method, which separates tasks into four categories based on urgency and importance. This habit, inspired by time management frameworks, helps leaders focus on activities that align with their strategic goals rather than just reacting to what’s urgent.

• Quadrant 1: Urgent and important—crises, pressing problems
• Quadrant 2: Not urgent but important—planning, relationship building, professional development
• Quadrant 3: Urgent but not important—interruptions, some emails
• Quadrant 4: Not urgent and not important—trivial activities, distractions

Highly effective people spend time in Quadrant 2, focusing on long-term goals and habits that support both personal and professional growth. By building the habit of putting things in the right quadrant, you can better manage your day and ensure your actions align with your priorities.

Building Habits for Effective Change Management

Developing habits highly effective for managing time and change is not a one-time effort. It requires regular reflection and adjustment. Ask yourself: Are your daily actions supporting your essential goals? Are you spending time on urgent tasks at the expense of strategic initiatives? Making a habit of reviewing your activities will help you stay focused, even when the environment is uncertain.

Success in HR leadership often comes down to how well you can adapt your management style and priorities as things shift. By focusing on effective habits, prioritizing essential activities, and managing time wisely, you’ll be better equipped to lead through change and uncertainty.

Measuring what matters: tracking progress on your top priorities

Turning Priorities into Measurable Progress

Tracking progress on your top priorities as a chief human resources officer is not just about ticking off urgent tasks. It’s about making sure your actions align with long term goals and the essential things that drive success for both people and the organization. Effective management means you need to measure what matters most, not just what is easy to count.

• Define what success looks like: Start by clarifying which activities and outcomes are truly essential. This habit helps you focus on what will have the biggest impact, rather than getting lost in urgent matters that demand your attention day after day.
• Use time management frameworks: Applying principles from the time quadrant model, such as the one described by Stephen Covey, can help you distinguish between urgent activities and important goals. Spend time on the things that matter most, not just on urgent tasks.
• Set clear metrics: For each priority, identify specific indicators that show progress. These could include employee engagement scores, retention rates, or the completion of strategic initiatives. Effective people and teams track both short-term wins and long-term improvements.
• Build habits for regular review: Make it a habit to review your progress regularly. This could be a weekly or monthly check-in where you assess if your actions are moving you closer to your goals. Highly effective people make this a routine part of their management life.
• Adjust as needed: The world of HR leadership is always changing. Be ready to shift your focus if new urgent matters arise, but don’t lose sight of your essential priorities. Effective management means balancing flexibility with a strong commitment to your long-term vision.

Priority	Metric	Review Habit
Employee Engagement	Annual survey results	Quarterly review
Leadership Development	Number of leaders promoted	Monthly check-in
Diversity Initiatives	Representation metrics	Bi-annual analysis

Making measurement a habit things highly effective HR leaders do. It helps you see where your time and energy are going, and whether your actions align with your personal professional goals. By focusing on the right things, you build a foundation for long-term success and create a life and career that reflect your values.