Building the Next Generation of CHROs

Many organizations invest in building their HR leadership pipelines and developing their senior HR talent. Yet many continue to struggle to develop leaders who are ready for what today’s Chief Human Resources Officer role demands. For years, broad HR experience, executive presence, and the confidence of the CEO were considered the hallmarks of a future CHRO. Those qualities still matter. But today's CHRO is expected to shape enterprise strategy, advise the board, influence CEO succession, oversee executive compensation, lead major transformation, and help organizations navigate the workforce implications of AI.

Many organizations are beginning to rethink how they prepare future CHROs. Cornell ILR’s Modern CHRO Role program is one example of that shift. Research from Patrick Wright, Program Faculty Lead, and colleagues at the University of South Carolina’s Center for Executive Succession suggests the issue is not a lack of high-potential HR leaders but how organizations prepare future successors. Only about one-third of CHROs are promoted directly from within their organizations. What is more telling is why organizations looked outside. The research found that the primary reason was not CEO preference or a desire for an outsider’s perspective, but the belief that there was not an internal candidate ready for the role.

Part of the challenge is that the capabilities organizations now consider most critical for CHRO success are often the same ones future CHROs have the fewest opportunities to develop. Strategic business leadership, board exposure, leading large-scale change, and business acumen consistently rank among the largest development gaps. Closing those gaps requires giving high-potential HR leaders experiences that build both their readiness for the role and the organization’s confidence in them.

Patrick Wright notes that ongoing interviews with CHROs, CEOs, board directors, and executive search leaders reinforce these findings. Aspiring CHROs often spend years mastering the HR function but have relatively little exposure to the boardroom, executive compensation, enterprise strategy, or the difficult judgment calls that come with leadership at the top. That exposure rarely comes through the normal progression of HR roles, and organizations need to be more intentional about creating those opportunities.

Organizations may also need to think differently about CHRO succession. Rather than focusing solely on preparing someone to step into today’s CHRO role, organizations should consider what leadership capabilities they will need for the next chapter. A company pursuing transformation, rapid growth, or AI-enabled reinvention may require a different leadership profile than one focused on operational excellence. The experiences future CHROs need should reflect where the business is headed and not simply where it has been.

Many of these capabilities are difficult to develop through a traditional HR career path alone. Cornell ILR’s Modern CHRO Role program is designed to give senior HR leaders exposure to these responsibilities before they step into the role. Through candid discussions with CHROs, CEOs, board directors, and Cornell faculty, participants explore the decisions, relationships, and leadership challenges that come with operating at the top of the HR function. Equally important, they build trusted relationships with peers navigating similar transitions, creating a network they can continue to rely on throughout their careers.

For organizations thinking about CHRO succession, the question is whether potential successors are getting the exposure and experiences they will need not only to step into the role, but to lead where the organization is headed. Giving future CHROs broader exposure to the business, its leaders, and the challenges shaping its future may help organizations build stronger CHRO-ready talent from within.

For more information about the next cohort of the Modern CHRO program, please reach out to Karen Siewert at kts47@cornell.edu