What does it really take to become a Chief People Officer?

This week, I hosted a webinar with Marty Reaume, a 4x Chief People Officer, board advisor, and executive leader, alongside Mac Gebara, Co-Founder & CEO of Atrium. We had a thoughtful and practical conversation about how HR leaders can evolve their careers toward the CPO role, and what separates strong HR leaders from true executive-level Chief People Officers.

If you missed the live session, you can watch the full recording below.

Below are the biggest nuggets of wisdom from our conversation, and what HR leaders should do if they aspire to become a Chief People Officer.

‍The CPO Role Has Fundamentally Changed

One of the most important insights Marty shared: “The CPO role has evolved from managing the workforce to designing the system of work”. This is a major shift.

Historically, HR leaders focused on:

• Talent
• Culture
• Employee experience
• HR operations

Today, CPOs are expected to shape:

• Business strategy
• Organizational design
• Performance architecture
• Leadership capability
• Transformation initiatives

In other words, the modern CPO is not just a people leader. They are a business architect. This shift has accelerated due to:

• The war for talent
• The pandemic
• Rapid technology change
• AI transformation

Today’s CPO is expected to help design how work gets done, not just support the people doing the work.

Being "Great at HR" Is Not Enough

This was one of the most powerful takeaways. Many HR leaders believe that being excellent at HR will naturally lead to the CPO role. But Marty challenged that assumption. The best CPOs aren’t just strong HR leaders; they are business leaders with an enterprise mindset.

That means understanding:

• How the company makes money
• Growth strategy
• Product and go-to-market
• Financial levers
• Risk management

A CPO connects talent decisions directly to business outcomes – growth, productivity, and risk. This is where many strong HR leaders get stuck. They stay in functional excellence mode rather than enterprise leadership mode. And that’s often where the plateau happens.

"Being Strategic" Means Shaping Business Outcomes

"Be more strategic”. It’s one of the most common pieces of feedback HR leaders receive. But what does that actually mean? Marty broke it down clearly. Being strategic means:

• Pressure testing business strategy
• Identifying execution risks
• Highlighting capability gaps
• Connecting people decisions to business outcomes

In other words: Strategic HR leaders shape outcomes; they don’t just support plans.

The Three Stages of "Having a Seat at the Table"

This was one of the most helpful frameworks from the session. Marty described three levels of executive influence:

1. ‍The Courtesy Seat. You're invited, but not influencing decisions.
2. ‍The Contributing Voice. You offer perspective, occasionally influence.
3. ‍The Enterprise Leader. You shape strategy and own business outcomes.

Most HR leaders think they have a seat at the table, but many are still at Stage 1 or Stage 2. True CPO readiness happens at Stage 3.

Influence Is Built Before the Title

Another powerful insight: You don’t become influential when you become CPO. You become CPO because you’re already influential. Marty emphasized:

• Insert yourself upstream in decision-making
• Get involved earlier in discussions
• Solve executive-level problems

Focus on:

• Growth targets
• Leadership capability
• Execution breakdowns
• Organizational scaling challenges

Real influence comes from making executives more effective, not just supporting HR initiatives.

Courage Is a Critical CPO Capability

One capability that often gets overlooked: Courage. The best CPOs:

• Challenge the CEO
• Push back on leadership decisions
• Raise uncomfortable truths
• Advocate for better outcomes

This is what separates strong HR leaders from executive-level CPOs.

Learn the Business, Especially Finance

One of Marty’s strongest recommendations: If you want to become a CPO, spend time with your CFO. Why? Because finance teaches:

• Business mechanics
• Capital allocation
• Risk management
• Board dynamics

This is one of the fastest ways to develop an enterprise mindset.

Don’t Wait for the Opportunity. Be Intentional

Another key theme from the webinar: Your path to CPO won’t happen accidentally. You need to:

• Seek exposure
• Build relationships
• Volunteer for complex initiatives
• Ask for stretch opportunities
• Build executive credibility

The most successful CPOs are intentional about their progression.

The Most Rewarding Part of Being a CPO

Despite the challenges, Marty shared something inspiring: The CPO role is incredibly rewarding because it sits at the intersection of:

• Talent
• Strategy
• Technology
• Culture
• Performance

It’s one of the few roles where you can shape:

• Business outcomes
• Organizational design
• Human impact at scale

That’s what makes the role so compelling.

Final Thoughts: The Path to CPO Is a Leadership Journey

Becoming a Chief People Officer isn’t about climbing the HR ladder. It’s about evolving into a business leader who specializes in people and performance. If you aspire to the CPO role, start thinking differently:

• Move beyond HR
• Learn the business
• Build executive influence
• Develop courage
• Be intentional

Because the path to CPO isn’t about waiting for the seat. It’s about earning it.

Missed the conversation? Watch the full webinar above. You'll hear Marty’s real-world examples, career advice, and practical insights for HR leaders aspiring to become Chief People Officers. Huge thanks to Marty Reaume and Mac Gebara for the thoughtful and insightful discussion.

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