Stop faking "I love my job": Why HR leaders need to embrace their strengths

"I LOVE MY JOB! I LOVE MY JOB! I LOVE MY JOB!"

The facilitator's voice echoed through our HR team offsite at Barclays. We were instructed to repeat this mantra with enthusiasm. I found myself mouthing the words mechanically, feeling like an imposter. The reality was that I definitely DID NOT love my job at that time.

My role as an HRBP had devolved into an endless cycle of employee relations investigations and reduction-in-force implementations. I was teetering on the edge of burnout, dragging myself through each day without the energy or passion that once defined my career.

What I didn't realize then—but understand clearly now—was that my dissatisfaction stemmed from a fundamental disconnect between my work and my natural strengths. This revelation became the catalyst for my professional transformation and now forms the cornerstone of my coaching philosophy for HR leaders.

The selfless profession's paradox

As HR leaders, we orchestrate others' professional development while our own growth languishes. We meticulously identify strengths in teams across the organization yet rarely pause to recognize our own unique capabilities. We become so focused on being organizational caregivers that we neglect self-care in its most fundamental professional form—leveraging what makes us exceptional.

This neglect creates a troubling cycle. HR is the lynchpin in any organization, holding everything together through culture initiatives, talent strategies, and organizational design. When HR leaders operate below their potential or suffer burnout, the ripple effects extend throughout the entire company. The department responsible for organizational health becomes the patient most in need of intervention.

Why HR leaders struggle with strengths

Through my work with dozens of HR executives, I've identified three common barriers that prevent us from embracing our strengths:

1. The persistent shadow of imposter syndrome

Research reveals that 75% of high-performing senior women leaders in Fortune 1000 companies have personally experienced imposter syndrome. HR leaders—particularly women, who comprise the majority of our profession—are no exception. We question our expertise despite years of successfully navigating complex people challenges.

2. The negativity bias trap

We become hypercritical of our performance because we wear so many hats simultaneously: culture carrier, compliance guardian, strategic advisor, employee advocate, change enabler, and crisis manager. This "jack of all trades" reality creates an impossible standard of perfection. When we inevitably fall short in one area, we overlook our excellence in others.

3. The invisible expertise effect

Many HR leaders don't recognize their strengths precisely because these capabilities feel effortless to them. When non-HR colleagues casually remark that "HR seems easy" or "anyone could do that," it reinforces the misconception that our expertise isn't valuable. We fail to acknowledge that what comes naturally to us—mediating conflicts, sensing cultural undercurrents, crafting communication that resonates—represents unique and valuable strengths rather than common skills.

Reclaiming your joy

The journey toward loving your HR role begins with recognizing and applying your strengths. When you deliberately structure your role to leverage what you do best, work transforms from depleting to energizing. The organization benefits from your heightened performance while you rediscover the satisfaction that drew you to HR in the first place.

My own transformation began when I stopped trying to excel equally across every HR discipline and instead focused on my strengths in leadership development and coaching. This shift not only revitalized my career but dramatically increased my impact.

Today, I challenge every HR leader reading this: Take one hour this week to identify and reflect on your unique strengths. Ask trusted colleagues what they value most about your contributions. Notice which tasks energize rather than drain you. Then make one deliberate change to incorporate more of these strengths into your daily work.

Because someday, when someone asks you to shout "I LOVE MY JOB," you should be able to do so with authentic enthusiasm rather than forced compliance. Your organization needs you at your best, and that best emerges only when you're leading from your strengths.

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I work with female senior leaders in Human Resources who feel stuck to help them love their work or find work they love. I write about:

👂 Executive & career coaching

📄 Career development and career transition

🎯 Job search strategy

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