What 150 HR Leaders couldn’t see about themselves (but I could)
- Renee Conklin
- Jun 17
- 3 min read
What are the top strengths needed in your role as an HR practitioner?
This was the question I asked ~150 HR leaders during the Transform Talent conference in Hong Kong.
I received 90 different answers—what an amazing diversity of responses! The strengths that were the highest ranked were:
· Influencing
· Agility
· Trustworthy
· Collaborative
These were closely followed by empathy, communication, integrity and flexibility.
Interestingly, the senior HR leaders I work with already possess these signature strengths. However, they lack the ability to identify them and the clarity and confidence to leverage them strategically.

So why do capable leaders struggle to recognize these strengths in themselves? In fact, I’ve noticed three patterns in my work with hundreds of HR leaders.
1) We find it hard to talk about our strengths.
Why? Because we have imposter syndrome. In fact, 75% of high-performing senior women leaders in Fortune 1000 companies (KPMG “Mind the Gap,” 2023) had personally experienced imposter syndrome. HR leaders are no exception.
2) We tend to focus on our negatives.
Negative experiences stay embedded in our neural pathways longer than positive ones. But what makes this problem unique to HR practitioners? It’s because we wear so many hats. We are the camp counselor, the culture carrier, babysitter, first aider, legal guru, compliance fiend, automated "no" inbox, strategic problem solver. Our roles require us to excel across multiple disciplines. Therefore, how can we be good at everything?
3) We might not recognize our strengths.
There is a view that non-HR people think HR is so “easy.” All we do all day is sit around and read our employee handbook and chit chat with employees. It makes you think that the complexity of the role is all in your head. Let me tell you – it’s NOT!
You may not recognize that the things that feel easy for you in the role are actually your strengths. For example, you expertly navigate a tricky employee relations issue that would trip up your colleagues, but you dismiss it as “just listening.”
If you're feeling stuck in your HR role, start small by asking yourself these questions:
Where am I already influencing, even if it doesn't feel "influential" enough?
What examples of my agility am I dismissing as "just doing my job"?
How has my collaborative nature solved problems others couldn't?
When has my trustworthiness opened doors that remained closed to others?
These are just a few questions based on the top strengths needed for HR practitioners, but there are many more you could ask yourself. Give them a try. Your answers might surprise you.
The next time someone asks about your signature HR strengths, remember this: you likely already have them. The question isn't whether you're equipped for senior leadership – it's whether you're ready to step fully into the leader you already are.
What strength from this list resonates most with you? I'd love to hear how you've seen it show up in your own HR leadership journey.
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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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