Turning Strategy into Strength: Why CEOs Must Own the Talent Agenda
Every executive knows their strategic plan from revenue growth, new markets being considered and the capital required to get there. But as Steena Chandler reminds us, “the people side of things often becomes an afterthought.”
In this episode of FMI's "Built-In" podcast, Chandler, FMI partner and head of the leadership and organizational development practice, makes a compelling case for why talent strategy isn’t just a human resources function. It’s a core element of enterprise risk management.
When Weak Pipelines Create Big Risks
Chandler tells the story of a client who “put a very bright project executive into a position to run a $1 billion job,” only to realize they were “probably one rep or two too early.” The fallout? Costly rework and strained relationships.
Her takeaway is clear, “Weak pipelines will make good people into unintentional liabilities.” The message to executives is to get ahead of it.
Beyond Activity: What a Real Talent Strategy Looks Like
According to Chandler, “most firms confuse strategy with activity.” Hiring human resource leaders, launching training programs and introducing new systems are valuable, but “without a clear through line and direction, the risk is that those just become activities with a variety of degrees of momentum.”
A true talent strategy, she says, “is a direct bridge from your business strategy.” CEOs can’t delegate it. “You can’t outsource the soul of your company,” Chandler explains. Instead, leaders must act as co-pilots, steering talent outcomes just as deliberately as they do business performance.
Defining the Philosophy Behind People Decisions
Every organization already has a talent philosophy, even if it’s not written down. Chandler challenges executives to define that and integrate it into daily decisions.
“You’ve already made talent decisions,” Chandler says. “You already have a talent philosophy. It’s more of a matter of how do you surface that and make sure your leaders are using that to accelerate their decision speed.”
She offers a few examples of the beliefs that guide real-world decisions:
- “We believe leadership is our greatest differentiator.”
- “We believe in building leaders internally and only bringing in external leaders if we need new capabilities.”
- “We believe talent is an enterprise resource, and we're going to move talent around the country even when it's uncomfortable.”
Understanding your talent philosophy will shape your strategic decisions. It’s important to create this alongside other business decisions.
From CEO to Chief Talent Strategist
So what does it look like when a CEO truly owns the talent agenda? Chandler points to leaders who make talent a constant part of their rhythm.
“It’s about changing what you’re already doing,” she explains. “Can you, in existing meetings, talk about: do we have leaders and teams to deliver this?”
It’s also about personal involvement: “Know your bench personally,” she urges. “Leadership transitions fail all the time. What will help prevent that is knowing your bench personally, their options, their development plan.”
Ultimately, “authorship is ownership,” Chandler says. “You commit to what you co-create.” That philosophy not only builds stronger teams but creates alignment and accountability across the organization.
Starting Tomorrow
For CEOs already feeling stretched, Chandler suggests starting small. “Look at your schedule next week,” she says. “See how you can integrate more of the emphasis on people and ask people-related questions about how we drive our strategy.” And if you only do one thing? “Define a single talent outcome,” she recommends. “You don’t need to do the work right now—just define it.”
Want to hear how top leaders are rethinking the talent conversation? Listen to the full episode of Built-In featuring Steena Chandler to explore how CEOs can turn ambition into capability and strategy into results.
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