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More than half of all CHROs are replaced within twelve months of a new CEO taking the helm. That is not just turnover. It is a signal. In this episode of The Talent Sherpa Podcast, host Jackson O. Lynch and co-host Scott Morris explore why the CHRO seat has become the most volatile role in the C-suite and what sitting HR leaders can do to survive the transition.

They start with a blunt truth. A new CEO is not only a leadership change but a mandate change. If HR keeps pushing yesterday’s programs while the board expects tomorrow’s results, the CHRO quickly becomes a cost line instead of a value creator. The answer is translation. The CHRO who can connect people strategy directly to capital outcomes earns credibility faster than anyone else. Engagement becomes a profit conversation, and programs evolve into people systems that drive measurable impact on revenue per employee, talent density, retention of top talent, and speed to impact.

Lynch and Morris discuss how timing and fluency define survival. In the first 30 days, CHROs must align tightly with the CEO’s playbook and operating rhythm. By 90 days, they should simplify their HR dashboard so the board can explain it in under a minute. They also highlight how clarity of expectations, anchored by Gallup’s question “I know what is expected of me at work,” is one of the strongest predictors of performance.

The conversation covers common traps that derail even experienced CHROs. Mistaking early access for trust. Defending legacy programs. Mirroring personality instead of priorities. And when the new CEO’s expectations clearly diverge from what HR delivers, the smartest move may be to negotiate a clean exit and move forward.

This episode is a practical playbook for CHROs facing leadership change. It is essential listening for senior HR and business leaders focused on CHRO strategy, HR leadership, and real business transformation in the future of work.

Keywords/Hashtags:
#CHRO #CEOTransition #TalentDensity #HRLeadership #BusinessTransformation #PeopleStrategy #FutureOfWork

You can subscribe to this podcast on your platform of choice. Just go to https://talentsherpa.buzzsprout.com.

If you are a CHRO looking to start your AI transformation, please check out ⁠www.Getpropulsion.ai⁠. Scott and his team are creating a team of agentic teammates to enable your human capital leaders to focus on leading the business forward.

And don’t forget to visit ⁠www.mytalentsherpa.com⁠ where we have tools and coaching for CHROs to make an impact on day one, including the brand new CHRO Chronicles and the CHRO Ascent Academy. Also, if you want a Sherpa to guide your ascent, check out the work with me section.

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