How CPOs can get their LTs aligned through one ‘leadership lens’
CPOs: Align your LT and Board through one ‘Leadership Lens’, to enable strategy and build trust with internal and external stakeholders
The Chief People Officer role has evolved far beyond traditional HR boundaries. Once focused on compliance and workforce operations, today’s CPOs are deeply embedded in shaping business strategy and culture at the highest level. According to Hays’ Chief People Officer Viewpoint Report 2025, 85% of CPOs in Australia and New Zealand are actively upskilling in strategic leadership and influencing enterprise decisions, reflecting the growing expectation that HR leaders not only support strategy, but help define it.
Boards now look to CPOs to lead transformation, align people strategy with commercial outcomes, and design cultures that scale across complex, hybrid organisations.
This requires CPOs to steer boards and leadership teams in a deep appreciation of their collective strengths and diverse perspectives, towards alignment where it matters.
Challenge your board and leadership team with these 4 questions to explore individual ‘leadership lenses’ and start to connect and align those ways of seeing and leading, as a team.
Challenge your leaders to reflect on the following questions – first individually, then as a collective. These questions are designed to help you begin identifying the values, experiences and strategic focus that shape their leadership approach – and focus together on what matters most now.
- What values consistently guide your leadership decisions — even when the pressure is on?
Think about moments when you had to make a tough call. What principles did you lean on? - What story or experience best illustrates your leadership philosophy?
This could be a defining moment, a challenge overcome, or a time when your leadership made a real impact. - How do you want to be perceived as a leader — by your team, your peers, and external stakeholders?
Consider the reputation you’re building and how it aligns with your intentions. - What’s around the corner for your organisation or industry — and how are you preparing your leadership lens for what’s next?
This is about future-readiness: what do you need to sharpen, shift or communicate differently?
Why This Works for Boards
Boards operate at a strategic level, so exercises need to be simple yet thought-provoking. The Leadership Lens prompts encourage individual reflection without requiring lengthy preparation. If you combine this with structured sharing, it surfaces diverse perspectives quickly. This approach helps identify common values and priorities while respecting time constraints, creating a foundation for deeper conversations about culture and governance. It’s a practical way to start aligning leadership thinking at the very top.
Boards operate at a strategic level, so exercises need to be simple yet thought-provoking. The Leadership Lens prompts encourage individual reflection without requiring lengthy preparation. If you combine this with structured sharing, it surfaces diverse perspectives quickly. This approach helps identify common values and priorities while respecting time constraints, creating a foundation for deeper conversations about culture and governance. It’s a practical way to start aligning leadership thinking at the very top.
Want to take this further?
This exercise is just the beginning. I work with senior leaders, boards and leadership teams to uncover and articulate their ‘leadership lens’ — helping them lead with clarity, confidence and strategic impact. If this sparked something for you, let’s talk about how we can explore it in more depth.
Explore the Sharpen Your Leadership Lens Workshop for your board/LT
accelerator programaccountants brandsaccounting businessesauditor personal brandauthentic personal brandingauthentic salesbanking and financial servicesboard cultureboard director brandboardsboards and brandsboards and cultureboundariesbrand ambassadorsbrand and culturebrand and leadershipbrand claritybrand communicationbrand culture connectionbrand expression