Time to Inspire

In 2008, the architecture industry fell off a cliff. I remember watching talented designers and planners suddenly out of work, their portfolios collecting dust. When the economy finally began to recover, a generation gap formed. The entry-level roles were gone during the downturn, and those who might have become the next partners never got the early reps. Firms tried to rebuild, but the ladder was missing a few rungs.

Fast-forward to today, and I see history repeating — this time in HR.

The “broken rung” isn’t just a Lean In statistic about women managers; it’s a systemic leadership pipeline issue across People functions.

The 2020s burned out an entire class of HR leaders. They were the glue holding companies together through layoffs, DEI reckonings, in person vs. remote work wars, and existential fatigue — often with no seat at the table and no oxygen mask for themselves. Many quietly left. Others pivoted to consulting (hi, it’s me). And now, as the market swings back toward growth, companies are realizing: there’s a shortage of qualified, energized Chief People Officers ready to step in.

Just like those missing architects, we’re facing a gap that will take a decade to rebuild.

Time to Learn

The “CPO shortage” isn’t just anecdotal — it’s structural. Here’s why:

1. The pandemic created accidental CHROs.

When 2020 hit, mid-level HR leaders were thrust into crisis leadership overnight — without training, support, or recovery time. Many skipped natural development steps to survive the moment.

2. The middle layer collapsed.

HR departments flattened during layoffs. That meant fewer directors and VPs — the critical rungs that prepare someone for a C-suite role — never got the mentoring, cross-functional exposure, or business acumen development needed to scale.

3. The seat became hotter than ever.

Expectations skyrocketed: drive culture, lead transformation, manage risk, support hybrid, own DEI, and still hit engagement and retention goals, and today - lead the AI strategy for the company! The math stopped working.

If we want to rebuild the leadership bench, we can borrow from what architecture firms eventually learned post-2008:

• Apprenticeship matters. Rotate emerging HR leaders through real business cycles, not just programs and policy.

• Design for succession early. Every CPO should have a “ready-now” bench and a “ready-soon” bench.

• Elevate HR literacy across exec teams. When CEOs and CFOs understand the craft of People leadership, the function stops being a cost center and becomes a growth driver. They also build empathy towards what capacity actually looks like in this role.

We don’t need more HR heroes. We need sustainable systems.

Time to Connect

If you’re a CEO, ask your CPO one question this quarter:

“Who are we developing to take your place?”

If the answer is silence — you’ve found your risk area.

And if you’re an HR leader reading this, here’s your challenge:

• Choose one person you can mentor or sponsor this year.

• Share your playbook — the good, the messy, the lessons learned.

• Take a break before burnout breaks you.

• And find your tribe. Wendy Road is my inner circle for Chief People Officers. High performers surround themselves with other high performers. It helps you stay smart. sharp and sane. We are building three cohorts in 2026, 2 in NYC and 1 in Charleston, SC. Fill out this form if you’d like to apply!

Connect with me in person:

This month my travels will take me to NYC mid-month for a full week and otherwise I’ll be investing time and energy in Charleston, SC. If you’ll be in either place and any of this resonates, let’s grab coffee. Drop me a note.

Help expand my inner circle!

My company, ScaleJOY, has grown solely through word of mouth and by delivering quality experiences to the hundreds of clients we have supported. Spread the word by sharing this newsletter or connecting them directly to me for leadership development, coaching or offsite facilitation. Thank you for your continued support!