Why high-performing HR leaders hit career walls (and how to break through)

The hardest career problem I ever had to solve was my own.

This is the Season 1 finale of Women in HR — and it's a personal one. In this episode, I share my own story of feeling stuck as a senior HR leader. The 3am wake-ups. The redundancies. The mentor who asked me what I wanted and the silence that followed. And what finally helped me move forward. If you've ever wondered how someone who spends her career helping others with theirs could completely lose the thread of her own — this episode is for you. What you'll learn * Why 42% of HR professionals are considering leaving the profession entirely — and why that number doesn't surprise me * How career stagnation spreads beyond work into your relationships, your health, and your sense of self * Why the most capable women in HR are often the most stuck — and the six factors that stack up to keep them there * Why finding a new job doesn't fix the underlying problem * Three strategies to start moving: the career audit, building before you need it, and knowing your strengths Resources mentioned * Career Audit: resources.rchrconsulting.com/careeraudit * 2025 HR Mental Wellbeing Report: https://hrzone.com/the-mental-health-of-hr-what-1400-voices-tell-us-about-a-profession-in-distress/ * VIA Character Strengths Survey: viacharacter.org * RC HR Newsletter: news.rchrconsulting.com/newsletter Chapter timestamps * Welcome and season 1 finale * The data: what's really happening in HR * My story: the café, the redundancy, and standing frozen * How being stuck spreads * Why this happens to the most capable women * Why the obvious solution doesn't work * Three strategies to start moving * Close and newsletter CTA Keywords women in HR, HR leadership, career stagnation, feeling stuck, HR burnout, senior HR leaders, career coaching, HR career, imposter syndrome, career transition, HR wellbeing, career audit, executive coaching, women in leadership, APAC HR, career development, job satisfaction, HR professionals

From Google to growth stage start-ups: Clarissa Wang on designing an HR career with intention

Episode summary Clarissa Wang has built her HR career across some of the world’s most recognizable organizations including Google, Salesforce and Heidrick & Struggles. Today she leads people strategy at Endowus [https://endowus.com/]a rapidly scaling Singapore-based wealth management platform. In this conversation, Clarissa and Renee explore what it really takes to scale cultureacross multiple markets, why “I don’t know” is one of the most powerful things a leader can say, how AI is reshaping the day-to-day work of HR, and what it means to be a solo people leader at the top of a growing organization. Key takeaways •       Culture cannot be exported from headquarters — sharedvalues and purpose are the anchor, not uniformity across sites. •       Culture is not owned by HR; when HR waves the flag alone, culture becomes a poster rather than a lived reality. •       Saying “I don’t know” is a leadership strength, not a gap — seniority does not equal certainty. •       AI can automate onboarding, surface themes from engagement data, and replace expensive compensation benchmarking tools, but HRjudgment cannot be outsourced to it. •       As administrative work disappears, HR leaders face a real identity shift toward strategy, frameworks, and judgment. •       Every career move Clarissa made was guided by one question: what can I learn here, and what can I give? •       Loneliness at the top is real for solo HR leaders — building a tribe through coaching, LinkedIn, and peer communities is adeliberate act, not an accident. Connect with Clarissa: https://www.linkedin.com/in/clarissawang/KeywordsHR leadership, culture scaling, APAC HR, AI in HR, solo HR leader, HR community, career design, growth mindset, people strategy, Endowus, senior female HR leaders, HR career development, Heidrick & Struggles, Google, Salesforce

The “one more year” plan: what delayed career moves are really costing you

Summary In this solo episode, Reneeunpacks one of the most common patterns she sees in her coaching work: thehabit of delaying a career move while waiting for the “right moment.” Whetheryou’re thinking about leaving your company, going for an internal promotion, orrenegotiating your current role, the logic of waiting can feel sound. Reneemakes the case that it isn’t — and that the cost of inaction is higher thanmost people realize. She walks through three distinctscenarios, each with its own version of the cost of waiting: the financial costfor those considering an external move, the leverage cost for those ready for apromotion, and the career capital cost for those who need to reshape their rolefrom the inside. The episode closes with three concrete actions listeners cantake right now, whatever their situation. Key Takeaways •       The “one more year” plan applies to three groups: those considering an external move, those ready for an internal promotion, and thosewho need to renegotiate their current role. •       For external moves, the financial cost of waiting is concrete and calculable. A conservative 15% salary uplift on a USD 230,000base, including bonus, adds up to over USD 40,000 per year in foregone compensation. •       For internal promotions, the cost is about leverage. The best time to make a case for promotion is at a peak of momentum, not afterwaiting for things to calm down. •       For role renegotiation, the cost is career capital: every year spent in a role that underuses your strengths is a year not spentbuilding the skills and visibility your next move will depend on. •       Loss aversion, a well-documented psychological principle, explains why the invisible cost of waiting feels less real than thevisible risks of acting. •       The pattern is the same regardless of scenario: one reasonable reason to wait becomes two, two becomes three, and before long you’ve been “almost ready” for two years. •       You don’t have to be ready to start. One conversation, one update, one outreach is enough to build momentum. The formula mentioned in the episode For those considering an external move, Renee shares a simple formula to calculate your annual cost of waiting:   Annual cost of waiting =(Current base salary × 0.15) + (Monthly salary × months of bonus × 0.15)   Plug in your own salary andbonus to find your number. Three actions you can take 1.    Set a real deadline, not a milestone. 2.    Make the cost visible. 3.    Start building from where you are. Chapters Intro and welcome What the “one more year” plan sounds like Three types of career move The financial cost of waiting: external moves The formula: calculating your annual cost The leverage cost: internal promotions The career capital cost : renegotiating your role Why we all wait: loss aversion The pattern: one reason becomes two Three actions to take right now Keywords HR career development, senior HRleaders, career coaching, women in HR, career transition, internal promotion,salary negotiation, role renegotiation, loss aversion, career capital, jobsearch strategy, APAC HR, strengths-aligned career, career momentum, HRleadership ResourcesJoin Renee’s newsletter: news.rchrconsulting.com/newsletter  Connect with Renee on LinkedIn:linkedin.com/in/reneeconklin

See the human first, Rachael Fitzpatrick, Global HRBP, Maxeon Solar Technologies

Summary Rachael Fitzpatrick, Global HR Business Partner at Maxeon Solar Technologies, joins the podcast to share how 25+ years across tech, shipping, insurance, and solar energy have shaped her approach to HR leadership. Rachael discusses how she's built trust quickly when moving between vastly different industries, why networking (not job boards) is what gets you across the line when switching sectors, and how volunteering at Changi Prison taught her to lead with less judgment and more calm. She also opens up about her unconventional stress management technique (singing, loudly) and makes the case for HR leaders to adopt a coaching approach with their stakeholders without waiting until they feel "ready." Find Rachael here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rachael-fitzpatrick-b617871/ Key takeaways * Humans are humans regardless of industry. The fundamentals of what people need don't change, but how you deliver it in different environments does. Learning the business language, understanding cultural nuances and listening first is what earns credibility. * Switching industries requires relationships, not job applications. Rachael's own move from software to manufacturing came through networking, not through applying online. * Volunteering at Changi Prison reinforced a core HR principle: leave your judgment at the door and see the human in front of you. Most people have good intentions; some just faced higher hurdles. * The Changi experience brought more calm to Rachael's leadership. When you've seen a wider spectrum of human situations, the surprises that walk through your office door become easier to navigate. * Rachael uses singing lessons and karaoke to process the emotional weight of her HR role. * You don't need ICF certification to coach your stakeholders. Get the basics of coaching conversations and start applying them immediately. Don't stay stuck in fixing mode. * When coaching business partners, be prepared for them to not take your advice. If they made a different call, work through the outcome together. That's how you build trust for the next conversation. * Ask "What outcome are you looking for from this conversation?" to figure out whether your stakeholder needs a coaching conversation or an HR answer. Chapters * Introduction * Building trust across different industries * Why "at my last company" doesn't work * Switching industries through networking * Mentorship and Mentor Walks * A rising tide lifts all boats * Volunteering at Changi Prison * Leading with calm after seeing a wider human spectrum * Singing your HR frustrations out * Taking a coaching approach as an HR leader * Just start: you don't need to be fully certified * Knowing when to coach vs. when to advise Keywords HR business partner, coaching approach, industry switching, mentorship, building trust, HR leadership, emotional wellbeing, stress management, stakeholder coaching, career transitions, networking, APAC HR

Why high-performing HR leaders hit career walls (and how to break through)

Episode summary You're brilliant at developing everyone else's career. But what about your own? In this solo episode, Renee Conklin shares three patterns she sees repeatedly in the senior female HR leaders she coaches, patterns that are quietly holding them back from their next career step. Drawing on Sally Helgesen and Marshall Goldsmith's book "How Women Rise," Renee breaks down why intelligent, capable HR leaders get stuck and what to do about it. Whether you're targeting a Head of HR, CPO, or CHRO role, or simply feel like you've plateaued in your current position, this episode will help you identify the habits holding you back and take one concrete step forward. Takeaways * Why the relationship-building skills you've worked hard to develop may not be benefiting your career * The hidden assumptions behind "I don't want to use people" * Why your expertise, can become the thing that keeps you stuck * What perfectionism is doing to your ability to delegate, prioritize, and take risks * Three specific actions you can take this week to start breaking through Three Reflection Questions * What is one relationship you could be leveraging right now to advance your HR career? * What is one area of expertise you could let go of to make space for something more strategic? * Which will you practice this week: delegating, prioritizing, or taking a calculated risk? Resources"How Women Rise: Break the 12 habits holding you back from your next raise, promotion, or job [https://www.amazon.sg/How-Women-Rise-Holding-Promotion/dp/0316440124]" by Sally Helgesen and Marshall GoldsmithKey wordsHR career development, senior HR leader, women in HR, HR career coach, CHRO, Head of HR, CPO, career plateau, career transition HR, HR career APAC, career coaching HR Singapore