Good morning!
Having reported on the inner workings of CHROs for the better part of a year now, I’ll be the first to admit that I’d be absolutely terrible at it. That’s because as an introvert who often feels drained after spending a few hours with large groups of people, helping dozens or hundreds of employees navigate the workplace sounds exhausting.
That’s led me to wonder, do extroverts make better CHROs? Joanne Rodgers, senior vice president and chief human resources officer at insurance company New York Life (#78 on the Fortune 500) tells me, being an outgoing person is a big bonus when it comes to what it takes to do the job.
“I’m a true extrovert,” she says. “I love all things, people and culture. And so to sit in a role where you can tap into the potential of people and create an environment where people are thriving, is really exciting.”
Rodgers’ role requires her to work with many people across several departments, and present at company-wide town halls in front of tens of thousands of employees. It’s also up to her and her team to be the spokespeople for major internal changes, like RTO mandates.
As the role of the CHRO continues to become more visible and aligned with other departments, Rodgers believes that the field will only further favor more social personality types. For example, Rodgers says her extroversion helps her advocate for herself and her team during meetings with the board or CEO about the work they’re doing, and how it’s a vital role in the company’s overall mission.
“Building trust, at any level, starts with getting to know people, and their work, really well,” she says. “A big win is being able to point out the business outcomes my team is able to make, because they’re not always clear.”
Brit Morse
brit.morse@fortune.com
Around the Table
A round-up of the most important HR headlines.
Data shows that working-class men have now reached a point where, across a multitude of economic measures, they’re clearly falling behind women. Bloomberg
When it comes to dealing with Trump, big law firms aren’t rallying together like one might expect, and it could be due to a long-held practice of poaching. New York Times
Return-to-office mandates could be negatively affecting neurodiverse individuals who may not work as well in busy environments. Washington Post
Watercooler
Everything you need to know from Fortune.
Vanishing managers. Leaders are overworked and burnt out and it could be due to the overall decline in the effectiveness of middle management. —Lily Mae Lazarus
Six figure salaries. Not all college degrees are a waste of time and money. In fact, these ones in particular may actually lead to a high-paying job. —Sara Braun
Worsening childcare crisis. Many parents are concerned that Trump’s tariff plans will raise the price on products for babies and children, which are mostly made in China. —Dee-Ann Durbin and The Associated Press
