How CHROs Can Become a True Strategic Partner to the CEO

When hiring his first CHRO, Aaaron Skonnard thought he knew what he was looking for.

The co-founder and former CEO of Pluralsight wanted someone who knew HR (obviously), but his requirements weren’t all that focused on strategic strengths. At least they weren’t until he interviewed Anita Grantham.

In episode 2 of Culture Creators, Anita sat down with Aaaron to dissect their CEO/CHRO partnership at Pluralsight. Too many CHROs operate at arm’s length from the CEO. But together they proved what’s possible when that relationship is treated as the most strategic one in the C-suite.

Based on their conversation, here’s three lessons you can learn about how CEOs and CHROs can operate as a fully partnered unit to grow the business.

Lesson 1: Define the partnership you actually want

As Aaron and his team interviewed CHRO candidates for Pluralsight, he said he wanted “someone who knows HR, who has experience, who kind of knows the drill.” He quickly learned that certain candidates were going to bring more to the table, specifically Anita.

That’s because she used the interview itself to test whether Aaron was ready for a deeper, strategic relationship with HR, one that went beyond basic HR administration. Aaron shares that Anita’s pointed questions reframed the entire role for him.

"At first I just thought I wanted what everyone wanted… But after going through that dialogue with you, I realized, okay, with Anita, I'm gonna get something much deeper." – Aaron Skonnard

This process started for them in the interview process, but established HR Leaders and CEOs can have these conversations too.

The most provocative question Anita asked: "Are you willing to be coached?" — which signaled this would be a partnership built on growth and collaboration, not administration or party planning.

As an HR leader, don't audition for a transactional seat. Use your 1:1s to surface whether the CEO will trust you as a true advisor — and whether they're willing to grow themselves.

Suggested quotes from Aaron:

"Are you willing to be coached? …If I wasn't willing to be coached, how am I gonna create a culture of learning and coaching, especially at the executive ranks?"

Lesson 2: Co-own the vision, values, and culture

Though the CEO should own strategy, your role in HR isn’t just to sit on the sidelines parroting that vision or the company values. A CHRO or HR Director who makes the vision real across the company is a leader who earns trust.

At Pluralsight, Anita and Aaron had Vision 2020. But it wasn’t a catchy tagline. It included a multi-page, five-year picture of the business by customer, product, culture, and revenue. Anita helped formulate it and operationalize it through town halls, QBRs, and assets built with marketing.

As an HR Leader, push to be in the room when vision and values are formed (or re-formed). Own the process of establishing them throughout the business so they become "the backbone of the company."

"It's really the job of the CEO to own the vision… But with a strong CHRO, you can make that vision so much clearer and more impactful for the business." – Aaron Skonnard

Lesson 3: Earn trust with the CEO and the executive team

You become a solid business partner when there’s airtight trust with the CEO and genuine credibility with the rest of the executive team.

For Anita, this meant a tight working rhythm with Aaron, strict confidentiality, and a learner's mindset with her executive peers.

Anita and Aaron relied on 2 PM tea check-ins and end-of-day recaps, along with strict privacy and confidentiality among the whole executive team. Anita always had Aaron’s back, and he knew it.

To build trust between HR and other leaders, Anita asked the head of product to teach her how product was built, and the CFO to walk her through the financials before board meetings. That learner's mindset turned her into a trusted peer, not an HR overseer.

HR shouldn’t be held at arm’s length

The one piece of advice that Aaron gives to CEOs and CHROs looking to build something great: “Lean into each other.”

As an HR Leader, don’t hesitate to look at your partnership from a broader perspective.

Are you designing your partnership? Co-owning vision and values? Building trust with the whole leadership team?

Don’t wait until you’re invited it.

Watch or listen to Aaron’s episode of Culture Creators:

• YouTube
• Culture Creators

Aaron Skonnard is a Pluralsight co-founder and the company’s former CEO. Before his departure, he scaled the company to $600 million in annual revenue. In his episode of Culture Creators, he talks with our host Anita Grantham, who was actually the first CHRO he ever hired, about the exact steps and programs they created together during Pluralsight’s years of massive growth.

What Is Culture Creators?

Culture Creators is the podcast for people leaders who want more than inspiration. Each episode delivers proven strategies, real frameworks, and hard lessons behind building great workplace culture — straight from the world’s best CHROs, founders, and executives.

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