Episode 44: Building Executive Presence From The Inside Out (Jess Yuen and Andrew Bartlow in Conversation)

Welcome to the People Leader Accelerator Podcast, where we go behind the curtain on building high-performing organisations with honest conversations between experienced leaders. In this episode, we take a break from the traditional guest interviews and invite you into an informal conversation between hosts, Jess Yuen and Andrew Bartlow. Instead of sharing the spotlight with a guest, they dive into their own lived experiences and perspectives as people leaders, exploring what leadership, culture, and authenticity look like in practice. Why do capable, confident HR leaders sometimes become approval-seeking “yes people” around the CEO? In this episode, Andrew and Jess examine the habits that can prevent senior HR leaders from becoming credible enterprise executives - and what it takes to move beyond responsiveness, perfectionism and flawless execution toward greater perspective, self-direction and influence. The conversation begins with an experienced CHRO who immediately agrees to plan an executive offsite, only to realise later that they do not understand what the CEO wants from it. Andrew and Jess use this example to explore why authority can trigger a “middle school” version of an otherwise accomplished leader: someone focused on being liked, gaining recognition and proving they can deliver. They unpack three forces that can contribute to this response - real differences in power, a lifetime of learned deference and the perfectionist instinct to accept an assignment and execute it well. For HR leaders, the tension can be particularly acute: they are expected to challenge and advise the CEO while knowing that the same person influences their ratings, compensation, title and continued employment. Andrew and Jess also reframe organisational politics as a leadership reality rather than inherently manipulative behaviour. Political awareness does not require cynicism or unethical conduct. It means recognising the stories, interests and motivations influencing how people respond. Executives may all care about the organisation while prioritising different outcomes, including mission, financial performance, efficiency or people. Instead of assuming bad intent, the hosts encourage listeners to separate assumptions from facts and consider both the story they are telling themselves and the story another stakeholder may be telling themselves. The episode also explores the risks of codifying idealised expectations for executive teams. Clear expectations can be useful, but only when leaders are prepared to model, reinforce and be held accountable to them. Andrew and Jess argue that statements about teamwork, enterprise-first decision-making, values or culture can cause real damage when daily conduct, incentives and decisions contradict them. The lesson is not to abandon aspiration, but to ensure it remains credible and connected to organisational reality. At the centre of the discussion is the transition from high-performing executor to enterprise executive. The qualities that often accelerate an HR career - responsiveness, reliability and consistently strong delivery - can eventually become constraints. At the executive table, leaders cannot simply wait to be told what to do. They need to understand what the business and their peers care about, identify the work that matters and be willing to question, clarify and push back when necessary. This is a thoughtful, practical conversation for senior HR leaders ready to move beyond being excellent functional executors and become more credible, self-directed and commercially grounded enterprise executives. For show notes and bonus resources, visit www.PeopleLeaderAccelerator.com/podcast. About The People Leader Accelerator Podcast Our goal with this podcast is simple: to help people leaders navigate the messy, complex, and deeply rewarding work of leading teams and organizations with more clarity, confidence, and community. Whether you’re the first HR hire at a startup or an experienced executive at a company with scale, you’ll find actionable insights you can use right away. We can’t wait to share these conversations with you. Welcome to the journey! Listen, learn, and connect: 🎧 Subscribe wherever you get your podcasts (Apple, Spotify, YouTube). 💡 Find show notes and bonus resources at peopleleaderaccelerator.com/podcast. 📬 Share this episode with a colleague who’s ready to level up as a people leader. 🤝 Connect with your hosts: Jessica Yuen: linkedin.com/in/jessicayuen