Barb Hood

I attribute my success to taking risks and going outside of my comfort zone. It just comes from life experience, but I think putting myself in situations that challenge me and seeing the outcome of doing that has really contributed to my success. When you step out of your comfort zone, you can really achieve things that might have seemed out of reach. If you just can walk through that fear of making a career transition or taking a leap, you realize it's attainable. That willingness to embrace discomfort and push through uncertainty has been key to my professional growth.

The best career advice I ever received came from a woman who was a mentor to me in my previous organization. She taught me the value in having a conversation with a co-worker, especially when there's conflict. She showed me that just having a conversation with somebody, letting them know how what they did made me feel, or addressing the issue head on, is a completely appropriate thing to do. A lot of people let things fester instead of dealing with them directly. She taught me well to not let things fester and to really address issues directly rather than avoiding them.

I would say to embrace AI. I think that's kind of taking over, and a lot of work that individuals who are early in careers do is being affected by it, so it's important to get comfortable with that technology. I would also say to be confident in your role. In HR, you have to do a lot of pushing back, and especially with males who are in leadership roles. I think just staying true to themselves and staying strong and confident is really important. Women in HR need to stand firm in their expertise and not be afraid to advocate for what's right, even when it means challenging authority.

I think the biggest challenge right now is that HR professionals are going to need to embrace AI, because that's where we're at and where we're going. Resisting AI would be a mistake because it's fundamentally changing our field. I also think AI is going to change the landscape of recruiting significantly. The technology is transforming how we find candidates, screen applications, and manage the hiring process. HR professionals who don't adapt to these changes are going to find themselves left behind, so embracing this technology is both a challenge and an opportunity.

The values most important to me are equality and honesty. I also think remaining neutral is really important in my work, especially in HR where you might form relationships with managers but then get a complaint about that same manager. Staying neutral is a real challenge, but it's essential. Being a trusted partner with the business while maintaining that neutrality and treating everyone fairly is something I work hard to uphold. These values guide how I approach both my professional responsibilities and my personal relationships.