# 157 | The #1 Difference Between HR Directors and Chief People Officers

Page: https://stenobird.com/podcast/hr-coffee-time-4106816/157-the-1-difference-between-hr-directors-and-chief-people-officers
Text version: https://stenobird.com/podcast/hr-coffee-time-4106816/157-the-1-difference-between-hr-directors-and-chief-people-officers.md
Podcast: [HR Coffee Time](https://stenobird.com/podcast/hr-coffee-time-4106816)
Published: 2025-11-07T05:00:00+00:00
Episode link: https://www.brightskycareercoaching.co.uk/hr-coffee-time-podcast/157
Audio file: https://op3.dev/e/episodes.captivate.fm/episode/78955e40-70be-446b-90a7-a3d556a59f05.mp3
Processing state: not_requested
JSON: https://stenobird.com/v1/public/podcasts/hr-coffee-time-4106816/episodes/157-the-1-difference-between-hr-directors-and-chief-people-officers
Duration seconds: 1087

## Resource

If you’ve ever wondered what truly separates an HR Director from a Chief People Officer (CPO) or CHRO, you’re not alone. It’s a common question, and after months of speaking with incredible CPOs for this series, a powerful theme kept coming up again and again. In this episode of HR Coffee Time, host Fay Wallis shares the one big difference that defines the step up, a shift that’s far more about mindset and perspective than job title. You’ll hear clips from Chief People Officers including John Scrooby, Dotty Day, Lorna Bains, Dr Andy Stephenson, and Nebel Crowhurst as they describe what changed for them when they made the move. Fay also shares a monster truck analogy that brings this transformation to life, from leading your HR function to steering the entire business. Whether you’re already operating at that level or preparing for the next step, this episode will help you see what it really means to become a business leader, not just a people leader. Join us for reassurance and advice on making that leap. You’ll Hear about: The defining difference between HR Director and CPO roles Why the CPO role is about leading the business A monster truck analogy that brings the concept to life Insights from five experienced Chief People Officers How to start developing business acumen for your next step Useful Links Connect with Fay Wallis on LinkedIn Visit Fay’s website Learn about Fay’s Inspiring HR leadership development programme Other Relevant HR Coffee Time Episodes Episode 146 with John Scrooby - Lessons in HR Leadership: How to Succeed as a Chief People Officer Episode 151 with Dotty Day – Could an Interim CPO/CHRO Role Be Your Perfect Career Option? Episode 153 with Lorna Bains – Inside the Fractional CPO/CHRO Role – What It Involves & How to Succeed Episode 155 with…

## Actions

- request_transcript: `POST https://stenobird.com/v1/public/podcasts/hr-coffee-time-4106816/episodes/157-the-1-difference-between-hr-directors-and-chief-people-officers/transcription-requests` — Idempotently request low-priority transcript generation for this episode.
- read_markdown: `GET https://stenobird.com/podcast/hr-coffee-time-4106816/157-the-1-difference-between-hr-directors-and-chief-people-officers.md` — Read the agent-friendly Markdown representation of this episode resource.

A page view does not enqueue transcription. Agents should invoke `request_transcript` explicitly when they need this episode processed.

## Transcript

Full transcripts are not published on public pages unless there is a clear rights basis.