promoted into a mess
Hi ya,
Happy freaking Friday y’all!!! WE MADE IT!!
Sorry for coming in hot with the HIGH energy right now, I just have so many things I’m excited about!!!
Like, IHIH’s 3rd birthday and the ✨ Safe Space Summit in October. ✨
Have you applied for your spot yet?? Okay, let me convince you that you should!
This summit is unlike anything you’ve seen before…
We're addressing the TOUGHEST challenges HR is currently facing. No fluff, no long speeches, no boring panels, just real talk! I’m bringing some all-star speakers together to cover how to lead during these wild times, building trust across your organization, navigating the CEO//CPO relationship, and addressing your biggest performance problems.
Walk away with real tactics and strategies to use the very next day.
If you're a director-level HR leader shaping your org's people strategy apply for a spot now!!
I hope to see you there <333
Now onto today’s Q&A, which is brought to you by: being promoted into chaos, and being gaslit about chaos.
You already know the Safe Space community has thoughts. Let’s get into it!
Got questions of your own? You can submit them here for a chance to be featured in the hotseat newsletter!
ASK AWAY
🚧 rebuilding trustCopy anchor linkCopied
✍🏽 Any advice for a newly promoted HRBP?
Context: I work for a nonprofit that currently has 600 employees, with intentions of expanding. The HR team has gone through a lot of turnovers during my time here & even previously, which has left a lot of gaps to fill, clean up, and an overall lack of clarity & support. This has caused our other department to not trust us, along with other issues. I recently got promoted to HRBP and have the vision to rebrand & develop a more positive relationship with the programs I serve. So, any advice for a newly promoted HRBP that wants to tackle culture & be a positive change agent?
📣 Kimberly Brady, HR Generalist @ HopeTree Family Services:
First! Congratulations on your promotion!
This question really hit home for me, because I was in a very similar spot not long ago.
When I started in my HR role about a year ago, our department was in rough shape, low trust, messy compliance, and a lot of lingering damage from past HR folks who were no longer with the organization. Fast forward to now, we’ve built a strong, consistent, and trusted HR team. It wasn’t easy, but it was possible.
Here’s what made the biggest difference for us:
- Owning up to the past: We didn’t sweep anything under the rug. We acknowledged where things had gone wrong, communicated openly about the changes we were making, and backed it up with action. That accountability was key in starting to rebuild trust.
- Leading with empathy and consistency: We showed up with empathy every time, even when conversations were tough. We followed through, even on the little things. That kind of reliability helped shift the perception of HR from “unapproachable” to “here to support.”
- Making it a team effort – inside and out: Rebuilding trust doesn’t just mean repairing relationships with other departments. It also means building trust within your own HR team. Leading by example, communicating openly, not letting things fester, those things help create a strong foundation that the rest of the organization can feel too. A united, healthy HR team shows up stronger, more aligned, and more authentic to the people you serve.
To the newly promoted HRBP:
Be real. Be accountable. Be human.
It’s a long road sometimes, but don’t get discouraged. Keep showing up with integrity, follow through on what you say, and build it one conversation at a time.
You’ve got this 💪
📣 Hallie Condon, VP, People & Culture @ Chili Piper, Inc.:
Congratulations on your promotion! Your vision sounds really exciting. I haven’t worked in an HRBP role specifically, but I hope this advice is still helpful:
1. Start with conversations. Talk to people across different departments and levels. It’s a great way to gather qualitative data and surface recurring themes. Even more importantly, it helps people see you as a partner and a human, not the dreaded “HR person.” The more people feel like they can talk to you about anything, the more trust you'll build and the more honest, useful data you'll have to work with.
2. Identify your champions. Look for people with formal or informal influence who care about the culture. Champions can lend credibility to your ideas, pressure-test early thinking, and help you make sense of feedback in context. They’re key to building momentum and trust.
3. Lead with empathy, transparency and ownership. Shifting culture isn't always about having the answers. More than anything it's about listening and making sure people feel heard. It's also about honesty which can come in the form of sharing what you're seeing and the vision you see for the future and maybe the challenges that you're trying to address to get there.
Remember, it will take time. But meaningful changes come from those small actions like listening deeply, asking good questions and showing up with care and curiosity.
Sending you big HR energy 🔥
📣 Sondra Norris, OD/OE Consulting:
Congrats on the promotion!
Your first order of business is to get into learning mode and to prove your competency and credibility in this new role. If not provided for you, find out what are the specific *company's expectations* of you in this role – they need to see you delivering this for you to continue being viewed as a high-performer. If they're unable to answer the question, make proposals that include the measurable deliverables and impact along with the competencies required to be successful. Get their confirmation.
Your next order of business is being clear about why what Hallie and Kimberly suggested are important, particularly because you've mentioned you want to be viewed as a positive change agent. All of the things they've mentioned contribute to your ability to develop and maximize your
- Influence: by building trust and empathy for what everyone else in the company is experiencing (or at least the groups you'll work with)
- Perspective: by building your understanding of the business and acknowledging that your agenda (a good one!) takes time, and also needs to fit in with business priorities
- Ability to handle increasing complexity: You'll be collecting a ton of information, developing new relationships, working on something that is as long as a piece of string – showing that you can analyze, interpret, prioritize; work with others in their businesses in ways that complement the business while also improving the culture and your team's reputation; do measurable things and draw the line from intent > action > impact
- Impact: by linking to things the company already acknowledges are challenges (under-developed managers; poor-quality performance reviews; turnover; low time-to-effectiveness for new hires; etc.)
Find the champions who can help you with influence – people who have already earned the company's trust.
Don't try to boil the ocean. Change, even positive change, takes time. Commit to what you're POSITIVE you'll be able to accomplish. Remember that people never say good things about all the times the toilet reliably flushes… only the times it overflows.
Safe Space members can join this discussion here. Not a member yet? Apply to join here.
✍🏽 I recently put my brave face on and let my boss and HR manager know that I'm seeing patterns that lead to an environment that isn't psychologically safe to me. What do I do after they told me to "get over the past and move on"? Just leave?
Context: Approx. 30 staff, grant-funded (local + federal), Human Service field. I've been there 8 years and there has been a decline in rapport, ownership, and consistency for about 3 years now.
📣 Niesa Vinson, Human Resources Manager @ Catalyst Dental Allies:
I think many of us in HR can relate to being in a similar situation, where we notice something off and try to name it.
Being told to “get over it” isn’t just dismissive – it’s a red flag. You raised a valid concern about long-term cultural issues, and brushing it off shows a lack of accountability from leadership.
Document everything – what you shared and how it was received.
Seek support – whether from a trusted colleague, friend, or professional.
Reflect – how long are you willing to stay in an environment that doesn’t prioritize psychological safety?
If you choose to leave, that’s not giving up – it’s protecting your peace. You deserve better.
📣 Amy Frieze, Human Resources Consultant @ PLAN HR:
I'm sorry this is your current situation. I agree with all of the advice given so far.
I went through a situation where I didn't feel psychologically safe as well. I was also told to "stop being so negative and move on." Honestly, I couldn't get past it because things didn't change. I put up with it for 2 more years and it was rough. I ended up leaving without something else lined up and I have zero regrets. I recognize I was in a privileged position to be able to do that.
I don't know your personal circumstances, but if you're able to walk away and manage, it can feel empowering to leave. I had more people tell me to stick it out until I had something else than to tell me to leave. I'm pro-leaving roles that aren't aligned with your values. But...not having a stable income can bring on another set of stressors. I'm not sure which is easier for you.
Regardless of what you do, we're here to support you!
📣 Sandi Creyaufmiller, SVP Culture &Talent @ Marine Bank:
I'm so sorry you are experiencing this in your workplace.
Documenting the situation is just the first step. You need to take care of yourself, but you also have an opportunity to leave them with a solution that will make it better for those who remain.
Include in your documentation what has changed and the impact of those changes (beyond you leaving; I'm sure others have also left). Eight years is a long time at a company, so I'm assuming it wasn't always this way. If you can quantify it with data, i.e., Turnover/absenteeism has increased by 20% in the last two years, even better.
If you have suggestions to improve the situation, make them once you have turned in your notice. Tell them you hope they see the need for improvement. Everyone deserves the right to feel psychologically safe.
I hope this helps you move on to a better employment situation.
Safe Space members can join this discussion here. Not a member yet? Apply to join here.
🚨 ON YOUR RADAR
💰 Pay Transparency matters (but it's also difficult). That's why I created this course. Join the Safe Space community to access it, plus everything else you need to stay ahead of the curve.
♥️ Sergio Peña just shared 3 Quick Tweaks to Humanize Your HR Policies – a guide with actionable tips to help you humanize your employee handbook. Read it here.
📝 RESOURCE OF THE WEEK
Each week I feature a resource I love from the Safe Space library that I believe would be relatable to this week's newsletter topic.
This week’s resource is one of my favorites. Cassandra Babilya created a guide to help you and your team identify when it’s time to take care of yourself. Check out “10 Ways to Reclaim Your Energy” HERE
FRIDAY FUN
😂 if only they would LISTENCopy anchor linkCopied
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What's your go-to prep with managers?
Is it outlining their script, telling them what NOT to say or just removing them from the convo entirely??
I do not recommend that last one...
That's all for this week! I hope you enjoyed! If you have any thoughts, please let me know. I'm allll ears.
Reminder: Today is FRIDAY. 🙏
