148 | Skills That Shape a Great CPO: Communication, Coaching & Curiosity, with Jane Beeston

Which skills really make the difference at the top of the HR profession?

In this episode of HR Coffee Time, you'll meet the brilliant Jane Beeston, Chief People Officer at Colart. With nearly 40 years of experience in HR – spanning generalist roles, transformation, and international work – Jane has a huge amount of insight to share.

We learn from her about the shift from HR Director to CPO, what the role really involves, and how she’s built strong relationships with her CEO and board. Jane talks openly about the communication skills she’s had to develop, how coaching training changed the way she works, and why staying curious (and occasionally sticking her nose into things!) has helped her make a bigger impact.

Whether you’re working towards a CPO role or simply want to grow in confidence and influence, there’s plenty to take away from Jane’s story.

Chapters from This Episode

[00:00] Welcome & introduction to Jane

[02:00] Jane’s path to becoming a CPO

[04:00] Why the CEO relationship really matters

[07:00] What changes when you move into a CPO role

[08:00] What a board does (and how to work with them)

[10:30] How Jane improved her communication skills

[12:00] Staying connected across a global team

[14:00] Getting your message to stick across the business

[15:00] Why coaching skills have made such a difference

[16:00] How curiosity helps you grow and influence

[18:00] Common challenges in the CPO role

[19:00] How Jane approaches communication in practice

[22:00] Looking after your wellbeing in a demanding role

[24:00] You don’t have to do it all alone

[25:00] Advice for anyone who wants to be a CPO one day

[27:30] Jane’s experience of cross-functional projects

[30:00] Prioritising what matters most

[32:00] If you’re stepping into a CPO role: own it!

[34:00] Courses and continuous learning that helped

[36:00] Learning to work across different countries

[37:30] Final thoughts and thank you

Useful Links

• Connect with Fay on LinkedIn
• Fay’s website
• Fay’s HR leadership programme – Inspiring HR Leadership
• Connect with Jane Beeston on LinkedIn

Other Relevant HR Coffee Time Episodes

• Episode 53: Why Coaching Skills Can Help Your HR Career (and How to Develop Them) with Charlie Warshawski
• Episode 130: Build Managers' Confidence and Skills with the Coaching Two-Step with Jude Slater
• Episode 43: The One Thing That Will Boost Your Resilience Throughout Your HR Career with Tom Cleary
• Episode 32: How to Write Work Emails That Get Results with Kim Arnold
• Episode 95: How to Build Trust in a Hybrid World Through Email with Kim Arnold

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