Role modeling is key to developing future HR leaders, according to Citi’s global head of talent management and engagement

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Welcome to another installment of Tips from the Top, a series featuring HR leaders’ career advice for people professionals with big aspirations. Have insights you want to share? Get in touch here.

Culture comes from the top. One way today’s HR leaders can better invest in and prepare future people leaders is through demonstrating good leadership, Erika Irish Brown, Citi’s global head of talent management and engagement, told HR Brew.

“Role model leadership is very important. It’s not like parenthood where you say, ‘Do what I say, not as I do.’ You have to expect that people will do as you do,” said Brown, whose team is focused on developing talent and leaders, and maintaining an engaged workforce of roughly 219,000 employees.

That partly comes through sheer exposure. The banking giant has an HR shadowing program, through which two professionals have shadowed Brown in her day-to-day work. In addition to bringing them to meetings, she’s also explained to them her reasoning for what she says and does.

“There’s all types of online training and things one can do to develop themselves, but it doesn’t always provide the context, or the relationship that can really create that apprenticeship and help people be successful,” she said.

However, not everyone in HR has that level of exposure to her or other leaders. Because of that, it’s imperative that HR leaders intentionally role model positive traits like good behavior, team dynamics, and empathetic leadership, she said.

Brown said she’s had leaders who’ve inspired her own leadership style, by demonstrating both the good and the bad.

“I’d much prefer to have what ‘good’ looks like role-modeled for me, and I hope that that’s what I’m doing for my team now,” she said.

The following has been edited for length and clarity.

Tell us about an early career experience that helped shape the HR leader you are today.

I spent the first 15 years of my career in investment banking. Through those experiences, I learned what it takes to be successful in a high-performance environment and gained firsthand insight into how talent is identified, developed, and rewarded. At the same time, I saw an opportunity to be more intentional and truly meritocratic in how organizations recognize and invest in people.

That perspective ultimately inspired my move into HR. I wanted to help create environments where everyone can compete, contribute, and succeed based on their capabilities and potential. One thing I often tell early career professionals is that you do not have to “grow up” in HR to build a successful HR career. Skills and experiences from other functions are highly transferable and can make you a stronger, more well-rounded HR leader.

What is one skill that you think every HR leader should develop early in their career?

Learning agility. The business landscape is constantly evolving, and great HR leaders stay curious, adapt quickly, and continuously build new skills.

We’ve got to be agile, especially now in the age of AI and rapidly changing organizations and workflows. To me, learning agility is not just your ability to intellectually grasp different concepts quickly, or be curious, ask the right questions, but also the ability to pivot and to change manage as these things arise.

How can early career HR professionals find a good mentor or sponsor?

Be intentional about building your personal board of directors. Seek out people whose careers you admire, including individuals outside your immediate team or area of HR.

Mentors with different backgrounds can provide different perspectives. Volunteer for stretch assignments, build relationships through great work, and stay curious about other parts of the function.

Mentors advise you; sponsors are often the people who recognize your potential and advocate for you when opportunities arise. They are typically earned through strong performance, a willingness to take on stretch assignments, a positive attitude, and consistently going above and beyond.

What professional development opportunities do you think future HR leaders should pursue?

Look for experiences that deepen your understanding of the business and how value is created. Strong business acumen is one of the most important differentiators for HR leaders because it enables you to better advise leaders, connect talent strategies to business priorities, and drive meaningful outcomes.

At the same time, invest in building technology fluency, especially with AI, and understand how to leverage these tools to improve decision-making, enhance the employee experience and increase impact.

Just as important are the human skills that remain at the core of effective leadership, including communication, empathy, judgment, and the ability to build trust. Leaders who combine business acumen, technological fluency and strong human skills will be best positioned to help their organizations and people succeed.

What is the best advice you’ve received in your HR career?

Use your voice.

Too often, silence can be interpreted as endorsement, so it is important to speak up for what you believe is right and when something needs to be challenged.

The most effective HR leaders build trust by providing honest, thoughtful counsel, even when the conversation is difficult. Our role is not simply to agree with business leaders, but to contribute perspective, challenge assumptions when necessary, and help create an environment where people feel valued, can contribute at their fullest potential and have the opportunity to succeed.

What is the worst advice you’ve received in your HR career?

“Just keep your head down and let your work speak for itself.”

Strong performance is essential, but it is not enough on its own. It is important to raise your hand, build relationships, and make your aspirations known while continuing to deliver results.

These views do not necessarily speak for the company, but instead are the personal responses from individuals.