MY CONSULTATION SWEET SPOT
- Léanne Farley

- Dec 9
- 2 min read

For me, this is where HR and executives finally meet. In most organizations, HR and executives work hard, but not always together. Both deeply care about people, performance, and culture… but a gap persists between them:
HR brings frameworks, processes, and an employee-centered perspective.
Executives focus on business priorities, operational needs, and strategic issues.
Both are right. However, when these perspectives do not align, initiatives lose impact. Performance stalls, culture feels inconsistent, and talent management practices become "HR topics" instead of business levers. This space in between, this gap, is where I work best. It's my sweet spot in consulting!
Building a bridge between people and business ambitions
My role is to create alignment between executives and HR by clarifying intentions, identifying tensions, translating each other's perspectives, and confirming a shared vision. Because organizations do not transform solely through processes, they transform through the coherence of what leaders say, what systems support, and what employees experience. This is where impact happens.
Here are three examples where HR topics become business levers:
1.Performance Management
Performance management is often seen as an HR process, yet fundamentally, it is a powerful organizational lever to align teams on the right priorities, to measure progress, adjust as needed and produce results together. When executives and HR co-create the approach, performance management becomes clearer, fairer, and more strategic.
2.Leadership Development
Leadership development is not a program or a training schedule. It is one of the most powerful levers to engage, retain, and grow talent. When HR provides the structure and executives embody the expectations, leadership becomes a lived experience. Executives have the power to be true ambassadors of people development.
3.Culture and Values
Culture is not just posters on walls, slogans, or onboarding tools. It manifests in daily choices, actions, and behaviors. When HR implements the right practices and executives send the right signals, culture becomes a strategic asset rather than a branding exercise.

This is what I do, what I love to do. I help HR and executives to:
Highlight the gap that exists between them
Understand each other’s needs
Share organizational and employee priorities
Align actions, messages, and systems
Create a coherent experience for employees and leaders
When these elements work together, everything becomes easier. Performance improves, leaders and employees grow, culture strengthens and employees engage as they feel the difference.
This sweet spot is where I create the most impact.




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