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Leadership isn't just about IQ

When Lucia started managing people at Yahoo years ago, she learned:

• People don’t care how smart you are.
• Business isn’t about intelligence—it’s about impact.
• Some of the most effective leaders aren’t the smartest.

That was a hard realization. She had spent years tying her worth to competence. But leadership isn’t about proving you’re smart—it’s about connection.

Later in her career at Patreon, she worked with a coach as her team and the company expanded.

Through coaching, she uncovered her biggest fear: being seen as incompetent.

That fear made her overly controlled in how she showed up—calculating every word, every move.

But control kills connection. People don’t relate to perfection; they relate to authenticity.

Leadership isn't about appearing flawless. It's about being real.

Why every CEO should be a part of onboarding

Lucia says that onboarding has been a major focus at Virta Health, especially as the company has scaled. In Q4 alone, 45% of the year's new hires joined. With such rapid growth, pressure-testing the onboarding process has been crucial.

One key practice? Direct CEO involvement.

A few times a month, their CEO meets with all new hires. He shares their origin story, business model, and culture—and opens the floor for questions. It’s not just an introduction; it’s a way for new employees to feel part of something bigger.

Why does this matter?

• It reinforces company culture—new hires hear it straight from the top.
• It keeps leadership aligned—closing the gap between stated culture and lived culture.
• It creates connection—especially in a remote environment, where casual interactions don’t happen naturally.

Some say this isn’t scalable.

But even as Virta nears 1,000 employees, their CEO still does it. At 2,000, it will mean even more. Because when leaders prioritize onboarding, they show—loud and clear—what the company truly values.

The 1st HR hire at 200-300 employees

At 200–300 employees, Lucia Guillory says the first HR hire depends on the company’s foundation.

Ideally, core infrastructure—like leveling, job architecture, and an HRIS—is already in place. But many companies reach this size without those basics.

• If the foundation is missing → Hire someone in Total Rewards to establish compensation structures, roles, and governance.
• If the foundation is solid → Bring in a strong HR Business Partner to tackle strategic challenges across functions.

Why does leveling matter so much? Because performance, compensation, and career progression all hinge on it. Without clear roles and levels, it’s impossible to drive performance effectively or align people initiatives with business outcomes.

Bottom line: If the basics aren’t built—start there. If they are—invest in strategy.

Advice for someone starting in HR today

"Go to an organization that aligns with your beliefs, mission, and values. If you’re in a place that doesn’t, just leave and find somewhere that does. There are plenty of opportunities out there—that’s what I’d say."

One thing they'd steal from another company

"I really like Warby Parker’s approach—they have a program where corporate employees can work in their physical offices. I think that connection to the member or customer experience is so important. It’s got me thinking about how we can create an even closer bond between our members and our Virta employees because that sense of meaning is so critical."

Go listen to the full episode: Spotify | Apple​
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See you next week!​