1. True business partnering means more than just “having a seat at the table”

Lenke laid out what it actually means to be a business partner - and it’s not just about showing up to leadership meetings. It’s about bringing the people perspective in a way that directly impacts the bottom line.

“It’s not an operational role. You have to see how the business achieves its goals through people - and bring context that moves the business forward.”

Her playbook? Know the financials cold. Understand what life looks like for employees on the ground. Get close to the customer experience. And weave it all together into advice your CEO actually trusts.

2. The best CPO-CEO-CFO relationships work like a three-person pod

One of Lenke’s biggest lessons: it doesn’t work if HR shows up after the big decisions are made. At Personio, she and her CEO and CFO run the company together - not in silos.

“When those three functions work really closely together, you can help your revenue and R&D teams align in the right way. Even today, I kicked off my week with my CEO and CFO - it’s that top of mind.”

The goal isn’t to block hard calls (like cost-cutting). It’s to make sure every decision is financially sound and sustainable for people.

3. Stage matters - your people team has to fit the company you are

Lenke’s jump from Google to BuzzFeed taught her a lesson that stuck: you can’t just hire who you know - you have to hire for the work ahead.

“At a growth-stage company, you need people excited by ambiguity, ready to figure hard things out together. The right team for an enterprise won’t always thrive in that environment.”

Her tip: hire senior for the parts with the most complexity and change - and never assume what worked at your last company will fit the new one.

4. AI is here - and HR can’t afford to sit this one out

We asked Lenke how she’s thinking about AI’s impact on work. Her answer: it’s already changing how HR operates - and leaders need to experiment alongside their teams.

“I don’t have the perfect answer. But I know it’s about staying open, trying things, and hiring people who know things you don’t. This is an experiment - and we have to help our companies adapt.”

She’s seeing early-career hires bring AI fluency to the table - and sees reverse mentoring as key to bridging the gap between experience and new tech.

5. Working in Europe changed how she sees work-life balance and collaboration

Lenke reflected on the shift from US-based HR to leading a European people team - and the differences run deeper than employment contracts.

“People have a different relationship with work and their time. And culturally, there’s a sense of respect and collaboration that shapes how we lead. Plus, our European Employee Board keeps us plugged in to real sentiment — it’s a forum I hadn’t seen used so effectively before.”

Her takeaway: global people leaders need to flex for local realities - you can’t just run a US playbook overseas.

See you next week!

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