Welcome to the eighth installment of our interview series Leadership Insights: 3 questions with… where we ask the same three questions to each of the exceptional leaders we interview, revealing some very unique and insightful answers.
This month we spoke to Chloë Jefferies who serves as the Head of HR at Parmenion LLP, a Bristol-based wealth management platform dedicated to empowering clients throughout retirement, pensions, and data services. Parmenion exclusively collaborates with financial advisers. Chloe has worked in the HR function across several sectors over the last 17 years. Starting in the City of London and then moving to the Southwest in 2013. She is a strategic HR practitioner, focused on the impact of culture and behaviour on organisations whilst driving change for the better across all areas of the employee lifecycle to put the business in the strongest financial position possible.
And here’s what Chloë had to say ……
- If you could rewind the clock to when you started on your leadership journey, what advice would you give yourself?
Throughout my career journey, the majority of role models I’ve admired have been men. This is largely due to my exposure to HR leaders and executives, who have predominantly been male – individuals who are confident, funny and highly competent. I noticed that many female leaders (though certainly not all) seemed to emulate stereotypical male behaviours, sometimes adopting traits that weren’t always the most admirable. I thought it was so they could survive in the perceived ruthless world of work.
Today I believe we’ve moved leaps and bounds in the quest to be able to be as close to our authentic selves as we can. So, my advice to myself would be this: you absolutely deserve the seat at the table just as much as anyone else. Your career success wasn’t brought on by luck; it’s the result of genuine care for the businesses and people you serve. Being in HR is more than a job – it’s a vocation. Inspired by the remarkable male leaders I’ve encountered; I would often ask myself then as I do now ‘what would my male counterpart do?’
- What is the best piece of advice you have been given about creating a positive team culture/being a leader?
Whilst I have worked for some incredibly inspiring people, it is my parents who have inspired me the most. Both hard working and successful they made the decision to put education, religion, and a good set of sparkling teeth at the forefront of their parental agenda. All of our interactions were little life lessons, even television programmes where my Mum would say at the end of Coronation Street ‘well, I think we have all learnt a little something’. Those moments shaped my moral foundation, which in turn has been invaluable throughout my career. So, while my mum didn’t offer one single piece of advice, her consistent message was clear: ‘Work hard and keep learning’ because ‘life is hard,’ – and she’s absolutely right.
- What is the one book that has most influenced your approach to leadership (if you don’t read books, could be a podcast, TED talk etc)
‘Carrots and Sticks Don’t Work’ by Dr. Paul Marciano, a leading authority on employee engagement, has significantly influenced my approach to leadership. This book focuses on the art of facilitating an engaged workforce, a concept I’ve been passionate about since my school days. Back then, I often challenged authority, questioning what we were learning, why we were learning it, and how the methods didn’t suit diverse learning styles.
This approach made me both a source of frustration and admiration among my teachers, but it also sparked my interest in understanding how people learn and stay motivated. A key takeaway from the book is Dr. Marciano’s RESPECT model, which emphasises respect, trust, clear expectations, and autonomy. It is what has helped shape the desired cultural aims here at Parmenion.
For a deeper understanding of Dr. Marciano’s insights, you might find this video informative: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MrvJUIEetOY