Confessions of a Pepsi HR Director

Navigating Leadership Challenges

In 2017, I found myself navigating a pivotal year as an HR Director at Pepsi in Chicago, IL. Managing a large, diverse team, I was thrust into a challenging business environment that demanded relentless focus. The task at hand was twofold: provide strategic guidance during a significant business change affecting hundreds of employees, and support HR business partners managing everyday employee relations. It was a balancing act that exposed gaps in my leadership skills, yet my determination and resilience kept me moving forward. Perhaps this situation feels familiar to you.

Weeks into grappling with the implications of a new sweetened beverage tax in Cook County—a policy directly impacting our core products—I received some disheartening feedback. A member of my team—let’s call her Meg—was struggling with her workload and failing to deliver the level of HR support required. My initial reaction was to defend her, and then myself. But soon, self-doubt set in. I began questioning my leadership abilities, feeling overwhelmed by the mounting issues and uncertain of the best path forward.

As a new leader, I struggled with prioritizing between strategic and operational tasks, and delegation was a challenge. My instinct to appear competent and composed only added to the pressure. Desperate for direction, I turned to my manager, candidly sharing my feelings of inadequacy and fear of judgment. Her response was empathetic; she shared her own leadership challenges and encouraged me to develop a personalized approach.

Establishing My Leadership Approach

This conversation sparked a crucial change in my leadership approach. I embarked on a journey to reshape my leadership strategy, grounded in six/five key steps that I learned the hard way:

1. Pinpoint What Matters Most

Effective leadership goes beyond setting goals; it requires a sharp focus on the priorities that will drive the most impact. This involves understanding not just what needs to be achieved, but why it’s critical to the success of the organization. For instance, imagine your company is experiencing high turnover in a critical department. Instead of just setting a broad goal to “reduce turnover,” you would define this priority with precision by focusing on specific, actionable steps. You might decide to prioritize enhancing employee engagement in that department by launching a targeted initiative—like executive development coaching or leadership effectiveness seminars. By zeroing in on these precise actions, you ensure that your efforts directly address the root causes of turnover, aligning your team’s work with the overall goal of improving retention and strengthening the department.

2. Match Strengths to Impact

Understanding your team’s strengths is fundamental, but the true value lies in how you apply this knowledge to gain a strategic advantage. Rather than just identifying what each team member is good at, consider how their unique skills and experiences can be leveraged to meet specific business challenges or seize new opportunities. For example, if you’re leading a project that requires creative problem-solving, you might pair team members with complementary strengths—such as a big-picture thinker with someone who excels in detail-oriented execution. This intentional pairing not only maximizes individual contributions but also fosters collaboration that drives innovation. By intentionally applying your team’s strengths in this way, you create a dynamic environment where talent is fully utilized, and business goals are more effectively achieved.

3. Close Gaps with Purpose

Identifying resource gaps—whether in skills, time, or tools—is only the first step. The key is to close these gaps with a clear, strategic purpose. Rather than just filling these gaps as they appear, consider how each decision you make can better align your team’s capabilities with your overarching goals. For instance, if your leadership team lacks experience in navigating a rapidly changing market, instead of immediately hiring a new executive, you might decide to bring in an industry expert for a series of strategy sessions to quickly elevate your team’s effectiveness. This approach not only addresses the immediate gap but also builds your team’s competency to handle similar challenges in the future.

4. Evaluate Expectations

In a dynamic business environment, the expectations set at the outset of a project may need to evolve as circumstances change. Instead of sticking to initial plans, it’s essential to regularly reevaluate your expectations in relation to current realities. For instance, when faced with a project that is underperforming, rather than extending deadlines that use additional resources, consider whether the original objectives are still necessary for the goals of the team. You might instead reallocate efforts toward emerging opportunities that offer a higher return on investment. By proactively evaluating expectations, you ensure that your team’s work remains impactful and aligned with the organization’s shifting priorities. Lastly, clear communication about why and how these adjustments are made is crucial for maintaining trust and focus within your team.

5. Conduct Meaningful Check-Ins

Regular team check-ins are vital, but to truly drive progress, these sessions should be more than routine updates. Focus on making these check-ins meaningful by using them to identify emerging challenges, celebrate small wins, and ensure alignment with goals. For example, instead of merely reviewing what’s been done, use the time to ask questions that uncover underlying issues—such as, “Are there any roadblocks we haven’t anticipated?” or “How can we leverage what we’ve learned so far to accelerate our next steps?” By conducting check-ins with a strategic focus, you keep your team agile, aligned, and motivated, ensuring that everyone is autonomously working toward the most impactful outcomes.

6. Cultivate Collective Accountability

Building a culture of accountability is crucial for elevating team performance. To achieve this, integrate accountability into decision-making from the start. Instead of relying solely on post-action reviews, assign leaders during the planning stage who will own specific outcomes. These leaders should not only oversee execution but also gather insights, anticipate challenges, and ensure cross-functional alignment. This proactive approach embeds accountability as a core element from the outset,. By making each team member responsible for driving outcomes, you foster a culture where everyone is committed to both individual and collective success.

By implementing these strategies—pinpointing priorities, aligning talent, closing resource gaps, evaluating expectations, and fostering accountability—I was able to create a strong foundation for our team’s success. As I gained experience, accountability became a cornerstone of my leadership approach. Regular check-ins and open communication fostered trust, responsibility and collaboration, allowing me to build a more cohesive team.

Leadership as a Continuous journey

As the year progressed, I naturally encountered moments of discomfort as I pushed myself beyond my comfort zone. These challenges became opportunities for reflection and growth, where I would reassess my intentions and adjust my approach as needed. These moments of reflection deepened my commitment to continuous improvement.

The ultimate test of this growth came during my end-of-year review with my manager. Together, we evaluated my leadership of Meg and the broader team. We had successfully turned around our business partnership, and my efforts as the leader in setting clear expectations, training and aligning the team, and cultivating accountability were reflected in the positive feedback I received. Our team had become more cohesive and purposeful in our work as well.

Throughout that pivotal year, I learned that leadership is not about perfection; it is about continuous growth, learning, and adaptation. True leadership involves trusting and empowering others, fostering a collaborative environment, and remaining resilient in the face of challenges. By embracing these principles, I learned to guide my team through a tumultuous period, emerging stronger and more united. Leadership, I realized, is an ongoing journey of development—for ourselves, and for those we lead.