The Reluctant Talent Leader: What I Learned About the Foundation of HR
I’ll admit it, I resisted Talent Management early in my career.
I wanted to be seen as a holistic HR leader. I deliberately sought out experiences across various functions, including compensation, benefits, employee relations, HR Business Partner, global mobility, Learning & Development, and HR systems. If there was a part of HR I hadn’t touched yet, I went after it. I wanted breadth, not a label.
The last thing I wanted was to be “the talent guy.”
However, over time, something became increasingly clear: everything in HR ultimately connects back to talent.
Compensation and benefits? Tools to attract and retain the right people.
HR systems? Infrastructure to enable talent to do their best work.
Employee relations? At its core, about balancing talent needs with organizational priorities.
And, of course, the obvious ones: finding, developing, and engaging employees.
It all circles back to talent.
The irony is that I think I always knew this, even if I wasn’t ready to say it out loud.
In my first few years in corporate life, I had a simple motto: “Work gravitates to the most competent.”
I devoured everything I could on leadership, management, and personal development. I was learning not just about business, but about what drives people to excel. Without realizing it, I was on a journey that would eventually point me right back to where I started: Talent is the foundation of every organization.
The Workforce Is Changing...But the Foundation Isn’t
Fast forward to today, and the conversation has shifted dramatically. AI and digital tools are entering the workforce, not as optional add-ons, but as teammates. The “Third Workforce” is here, reshaping how work gets done. It can feel unsettling. Roles are being redefined. Processes are being automated. Skills that were once indispensable are evolving. And yet, amid all this change, the foundation remains the same: Talent is still the ultimate competitive advantage.
AI may augment, accelerate, and expand capacity — but people are still what make a company special. They bring the creativity, the resilience, and the relational glue that no algorithm can replicate.
The Leadership Lesson
It took me a couple of decades to fully embrace what I think I always knew: HR is Talent. Business is Talent. Leadership is Talent.
The more things change, the more they stay the same. The future belongs to leaders who embrace AI and keep people at the center. Because while tools and technology evolve, it’s still people who make organizations thrive.
What about you? Do you believe Talent is still the foundation, even as AI reshapes the workplace?
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Jeff Lupinacci spent the last 25 years at some of the world's best-known companies, such as Intel Corporation and Kimberly-Clark. His career spans key executive roles such as Chief Learning Officer, Chief Talent Officer, and Chief Integration Officer. After a successful corporate career, Jeff turned his focus to his true passion—serving the overworked and under-resourced HR profession.
Beyond his corporate success, Jeff is a sought-after speaker and thought leader, with his insights featured in leading publications such as CFO Europe, Nikkei Business Magazine, and Baylor Business Review. In addition to his business leadership, Jeff is an adjunct professor at Baylor University, where he teaches Human Capital Management for the Executive MBA program and leads the HR Strategy and Analytics capstone for undergraduates.
Jeff is the best-selling author of The Talent Advantage: A CEO’s Journey to Discover the Value of Talent. He lives in Dallas, Texas, with his wife and two doodles.