Coaching for Leaders – Episode 768: Evolving from Business Partner to Value Creator, with JP Elliott
Date: February 2, 2026
Host: Dave Stachowiak
Guest: JP Elliott (Tech Talent & HR Executive; Host, Future of HR Podcast)
Episode Overview
In this episode, Dave Stachowiak and JP Elliott explore the transformational shift support function leaders—particularly in HR, but also IT, marketing, and finance—must make to move from being “business partners” to “value creators.” The conversation provides a practical framework, rooted in CEO-level thinking, for leaders to align their work with business imperatives and directly influence organizational strategy, competitive advantage, and long-term growth.
Key Discussion Points and Insights
The Wake-Up Call: Speak the Language of Business
[02:32] JP's Story: Early in his career at Taco Bell, JP was excited to pitch a comprehensive leadership development program to the CEO. However, the CEO immediately interrupted, asking:
“JP, how does this drive revenue? How will this help us get same-store sales growth? Why would I invest in this if it’s not going to help the business?”
(JP Elliott, 03:25)
JP realized his pitch lacked direct links to business outcomes—a wake-up call to start thinking and communicating from a CEO's perspective.
Strategy: More Than Just Goals
[05:04] JP stresses that strategy is about competitive advantage, not merely goals or execution plans.
"You're a business leader with HR expertise. Saying you're a business leader is very different from truly building the business acumen...”
(JP Elliott, 06:18)
Support leaders must develop business acumen—understanding financials, profit drivers, and how the business operates—so their work meaningfully supports the organization's future trajectory.
Four Strategic Questions CEOs Are Always Asking
JP introduces a framework centered around four essential CEO questions. Support leaders should align their initiatives with these:
1. Are We Focused on the Right Strategic Imperatives?
[07:28]
- CEOs are always steering the organization towards the right markets, trends, and goals.
- HR and other support functions must align their work to these imperatives, even deprioritizing legacy initiatives if they're no longer relevant.
“If there's not a clear answer to how this moves the business forward… maybe that's the thing that doesn't stick around.”
(Dave Stachowiak, 10:16)
2. Are We Operating Efficiently and Effectively?
[12:09]
- Too much focus on bureaucracy often arises from a risk-averse desire for fairness and process.
- The real job: maximize value, reduce friction, support agility, and leverage automation where possible.
“You have to start to work to eliminate that and reduce that complexity to add more value. And that is not easy to do.”
(JP Elliott, 13:33)
3. Are We Optimizing Our Business Model to Create Competitive Advantage?
[22:56]
- Playing the long game: What makes the business uniquely defensible?
- HR’s role is to develop talent and capabilities that enable, support, and extend the business’s core uniqueness (e.g., as Microsoft does with its ecosystem).
“This is harder for some HR leaders… you’re really thinking about what are the unique capabilities and advantages that this company has.”
(JP Elliott, 23:40)
4. Do We Have a Plan for Sustainable and Profitable Growth?
[27:47]
- CEOs focus on long-term sustainable growth—pipelines for critical talent, leadership development, and experience-building are crucial.
- Succession planning and alignment of talent to strategic growth opportunities are where HR directly drives future success.
“It’s not just about talent… it’s about having the right talent with the right experiences and really leadership talent to grow the business.”
(JP Elliott, 29:20)
From Business Partner to Value Creator: The Mindset Shift
Identity and Influence
[18:39]
- Shift your identity: "I’m a business leader with HR/IT/marketing/finance expertise," not just a support function leader.
- Cultivate broader business understanding; borrow best practices, see the organization as a system, and co-create solutions with the business—be curious, ask questions, and challenge assumptions.
“We’re not really confined to having tools to think this way. The best HR leaders… look at the organization from a systems perspective.”
(JP Elliott, 17:36)
Balance: The “Both/And” Approach
[21:05]
- Excellence in support functions demands both business acumen and people focus.
- Leaders who master both earn credibility, resources, and have greater impact.
“It’s the business part, it’s also the people and creative part... they can do more of the people stuff because they have more resources, credibility, and influence.”
(Dave Stachowiak, 20:38)
The “Execution Plus” Model
[30:05]
- Execution is the baseline: Every support function must get the basics right—but that alone goes unnoticed.
- The “Plus”: Proactively drive 2-3 big initiatives aligned to one (or more) CEO questions: revenue, cost complexity, productivity, or culture transformation.
- Prioritize—support the business units or leaders driving real change.
- Accept trade-offs: Not everyone will get premium support; resources are allocated according to business impact.
“No one gives you credit for execution… You have to find the plus.”
(JP Elliott, 30:31)
“For HR leaders, this is hard… To get the plus, you have to differentiate.”
(JP Elliott, 33:03)
Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments
- “JP, how does this drive revenue?” – CEO at Taco Bell [03:25]
- The defining moment that shifted JP’s HR perspective.
- “You’re a business leader with HR expertise.” – JP Elliott [06:18]
- The key mindset change for support function leaders.
- “We are people pleasers at heart...but to get the plus, you have to differentiate.” – JP Elliott [33:03]
- The internal challenge for HR and support professionals to focus their efforts for greatest impact.
- “The best time to be in HR is now...we have an amazing future ahead to help shape work in the age of AI.” – JP Elliott [36:05]
- Optimism about the transformative power and relevance of HR.
Actionable Takeaways
- Map all major initiatives to the four CEO questions.
- Develop real business acumen: Know how your company makes money and where it’s headed.
- Prioritize strategic imperatives and let go of projects misaligned with business direction.
- Seek the “execution plus”: Identify and invest in a small number of high-leverage, business-critical initiatives.
- Balance the people and business side—a “both/and” rather than “either/or” mindset.
- Collaborate and co-create with business leaders for sustainable impact.
Timestamps for Key Segments
- 00:00-02:32: Introduction and JP’s formative story at Taco Bell
- 05:04-06:41: Why strategy is about competitive advantage, not just goals
- 07:28-10:16: CEO’s strategic questions and HR’s alignment
- 12:09-14:12: Avoiding bureaucracy and maximizing value
- 17:00-19:08: Embracing a systems perspective and the business-leader mindset
- 21:39-22:56: Balancing people and business priorities (“both/and”)
- 22:56-27:47: HR’s role in optimizing business models; the innovation/long-game challenge
- 27:47-29:45: Building a plan for sustainable, profitable growth via talent strategy
- 30:05-34:16: The “Execution plus” model in practice
- 34:35-36:16: JP on changing his mind—HR’s unique value
- 36:16: Closing thoughts and optimism about HR’s future
Final Thoughts
This episode offers leaders in HR and other support roles a roadmap for maximizing their organizational impact. By thinking like a CEO, focusing on strategy and value, and making the shift from mere execution to proactive value creation, support leaders can influence outcomes at the highest levels.
Guest Resources:
JP Elliott – Host, Future of HR Podcast
Host Resources:
Dave Stachowiak – Coaching for Leaders
For deeper resources and full episode notes, join the Coaching for Leaders community at coachingforleaders.com.