By Lisa Gordon
Bonnie Flatt, SHRP
Bonnie Flatt is all about taking the road less travelled.
Describing herself as “a lawyer and HR executive by training, and a coach by calling,” Flatt has enjoyed a multi-faceted HR career that has spanned close to three decades.
Her professional achievements are a testament to her lifelong dedication to explore every possibility and her willingness to blaze her own unique career trail.
Following an undergrad degree in biology and biochemistry, Flatt changed course and went into law school. After articling, she realized the law as a profession wasn’t for her, so she took a job at Mercer, a global consulting firm which was ramping up its pension legal department at the time. After 18 years specializing in pension consulting and executive compensation, Flatt moved on, first taking a senior HR role at MDS, a global life sciences company, and then a consulting job with PricewaterhouseCoopers, during which time she also enrolled in some coaching courses.
Within the first hour of her first course, Flatt knew she had found her calling. In 2009, she struck out on her own, abandoning the corporate world in favour of a full-time career in executive coaching. HR Professional invited Flatt to reflect on her career, her values and why starting her own business is the best decision she’s ever made.
HRP: How and when did you decide upon an HR career?
BF: Quite honestly, I never thought of HR as a career. I was always interested in people, and what drove their behaviour. The job at Mercer sort of found me, instead of me finding it. It allowed me to get metrics-focused, and deal with the dynamics of people and relationships.
HRP: Describe your job today.
BF: Today I’m self-employed, which I never thought I would be. As a partner in MasterCoaches, an executive coaching firm, my goal is to create great places to work. I coach individual leaders (from team leaders to the C suite) and their teams, and facilitate transformational workshops. My end goal is to challenge people to create cultures where politics evaporate, silos break down and there is a sharing of knowledge and a community of interest created – that’s where innovation and possibility really flourish! I help people develop their influencing skills, their leadership presence and style and determine their brand. I see myself as Cultural Yoda – it’s about connecting one person at a time to who they are as leaders from the inside out, and to bring joy and fun back to work.
HRP: What do you love about your job?
BF: I love helping people to see possibilities and then make a change. I love connecting with people and guiding them to be their best. I get to deal with so many different individuals and cultures – they all energize me.
HRP: What are the challenges of your job?
BF: Being self-employed can sometimes be isolating, so I align myself with different people and different groups – I’m always learning and I’m never alone. I’m really about creating great places to work, so the other challenge is finding the venue and the people who are willing to do the heavy lifting to make changes in themselves, their teams and their culture. When you find those things, it’s magic!
HRP: What’s the key to leading HR during a difficult time for a client organization?
BF: There are a couple of things that come to mind. One of them is to be realistically optimistic, because HR is the voice of the people and the owner of the culture. Modelling those behaviours is critical, even in really tough times. The other thing is to be resilient. The more we can evolve as a profession and explore different things, the better. You have to see failure as learning.
HRP: What skills are important for success in HR?
BF: Business acumen and operational experience. Both of those give you credibility, and senior leaders will listen to you. Facilitation and influencing skills are important, and creating a space for voices to be heard is critical. Strategic thinking is also important. It’s not just about reading a P&L statement; it’s about seeing where the trends, issues and hot spots are, and how they will impact the organization from the people side. Then, it’s about planning for that impact.
I see myself as Cultural Yoda – it’s about connecting one person at a time to who they are as leaders from the inside out, and to bring joy and fun back to work.
HRP: What tips do you have for new grads or those in entry-level HR jobs who want to move up the ladder?
BF: The more experience you get in all facets of HR, the better, and try not to be an expert too quickly. I became a deep subject matter expert in compensation at Mercer. When I tried to transition into an HR generalist role, it was virtually impossible for me to move over. So I tell people, do all of the roles early on. Try to get into an organization where you can do rotations and experience it all. It will set you up for future success. Also, try to work in multiple industries because that will develop your business acumen and operational experience. Finally, find a mentor.
HRP: What’s the future of HR?
BF: I think there are many roles for HR, depending on the type of company. In Canada, the majority of our growth is in smaller businesses. In those cases, HR may be more about sourcing talent and building culture. For larger companies, HR may focus on leadership development and be very metrics focused. Other organizations may see HR as the heart of culture and social enterprise. At the end of the day, for HR to be relevant in any business, HR professionals need to see people from the lens of the business. For example, what’s the cost and impact of certain HR programs? How can we engage our talent and increase our levels of productivity and creativity? There is a real need to focus on company culture and values.
In a Nutshell
First job: Summer day camp counsellor at age 13
Childhood ambition: To be a brain surgeon and find a cure for MS
Best boss and why: I don’t have one best boss. There were positive aspects I took from each along the way: visioning skills, thought leadership, team building and influencing techniques.
Current source of inspiration: I have two: my father and my daughter. In both cases, it’s about persistence and resilience. My father went bankrupt twice and rebuilt himself each time; he’s had multiple heart surgeries and is thankful to be alive every day. My daughter has a dream to be an actress. She has a focused goal, an action plan, and she never gives up – she’s determined that one day she will be in LA and she’ll have an Oscar.
Best piece of advice I ever got: Take advantage of every opportunity and explore what’s possible. Take the less travelled route. I tell that to my kids all the time now.
Favourite music: Pop – it’s great to exercise to. I listen to a lot of Katy Perry right now, because my daughter is obsessed with her.
Last book you read: The Three Laws of Performance by Steve Zaffron and Dave Logan
How do you spend your time away from work? I work out six days a week. I love the theatre and I like to read and spend time with family and friends. I’ve volunteered on several boards as well; I love working with at-risk youth.