If you are not learning from your past mistakes, then you are not growing and most likely repeating the same mistake. We as humans are imperfectly perfect, and we cannot do everything alone. Thus Robin Hirsch Everhart is grateful for the people who provided her a helping hand along the way as she now aims to continue pulling people forward. Today she is Chief People Officer at The Ideal Tridon Group – a family of brands dedicated to supporting, securing, and connecting pipes, tubes, and hoses. Robin is committed to doing what’s right, valuing each other as individuals, and recognizing the impact of her role within the company.
Here’s more to embrace change and overcome challenges with resilience from Robin through an interview –
1. Brief our audience about your journey as a business leader until your current position at IDEAL-TRIDON Group. What challenges have you had to overcome to reach where you are today?
My path leading up to Ideal Tridon Group has been both challenging and rewarding. I’ve worked in both publicly traded and privately held companies ranging in size from Fortune 500 to mid-market private equity portfolio companies. My experience includes B2C as well as B2B in retail, professional services, and manufacturing industries. My roles have spanned Compliance & Ethics, Operations, Communications, Government Affairs, Diversity/Equity/Inclusion & Belonging, and HR.
Starting my business career in male-dominated environments, I was often the only female executive, which necessitated tough conversations and efforts to pave the way for future women leaders. At times, I found I had to do more to prove my value vs. the assumed potential that was extended to my male counterparts. To remain competitive, I made unconventional career moves to accelerate my leadership development and enhance my value proposition.
Additionally, I was often the only, or one of few, Jewish people within the leadership and executive team and had to raise awareness about being conscientious of not scheduling important meetings or company outings on high holidays if they wanted the entire employee base to be able to attend. Transitioning from social work to business at 28, I started from an entry-level position, becoming a vice president by 33 and entering the C-suite shortly thereafter. As a female executive, there was tremendous eyeball scrutiny on my career as well as how I would handle the work/life balance after having my three children between the ages of 35-37.
Despite spoken skepticism from male colleagues about my intentions to return-to-work post-pregnancy, I continued to do so. While being young and female during my journey created some entry barriers, I found that remaining confident in my leadership style, building trust through relationships, continuing to learn along the way, and demonstrating my value through my actions has led to continued success and where I am today. It did not come without making mistakes and certainly wasn’t a perfect journey. But the key is to learn from the mistakes we make and realize that we are all perfectly imperfect, and we cannot do it alone. I am grateful for all those who reached back to provide a helping hand along the way and aim to continue pulling people forward as I go.
2. Could you tell us more about IDEAL-TRIDON Group’s mission, vision, and operations?
The Ideal Tridon Group is a family of brands dedicated to supporting, securing, and connecting pipes, tubes, and hoses. Based in Smyrna, Tennessee, we manufacture and distribute our products globally, with facilities across North America, Europe, and Asia. Our mission is grounded in core values centered around growth, teamwork, positive energy, authenticityadapatability, accountability, solution orientation, and customer satisfaction. We emphasize personal and company growth, holding ourselves to high standards of performance and ethics. We are team builders and problem solvers, embracing change and overcoming challenges with resilience. Our success hinges on understanding and meeting customer needs, building trust through reliability, and fostering long-lasting relationships. Service is paramount. We are committed to doing what’s right, valuing each other as individuals, and recognizing the impact of our roles within the company.
3. How do you build and manage a motivated and effective team?
To build an effective and motivated team, I prioritize hiring the best talent I can find. Often, these individuals are smarter than I am and have the potential to surpass me. This approach is based on the belief in their ability to learn and grow within the business, fostering a culture where we are all moving in the same direction and where they can develop. Many of my past hires have grown into executive positions themselves and I would feel proud if I found myself working for them one day. To maintain team effectiveness, accountability is key. I set high standards, expecting my team to meet them, while also holding myself to the same expectations. Celebrating achievements, providing growth opportunities, and offering honest feedback are essential to motivation and effectiveness. Trusting the team with challenging assignments further encourages their development. Additionally, understanding my team members personally is crucial; knowing what drives them enables me to tailor motivation strategies effectively.
4. Where do you envision yourself to be in the long run, and what are your future goals for IDEAL-TRIDON Group?
In the future, I aim to ascend to a CEO position or secure roles on paid boards, leveraging my unique experience with business operations, risk, and human capital to aid other companies in their operationsgrowth. Upon retirement, my goal is to continue board work while also engaging in speaking and consulting roles focused on communication, leadership, and strategy. For the Ideal Tridon Group, my objectives include establishing it as a premier workplace and further developing our human capital strategy. This will ensure we attract, retain, and nurture top talent, which is crucial for our continued business success.
5. What was your inspiration behind venturing into the business arena?
My inspiration came from a challenge early in my career, where I was asked to do something unethical. Although it wasn’t illegal, it compromised my values. It would have provided the company with a short-term gain but would have negatively impacted our clients, customers, and employees in the long run. I refused to do it, and I was fired. This was a pivotal moment that shaped my approach to leadership and defined the kind of organizations I wanted to be part of. This experience also led me to my first role in compliance and ethics, where I began building programs focused on ethical practices for companies and launched my business career.
6. What, according to you, could be the next big change in the HR? How is company preparing to be a part of that change?
The next significant shift in HR, in my view, will be the integration of Artificial Intelligence (AI). AI offers the potential to streamline and expedite many of the routine tasks within HR, and we are already beginning to explore these opportunities. The longer-term possibilities include AI’s role in talent screening, applicant testing, and even functioning as HR generalists. Recognizing the importance of this technology, we are actively incorporating AI into our strategic planning, not only within HR but across other support functions as well, to ensure we stay at the forefront of this transformation.
7. What change would you like to bring to the HR-industry if given a chance?
I would advocate for HR professionals to evolve beyond traditional roles and become integral business partners. My vision is for the HR industry to enhance its business acumen, showcasing how HR can actively contribute to and drive business objectives through strategic people management. Rather than confining themselves to conventional HR responsibilities, HR leaders should engage deeply in business discussions, influencing decisions with insights on how these decisions affect personnel and the organization. This approach positions HR as a key player in shaping business strategy, emphasizing the importance of understanding and leveraging human capital to achieve broader business goals.
8. How have you made an impact in the HR?
My impact in HR stems from leveraging my unique background in operations and business risk to adopt a comprehensive view of the organization. I’d like to believe that this perspective has enabled me to enhance communication and implementation strategies for changes affecting personnel, facilitating smoother transitions with less resistance. I’ve emphasized the importance of storytelling to understand the individuals behind the roles, fostering a culture of transparency by sharing information openly, even when the news is challenging or there is disagreement. My approach as a true business partner involves a holistic examination of decisions to anticipate their broader implications; ensuring strategies are comprehensive and considerate of all variables. Additionally, I’ve prioritized diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging in every aspect of HR practice, from hiring and development to setting behavioral expectations, aiming to create a more inclusive and representative workplace.
9. What would be your advice to budding entrepreneurs who aspire to venture into the HR sector?
My advice for budding entrepreneurs venturing into the HR sector would be to take the time to listen and understand the real needs of their potential customers to fully understand the problem they are trying to solve for them. Entrepreneurs should also gain an understanding of any existing competitors so they can articulate what makes them different from the various tools already available to HR practitioners. Know the legal and ethical dimensions of the businesses you aim to help as well. Lastly, find a personal board that is inclusive of HR practitioners so that you can garner their input on the front end and help point out any issues as you are building.
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