HR for Non-HR Leaders: Why Clarity Is the Kindest Leadership Skill

Leading people without formal HR training is a reality many mission-driven leaders quietly navigate. In a recent Tea with Tatyana session, HR consultant Tatyana Sanikovich explored how everyday leadership moments—offering feedback, setting expectations, handling conflict, and making pay decisions—are already acts of HR. A central theme was the distinction between kindness and clarity: while leaders often soften messages to preserve relationships, unclear communication can create confusion, inequity, and burnout. The conversation reframed structure, boundaries, and even clean endings as forms of care, reminding leaders that clarity isn’t harsh—it’s one of the most compassionate and steady skills they can bring to their teams.