Melitta McDonald arrived at human resources the way a lot of great leaders do — by accident and then by choice. Over seven years she completed a business degree while working full time, raised a family, and cut her teeth across corporate finance, construction and FMCG manufacturing. Along the way she learned what most textbooks do not teach: how to earn respect, how to listen in a way that actually changes outcomes, and how to get HR a genuine seat at the leadership table.
An unconventional path that became an advantage
Melitta’s story shows that there is no single blueprint for an HR career. Studying while in the workplace gave her something many fresh graduates lack: concurrent theory and practice. Handling contracts, onboarding and policies by day and learning the legal and theoretical frameworks by night produced a practitioner who could implement with context.
Working across sectors — from corporate finance to construction to a large FMCG business — sharpened her ability to work with blue collar and white collar colleagues alike. In one organisation she helped move female representation to 41 percent, simply by building credibility, mentoring and embedding HR in the day-to-day reality of the business.
HR leadership starts with one skill everyone underestimates
Forget the checklist of policies and procedural expertise. For Melitta the foundational skill of effective HR leadership is listening. Not passive hearing, but active, curious listening that surfaces what motivates each person, what frustrates them, and what small adjustments will unlock their performance.
Listening produces better diagnoses. It helps leaders see whether an underperforming team member needs coaching, role realignment, or a different opportunity altogether. It builds trust. And it prevents HR from being perceived as the “fun police” because solutions come from understanding rather than imposing.
How to practise the kind of listening that leads
- Build regular one-on-ones and stick to them. Small, consistent conversations remove the need for anxiety-filled, high-stakes interventions.
- Ask open questions and resist the urge to fix immediately. Use prompts like “What would help you do this better?”
- Listen for cues: energy, repeated phrases, what someone avoids discussing. Those cues often reveal true levers for change.
- Follow up with concrete actions so people know they were heard and the conversation led to outcomes.
Credibility in male-dominated and blue-collar industries
Melitta’s experience on construction sites and factory floors taught her an important lesson: credibility is earned by showing up and doing the work, not by repeating textbook answers. She learned to speak plainly, join conversations on the ground and mentor people face to face rather than hiding behind policy memos.
That practical approach changes perceptions. Instead of being “the person who enforces rules,” HR becomes a business partner who understands the operational pressures and proposes workable solutions.
How HR earns a seat at the leadership table
To be strategic you must speak the language of strategy. For Melitta that means presenting HR insights as business metrics that matter to the ELT. Resignations and hires are important data points, but they must be translated into actionable business outcomes: impact on capacity, time-to-fill for critical roles, productivity changes tied to engagement, and forecasts for seasonal demand.
When HR frames initiatives in terms that leaders already care about — growth, productivity, retention, and cost of vacancy — it moves from being seen as a cost centre to a growth enabler. Build relationships, bring evidence and propose concrete plans that help the executive team deliver on their priorities.
Culture is everybody’s job
One controversial but crucial stance Melitta takes is that culture cannot live solely within a People and Culture team. Culture is woven through every leader’s behaviour and decision-making. HR can facilitate and guide, but front-line managers must own the regular conversations that keep culture alive.
That means managers should not outsource difficult conversations to HR. HR’s role is to coach and support managers so they can have those conversations confidently. Regular, genuine engagement removes the need for reactive crisis management and builds psychological safety.
Navigating a multicultural, multigenerational and seasonal workforce
Managing complexity is now standard for many Australian organisations. Melitta’s workforce includes 48 percent multicultural employees and spans five generations. Add seasonal hiring cycles and retention becomes a strategic priority.
Workforce planning must tackle attraction and retention simultaneously. Focus on a clear employer value proposition, straightforward onboarding that signals care, and retention initiatives that make people want to stay when recruiters come knocking. In regions where word of mouth matters, treating people well from hiring to exit becomes a competitive advantage.
Two practical pieces of advice for HR practitioners
- Be resourceful and build your network. You do not need to have all the answers. Curiosity and humility open doors. Use your networks, listen to peers, and be prepared to say, “I am not sure — let me find out.” That honesty earns respect.
- Use your influence to help people succeed. HR carries a unique power to change individual careers and shape organisational trajectories. Use it ethically and purposefully. Be the person who gives the underdog a platform to succeed.
Small habits that make a big difference
Practical daily habits kept Melitta grounded. She recommends “Eat That Frog” by Brian Tracy as a productivity habit: do the hardest task first so it no longer drains cognitive energy. She also follows a personal ethics test she calls the “head on the pillow” check: make decisions you can sleep with, decisions aligned to your values.
Another mantra she uses is a variation of “If not me, who? If not now, when?” — a nudge to act on opportunities instead of waiting for permission.
Final thoughts
HR leadership is less about having all the answers and more about being present, curious and accountable. Build credibility by doing the work, listen with intention, and translate people insights into the language of business. Culture will not be fixed by a single team; it is co-created by every manager and every employee.
Melitta McDonald’s journey from the Sunshine Coast, across industries and into an executive HR role offers a practical reminder: relentless curiosity, consistent listening, and the courage to act will get you further than perfect answers ever could.
“Do the hard thing first. Make decisions you can sleep with. If not me, who? If not now, when?”
