In this episode of the HR Engage Podcast, Jonathan Mamaril sits down with Holly McBride — a human resources leader whose journey stretches from retail management in Birmingham to leading People & Culture at Fraser Coast Council in Australia. The conversation blends personal stories, practical HR strategy and leadership lessons rooted in a strength-based approach. Holly shares candid reflections on career transitions, public speaking, wellbeing for HR professionals and the big workforce challenges shaping the future of work.
From Birmingham to the Fraser Coast: a career shaped by experience
Holly’s path into HR was not strictly linear. She began in retail management, moved into roles with British Waterways in the UK, and then took a working holiday to Australia where a sponsorship offer eventually enabled a permanent move. Positions at Worcestershire County Council, City of Melbourne and later councils in New South Wales and Queensland built a career firmly rooted in local government.
Local government became more than a career choice — it became a match for Holly’s values. The sector offered visible impact, community-facing outcomes and a balance that enabled her to show up for family life while pursuing meaningful work. Holly emphasises that each organisation has its own culture and cadence; moving between countries and councils demanded adaptability and a willingness to learn how things are “done here.”
Adapting to a new workplace culture
Holly notes that the transition from UK workplaces to Australian councils required both personal resilience and an openness to assimilate into different organisational cultures. She highlights that councils in different states — Victoria, New South Wales and Queensland — each carry a distinct feel, which makes cultural sensitivity and relationship-building essential for successful adaptation.
Strengths first: translating customer experience to employee experience
One of the defining themes of the conversation is Holly’s commitment to a strength-based approach, largely informed by Gallup tools. What began as a method for improving workplace performance evolved into a lens for designing whole-of-life experience: harnessing natural talents at work and at home to improve wellbeing and effectiveness.
Holly describes herself as a natural “arranger” — a strength that shows up in both her professional ability to manage multiple projects and her personal propensity to organise family holidays and social gatherings. The insight is simple but powerful: when people operate in roles that let them use their strengths, engagement and wellbeing increase.
The strength-based approach isn’t just a label on a development plan. It becomes a practical tool for:
- Designing recruitment and onboarding experiences that align with strengths and role expectations.
- Creating coaching and leadership programs that develop transferable life skills (communication, conflict management, influence).
- Building teams where strengths complement one another and blind spots are surfaced constructively.
Holly recounts a coaching program where participants gained not only professional communication skills, but also applied coaching techniques at home — positively influencing family relationships. Those stories, she says, are proof that HR interventions can have ripple effects beyond the workplace.
Public speaking, vulnerability and career growth
Public speaking was a significant barrier for Holly early in her career. She admits she was anxious about presenting, fearful of questions and the prospect of not being perfect. Rather than letting that fear define her, Holly intentionally sought opportunities to build capability. A leadership coaching program with a public presentation as its finale became a turning point.
Standing up and acknowledging fear proved more effective than feigning confidence. Holly discovered that vulnerability creates connection: audiences related to her honesty and responded with empathy. The experience shifted her leadership brand toward being a “confident and capable leader” who cheerleads success and models growth through exposure.
Her advice is practical and encouraging: give things a go, prepare intentionally and reduce risk through repetition. Simple preparation tactics — practising opening lines, using cue cards, or placing visual prompts in the room — are legitimate scaffolding for building confidence. Over time the scaffolding is needed less and the natural voice comes through.
What gives Holly joy in HR?
At the core, Holly enjoys influence: shaping employee experiences that allow people to do their best during the hours they spend at work. She sees HR as a partnership function that must move beyond compliance and policy. Real impact comes from co-designing solutions with the business, listening to managers and employees, and creating environments where people can thrive.
She stresses that HR exists to enable decision-makers, not to replace them. The most meaningful work happens when HR partners with leaders, equips managers with the capability to have courageous conversations, and develops systems that drive both employee engagement and better outcomes for the community.
Sustaining HR leaders: practical self-care and boundaries
Human resources is emotionally demanding. Holly outlines practical strategies she uses to protect her well-being and sustain energy for the job:
- Two phones: one for work and one for personal life to create deliberate separation and reduce after-hours intrusion.
- Daily rituals: family walks with the dogs and weekend routines that prioritise connection and recovery.
- Holidays and micro-breaks: regular escapes — even short weekend trips — are planned to create something to look forward to and to recharge.
- Strengths awareness: understanding one’s natural tendencies (e.g. empathy, positivity) helps to know when to draw boundaries so those traits don’t become burdens.
- Support networks: having trusted colleagues, friends or mentors to debrief with when work becomes heavy.
Holly also recommends Mel Robbins’ “Let Them” philosophy (as discussed in the episode) as a practical psychological tool: a moment’s pause to choose how to respond rather than reacting impulsively. That pause helps leaders behave in line with their values and maintain composure during emotionally charged situations.
Major HR challenges and how to meet them
When asked about pressing HR challenges, Holly identifies a cluster of interconnected issues:
- Attracting talent in sectors where market rates don’t match private industry (local government being a prime example).
- Retaining staff and preventing quiet quitting through development, recognition and meaningful progression pathways.
- Building managerial capability — done well, managers are the decisive factor in employee attraction and retention.
- Adapting to technological disruption including AI and other digital tools that will reshape roles and skills.
Her recommended response is a mix of strategic planning and agile execution:
- Develop a clear workforce plan informed by business needs and a realistic roadmap for skills and recruitment.
- Invest in leader development so managers can support teams in real time rather than delegating all people issues to HR.
- Promote a culture of continuous improvement and co-design — launch initiatives early, learn, adapt and iterate rather than waiting for perfection.
- Design an employee value proposition (EVP) that highlights development, community impact and lifestyle benefits where financial parity isn’t possible.
One contrarian HR insight: you don’t always have to be right
Holly challenges a common HR reflex: the need to be the infallible expert. She believes that insisting on always being right can block agility, damage relationships and make change harder. Instead, vulnerability and humility are essential. When an HR advisor gives incorrect advice, the appropriate response is to acknowledge the mistake, apologise and correct the situation swiftly — that restores trust and reduces further harm.
This stance reframes HR not as a gatekeeper of rules, but as a partner who helps the organisation move forward, learn and adapt.
Practical advice for early-career and senior HR professionals
Throughout the conversation Holly offers specific guidance tailored by career stage:
For early-career HR professionals
- Put yourself out there: volunteer to present, facilitate or lead small projects to build visible capability.
- Be deliberate about preparation: practise openings, use notes, and design safe scaffolding to reduce performance anxiety.
- Treat mistakes as learning opportunities: one imperfect presentation is more valuable than a year of hesitation.
For senior HR leaders
- Lead with empathy: design people processes with the employee experience at the centre rather than simply enforcing compliance.
- Invest in manager capability: equip leaders to have difficult conversations early and constructively.
- Prioritise self-care: build systems that protect your capacity to lead in an emotionally demanding role.
Human, candid and optimistic
Holly’s message is human and practical: HR is an opportunity to shape experiences that matter, but that influence must be balanced with self-care and a willingness to be imperfect. Her personal anecdotes — from learning to speak publicly to a quietly-held marriage on a beach in Cuba, and a love of Disney magic and family Sunday mornings — humanise the work and remind HR professionals why the work is worth doing.
“There’ll be a time where you wish you were here.”
That quote, shared during the conversation, functions as both a grounding reminder and an invitation to presence. It encourages HR practitioners to hold perspective: the difficult moments of today may become the valued memories of tomorrow.
Actionable takeaways
- Start small with public speaking: practise, scaffold and expose yourself to build confidence.
- Apply strengths assessments not just for performance but for wellbeing — align work with what energises people.
- Lead with empathy and co-design solutions — policy alone won’t create engagement.
- Plan for the future workforce while remaining agile: implement, learn and iterate.
- Protect your capacity: set boundaries, create routines and build a support network.
Conclusion
The HR Engage Podcast episode with Holly McBride offers a clear blend of practical HR strategy and human leadership. From her strength-based approach and candid admission about public speaking to her priorities around manager capability and workforce agility, Holly models how HR can be both compassionate and effective. Her advice is particularly relevant for those in traditional sectors facing modern challenges: invest in people, plan pragmatically, stay curious, and take care of the humans doing the work — including yourself.
For HR practitioners seeking tangible ways to influence culture, improve employee experience and sustain their own wellbeing, Holly’s perspective is a timely and actionable resource.
