The Modern People Leader

What happens when you put a mic in front of HR leaders and ask them for their unfiltered takes on AI?

In this episode, Daniel and Stephen recap their trip to HR Tech — where they recorded 12 quick-hit “AI Confessions” from folks they met on the conference room floor. From agentic workflows and custom GPT chaos to the real blockers slowing down AI adoption, this one’s packed with candid insights from the front lines.

You’ll hear what HR leaders from companies like Lumen, Articulate, and Airbnb.

Sponsor Links:

🔗 Talk to the team at Ethena.

🔗 Request a demo of ChartHop.

MPL Links:

🔗 Go sign up for MPL Build.

(06:00) HR Tech debrief setup and the “non-Expo Expo” vision

(08:26) Vendor noise: everyone promises everything; how to curate for quality

(10:13) Trend: agentic workflows vs. true autonomous agents

(13:16) “One UI to rule them all” and platforms trying to do it all

(16:18) The HR “sandbox” idea and customization/vibe-coding future

(18:02) Governance should come first, not last

(19:24) New format intro: “AI Confessions” clip series

(20:10) Articulate: hype vs. reality, custom GPT maintenance tax

(24:36) Snapshot pain: stale docs and refresh gaps in tools

(25:04) Why an org brain/source of truth matters

(26:58) Biggest blockers called out: connectivity across the stack, tech limits

(30:57) Magic wand from Clip 1: payroll automation and smarter resume parsing

(34:43) Lumen: “AI diffusion,” empathy-first change and upskilling

(36:32) Creating safe spaces to experiment; role-by-role reskilling

(45:35) Myths and multi-agent maturity: where we really are

(48:20) Senior vs. junior agents; linking SMEs to AI via the org brain

(55:05) Airbnb: scouting the recruiting tech stack

(57:33) Is HR behind on tech adoption compared to other functions

(1:00:49) Biggest blocker: skills and resourcing gap in HR/TA teams

(1:03:32) Upskilling in practice: stipends, bootcamps, internal rhythms

(1:05:27) TA automation targets: scheduling, intake, JD drafts, calibration slates

(1:06:09) Change management is the hard part

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Past guests on MPL include Brené Brown, Annie Dean (VP of Team Anywhere, Atlassian), Josh Bersin, Katie Burke (Chief People Officer, Harvey), Liz Fosslien, Helen Russell (Chief People Officer, HubSpot), Dave Scott (Chief People Officer, ADT), Melanie Rossenwasser (Chief People Officer, Dropbox), Crystal Boysen (Chief People Officer, Sprout Social), and many more.

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Angela Crossman, Hernan Chiosso, and Jean-Luc Charles joined us to debrief the “Yellow Pod” conversation from MPL Live NYC and what the group is actually doing with AI at work.

We covered opportunities vs blockers, “AI as coach” guardrails, why HR should own enablement, actionable next steps, and predictions for the AI-powered workplace.

Sponsor Links:

🔗 Talk to the team at Ethena.

🔗 Book a quick walk through of Nava HQ.

🔗 Request a demo of ChartHop.

MPL Links:

🔗 Go sign up for MPL Build.

(09:40) Why structured spaces help leaders make sense of AI noise

(11:40) Untangling AI talk: personal vs professional; HR practice vs company strategy

(12:47) State of adoption: ahead of the curve vs “head in the sand”

(14:00) Panel reflections: Dropbox digital twins, Duolingo’s AI mandate, leadership buy-in spectrum

(15:43) HR’s role with tech + legal: ethics, generational views, and people experience

(16:27) “Who owns AI?”—budget, skills, and priorities across functions

(19:36) Change management over pure tech: why HR is primed to lead adoption

(21:01) Community accelerates AI: the prompt for pods (biggest blocker and opportunity)

(23:31) Why the small-group format worked: quiet room, trust, generosity

(25:08) Opportunities first: practical use cases; AI for manager coaching (pros/cons)

(27:28) Blockers: ownership, resources, risk, and vendor noise

(28:05) Quick poll: Should AI be a “coach”? Alignment with values and judgment

(29:21) Using AI as a thinking partner—not a verdict

(31:43) People team enablement: prompt patterns, values-trained GPTs, internal guardrails

(32:20) Example from MPL: iterating a “super prompt” after guest feedback

(33:50) One action to take now: targeted demos to learn real use cases

(34:42) Don’t ban—enable: intentional adoption beats resistance

(35:30) Practical rollout ideas: leadership exercises with starter prompts

(37:07) Resource tip: OpenAI Academy prompts for HR (as a baseline to build on)

(38:13) Mind-blower: executive digital twins; event improvements for Austin (Dec 11)

(39:43) Feedback: design for introverts; keep a light warm-up

(40:26) Preserve the magic: curated room + structured but flexible prompts

(41:55) Rapid-fire predictions: the AI-powered workplace

(42:29) Prediction #1: AI is both disruption and solution (reskilling at scale)

(43:48) Prediction #2: A new kind of creativity—partnering with “semi-intelligent” tools

(44:31) Prediction #3: Hiring shifts toward problem framing and critical thinking

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Past guests on MPL include Brené Brown, Josh Bersin, Katie Burke (Chief People Officer, Harvey), Liz Fosslien, Helen Russell (Chief People Officer, HubSpot), Dave Scott (Chief People Officer, ADT), Melanie Rossenwasser (Chief People Officer, Dropbox), Crystal Boysen (Chief People Officer, Sprout Social), and many more.

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Joy Rothschild, Chief Human Resources Officer at Omni Hotels & Resorts, joined us on The Modern People Leader.

Sponsor Links:

🔗 Request a demo of Workleap.

MPL Links:

🔗 Go sign up for MPL Build.

(05:21) Joy’s origin story: from hospitality ops to finding a home in HR

(07:48) Early career breaks, sponsorship, and a philosophy of giving people a chance

(09:59) Layoff, comeback call, and stepping into the top HR role

(10:33) Boundaries after a career shock and sustaining a healthier pace

(14:51) Omni in 2025: brand position, ownership model, and high-touch service strategy

(18:39) “You have a culture”: balancing the guest–owner–associate “trilogy”

(21:00) Crisis choices: 9/11 vs. COVID, service tradeoffs, and rebuilding momentum

(23:13) Betting big during downturns: PGA Frisco and major openings through COVID

(24:31) Tenure, recognition, and lessons from being let go after 18 years

(26:26) Returning with boundaries and perspective

(27:54) The “Gung Ho” boardroom moment and trusting your convictions

(30:20) Dusting off the classics: reviving core Omni programs and cross-functional buy-in

(32:28) Power of One 1.0: empowerment and 19 service points

(34:32) Power of All detour and the case to simplify

(35:34) Power of One 2.0: three plain-English principles that everyone remembers

(36:29) Stories that stick: macaw video, the Herman Miller chair, and solving what you see

(39:55) Wedding saved: saying yes and training teams to own outcomes

(41:28) Why this sticks when other initiatives do not

(43:42) “Training that sticks” playbook: ops partnership, writers, pilots, and scorecards

(46:10) Logistics at scale: 8,500 front-line learners, 90 trainers, monthly reporting

(47:58) Mantras with teeth: Elevate Service, Elevate Revenue, and tying bonuses to usage

(49:48) Ownership, accountability, and why ops should teach service

(51:17) Rapid Fire: advice for new HR, “culture warrior,” and borrowing Chewy’s playbook

(54:06) Who’s next: Will Guidara and the craft of unreasonable hospitality

(56:00) A quick story about Milk Bar cookies and influence

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Jessica Zwaan joins MPL Build to show HR leaders how to craft business cases that CEOs actually approve, using BLUF, the So What test, and clear links to revenue and savings. We walk through conservative projections, objection handling, and a live role-play on adopting a performance platform in today’s fiscally skeptical environment.

Sponsor Links:

🔗 Talk to the team at Ethena.

🔗 Request a demo of ChartHop.

MPL Links:

🔗 Go sign up for MPL Build.

(05:19) Jessica’s hierarchy: make money, save money, then time

(08:45) Jessica’s shift from words to numbers and data

(12:20) Tying HR work to revenue in practice(13:52) Choosing revenue vs savings and building the argument

(15:42) “I cracked it” moment: McCann Worldgroup restructuring win

(19:16) The “So What” Test explained and how to run it

(21:57) Anticipating objections inside the deck

(24:20) Role-play setup: $50k performance platform after HR Tech

(25:32) Start with the problem: talent density and revenue leakage

(26:08) Connecting performance signals to revenue and savings(28:31) From messy data to leading indicators leaders can use

(30:23) Pitch format preferences(31:12) BLUF: Bottom line up front

(32:39) Estimating impact and why to lean conservative

(34:30) Standing behind numbers with board scrutiny

(36:10) Is budget still tight and what fiscal skepticism means

(37:43) Why rigor matters in an AI-saturated vendor landscape

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Kim Minnick, Founder of Code Traveller HR, joined us on The Modern People Leader.

We dug into why performance reviews often fail, how companies can decouple performance from compensation, creative ways to reward employees beyond pay, and the importance of transparency, choice, and designing programs that reflect company values.

Sponsor Links:

🔗 Talk to the team at Ethena.

🔗 Request a demo of Workleap.

MPL Links:

🔗 Go sign up for MPL Build.

(11:26) Why Most Companies Get Performance Management Wrong

(15:59) The Noise & Confusion Around Rethinking Performance

(19:44) Building Programs Unique to Your Company’s Mission & People

(21:18) Decoupling Performance from Compensation

(24:06) Why Performance Management Has Low Credibility with Employees

(28:29) Shifting Rewards Beyond Pay & Limiting Overwork

(32:57) Keeping Compensation-Driven Employees Engaged

(34:04) Evolving Compensation Models & Budgeting Differently

(40:26) Why Transparency in Compensation Matters

(43:29) Defining Company Values to Drive Rewards & Recognition

(45:30) Giving Employees Choice in How They’re Rewarded

(50:30) The Risk of Turning Rewards into a “Feature Comparison”

(52:34) Why Letting Employees Choose Could Be a Good Thing

(55:33) HR Tech Limitations & Building Custom Solutions

(57:57) The Economics of DIY vs. B2B SaaS Tools

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This episode of The Modern People Leader dives into the realities of leading through constant change, featuring guests Mita Mallick, Shelby Garrison, and Kelly Lohr.

We discussed how HR leaders can navigate layoffs with transparency and humanity, the importance of supporting both exiting and remaining employees, and how to build resilience and adaptability into workplace culture.

Sponsor Links:

🔗 Get in contact with the Career Sandwich team.

🔗 Request a demo of Workleap.

🔗 Talk to the team at Ethena.

MPL Links:

🔗 Go sign up for MPL Build.

(07:13) Why Layoffs Feel Like a New Normal

(09:25) Shelby on the Disconnect Between Job Reports and Employee Reality

(14:27) Kelly on Building the Muscle to Adapt to Change

(18:31) Mita on Transparency Before Layoffs Happen

(21:27) The Shift in Employer Branding Conversations

(22:37) Mistakes Companies Make During Layoffs That Damage Brand

(25:04) Moments That Matter Most When Communicating Change

(28:29) Shelby’s Two-Audience Approach to Layoff Planning

(32:05) What Modern Support for Exiting Employees Looks Like

(35:33) Balancing Empathy and Clarity in Layoff Conversations

(38:58) Supporting Remaining Employees After Layoffs

(45:17) Mita on Allowing Space to Acknowledge Those Who Left

(47:11) Shelby on Bringing a Human-First Approach to Change

(51:00) Q&A: The Problem with Silent Layoffs and How to Rebuild Trust

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Yemi Akisanya, Head of JEDI (Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion) at Axon, joined us on The Modern People Leader.

We talked about how the DEI conversation is evolving post-2020, why quotas are being replaced with performance-aligned strategies, and how Axon is making inclusion measurable and mission-critical.

Sponsor Links:

🔗 Talk to the team at Ethena.

🔗 Request a demo of ChartHop.

MPL Links:

🔗 Go sign up for MPL Build.

(06:24) Yemi’s Life & Career Update: From Groupon to Axon

(08:51) What is Axon? Tech That Protects Life (Explained Simply)

(11:46) The Current State of DEI: Legal Risks, Compliance, and Backlash

(13:04) How 2020 Changed the DEI Landscape—And Where It Went Off Track

(15:28) The Rise and Fall of Quota-Based DEI and Legal Pushback

(17:53) The New DEI Mandate: Must Be Performance-Driven and Legally Sound

(19:30) Title VII and the Legal Boundaries of Hiring Decisions

(22:49) Axon’s Hiring Funnel Strategy: Focus on Top-of-Funnel Diversity

(24:17) Why Diverse Input Without Inclusion Breeds Tokenism

(26:48) Stephen’s Experience as a Diversity Officer (2009–2011)

(29:39) The Unintended Consequences of Quota-Driven Metrics

(32:26) What’s Changed? Not the Law, but the Enforcement & Tone

(34:06) Clarifying What Legal vs. Illegal DEI Looks Like Today

(38:29) Expanding the Talent Funnel: Tactics Axon Uses to Diversify Without Quotas

(41:44) Events, Job Boards, and Global Outreach to Source Talent

(42:59) Applying a Funnel Mindset: DEI as Performance Marketing

(45:10) Did DEI Practitioners Go Too Far? Owning the Missteps

(48:03) Why Bias Isn’t Bad—But It Must Be Checked and Understood

(50:30) Inclusion Surveys as Strategic Input: Measuring What Holds People Back

(51:15) Daniel’s 2020 ERG Experience: Culture Celebration vs. Business Impact

(53:43) Evolving ERGs into Performance Assets (Not Just Event Groups)

(56:47) Performance-Driven DEI: Monitoring Ratings, Promotions, Engagement

(58:47) Training for All, Cultural Context, and Blending Communities

(01:01:13) Localizing DEI Efforts Globally: Lessons from Groupon

(01:03:32) Axon’s Inclusion Programs, Pay Equity Audits, and Cross-Cultural Equity

(01:08:20) Who Should We Have Next? Shoutout to Elizabeth Hart at Axon

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Jessica Zwaan, Author of Built for People & COO at Talentful, joined us on The Modern People Leader.

We talked about AI adoption in HR, from policy design to hands-on building. We explored the “Wild West” of AI use, tool selection, overcoming the stigma of ‘cheating,’ and practical frameworks like the 4Bs (Bot, Build, Borrow, Buy) to guide adoption and innovation.

Sponsor Links:

🔗 Request a demo of Workleap.

MPL Links:

🔗 Sign up for the MPL Insider Guide for HR Tech.

🔗 Buy your ticket for MPL Live New York.

🔗 Go sign up for MPL Build.

(07:07) Kicking off the AI Wild West discussion in HR

(09:10) “AI abstinence” vs. open use – two ends of the spectrum

(12:00) No new ideas – why blocking AI is like banning books

(17:05) Stigma around AI use and feelings of ‘cheating’

(20:18) AI as an Iron Man suit, not Ultron – decision-making analogy

(22:29) Org-wide vs. departmental AI policies

(24:20) Jessica’s HR AI stack: Sana, ODA, BrightHire, ChatGPT

(26:11) Why GPT was chosen over other LLMs

(29:37) Functional flexibility in AI tool adoption

(31:58) Privacy, disclosure, and “don’t be dumb” rules

(33:15) The 4Bs framework – Bot, Build, Borrow, Buy

(36:51) Different levels of “build” – from zaps to full applications

(41:59) Why not to fear losing custom AI knowledge when employees leave

(46:43) Borrowing vs. buying – making smart investment decisions

(48:41) Avoiding “hire first” thinking – the Mythical Man Month

(53:28) How to start: planning, tool exploration, and playful learning

(56:05) Voice note + walk workflow for AI productivity

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Pilar Muner, VP of People & Talent at ChartHop, joined us on The Modern People Leader.

We covered:

- Why fractional work isn’t always the burnout cure-all it’s made out to be
-How ChartHop is using AI to power HR workflows in-house
The AI vendor checklist every HR leader needs — what to ask, what to watch for, and how to cut through the hype If you’re evaluating AI tools for your people team, this episode will give you a practical lens on security, data integrity, and what to prioritize in vendor selection.

Sponsor Links:

🔗 Request a demo of ChartHop.

MPL Links:

🔗 Buy your ticket for MPL Live New York.

🔗 Go sign up for MPL Build.

(10:56) Pilar’s Journey: From law aspirations to falling into HR

(13:07) Career Philosophy: “Just say yes” and the path through early-stage companies

(15:07) Why Pilar Went Fractional: A health-focused shift, not burnout

(17:18) Accidental Fractional Life: A few lucky client handoffs snowball

(18:46) Is Fractional Less Stressful? The importance of boundaries

(20:45) HR for HR: Why burnout doesn’t disappear without behavior change

(23:39) Boundary setting and designing your own career

(25:09) ChartHop Time: The magic of internal and external facing people ops

(26:37) Product Deep Dive: ChartHop’s back-end data architecture explained

(28:36) Why ChartHop is Built for AI from the Ground Up

(30:30) Empathy in HR Tech: ChartHop’s internal culture surprises

(32:27) ChartHop for Builders: Why it clicks for HR innovators

(35:42) Pilar’s AI Takeaways: Sophisticated people analytics—even at 25 people

(37:22) AI + HR Data: Beyond dashboards into contextual intelligence

(39:30) The Risks of Uploading Data to Public LLMs

(41:47) What ChartHop Does to Keep Client Data Secure

(44:51) Questions HR Leaders Should Ask AI Vendors

(47:21) Is HR Ready for AI? Why sitting on the sidelines isn’t safe

(49:08) Use Case Example: AI-powered performance review feedback

(51:09) Human Judgment Still Required: Don’t rely solely on AI

(52:52) The Importance of Judicious AI Prompts in HR

(53:19) ChartHop’s View on AI Front Doors & Model Context Protocols

(55:37) Internal Testing: ChartHop dogfoods its own platform with Salesforce, NetSuite, and Gong

(58:38) Favorite Use Case: Performance reviews written with AI accuracy

(01:02:21) Engagement Survey in 3 Hours Instead of 50

(01:04:46) ChartHop Use Cases: The AI-powered HRBP assistant

(01:07:09) Treating AI like your own HRBP: Macro-level strategy

(01:11:38) GenAI as HR for HR: Scenario planning and internal insights

(01:15:04) Weekly Check-Ins: AI helps prioritize which employees need attention

(01:16:13) Rapid Fire: Pilar’s one big takeaway—just try

(01:18:22) Superpower Nickname: The Force or The Inspirer

(01:20:12) Strategy to Steal: Zapier’s AI-first approach

(01:21:54) Shoutouts: 5 emerging HR leaders you should know

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JooBee Yeow joined us on The Modern People Leader to talk about why HR must stop overfunctioning and start diagnosing real business problems—especially when revenue is on the line.

We discussed how HR leaders can step out of their silo, challenge assumptions, influence revenue growth, and flip the HR pyramid to prioritize high-impact, strategic work.

Sponsor Links:

🔗 Request a demo of Workleap.

MPL Links:

🔗 Buy your ticket for MPL Live New York.

🔗 Go sign up for MPL Build.

(06:23) JooBee’s Career Journey: From Systems Engineer to Strategic HR Leader

(08:34) What JooBee Learned from Partnering with CTOs over CHROs

(11:48) Stephen’s Experience Managing Engineers as a CEO

(14:07) Preferential Treatment or Strategic Blindspots in Tech-Heavy Teams

(18:08) What JooBee Is Building: Bootcamp, Community, and Mini MBA

(24:31) Why HR Gets Stuck at 50 Employees: Common Traps at Growth Stage

(29:33) Same Problems, New Labels: From Headcount to AI Adoption

(30:33) The Two Questions Every People Leader Must Ask

(32:25) Strategic Planning ≠ Strategic Thinking: Escaping Operational Loops

(34:26) The HR Hierarchy of Needs & Flipping the Pyramid

(44:46) Stop Playing Admin: Behaviors That Keep HR Operational

(47:29) Writing in Anger: The Story Behind JooBee’s “Drive Revenue” Newsletter

(50:57) What to Do When You Won’t Hit Revenue Targets This Quarter

(54:17) Where Is Revenue Leaking? 4 Common Scenarios

(56:09) Don’t Start with “How”—Diagnose First

(59:26) Tactical Advice: How to Be Curious and Find the Right People to Ask

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Tiffany Stevenson, former Chief People Officer at WeightWatchers and Patreon, joined us on The Modern People Leader.

We talked about this being the CHROs toughest chapter yet, how AI is reshaping HR, and what HR brings to the boardroom.

Sponsor Links:

🔗 Request a demo of ChartHop.

MPL Links:

🔗 Buy your ticket for MPL Live New York.

🔗 Go sign up for MPL Build.

(09:35) Tiffany’s career story: From Mirage Resorts to Sephora, Box, Patreon, WW

(14:34) First career break & adjusting to downtime

(16:59) Learning phase: Board readiness program & executive compensation course

(19:01) Why being a CHRO is harder now than during the pandemic

(23:49) Reframing today’s challenges as opportunities

(25:11) Stephen’s thoughts on AI transformation as a once-in-a-generation shift

(28:51) Finding focus amid economic, policy, and AI noise

(31:36) Tiffany’s current purpose: Leading people through transformations

(33:19) Defining individual purpose & aligning with business transformation

(35:21) Why she chose to invest in human-centered board skills

(37:48) What board service training looks like

(39:34) Realizing CHROs often undersell their impact to boards

(42:46) How to position yourself for board service

(46:20) Typical board makeup & where CHRO expertise fits

(49:21) Misconceptions about board work & time commitment

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Priscila Bala, CEO of LifeLabs Learning, joined us on The Modern People Leader.

We explored how AI is transforming learning, the enduring role of middle management, and why the most impactful leadership skills are more human than ever.

Resources Mentioned:

🔗 Sign up for LifeLabs Learning’s Culture Club.

Sponsor Links:

🔗 Request a demo of Workleap.

MPL Links:

🔗 Buy your ticket for MPL Live New York.

🔗 Go sign up for MPL Build.

(07:25) Priscila’s Career Journey: From VC to CEO of LifeLabs

(10:57) What LifeLabs Learning Does and Their Training Philosophy

(13:10) Segue to AI: “Artificial Interns” and the Human Advantage

(17:42) The Emotional Edge of In-Person Learning & Why AI Can’t Replicate That

(21:52) Vibe Coding, Demo Days, and the Role of Human Feedback

(24:34) What AI Can’t Replace: Judgment, Context & Culture

(26:31) Why Priscila is Giddy About AI’s Impact on Human Skills

(29:07) DIY Learning Teams: Practical Tips & The Q-Step Tool

(31:30) The Secret Sauce Behind LifeLabs’ Facilitators

(35:05) Priscila’s Personal “Aha” Moments as a Former Client

(37:21) Middle Management: From Crisis to AI-Era Relevance

(43:25) The Real Pain for Managers Today: Overwhelm & Role Clarity

(47:29) Will New Careers Move Away From Management?

(49:56) Reskilling in the Age of AI: How Managers Can Navigate Change

(54:22) Resources Mentioned: Culture Club & Train-the-Trainer Preview

(55:47) Rapid Fire: HR Advice, Superpowers, and Dream Guest

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Jenny Molyneaux, VP of People at Vercel, joined us on The Modern People Leader.

We talked about why AI is replacing HR tech spend before headcount, how Vercel’s people team is building custom AI tools to replace expensive SaaS products, and what HR leaders can do to start building with AI today.

Sponsor Links:

🔗 Get your free 30-day Synthesia account.

🔗 Request a demo of ChartHop.

MPL Links:

🔗 Buy your ticket for MPL Live New York.

🔗 Go sign up for MPL Build.

(07:36) Jenny’s Career Journey: From Google to Startups & VP of People at Vercel

(16:17) Lessons Learned as a People Team of One

(21:37) What Vercel Does Explained Simply

(28:15) How AI Will Cut Spend Before Headcount in HR

(33:13) Cost Savings from Building Internal AI Tools Instead of Buying SaaS

(37:22) Creating a Company Culture of AI Adoption

(40:17) The Future of B2B Tech: Customization, Forking, and AI Marketplaces

(44:23) Customizing Engagement Surveys for Better Insights

(49:44) Jenny’s “Manager Stack” Vision for AI-Driven Performance Management

(53:40) How to Start Building Internal Tools with AI

(56:50) Advice for HR Leaders: Just Start Building

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Geanne Weaver-Hepler (Director of EX, Charlie Health), Allison Vendt (VP, People Ops & Head of EX at Dropbox), Nick Freeman (Co-CEO, Marco), and Brian Elliott (CEO, Work Forward) joined us to talk about what’s broken with employee connection—and how to fix it.

We explored practical frameworks for offsites, hybrid team building, and creating meaningful connection moments across distributed workforces.

Sponsor Links:

🔗 Request a demo of Workleap.

MPL Links:

🔗 Buy your ticket for MPL Live New York.

🔗 Go sign up for MPL Build.

(06:00) Why we stopped talking about connection—and why that’s a mistake

(08:00) Gallup data: engagement is falling, especially for managers

(10:00) Geanne on building connection at scale at Charlie Health

(13:00) From Airbnb bonding to 400-person team offsites

(14:00) Dropbox’s shift from office-first to virtual-first with intentional team gatherings

(16:00) The importance of milestone-based anchor weeks

(17:00) Nick: What makes an offsite successful? Frequency, location, and shared space

(19:00) Using AI to plan team retreats faster and smarter

(20:00) Lessons learned: The pendulum swings of remote, RTO, and hybrid

(22:00) Brian: Airbnb’s team cadence model and the importance of rhythm

(25:00) Dropbox’s “gathering matrix” and designing for outcomes

(27:30) Virtual connection challenges & async collaboration tips

(30:00) Why structured rituals help sustain remote trust

(32:00) Peer learning over presentations: How Charlie Health restructured their offsites

(33:30) Role-playing, competition, and fun as part of sales team development

(36:00) Common offsite pitfalls: over-indexing on logistics, under-indexing on experience

(37:00) How to save 20–30% on offsites by avoiding weekends & bundling bookings

(39:00) Q&A: What to say to executives who don’t see the value in connection

(41:00) Q&A: How Dropbox uses Slack, swag, and planning to drive pre-event excitement

(43:00) Q&A: Aligning in-office vs. remote culture differences

(45:00) Q&A: Measuring success with post-event surveys and engagement impact

(48:00) Q&A: Designing experiences for introverts and overstimulated employees

(50:00) Playbooks: Charlie Health’s tiered gathering strategy & Founders Trip

(51:00) Dropbox’s Offsite-in-a-Box and Virtual First Toolkit

(53:00) Why group travel is the fastest-growing segment of corporate spend

(54:00) Tips for booking better hotels, avoiding weekend rates, and maximizing ROI

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Jessica Zwaan, COO at Whereby, joined us again on The Modern People Leader for a deep dive into Employee Lifetime Value (ELTV).

We explored how HR leaders can adapt marketing-style metrics like LTV to CAC for talent, the different ways to calculate it, and how the process itself can reshape how People teams think about value, cost, and impact.

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(05:45) Wrapping up Jessica’s second book & reflections on avoiding hustle culture

(06:31) How to balance multiple big projects without burning out

(07:42) Personal habits that help prevent hustle culture

(09:16) Stephen on using “extra time” with intention

(11:29) Mary Oliver’s “Don’t Hesitate” poem and finding joy in work

(13:02) Daniel on keeping play in work despite business growth pressures

(14:05) Segue to main topic: Employee Lifetime Value (ELTV)

(15:26) Why ELTV sparks debate and common misconceptions

(16:25) Treating ELTV conversations like an AMA to address objections

(17:05) Behind-the-scenes of Stephen’s LinkedIn post that started the conversation

(18:21) Image generation with Midjourney & content process for MPL Build

(21:42) Different ways to calculate ELTV depending on company context

(24:23) Why People teams resist new metrics compared to Marketing teams

(27:56) The value of the calculation process itself for HR teams

(29:13) Why ELTV is calculated on an aggregate, not individual, basis

(31:55) The halo effect of great employees & intangible impacts on value

(32:29) Breaking ELTV down by department, team, or cohorts

(36:27) Core cost factors in ELTV: recruiting, onboarding, L&D, benefits, comp

(39:12) Why knowing cost per employee matters beyond ELTV

(40:50) Tracking ELTV with different financial baselines (revenue vs. EBITDA)

(43:32) The “gold standard” three-to-one LTV-to-CAC ratio and when to adjust it

(44:58) Similar or alternative metrics for different business models

(46:05) Why each company’s key metrics should look different

(47:15) Recognizing others who pioneered ELTV concepts

(48:22) Final advice: ELTV is a compass, not a map

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Joanne Rodgers, CHRO of New York Life, joined us on The Modern People Leader to share how her 30-year journey at the company led her from securities regulation to the C-suite.

We talked about the DNA of New York Life’s culture, how they’re rolling out AI tools company-wide, and why HR must lead the charge in this era of transformation.

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(06:51) Joanne’s Career Journey: From Securities Regulator to CHRO

(09:43) Career Hub and Recognizing Hidden Potential in Employees

(11:46) What is New York Life? Products, Distribution, and Secret Sauce

(12:53) Innovation at a 180-Year-Old Company

(14:25) Culture at New York Life: Relationship-Centric and Supportive

(16:31) Formal & Informal Structures That Fuel Career Growth

(19:10) Empowering Your Growth: The Ecosystem (Performance, AI, Career Hub, Leadership)

(22:13) Real-World Use of Eightfold AI for Internal Mobility

(24:19) Why Skills Visibility Drove the AI-Powered Career Hub

(26:42) Metrics of Success and Anecdotal Wins from Gig Projects

(28:40) Younger Talent, AI Anxiety, and Supporting New Grads

(30:53) AI Tools, Mindset Shift & Connor Grennan’s Influence

(33:44) Organizational AI Readiness and Excitement

(34:54) Governance, Training, and AI Adoption at Sale

(37:48) ELT Buy-In: How Senior Leadership Went All-In on AI

(41:50) Net New Skills, AI Champions, and Future-Proofing with Career Hub

(44:04) The HR Role in AI Transformation

(46:24) 2025 Priorities: Empowering Growth as a Fully-Integrated Ecosystem

(47:58) AI Coaching for Leadership Development

(50:28) Advice to HR Leaders on Starting Their AI Journey

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Jennifer Henderson (CEO, Tilt), Jessica Winder (SVP People, CoLab Software), Allison Whalen (CEO, Parentaly), and Justin Clifford (CEO, Bereave) joined us to talk about what most companies get wrong when it comes to employee leave. We discussed parental and bereavement leave through a human lens—from compliance and continuity to return-to-work strategies and performance review pitfalls.

🔗 Go download Tilt's Modern HR Leader's Guide to Leave that Works - this is a full recap of this conversation.

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(06:26) The 3 core challenges of employee leave: compliance, continuity, and care

(09:58) What “support” actually looks like during leave, not just compliance

(16:09) Real-life examples of how broken leave policies hurt employee trust

(18:57) Bereavement leave: why 51% of people leave their jobs within a year of loss

(21:09) Building better return-to-work frameworks and communication plans

(23:56) “Did you know?” HR comms and surfacing underused employee benefits

(25:38) The manager’s role: why they’re the most powerful force during leave

(26:49) Jessica’s childcare breakdown story + creative leave support solutions

(30:22) Small, meaningful ways to show real care during a return to work

(32:02) Why policies mean nothing without psychologically safe manager behavior

(34:14) Performance reviews: how leave-related bias undermines careers

(36:16) The need for written re-onboarding plans for every returning employee

(37:42) The “10x” moment: leave as a defining employer brand experience

(40:52) Why many managers never wanted to manage people—and how that shows up

(43:44) SOPs for grief: standardizing human touch, not just tasks

(44:57) Why outsourcing leave support can actually free managers to show up better

(46:48) What not to do: excluding managers from leave conversations entirely

(48:14) The untapped business value in training middle managers

(50:04) Jessica’s fears returning from leave as a senior executive

(52:12) Why sales comp during leave is never perfect—but always worth refining

(54:45) Err on the side of employee-favorable: retention > replacement

(56:07) Every leave situation is different—so start planning 3–4 months ahead

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Kahina Ouerdane, Chief People Officer at Workleap, joined us on The Modern People Leader.

We talked about her journey from international human rights law to tech, how software is the new workplace, why AI is forcing a rethinking of learning and org design, and more.

Sponsor Links:

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(05:43) Kahina’s Origin Story: From Human Rights Lawyer to People Leader

(07:56) Discovering Her “Why” and the Power of Collective Harmony

(11:11) Intro to Workleap: Origins of Gsoft

(12:34) Workleap's Growth and Mission to Make Work Simpler

(14:54) Overview of the Workleap Product Suite

(16:21) Officevibe, Pingboard, Barley, and the Future of the Platform

(18:34) The “Foggy Road” of AI

(19:22) AI is a New Language: Learning Amidst Uncertainty

(21:38) Why IT Now Reports to HR at Workleap

(24:34) IT and Onboarding: Lessons from M&A and Employee Experience

(26:46) Why HR May Be Better Suited Than IT to Lead Change

(28:33) How IT and HR Are Co-Learning AI Together

(29:52) Rethinking What Learning Means in an AI-Powered World

(31:32) The “Third-Life Crisis” of the Knowledge Worker

(34:02) Why Nobody’s Talking Enough About Re-skilling

(36:17) Vibe Coding and L&D Reimagined with AI

(37:26) The Accidental On-Ramp to Using Workleap AI

(39:22) Weekly Rituals and Cross-Functional Learning Moments

(41:40) The Limits of Our Imagination in Predicting the Future of Work

(43:13) How Workleap Dogfoods Its Own AI Tools

(44:50) Data as the Engine: The Power of Connected People Analytics

(47:25) Future Vision: Org Charts with Real-Time Engagement & Performance Insights

(48:48) Innovation From the Ground Up: HR Leading a Company-Wide Sprint

(51:35) Why Canada Might Be Leading the Way in Future of Work Innovation

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Alex Buder Shapiro, Chief People Officer at Jasper, joined us on The Modern People Leader.

We talked about how AI is reshaping organizational design, the shift from early-career jobs to early-career talent, and how HR teams can lead through experimentation and workflow innovation.

Sponsor Links:

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MPL Links:

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(11:11) First AI Workflow: School Calendar Automation

(12:53) What Jasper Does & Their AI-First Approach

(16:44) AI Adoption vs Transformation Across the Org

(18:29) Provocation: HR Isn’t Leading—It’s Catching Up

(21:25) The Lightbulb Moment: AI's Workflow Implications

(23:21) Induced Demand & Why Work Will Expand, Not Shrink

(26:33) Efficiency Creates Possibility: Redefining Roles

(28:31) Reskilling at Scale & Changing Comfort Processes

(31:09) Why Top-Down Reskilling Won’t Be Fast Enough

(33:34) Real-Time Learning Through LLMs

(34:45) Platform Gaps in Vibe Coding & Training

(35:49) Experimentation Culture at Jasper

(37:22) Prototyping in EPD vs People Teams

(38:40) Early Prototypes in L&D: Podcasts, LM Tools, Interactive Sites

(40:40) How Jasper Unblocked HR to Prototype with AI

(43:45) Entry-Level Work Is Changing, Not Disappearing

(45:17) Learning, Not Losing: The Early-Career Advantage

(47:36) Literacy, Writing & Resistance to New Tech: Historical Parallels

(49:22) Soccer Formations & Reimagining Org Design

(50:45) Beyond the Pyramid: Nimble, Equally Leveled Teams(51:32) Rapid Fire Questions

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Eliza Jackson, Chief People and Administrative Officer at ButcherBox, joined us on The Modern People Leader.

We talked about how operational excellence can protect and scale company culture, how her team built a "work in service of" mindset, and how ButcherBox is using AI agents to unlock capacity—not replace people.

Sponsor Links:

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🔗 Get in contact with the Career Sandwich team.

MPL Links:

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(05:59) Eliza’s Career Journey: From Finance to Education to ButcherBox

(08:04) What ButcherBox Does & Its B Corp Mission

(09:23) Why Ops Isn’t Just for Efficiency—It’s for Culture

(11:44) How Eliza Assessed ButcherBox’s Ops When She Joined

(13:52) Creating the Business Operations Team & Their Embedded Model

(16:30) Eliza’s Nerdy Toolkit: Time & Task Management

(17:58) People Ops & Biz Ops Tech Stack at ButcherBox

(21:09) Managing Hybrid Work: Boston-Based Flexibility

(23:47) Protecting Company DNA & Building Connection in a Hybrid World

(26:48) Evolving ButcherBox’s Return-to-Office Strategy

(29:35) Culture is the Differentiator in a Post-COVID Workplace

(33:31) What Great Leadership Looks Like in a Talent Factory

(35:46) The Shift in Leadership Mindsets Since COVID

(38:04) Belonging, AI, and the Performance Push: Can They Coexist?

(39:28) ButcherBox’s AI Task Force: Building Capacity with Agents

(41:50) Example: AI Copy & Design Agents That Talk to Each Other

(44:39) Why an AI Coach Can Sometimes Be Better Than a Manager

(45:57) AI Adoption at ButcherBox: What’s Sticking & What’s Scaling

(47:29) The CPO of the Future: People + Digital, Inspired by Moderna

(50:41) Why HR Should Lead AI Transformation, Not Just IT

(52:01) Rapid Fire: Advice, Superpowers & What to Steal from Slalom

(55:27) BetterUp & the Human Condition at Work

(55:40) One-Word Close: Inflection Point, Moderna, Baby

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Jessica Zwaan and Joris Luijke joined us to break down the what, why, and how to create an employee journey map.

We talked about why People teams should be designing for moments and not just processes, why journey mapping should start small, and why 80% of employee moments fall flat.

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MPL Links:

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(06:01) What is an employee journey map vs. employee lifecycle?

(06:36) Predictable moments and the restaurant crayon analogy

(08:36) Why moments that matter are different from lifecycle stages

(09:09) Jessica’s view: Employee experience as a whole journey

(10:13) Journey mapping as a software-supported process

(11:11) Common challenges when building journey maps

(12:02) Why sticky notes and whiteboards fall short

(14:07) The trap of thinking only in terms of HR processes

(15:33) Should you list every moment or start small?

(16:45) Prioritize a few moments and go deep first

(17:47) Having a facilitator with journey mapping experience

(19:46) Other considerations: group size, cross-functionality

(22:02) Be creative—draw from delightful personal experiences

(23:48) Structuring maps based on emotional headspace

(24:07) The HR leader’s role in setting ideation tone

(25:28) When and how to prioritize improvements

(26:17) Journey coverage: 80% of moments aren’t managed well

(29:42) Using journey maps to measure real-time HR progress

(30:26) Mapping sad, neutral, and happy experiences

(32:17) How to keep journey maps alive over time

(33:32) Journey mapping needs continuous updates

(34:02) Pulling employees right after moments that matter

(36:06) Reviewing the map regularly without creating admin fatigue

(37:08) Journey maps = ideation tools, not just documentation

(39:12) Journey activation: what companies are doing well

(41:08) Examples: Similow, MongoDB, Shopify using automation

(43:04) Daniel’s Humu onboarding experience

(44:51) How Jessica’s team uses Snappy for new hires

(49:49) Final thoughts: journey maps as foundational HR strategy

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Thomas Forstner, VP of People and Talent at Juro, joined us on The Modern People Leader. We talked about building an AI-native company, why HR should own workflows not just the workforce, and how people teams must evolve from playbook followers to visionary architects of the modern org.

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MPL Links:

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(06:32) Thomas’ origin story: from psychology to global work experiences

(09:52) How he ended up at Juro and grew with the company

(11:03) What Juro does and how it’s changing legal and HR workflows

(13:05) The state of HR today and the growing gap in AI adoption

(14:33) Why giving ChatGPT access will soon be like giving email

(16:22) The emerging core AI tech stack every team needs

(18:27) How Juro is enabling AI experimentation across teams

(20:33) Their “how to AI” rituals, lab reports, and internal AI philosophy

(23:40) Why making their AI principles public is a competitive advantage

(25:15) Why IT now reports to People at Juro: owning the workflows

(26:57) What “WorkTech” means and the rise of the Chief Work Officer

(29:12) How AI tools reshaped Stephen’s view on HR and product

(32:18) HR as the company OS: When it’s good, everything flows

(34:23) Parallel thinking: Sales teams, onboarding, and internal design

(37:02) Should you rebuild your HR tech stack? Custom vs. off-the-shelf

(39:47) The power of documentation and training AI agents

(41:13) Building internal tools with low/no-code: Just try things

(43:30) Automating personalized rejection emails with custom GPTs

(44:47) Is PeopleOps as a Product evolving into something new?

(47:48) People leaders as shape shifters, AI engineers, and CSMs

(50:09) Stop chasing playbooks—start building your own operating model

(51:17) Setting a clear vision: Juro’s “Company OS” and annual rewrites

(54:41) Rapid fire questions: advice, favorite resources, and dream strategies

(58:42) What Thomas would steal from Dropbox

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Helen Russell, Chief People Officer at HubSpot, joined us on The Modern People Leader.

We talked about how HubSpot is fostering an AI-first culture, why belonging is so important right now, and what HR leaders can do to move fast without losing their humanity.

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(04:48) Creating safe spaces for HR leaders to connect

(07:43) What HubSpot does & Helen’s role as CPO

(10:09) HubSpot's marketing leadership and AI innovation

(11:53) What HR leaders are talking about now: RTO, AI, DEI & manager overload

(14:10) Engagement, psychological safety & cultural struggle

(16:38) Why belonging is the metric that moves everything else

(18:58) The four-pillar talent strategy at HubSpot

(21:51) How cultural commitments and behavior are being realigned

(24:09) The evolution of “HEART” to “Deliver with HEART” and new commitments

(26:22) Balancing urgency with human-centered belonging

(28:23) Monday Minute & Grow DAI: Scaling safe AI experimentation

(31:21) From deflect to automate to enable – how HubSpot’s internal AI strategy evolves

(33:17) Flashback to Rivian: bottlenecks, decision-making, and now AI frameworks

(34:28) Buying vs building AI tools – from BrightHire to Tenor to Qualtrics

(36:45) Creating a “common front door” with GPT for all employee services

(39:01) Why HR teams should start building AI tools themselves

(42:47) A call for HR to step up and lead through AI transformation

(44:50) Don’t get left behind – HR’s chance to take the lead

(46:05) MCPs explained (for non-tech leaders) & the future of SaaS + LLMs

(49:38) What MCPs mean for employees as internal customers

(50:34) Why traditional SaaS may be in trouble & horizontal automation is the future

(53:09) Rapid Fire: Top leadership traits in the AI era

(53:39) The HR team of the future is deeply human

(54:29) AI strategy envy & final takeaways

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Lenke Taylor joined us on The Modern People Leader to talk about her path from engineering to HR, and what it means to be a true business partner.

We discussed how HR can lead alongside CEOs and CFOs, building high-impact teams, and how working in Europe has shaped her leadership approach.

Sponsor Links:

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MPL Links:

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(04:37) Lenke’s career journey: From chemical engineer to people leader

(10:42) What is Personio and how Lenke ended up there

(12:17) What business partnering really means in HR

(14:37) How AI is changing the way we work

(19:05) HR’s evolving role in an AI-transformed workplace

(22:46) The CEO–CFO–CPO trio: Strategic collaboration in practice

(27:45) Stage-specific HR: Lessons from Google, BuzzFeed, and Personio

(30:46) Hiring for growth-stage companies vs. enterprise environments

(33:29) Which HR practices are universal, and which should be tailored

(36:17) The perks of being in HR at an HR tech company

(38:24) Working in Europe vs. the US: Major leadership and HR differences

(44:20) Cultural contrasts between US and European leadership styles

(47:33) What’s top of mind for HR leaders in Europe today

(48:54) Rapid-fire questions: Advice, superpower nickname, strategy to steal

(52:06) Guest recommendation: Katarina Berg (CHRO at On, formerly Spotify)

(53:04) One-word close: Business is people strategy

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We were joined by people leaders from Glassdoor, Asana, and Gusto.

We talked about the fragmented burnout and how it’s hitting people differently, how performance expectations have shifted in the last 6-12 months, and more.

Sponsor Links:

🔗 Get in contact with the Career Sandwich team.

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MPL Links:

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(03:18) Good news stories from the guests and hosts

(10:25) Fragmented burnout & how it’s hitting different roles

(12:09) External pressures, AI anxiety & workplace expectations

(13:27) Burnout as a personal experience: ownership vs. company responsibility

(16:35) Rethinking roles, flexibility & meeting changing employee expectations

(19:16) Empowering managers to reimagine roles using AI

(20:41) Clarifying the Employee Value Proposition (EVP) during transformation

(22:08) Internal mobility in the age of AI: org chart vs. work chart

(24:32) From bell curve to bell cliff: redefining performance expectations

(26:04) HR’s role in transparent, human-centered performance shifts

(29:20) Has the performance bar moved? Surveying the room

(31:53) How Glassdoor is redesigning performance with clarity & structure

(34:03) The emotional toll of high performance & psychological safety risks

(35:44) Simple, powerful manager questions to surface blockers

(37:01) Peer feedback and cross-functional collaboration blockers

(41:09) Asking for help, normalizing team-based problem solving

(42:06) After party reflections: rethinking performance with old & new problems

(45:58) Why AI is the catalyst—but not the only answer—for a new performance model

(48:54) Real-time AI coaching & proactive performance feedback at scale

(52:23) Moving from annual reviews to check-in > coach > calibrate

(55:05) Magic wand question: what performance challenge would you automate?

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Jessica Zwaan joined us again to unpack the metrics that actually matter in HR today.

We talked about the three buckets of metrics every People Leader should use, why the RANS test is a better way to measure engagement, and the one metric to rule them all (ELTV:CAC).

Sponsor Links:

🔗 Go book your next offsite with Marco Experiences.

🔗 Get in contact with the Career Sandwich team.

🔗 Request a demo of ChartHop.

MPL Links:

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🔗 Go sign up for MPL Build.

(04:33) Metrics and Visualization: Where People Analytics Stands Today

(05:41) Why HR Has Talked About Analytics for Years But Still Struggles

(08:12) The Double-Edged Sword of AI in People Analytics

(10:15) LLMs Are Great at Cleanup, Not Complex Analysis

(12:04) What Good People Analytics Looks Like in Practice

(13:44) Health, Operational, and Success Metrics Explained

(16:28) Vanity Metrics HR Teams Should Avoid

(18:12) The Case Against ENPS (Engagement Net Promoter Score)

(21:05) Why You Can—and Should—Measure the “Unmeasurable”

(24:15) The First Step in Building a Metrics-Led HR Culture

(27:23) Why Manual Data Work is Still Essential

(29:24) The Importance of Defining Critical Numbers

(32:05) A Real Example: Visualizing Comp Data to Drive Strategy

(34:12) Jessica’s Beef with Pie Charts (and Why You Should Care)

(37:29) Favorite Metrics: Interview-to-Performance Correlation & RANS Test

(42:45) Why ELTV to CAC Payback Should Be HR’s North Star Metric

(47:43) Commercial Effectiveness Through People Metrics

(48:13) Tech Stack Tips for Getting Started with HR Data

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Frieda Möcker, Head of People & Culture at Sastrify, joined us on The Modern People Leader.

We talked about the first steps she took to treat HR more like a product, how her team does sprint planning, and why she prefers “NCTs” over OKRs.

Sponsor Links:

🔗 Request a demo of ChartHop.

🔗 Go book your next offsite with Marco Experiences.

🔗 Get in contact with the Career Sandwich team.

MPL Links:

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Timestamps:

(11:05) What’s Your Story? – Frieda’s path from business grad to People leader

(17:30) Lessons in Career – Finding purpose, startups, and self-awareness

(18:47) About Sastrify – SaaS management, shadow IT, and compliance

(20:40) Why PeopleOps as a Product Resonated – Discovering the framework

(23:03) Reading Jessica’s Blog – The gym moment that changed everything

(25:15) Reaching Out to Jessica – Building connections through shared philosophy

(26:23) Putting Theory into Practice – Mapping employee journeys, launching sprints

(29:17) Our 3 Guiding Principles – Maximize impact, think like a scientist, build through others

(31:33) Employee Research – Interviews, pulse checks, and surfacing insights

(33:26) Making It Your Own – Culture fit and adapting frameworks

(34:05) Maximizing to Mission – How priorities ladder up to company goals

(38:27) Ruthless Prioritization – Why some good ideas wait in the backlog

(39:35) Team Structure – A three-person generalist People team

(41:33) Visualization in Practice – Miro, Asana, Slack, and the “SAN Stack”

(42:58) Sprint Planning – Lifecycle mapping, roles, and task ownership

(47:58) What Is ScrumBan? – Combining kanban boards and sprint logic

(50:20) Blocking & Saying No – How visualizing work helps stakeholders understand tradeoffs

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Tiffany Stevenson (Former CPO, WeightWatchers), Jennifer Rettig (CPO, Pendo.io), and Kelli Dragovich (4x CHRO & Co-host of HR Heretics), joined us for MPL Live in San Francisco.

We talked about the pressure HR leaders are under, what CEOs are really thinking, and how we can reimagine performance with simpler systems, clearer expectations, and more human conversations.

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(05:42) Good News – Personal and professional life updates from the panelists

(11:24) Topic Kickoff – Why performance management is broken

(18:13) Leadership Reality – JR on managing through uncertainty

(20:50) Inside the CEO Mind – Performance pressure and shifting tolerance

(28:20) Forward Motion – How to simplify systems and focus on what matters

(35:38) Microbehaviors Matter – One key question to ask each quarter

(36:25) What’s Broken – Beyond ratings, what's really not working

(40:05) The Manager's View – Starting performance conversations with real people

(41:05) HR Island – Why we need to co-build with the business

(44:48) Career Sandwich Sponsor Message – Support during layoffs

(48:17) Organizational Network Analysis – Better questions, better signals

(49:30) Q&A Begins – First audience question: feedback transparency

(49:55) Anonymous vs. Attributed – Building trust through open feedback

(54:47) Normalizing Feedback – Everyday moments to reinforce culture

(55:04) Lessons from the Past – Why we over-indexed on anonymity

(56:16) Q&A Follow-Up – When high ratings don’t match company performance

(59:40) HR’s Role – Ownership, repetition, and enabling accountability

(1:11:35) Modern Performance Frameworks – Quizlet’s hybrid approach and iteration

(1:13:35) Integrating AI – PM mindset in HR and finding product-style solutions

(1:15:13) Focus and Roadmaps – Tightening priorities like a product team

(1:19:51) The Resistant CEO – Approaching change and building empathy

(1:22:25) Testing and Pilots – Experimenting with change and using the word “try”

(1:24:34) Planning Together – Building alignment and pitching as a united front

(1:30:30) AI in Reviews – Making performance reflection easier and meaningful

(1:35:14) Q2: Iteration Frequency – How often is too often to change?

(1:40:36) Final Thoughts – Change is constant, strategic, and collaborative

(1:41:09) Closing – Sponsor thanks, giveaway winner, wrap-up message

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Jessica Zwaan joined us again on The Modern People Leader to break down how to hire for a people ops as a product team.

She shared the 5 core skillsets needed, the importance of t-shaped talent, and how to use case studies to spot product thinking in HR Candidates.

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(04:37) What We’re Talking About – Hiring for PeopleOps as a Product teams

(05:07) Core Skill Sets Breakdown – Planning, testing, research, building, human ops

(07:35) Most Underrated Skill – Why planning is a secret weapon

(09:14) Testing vs. Research – Bias, data, and design decisions

(10:19) Jessica’s Strengths – Building and testing as her personal edge

(14:07) Hiring Strategy – What to prioritize if you can only hire one

(16:45) Dropbox’s Top Talent Traits – Anti-admin, pro-outcome problem-solvers

(20:26) “Spike” Explained – Understanding T-shaped superpowers

(21:03) The Shift in HR – From compliance-heavy to problem-solving ops

(23:59) Outdated Metrics – Why perfect completion isn’t the goal

(25:46) Case Study Interviews – New hiring methods for a new model

(27:31) Good Case Study Topics – Onboarding, promotions, ambiguity

(29:22) Test Structure – Paid projects, presentation flexibility, feedback dynamics

(31:00) Nuanced Case Study Design – Testing ambiguity tolerance

(33:02) Screening Interviews – Signals to look for and questions to ask

(36:08) Guide Overview – Scorecards, templates, and examples included

(37:05) The One-Year Outlook – What your team should look like after hiring this way

(38:01) Biggest Myth – Great talent is already in traditional HR

(39:25) Early Mistakes – The case study drop-off and misaligned recruiting

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Matt McFarlane and Haris Ikram joined us for a live session to break down everything modern HR leaders need to know about compensation—from philosophy and strategy to pay transparency and AI tools.

Together, they shared a forward-thinking playbook for tackling merit cycles, aligning job architecture, and driving better employee experiences through data and design.

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(04:00) Why Compensation Now? – The narrative HR leaders are sharing

(06:30) Comp is Still Broken – Transparency, tech, and rising expectations

(08:30) Gen Z and the Value Prop Shift – Employment has changed

(10:00) Making Pay Make Sense – Linking compensation to performance

(13:00) Real-World Comp Challenges – From spreadsheets to strategy

(15:30) Global Comp Complexity – APAC, logistics, high- and low-tech roles

(17:00) Job Architecture's Role – Why it’s foundational to HR today

(20:30) Rapid Fire: The Comp Playbook – Philosophy, strategy, equity, benchmarking

(32:00) Tech for Comp Teams – Centralized data, manager enablement, and AI insights

(42:00) Rethinking Merit Cycles – What modern comp reviews should look like

(47:00) Manager Training & Transparency – Empowering leaders with the right tools

(53:00) Total Rewards Experience – From offer letters to ongoing employee clarity

(58:30) Final Thoughts & One-Word Close – Key takeaways from the session

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Abby Brennan joined us on The Modern People Leader.

We discussed the power of ONA as the “shadow org chart,” how it reveals hidden influencers, and why it may be key to building smarter, more connected teams in the age of AI.

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(06:30) Abby’s Career Path – From CPA to PwC's Chief Purpose Office to People Ops at Carta

(13:00) Sabbatical & Career Reset – Reflections on alignment, values, and inertia

(15:30) Her time at Carta – Leading 6 People Ops functions and managing hypergrowth

(19:00) Experiencing a RIF – Abby’s personal and professional learnings from layoff

(24:15) What is ONA? – Introducing Organizational Network Analysis as the “shadow org chart”

(28:30) ONA in Action – Discoveries from Carta’s network visualizations

(35:10) AI & The Future of HR – ONA as a strategic lens for effectiveness, not just efficiency

(43:00) ONA Output & Use Cases – How managers and orgs can act on the data

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Jessica Zwaan joined us again on The Modern People Leader to unpack how to structure a people ops as a product team.

She shared four ways to build an HR squad, how to use a spider diagram for squad design, and why it’s smart to pilot just one squad first.

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(04:38) MPL Build is Live: First Five Posts & Call for Feedback

(05:40) Topic Intro: Structuring Teams for PeopleOps as a Product

(06:05) Skillset Shifts & Misconceptions Around “Restructuring”

(07:27) The “Squad” Model Explained: Origins, Roles, & Purpose

(10:05) What a Real Squad Looks Like in HR

(11:11) Assigning Roles Within Squads Based on Skill Spikes

(13:05) Spider Diagrams & Skill Mapping for Balanced Teams

(15:26) Aligning Squads to Initiatives, Funnels, or Metrics

(17:54) Alternatives to Funnels: Focusing on Metrics & Experience

(18:44) Adapting for Smaller Teams: Prioritizing Problems with Impact

(19:33) Balancing Squad Work with Core HR (“HumanOps”) Duties

(21:01) Real-World Squad Splits: Immediate Needs vs. Futureproofing

(23:02) Solving Root Problems to Avoid Endless Hiring Loops

(24:38) The Importance of a Shared Mission Across Squads

(25:07) Working in Sprints vs. Continuous Delivery in PeopleOps

(26:47) Measuring Progress & Reporting: Squad Leads vs. Line Managers

(28:51) Real Example: How Jessica’s Partner’s ML Team Uses Squads

(30:17) Career Progression in Squads: The “Entrepreneurial” Path

(32:49) Jessica on Preferring Projects Over People Management

(34:26) The Role of VP People or CHRO as “Chief Product Officer”

(35:10) Dropbox Example: Leading Culture Through Squad Strategy

(36:59) Coaching Mid-Level HR Team Members Through the Transition

(38:13) Addressing Career Anxiety & Skill Development in New Roles

(40:20) Challenges of Implementing Squads in Large Enterprises

(42:41) Practical Skills, Organizational Resistance & MVP Delivery

(44:23) Piloting with a Positive Halo Squad: Agile Rollouts That Stick

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Bryan Power, Head of People at Nextdoor, joined us on The Modern People Leader.

We talked about how the company is navigating its “third era” under the return of co-founder Nirav Tolia. We explored “The Founders Mentality”, embracing an owner’s mindset, and Nextdoor’s AI bootcamp.

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(03:55) Bryan's story: From recruiter to dot-com era to Square and Yahoo

(09:40) Dot-com crash, pivot to outplacement services, joining Google

(11:58) Post-Google reflections: Joining Square, Yahoo, then Nextdoor

(15:22) How Nextdoor makes money & unique value of neighbor-based networks

(17:29) Impact of tariffs on ad-driven business models

(18:48) Segue to "Nextdoor's three eras" framework

(20:30) Era 1 to Era 3: Cultural and operational transformations

(24:51) Pitfalls and learnings from founder return transitions

(28:29) Founder's Mentality: The framework that guides Era 3

(31:21) Insurgency, frontline obsession & owner's mindset explained

(33:31) Nextdoor’s AI experiments and new company rhythms

(36:55) When founders should stay deeply involved

(39:15) How HR can operationalize the Founder’s Mentality

(42:58) Simplifying leadership layers to regain focus and speed

(47:13) AI bootcamps & the future of people team productivity

(50:03) “Prompt pantry” inspiration and scalable personal learning

(53:34) AI as co-pilot vs. replacement: New expectations for employees

(55:28) People Ops as a product

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Jessica Zwaan, COO at Talentful and author of Built for People, joined us on The Modern People Leader.

We talked about “human ops” versus “people ops”, the sprint planning process for her people team, and how nobody gets people ops as a product 100% right (and that’s ok).

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(05:43) The Trap of Perfection & Self-Compassion in HR and Life

(07:55) Excitement Over MPL Build Launch

(08:45) Revisiting Jessica’s OG Blog on PeopleOps vs HumanOps

(11:07) Defining the 3 Products: Shareholder, Consumer, and Employee Experience

(12:58) What is HumanOps vs PeopleOps? A Practical Framework

(15:04) Naming Regrets & Semantics of HR Frameworks

(16:46) Evolving the Playbook: How AI Has Changed PeopleOps

(18:30) AI in Action: Where Do Benefits and Chatbots Fit?

(21:58) Efficiency Through AI: Freeing Time for High-Impact Work

(24:19) HumanOps Litmus Test: Is a Human Presence Still Valuable?

(25:59) Real Example: Productizing Performance Calibration

(28:47) Healthy Split: How to Balance HumanOps vs PeopleOps

(30:25) Agile Practices in HR: Sprints, Retros, and Planning

(33:50) Tools & Structure for Sprint Execution in Small Teams

(35:17) Addressing Misconceptions: Perfection vs Iteration

(39:25) Metrics and MVPs: Doing the Best You Can is Enough

(43:07) Common Questions: “Is Anyone Else Doing This?” and “What if I’m a Team of One?”

(44:30) From Blog to Book: Scaling the Framework in Small HR Teams

(48:17) Recap & One-Word Closes: Self-Compassion, Gasbagging, Cathartic

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Taylor Bradley, VP of Talent Strategy and Success at Turing, joined us on The Modern People Leader.We talked about why every HR team needs to create an AI “prompt pantry”, how Turing “AI’d” their way out of onboarding 800 employees in five days, and how to build AI workflows for HR.

Sponsor Links:

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(05:43) Taylor’s Unlikely HR Origin Story: From Paramedic to People Leader

(08:19) Real-Life Delivery & Skills from the Field Applied to HR

(10:14) Risk Frameworks in Emergency Response Now Power HR Decisions

(11:11) Segue to AI & Turing's Mission Explained in Plain Language

(13:44) Explosive Growth at Turing & The AGI Boom Post-ChatGPT

(16:52) The AI Education Gap in HR & Why Prompting is the New Power Skill

(17:42) Building the “Prompt Pantry” and a Culture of Experimentation

(20:17) Making Prompting Practical: From Docs to Voice Interfaces

(24:34) Why GenAI Makes Work More Enjoyable & The Joy of Mastery

(26:31) Blitzscaling at Turing: Emotions, Lessons & Focus

(28:36) How Turing Built “Allen”: Async Learning in 48 Hours

(31:21) Iterating with AI Voices & Learning Design at Scale

(33:38) Allen’s Second Form: 52K Tickets and Agentic Support

(35:17) Stephen’s AI Use Story + Clarifying What Agentic Really Means

(37:22) What Agentic HR Actually Looks Like in Practice

(39:48) Building Custom AI Tools for HR: Turing’s R&D Playbook

(42:28) Training GPTs with Empathy: Linguistics & Feedback Loops

(44:51) AI’s Disruption of the HR Job Market: An Optimist’s Take

(47:01) Managing AI Agents as the New HR Org Design

(50:04) What Will Finally Tip Lagging Companies Into AI Adoption

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Molly Sands, Head of the Teamwork Lab at Atlassian, joined us on The Modern People Leader.

We talked about Atlassian’s latest research on the three things the best teams do differently, the power of unleashing collective knowledge, and why distributed teams have a headstart on AI adoption.

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(05:30) Molly’s Journey: From Social Psychology to Head of Teamwork Lab at Atlassian

(10:53) Day-to-Day at Teamwork Lab: Researching & Experimenting with Teams Globally

(12:50) How Atlassian Prioritizes Research & Addresses Team Challenges

(17:32) State of Teams Report 2025: The Three Key Practices of Top Teams

(23:10) Unleashing Collective Knowledge: What It Looks Like at Scale

(30:33) The AI Paradigm Shift: Why Remote-First Teams Have the Advantage

(38:10) Agentic Solutions: Can AI Agents Really Automate Team Workflows Today?

(42:46) Real AI Applications: Atlassian’s Nora Agent for Onboarding & Beyond

(48:28) Advice for People Leaders: Start Small with AI & Empower Experimentation

(50:04) Rapid Fire: Molly’s Career Advice, Superpower, and Strategy to Steal

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Pat Wadors, CHRO at Intuitive, joined us on The Modern People Leader.

We talked about how to find and amplify the golden nuggets of your culture, the three layers of a great employee experience, why you need to “touch the elephant”, and what kids’ stories can teach us about leadership.

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(05:48) Pat’s 18-Month Update: New Role, Book Launch, and Life Shift

(13:55) What is Intuitive? The Da Vinci System & MedTech Innovation

(18:34) How It Works: Da Vinci, AI Feedback & Remote Surgeries

(21:02) Culture Work: Merging Two Cultures & The Player-Coach Model

(25:20) Us vs. Them: Culture Nuance, Middleware & Global Complexity

(28:51) Finding the Golden Nuggets: How to Identify Cultural Truths

(31:28) Mapping Culture: From Aspirational Values to Operational Change

(33:41) Origin Story & Its Role in Company Culture

(35:08) Becoming an Archaeologist: Crafting a Cohesive Narrative

(38:49) How to Make Culture Measurable: The CEO Buy-In

(41:04) Building MPL Culture: Rigor, Humor, and Platform Principles

(45:00) Touch the Elephant: Bias, Context & Emotional Intelligence

(46:51) Why Pat Wrote the Book: Fables, Storytelling & Self-Awareness

(51:45) Pat’s Book Picks: Mulan, Goldilocks & the Lessons Behind Them

(58:16) The Bat Phone: Parenting Advice & Living Your Values

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Jessica Zwaan returned to The Modern People Leader for a deep dive on how her PeopleOps as a Product philosophy came to life. We talked about the early days of the framework, writing her book, and the launch of MPL Build — a new collaboration between MPL and Jessica to bring the methodology to more teams.

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(08:12) Where Jessica first discovered PeopleOps as a product in the wild

(10:24) The blog post that changed everything

(12:45) Why the 2020 timing was perfect for this framework

(14:19) Turning the blog into a book — thanks to Lars Schmidt

(18:33) Early examples of building squads and roadmaps

(21:18) Launching a full apprenticeship program in just 12 weeks

(22:46) Did the skeptics show up? And how have attitudes changed?

(25:36) The most surprising feedback from the community

(30:12) How big could this get? Is there a limit to who this works for?

(32:29) Why the U.S. is catching up to Europe in adopting this framework

(34:18) The original MPL mission: reaching 100M employees

(36:12) Announcing MPL Build: our first expert-led program from MPL Academy

(39:51) How this partnership came together and why it’s a perfect match

(42:53) Why Jesse is excited about MPL Academy and Build

(45:29) The power of a complementary team

(47:00) What’s coming next: AMA-style episodes, two paths for learners, and tons of resources

(50:43) One word close

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Shane Koller joined us on The Modern People Leader. We talked about adopting a product mindset in HR, how Ancestry’s people team built their “product roadmap”, and why even great HR programs fall short when they’re not connected.

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(07:35) Shane’s journey from psychology to Chief People Officer

(10:31) How Ancestry became the leader in family history and genomics

(13:13) Powerful storytelling: Connecting people with their family histories

(15:51) The moment Shane realized HR should run like a product team

(22:07) Adopting a shareholder mindset within the People function

(27:27) Identifying and prioritizing employee experience moments that matter

(33:15) Measuring success: Key metrics for people teams

(36:55) Restructuring the HR team to operate like a product organization

(43:45) Why CEO alignment is crucial for transforming HR

(47:06) Lessons learned from Ancestry’s "fail fast" moments

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Michele Bousquet joined us on The Modern People Leader. We talked about her career journey, leading with heart, and why HR shouldn’t be so complicated.

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(08:41) Michele’s career journey: From temp to Chief People Officer

(14:45) Lessons from navigating adversity and leading with heart

(21:52) The importance of authenticity and listening in leadership

(24:14) How Strava’s people team fosters human connection

(29:59) Simplifying HR: Leading with common sense and empathy

(35:18) Data-driven decisions: Using data with purpose and insight

(39:16) Rewarding and retaining talent through human connection

(43:53) Human-centered HR: Managing people teams like a product

(47:54) The power of people-focused leadership at Strava

(54:39) Employee Resource Groups (ERGs) and building community

(58:02) Handling tough situations with honesty and compassion

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Michael Walsh, CEO of Cariloop, joined us on The Modern People Leader.

We discussed the caregiving challenges facing employees today, how companies can better support working caregivers, and the data-backed insights from Cariloop’s Top Needs Report.

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(7:20) How Michael's personal experience with caregiving sparked the idea for Cariloop

(19:37) Why employers need to rethink caregiving support

(27:43) Why caregiving stigma persists at work

(38:46) The top caregiving challenges right now

(55:50) Making the business case for caregiver support

(01:01:22) Rapid Fire Questions

(01:04:13) One Word or Phrase Close

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Linda Aiello (CPO, DraftKings), Carmel Galvin (CPO, Klaviyo), and Stacey Richey (Global VP, People, Smartcat), joined us for MPL Live in Boston, Massachusetts.

We talked about the current state of HR, how roles are shifting with AI, and how they’re moving beyond traditional engagement metrics.

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(09:44) Guest introductions

(10:49) State of HR & navigating today's challenges

(16:33) How roles have shifted due to economic changes & AI (Stacey)

(21:34) Balancing AI with human factors (Linda)

(25:12) Advice for HR leaders starting with AI

(25:54) Employee engagement realities (Linda)

(30:07) Linking engagement to performance outcomes (Carmel)

(32:14) Implications of productivity expectations with AI (Stacey)

(35:06) Culture and embracing AI tools (Stephen)

(46:26 ) Effective AI change management (Stacey)

(49:41) Managing stress and resilience (Linda & Stacey)

(56:23) Networking advice for job seekers (Carmel)

(1:00:14) Revisiting employee engagement (Stephen)

(1:04:29) Defining employee engagement (Linda, Stacey, Carmel)

( 1:09:24) Employee listening & HR as a product team (Carmel)

(1:12:33) Key employee engagement metrics & insights (Linda)

(1:17:28) Moving beyond traditional engagement surveys (Linda & Carmel)

(1:22:07) Observational methods to measure engagement (Carmel & Stacey)

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Shlomit Gruman-Navot joined us on The Modern People Leader.

We talked about her evolution as a people leader and how Miro is making AI learning a priority for employees.

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5:00 - Her career journey: from IBM to SAP, Alpha Bank, OLX, and Miro

11:32 - The shift from monoculture workplaces to truly global teams

19:13 - Roadshows in Siberia, unique cultural experiences & leadership takeaways

26:47 - How HR leaders can embrace AI without fear

32:00 - The importance of adaptability & learning new skills in a fast-changing world

42:27 - Why AI is changing work—and why HR must lead the way

53:23 - What AI means for job roles, skills development & human interaction

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Brandon Carson, Chief Learning Officer at Docebo, joined us on The Modern People Leader.

We talked about the one thing holding companies back from adopting AI faster, why AI makes learning “scaled to one”, and why the future of work isn’t about replacing humans - it’s about amplifying them.

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(07:49) Brandon’s career journey: From Delta, Walmart, and Starbucks to Docebo

(14:30) Learning is the oxygen of the enterprise

(16:10) What the next 10 years of AI in the workplace will look like

(20:48) Why companies aren’t moving fast enough with AI adoption

(28:04) The biggest challenge: Outdated infrastructure & data debt

(30:42) AI’s impact: 40% of global working hours could be transformed

(33:57) The next wave of corporate learning – embedding AI into workflows

(38:37) Scaling learning from thousands to one personalized experience

(44:29) Who will win and lose in this AI transformation?

(50:03) Companies that prioritize humanity in work will thrive

(52:38) AI literacy vs. fluency – How HR can bridge the gap

(56:55) What AI tools Brandon is already using to clone himself

(01:00:01) Will our AI bots be podcasting for us in the future?

(01:04:20) Advice for new L&D professionals: Understand AI’s role in learning

(01:05:32) Who should we have on next?

(01:07:49) One-word close: Onward, Set the Table, Catch Up

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Crystal Boysen, Chief People Officer at Sprout Social, joined us for a deep dive into People Debt.

We discussed what it is, how to identify it, and specific areas where Sprout Social is focusing its efforts to address it.

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(08:41) From Vimeo to Sprout Social: Why Crystal made the move

(11:50) What is People Debt and why does it slow down HR?

(14:22) Fixing HR inefficiencies at Sprout Social

(28:37) Why Sprout Social paused their engagement surveys

(38:19) Redefining performance management (and why most companies do it wrong)

(42:44) Automating reviews & removing manager bias in ratings

(43:12) Pay-for-performance: The future of compensation at Sprout

(46:22) Agile HR: How Sprout redesigned its HR org structure

(50:15) Why HRBPs are evolving into Strategic Business Coaches

(52:08) The power of cross-functional squads in HR

(55:03) Rapid Fire Questions

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Brian Elliott, a leading expert on flexible work, joined us on the show.

We talked about whether or not remote work is actually dead (looked at the actual data), the questions to ask when your CEO pushes for a RTO, and why a return to office won’t fix bad management.

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(07:36) How Brian became a leading voice on the future of work

(13:39) The origins of Slack’s Future Forum and key findings

(14:56) The media vs. reality: Is remote work really dead?

(17:14) CEOs pushing RTO: Data-driven decision or gut feeling?

(19:02) The role of real estate, stealth layoffs, and productivity concerns

(23:27) The trust factor: Why some leaders struggle with hybrid models

(26:35) Politics and workplace decisions: The hidden forces at play

(28:34) The shift from central business districts to neighborhood economies

(30:37) The future of work isn’t fully remote or in-office—it’s flexible

(34:12) How HR leaders can push back on RTO mandates

(38:19) The contradiction: CEOs demanding AI innovation while enforcing RTO

(41:50) Performance management in a hybrid world: Why tracking outcomes matters

(47:33) How leading companies successfully implement flexible work policies

(49:30) The impact of return-to-office policies on women in the workforce

(54:23) What cities will look like in a remote-first future

(57:57) Five years from now: What will the workplace look like?

(01:01:43) The economic realities of remote work and city tax structures

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Lucia Guillory, Chief People Officer at Virta Health, joined us on the show.

We discussed how HR teams can adopt a product-driven mindset, the importance of leadership self-awareness, and how Virta Health fosters connection in a fully remote work environment.

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(07:24) Lucia’s career journey from psychology to HR leadership

(08:52) The importance of authenticity and self-awareness in leadership

(13:39) The process of unlearning leadership habits and self-doubt

(21:05) What Virta Health does and its mission to reverse diabetes

(23:57) Can you build community on a fully remote team

(26:30) The challenges and successes of transitioning to remote-first

(28:14) How remote work impacts employee meaning and connection

(30:31) The role of culture in a distributed workforce

(35:39) How Virta Health structures onboarding for remote employees

(38:54) HR as a product: Building an employee experience life cycle

(43:26) Why job leveling is the foundation of a strong HR function

(47:01) How to identify when compensation structures aren’t working

(49:30) Rapid fire questions

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We talked about the growing backlash against DEI initiatives and why companies are scaling back their commitment, the potential hidden agendas behind RTO mandates, and the current frustrations with HR tech.

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Timestamps:

(08:11) The anti-DEI movement

(14:23) Did DEI programs scale too quickly post-2020?

(18:29) The role of activists in influencing corporate DEI rollbacks

(26:07) Are RTO mandates being used to justify workforce reductions?

(29:25) The impact of return-to-office policies

(36:58) The growing frustration with HR tech—why is it failing?

(45:42) Has AI-driven HR tech delivered on its promises?

(50:17) Are legacy HR systems holding companies back?

(57:00) The college admissions debate and perceptions of fairness in hiring

(01:05:44) One-word close

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Dave Scott, Chief People and Administration Officer at ADT, joined us on The Modern People Leader.

We discussed ADT’s evolution from a services to tech company, Dave's journey from Walmart to leading HR at ADT, and how to cut costs in HR without cutting value.

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Timestamps:

06:39) Dave’s professional journey: From Walmart to ADT

(11:01) Dave’s early career as a professional clown

(12:33) ADT’s mission and transition to a technology company

(22:40) ADT’s transformation: A product-focused mindset

(27:51) Hiring strategies to attract tech talent at ADT

(30:39) Transforming the HR function at ADT

(35:24) Skills and organizational design for the future workforce

(41:34) Cost management strategies for HR in 2024 and beyond

(49:55) Rapid-fire questions

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Sam Simmons, Chief People and Internal Operations Officer at the LPGA, joined us on The Modern People Leader.

We talked about her transition from the San Antonio Spurs to the LPGA, 2025 HR predictions, and the LPGA People Team goals for the year.

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Timestamps:

(03:21) Sam’s journey to the LPGA

(14:47) Challenges and learnings from 2024

(17:42) Leadership goals for 2025

(21:25) Mantras for 2025

(23:26) Predictions for HR in 2025: Challenges and opportunities

(27:25) AI's role in HR: Optimizing work with tools

(29:54) Addressing key challenges in DEI and organizational change

(33:45) 2025 HR goals and Sam’s strategic planning approach

(40:33) The most critical HR goal for the LPGA in 2025

(46:16) HR tech stack considerations and streamlining processes

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This is the 2024 MPL Awards Show.

Each of us selected a winner for the four different awards:

(8:14) Award #1: The CEO Whisperer

(18:27) Award #2: The Best Hang

(24:19) Award #3: The Data Hero

(39:15) Award #4: The Innovator

MPL Links:

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Fill out this survey to help us improve the podcast

Episodes referenced:

Episode 148 - Hannah Yardley (Chief People Officer, Achievers)
Episode 165 - Brandon Sammut (Chief People Officer, Zapier)
Episode 186 - Hebba Youssef (Chief People Officer, Workweek)
Episode 193 - Brené Brown
Episode 149 - Annie Dean (VP of Team Anywhere, Atlassian)
Episode 187 - Nick Bloom (Stanford Economist & Co-Founder of wfhresearch.com)
Episode 167 - David Hanrahan (Chief People Officer, Flare)
Episode 194 - Melanie Rosenwasser (Chief People Officer, Dropbox)

Interview referenced:

Brian Chesky - Founder Mode interview

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Brené Brown, professor, author, and podcast host, joined us on The Modern People Leader.

We discussed her experience as a leader, the concept of metacognition, and the leadership skill of creating space between stimulus and response.

(1:35) Good news stories

(3:45) Brené’s story

(19:49) Every day is leg day as a leader

(25:47) Metacognition

(28:25) Creating the space between stimulus and response

(44:08) The challenges of implementing a four-day workweek

(47:00) Rapid fire questions exploring leadership and the future of work

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Colin Mincy, Chief People & Culture Officer at Centering Healthcare Institute, joined us on The Modern People Leader. We dove deep into his personal transformation, how his leadership style has evolved, and the tough truths HR professionals face today. Colin shared his journey of progress over perfection, emphasizing small wins, accountability, and momentum to create lasting change—both personally (losing 68 pounds and reclaiming his energy) and professionally.

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Robert H. Johnson Jr., author of Safe, Seen, Heard, and Valued and TEDx speaker, joined us on The Modern People Leader. We explored the power of "little L" leadership and how organizations can harness the potential of unsung heroes within their teams.

Timestamps:

(09:24) Robert’s origin story and early leadership journey

(15:00) The concept of psychological safety and Robert’s book Safe, Seen, Heard, and Valued

(17:37) Robert’s TEDx talk: The Power of the Little L

(18:55) Differentiating between big L and little L leadership

(24:14) Stories of little L leaders making an impact

(27:10) Why companies should invest in little L leaders

(30:44) Three E’s framework: Education, Experience, and Exposure

(38:03) Building cultural giants vs. empowering everyday leaders

(43:07) Characteristics of a little L leader and their impact

(49:47) Living in a big L world and the shift needed

(52:55) Lessons from the pandemic and employee engagement whiplash

(56:52) Words of encouragement for little L leaders

(59:46) The Three C’s of Community: Curiosity, Commonality, Connection

(01:06:44) Rapid fire questions

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This episode was originally released on 1/22/2024.

Annie Dean, VP of Team Anywhere at Atlassian, joined us on The Modern People Leader.

She shared Atlassian’s learnings after 1,000 days of distributed work: their calendar redesign experiment, the impact of in-person gatherings on team connection levels, and the ROI of real estate at Atlassian.

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Michelle Kay, VP of Learning & Development at Albertsons Companies, joined us on The Modern People Leader.

We discussed the need to rethink our approach to work, whether generational gaps are real or simply a sign of being out of touch, and two major shifts on the horizon for L&D.

Grab your ticket for MPL Live Miami on December 10th. ⁠Buy Tickets Here⁠.

Timestamps:

(8:01) Michelle’s transition from teaching to corporate America, and her journey in L&D.

(14:10) Discussion on the need for rapid adaptation in workplace policies and practices.

(17:20) Exploring the potential shift towards a four-day work week and its implications.

(27:06) Delving into generational impacts on the workplace from Millennials to Gen Z.

(33:34) The challenges and transformations in learning and development in today's corporate environment.

(42:10) The role of generational differences in evolving workplace dynamics.

(51:37) Rapid fire questions

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Brandon Sammut, Chief People Officer at Zapier, and Gianna Driver, Chief People Officer at Lattice, joined us for an emergency pod following last week’s presidential election.

We discussed how the election results might impact the workplace over the coming months, the importance of having a sociopolitical response approach, and why we should all be microdosing on hope.

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Frank Congui, EVP at Randstad Enterprise, joined us on The Modern People Leader.

We talked about the magic of intentional gatherings, leading with generosity, and why we should be doing less chest-pumping in the HR space.

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(0:13) Announcement: MPL Live Miami event on December 10th

(7:04) Frank’s journey from Goldman Sachs to Randstad

(9:58) Building executive communities: The beginning of the CHRO dinners

(12:08) Evolution of executive dinners and blending roles

(19:00) Intentional traditions in leadership gatherings

(24:31) Vulnerability and creating moments of connection

(28:00) The power of service and being generous in leadership

(38:30) The state of HR: Burnout, DEI challenges, and AI adoption

(42:11) Balancing optimism and skepticism in the HR industry

(47:13) Civil conversations in divisive times: Creating supportive policies

(54:03) Magic wand HR fix: Pay equity for all

(56:08) The future of work: AI and human partnership

(59:27) Rapid fire questions:

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Jenna Eichberg, Chief People Officer at AlertMedia, joined us on The Modern People Leader. We talked about the state of HR, why CHROs are rethinking their roles, and AlertMedia’s leadership programs.

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(0:13) Announcement: MPL Live Miami event on December 10th

(5:01) Jenna’s story

(10:06) Navigating industries and career growth

(17:07) Transition to AlertMedia – finding a dream job

(29:03) The state of HR today and managing change

(32:09) The “Manager Dilemma” and leadership development

(37:55) The launch of the Emerging Leaders Program

(45:14) Executive and people team offsites: Key insights

(47:52) HR burnout and the light at the end of the tunnel

(54:47) A positive outlook for the future of HR

(59:28) Rapid fire questions

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Tracy Avin, Founder of TroopHR, joined us on The Modern People Leader.

We talked about how TroopHR was born, the importance of community in HR, the challenges HR professionals face in today’s business climate, and the need for support networks.

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Timestamps:

(6:57) Tracy’s journey to founding TroopHR

(10:57) What a day in Tracy’s life looks like

(12:59) The meaning of community for HR leaders

(16:33) How the needs of the HR community have evolved

(18:36) Challenges and conflicts faced by HR professionals

(25:47) Handling difficult conversations in a professional setting

(28:44) Why boundaries are crucial in discussions

(30:06) Politicization of HR topics in the workplace

(36:00) Doing more with less: The pressures of shrinking HR teams

(42:06) HR burnout and its impact

(44:56) The influence of economic situations on HR strategy

(47:37) The importance of community in challenging times

(51:23) Open sourcing HR ideas: A positive shift post-COVID

(52:49) Rapid fire questions

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Ray Martinelli, Chief People Officer at Contentful, joined us on The Modern People Leader.

We talked about his career journey, the art & science that goes into compensation, and aligning HR goals with business strategy.

Timestamps:

(5:05) Ray's career story: From finance to Chief People Officer

(7:44) Why Ray joined Contentful and key takeaways

(10:32) AI’s impact on content management and HR

(12:44) The state of HR in 2024: Leadership and navigating change

(18:40) Addressing politics in the workplace and leadership responsibilities

(22:13) What Ray had to unlearn as an HR leader

(26:25) Ray’s approach to building a people strategy at Contentful

(32:09) Aligning HR strategy with CEO vision and business goals

(36:41) Ray’s vision for his first year at Contentful

(42:38) Ray’s CPO dashboard: Key metrics on engagement, rewards, and promotions

(46:39) Differentiating rewards and compensation strategies

(52:52) The importance of transparent conversations in performance management

(57:50) Rapid fire questions

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Sandra Schwarzer, Board & Talent Insights leader at Index Ventures, joined us on The Modern People Leader.

We talked about Index Ventures’ experience helping founders “scale through chaos”, how much time founders spend on HR-related tasks, their 14-point framework for running executive searches, and how investors evaluate founders’ view on talent.

Timestamps:

(3:54) Sandra's career story: From East Germany to Index Ventures

(10:42) Defining 'Scaling through Chaos' and key takeaways

(13:56) Founders spending 50% of their time on HR-related tasks

(17:44) Challenges in hiring engineering talent and how Index Ventures supports founders

(20:07) Structuring time for hiring and talent-related tasks

(27:05) AI adoption in the people function: Early challenges and insights

(38:48) The 14-point executive search framework for successful hires

(44:06) How to balance speed and cultural fit when hiring

(50:26) Common mistakes in executive hiring and learning from them

(54:11) The importance of organizational design and a CEO's view of the people function

(56:53) Index Ventures' tool for optimizing team planning and scaling

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David Hanrahan, Chief People Officer at Flare, and Jessica Zwaan, Author of Built for People & COO at Talentful, joined us live in Austin, Texas.

We talked about how performance management is stuck in the past, the idea of team-based assessments, how to run a data-driven performance calibration, and the evolving role of compensation in driving performance.

This episode was brought to you by Kunik. Sign up for their exclusive roundtable on October 30th.

3:11: Reflections on outdated performance management practices

5:07: Thoughts on why companies are holding onto legacy review systems

6:46: The impact of AI on performance management and synthesizing feedback

9:40: Team dynamics in performance management and HR’s evolving role

12:24: Real-time tools for performance feedback and privacy concerns

14:27: Shifts in company values post-pandemic and how that affects performance reviews

17:09: Measuring team performance over individual performance

20:12: Calibration, feedback, and team assessments

23:02: Linking performance management and compensation strategies

29:03: The role of procedural and distributive fairness in compensation

32:11: Challenges of tying performance to compensation

36:02: Discussion on bonus allocation based on performance

40:12: Team performance assessments and executive decision-making

44:48: Questions from the audience on coaching and team dynamics

50:22: Closing thoughts on changing traditional HR practices

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Katie Burke, CPO & Board Member at Paycor, and Gianna Driver, Chief People Officer at Lattice, joined us for our inaugural MPL Live in Austin, Texas.

We talked about the current state of HR, generational differences in the workforce, and how AI is impacting organizations.

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2:58: Good news stories from Gianna and Katie

5:05: Celebrating episode 200

6:46: State of HR and workplace changes in 2024

8:14: Katie and Gianna's insights on doing more with less and AI adoption

9:28: Greater focus on how HR supports the business

10:42: The impact of AI on HR functions

14:25: How Lattice integrates AI into their HR processes

17:19: Challenges of managing AI adoption and workforce expectations

22:12: Strategies for managing cross-generational workforce

31:02: Balancing DEI efforts with workforce realities

35:22: Handling politics in the workplace during election years

49:00: Audience Q&A on navigating difficult topics in HR

54:46: Closing thoughts and one-word reflections

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Vanessa Monsequeira, VP of People at Gorilla, joined us on The Modern People Leader.

We discussed Vanessa’s path to leadership, how to navigate hyper-growth in organizations, and the importance of mindset and unlearning for today’s people leaders.

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(0:02) Introduction and good news stories

(5:28) Vanessa’s career journey and lessons from hyper-growth

(10:21) The role of mindset and resilience in leadership

(14:32) Navigating fast vs. slow decision-making during hyper-growth

(18:47) Gorilla’s core business and the impact of real-time data in energy utilities

(27:53) The challenges of scaling people operations in a tech company

(32:30) Identifying and addressing blind spots in HR leadership

(40:48) The role of unlearning and relearning in leadership transitions

(46:31) OKRs and the process of aligning with business goals

(49:06) Advice for people leaders navigating today’s tough job market

(57:42) Rapid fire questions and career advice

(1:02:17) One word close

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Jeff Schmitz, Chief People Officer at Zebra Technologies, joined us on The Modern People Leader.

We talked about Jeff’s transition from marketing to HR, why Zebra is reinventing their purpose statement and values, and their cultural training programs.

Go get your tickets for MPL Live using our 50% off discount code, MPL-LIVE-50. Don't miss out—⁠⁠get your ⁠⁠ticket⁠⁠ now⁠⁠!

(0:39) Good news stories

(5:12) Jeff’s career journey

(6:15) Jeff’s background from engineering to CMO and CPO

(9:48) Biggest surprises transitioning from marketing to HR

(12:16) Explanation of Zebra Technologies’ core business

(14:41) Why Jeff loves working at Zebra

(16:28) Launching Zebra’s new purpose statement and values

(22:48) How Zebra involves employees in cultural transformation

(24:31) Impact of culture on smaller acquisitions

(27:01) Cultural integration from Zebra’s acquisition of Motorola

(34:33) Cultural training programs at Zebra

(38:13) Advice for HR leaders about getting buy-in for cultural transformations

(42:15) Rapid-fire questions

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Nicole Hughey, the former DEIB leader at SiriusXM, joined us on The Modern People Leader.

We talked about the evolution of DEIB language, the recent SHRM debate on equity, and the critical importance of heart in driving meaningful change within organizations.

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(0:44) Good news stories

(9:57) Big update on the September 17th event in Austin, Texas

(11:04) Nicole’s career journey and transition into DEI

(21:07) Moments that shaped Nicole’s approach to DEI

(26:00) State of the Union for DEI

(27:18) Nicole on the misconception that DEI is going away

(29:33) Discussion on SHRM’s decision to remove the “E” from DEI

(34:19) The importance of maintaining rigor and responsibility in DEI work

(39:00) Courage and accountability in DEI efforts

(49:41) Courage as a key element in the evolution of DEI

(53:22) What’s next for Nicole’s career in DEI

(54:38) Rapid fire questions: Career advice, HR challenges, and future guests

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Michael C. Bush, CEO of Great Place To Work®, joined us on The Modern People Leader.

We discussed what the data reveals about the best leaders, why DEIB is the key to achieving massive success, and why Gen Z will choose jobs based on leaders rather than companies.

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This episode was brought to you by Great Place To Work. Download their latest research on ⁠Employee Retention here.

Timestamps:

(0:53) Good news stories

(7:44) Michael’s career journey and his path to Great Place to Work

(21:19) The importance of DEIB for business success

(29:32) The impact of leadership on employee experience

(32:06) Challenges and opportunities in enhancing leadership quality

(41:07) Examples of companies successfully implementing DEIB initiatives

(51:00) Discussion on DEIB and its connection to making “octillions”

(59:45) The role of AI in the future of work and DEIB

(1:19:57) Rapid fire questions

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Polly Barnes, Operating Partner, Talent at EQT Ventures, joined us on The Modern People Leader.

We talked about the qualities of high-performing founders, the emerging founder profile, and why HR leaders need to have more focus than ever right now.

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This episode was brought to you by Great Place To Work®. Download their latest research on ⁠⁠Return-to-Office Mandates here⁠⁠.

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(0:48) Good news stories

(7:23) Announcement: First ever live podcast event in Austin, Texas

(7:25) Polly’s career journey from marketing to VC

(13:53) Discussing EQT’s 20 unique indicators of high-performing founders

(16:04) The importance of resilience in founders

(19:00) Balancing resilience with self-reflection

(21:05) Leadership and decision-making in founders

(26:32) The evolving profile of tech founders with AI advancements

(29:59) The role of psychological support in founder success

(34:53) Operating systems and frameworks for startup success

(40:09) The importance of prioritization in HR leadership

(45:05) Challenges and future of DEI initiatives in startups

(49:18) Opportunities and advice for modern HR leaders in VC-backed startups

(52:01) Building personal brands and communities within HR

(54:19) Rapid fire questions

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Melanie Rosenwasser, Chief People Officer at Dropbox, joined us on The Modern People Leader. We discussed Dropbox’s virtual-first model, how they measure its success, and the three types of in-person gatherings they organize.

Go get your tickets for MPL Live using our 50% off discount code, MPL-LIVE-50. Don't miss out—get your ⁠ticket⁠ now!

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This episode was brought to you by Great Place To Work®. Learn more at http://greatplacetowork.com/mpl.

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(0:41) Good news stories

(6:00) Melanie's career journey

(9:18) What Dropbox does and why it's a great place to work

(12:04) The importance of flexibility in Dropbox's virtual-first model

(13:11) Key elements for success in a virtual first environment

(19:39) The role of data and research in shaping Dropbox's work model

(23:05) Insights from Dropbox's research on remote work

(24:00) Building trust and culture in a remote-first environment

(27:01) Challenges and learnings from remote work at Dropbox

(30:30) The importance of in-person gatherings for remote teams

(37:52) Offsite modalities and their impact on team collaboration

(41:02) Experimenting with AI and its impact on the future of work

(46:15) Predictions for the future of work

(52:01) Rapid fire questions

(55:11) One word or phrase close

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Brené Brown, professor, author, and podcast host, joined us on The Modern People Leader.

We discussed her experience as a leader, the concept of metacognition, and the leadership skill of creating space between stimulus and response.

Go get your tickets for MPL Live using our 50% off discount code, MPL-LIVE-50. Don't miss out—get your ticket now!

This episode was brought to you by Great Place To Work®. Learn more at http://greatplacetowork.com/mpl.

(1:35) Good news stories

(3:45) Brené’s story

(19:49) Every day is leg day as a leader

(25:47) Metacognition

(28:25) Creating the space between stimulus and response

(44:08) The challenges of implementing a four-day workweek

(47:00) Rapid fire questions exploring leadership and the future of work

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Tracy Letzerich, Vice President of People at Wheel, joined us on The Modern People Leader.

We discussed why feedback is the lifeblood of organizational progress, why Wheel is ditching the annual performance review, and why every manager should start keeping feedback journals with their team.

This episode was brought to you by Great Place To Work®. Download their Employee Retention Report here.

(0:45) Good news stories

(3:52) Great Place to Work’s research on RTO mandates.

(5:05) Tracy’s story: Nontraditional HR path and becoming VP of People at Wheel.

(9:00) Why do some business solutions work and others fail? It boils down to the people.

(13:42) What does Wheel do?

(15:39) Tracy’s passion for feedback in organizations.

(17:23) What does it mean to have a culture of feedback?

(18:29) Was there something in the data or personal observation that led to the focus on feedback?

(19:52) Tracy's journey at Wheel and the need for a new feedback model.

(21:59) Feedback culture is an ongoing journey.

(24:16) Balancing informal and formal feedback.

(25:16) Building relationships in a remote world.

(27:48) Role modeling feedback behaviors.

(29:23) Rethinking the one on one: The Feedback journal.

(31:32) Direct reports should own the one on one.

(33:01) The challenges of being a manager today.

(35:57) The journey to pay transparency at Wheel.

(38:18) Resistance to change around the annual review.

(39:30) Replacing the annual review with continuous feedback.

(41:04) The importance of training and ongoing support for feedback.

(43:09) Accountability in feedback culture.

(44:22) Performance map as an alternative to the annual review.

(45:01) Integrating feedback and compensation.

(47:45) Rapid fire questions.

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Greg Hill, Chief People Officer at Exos, joined us on The Modern People Leader.

We discussed Exos' Readiness Culture Code, how they measured the success of their four-day workweek experiment, and the difference between productivity and effectiveness.

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This episode was brought to you by Great Place to Work®. Learn more at http://greatplacetowork.com/mpl.

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(7:32) From Upstate New York to Chief People Officer at Exos

(11:44) The Readiness Culture Code Explained

(16:13) Flexibility and Recovery: The Four-Day Work Week

(24:45) Discussing CEO Meetings and Competitive Talent Challenges

(25:01) Tech Industry Challenges Post-COVID

(25:41) Discussion with Nick Bloom on the Four-Day Work Week

(27:24) Sales Performance and Net Promoter Scores (NPS) During the Pilot

(29:13) Positive Outcomes of the Pilot

(32:05) Tailoring Hybrid Work Solutions to Different Organizations

(34:03) Tie-Ins with Return-to-Office or Hybrid Programs

(36:19) Advice for Smaller Companies and Designing Structured Experiments

(43:17) Future Study on Quiet Quitting

(45:00) Measuring Performance and Productivity

(47:24) Talent Management in a Changing World

(51:36) Regional Directors and Cultural Norms

(52:26) Accountability at the Peer Level

(53:15) High-Performance Culture and Its Articulation

(56:00) Output Expectations Across Teams

(57:04) Generative AI: Enhancing vs. Replacing Human Input

(1:01:02) Call to Action for HR Leaders

(1:03:07) Personal Engagement in Workplace Transformation

(1:05:01) Magic Wand Fix for HR Problems

(1:06:33) Guest Recommendation: Todd McCarty

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Vanesa Cotlar (VP, People & Culture, PolicyMe) and Melanie Naranjo (VP, People, Ethena) joined us on The Modern People Leader.

We discussed the three questions every manager should be asking themselves about their direct reports, why setting expectations with new hires can go a long way in improving performance, and how to create a common language for employees around performance.

This episode was brought to you by Great Place To Work®. Learn more at greatplacetowork.com/mpl.

(1:29) Good news stories

(8:43) What’s new with Vanesa and Melanie

(12:55) Why performance management is a hot topic right now

(19:43) The 3 questions Ethena managers ask themselves about direct reports

(21:40) Expectation setting with new hires during the first 90 days

(31:47) Handling performance conversations

(36:18) Create a common language for employees around performance

(39:30) The percentage of managers effectively managing performance

(45:39) What happens when your current team isn’t the right team to get you to the next level

(51:18) Great Place To Work’s research on RTO mandates

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Larry McAlister, Head of Digital Transformation at Nutanix, joined us on The Modern People Leader.

We discussed what transformation looks like, the importance of defining it for your organization, and the difference between mere tinkering and true transformation.

This episode was brought to you by Great Place To Work®. Learn more at greatplacetowork.com/mpl.

(1:22) Good news stories

(4:03) Great Place To Work’s research on RTO mandates

(5:41) Going from CHRO roles to the Head of Digital Transformation

(9:02) What he does as a Head of Digital Transformation

(10:20) What Nutanix does

(10:59) Why we should be jealous he gets to work at Nutanix

(13:45) What is transformation?

(16:04) You need an enablement strategy for new HR tech

(18:00) Get very specific about what transformation means to your company

(20:00) Tinkering versus transformation

(23:07) Tell people the truth about the change that’s coming

(27:20) Generative AI & Microsoft Co-Pilot

(38:55) The only reason there's still humans in Talent Acquisition

(42:50) Why he wrote The Power to Transform

(45:13) You are a technologist

(46:56) Rapid fire questions

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What happens when you combine two of the best HR podcasts?You are about to find out as the Modern People Leader podcast and the Future of HR podcast have come together for a special episode to share their insights from over 270 interviews. ---- This episode was brought to you by Great Place To Work®. Learn more at greatplacetowork.com/mpl.----We interviewed JP on The Modern People Leader:(1:08) Good news stories(3:25) Curious whether you’re a Great Place to Work?(4:53) JP’s story(9:03) JP’s biggest surprise since starting a podcast(11:30) Elevating the next generation of HR(13:50) What a next generation HR leader looks like(16:13) The limiting beliefs holding HR leaders back(18:02) The guests JP has learned the most from----JP interviewed us on The Future of HR:(22:00) What inspired us to start The Modern People Leader(29:55) What it means to be a Modern People Leader(35:58) What it’s like to be a Chief People Officer at a startup versus a Fortune 500 company(41:24) What we would put in an HR time capsule to be opened in 2050.(43:50) Team performance reviews----Connecting with Future of HR:Connect with JP Elliott on LinkedIn.Visit the Future of HR website.----📬 Subscribe to our weekly newsletter to get key learnings & career advice from Modern People Leaders💡 Follow The Modern People Leader on LinkedIn😊 Follow Daniel Huerta on LinkedIn😊 Follow Stephen Huerta on LinkedIn

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Nick Bloom, Stanford Economist & Co-Founder of wfhresearch.com, joined us on The Modern People Leader.

We talked about the state of WFH, managing in a hybrid environment, the four versions of the 4-day workweek, and what’s coming next for Nick.

This episode was brought to you by Great Place to Work®. Download their latest research on ⁠Return-to-Office Mandates here⁠.

(1:13) Good news stories

(3:47) Great Place To Work’s research on RTO mandates

(5:05) Nick’s story

(7:24) HR is now the center of action

(10:15) Work from home data points

(16:48) The benefits of being in office

(21:04) Is it career limiting to be fully remote when the rest of your team is hybrid?

(24:24) Managing in a hybrid environment

(29:03) The four versions of the 4-day workweek

(31:24) How far away are we from the magic version of the 4-day workweek?

(39:30) Nick’s predictions for the next 10-15 years

(44:40) The weird and wonderful things Nick is researching next

(48:16) Rapid fire questions

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Hebba Youssef, Founder & Creator of I Hate it Here & Chief People Officer at Workweek, joined us on The Modern People Leader.

We talked about the work they're doing to elevate their managers to the next level, why the CEO and Chief People Officer dynamic is challenging, and whether there has been scope creep for the CPO role.

This episode was brought to you by Great Place to Work®. Download their latest research on Return-to-Office Mandates here.

2:36 Good news stories

10:26 Your thirties

14:04 Hebba’s story

21:49 Balancing Dual Roles: CPO and Content Creator

25:42 What Hebba dislikes most about being a creator

27:30 Maturing as a company is painful

31:09 Getting managers to the next level

33:14 Friday manager trainings at Workweek

39:20 Changing the mindset of leaders to want to change

45:45 Why the CEO and Chief People Officer dynamic is difficult

48:53 Your CEO needs a professional coach and a therapist

54:24 Is the scope of the CPO role getting too big?

57:56 The piece of HR that Hebba would give away

59:11 Rapid fire questions

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Erin Thomas, VP, Head of Diversity, Inclusion & Belonging at Upwork, joined us on The Modern People Leader.

We talked about how her team is leveraging data in their DEI work, why you need high utility DEI programs, and she shared a couple examples from the last year at Upwork.

This episode was brought to you by Great Place to Work. Learn more at greatplacetowork.com/mpl.

1:11 Good news stories

05:22 Erin’s Journey to becoming the VP of DIB at Upwork

07:32 Where DEI efforts can go wrong

14:11 The polarization of DEI

16:50 Key ingredients of DEIB work in 2024

19:09 The Importance of Data in DEI

25:10 The GlowUp community at Upwork

30:00 DIBs programs VS the DEI work that has to be deeply integrated into the business

35:04 Using AI to improve feedback quality for people of color

41:13 Exploring Generative AI in DEI

46:12 Making DEI work fun

51:31 Rapid Fire Questions

55:03 Future of Work and DEI

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Don Robertson, EVP & CHRO at Northwestern Mutual, joined us on The Modern People Leader.

We talked about prioritizing company values over star performers, why the future of work is more about skills and less about job titles, and the real reason change takes so long in the workplace.

This episode was brought to you by Great Place to Work. Learn more at greatplacetowork.com/mpl.

(0:55) Good news stories

(5:05) Don’s story: Shifting from finance to HR

(9:07) Turning HR discussions with your CEO into business outcome discussions

(12:07) How working in sales has helped him as a people leader

(14:04) Northwestern Mutual

(19:40) Managers need to become career coaches and guides

(22:33) You can’t town hall your way to change

(23:46) Incentivizing managers to develop the next generation of talent

(27:55) Holding managers accountable

(34:03) How Northwestern Mutual thinks about moving people around to different teams throughout the company

(39:20) CHROs will need to help design a system that’s less about your title and more about what you know

(43:20) Change is needed but there's no incentive for those involved in the system to change

(46:20) Rapid fire questions

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Erica Spitale joined us on The Modern People Leader.

We talked about the current HR job market, why soft skills should be called power skills instead, and the work-life smoothie.

This episode was brought to you by Tilt. Learn more at hellotilt.com/mpl.

(2:41) Good news stories

(7:28) Erica’s journey and what’s next for her

(11:20) The current job market for HR leaders

(14:33) How she’s approaching her job search

(18:48) Erica’s obsession with leadership

(22:54) What it means to be a manager versus a leader

(24:30) The hardest things in leadership are the things that make us human

(27:12) To be a leader requires you to think of yourself less and others more

(30:21) Building an inclusive leadership series

(33:15) What great leadership looks like

(36:12) Soft skills should be rebranded to “power skills”

(39:00) We need to find metrics to measure “power skills”

(41:00) Erica’s superpower skill

(43:30) Making leadership a choice, not a requirement

(45:37) The work-life smoothie

(48:21) Rapid fire questions

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Trey Boynton, Chief Diversity & People Officer at Chief, joined us on The Modern People Leader.

We talked about why running a community is similar to HR work, where communities and companies tend to stumble, and the metric we wish existed for managers.

This episode was brought to you by Tilt. Learn more at hellotilt.com/mpl.

(2:35) Good news stories

(10:50) Trey’s journey from academia to CPO

(17:45) What Chief does

(21:46) The myth around the divestment of DEI

(24:50) Why running a community is a lot like HR

(29:57) Intentionality is everything with community building

(34:19) Things are constantly changing in the world and in HR—you have to evolve with your people

(37:59) Onboarding community members versus employees

(45:50) The leadership crisis

(51:25) The best leaders know they don’t know

(56:30) Rapid fire questions

(1:02:27) One word or phrase close

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Sam Baber, SVP of People at Kalkomey Enterprises, joined us on The Modern People Leader.

We talked about the work his company is doing to build a high performance culture, why he’s consolidating their HR tech stack, and why it’s important to maintain the perspective that HR is just a job.

This episode was brought to you by Tilt. Learn more at hellotilt.com/mpl.

(2:35) Good news stories

(10:50) Sam’s story

(17:35) Pivotal moments of his career

(21:15) A career in HR is a journey and discovery of the human condition

(24:21) What Kalkomey does

(27:40) Developing conscious leaders

(31:34) Building a performance culture

(38:42) They’re working on their values

(41:43) Thinking about the future generations

(51:12) Consolidating the HR tech stack

(56:58) Maintaining the perspective that HR is just a job

(1:04:24) Rapid fire questions

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The PeakHR team (Morgan Williams, Catalina Colman, and Kim Rohrer) joined us on The Modern People Leader.

We talked about what happens when three HR leaders start a business together.

This episode was brought to you by Tilt. Learn more at hellotilt.com/mpl.

(2:18) Good news stories

(11:05) The PeakHR origin story

(20:00) They’ve translated their values into how they make business decisions

(21:33) How they got to role clarity & shared values very fast

(25:48) They work in their own zones of genius

(28:32) PeakHR’s mission to elevate the next generation of HR leaders

(34:12) Giving HR folks access to people from other areas of the business

(35:46) Gaining influence as an HR leader

(38:00) The confidence and empowerment gap

(41:13) They all have very different fractional backgrounds

(54:03) What the future looks like for PeakHR

(59:56) Rapid fire questions

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Steve Cadigan, former CHRO at LinkedIn, author, and professor, joined us on The Modern People Leader.

We talked about rebuilding our relationship with technology, why every company should have an AI ethics advisory board, and where he’d start with AI if he had a blank check.

This episode was brought to you by Tilt. Learn more at hellotilt.com/mpl.

(2:27) Good news stories

(7:50) Steve is helping build talent strategies for Portugal’s government

(10:45) On his time at EA

(16:30) This is our moment to rebuild our relationship with technology

(27:58) AI can help us identify skills and talent

(31:42) Every company needs an AI ethics advisory board

(38:21) Let’s go after the big things like eliminating distraction

(41:37) Where he’d start with AI if given a blank slate

(47:23) Rapid fire questions

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Dom Boon, VP of People at Liberty Latin America, joined us on The Modern People Leader.

We talked about why you should aspire to be a people leader, how their people team is impacting public policy in the markets they operate in, and how the small tweaks they’ve made to the EX have made an impact on their 10k+ employees.

This episode was brought to you by Tilt. Learn more at hellotilt.com/mpl.

(3:11) Good news stories

(10:21) What’s new with Dom since he last joined MPL on Episode 43

(12:18) What Dom loves about working at LLA

(15:19) How he describes the work he does in HR to family

(16:16) Why people should aspire to go into HR

(17:30) Why Dom keeps coming back to MPL

(19:37) Dom’s challenge for MPL

(26:20) Biggest changes to LLA’s people strategy the last 2 years

(29:00) Being a purpose driven organization

(30:59) Progressive People Policies at LLA

(34:16) Enhancements to their employee experience

(38:42) How they structure ‘tiger teams’ at LLA

(40:38) Dom is proud of the changes on the parental leave front

(46:58) Rapid fire questions

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Matt Bradburn, Founder of The People Collective, joined us on The Modern People Leader.

We talked about why the People Ops as a Product movement is picking up steam, how to pilot this approach, and the biggest pitfalls when making the change.

This episode was brought to you by Tilt. Learn more at hellotilt.com/mpl.

(2:04) Good news stories

(6:36) Matt’s career journey

(10:56) What The People Collective does

(14:00) Why we should be jealous he gets to work at The People Collective

(15:35) The possibility of humans and technology working together

(19:47) The challenges we’re going to face with AI

(24:15) The skills junior employees should be focusing on

(29:10) The best CPOs are data-driven, great storytellers, and know how and when to use empathy

(34:50) The “People Ops as a Product” movement

(45:08) Piloting People Ops as a Product

(46:08) How to identify areas to pilot People Ops as a Product

(49:05) Biggest pitfalls when moving to People Ops as a Product

(55:09) Rapid fire questions

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Gianna Driver, CHRO at Exabeam, joined us on The Modern People Leader.

We talked about how Exabeam’s HR team built their AI roadmap and which AI for HR use cases have been the most successful for them.

[02:00] - Good news stories

[06:00] - Gianna's career journey and her unexpected path into HR

[10:00] - Discussion on pivotal career moments and the importance of supportive leadership

[13:00] - Learning from failures

[17:00] - Gianna talks about the integration and challenges of implementing AI within HR at Exabeam

[21:00] - Initial failures and subsequent successes in adopting AI for HR at Exabeam

[25:00] - Practical applications of AI in writing job descriptions and updating employee handbooks

[30:00] - The potential and limitations of AI in handling complex HR tasks and strategic decision-making

[34:00] - Gianna offers her perspectives on the future roles of AI in enhancing employee experience and development

[40:00] - Discussing the ethical considerations and policy frameworks necessary for AI deployment in HR

[45:00] - Closing thoughts on the importance of courage and innovation in HR

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Laura Putnam, CEO & Founder of Motion Infusion, joined us on The Modern People Leader.

We talked about the state of wellbeing, why managers are our greatest hope in getting workplace wellness to work, and the 3 simple actions every manager can take to promote wellbeing on their team.

Want to be one of the 10 founding members of MPL? Apply here.

(1:10) Good news stories

(9:14) Laura’s journey and how that led her to found Motion Infusion

(13:14) Getting every person and team in motion

(15:00) Laura’s daily wellness practice

(16:10) We’re creatures of culture and environment

(18:09) The current state of wellbeing & the massive “knowing and doing” gap

(23:28) Creating mini “blue zones” in your company

(24:57) The biggest blocker to promoting wellbeing in the workplace

(30:22) Managers are our greatest hope in getting workplace wellness to work

(37:44) The 3 key calls action for managers

(40:00) Using nudges and cues to promote wellbeing

(48:46) Rapid fire questions

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Samantha Simmons, SVP, People & Culture at Spurs Sports & Entertainment, joined us on The Modern People Leader.

We talked about how the Spurs are redefining their Employee Value Proposition, the work they're doing to move towards a more unified culture, and what the phrase "pounding the rock" means for their organization.

This episode was brought to you by Pyn. Get access to their Employee Journey Designer here.

(2:38) Good news stories

(8:15) Samantha’s story

(16:40) Spurs Sports & Entertainment is more than just the San Antonio Spurs

(19:20) Why we should be jealous that she gets to work for the Spurs

(21:25) Change management is all about prioritization, transparency, communication, and connection

(23:06) Even the sports industry is having to change for it’s people

(25:50) The culture of change and innovation within the Spurs organization

(28:07) How Samantha prioritized the work when she joined the Spurs

(29:44) Her style of play in HR

(31:00) The design of their people team

(33:47) Defining the employee value proposition for the Spurs

(37:24) Aligning the culture of the separate entities (San Antonio Spurs, Austin Spurs, and San Antonio FC) to the overarching Spurs organization

(40:50) Working towards a unified culture

(43:00) What “pounding the rock” looks like at the Spurs

(46:50) Rapid fire questions

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AJ Thomas, Global People Leader, Board Member, & Award-Winning Children’s Book Author, joined us on The Modern People Leader.

She shared a framework for getting back to the basics in HR, why we need to “throw away the career path”, and the 1 lesson every adult would take away from AJ’s children’s book about teams.

This episode was brought to you by Pyn. Go check out Pyn’s list of 50 over 50 Women in Tech.

(2:08) Good news stories

(7:02) AJ’s story

(14:00 What pulled AJ into the HR world

(18:03) AJ is a “Chaos Pilot”

(22:12) Everyone is actually an HR leader

(26:40) A framework for getting back to the basics: Philosophy, Process, & Practice

(31:30) “Unrecruiting” at X

(37:45) AJ says we need to throw away the career path

(44:54) The Four immutable laws of the spirit

(50:00) AJ wrote a book for kids about teams

(51:08) The 1 lesson every adult would take away from AJ’s children’s book about teams

(53:30) Rapid fire questions

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Q Hamirani (Chief People Officer, Paper) and David Hanrahan (Chief People Officer, Flare) joined us on The Modern People Leader.

We talked about HR’s role in driving your company’s AI strategy, the best use cases for AI in HR, and why you need a solid data strategy first.

This episode was brought to you by Deloitte. Download their FREE Generative AI and the Future of Work report.

(1:17) Good news stories

(8:12) How the SXSW AIHR event came to fruition

(16:22) You need a data strategy before you can have a real AI strategy

(23:37) Whose responsibility is it to drive AI in the company

(25:51) How HR leaders can identify where to invest in AI efforts

(31:33) We’re still very much in the innovation cycle of AI in HR

(36:00) Using AI for Talent Development

(38:56) There’s a lot of noise in the AI HR space right now

(40:06) The best use cases for AI in HR that came out of the workshop

(43:00) The one thing all people leaders need to hear about Generative AI in the workplace

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Stacey Nordwall, VP of People Strategy at Pyn, joined us on The Modern People Leader.

We talked about the burnout cycle in HR and where it stems from, her advice for all of the exhausted people leaders out there, and the questions you should ask during the interview process to vet out whether it’s a people-first org or not.

This episode was brought to you by Pyn. Get access to their Employee Journey Designer here.

(1:28) Good news stories

(5:45) Stacey’s career journey and what led her to Pyn

(11:39) How she explains what Pyn does

(12:20) Why we should be jealous that she gets to work there

(14:13) The burnout cycle in HR and where it stems from

(17:35) On the narrative that HR leaders don’t have business acumen

(27:18) Stacey’s thankful for the new thought leaders in HR stepping into the space

(28:45) Her advice to all of the exhausted people leaders out there

(34:30) Red flags in the interview process while looking for a People Leader role

(40:00) Ask to meet with a board member and a junior employee to get the full picture of what it's like to work at the organization

(42:15) The one question you should ask during the interview process for a People Leader role

(44:18) What’s up with fractional HR

(50:00) Rapid fire questions

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Dena Upton, Head of People at Dandy, joined us on The Modern People Leader.

We talked about the value framework that she uses to evaluate big career moves, building out the employee value proposition at Dandy, and how their path to profitability is providing employees with more career equity.

This episode was brought to you by Pyn. Get access to their Employee Journey Designer here.

(1:02) Good news stories

(5:52) What’s changed since she joined MPL the first time in March 2021

(8:30) Dena’s personal value framework that she uses when considering a new role

(14:08) People decisions can topple an organization
(16:17) What Dandy does

(18:25) Why we should be jealous that Dena gets to work at Dandy

(22:10) Building the employment brand muscle at Dandy

(28:15) Skills meritocracy

(31:40) Building out the employee value proposition

(34:48) Being open about why your company might not be a good fit for people

(37:30) How they’re connecting corporate and manufacturing employees with one another

(40:32) Dena is always looking for more feedback from employees

(44:15) Their path to profitability

(47:47) Career equity at Dandy

(50:37) “Learning big” with your employees

(54:00) Rapid fire questions

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Colleen McCreary, a 6x Chief People Officer turned VC, joined us on The Modern People Leader.

We talked about how her superpower as a VC is being able to look beyond just the spreadsheet, the lesson she learned early on about profitability giving you freedom, and why the VC world should be bringing in more people from HR.

This episode was brought to you by Pyn. Get access to their Employee Journey Designer here.

(1:42) Good news stories

(9:52) Colleen’s story and how she ended up in the VC world

(22:14) People from her Microsoft days that went on to do big things

(25:28) What she does at Ribbit Capital and why we should be jealous she gets to work there

(28:49) All of the things the spreadsheet WON’T tell you

(33:14) Learning to think like an investor

(36:37) The steps to bringing in a new deal is very similar to recruiting

(41:30) Colleen’s view on the state of HR

(46:38) The lesson she learned early on about profitability giving you freedom

(49:14) What would be keeping her up as a CPO right now

(54:25) Rapid Fire Questions

(55:44) Why the VC world should be taking more people from HR

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Anessa Fike, Author & “Queen of Fractional HR”, joined us on The Modern People Leader.

We talked about what’s contributed to her success as a fractional people leader, why it’s hard to move the needle in HR, and why we need to stop going through motions in HR.

If you’re an HR leader that’s trying to uplevel your managers’ 1x1 meetings, check out Leapsome’s FREE Meeting’s Module.

(1:33) Good news stories

(8:54) Anessa’s story

(17:44) The more open you are to the universe, the more opportunities you will see

(19:47) What’s contributed to her success as a fractional people leader

(23:00) The state of the union for HR

(25:50) It’s hard to move the needle in HR because it’s set up that way

(29:06) The Revolution of Work: Fuck the patriarchy and the workplace it built

(31:41) Stop going through the motions as an HR leader

(38:40) Why CEOs are more prone to listening to a fractional executive over their people leader

(40:55) You’re allowed to be way bolder as a fractional HR leader

(44:20) The real reason she thinks there’s a disconnect between CPOs and CEOs

(50:27) We need to step away from fear based leadership

(52:40) Where to get her new book

(53:47) Rapid fire questions

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David Hanrahan, Chief People Officer at Flare, joined us on The Modern People Leader.

We talked about how he’s testing team performance reviews at Flare, the learnings from a survey that he sent out to 61 first-time CPOs, and why you should seek out mentorship from executives outside of HR.

This episode was brought to you by Pyn. Get access to their Employee Journey Designer here.

(1:45) Good news stories

(5:30) What David’s been up to since we had him on in 2021

(11:02) What Flare does

(13:11) Why we should be jealous that David gets to work at Flare

(16:11) Rebuilding culture after a great period of change

(22:16) The emergence of AI & how constant change is the new reality

(25:20) Advice for People Leaders out there that are going through layoffs

(29:50) Sharing the plan coming out of layoffs

(31:30) Team performance reviews

(37:03) The actionable feedback that’s come out of team performance reviews

(43:00) Learnings from the survey that David sent out to first-time Chief People Officers

(47:30) Seeking mentorship from leaders outside of the HR world

(48:50) Rapid fire questions

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Lindsey Nehls, Co-Founder at Elevate Leadership, joined us on The Modern People Leader.

We talked about the importance of having a common management language, the 70:20:10 rule for learning, changing behaviors in your company, and the “no drama feedback model”.

Learn more about the “No-Drama Feedback Model”: https://www.elevateleadership.com/modernpeopleleader

This episode was brought to you by Pyn. Get access to their Employee Journey Designer here.

(1:08) Good news stories

(5:51) Lindsey’s “full life story”

(13:30) How she looks at manager effectiveness

(14:50) The 3 traits of an effective manager

(17:22) On whether it’s harder to be a manager today

(18:42) What’s holding managers back from being effective

(20:17) The difference between good and bad manager training

(25:18) Building a business case for manager training

(30:44) Bringing people together to learn

(33:51) Having a common management language

(38:00) Training on skills that are specific to your company

(39:14) The 70:20:10 model

(42:30) Changing behaviors in your company

(48:30) The no-drama feedback model

(54:08) Rapid fire questions

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Zapier’s Wade Foster (Co-Founder & CEO) and Brandon Sammut (Chief People Officer) joined us on The Modern People Leader.

We talked about how they pre-vetted their match in the interview process, why they did a company-wide AI hackathon, and how Zapier’s people team is building with AI.

If you’re an HR leader that’s trying to uplevel your managers’ 1x1 meetings, check out Leapsome’s FREE Meeting’s Module:

(1:23) Good news stories

(7:29) How Zapier found their dream Chief People Officer

(12:14) How this CPO pre-vetted the match with his CEO before accepting the offer

(15:49) Zapier CEO put all the cards on the table for their Chief People Officer before he took the job

(25:04) They swapped their 360 feedback in the interview process

(30:33) How they shaped the prioritization of the people team

(34:40) Zapier did a company-wide AI hackathon

(41:41) What Zapier's People Team is building with AI

(44:52) Rapid Fire Questions

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Jennifer Henderson, Founder & CEO at Tilt, joined us on The Modern People Leader.

We talked about her disappointing experiences in corporate America that led her to building Tilt, the history of leave, the #1 way to create gender parity in the workforce, and what it looks like to successfully help people navigate these big life moments.

Learn more about Tilt at hellotilt.com/mpl.

(0:50) Good news stories

(6:33) Jen’s disappointing experience in corporate America led her to building Tilt

(12:00) What Tilt does

(15:14) The history of leave

(18:06) Why leave is here to stay

(26:09) How AI is impacting the leave management space

(32:42) The #1 way to create gender parity in the workforce

(34:25) What a successful leave looks like

(39:17) How Tilt is drinking their own champagne

(41:08) Rapid fire questions

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James Hudson, former TA leader at Nike and Levi’s, joined us on The Modern People Leader.

We talked about why the job market is more broken than ever before, why you should be more customer-centric in how you’re building talent pipelines, and how to make yourself more discoverable to recruiters on LinkedIn.

If you’re an HR leader that’s trying to uplevel your managers’ 1x1 meetings, check out Leapsome’s FREE Meeting’s Module.

(1:58) Good news stories

(8:43) His career journey

(32:30) The job market is more broken than ever

(39:30) Remote jobs are getting 8x the volume of applications

(42:24) Build long term talent pipelines by being more customer centric

(46:27) How to make yourself more discoverable to recruiters on LinkedIn

(52:03) Building a tech stack for the future in recruiting

(55:00) Rapid fire questions

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Kathy Martinez, VP, Global Disability Inclusion at Expedia Group, joined us on The Modern People Leader.

We talked about her journey to becoming the VP of Disability Inclusion at Expedia, how everyone is accommodated, and why you should hire more people with disabilities.

This episode was brought to you by Pyn. Get access to their Employee Journey Designer here.

(2:02) Good news stories

(6:10) Kathy’s story

(13:37) What Kathy does as the VP, Global Disability Inclusion

(19:45) Everyone in the workplace is accommodated

(36:25) Why you should hire more people with disabilities

(41:56) Rapid fire questions

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The Disrupted Workforce’s Nate Thompson and Alex Schwartz joined us on The Modern People Leader.

We talked about why the future of work is the future of human identity, how HR can lead the change on the AI front, and why everyone needs to have a “Future of Work mindset”.

If you’re an HR leader that’s trying to uplevel your managers’ 1x1 meetings, check out Leapsome’s FREE Meeting’s Module.

(1:57) Good news stories

(10:30) The story behind “The Disrupted Workforce”

(26:20) The Future of Work is the Future of Human Identity

(31:17) What a "future of work mindset" is

(39:01) HR can lead the change on the AI front

(45:10) HR can shape the new identity of work

(48:55) Rapid fire questions

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Dave Ulrich, Author & Professor, joined us on The Modern People Leader.

We talked about HR’s role adding value to customers and investors, why the ROI of HR is the “Return on Intangibles”, and the four questions every HR leader should be asking themselves.

This episode was brought to you by Pyn. Get access to their Employee Journey Designer here.

(5:03) Good news stories

(13:09) Dave’s story

(24:44) HR's role: Adding value to customers & investors

(30:59) The ROI of HR is "Return on Intangibles"

(40:03) Figure out the KPIs of fellow execs

(52:28) 4 questions every HR Leader should ask themselves

(54:47) Rapid Fire Questions

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Here’s what we talked about in our first ever edition of “Huertanomics”:

(0:17) We explain “Huertanomics”

(2:12) Good news stories

(22:25) Top MPL highlight from the first 50 days of 2024

(33:50) Does going fractional in HR solve the burnout issue?

If you’re an HR leader that’s trying to uplevel your managers’ 1x1 meetings, check out Leapsome’s FREE Meeting’s Module.

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Leapsome’s Luck Dookchitra, VP of People, and Jenny von Podewils, Co-founder & Co-CEO, joined us on The Modern People Leader.

We talked about the evolution of the manager role over the last 5-10 years, “Review Jams” at Leapsome, and how to make manager 1x1s better.

If you’re an HR leader that’s trying to uplevel your managers’ 1x1 meetings, use Leapsome’s FREE Meeting’s Module.

(1:47) Good news stories

(6:55) The story behind what brought Luck to Leapsome

(11:58) What Leapsome does

(19:23) Defining the Chief People Officer role

(26:30) The 3 most important objectives they’re working on together as CEO and VP of People

(28:37) How Luck has approached her first 4 months as VP of People

(30:00) “Review Jams” at Leapsome and where the idea came from

(34:56) Going to slow to accelerate

(37:00) The product thinking and constant iteration at Leapsome

(43:19) The evolution of the manager role

(46:50) Commonalities of the best managers

(57:06) HR’s role in manager effectiveness

(59:15) Manager enablement days at Leapsome

(1:04:28) The 3 components of meaningful 1x1 meetings

(1:09:04) How to make 1x1s better

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This episode was recorded live at O.C. Tanner's Influence Greatness back in late 2023.

Jason Coffey (Director of Employee Experience) and Emily Abner (Program Coordinator, Employee Experience), joined us on The Modern People Leader.

We talked about how they’re overlaying engagement data with patient experience data, their alumni network, and then they showered each other with love.

(7:33) The employee experience team at Norton Healthcare

(10:00) Finding the moments that matter for their 20k employees

(14:07) Overlaying employee engagement data with patient experience data **

(17:05) The alumni network at Norton Healthcare **

(22:08) The “Insights Manager” at Norton

(24:30) Jason and Emily shower each other with love **

This episode was brought to you by Leapsome. Learn more at leapsome.com/explore/mpl.

If you're interested in going to Transform, here's our partner link which gets you $200 off: https://transform.us/partners/the-modern-people-leader/

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Jess Johannson, CHRO at Canada Goose, joined us on The Modern People Leader.

We talked about what’s wrong with the performance review process, what Organizational Network Analysis is, and how to find and recognize the key contributors at your company.

This episode was brought to you by Pyn. Get access to their Employee Journey Designer here.

[00:01:41] Good news stories

[00:08:00] Jess’s career journey and her role at Canada Goose

[00:14:16] Trends and outlook for 2024

[00:22:31] Exploring generative AI's impact on HR and inclusivity

[00:33:28] Innovating the performance review process with organizational network analysis (ONA)

[00:42:20] Linking performance reviews to compensation

[00:45:34] Goals and transformation at Canada Goose

[00:49:00] Rapid-fire questions

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Kenneth Ceaser, Chief People & Culture Officer at Mothers Against Drunk Driving, joined us on The Modern People Leader.

We talked about the impact of his HR experience in the military, MADD’s people and culture strategy, and his advice for leaders that are burnt out.

This episode was brought to you by Pyn. Get access to their Employee Journey Designer here.

(1:02) Good news stories

(07:28) Kenneth's career journey, starting from his upbringing, joining the Air Force, and transitioning to HR roles in the civilian sector.

(14:40) Insights into the transformation and challenges faced by MAD and HR's role in driving change.

(19:13) The impact of military experience on Kenneth's leadership and HR practices.

(26:27) Kenneth discusses prioritizing strategic objectives and the importance of workforce planning for MAD's goals.

(32:59) Exploring the future of HR technology and the balance between automation and personal touch in HR practices.

(36:26) Advice for burnt out leaders

(47:59) Rapid fire questions

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Katya Laviolette, Chief People Officer at 1Password, joined us on The Modern People Leader.

We talked about the art of saying “no” in HR, why healthy conflict leads to better business outcomes, and tips for having tough talks.

This episode was brought to you by Leapsome. Join their community of 7,500+ HR folks today: People Over Perks

(0:54) Good news stories

(6:22) Katya's career journey and her role at 1Password

(11:06) Comparing large organization and startup experiences in HR

(13:46) Discussing the importance of having experience in both large and small companies for HR professionals

(20:57) State of the union for HR

(32:21) Embracing a culture of healthy conflict within organizations

(42:49) The transition to remote work and the impact of the pandemic on 1Password's operations

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Holly May, former Chief People Officer at Datavant, joined us on The Modern People Leader.

We talked about Datavant’s reverse integration: how they unified the two people teams, how they used real-life stories to illustrate their new values, and how they’ve made the company more agile.

This episode was brought to you by Pyn. Get access to their Employee Journey Designer here.

Read Holly's leadership lessons from her time at Datavant.

(1:00) Good news stories

(6:18) Her journey to becoming Chief People Officer at Datavant

(11:08) Going from being the CPO at a 100 person company to a 9,000 person company overnight

(14:20) Her approach to job searching and the value of targeting companies for their culture and potential for growth.

(17:08) The concept of 'done is better than perfect

(19:52) Reflections on the challenges and opportunities of integrating and leading a significantly larger HR team post-merger.

(22:00) The cultural integration and value alignment efforts post-merger

(22:00) Holly expresses her initial reaction to being asked to lead a much larger people team post-merger and discusses the challenges of integrating different organizational cultures.

(24:00) How Holly approached transforming the HR function to align with the new, larger organization's goals and culture.

(26:00) The importance of building a strong team culture and ensuring the HR team's alignment with the company's strategic objectives.

(35:30) Challenges and successes of implementing a new employee engagement and feedback system.

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Whitney Eichinger (SVP & Chief Communications Officer) and Lori Winters (VP Total Rewards), joined us on The Modern People Leader. This episode was recorded at O.C. Tanner's Influence Greatness.

We talked about what their Culture & Communications team does, the continuous focus on the 27 moments that matter in Southwest’s employee journey, and their revamped onboarding process.

This episode was brought to you by Tilt. Learn more at hellotilt.com/mpl.

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Adam Horne, Co-Founder at Open Org, joined us on The Modern People Leader.

He shared examples of the most transparent organizations, how to build a business case for more transparency, how to avoid giving employees mixed messages on things like flexible work, and unique ways of becoming more transparent.

This episode was brought to you by Leapsome. Explore their intelligent HR platform here.

(01:00) Good news stories

(08:00) Adam Horne's career journey and entrepreneurship.

(16:00) Open Org: Concept and impact.

(21:00) Transparency challenges in HR.

(34:00) Strategies for HR leaders: Approaching CEOs.

(38:00) Diversity and transparency in organizations.

(44:00) Decision making and internal transparency.

(49:00) Benchmarking companies in transparency.

(52:30) Open Org's free resources.

(53:00) Reflections from Open Org's cohorts.

(55:00) Rapid fire questions

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Simon Taylor, Head of Organizational Effectiveness at Gap, joined us on The Modern People Leader.

He shared the three steps to building a high performance culture, the three things all leaders need to do really well, and the commonalities that he’s noticed among the top performing companies.

This episode was brought to you by Leapsome. Explore their intelligent HR platform here.

Pre-order his book Build Smart: A Blueprint for Building a High-Performing Organization

Timestamps:

(1:55) Good news stories

(7:50) Chasing his childhood dream of moving to America

(11:29) What you do in Organizational Effectiveness

(13:12) Why we should be jealous Simon gets to work for the Gap

(14:30) Culture change is the number two priority for Global HR leaders right now

(18:43) The conflation between values and culture

(22:17) The 3 steps to building a high performance culture

(27:35) Shoring up sponsorship for culture initiatives with your leaders first

(33:30) His experience writing his first book

(35:03) Commonalities among the top performing companies

(37:52) The three things all leaders need to do really well

(49:04) How Simon identified his playbook for building a high performance organization

(50:37) The four pillars of building and managing a high performance organization

(53:46) Biohacking

(1:03:40) Rapid fire questions

(1:07:44) Build Smart: A blueprint for building a high performing organization

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Annie Dean, VP of Team Anywhere at Atlassian, joined us on The Modern People Leader.

This episode was brought to you by Pyn. Get access to their Employee Journey Designer ⁠here⁠.

(4:03) Good news stories

(9:17) Annie's journey from practicing law to becoming a leader in workplace innovation.

(14:22) Transition to Atlassian and the philosophy of 'Team Anywhere'.

(20:59) Discussion about Atlassian's core values and its unique Australian influence.

(24:53) Launching the '1000 days of distributed Atlassian' report and its insights.

(27:06) The significance of data-driven decision-making in a distributed work environment.

(31:15) The importance of setting priorities and how it shapes Atlassian's work culture.

(37:09) Exploration of time zone impacts on team effectiveness.

(39:18) Addressing challenges in distributed work environments and measuring team connection.

(43:33) The role of real estate and office space in Atlassian’s distributed model.

(47:25) Annie's thoughts on building a strong company culture in a distributed setup.

(52:00) Closing thoughts and takeaways from the discussion.

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Hannah Yardley, Chief People & Culture Officer at Achievers, joined us on The Modern People Leader.

She shared how only 1/3 of CHROs feel a strong connection to their exec team, a framework for making big CPO<>CEO decisions, and how to work on your relationship with your CEO.

(0:20) Good news stories

(5:40) Coming from a family of medical professionals

(7:34) What Achievers does

(10:03) Why we should be jealous she gets to work at Achievers

(12:20) HR needs a period of recovery to heal

(19:05) Only a 1/3 of CHROs feel a strong connection to their exec team & board

(27:43) A framework for making big CPO<> CEO decisions

(29:03) Working on your CHRO<>CEO relationship

(38:10) Their manager empowerment research report

(48:24) Rapid fire questions

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Sunny Grosso, Workplace Wellbeing Igniter & Culture Maven, joined us on The Modern People Leader.

We talked about the current state of happiness at work, why wellbeing starts with your leadership team, transcendence and its role in the workplace, and helping employees find their higher purpose.

This episode was brought to you by Leapsome. Explore their intelligent HR platform here.

(0:55) Good news stories(04:50) Sunny shares her background, experiences, and how she became a happiness consultant(12:31) A deep dive into yoga's impact on Sunny’s personal and professional life(23:22) Sunny discusses her insights into the science of happiness and its relevance in the workplace(30:00) The employer’s role in the personal happiness of their employees(35:58) Strategies for embedding higher purpose in organizations for better culture and employee engagement(41:05) Practical advice for leaders to understand and implement concepts for a happier workplace(54:24) Discussing the concept of transcendence and its role in the workplace

(57:38) Rapid Fire Questions

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Q Hamirani, Chief People Officer at Paper, joined us on The Modern People Leader.

We talked about his first 6 months as a Chief People Officer, why your company should have well-defined focus areas, advice to other first-time CPOs, and tying your HR KPIs to actual business outcomes.

This episode was brought to you by Leapsome. Explore Leapsome's intelligent HR platform here.

Go check out The PeopleGPT Community.

(1:26) How Q’s first 6 months as Chief People Officer went

(7:45) Good news stories

(13:42) What Q’s journey as a first-time Chief People Officer has looked like so far

(18:45) Setting rigor on backfilling and workforce planning process

(21:30) How he describes the role of Chief People Officer

(23:08) Why people should aspire to be a Chief People Officer

(24:30) Rebuilding trust at Paper

(27:30) Why they moved comms under the People Team

(30:29) Defining the three areas of focus for the business

(39:06) Advice to other first-time CPOs

(42:45) Tying HR KPIs to actual business outcomes

(46:05) Changing his views on AI in HR

(51:47) Why he built the PeopleGPT community

(1:03:42) Rapid Fire Questions

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Haris Ikram, Co-Founder at CandorIQ, joined us on The Modern People Leader.

First, he interviewed us about how we got into the HR space and times we’ve noticed “the system” to be broken. Then, he shared how we can empower managers to have pay conversations, the insights they need to turn those talks into performance conversations, and how you can be more proactive about pay increases.

Get the Pay Transparency Playbook: https://www.candoriq.com/resources/pay-transparency-playbook

(1:45) Good news stories

(7:07) Haris interviews us

(8:07) How we got into the HR & People space

(14:50) Examples of times where we’ve noticed “the system” is broken

(23:16) Examples of times when the system has worked

(30:00) Stephen’s biggest learnings from interviewing over 100+ people leaders

(33:00) How Haris got into the HR Tech world

(35:30) The products need to work for the people team versus the other way around

(36:20) The most difficult thing about being a founder

(37:30) What CandorIQ does and why we should be jealous he gets to work there

(41:02) Equipping managers to have conversations about pay

(43:22) What makes talking about comp so hard

(46:47) The insights you need to turn pay conversations into performance conversations

(50:00) Understanding churn risks within your team

(54:05) How to be more proactive with pay increases

(56:40) How remote and global work has changed pay over the last 3 or 4 years

(59:00) Moving pay data out of spreadsheets

(1:01:06) Rapid fire questions

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Jodie Cenci, HR Director at Primary.com, joined us on The Modern People Leader.

She shared her journey navigating workplace accommodations since her fibromyalgia diagnosis, the surprising number of people in the U.S. with disabilities, and creative ways companies can be more inclusive of employees with disabilities.

(3:10) Good news stories

(8:35) Jodie’s story: from selling Cutco knives to HR

(14:48) What Primary does

(16:02) Supporting employees with disabilities

(17:59) Flexibility is a huge win for people with disabilities

(21:02) The distrust of employees is problematic

(23:35) More than 25% of employees have some form of disability

(27:00) Disability is an inclusion issue

(29:10) Accommodation policies need to be more visible

(35:17) How fibromyalgia has impacted Jodie’s ability to work

(39:23) What Jodie learned from going through the accommodation process herself

(42:33) Making it easier for employees to disclose their disabilities

(46:33) Fibromyalgia is still widely misunderstood

(48:40) DISCLO

(50:11) Operating as an HR team of one

(55:25) What she has lined up for 2024

(58:30) Rapid Fire Questions

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Josh Siegal, VP of People at 7Shifts, joined us on The Modern People Leader.

We talked about navigating complexity and conflict at work, the biggest misconceptions about high performing teams, and what the science says about the highest performing teams.

This episode was brought to you by Pyn. Get access to their Employee Journey Designer here.

(2:40) Good news stories

(6:46) Josh’s non traditional path to becoming a VP of People

(8:22) What 7Shifts does

(13:28) The current state of HR: Complexity & Conflict

(15:45) Navigating complexity and burnout in the world we’re in

(18:17) Getting laser focused

(21:30) Creating a safe environment for people during tough times

(30:40) Biggest misconceptions about having a high performing team

(35:35) Renewal rituals and speedy meetings

(37:14) Listening to the rhythms in your body

(40:00) Take a hard look at your daily activities to prioritize focus work

(42:40) Rapid fire questions

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Erica Keswin, author of three WSJ best-sellers, workplace strategist, and podcast host, joined us on The Modern People Leader. This episode was recorded at O.C. Tanner's Influence Greatness.

She shared why we should be elevating and celebrating managers, examples of companies that are nailing onboarding, how to connect new hires to purpose as quickly as possible, and why talent mobility is so important.

This episode was brought to you by Pyn. Get access to their FREE Employee Journey Designer ⁠here⁠.

(0:40) Good news stories

(3:43) Where the idea for Retention Revolution came from

(6:23) Erica’s writing process

(10:19) The science and stories of connection at work

(12:43) Managers are having a moment so we need to elevate and celebrate them

(14:55) Onboarding, onboarding, onboarding: start as you mean to go on

(19:56) Managers are overburdened and undertrained

(23:47) Being a human professional is not an oxymoron

(27:34) Examples of how to connect new hires to purpose as quickly as possible

(29:39) Talent Mobility: from ladders to lily pads

(35:09) Higher “Churnover” is good

(37:06) Smart companies know how to get positive return out of employee churn

(40:20) Say goodbye to the lifestyles of the rich and flexible and hello to the flex for all

(42:55) The single biggest challenge Modern People Leaders are facing today

(43:30) Finding the sweet spot between tech and connect

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Johanna Söderström, EVP & Chief People Officer at Tyson Foods, joined us on The Modern People Leader.

We talked about how she’s gotten a better understanding of the EX across Tyson’s 140k employees, how they've trained up the executive team on digitalization and building a learning organization, and how her non HR experience has shaped her approach as an HR leader.

This episode was brought to you by Pyn. Get access to their FREE Employee Journey Designer here.

(3:33) Good news stories

(9:45) Johanna’s story: Born in Helsinki —> having “Sisu” —> handball champion —> Ericsson —> finance & marketing experience —> pivot to HR —> moving to Germany for Dow Chemical —> using the internet for recruiting —> Today

(22:20) 90k of Tyson Food’s 140k employees are frontline employees

(24:45) Why we should be jealous she gets to work at Tyson Foods

(27:31) Understanding the different cohorts of employees that work at Tyson

(31:08) Running Tyson Food’s first ever engagement survey

(35:05) More firsts at Tyson Foods

(38:38) Johanna loves to create, build, & transform

(40:20) The momentum that has built since beginning their transformation

(43:00) HR needs to be hungrier for new skills

(49:17) Her thoughts on what’s to come with AI

(51:13) Tyson brought in an external expert to train the executive team on Digitalization and becoming a Learning Organization

(54:13) How her non HR experience has helped shape her approach as an HR leader

(58:00) Where future people leaders should be investing time to develop themselves

(1:01:37) The level of stress in society

(1:04:24) Rapid Fire Questions

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Joris Luijke, CEO at Pyn, joined us on The Modern People Leader.

We talked about why “Employee Experience Design” has been getting more attention this last decade, how hard it is to be a Chief People Officer right now, and two ways information management is becoming easier to handle.

This episode was brought to you by Pyn. Get access to their FREE Employee Journey Designer here.

(2:11) Good news stories

(6:56) Joris is a Chief People Officer turned HR Tech CEO

(9:37) He didn’t intend on being an entrepreneur

(12:39) One of his ideas as an HR leader that totally flopped

(14:43) What Pyn does

(17:21) Why we should be jealous he gets to work at Pyn

(20:55) The focus on “Employee Experience Design” is getting way more serious

(25:34) The advancements of AI in the workplace

(36:09) How hard it is to be a Chief People Officer right now

(39:31) The information management is a big challenge for People Leaders

(42:47) Targeted communications is about sending less communications and not more

(46:56) Two ways information management is getting a little bit easier

(50:56) How to selling something like Pyn to your CFO

(55:33) The Employee Journey Mapper

(58:46) Rapid Fire Questions

(1:04:53) A message from Pyn

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Pat Wadors, Chief People Officer at UKG, joined us on The Modern People Leader.

She shared the story of coining the term “DIBs”, what’s on her personal scorecard and “Goldilocks Spreadsheet”, and why it’s important to be an “Agile Leader”.

This episode was brought to you by Pyn. Get early access to their Employee Journey Designer here.

(3:13) Good news stories

(8:03) Pat’s story

(11:45) What Pat learned about HR from her uncle

(15:03) Learning to ask for help & building muscle in areas she didn’t feel as comfortable in

(16:38) What UKG does and why we should be jealous she gets to work there

(18:14) The state of the union for HR

(21:06) How Pat created the B in DIB

(28:40) Putting the scaffolding around managers and leaders so they can be leaders for all

(30:38) Why she recommends creating a personal scorecard

(37:20) What’s on her Goldilock’s Spreadsheet

(41:00) Pat’s purpose statement

(45:05) Asking for feedback to “Polish The Apple”

(46:49) Why it’s important to be an “Agile Leader”

(52:40) Characteristics of an “Agile Leader”

(55:51) Rapid fire questions

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Vanesa Cotlar, VP of People & Culture at PolicyMe, joined us on The Modern People Leader.

She shared how to get executive buy-in on people team hires you plan to make, what goes into building culture in a remote-first environment, and how to build trust remotely.

This episode was brought to you by CandorIQ. Learn more here.

(2:25) Good news stories

(7:52) Vanesa’s career journey

(12:54) How being a founder has helped her as a People Leader

(15:26) What PolicyMe does

(17:25) Employee choice & AI in HR

(21:12) Experimenting with ChatGPT

(29:35) What’s keeping her up at night

(31:05) Getting executive buy-in on hires you plan to make for the people team (see original post)

(32:35) Her “if I had time, I’d do it” list

(38:16) Building a good culture in a remote-first environment

(41:55) The 12 events PolicyMe has per year

(47:48) The importance of collecting feedback on a regular cadence

(50:35) Building trust in a remote-first environment

(56:15) Her advice to the one-person HR teams out there

(59:30) Rapid fire questions

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Melanie Naranjo, VP of People at Ethena, joined us on The Modern People Leader.

We talked about how to handle no’s from your CEO, the questions to ask leadership when you’re interviewing for the top HR role, and why you need to remind fellow execs what you’re optimizing for on the people side.

This episode was brought to you by People Leader Accelerator. Learn more here.

(3:22) Good news stories

(14:50) Melanie’s story

(20:38) Melanie was too rigid in her approach early on in her career

(23:33) CEOs need to invest time into their HR leaders

(27:05) How to handle no’s from your CEO

(31:26) Using an agile approach for rolling out manager training

(33:57) The power dynamics at play between CEOs and the women of color in HR

(36:50) Remove all assumptions and lead with curiosity

(39:15) The questions to ask the leadership team when you’re interviewing for the Chief People Officer role

(43:30) Reminding leadership what you’re optimizing for on the people side

(47:48) Rapid fire questions

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Joanna Kmiec, Vice President of People & Culture at Elastic Path, joined us on The Modern People Leader.

We talked about using metrics to drive your people strategy, understanding the pain points of other execs, and creating an employee experience that allows for flexibility and scale.

This episode was brought to you by CandorIQ. Learn more here.

(3:03) Good news stories

(8:00) The two things important to her in her career: thinking strategically & HR being viewed as a partner

(13:38) What Elastic Path does

(15:01) Why we should be jealous she gets to work there

(16:48) State of the union for talent in Canada

(20:25) Rebuilding trust and doing more with less

(22:00) You can’t wait to put emphasis on your Employee Experience

(24:30) Ways people teams can save money and do more with less

(28:13) Using metrics to drive your people strategy gives you credibility

(31:43) Asking the “odd question”: Figuring out the pain points of other execs

(35:00) Having a leadership team first approach

(37:30) The rest of the C-Suite need to understand the strategic nature of HR

(42:23) “Full elastic approach”: Remote-first, their asynchronous charter, and having a flexible approach to all of their programs

(47:55) Rapid fire questions

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Helen Russell, Chief People Officer at Rivian, joined us on The Modern People Leader.

We talked about scaling the culture as they’ve grown to 15k employees in the last few years, how Rivian is changing the face of what it looks like to be a manufacturing employee, and how they improved decision making throughout the company.

This episode was brought to you by People Leader Accelerator. Learn more here.

(3:22) Good news stories

(9:30) Helen’s career journey to becoming Chief People Officer at Rivian: Sonos, Atlassian, Rivian

(16:38) How she’s approached picking the right role

(19:57) Her hypothesis on why there’s a shortage of people leaders right now

(23:43) Why we should be jealous that she gets to work at Rivian

(27:10) Capturing the essence and scaling what it felt like to work at Rivian in the early days

(31:00) Their quarterly recharge conversations

(34:04) Measuring culture at Rivian

(37:40) The onboarding process at Rivian

(40:57) Changing the face of what it looks like to be a manufacturing employee

(50:46) How Rivian involved their frontline employees in their IPO

(54:48) The difference between scaling a company and operating at scale

(1:00:53) Spotting which leaders are going to be able to succeed in the next phase of growth

(1:04:20) How Rivian improved decision making throughout the organization

(1:12:08) Rapid fire questions

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Jessica Zwaan (Author, Built for People) and Ryan Bonnici (CMO, Gympass), joined us on The Modern People Leader.

We talked about why HR should be considered a revenue generating function, how to align yourself closer to revenue as an HR leader, and why you don’t need to get the metrics perfect for every single people program.

(2:17) Good news stories

(7:14) How Ryan and Jessica became Aussie besties

(10:15) Ryan’s career journey: flight attendant —> Salesforce —> HubSpot —> CMO at G2 —> CMO at Gympass

(15:40) Built for People is out

(22:05) How HR leaders can align themselves closer to revenue

(29:06) The CHRO role is the hardest role in the C-Suite

(31:15) HR is a revenue generating function

(32:32) Looking at things like the CAC to LTV ratio for employees

(37:06) You don’t need to get the ROI or the metrics perfect

(41:26) The waterfall style that HR has traditionally operated within

(47:40) Crawl, walk, run approach to marketing HR programs

(49:31) Rapid fire questions

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We're gifting free copies of Jessica's book, Built for People. The first 5 people to shoot me (⁠Daniel⁠) a LinkedIn DM get one.

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Dr. Vivienne Ming (Professional Mad Scientist), joined us on The Modern People Leader.

We talked about letting AI replace the routine work, the qualities of the smartest teams, and how to foster collective intelligence.

(2:00) Good news stories

(6:00) Digging under the surface to get to the root of problems

(20:45) Her career journey as an entrepreneur and scientist

(33:00) History of AI over the last 25 years

(41:56) Three definitions of AI

(48:39) The non routine is what’s left of our jobs after AI

(56:30) Building AI to augment people

(58:12) Teaching future generations how to learn

(1:01:06) What separates the most elite performers from everyone else

(1:09:54) The 3 qualities of the “smartest teams”

(1:17:10) Psychological safety isn’t just a squishy idea about not hurting people’s feelings

(1:23:20) How to foster collective intelligence at your company

(1:34:45) Identifying pockets of low psychological safety

(1:43:30) Rapid fire questions

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Alex Seiler (Former GHJ Chief People Officer, ex WeWork & NBC, and Advisor), joined us on The Modern People Leader.

We talked about navigating major life and career changes, the impact of indecisive leadership on Chief People Officers, and the 3 intangibles he’s looking for in his next CPO role.

(2:51) Good news stories

(9:23) Alex’s career journey

(12:58) Navigating major life and career changes

(17:40) Seeking out help for whatever is on the horizon

(21:40) The indecisiveness amongst leadership teams & the impact that’s having on CPOs

(24:33) It’s not about winning every battle as a people leader

(26:18) What’s keeping Alex up at night: AI and DEI

(29:08) The ‘AI Operations Engineer’ role

(34:01) Alex’s biggest accomplishments at GHJ

(35:25) The ‘Team within a Team” concept

(36:53) What he would have done differently at GHJ

(38:11) Plotting out his next career move & his career vision board

(43:18) Rapid fire questions

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Kerry-Ann Stimpson, host of The Internal Marketing Podcast, joined us on The Modern People Leader.

We talked about the key pillars of internal marketing, why her company started an internal podcast, and how to use employee surveys to do internal marketing research.

(1:23) Good news stories

(4:27) Kerry-Ann’s career in marketing and how that led to her passion in the people space

(7:05) Why she started The Internal Marketing Podcast

(8:40) What JMMB does

(10:50) The types of guests she’s had on her podcast

(12:30) What good internal marketing looks like

(15:05) Why internal marketing still isn’t getting the attention it deserves

(19:20) The different between internal communications and internal marketing

(20:58) The key pillars of internal marketing

(23:02) Giving employees the tools and skills to build their personal brands

(28:18) Starting your own internal podcast for your company

(29:40) You don’t need a fancy set up for your internal podcast

(30:50) Using employee surveys to test the affinity for your brand

(36:17) Auditing your recruitment process to identify people who are aligned with your mission, vision, and purpose of your brand

(40:40) The CMO <> CPO partnership

(45:15) Rapid fire questions

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L. David Kingsley, Chief People Leader at Illumio, joined us on The Modern People Leader.

We talked about how boards are looking at HR, the evolution from HR 1.0 to 3.0 in the last few years, and having the numeracy required for the CHRO role.

(1:17) Good news stories

(8:50) David’s career journey

(19:47) How boards are looking at HR

(24:30) CFOs on how much HR should cost your company

(28:40) What people leaders should be prioritizing right now

(33:20) HR 1.0, 2.0, and 3.0

(40:50) The reinvigoration of HR and running profit driven companies

(42:40) How many CPOs have the numeracy required for The Modern People Leader job

(44:28) The four legs of the chair have to be the same length: CEO, Chief People Officer, Chief Legal Officer, and CFO

(48:18) Leadership team first

(52:26) Rapid fire questions

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Andrew Bartlow, Co-Founder of the People Leader Accelerator, joined us on The Modern People Leader.

We talked about why this is the year of productivity, the data you should be looking at when making decisions on remote vs. in-office, and getting brilliant at the basics of HR.

(1:56) Good news stories

(6:15) Andrew went to school for HR

(13:02) Being a Head of HR at age 23

(14:30) People Leader Accelerator

(21:38) How challenging the work of the people leader is

(25:30) Layoffs and RIFs

(29:09) This is the year of productivity

(32:00) Data points you should be looking at when thinking about hybrid, in office, or remote

(37:10) Remote productivity

(43:56) What’s expected of a people leader today that wasn’t a few years ago

(46:00) There's a risk of chasing the shiny new things and not being brilliant at the basics in HR first

(49:06) Getting brilliant at the basics

(51:12) Getting clarity on what’s important

(53:46) Most CEOs don’t know what a good CPO looks like

(57:35) Rapid fire questions

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Roshan Kindred, Chief Diversity Officer at PagerDuty, joined us on The Modern People Leader.

We talked about why now is the time to double down on DEI, holding leaders accountable for diverse representation, and why PagerDuty leads with inclusion.

(2:40) Good news stories

(6:48) Her career journey

(13:40) What PagerDuty does

(14:08) Why we should be jealous Roshan gets to work at PagerDuty

(16:53) The first DEIB program she helped create

(24:51) Are we making real progress on DEIB

(31:53) Why now is the time to double down on DEIB

(36:45) Holding leaders accountable for diverse representation

(41:50) Wellbeing of employees

(42:40) Establishing a point of view

(49:39) Why they refer to DEI as IDE

(51:50) Rapid fire questions

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Roz Francuz Harris, VP of Talent Acquisition at Zillow, joined us on The Modern People Leader.

We talked about Zillow’s ‘CloudHQ’, the massive impact that CloudHQ has had on DEIB metrics, and why Talent leaders should embrace AI.

(2:45) Good news stories

(7:50) Her career: Preparation meets opportunity

(11:33) What Zillow does

(12:56) Why we should be jealous she gets to work at Zillow

(14:37) CloudHQ at Zillow

(17:00) There are brilliant people EVERYWHERE

(20:20) Giving access to the same opportunities to everyone

(22:30) Zillow’s commitment to distributed work

(25:03) The 3 core values that CloudHQ is rooted in

(27:50) The most challenging aspect of making the transition to CloudHQ

(31:34) The stats: CloudHQ’s huge impact on Zillow’s DEIB metrics

(38:30) How the TA team is using AI

(40:50) Message to other TA leaders: embrace AI

(46:20) Rapid fire questions

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Four-time people leader, Shelby Wolpa, joined us on The Modern People Leader.

We talked about making the jump from people leader to Solopreneur, her lessons learned as a consultant, and the state of remote work.

(1:16) Good news stories

(5:24) Shelby’s 3-year journey as a Solopreneur

(12:03) The Solopreneur experience

(15:31) Solopreneurs that she looks to for inspiration

(21:00) The state of the union for talent

(24:10) HR Tech consolidation

(28:00) AI in HR: documentation, recruiting, people ops, etc.

(34:16) The state of remote work

(44:00) You don’t stop learning when you become a Solopreneur

(48:30) Lessons learned from consulting

(51:00) Shelby’s super powers: running fully distributed teams, strategy, and coaching

(55:24) What’s next for Shelby

(57:20) Defining Solopreneur

(58:03) Advice to aspiring entrepreneurs

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Adam Ward, Founding Partner at Growth by Design Talent joined us on The Modern People Leader.

We talked about the shortage of HR leaders out there, how to be a trusted advisor to your CEO as a CPO, and how to run a structured job search.

This episode was brought to you by Metaview – the AI assistant for interviewing. Try Metaview for free here.

(3:06) Good news stories

(8:00) Adam’s journey in Talent Acquisition: Facebook, Qualcomm, Pinterest, and founding Growth by Design Talent

(13:00) Growth by Design Talent

(15:40) Why we should be jealous he gets to work at Growth by Design Talent

(17:25) The state of the union for talent

(21:25) Advice to people leaders right now

(25:00) The different styles of influencing

(30:00) Employees want to know what’s expected of them and where they stand with their leader

(33:58) We’re facing a huge shortage of CHROs and Chief People Officers

(36:00) The attributes of a trusted advisor

(42:34) Having a structured job search framework

(49:48) Rapid fire questions

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Allison Mairena (Sproul), VP of People at NewGlobe, joined us on The Modern People Leader.

We talked about her search for her next people leader role and getting your resume in front of the right people without having to apply.

(1:06) Good news stories

(6:16) Her journey from sales to teaching to HR

(16:07) What Allison is up to while looking for her next gig

(20:34) The job search

(25:03) Getting your resume in front of the hiring manager without actually applying for the role

(35:00) Crafting your elevator pitch

(39:40) Loneliness at work and hybrid work

(57:50) Rapid fire questions

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Ashley Brounstein, Director of People at OpenComp, joined us on The Modern People Leader.

We talked about adaptive pay transparency, why pay transparency is here to stay, and what it looks like in twenty years.

Timestamps:

(2:22) Good news stories

(7:14) Ashley’s career journey

(15:41) What Open Comp does and why we should be jealous she gets to work there

(20:45) Building culture at a high growth startup in the early days

(23:44) Why compensation is such a hot topic

(29:15) Adaptive pay transparency

(31:50) Pay Transparency 101

(33:12) The gender pay gap

(36:44) Why pay transparency is here to stay

(38:17) What pay transparency looks like in 2040

(45:22) Rapid fire questions

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Siadhal Magos, Co-Founder & CEO at Metaview, joined us on The Modern People Leader.

We talked about where we’re at in this AI revolution, how recruiters can augment what they’re doing with AI, and why you’re at a relative advantage if you’re adopting AI across your business.

Timestamps:

(1:50) Good news stories

(6:08) How Siadhal’s journey led him to co-founding Metaview

(10:12) The most challenging aspect of being a founder of a work tech company

(12:38) On building an AI product

(14:46) What Metaview does

(18:38) Why we should be jealous Siadhal gets to work at Metaview

(22:00) Where we are at in this AI revolution and what’s to come

(31:37) Organizations will take positions on what they choose to automate with AI depending on business goals

(36:50) Getting people more comfortable with AI

(41:58) How recruiters can augment what they’re doing with AI

(55:15) You’re at a relative advantage if you’re adopting AI across your business

(56:41) Running hiring processes that understand the candidates context & increasing productivity

(58:49) Rapid fire questions

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Jame Jackson, from Humorous Resources, joined us on The Modern People Leader.

She shared why she started a meme account for HR, why startups should invest in leadership development early, and how she sees managers weaponizing PIPs.

Timestamps:

(1:08) Good news stories

(4:48) Why Jamie started a meme page for HR

(7:54) The different meme accounts that Jamie runs

(10:30) A day in the life of someone running a meme account

(13:00) Bale besties

(17:00) Horrendous HR stories

(21:30) Employee relations & PIPs

(24:00) Managers weaponizing PIPs

(31:08) Using AI to help with employee relations

(34:30) Why startups should invest early in leadership development

(36:05) Rapid fire questions

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David Landman (Global Head of Talent Development, Goldman Sachs) joined us on The Modern People Leader.

We talked about the retentive power of internal mobility, how they shifted from a mindset of talent scarcity to talent abundance, and how they're enabling the right conversations between managers and employees.

Timestamps:

(1:20) Good news stories

(7:00) David’s career at Goldman Sachs: from intern to Global Head of Talent Development

(12:15) How David cold called his way into his first internship at Goldman Sachs

(15:20) Why we should be jealous he gets to work at Goldman Sachs

(19:45) The talent development team at Goldman Sachs and what they do: L&D, Performance, & Career Paths

(21:50) State of the union for talent: “we’re in a period of patient observation”

(24:30) This is the year of talent retention

(26:04) How AI can help bring more empathy and humanity to the workplace

(30:30) The retentive power of internal mobility

(38:00) Shifting from a mindset of talent scarcity to talent abundance

(45:00) How much time Goldman requires people to be in a seat before moving roles internally

(49:25) How they’re enabling the right conversations between managers and employees

(52:00) What it means to be a good manager at Goldman Sachs

(54:30) The 3 conversations at Goldman Sachs

(1:02:22) Supporting managers to have more empathetic conversations

(1:06:07) 2 HR tools to check out

(1:09:32) Rapid fire questions

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Nadia Vatalidis (Head of People & Culture, TestGorilla) joined us on The Modern People Leader.

She shared tips for improving asynchronous work, how to operationalize your values, the types of CEOs that she likes to work for, and how to iterate your onboarding experience.

Timestamps:

(2:30) Good news stories

(9:06) Nadia’s career journey:

(14:20) Traits of the best CEOs she’s worked with

(17:48) What TestGorilla does

(20:00) Why we should be jealous she gets to work at TestGorilla

(21:39) Being the first Head of People and having the opportunity to build from scratch

(28:03) Guiding what asynchronous work looks like at TestGorilla

(31:08) 3 tips for improving asynchronous work

(37:07) Document everything, it will pay off big in the long run

(39:20) Operationalizing your values

(43:00) Your culture is going to evolve

(46:34) Onboarding starts when the person accepts the offer

(50:00) Tech stack for documentation

(52:51) Rapid fire questions

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M Valentine (Founder of Annem HR Academy) joined us on The Modern People Leader.

We talked about how HR teams can better focus on the human element, eliminating high friction experiences in the employee experience, and why leaders need to level up their consciousness.

Timestamps:

(1:01) Good news stories

(7:34) Her story: Cashier at Gap, Assistant Manager at Gap, built “Healthy, Happy University” at Gap, HR Nomad at companies like Stitch Fix and Visa, and then started her HR academy

(18:14) Teaching the core competencies of HR in a way that infuses DEIB best practices and a low friction employee experience

(24:14) What it means to be “humans working”

(28:03) How HR teams can focus on the human element

(32:50) Eliminating high friction experiences for employees

(38:59) Leveling up your consciousness

(47:49) Gene Keys

(52:16) If you want to lead, you’re going to need to do the work

(57:09) Rapid fire questions

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Crystal Boysen (Chief People Officer, Vimeo) joined us on The Modern People Leader.

We talked about intentional culture building, how to bring your core values to life on your people team, and why Vimeos People Team operates like a product team.

This episode was brought to you by Learnerbly. Get a free 7-day trial of Learnerbly here.

Timestamps:

(3:05) Good news stories

(8:15) Crystal’s journey to becoming Chief People Officer at Vimeo

(12:32) What Vimeo does

(13:55) Why we should be jealous she gets to work at Vimeo

(16:48) The foundation of business is people. Without people, you have no business

(20:00) One of the most powerful culture change models

(23:05) State of the Vimeos (SOTVs)

(25:00) Making the most out of all hands meetings: customer stories, employee panels, and mass kudos

(28:01) Bringing the core values to life within the people team

(32:04) Running Vimeo’s people team like a product team

(36:42) The Vimeo People Team’s 3 key priorities for the year

(39:20) Vimeo’s new learning experience platform

(41:40) Sourcing “the right talent” at Vimeo

(45:00) Rapid fire questions

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Rajeeb Dey (Founder & CEO, Learnerbly) joined us on The Modern People Leader.

We talked about why we need to rethink the ROI of learning, how to create hyper-personalized learning experiences, and commonly held beliefs in L&D that we need to let go of.

This episode was brought to you by Learnerbly. Get a free 7-day trial of Learnerbly here.

Timestamps:

(3:05) Good news stories

(7:15) Raj’s career journey and how he became an entrepreneur

(15:35) How Learnerbly is redefining the learning tech category

(18:54) Why we should be jealous he gets to work at Learnerbly

(20:40) Moving from Talent Acquisition to Talent Activation

(22:26) What it means to have a thriving culture of learning

(26:24) Rethinking the ROI of learning

(27:37) Engagement in learning

(31:12) What a world class learning experience looks like: hyper-personalized learning, reaches people in the flow of work, and allows people to connect.

(33:35) Raj’s Learnerbly playlist

(36:04) Commonly held beliefs in L&D that we need to let go of

(38:45) How Learnerbly uses Learnerbly

(42:09) How Raj believes AI could impact learning

(46:58) The most transformative learning journey he’s seen with a client

(49:20) Rapid fire questions

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Yael Irom (Head of Leadership & Professional Enablement at Tanium) joined us on The Modern People Leader.

We talked about Tanium’s co-hort based leadership programs and the reception they’ve received thus far.

This episode was brought to you by Learnerbly. Get a free 7-day trial of Learnerbly here.

Timestamps:

(2:30) Good news stories

(7:20) Her early career was founding public schools

(15:08) What Tanium does

(19:15) Why we should be jealous she gets to work at Tanium

(22:50) What she does as the Head of Leadership & Professional Enablement

(27:34) How they built the “Skills and Performance” program in a way that was scaleable and effective

(35:36) The “Leadership Accelerator Program” at Tanium

(39:27) The reception to the accelerator program

(40:49) The global enablement team at Tanium

(43:18) The language they use and how they refer to their people

(45:16) Rapid fire questions

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Q Hamirani (Chief People Officer, Paper) joined us on The Modern People Leader.

We talked about the Live and Work Anywhere Program from his time at Airbnb, how he navigates moments of uncertainty, and how he’s approaching his first 90 days as Chief People Officer at Paper.

This episode was brought to you by Learnerbly. Get a free 7-day trial of Learnerbly here: https://get.learnerbly.com/mpl/

Timestamps:

(2:36) Good news stories

(6:03) Q’s journey: Engineering student —> consultant —> global strategy & ops —> HR consulting —> MBA —> People Ops —> Chief People Officer

(15:00) What Paper does

(15:49) Why we should be jealous he gets to work at Paper

(17:30) How Live and Work Anywhere came about at Airbnb

(26:56) The four pillars of the Live and Work Anywhere program

(32:30) The definition of global mobility changed during the pandemic

(38:18) How he operates in moments of uncertainty

(44:50) What attracted him to Paper

(46:55) How he’s going to approach his first 90 days as Chief People Officer

(50:30) Rapid fire questions

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Penny Farinha (VP, Human Resources, ecobee) joined us on The Modern People Leader.

We talked about scaling the ecobee people team from 1 to 25, how her role has evolved, and why more companies should admit when they don’t have all the answers.

This episode was brought to you by Learnerbly. Get a free 7-day trial of Learnerbly here: https://get.learnerbly.com/mpl/

Timestamps:

(6:57) Growing the HR team from 1 to 25

(9:44) Why we should be jealous she gets to work at Ecobee

(14:47) Building HR functions from scratch

(16:32) How her role has changed over the last 7 years

(20:14) Being able to leverage a larger HR team after being acquired

(23:14) Creating more pathways in tech for marginalized groups

(29:14) Conflict resolution

(32:14) Admitting when we don’t have all of the answers

(43:04) Rapid fire questions

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Kristy Lilas (Vice President of Diversity, Inclusion, and Belonging) joined us on The Modern People Leader.

We talked about how to identify the processes at your company that aren’t inclusive or equitable and sneaky ways you can incorporate DEIB into programs that already exist.

This episode was brought to you by Learnerbly. Get a free 7-day trial of Learnerbly here: https://get.learnerbly.com/mpl/

Timestamps:

(3:25) Good news stories

(6:59) Her journey into DIB work

(12:05) Why we should be jealous she gets to work at GoDaddy

(15:30) The biggest blockers to progress in DEIB work today

(17:30) The forming, storming, norming, and performing phases that teams go through

(21:15) Hybrid work and it’s potential to undo some of the progress that we’ve made

(26:03) How to mitigate biases in a hybrid setting

(28:10) How to evaluate all of your processes to improve DEI

(32:55) Creating a heat map of all of your processes and where there are the biggest gaps related to DEI

(36:15) The great pause

(40:15) Sneaky DEIB

(47:15) Rapid fire questions

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Charter’s Massella Dukuly (Head of Workplace Strategy + Innovation) and Emily Goligoski (Head of Research, SVP) joined us on The Modern People Leader.

We talked about making the implicit explicit and why internal mentorship programs are a cheat code for organizations.

Timestamps:

(1:50) Good news stories

(6:20) How Charter is helping the HR community

(10:34) Why this work is important to them

(18:04) Biggest shifts in the workplace pre-COVID to today

(24:00) What progress is at risk of going away

(30:00) Backtracking and the impact on DEI

(35:21) Great talent exists all over the world

(40:50) Making the implicit knowledge explicit

(43:10) Why Internal mentorship are a cheat code for companies

(48:22) What makes a formal mentorship program successful

(52:07) The BEST companies are thoughtful about codifying things

(1:00:00) The benefits of two-way mentorship

(1:01:10) How Charter runs their off-sites

(1:09:02) Rapid fire questions

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This week we had four 3-time guests on for an MPL Group Chat:

Lyndsay Lord, CHRO at DECA Dental Group
Dilshan Ratnayake, Leading HR Executive
Rhiana Barr, Chief People Officer at Snap Finance
Kristen Barbor, Leading HR Executive

We talked about the future of work and why we need more Chief People Officers to transition into the CEO role.

Timestamps:

(1:37) Good news stories

(8:50) Biggest reflections looking back the last couple of years

(15:50) Future or fad: Remote work

(22:34) Future or fad: DEI budgets

(28:50) Future or fad: ChatGPT

(36:09) Future or fad: The focus on mental health and wellbeing

(44:30) What the group is most concerned about for the future

(47:00) Boards need to take the people element seriously

(51:40) What’s getting the group fired up for the rest of the year

(57:00) We need more Chief People Officers transitioning to CEO

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Kat Steinmetz (Principal, Initialized Capital) joined us on The Modern People Leader.

We talked about the HR skills that are useful as a VC and why more people from HR should make the jump into VC.

Timestamps:

(1:12) Good news stories

(6:22) At one point Kat was a touring musician, makeup artist, and HR leader all at the same time

(16:00) Being a “multi-potentialite”

(21:20) Why we should be jealous she gets to work at Initialized Capital

(24:40) Figuring out she was a good fit for VC

(31:09) The HR skills that have been useful as a VC

(33:30) Why more people from HR should go into VC

(39:00) The biggest people challenges at her portfolio companies

(40:50) Getting through the frozen budget of HR

(45:06) The hiring frenzy that led to recent layoffs

(49:07) Evaluating deals from a people lens

(53:30) The leadership team’s culture is the company’s culture

(58:28) Rapid fire questions

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Kate Parente (Chief People Officer, Pega) joined us on The Modern People Leader.

We talked about making the office a magnet, building a strong relationship with your CEO, and the power of storytelling as a people leader.

Timestamps:

(1:22) Good news stories

(13:00) This is her first Chief People Officer role

(17:00) Why we should be jealous she gets to work at Pega

(20:00) The paradigm shift that’s happening at work

(22:00) There’s no one size fits all approach to work

(25:00) How the people team is structured at Pega

(28:28) Making the office a magnet, not a mandate

(31:00) Piloting “Connection Weeks” at Pega

(32:46) What makes the Pega people team unique

(37:18) The CEO <> CHRO relationship

(40:46) Figuring out what people are thinking and feeling at this moment

(42:00) Rapid fire questions

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Angela Crossman (Chief People Officer, Brex) joined us on The Modern People Leader.

We talked about her journey into HR (non profit admin, massage therapist, & consultant), bringing your internal & external listening data together, and getting creative with offsites.

Timestamps:

(2:00) Good news stories

(5:03) Her career journey

(13:17) Why we should be jealous that she gets to work at Brex

(16:30) Their fully-flexible work model

(20:00) The HR Team’s structure at Brex

(23:16) Dog fooding at Brex

(25:30) Overcoming myths around what’s “not working” with their globally distributed team

(30:12) The skills she gained from her time as a Chief of Staff for multiple executives

(33:20) Bringing all of the internal and external listening data together

(36:40) The employee listening tech stack

(39:35) Advice to HR leaders on improving their people analytics

(43:00) Why off-sites are core to Brex & how they’ve gotten creative with different formats

(48:06) How she defines a Modern People Leader

(49:20) The career advice she’d give her 22-year-old self

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Caitlin Kamm (Head of People Growth, Envoy) joined us on The Modern People Leader.

We talked about why it’s impossible for people teams to make everybody happy, Envoy’s focus on inclusion, and why organizations needs to focus on their EVP.

Timestamps:

(2:08) Good news stories

(7:20) Going from law to HR

(13:30) What Envoy does

(15:05) Why we should be jealous she gets to work at Envoy

(23:10) It’s impossible for HR teams to make everybody happy

(28:22) Envoy’s EVP is around community and collaboration

(30:24) Bringing levity back to the workplace

(31:00) Figuring out how to leverage both in-person learning experiences and creative practices

(33:00) What they’re doing on the survey side of things

(36:00) Focusing on inclusion

(40:40) Tracking participation of ERGs

(42:16) What Hybrid means for Envoy

(51:37) The value of eNPS

(54:30) Rapid fire questions

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Kelly Minella (Head of Recruiting, Calendly) joined us on The Modern People Leader live from Transform.

Timestamps:

(0:30) What’s giving her energy at Transform

(1:07) Inclusive hiring practices

(2:17) Exciting recruiting tech she discovered at Transform

(3:07) Weathering the storm in Talent Acquisition

(5:45) Biggest lessons learned in the last year or two

(8:50) Future or fad TA edition

(13:10) You need to be intentional and creative

(15:36) How Calendly is using Textio (job description bias tool)

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Angela Cheng-Cimini (CHRO, Harvard Business Publishing) joined us on The Modern People Leader live from Transform.

Timestamps:

(0:23) What’s giving her energy at Transform

(2:00) The one thing she wanted people to take away from her session at Transform

(4:20) People want hyper-personalization in their employee experience

(5:40) Why pay transparency is so near and dear to her

(7:03) Understanding the implication of AI

(8:46) What’s here to stay

(10:19) The traits of a Modern People Leader

(12:11) Middle managers are getting crunched

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Ian White (Founder & CEO, ChartHop) joined us on The Modern People Leader live from Transform.

Timestamps:

(0:20) What’s giving him energy at Transform

(2:16) The pandemic was forcing function on a lot of the trends we were already seeing

(3:30) The panel he led on compensation

(4:20) Data is nothing without context

(6:00) Getting a single view of all of your people in your organization

(11:20) The next big people problem that could be solved related to data

(15:25) How he thinks about building new products

(21:33) The most compelling idea he heard at Transform

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Donald Knight (Chief People Officer, Greenhouse) joined us on The Modern People Leader live from Transform.

Timestamps:

(0:30) What’s giving him energy at Transform

(2:00) The pitfalls of DEI

(3:49) The “full house” ERG at Greenhouse

(6:30) Companies that are choosing to cut their DEI teams and initiatives are telling you exactly who they have always been

(9:30) Measuring the quality of impact

(13:00) The one thing he wanted people to take away from her session at Transform

(17:00) The most compelling idea he heard at Transform

(21:00) Shout outs to the Greenhouse team

(22:53) The traits of a Modern People Leader

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Kevin Lowell (Chief People Officer, UScellular) joined us on The Modern People Leader live from Transform.

Timestamps:

(1:07) What’s giving him energy at Transform

(2:25) AI in HR

(7:40) Why the power of the peer is near and dear to Kevin

(11:40) Bringing a CIO mindset and a healthy skepticism to the Chief People Officer role

(15:40) What he’s the most excited to learn as a new Chief People Officer

(16:40) Personalizing benefit plans for people

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Maureen Calabrese (Chief People Officer, Modern Health) joined us on The Modern People Leader live from Transform.

Timestamps:

(0:57) What’s giving her energy at Transform

(1:40) Being burnt out on burnout

(5:06) Distinguishing burnout from something else

(6:20) Her journey from analytics to HR

(7:09) Her passion for the topic of mental health

(11:00) The one thing she wanted people to take away from her session at Transform

(12:35) The most compelling idea she heard at Transform

(13:45) The one key trait that Modern People Leader’s need to have for the future

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Mahima Chawla (Co-Founder & CEO, Cocoon) joined us on The Modern People Leader live from Transform.

Timestamps:

(1:00) What’s giving her energy at Transform

(2:00) Her founder story

(5:03) Caring for caregivers

(6:09) 20% of employees are caregiving in some way

(7:29) Individuals are twice as likely to stay at a company if they have a strong mentor

(12:00) The one thing she wanted people to take away from her session at Transform

(13:55) The one key trait that Modern People Leader’s need to have for the future

(14:17) Fad or future

(17:00) Clear is kind, unclear is unkind

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Jolen Anderson (Global Head of People, BYN Mellon) joined us on The Modern People Leader live from Transform.

Timestamps:

(2:00) What’s giving her energy right now

(4:25) How impact, people, and purpose are coming together

(6:04) What’s going to stick from all of the change the last few years

(8:43) Navigating many competing demands as an HR leader at one time

(11:20) Giving people more choices in a way that’s structured

(13:46) The one thing she wanted people to take away from her session at Transform

(17:43) The most compelling new ideas that she heard at Transform

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Tracie Sponenberg (Chief People Officer, The Granite Group) joined us on The Modern People Leader.

We talked about what it's like working in HR for a traditional company, The Granite Group’s journey to modernizing their people function, and why the HR community is so important to her.

Timestamps:

(1:40) Good news stories

(6:11) Why Tracie wanted to be in HR ever since high school

(8:35) What The Granite Group does

(10:03) Why we should be jealous that she gets to work at The Granite Group

(14:50) Working in a traditional industry versus tech

(15:10) The biggest difference between the HR team she inherited versus the team she has now

(16:20) Shifting their mindset to become a modern people team

(19:20) The critical success factors to transforming the people function at The Granite Group

(22:57) They’ve built a dozen learning paths

(34:40) The steps you can take to build your employer brand as a traditional company

(37:00) Why the HR community is so important to her

(39:55) The unexpected benefits of being a part of different HR communities

(43:00) Finding ways to help people with mental health issues

(48:14) Rapid fire questions

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Heidi Hauver (Chief People Officer, TrackTik) joined us on The Modern People Leader.

We talked about the process she followed for finding her CPO role, going beyond “Data 101”, and the parallels between leadership and parenting.

Timestamps:

(1:20) Good news stories

(7:08) Getting her degree while working her way up to the director level

(13:00) Thinking outside of the box with recruiting

(16:30) Why we should be jealous she gets to work at TrackTik

(18:00) How Heidi thought about her “dream role” when looking for her next job

(19:47) How she fuels her growth at this stage of her career

(23:14) Her mentors and how she found them

(28:00) Heidi’s “lean in circle”

(30:18) How Heidi identifies where to invest in her development

(34:08) Heidi’s process for landing her Chief People Officer role at TrackTik

(40:17) Sussing out the culture of the company you’re interviewing for

(46:00) Going beyond “Data 101”

(50:10) What her people experience team dashboard looks like

(51:50) Victories, Insights, & Puzzles

(58:12) The parallels between parenting and leadership

(1:05:56) Rapid fire questions

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Merary Soto-Saunders (Global Head of DEI, CVC Partners) and Ciara Lakhani (Chief People Officer, Dashlane) joined us on The Modern People Leader for a group chat.

We talked about the skills they look for when hiring, embedding DEI into everything that we do, and why the future of work is more transparent.

Timestamps:

(1:52) Good news stories

(5:22) Acknowledging that we’re going through stressful times

(11:02) On working in HR for a big company versus a small company

(16:03) How recruiting for HR roles has changed

(23:22) The skills they look for when hiring for their people teams

(32:38) Moving beyond employee experience to people sustainability

(33:52) Embedding DEI into everything that we do

(38:18) Hybrid work

(39:50) The future of work/living is more transparent

(48:24) Reliable ways of looking at how we can influence inclusion

(50:40) What excites Ciara about 2023

Come hang out with us at Transform. Get $200 off your ticket here: https://transform.us/modern-people-leader/

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Jennifer Christie (Chief People Officer, DocuSign) joined us on The Modern People Leader.

We talked about the personalization of the HR function, how they keep their people team of 250 employees moving in the same direction, and the spirit of their future of work strategy.

Timestamps:

(1:20) Good news stories

(4:14) Her career journey: government service, executive search @ American Express, Head of People @ Twitter, CPO @ Bolt, & now CPO @ DocuSign

(7:54) How big their people team is

(9:53) Why we should be jealous she gets to work at DocuSign

(10:55) The personalization of the HR function

(14:58) Creating a safe space for employees

(20:30) More companies focusing on growing responsibly

(22:55) Making room for more focus time

(29:30) How their people team of 250 people is structured

(31:00) The cadence the people team has in place to keep everyone rowing in the same direction

(33:36) ‘The DocuSign Leadership Group’ is thinking through what the future of work looks like for them

(35:47) The spirit that DocuSign is trying to achieve with their future of work strategy

(39:06) Focusing on the how of work instead of the where of work

(40:17) Where she thinks we’ll see some serious advancements in the world of work

(42:30) AI in HR

(46:56) What is annoying & inspiring people about coming into the office at DocuSign

(49:30) Focusing on the employee experience in the same way you focus on the customer experience

(51:53) Her definition of a Modern People Leader

(52:50) The career advice she’d give her 22-year-old self

Come hang out with us at Transform. Get $200 off your ticket here: https://transform.us/modern-people-leader/

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Bernard Coleman (Chief Diversity & Engagement Officer, Gusto) joined us on The Modern People Leader.

We talked about his journey from politics to HR, how Gusto’s Employee Engagement team is structured, and common manager missteps.

Timestamps:

(4:01) Bernard’s journey from politics into HR

(7:16) Learnings from politics that he’s been able to apply to HR

(11:18) Why we should be jealous he gets to work at Gusto

(14:00) Why Gusto integrated Engagement & Diversity

(16:38) How the Diversity & Engagement team is structured at Gusto

(20:59) How they’re tracking engagement

(24:48) How Gusto are tracking the membership and efficacy of their ERGs

(29:30) Gusto’s intersectional content calendar

(31:48) Where companies should start with ERGs

(34:30) Mentorship programs

(36:55) Advice to people of color on networking

(42:18) Underestimation is a huge misstep managers are making

(44:42) Providing direction as a manager

(47:01) His definition of a Modern People Leader

(48:24) The career advice he’d give his 22-year-old self

(49:36) Shout outs to the Gusto team

Come hang out with us at Transform. Get $200 off your ticket here: https://transform.us/modern-people-leader/

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Today we shook things up and interviewed each other.

We talked about the openness of the HR community, what it has been like interviewing some of the top HR leaders, the biggest challenges of starting a podcast, what MPL looks like in three years, and more.

Timestamps:

(4:50) Stephen’s biggest learnings since starting the podcast

(7:00) The world of work is fractured right now

(10:20) There is no set playbook for doing a podcast

(11:43) The most unexpected thing that’s come out of doing the podcast for Stephen

(15:40) How open the HR community has been

(17:13) What The Modern People Leader looks like in three years

(19:40) Being more than just a podcast for the HR community

(20:30) Stephen’s number one fan

(23:25) The most challenging part of growing Modern People Leader

(28:00) Daniel’s biggest area of growth since starting the podcast & finding his own genius

(32:00) What it has been like for Daniel interviewing some of the top HR leaders

(35:30) Advice to anyone looking to start a podcast

(38:39) Optimizing for the feelings we have at the end of an episode

(42:17) Daniel’s number one fan

Come hang out with us at Transform. Get $200 off your ticket here: https://transform.us/modern-people-leader/

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Tony Buffum (VP, HR Client Strategy, Upwork) joined us on The Modern People Leader.

We talked about the biggest misconceptions that employers have about freelance talent, why the rise of freelance talent isn’t a trend, and how Fortune 100 companies are integrating independent talent into their talent strategy.

Timestamps:

(5:23) Tony’s journey and unique role at Upwork

(13:57) Why we should be jealous of his job at Upwork

(19:16) The rise in independent talent

(21:05) 39% of the US workforce performed freelance work last year

(23:36) The biggest misconceptions about doing freelance work

(25:25) The biggest misconceptions that employers have about freelance talent

(31:02) Why the rise of freelance work is not a trend

(33:44) Tony’s advice to people selecting freelance talent for the first time

(37:00) The customer service mindset of freelance workers

(39:52) Benefits of tapping into global talent

(45:15) Fortune 100 companies are integrating freelance talent into their talent strategy

(49:24) Thinking about work differently

(53:00) His definition of a Modern People Leader

(53:55) The advice he’d give to his 22-year-old self

(55:30) What he’d fix in HR with a magic wand

Come hang out with us at Transform. Get $200 off your ticket here: https://transform.us/modern-people-leader/

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Brandon Sammut, Chief People Officer at Zapier, joined us on The Modern People Leader.

We talked about Zapier’s secondment program, how they build awareness of different talent pathways, and how to build bridges with your CEO.

Timestamps:

(4:58) Wanting to find better ways of mapping people’s capabilities to opportunities that help them realize their potential

(13:28) Why we should be jealous Brandon gets to work at Zapier

(15:30) Zapier’s secondment program

(18:10) Their cultural instinct to redeploy talent & being a bootstrapped company

(21:20) How Zapier has redeployed their TA team

(24:25) Progress over perfection

(26:55) Advice Brandon would give to HR leaders trying to get their internal mobility programs started

(30:26) The talent pathways they’ve built at Zapier

(35:00) ‘Career Pathways’ at Zapier

(36:46) How they build awareness of their talent pathways

(39:25) Having a CEO that understands the importance of these programs

(42:26) Bridge building with your CEO

(47:04) Transparency without context is sometimes unhelpful

(49:21) Brandon’s definition of a Modern People Leader

(49:55) The career advice he’d give his 22-year-old self

(51:03) Shoutouts to the Zapier team

Come hang out with us at Transform. Get $200 off your ticket here: https://transform.us/modern-people-leader/

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Today we shared our biggest learnings from MPL guests in January and February.

Timestamps:

(6:57) Mindi Cox on moving from employee engagement to employee fulfillment

(14:00) Having boomerangs is a sign of a healthy culture

(16:20) Drawing more diverse voices into the VC world

(17:52) The disconnect between the people who build HR tech and HR

(22:46) Tapping ERGs to help solve business problems

(28:10) Building a network of teams

(31:06) The pathological organization and why people don’t leave

(36:30) Moving to a curated workplace

Come hang out with us at Transform. Get $200 off your ticket here:https://transform.us/modern-people-leader/

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Rich Jacquet, Chief People Officer at Coursera, joined us on The Modern People Leader.

We talked about how he always wanted to be in HR, dedicated learning days at Coursera, their internal leadership academy, AI in HR, and more.

Timestamps:

(5:53) Rich went to school wanting to be an HR person

(13:28) The course he took on the history of the Ukraine region

(17:35) Creating skills rubrics internally at Coursera

(20:32) Dedicated learning days & their two global weeks of rest

(23:57) The most in-demand jobs right now

(27:55) Using AI to coach leaders

(32:08) Driving alignment and effectiveness across their People Team of 75 people

(34:40) Their leadership academy

(37:30) The year of the manager at Coursera

(39:55) Helping people build personal connections at work

(42:50) Getting a heartbeat of what’s going on at your company

(48:17) How Rich defines a Modern People Leader

(49:50) The career advice he’d give his 22-year-old self

Come hang out with us at Transform. Get $200 off your ticket here: https://transform.us/modern-people-leader/

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Christine Song, Chief People Officer at Knix, joined us on The Modern People Leader.

We talked about her experience in HR across eight different industries, her first three months as Knix’s new Chief People Officer, and the importance of doing the ground zero work before moving into the strategic work.

Timestamps:

(9:37) Why we should be jealous that she gets to work at Knix

(12:39) The advice she recently gave to soon to be graduates

(16:56) The one skill that has served her well as an HR leader that’s worked in 8 different industries

(21:58) Knix’s ‘Aerial Tours’ discussing the hard things

(26:33) The mistake Founder CEOs often make: hiring one person to do both HR and talent acquisition

(31:21) Doing the ground zero work will help you succeed in the strategy work further down the line

(35:22) How to know when your direct report is ready for that promotion

(39:45) What her first 3 months have looked like as the new Chief People Officer

(44:44) Creating an environment for the People Team that allows for more risks

(50:20) Her definition of a Modern People Leader

(50:50) The career advice she’d give her 22-year-old self

Come hang out with us at Transform. Get $200 off your ticket here: https://transform.us/modern-people-leader/

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Josh Bersin, HR Analyst at The Josh Bersin Company, joined us on The Modern People Leader.

We talked about the most impactful events he’s seen in HR over the decades, the network of teams operating model, the highest predictor of top performing HR teams, and the two lessons he hopes everyone takes away from reading his book, Irresistible.

Timestamps:

(4:45) Do what you love and worry about the promotions and money later

(10:00) Why we should be jealous of his day job

(12:05) The most impactful events he’s seen in HR over the decades

(16:38) Irresistible: The Seven Secrets of the world’s most enduring, employee-focused organizations

(20:06) Network of teams operating model

(25:07) The symptoms of not operating as a network of teams

(30:30) The mythical man-month and the agile manifesto

(34:40) The Nestle innovation center

(36:00) Characteristics of high performing teams

(38:29) The highest predictor of top performing HR teams

(42:06) The two lessons he hopes everyone takes away from reading his book

(45:16) AI in HR

(48:47) Josh’s definition of a Modern People Leader

(49:16) The career advice he’d give his 22-year-old self

Come hang out with us at Transform. Get $200 off your ticket here: https://transform.us/modern-people-leader/

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Femily Howe, Gender/Equity Advisor at Femily On The Go, joined us on The Modern People Leader.

We talked about her work advancing women in the workplace, leaning into the awkward conversations about diversity, and using ERGs to solve business problems.

Timestamps:

(13:24) Why we should be jealous of her day job

(15:30) Her work advancing women in the workplace

(18:12) Addressing the statement, “I want to be more gender inclusive, but I don’t want to lower the bar”

(25:38) Misgendering and microaggressions

(28:30) Explaining privilege to someone that doesn’t get it

(38:13) Focusing on actions and behaviors instead of changing hearts and minds

(43:23) How to hold recruiters and hiring managers accountable for diversity targets

(47:45) People would rather avoid awkwardness than reach out to diverse talent in their network

(49:12) Getting more out of your ERGs

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Allison Baum Gates, General Partner at SemperVirens, joined us on The Modern People Leader.

We talked what led her to the intersection of VC and work tech, why the future of work is the single most important problem to solve, and her upcoming book, “Breaking into Venture”.

Come hang out with us at Transform. Get $200 off your ticket here: https://transform.us/modern-people-leader/

Pre-order your copy of "Breaking into Venture": https://www.amazon.com/Breaking-into-Venture-Capitalist-Life-Changing/dp/1264698941/

Timestamps:

(7:51) Arriving at the intersection of VC and the future of work

(14:38) Biggest changes related to the future of work from a VC perspective

(19:08) Why making work better is so important

(21:15) The 5 D’s of the future of work

(25:46) Leaning out

(28:21) What makes SemperVirens a unique VC firm

(30:23) The 3 A’s of being successful in Venture Capital

(32:15) The difficulties of being a Work Tech founder

(34:44) Predicting what’s coming for the future of work

(39:18) Need to haves versus “vitamins” in HR tech

(44:32) Her upcoming book: "Breaking into Venture"

(52:36) The career advice she’d give her 22-year-old self

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Mindi Cox, Chief Marketing & People Officer at O.C. Tanner, joined us on The Modern People Leader.

We talked about moving from employee engagement to employee fulfillment and the work required to change culture.

Timestamps:

(17:37) Why we should be jealous Mindi gets to work at OC Tanner

(19:38) Moving from employee engagement to employee fulfillment

(25:00) Looking at the value of your work situation beyond just your salary

(33:41) The self determination theory applied to work: autonomy, mastery, and connection

(39:00) How to change your company’s culture

(42:15) The Southwest Airlines culture

(47:35) Her definition of a Modern People Leader

(48:00) The career advice she’d give her 22-year-old self

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Today we shared MPL updates for 2023 and our 8 biggest learnings from 2022.

Timestamps:

(2:55) MPL updates for 2023

(5:40) MPL origin story

(17:08) #1 Flexibility (plus trust) is the name of the game

(24:06) #2 DEI & the future of work are connected

(31:13) #3 Everyone would benefit from therapy (especially HR)

(37:52) #4 Think of the employee experience as a product

(42:51) #5 The role of the CHRO is really f** hard and not going to get any easier

(51:40) #6 Gen Z isn’t afraid to ask for all of the things we’ve always wanted

(1:03:15) #7 People are rethinking their purpose portfolios

(1:09:46) #8 Career advice for HR practitioners

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Julia Soffa, Principal Internal Communications Manager at Guru, joined us on The Modern People Leader.

We talked about information overload, the golden rule of communication, how to build an attention audit survey, and why we should all embrace JOMO.

Timestamps:

(10:03) When Julia started noticing digital debt in her personal life

(15:00) Why we should be jealous she gets to work at Guru

(16:47) Her role as Principal Internal Communications Manager

(19:00) Information overload is hurting our bodies and the businesses that we work for

(23:41) The attention audit survey

(28:01) Going from 6% remote to 65% in just two years

(30:45) The golden rule of internal communication

(36:36) How to structure an attention audit survey and the surprising responses they’ve gotten

(39:22) Why we should all embrace JOMO

(43:22) The 4 P’s of meetings

(46:47) How she thinks about digital rituals

(50:54) Her definition of a Modern People Leader

(52:01) The career advice she’d give her 22-year-old self

Guru's information overload survey: https://app.getguru.com/card/TaArybBc/Information-Overload-Employee-Survey-

Guru's resources for managing information overload: https://app.getguru.com/card/cdApaoqi/Resources-for-Managing-Information-Overload

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Lars Schmidt, Founder of Amplify Talent, joined us on The Modern People Leader.

We talked about what you should know if you plan to make the jump into HR, the 2 most important things for HR practitioners to prioritize their careers around, and the ways HR will look different in 2023.

Timestamps:

(3:20) Recent launch of Amplify Academy

(4:37) Lars’ career story and how he started Amplify

(9:36) What happened in 2015 for the open sourcing of HR

(15:20) Getting out of the zero-sum mindset that in order to win everyone else has to lose

(18:45) HR is now a destination function

(20:00) Where there’s room for disruption within HR

(22:20) What you should know if you’re making the jump into HR

(30:00) The 2 most important things for HR practitioners to prioritize their career around

(34:00) The importance of having peer networks

(39:36) On whether the economic uncertainty will hamper progress made over the last few years

(43:03) People moving away from the startup scene for more stability

(46:25) The current state of HR tech

(52:05) 7 ways HR will look different in the new year

(57:00) The idea of choice

(1:00) Built For People

(1:01:38) Lars’ definition of a Modern People Leader

(1:02:16) The career advice Lars would give his 22-year-old self

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Amy Lavoie, VP of People Success at Torch, joined us on The Modern People Leader.

We talked about Torch’s people success scorecard, the importance of measuring your people programs, and what their research uncovered about how different groups perceive progress on DEI efforts.

Timestamps:

(8:48) Why we should we jealous Amy gets to work at Torch

(9:44) Torch’s people success scorecard

(15:45) The biggest surprises in 2022 from a people perspective

(18:11) The biggest challenge for people teams in 2023

(24:50) Is HR making progress in measuring the impact of their programs?

(29:27) The indirect signal that HR sends when they hold engagement data captive

(33:22) Feedback doesn’t define your company, it helps it continuously improve

(36:06) Executives think they’re doing better on DEI efforts than managers

(38:10) We can no longer rely on one-size-fits-all programs to make a meaningful impact on DEI

(48:47) The discrepancy between how men and women perceive progress on DEI initiatives

(50:30) The over reliance on benchmark data

(52:23) Amy’s definition of a Modern People Leader

(53:58) The career advice she’d give her 22-year-old self

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Kelly Keegan, VP of People at Built In, joined us on The Modern People Leader.

We talked about how she’s thinking about building the people function of the future and why everyone in HR could use a therapist.

Timestamps:

(12:17) How she’s thinking about the future of the people function

(16:26) What companies can do to make the recruiting function more sticky during economic downturns

(22:34) Why Built In scrapped their HRBP model for something new

(28:30) What’s going to separate the best people teams from everyone else

(33:23) The strongest leaders are the ones constantly observing and looking for trends

(40:40) Everyone in HR (and everyone else) could use a therapist

(45:00) How Built In uses Modern Health for their people

(49:00) Most common fears for people going into therapy

(52:02) How she defines a Modern People Leader

(52:20) The career advice she’d give to her 22-year-old self

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Recharge’s Michael McArthur (SVP People) & Ashley Grech (COO) joined us on The Modern People Leader.

We talked about why Recharge is focused on reducing toil, the 3 pillars of what it means to work for a great company, and the work they’re doing on the career development front.

Timestamps:

(5:00) How Ashley and Michael would describe one another

(7:30) Why we should be jealous that they get to work at Recharge

(9:20) Building the people roadmap from scratch at Recharge

(12:13) Recharge’s journey from a self-funded startup to a series B startup

(15:33) How a COO and SVP of People look at the employee experience from a slightly different lens

(19:48) How Recharge has managed change these last couple of quarters

(21:13) The 3 pillars of what it means to work for a great company

(24:50) Why reducing toil is something that they’re focused on

(28:30) How Recharge is looking at career development

(34:18) What manager development looks like for Recharge in 2023

(37:20) How Ashley’s sales career has helped her become a better COO

(45:49) How Recharge is being more intentional about culture as they grow

(47:28) Michael’s definition of a Modern People Leader

(47:55) The career advice Ashley would give to her 22-year-old self

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Sara Gorjão, Chief People Officer at tb.lx, joined us on The Modern People Leader.

We talked about the Human Energy Crisis we’re facing, tb.lx’s experiment with the 36-hour workweek, and why being a perfect people leader isn’t possible.

Timestamps:

(14:50) why we should be jealous that Sara gets to work at tb.lx

(19:50) Sara’s mission and how it’s connected to her role

(22:52) How Sara checks in with herself and manages her energy

(30:45) The flashlight system for examining ourselves

(33:51) tb.lx’s experiment with the 36-hour workweek

(41:21) How they measured productivity during the 36-hour workweek

(49:40) Being a perfect people leader isn’t possible

(52:44) How Sara defines a Modern People Leader

(56:30) The career advice she would give to her 22-year-old self

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Amanda Ono, CHRO at Kroll Digital Services, joined us on The Modern People Leader.

We talked about 2023 planning, her biggest learnings scaling a company from 90 to 250 employees in one year, and navigating change as a leader.

Timestamps:

(10:27)Amanda’s experience as both an operator and HR leader

(14:00) Why we should be jealous Amanda gets to work at Kroll

(16:39) Budget season and 2023 planning

(19:11) Taking the best of both cultures when integrating after an acquisition

(23:11) Lessons learned growing from 90 to 250 employees in less than a year

(24:59) Who should be on your “change council”

(27:05) The importance of a strong communication plan

(42:00) Her definition of a Modern People Leader

(42:29) The career advice she’d give to her 22-year-old self

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Today we reflected on the last couple of episodes and then we discussed 2023 planning for People teams.

Timestamps:

(6:30) Operating your people function like it’s a product of your company

(8:30) The 3 products that every company is building

(12:17) The domino effect that led up to the layoffs

(19:20) Making the Chief People Officer role more commercial

(22:59) Using your core values as a lens for everything your people team does

(27:50) Building the employee experience like a house

(33:00) The importance of going on a listening tour as the new people leader

(36:23) 2023 planning for People teams

(43:22) The people team hiring guide

Use code "MPL10" to get 10% off of the People Team Hiring Guide from Shelby Wolpa: https://www.shelbywolpaconsulting.com/product-page/people-team-hiring-guide-1

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Jim Bartolomea, (SVP, Global Head of People and Places) at ClickUp, joined us on The Modern People Leader.

We talked about the challenges he’s most excited to tackle as ClickUp’s new people leader, building the employee experience like a house, and getting buy-in as a new HR leader.

Timestamps:

Why we should be jealous he gets to work at ClickUp (12:49), the challenges he’s excited to tackle first as the new people leader (14:22), place being an important part of culture and connection (16:45), building the employee experience like a house (23:10), onboarding is your first chance to make a great impression (24:40), applying the core values lens to everything you do in the people function (30:45), the importance of career conversations (33:38), getting buy-in as a new HR leader (36:10), your org design and operating model create clarity (40:00), promoting managers that aren’t built to be managers is a big mistake (42:50), his definition of a Modern People Leader (50:20), and more.

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Jessica Zwaan, COO at Whereby, joined us on The Modern People Leader.

We talked about the recent layoffs in the news, how we can raise the CPO role to be looked at as more commercial, and why you should treat people ops as a product.

Timestamps: why we should be jealous she gets to work at Whereby (6:01), layoffs this week (8:35), the domino effect leading up to layoffs (17:15), outside of the CPO role, women only make up 20% of the other C-Suite roles (20:15), raising the people role to be more commercial (23:49), there are 3 products a company is building at one time (30:35), you need a unique selling point for employees to really stand out in the market (38:35), 2 biggest challenges when trying to move to this new way of working (44:07), how she defines a Modern People Leader (52:51), the advice she’d give to her 22-year-old self (53:51), and the people problem she would fix with a magic wand (56:24).

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Today we reflected on our biggest learnings from the last few months of The Modern People Leader.

Timestamps:

(8:10) Understanding what a human-centered organization is

(14:10) The language and words we use to describe work

(18:30) Employees don't want to work for a paternalistic organization

(22:09) What type of support will organizations provide their people in the future

(26:50) Merary’s advice to first-time HR leaders

(29:20) HR teams playing to win versus to not lose

(36:50) Four pillars of DEI

(39:20) Gen Z is the most entrepreneurial generation yet

(41:38) Gen Z want a diversity of experiences in their jobs

(47:20) More talent will go independent than ever before

(48:40) People are rethinking their purpose portfolio

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Kim Rohrer, Head of Employee Experience at Oyster, joined us on The Modern People Leader.

We talked about the biggest challenges in creating a unified employee experience across 70 countries, why every company should have a Head of Employee Experience, and why your company should consider hiring in tier 2 or 3 countries.

Timestamps:

Why we should be jealous she gets to work at Oyster (18:30), when Kim knew she didn’t want the CHRO role (22:53), why Kim enjoys employee experience work so much (28:30), the types of companies that should have a Head of Employee Experience (29:40), how she’s trying to evangelize the Head of EX role (34:39), FAIL'ing (first attempt in learning) (38:28), biggest challenges in creating a unified global employee experience across 70 countries (40:28), why companies should consider hiring in tier 2 or 3 countries (44:08), incredibly smart and capable knowledge workers exist all over the world (47:48), how they’re able to collect DEIB metrics at a global level (55:20), and more.

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John Foster, 4-time CHRO & Founder of Gamut Labs, joined us on The Modern People Leader.

We talked about the difference between a traditional and a human-centered organization, the 5 dimensions of a HCO, and why HCOs get more creative output from their people.

Timestamps:

(11:23) The difference between a traditional organization and a Human-Centered Organization

(16:28) Why a little bit of hierarchical thinking can ruin a people process

(25:25) The definition of a Human-Centered Organization

(28:25) The 5 dimensions of a Human-Centered Organization

(41:07) The best way to get creative output is by being human-centered

(44:01) Why the traditional organization is a crack in the sidewalk of humanity

(46:33) How John defines a Modern People Leader

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Merary Soto-Saunders, Global Head of DEI at CVC Partners, joined us on The Modern People Leader.

She shared her advice to first-time HR leaders, CVC’s process for setting DEI goals, and how she’s able to impact DEI for over 500k people in her role.

Timestamps:

(6:32) Merary’s journey from investment banking to DEI work

(10:50) Working in different countries has shaped her perspective as an HR leader

(16:23) How CEOs view HR in other countries versus the US

(19:40) Why HR & DEI should be separate

(21:43) The 3 components of her role: internal DEI, DEI partner for portfolio companies, and external DEI brand

(26:10) Process for setting DEI goals

(31:18) DEI Dashboards

(33:08) The 4 pillars of DEI at CVC

(35:20) Having the ability to impact DEI for 500k people

(45:23) DEI/HR Think Tank

(57:17) Merary's definition of a Modern People Leader

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This week we had three return guests for another MPL group chat:

Laura Robblee, CHRO at Zuora
Steve Cadigan, Former CHRO of LinkedIn & author
Stephanie Cramer, SVP of People at MGAC

We discussed how Generation Z is impacting the future of work.

Timestamps:

(8:30) Are we in a recession?

(16:21) Echo quitting

(21:28) There are more commonalities between generations than differences

(27:55) Employees have higher expectations for their employers than ever before

(29:20) Younger generations are far more entrepreneurial

(37:52) Everything is subscription oriented and it’s affected how people think about work

(41:58) Gen Z and in-person work

(43:50) More top talent will go independent than we’ve ever seen in the past

(49:40) Companies have an internal awareness problem, not a recruiting problem

(53:06) The one thing organizations should focus on to position themselves as an employer of choice for Gen Z

(58:00) What it means to be a Modern People Leader

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In this episode we reflected on MPL guests' responses to our three rapid-fire questions:

What career advice would you give your 22-year-old self? (1:25)
If you had a magic wand, what would you fix in HR? (16:43)
What’s coming next for the future of work? (27:05)

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This week we had three return guests for another MPL group chat:

Darren Murph, Head of Remote at GitLab
Hallie Bregman, The Bregman Group
Valerie Jackson, Chief Diversity Officer at Zuora

We talked about how COVID has given everyone the opportunity to take the red pill and why focusing on the HOW of work will make the biggest impact on DEI.

Timestamps:

7:46 - are concepts like quiet quitting new or have they just been rebranded

9:00 - people are rethinking how they invest in their “purpose portfolio”

12:50 - the unspoken expectations for employees

18:40 - loud retention is the antidote to quiet quitting

21:55 - COVID has given everyone the opportunity to take the red pill

29:26 - has hybrid work made DEI harder or easier in the workplace

35:17 - focusing on the HOW of work and not just the WHERE will make a bigger impact on DEI

44:15 - what the next evolution of DEI work will look like

57:32 - what it means to be a Modern People Leader

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This episode was recorded a couple of weeks ago, so we apologize if the content from this episode is a little dated.

We talked about Malcolm Gladwell’s thoughts on remote work, quiet quitting, and our 3 biggest takeaways from our last 5 episodes.

Timestamps:Malcolm Gladwell’s thoughts on remote work (1:25), quiet quitting (11:23), layoffs in 2022 (15:30), our 3 biggest takeaways from the last couple of months on MPL (23:00), companies are recession-proofing (23:50), being a CHRO is really hard (30:50), and the next 12-months will be the year of the Modern People Leader (49:10).

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Ciara Lakhani, Chief People Officer at Dashlane, joined us on The Modern People Leader.

We talked about what HR can do to weather the storm during economic downturns, employee expectations for their organizations versus investors, and Dashlane’s employee feedback strategy.

Timestamps:How Ciara ended up in HR (4:20), why we should be jealous that she gets to work at Dashlane (9:20), the most important traits for people leaders during times of economic uncertainty (12:20), what people leaders can do during economic downturns (13:28), being transparent with your people during difficult times (18:08), employee expectation being out of step with your current economic environment (21:34), the long-term tradeoff of job hopping (28:00), the gaps between how investors and employees see things (32:00), Dashlane’s employee feedback strategy (33:30), how Ciara shares engagement data with the leadership team (36:18), the advice she’d give to her 22-year-old self (37:53),

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Melisa Saadi Guerbi, Director of People & Culture at Valtech, joined us on The Modern People Leader.

We talked about how Valtech used workshops to take action on employee feedback, their new internal meeting culture, and why she pivoted her career from sales to HR.

Timestamps:good HR requires some sales and marketing skills (10:14), why we should be jealous that Melisa gets to work at Valtech (13:20), what came out of their “You make a difference” workshops (16:50), how the workshops were structured (24:23), the new internal meetings and communications culture at Valtech (30:18), Valtech’s collaboration playbook (33:20), the 3 keys to having a good 1x1 (41:20), the Employee Choice Awards at Valtech (45:20), and the advice she’d give to her 22-year-old self (51:40).

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Zuora’s Laura Robblee, CHRO, and Valerie Jackson, Chief Diversity Officer, joined us on The Modern People Leader.

We talked about why their CHRO/CDO partnership works so well and how they’re laying the foundation for a new Zuora.

Timestamps:their favorite thing about working with one another (16:40), prioritizing diversity and inclusion at Zuora (21:50), why having both the CDO & CHRO reporting to the CEO works for them (25:08), the swim lanes for HR & DEI at Zuora (30:00), why diversity is a measure of organizational health (37:39), why their leadership playbook is a big focus for them right now (40:05), the summit they’re hosting for VP + folks at the company (44:00), the career advice Valerie would give her 22-year-old self (47:10), and what Laura would fix in HR with a magic wand 49:10).

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Melissa Werneck, Global Chief People Officer at Kraft Heinz, joined us on The Modern People Leader.

We talked about the work Kraft Heinz is doing to help support and develop their managers, why it was important for the move from a “know it all” culture to a “learn it all” culture, and how they’re using new tech to turn their ambitions into reality.

Timestamps: why we should be jealous she gets to work at Kraft Heinz (9:58), moving from a "know it all" to a "learn it all" culture (14:28), the year of the manager at Kraft (22:20), only 10% of people are naturally wired to be a manager (23:00), the launch of Project WIN (24:20), how they’re using nudges to make their ambitions a reality (34:20), why the forgetting curve is real (37:43), the advantages of being an early adopter of new tech (39:00), how they've been able to scale people programs at such a large organization (42:20), and the career advice she would give her 22-year-old self (45:06).

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Stephanie Cramer, Vice President of Human Resources at MGAC, joined us on The Modern People Leader.

We talked about how she’s incorporated solution selling into the way she recruits and what MGAC is doing to support their employees’ mental health.

Timestamps: why we should be jealous that Stephanie gets to work at MGAC (11:20), how recruiting has changed in the last 10 years (14:08), how she’s incorporated solution selling into recruiting (16:10), stacking the deck in your favor to land the dream candidate (17:58), what discovery looks like at each stage in the recruiting lifecycle (22:00), applying her empathic approach to recruiting to herself and her mental health journey (25:35), her purpose analogy for life (30:10), what MGAC is doing to support their employees’ mental health (34:57), empowering employees to get more active on social media (40:40), and the career advice she’d give her 22-year-old self (46:35).

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Beth Steinberg, Senior Vice President of People and Talent at Chime, joined us on The Modern People Leader.

We talked about why it’s so hard to find good HR leaders, what happens when you don’t invest in leaders early enough, and long-term talent planning.

Timestamps: what Beth feels was some of her best work as a people leader (7:00), why we should be jealous that Beth gets to work at Chime (12:40), the importance of #behuman in business (14:22), why it’s so hard to find a good HR leader (17:40), what happens when you don’t invest in leaders early on (23:35), how Beth builds business cases for HR investments (27:10), what the people team at Chime is up to right now (31:30), headcount has become an ego metric (35:08), putting together a recession proofing playbook (39:20), creating a framework for what your company will speak out about (41:35), the career advice she’d give to her 22-year-old self (44:00), and the HR problem she’d fix with a magic wand (47:45).

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Daniel Huerta and Stephen Huerta

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Jackson Lynch, 3-time CHRO and Founder of 90Consulting, joined us on The Modern People Leader.

We talked about why there needs to be consistency in what’s expected from a CHRO, why talent strategy should be bifurcated from talent operations, and why the job of the CHRO is so difficult.

Timestamps: how working at PepsiCo in the early 2000s shaped his career (9:57), the best and worst career advice he ever received (12:22), why Jackson thinks there isn’t consistency in what is expected of a CHRO (17:12), we haven’t defined what a CHRO needs to have to be a CHRO (20:22), why we need to bifurcate operations from talent management (27:40), getting board members to set clear expectations of what good looks like for an HR leader (31:53), the 3 biggest changes for HR leaders the past couple of years (33:25), finding the least wrong answer as an HR leader (40:40), how HR teams can think differently about investment decisions being made (46:50), and the four agreements (57:24).

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Mai Ton, Chief People Officer at Fabric and Author of Come into My Office, joined us on The Modern People Leader.

We talked about why your identity shouldn’t be centered around what you do at work, how she prepped her former company for the 4-day workweek, and her book that she published last year.

Timestamps: why we should be jealous that Mai gets to work at Fabric (10:20), why your entire identity shouldn’t be centered around your job title (13:35), how companies can help their people rediscover themselves (22:58), sharing your story of the need to be more than your work (28:30), how Mai prepped her company for the four-day workweek (33:00), a couple of tools for taking control of your time (40:48), why she wrote a book full of her crazy stories as an HR leader (43:50), the advice she’d give her 22-year-old self (53:24), what she sees coming next for the future of work (55:18), and more.

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Mindy Honcoop, an HR exec with 20+ years of experience, joined us on The Modern People Leader.

We talked about employee feedback, the new world of work, and what companies can do to help their people connect.

Timestamps: the best and worst advice Mindy has ever received in her career (11:20), the companies that are getting things right (15:50), what companies can do to better listen to their employees (19:00), learning how to ride the new bicycle of work (28:46), how companies can give their people opportunities to connect (42:55), the definition of connection (45:40), the career advice she’d give her 22-year-old self (50:00), and why she would fix meetings if she had magic powers (51:10).

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Today we talked about the interconnectedness of all of the HR buzzwords, diversity being the key to everything, and the best career advice we’ve heard from our guests.

Timestamps: the interconnectedness of the all of the buzz-words we’ve heard over the last year (4:23), the 3 P’s of Rituals in the workplace (6:22), the importance of intentionality (8:07), the common denominator to success is diversity (10:50), how Twitter has re-opened offices and zoned them (13:53), flexibility and connection are key right now (18:30), best career advice from our guests (20:34), and the magic wand question responses (28:09).

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Co-Hosts: Daniel Huerta and Stephen Huerta

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The Starr Conspiracy's Bret Star (Founder & CEO) and Steve Smith (Partner & CMO) joined us on The Modern People Leader.

We talked with the Work Tech gurus about the metaverse's place in the workplace, the difference between employee engagement and employee experience, and why they recently raised money to send body armor to Ukraine.

Timestamps: how Starr Conspiracy is testing the applications of the metaverse at work (20:55), products out there that allow employees to connect in the metaverse (26:20), why companies need to keep trying new things (32:39), employee engagement vs employee experience (38:10), and why Starr Conspiracy sent over $500,000 worth of body armor to Ukraine (44:20).

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Erica Keswin, the author of two Wall Street Journal best-sellers (Bring Your Human to Work & Rituals Roadmap), workplace strategist, and podcast host, joined us on The Modern People Leader.

We talked about how rituals are the human way to transform everyday routines into workplace magic.

Timestamps: her career journey (5:15), Bring Your Human to Work and Rituals Roadmap (8:10), why connecting with peers, managers, and colleagues is so important (15:12), matching the message to the medium (18:25), the definition of a ritual (21:17), the 3 Ps of rituals (23:10), the magic question that Erica asks every leader to better understand their company’s rituals (24:30), some of Erica’s favorite rituals that she’s seen (32:38), Erica’s go to Chipotle order (42:04), career advice she’d give her 22-year-old self (48:37), the people problem she would fix with a magic wand (49:46), and why on-sites are the new off-sites (51:40).

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Mita Mallick, co-host of the Brown Table Talk podcast and Head of Equity, Inclusion, & Impact at Carta, joined us on The Modern People Leader.

We talked about the importance of belonging, the big disconnect between the billions of dollars being invested in DEI and a true understanding of the work that’s being done, and what to do if you’re working in a toxic environment.

Timestamps: her career journey (3:10), how Brown Table Talk started (7:56), why Mita refers to it as the great awakening and not the great resignation (11:47), how to increase the sense of belonging (13:45), the barrier in truly understanding the work that’s being done in the DEI space (17:40), is the shift to hybrid creating a new dimension to bias in the workplace? (22:37), how companies can better support managers and better protect employees (27:45), advice for the people experiencing toxic interactions at work (37:23), how to prevent toxic people from slipping through the cracks of your hiring process (39:47), the career advice Mita would give her 22-year-old self (43:58), and how we are back to 1980s levels of women in the workforce (45:16).

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Tracy Hawkins, VP, Work Transformation at Twitter, joined us on The Modern People Leader.

We talked about giving employees the choice on how they want to work and how Twitter has zoned their offices.

Timestamps: Tracy’s journey from flight attendant to Twitter (7:07), her role as VP, Work Transformation (13:45), why we should be jealous that she gets to work there (20:33), how their real estate strategy has changed and what it might look like in the future (27:10), employee choice is huge at Twitter (32:00), how they personalize their different offices (37:45), remote work got a bad rep (46:20), the zoning of Twitter offices - focus areas, collaboration areas, and social areas (49:43), how they address world issues at work (54:43), and the career advice she’d give 22-year-old Tracy (1:01:13).

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Udemy’s Cara Brennan Allamano (SVP, People) and Rachel Ernst (Sr. Director, People Programs) joined us on The Modern People Leader.

We talked about Udemy’s new normal and what they’re doing to provide connection and flexibility for all employees.

Timestamps: the most pivotal moments in Cara and Rachel’s careers (4:53), the “New Normal” at Udemy (17:35), what flexibility means to Udemy (23:09), their offices are like a co-working space now (27:54), bringing Udemates on the journey to create the New Normal (29:20), learning paths related to navigating the changes at work (30:46), team working agreements at Udemy (33:44), adopting agile methodologies on your people team (37:00), the feedback processes they’ve built (39:00), they went from having 5 global offices to 900 in one day (41:20), what Cara’s hearing from the People Tech Partners community (50:20), and the career advice they would give their 22-year-old selves (57:40).

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Today we talked about Belgium approving the four-day workweek, the possibility of working in the metaverse, and then we talked about culture and the themes we're seeing across different guests.

Timestamps: Belgium approves the four-day workweek (3:58), will we work in the metaverse one day (5:58), and common threads from recent guests about culture, talent attraction, and career advice (13:14).

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Liz Fosslien, the co-author of No Hard Feelings and Big Feelings, joined us on The Modern People Leader.

We talked about her journey to becoming a best-selling author, the 7 Big Feelings that we've all been experiencing the past couple of years, and how we can begin to make peace with our emotions at work.

Timestamps: Liz’s journey to becoming a Wall Street Journal best-selling author (4:44), why everyone should be jealous that Liz gets to work at Humu (10:55), why she thinks we’re all so scared of confronting these big feelings at work (14:32), how they identified the 7 Big Feelings (20:00), which of the 7 Big Feelings resonates most with Liz (23:04), emotional granularity (28:20), two tools for making peace with your emotions (30:16), how to avoid negative thought spirals (35:35), the 1 thing Liz wants people to take away from Big Feelings (40:50), and the career advice she’d give to 22-year-old Liz (44:44).

Big Feelings is set to come out on April 26th. If you'd like to pre-order now, here's a link: Pre-Order Now

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Big Feelings: How to Be Okay When Things Are Not Okay

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Refine Labs’ Megan Bowen, COO, and Jessica Williams, VP of People, joined us on The Modern People Leader.

We talked about Refine Labs’ culture playbook, how they’re leveraging social media to become a talent destination, and why they’re focused on onboarding.

Timestamps: why we should be jealous that they get to work at Refine Labs (7:05), how they created their Culture Playbook (11:10), the “oh hell nah list” of behaviors at their company(15:24), the primary driver for going fully distributed (18:40), how they’ve filled 80 roles in two years and how they plan to fill 100 more this year (21:40), the journey for the typical candidate (24:50), the quality of inbound candidates vs. outbound candidates (28:50), how you can leverage social media to become a talent destination (30:10), why they’re focused on onboarding (37:23), where onboarding goes wrong for a lot of companies (43:00), and what advice they would give their younger selves (46:20).

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Katie Burke, Chief People Officer at HubSpot, joined us on The Modern People Leader.

We talked about HubSpot’s award-winning culture, how they conducted 4 panels to make future of work decisions, and how they’re giving employees the ability to automatically opt into the work style that best suits them.

Timestamps: why we should be jealous that Katie gets to work at HubSpot (11:05), how HubSpot’s award-winning culture has evolved (14:40), getting business leaders on board with where the future of work actually is (17:50), how they conducted 4 panels to make decisions on the future of work (20:18), the insights that their people analytics team is driving around retention (24:53), personal connection to work as a key driver of retention (26:36), giving employees the choice of how they want to work in an automated way (29:18), tracking NPS, intent to stay, inclusion and belonging, and more (32:40), DIB and the future of work shouldn’t be talked about in isolation (39:04), lessons learned over the years as a leader (40:22), and the advice she’d give to 22-year old Katie (44:40).

If you have any feedback for the MPL podcast or would like to connect, don't hesitate to reach out on LinkedIn:

Daniel Huerta and Stephen Huerta

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On this very special best of 2021 mash-up, you’ll get insights from guests throughout our episodes from last year.

In Part 2 you’ll hear from the following guests:

MPL Group Chat (episode 36) on this being HR’s time to step up and how we’re entering the age of HR (0:37).
Steve Cadigan, former CHRO of LinkedIn and author (episode 38), on how workers and companies can see less of the future than ever before, and why the competitive advantage moving forward will be the ability to deal with instability (6:57).
Dom Boon, VP of Talent & Organizational Development at Liberty Latin America (episode 43), on how they identified the habits of the top 10% of their managers (16:48).
Shelby Wolpa, former VP of People Operations at InVision (episode 45), on lessons learned from scaling the people function at 4 venture-backed companies and the foundational steps for setting yourself up for success in a remote-first environment (22:23).
Darren Murph, Head of Remote at Gitlab (episode 49), shares why you need to look at the future of work as an opportunity to build something new – and how you have a permission slip to reinvent how your team looks and works (29:03).

If you have any feedback for the MPL podcast or would like to connect, don't hesitate to reach out on LinkedIn:

Daniel Huerta and Stephen Huerta

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On this very special best of 2021 mash-up, you’ll get insights from guests throughout the last year.

In Part 1 you’ll hear from:

Dilshan Rathnayake, Chief People Officer at Securonix (episode 7), on the importance of learning the business that you serve so that you can better serve your people as an HR leader (0:37).
Dena Upton, Chief People Officer at Drift (episode 15), breaks down what it means for her company to be going digital-first and why it’s a more equitable model (3:52).
Yemi Akisanya, Global Head of DEI at Groupon (episode 31), on why real success with DEI requires a complete culture transformation (9:25).
MPL Group Chat (episode 32) on the great resignation and what you can do to keep top talent (15:03).
David Hanrahan, CHRO at Eventbrite (episode 33), on why the traditional 9 to 5 is a relic of the past (24:54).

If you have any feedback for the MPL podcast or would like to connect, don't hesitate to reach out on LinkedIn:

Daniel Huerta and Stephen Huerta

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Jill Larsen, Chief People Officer at PTC, joined us on The Modern People Leader.

We talked about how the CHRO role has changed, the evolution of HR, and some of her predictions for the future.

Timestamps: the one piece of advice that transformed her career (12:05), the worst advice she’s ever received (15:15), how the CHRO role has changed over the last 15 years and where it’s going from here (19:00), will we see more CHROs promoted to CEOs (23:50), we’re going through an HR evolution (25:34), digital transformation in HR (30:00), what does being data driven in HR look like (32:15), findings from data projects (34:42), gen z and millennial takeover (35:23), is retention still the right gauge for culture (41:50), employees having multiple jobs in the future (46:53), metrics she’s looking at on a weekly basis (51:10), and rhythms the people team has in place (53:10).

If you have any feedback for the MPL podcast or would like to connect, don't hesitate to reach out on LinkedIn:

Daniel Huerta and Stephen Huerta

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At the end of each episode, we ask every guest which 3-4 metrics they’re keeping an eye on.

Today, we talked about the biggest themes that we identified and which of these metrics should make it onto your HR scorecard.

Timestamps: DEI metrics (3:57), peer recognition metrics (8:30), eNPS or a single engagement metric (14:38), employee engagement metrics (16:40), retention data (22:00), business metrics (23:50), using the wobble scale for 1x1 conversations (24:38), recruiting metrics (27:18), building a scorecard for HR (30:27), moving to a focus on leading indicators versus lagging indicators (31:58), why we started The Modern People Leader (33:54), and how you can help The Modern People Leader (40:09).

If you have any feedback for the MPL podcast or would like to connect, don't hesitate to reach out on LinkedIn:

Daniel Huerta and Stephen Huerta

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Darren Murph, Head of Remote at GitLab, joined us on The Modern People Leader.

We talked about what a Head of Remote does, investing in document infrastructure, building culture outside of company walls, and how to shift from a fear and scarcity mindset to a mindset of opportunity.

Timestamps: What a Head of Remote does on a daily basis (6:20), change without story feels like a mandate, change with a purpose feels like vision (9:44), shifting from a fear and scarcity mindset to a mindset of opportunity (12:00), you can learn something from everyone (13:07), the two biggest challenges scaling culture fully remote (16:55), investing in document infrastructure (20:46), COVID has given every leader a permission slip to try new things (30:54), hybrid or shybrid? (32:59), providing examples for building new lifestyles around work (35:26), community impact outings are good alternatives to zoom happy hours (38:37), culture is the barometer for how well values are adhered to and reinforced (42:20), the future of work is going to be asynchronous (45:10), and have you looked at your purpose portfolio lately (51:50).

Here’s a link to GitLab’s handbook:

Informal Communication in an all-remote environment

If you have any feedback for the MPL podcast or would like to connect, don't hesitate to reach out on LinkedIn:

Daniel Huerta and Stephen Huerta

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Barbie Brewer, former VP of Talent at Netflix and Chief Culture Officer at GitLab, joined us on The Modern People Leader.

We talked about the many shades of gray between office-first and remote-first. Then, we chatted about all things culture.

Timestamps: The best piece of career advice she has ever received (8:52), the many shades of gray between office-first and remote-first (16:40), the difference between remote-first and remote-friendly (19:05), most companies are trying to make hybrid work (22:11), keys to asynchronous work (24:10), key lessons and takeaways on culture from her time at Netflix (37:30), culture is never done (40:41), good or bad, culture was exposed by the pandemic (42:58), what leaders should do if they feel like the culture is off (45:21), and defining the behaviors underneath your values (48:38).

If you want to learn more about Barbie and the work that she’s doing, visit her website: https://barbiejane.com/contact-us

If you have any feedback for the MPL podcast or would like to connect, don't hesitate to reach out on LinkedIn:

Daniel Huerta and Stephen Huerta

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By 2025 Gen Z will make up 27% of the workforce. So, today we talked about what makes them different from any other generation and what they’re expecting from employers.

If you have any feedback for the MPL podcast or would like to connect, don't hesitate to reach out on LinkedIn:

Daniel Huerta and Stephen Huerta

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Clio Knowles, Chief People Person at Virgin Hotels, joined us on The Modern People Leader.

We talked about technology, how they’re hiring differently, and the importance of making employees feel seen.

Timestamps: Launching hotels during COVID (12:00), why they built a custom communications platform (14:50), combatting the great resignation in the hospitality industry (16:50), focusing attention on hiring people from underserved populations (18:40), seeing employees as human beings (24:20), BAREIT sessions at Virgin Hotels (28:15), they mapped the teammate journey out and created a teammate branding toolkit (30:20), the people that have the answers are the people on the ground doing the work (34:00), and more.

If you have any feedback for the MPL podcast or would like to connect, don't hesitate to reach out on LinkedIn:

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Shelby Wolpa, Founder of Shelby Wolpa Consulting, joined us on The Modern People Leader.

Shelby talked about her experience scaling the people function for 4 separate unicorn+ status companies. Then, we talked about what it takes to build a best-in-class culture in a remote-first environment.

Timestamps: learnings from scaling the people function for 4 venture-backed companies (9:19), what it was like pioneering a remote-first culture (10:55), foundational steps for setting yourself up for success in a remote-first environment (14:10), common pitfalls when going remote-first (20:12), what type of work should happen in the office (24:40), Shelby’s prediction for remote work (25:50), there’s no such thing as hybrid (30:30), the three phases of onboarding (33:45), and what’s keeping people leaders up at night (43:15).

You can find Shelby’s free guide for building a remote-first culture and her other playbooks on her website: https://www.shelbywolpaconsulting.com/

If you have any feedback for the MPL podcast or would like to connect, don't hesitate to reach out on LinkedIn:

Daniel Huerta and Stephen Huerta

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Allison Whalen, Co-Founder and CEO at Parentaly, joined us on The Modern People Leader.

She shared what she wishes people would have told her before she became a parent and took leave. Then, we talked about what the best companies are doing for parental leave.

Timestamps: Allison’s personal struggles dealing with the career stressors of parental leave (3:55), what she wishes people would have told her before she took leave (8:20), why parental leave is front and center right now (18:20), moving past the old way of thinking about paid leave (22:16), the challenges companies face with extending leave (22:36), using parental leave to take inventory of what work matters most (28:08), and re-onboarding parents when they come back to work (31:36).

If you have any feedback for the MPL podcast or would like to connect, don't hesitate to reach out on LinkedIn:

Daniel Huerta and Stephen Huerta

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Dom Boon, VP Talent & Organizational Development at Liberty Latin America, joined us on The Modern People Leader.

We talked about LLA’s manager research and how they identified the 8 habits of the top 10% of their managers.

Timestamps: Navigating the pandemic across 30 different markets (15:02), how Liberty Latin America identified the top 10% of managers (17:58), 5 questions to measure managers (21:34), the 8 habits that differentiate the top 10% of managers at LLA (22:22), building talent programs from this manager research (30:15), and shifting to a human-centric style of leadership (34:42).

Check out Dom's recent post on LinkedIn where he writes about the 8 new habits of their top people managers.

If you have any feedback for the MPL podcast or would like to connect, don't hesitate to reach out on LinkedIn:

Daniel Huerta and Stephen Huerta

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Today we reflected on the past ten months and all of the great conversations that we've had on The Modern People Leader.

At 19:00, we each give our top 3 moments from the show.

If you have any feedback for the MPL podcast or would like to connect, don't hesitate to reach out on LinkedIn:

Daniel Huerta and Stephen Huerta

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Angela Shaw, Chief People Officer at JuiceLand, joined us on The Modern People Leader.

We talked about her nontraditional path into HR, uninviting people from the party if they can’t get behind your organization's shared beliefs, and bucking industry norms when it’s the right thing to do.

Timestamps: Angela’s nontraditional path into HR (4:20), her first 30, 60, 90 days on the job as the new CPO at JuiceLand (9:10), creating shared beliefs, shared knowledge, and shared action with DEI efforts (12:05), why the fight over who should own DEI is so frustrating (15:46), bucking the industry norms when it’s the right thing to do (26:55), staying true to who you are and what you represent (33:07), and finding balance and learning how to say NO (40:00).

If you have any feedback for the MPL podcast or would like to connect, don't hesitate to reach out on LinkedIn: Daniel Huerta and Stephen Huerta

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Jess Galica, the founder of the Reclaim Your Career project, joined us on The Modern People Leader.

Over the past year, she has interviewed 100+ women that have made successful career pivots.

In this episode, she shares her findings as well as some of those stories.

Timestamps: what led to Jess’s desire to make a career pivot (4:48), what propelled her research and writing around women & career pivoting (16:08), people in our generation are mastering the art of pivoting (22:09), what's feminist guilt? (25:03), you’re the only one who needs to wake up and do your career every day (32:41), women are bearing the disproportionate brunt of the challenges the pandemic has put on people as it relates to work (39:50), and the three steps of a career pivot (50:48).

If you want to learn about Reclaim Your Career:

Follow Jess on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jessgalica/
Learn from women’s stories: https://www.reclaimyourcareer.co/

If you have any feedback for the MPL podcast or would like to connect, don't hesitate to reach out on LinkedIn:

Daniel Huertaand Stephen Huerta

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This week we had two return guests for another MPL Group Chat:

Libby Fiumara, Talent Program Manager from Expel and
Sarah Salbu Young, Talent Experience Partner at Pegasystems

We talked about how companies can bounce forward vs. focusing on the great resignation, the importance of pausing and reflecting on people who are making a positive impact on you at work, and trends heading into the last quarter of the year.

Timestamps: it feels like things are moving slowly (4:45), bouncing forward vs. focusing on the great resignation (10:49), the concept of High School and being exposed to different people, ideas, and work (13:36), doing work that gives you energy and aligns with your purpose (18:20), time off is going to become a part of employees’ Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs (24:06), the importance of pausing and reflecting on people who are having a positive impact on you (29:02) and trends heading into Q4, the “People Quarter”(39:45).

If you have any feedback for the MPL podcast or would like to connect, don't hesitate to reach out on LinkedIn:

Daniel Huerta and Stephen Huerta

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Steve Cadigan, author, and former CHRO at LinkedIn, joined us on The Modern People Leader to discuss his recent book:

Workquake: Embracing the Aftershocks of COVID-19 to Create a Better Model of Working

Timestamps: Steve’s journey from graduating with no plan to becoming LinkedIn’s first CHRO (3:00), the inspiration behind his book (13:33), workers and companies can see LESS of the future than ever before (17:21), what companies can learn from Duke basketball’s Coach K and his talent strategy (23:54), organizations are hiring for intellectual curiosity (38:03), the lifespan of a new skill is shorter than it has ever been (43:03), and how Steve was conned by students into joining TikTok (56:07).

If you have any feedback for the MPL podcast or would like to connect, don't hesitate to reach out on LinkedIn:

Daniel Huerta and Stephen Huerta

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Today we talked about hybrid work and the possibility of a four-day workweek.

If you have any feedback for the MPL podcast or would like to connect, don't hesitate to reach out on LinkedIn:

Daniel Huerta and Stephen Huerta

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This week we had three return guests for another MPL Group Chat:

Jennifer Paxton, VP People at Smile.io,
Jaclyn Jussif, Director of Talent Acquisition at EDB, and
Adrienne Barnard, SVP, People Operations & Experience at Mainstay

We talk about the summer of counteroffers & choice, moving people ops from an administrative function to a strategic function, and an employee-driven future of work.

Timestamps: moving people ops from an administrative function to a strategic function (1:55), the summer of counteroffers & choice (8:38), focusing on key performers and high potential employees (16:55), mental wellness is top of mind for employees (21:20), will the four-day workweek be the norm in the future? (25:53), redesigning the employee journey for the future of work (28:00), collecting data is a strategic approach to making decisions (36:00), advocating for more people on the people team (38:16), HR has the data to make the decisions that will change employees’ lives (41:14), and an employee-driven future (44:33).

If you have any feedback for the MPL podcast or would like to connect, don't hesitate to reach out on LinkedIn:

Daniel Huertaand Stephen Huerta

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With so much change in the workplace, it’s critical that businesses are (re)defining their employee brand, leaning into a future-of-work strategy, and consistently communicating across levels of the company. In this expert session, Eric Harris, CEO of MindHandle shares best practices and tactics that will enhance your employer brand. Timestamps: the difference between employee branding & employer branding (7:03), who should own employer branding internally (12:40), why employer branding is so important (14:23), do you have a culture or an employer brand issue? (18:30), getting HR to think more like a marketing department (28:40), organizations need to talk about their WINS more often (32:08), the biggest challenge with employer branding (35:10), using your leadership team as thought leaders (39:25), and how to communicate culture & values in job postings (42:40). If you have any feedback for the MPL podcast or would like to connect, don't hesitate to reach out on LinkedIn: Daniel Huerta and Stephen Huerta

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Noreen Zobel, Chief People Officer at CrossBoundary, joined us on The Modern People Leader.

We talked about the challenges of recruiting into new countries, maintaining culture as you grow, and the 16-hour diversity workshop series that they put on for their people.

Timestamps: what it’s like being a new Chief People Officer at a high-growth company (21:20), the challenges of recruiting into new countries (22:55), maintain your culture as you grow (27:09), the 16-hour diversity workshop series they put their employees through (38:35), and the biggest changes to come out of COVID when we look back in 20 years (46:53).

If you have any feedback for the MPL podcast or would like to connect, don't hesitate to reach out on LinkedIn:

Daniel Huerta and Stephen Huerta

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David Hanrahan, CHRO at Eventbrite, joined us on The Modern People Leader.

He shared why Eventbrite is letting employees decide on whether or not they want to come back to the office, what operating in high trust mode looks like, and why the traditional workweek is outdated.

Timestamps: the origin of Eventbrite's decision to go hybrid & operating in a high trust mode (9:48), how culture is fundamentally changing (15:50), how to rethink your culture (19:46), is the 9 to 5 is a relic of the past? (29:26), work and life will continue to blend together (38:23), and the metrics David keeps a close eye on (42:00).

If you have any feedback for the MPL podcast or would like to connect, don't hesitate to reach out on LinkedIn:

Daniel Huerta and Stephen Huerta

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This week we had four return guests on for our first-ever CPO Group Chat:

Lyndsay Lord, CHRO at Team Car Care dba Jiffy Lube
Rhiana Barr, Chief People Officer at KushCo
Dilshan Ratnayake, Chief People Officer at Securonix
Kristen Barbor, VP Global HR at Groupon

We discuss their return to office strategies and the 'Great Resignation'.

Timestamps: what their return to office strategies look like (1:20), Apple taking a mandatory stance on employees coming into the office (8:18), crafting back-to-work strategies to get top talent (16:28), the big concerns about the great resignation (24:45), communicating your strategy effectively across the organization (30:15), preventing your culture from eroding in the new world of work (38:00), quick wins with total rewards strategies (40:50), and what every company should be doing to keep their best talent (58:30).

If you have any feedback for the MPL podcast or would like to connect, don't hesitate to reach out on LinkedIn:

Daniel Huerta and Stephen Huerta

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Yemi Akisanya, Global Head of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion at Groupon, joined us on The Modern People Leader.

This episode is filled with nuggets of gold. Yemi talks about why DEI needs to be a competency that every leader has, why your company needs to build a business case for DEI, and why you should focus on building a strategy instead of racking up a couple of quick wins.

Timestamps: defining diversity, equity, and inclusion (20:50), the question you need to answer: why DEI now? (28:35), building a business case for DEI and making it more than a moral case (30:07), executives need to build the leadership competencies related to DEI (38:24), DEI programming CANNOT be effective if the CEO doesn’t have the competency to drive it (43:23), DEI is a cultural transformation (48:27), socializing your DEI data as a corporation (51:53), building an actual DEI strategy > quick wins (53:23), and shifting DEI from programming to leadership competencies (58:50).

If you have any feedback for the MPL podcast or would like to connect, don't hesitate to reach out on LinkedIn:

Daniel Huerta and Stephen Huerta

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Christopher D. Lee, CHRO at William & Mary, joined us on The Modern People Leader.

He shared how he went from a Lieutenant Colonel in the Marine Corps to being the CHRO of one of the oldest and most prestigious schools in the US.

We discussed how a leader's job is to help each employee be their very best, why boosting your employees’ confidence is important, and how to drive performance conversations by asking the right questions.

Timestamps: why HR practitioners are miseducated & the 4 elements of HR (19:00), a leaders job is to help every employee be their very best (27:36), discretionary effort = employee engagement (31:20), boosting the confidence of your people (38:27), asking the right questions to drive performance conversations (42:25), and the common objections to scrapping the performance review (57:24).

If you have any feedback for the MPL podcast or would like to connect, don't hesitate to reach out on LinkedIn:

Daniel Huerta and Stephen Huerta

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Today we discussed the history of burnout and the power of kindness in the workplace.

If you have any feedback for the MPL podcast or would like to connect, don't hesitate to reach out on LinkedIn:

Daniel Huerta and Stephen Huerta

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Today we dove deep into employee engagement & what companies can do if they need to revamp their approach.

Timestamps: the convergence of engagement and pulse surveys (2:53), what a “cookie-cutter” employee engagement strategy looks like (4:15), how pulse surveys have evolved over the years (6:10), what a blended engagement strategy looks like (7:18), where to start when revamping your engagement strategy (9:34), setting goals for your engagement strategy (11:16), what good and bad survey design looks like (15:26), the 3 primary engagement models being used right now (21:20), big misses in engagement in 2020 (29:00)

If you have any feedback for the MPL podcast or would like to connect, don't hesitate to reach out on LinkedIn:

Daniel Huerta and Stephen Huerta

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Kristen Barbor, VP, Global HR at Groupon, joined us on The Modern People Leader.

We touched on a lot: how to be human on the HR side during tough times, how consensus-driven decision-making can be detrimental, and Groupon’s employee engagement strategy.

Timestamps: being human during tough times goes a long way (13:40), using creativity as a secret weapon in HR (21:08), why consensus-driven decision making can be detrimental at times (23:30), deep-dive into Groupon’s employee engagement strategy (27:20), creating task forces to drive action after employee engagement surveys (33:50), and rebuilding and reenergizing Groupon’s workforce (39:17).

If you have any feedback for the MPL podcast or would like to connect, don't hesitate to reach out on LinkedIn:

Daniel Huerta and Stephen Huerta

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Leah Pettinari, Director, People Strategy & Engagement at The Boston Beer Company, joined us on The Modern People Leader.

We talked about how The Boston Beer Company plans to pilot different work scenarios to figure out what works best for their people.

Timestamps: how COVID has impacted connection at BBC (13:47), how they’re adapting to the new virtual world (16:00) the fundamental elements that have improved their virtual approach (19:33), the higher productivity & improved pace of work in our new normal (23:58) how they plan to maintain flexibility AND drive better connection between their people (31:39), how they're piloting different work scenarios to see what works best for them (33:00), providing incentives for people to come into the office (38:01), and the aversion to returning to what work was (40:50).

If you have any feedback for the MPL podcast or would like to connect, don't hesitate to reach out on LinkedIn:

Daniel Huerta and Stephen Huerta

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Libby Fiumara, Talent Program Manager at Expel, joined us on The Modern People Leader.

We talked about how Expel is turning performance management upside down.

Timestamps: when she realized she wanted to hone in on one facet of HR (5:54), why Expel rebranded performance management to performance enablement (7:18), turning performance management upside down (11:57), training managers to be more human (14:15), using the wobble scale to navigate tough conversations (16:16) applying energy management to prevent burnout (26:55), deploying quarterly "reflect and resets" (29:09), creating a common vocabulary across the company (31:41), making HR a sounding board (35:00), hybrid vs. remote vs. in-office decisions for companies (36:16), where you should start if you’re rethinking performance management (46:44), Adam Grant’s Think Again (49:05), and wine and performance coaching (50:25)

LibeLabs Learning: Hybrid & Remote Work Playbook

If you have any feedback for the MPL podcast or would like to connect, don't hesitate to reach out on LinkedIn:

Daniel Huerta and Stephen Huerta

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Hallie Bregman, Global Head of People Analytics at PTC, joined us on The Modern People Leader.

This episode is filled with nuggets of gold:

Why the future Chief People Officer will have an analytics background (8:41), how COVID has elevated people analytics (10:09), the evolution of people analytics (11:40), the nuance between reporting & analytics (14:15), using analytics to tell stories (18:27), organizing your people analytics team (20:08), applying analytics to the candidate experience (24:08), getting alignment with stakeholders on analytics initiatives (31:20), year one of PTC's analytics journey (37:03), putting together the initial roadmap for people analytics (41:37), where to start with DEI analytics (44:56), how to run a self-identification campaign for DEI (48:06), and why Hallie hates diversity dashboards (50:18).

If you have any feedback for the MPL podcast or would like to connect, don't hesitate to reach out on LinkedIn:

Daniel Huerta and Stephen Huerta

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Michelle Wax, the founder of the American Happiness Project, joined us on The Modern People Leader.

We talked about her journey across the USA to learn what brings everyday Americans happiness and fulfillment and much more.

Timestamps: why Michelle started the American Happiness Project (3:34), the 500 people that she interviewed on happiness (12:18), “you’re protected on this earth until you’ve served your purpose” (15:25), biggest lessons learned along her journey (19:32), consistent themes for creating happiness (25:04), why you should make the big life shift that your family doesn’t totally understand (32:01), the YOLO economy (33:42), & self-awareness will lead to a happier workforce (49:02).

If you have any feedback for the MPL podcast or would like to connect, don't hesitate to reach out on LinkedIn:

Daniel Huerta and Stephen Huerta

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Rhiana Barr, Chief People Officer at KushCo, joined us on The Modern People Leader.

We talked about why HR needs to be involved early in the M&A process, how to ensure a successful cultural integration, and much more.

Timestamps: why working in a wide range of industries has been so critical to her career growth (3:38), strategic workforce planning based on legislation (10:22), the changing perception of working in the cannabis industry (17:26), why HR needs to get involved early in the M&A process (23:39), the culture diligence is the missing piece to successful mergers and acquisitions (24:41), her step-by-step process for assessing culture pre-integration (29:16), why an HR leader is running their integration management office (33:25), and creating a single culture is a journey with your people (47:16),

If you have any feedback for the MPL podcast or would like to connect, don't hesitate to reach out on LinkedIn:

Daniel Huerta and Stephen Huerta

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Today we talked about the ups and downs of employee engagement scores over the past 13 months.

If you have any feedback for the MPL podcast or would like to connect, don't hesitate to reach out on LinkedIn:

Daniel Huerta and Stephen Huerta

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Adrienne Barnard, SVP People Operations & Experience at AdmitHub, joined us on The Modern People Leader.

We covered all things manager-related: the secret sauce to becoming a great manager, rookie mistakes to avoid, how to run effective 1x1s, and much more.

Timestamps: the secret sauce for becoming a great manager (9:12), the biggest rookie mistakes for new managers (13:42), people ops is important & companies are starting to take notice (25:36), why most 1x1s are ineffective (28:10), putting all managers through management training (32:34), having someone look after People Ops makes a big impact (37:50), leveraging engagement surveys to measure manager effectiveness (41:17), and using micro-learning opportunities to get quick wins with manger training (47:35).

If you have any feedback for the MPL podcast or would like to connect, don't hesitate to reach out on LinkedIn:

Daniel Huerta and Stephen Huerta

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Emma Brudner, Head of People at Reggora, joined us on The Modern People Leader.

We talked about what it has been like building out Reggora's people processes from scratch, going fully distributed, and what they’re measuring on their first-ever pulse survey.

Timestamps: how Emma made the jump from being a journalist to Head of People (3:52), prioritizing people processes being put into place (13:17), why she meets with every new hire (17:23), influencing without authority in HR (19:13), building the employee handbook & ensuring the policies are equitable (21:31), how going fully distributed is fueling headcount growth (28:03), how Reggora designed their first pulse survey (32:16), recruiting for industry-specific expertise ( 39:20), and the difference between radical candor and being a jerk (40:45).

If you have any feedback for the MPL podcast or would like to connect, don't hesitate to reach out on LinkedIn:

Daniel Huerta and Stephen Huerta

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Jaclyn Jussif, Director of Talent Acquisition at EnterpriseDB, joined us on The Modern People Leader.

We talked about hiring, onboarding, and how to create custom ramp plans for new hires.

Timestamps: biggest differences hiring internationally (12:29), using the WHO method for behavioral interviewing (16:22), calling out the elephant in the room (COVID) in interviews (22:04), front-loading information in the onboarding process (25:52), creating customized 30, 60, 90-day ramp plans (29:33), tying references to ramp plans (33:08), nudging people to connect (36:00), why the EMPLOYEE needs to drive the onboarding process (38:45), and the magnified imposter syndrome that people are feeling right now (42:56).

If you have any feedback for the MPL podcast or would like to connect, don't hesitate to reach out on LinkedIn:

Daniel Huerta and Stephen Huerta

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Gillian Godfrey, Chief People Officer at Storable, joined us on The Modern People Leader.

Gillian shared how Storable is creating Psychological Safety across the entire employee experience. We also dove into the recent work that they did with their Employee Value Proposition.

Timestamps: why Psychological Safety is front and center right now (12:31), how their leadership team is “wrapping their arms around their people” (14:46), the two new roles that Storable created to improve employee engagement (21:05), “making deposits to the trust bank” (25:37), how they’re creating psychological safety from candidate to “graduate” (28:15), now is your time in HR to step up as a leader (34:28), how Storable launched their new Employee Value Proposition (38:20), how they grew their LinkedIn page from 1,000 to 10,000 followers (45:00), and how Storable connected their EVP to a compelling story (50:37).

If you have any feedback for the MPL podcast or would like to connect, don't hesitate to reach out on LinkedIn:

Daniel Huerta and Stephen Huerta

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Sarah Salbu Young, Talent Experience Partner at Pegasystems, joined us on The Modern People Leader recently.

At Pegasystems, Sarah’s role is fully dedicated to building recognition programs for their 6,000 people worldwide.

We talked about “the lost art of saying thank you”, how companies can incorporate traditions and rituals to build a stronger culture, and lastly, she broke down the 3 core pillars of Recognition at Pega.

Timestamps: how Sarah made the jump from PR to the People function (2:49), Sarah's unique role & the 3 core pillars of recognition (9:39), the power of saying “thank you” (17:54), creating a culture of positivity (20:36), incorporating traditions and rituals to build a stronger culture (31:42), creating “water-cooler” like moments virtually (34:48), infusing humor into the workplace (37:09), creating unique “badge of honor” moments for big milestones that everyone can look forward to (40:11), peer-to-peer recognition and awards at Pega (43:54), and measuring the success of recognition programs (46:06).

If you have any feedback for the MPL podcast or would like to connect, don't hesitate to reach out on LinkedIn:

Daniel Huerta and Stephen Huerta

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Dena Upton, Chief People Officer at Drift, joined us on The Modern People Leader the other day. Drift is a hyper-growth startup (440 employees) that has been named to Deloitte's Fast 500 List, Forbes' AI 50 List, and Inc.'s of the Best Workplaces of 2020.

Dena shared the details around Drift's recent decision to go Digital First:

Defining Digital First, how it’s different than a hybrid approach, and why it’s a mindset shift (10:33), why the hybrid approach will start to deteriorate post-pandemic (13:38), doubling down on what’s working for your culture in a digital work environment (16:16), Monday Metrics and Friday Show & Tell (18:52), giving employees permission to make big life decisions and picking an edge (21:04), focusing on impact and outcomes over facetime (28:56), putting the finishing touches to their culture deck (30:24), the importance of storytelling and showing your work (34:39), the Drift leadership team’s commitment to their people agenda (37:01) relocation and market-based compensation (39:12), and the metrics that Dena is constantly looking at (46:00).

If you have any feedback for the MPL podcast or would like to connect, don't hesitate to reach out on LinkedIn:

Daniel Huerta and Stephen Huerta

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Our guest today was Lyndsay Lord, CHRO at Team Car Care, dba Jiffy Lube, the largest Jiffy Lube franchisee in the US.

For all of the HR practitioners that work in multi-unit businesses, this episode is for you! And for everyone else, listen to Lyndsay on why working in HR for a blue-collar company is so rewarding.

What we covered: focusing on their 5,000 teammates to deliver an amazing guest experience (7:32), how role clarity can drive high engagement (9:43), building a strong data foundation on the HR side (11:51), 2021 will be the year of anticipation with their analytics (12:13), managing data for a multi-unit business (13:58), laying out a clear career path for employees (16:32), identifying high-potential teammates to promote (20:34), working in HR for white-collar vs. blue-collar companies (21:39), listening to employees to make their experience better (29:29), trainings to develop inclusive leaders (36:20), International Women’s Day shoutouts (39:49), qualities of the great leaders she’s worked with (43:30), navigating motherhood while focusing on your career (45:00), and more.

If you have any feedback for the MPL podcast or would like to connect, don't hesitate to reach out on LinkedIn:

Daniel Huerta and Stephen Huerta

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Our guest today was Jennifer Paxton, VP of People + Talent at Privy.

We covered quite a bit: the craziest thing she's experienced in her career (0:49), why she loves her job (3:30), the monthly HR/Talent breakfast that she hosts (8:26), the employee preference for a quarterly performance review vs. the manager pushback for a less frequent cadence (13:48), how she built Privy's performance review process from scratch (18:16), how she built a competency bank & tailored competencies for different teams (19:49), the debate on whether or not to include self-assessments (31:24), how to enable managers to have professional growth conversations with their direct reports (37:21), and more.

If you have any feedback for the MPL podcast or would like to connect, don't hesitate to reach out on LinkedIn:

Daniel Huerta and Stephen Huerta

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Today we talked about the importance of anonymous feedback and the new “gray area” that has emerged: challenges companies are having taking action on employee feedback (1:32), skepticism from employees on survey anonymity (5:35), “confidential” surveys that aren’t truly anonymous (10:48), the argument for pseudo-anonymous feedback (12:56), what a world of fully-attributed surveys would look like (20:01), and how people might be able to one-day “opt-in” to attributed feedback channels (23:33).

If you have any feedback for the MPL podcast or would like to connect, don't hesitate to reach out on LinkedIn:

Daniel Huerta and Stephen Huerta

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Our guest today was Chris Walker, CEO of Refine Labs.

Chris has grown his business from 1 person to 20 in the past 16-18 months, and he plans on being at 100 by the end of 2022.

100% of their growth (on both the customer and people side) has come from the employer brand that they've been able to build on LinkedIn.

He gives a full breakdown of how they do it.

We then talk about how he vets 900+ candidates for roles (16:10), how they've built an army of employee advocates on social media (23:38), why they are a 100% remote-based company (40:17), and more.

If you have any feedback for the MPL podcast, don't hesitate to reach out on LinkedIn:

Daniel Huerta and Stephen Huerta

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Our guest today was Al Polizzi, Chief People Officer at VetCor.

We talk about her love for dogs (0:48), how she transitioned from an English professor to HR (3:27), how VetCor is finding ways for employees to connect (16:42), their virtual onboarding “buddy system” (20:51), how they implemented their first-ever virtual career fair (25:36), why companies should stop selling an inauthentic version of themselves to candidates (26:56), her definition of employee engagement (30:02), how they’re connecting employees to teach one another (36:05), the “Tech Life” Facebook group for Vet Techs at VetCor (39:33), creating change champions for mental wellness programs (42:40), and finding “reverse mentors” across your front-line workers.

If you have any feedback or suggestions on future topics/speakers, please reach out to us on LinkedIn:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/stephenhuerta/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/daniel-huerta-74661390/

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For our first expert session, we spoke with Gloria Chan Packer, the Principal Advisor at Recalibrate.

She shares her personal mental wellness journey (2:26), her thoughts on being in the midst of a mental health crisis (12:33), the obligation from organizations to support mental wellness in the workplace (18:25), what a modern mental wellness program looks like (35:23), why giant corporate subscriptions to Headspace might not be the answer (40:33), and how to measure the effectiveness of your wellness programs (42:37).

If you have any follow up questions for Gloria, here's a link to her LinkedIn:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/gloriachanpacker/

And if you have any feedback or suggestions on future topics/speakers, please reach out to us on LinkedIn:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/stephenhuerta/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/daniel-huerta-74661390/

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Today we discuss what a "quarterly pulse engagement survey" is and how much time in HR is being spent on manual work.

For more content, subscribe to The Modern People Leader on Spotify or Apple Podcasts.

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In this episode, we talk with Dilshan Ratnayake, EVP & Chief People Officer at Securonix.

This was a fun one. The topics covered range from:

How his daughter thinks of his job as “superhero” like,
Seeking his mom’s counsel when making career changes,
Meeting your organization where they’re at as a new CPO & not coming in and making immediate changes,
Discipline & execution beat bells and whistles any day in HR,
Why every HR practitioner should try a role in operations, and
His strong belief in Leadership Accelerator Programs

For more content, subscribe to The Modern People Leader on Spotify or Apple Podcasts.

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Today we discuss 3 hard truths in HR: 1) HR as a whole needs to collaborate better, 2) The underutilization of HR Tech, and 3) HR's inability to take advantage of the data that they have. For more content, subscribe to The Modern People Leader on Spotify or Apple Podcasts.

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In this episode, we talk with April Galda Joyce, Chief Culture Officer at Global Atlantic Financial Group.

We cover a lot: the role of the Chief Culture Officer, her non-traditional path into HR, career advice for women, how to create new opportunities for employees within your org, a complete breakdown of how she looks at diversity & inclusion, and more.

For more content, subscribe to The Modern People Leader on Spotify or Apple Podcasts.

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In this episode, we talk with Debbie Shotwell, Chief People Officer at Stack Overflow, about her career and her new role at Stack. We dive into what her agenda will look like in her first 90 days, prioritizing mental health and wellbeing during these difficult times, the importance of employer branding, the secret sauce for engaging employees, and much more.

For more content, subscribe to The Modern People Leader on Spotify or Apple Podcasts.

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In today’s episode, we discuss the biggest HR trends from 2020. Then, we jump into what we see coming in 2021.

For more content, subscribe to The Modern People Leader on Spotify or Apple Podcasts.

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Today, we talked about what having true BI capabilities with your employee engagement data looks like:

What does it even mean to have true business intelligence
How to create a common data model across your feedback channels
How to pick a set of critical numbers or KPIs
The promise of AI/ML in HR Tech
Real BI vs. sexy static reporting

For more content, subscribe to The Modern People Leader on Spotify or Apple Podcasts.

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Welcome to The Modern People Leader Podcast. Today we're leaning into our "Top of Mind" format, where we discuss topics that are relevant, timely, and probably on the minds of a lot of people out there in HR.

For our inaugural episode, we discussed the following: who should own action planning, what a modern employee feedback approach looks like, how to get to the crux of what your data is telling you, how to craft a narrative around your employee feedback, and how to communicate results out to both the leadership team and company-wide.

For more content, subscribe to The Modern People Leader on Spotify or Apple Podcasts.

The Modern People Leader: Recent Episodes

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