Talent Champions with Diana Thomas

We live in a low-trust age, but that shouldn't stop us from being the change the world needs. Trustworthiness and trustfulness are the foundations of a thriving work culture, and Stephen M. R. Covey has loads of practical advice for creating the environment that will enable organizations to thrive and win today and in the future.

Throughout his varied and fascinating career in learning, healthcare, and now human resources, Justin Lombardo has learned a lot about digging in and letting go. In this episode, he and Diana discuss ways to be a continuous learner, how to know when it's time to move on from your role or organization, and ideas for managing the needs of a stressed-out workforce while maintaining a strategic point of view.

Self-care is absolutely essential for everyone, and top leaders tend to be the most likely to let recovery time slip away in their demanding lives. Jack Groppel, author of The Corporate Athlete and professor at Judson University, explains why leaders set the tone for the whole culture by prioritizing their own needs. From co-founding the human performance institute at Johnson & Johnson to summitting Mt. Kilimanjaro with his 12-year-old son, Jack shares from his deep knowledge about how leaders can inspire their people by meeting their own needs first. To find links to resources mentioned in this episode, visit talent-champions.com.

Today’s employees have three top concerns: diversity and inclusion; flexible working; and career growth. The leaders that are setting themselves and their organizations up for success in the future are focused on creating the best work environments where people are safe bringing their whole selves to work, as well as supported in their physical and mental wellbeing. Patrick Cournoyer, Chief Evangelist at Peakon, shares lots of ideas that enable leaders to focus on the things that matter most to their employees.

There are many resources out there to help leaders grow and develop, but it turns out that most significant growth occurs through challenges. In this episode, executive leadership expert Kevin Wilde offers tools to help us recognize growth opportunities, reflect on what we learn, and be intentional about carrying new lessons forward. To access Kevin’s coachability assessment, visit our website, talent-champions.com.

Defining your purpose—that feeling of fire in your belly—is deeply connected with your overall health and wellness. In episode 45, we welcome back health and wellness coach Peggy Sealfon to discuss how to create a purpose, or vision statement, and hear about how to connect to your purpose every day. As she did in episode 21, Peggy shares a wealth of resources and tips to help all of us keep the most important things at the forefront of our lives.

In all the disruption of 2020, certain basic principles of strategic leadership have become even more critical to surviving and thriving. In episode #44, guest host Mary McNevin interviews Diana Thomas and Stacey Boyle about their 2018 book, Be More Strategic in Business: How to win through stronger leadership and better decisions. They discuss the gamut of issues facing leaders in the talent space today, including the importance of driving business results, how to connect with people remotely, investing in your own career, and what the next year will hold.

Fitting the practice of learning analytics into the overall business ecosystem has enabled financial services firm Edward Jones to meet learners at their points of need and use learning to move the needle on business metrics. Leaders Mary Francone and Tiffany Jarvis break down the agile methodology that has supported their entire learning strategy, using data to make in-the-moment decisions about what to do next. In this episode, we learn how the L&D team at Edward Jones is equipping its workforce for the future.

LinkedIn has gone from being a job-hunting platform to a multi-faceted social network for professionals, but many people still struggle with how to be use it to their advantage. In this episode, LinkedIn expert and career coach Bianca Jackson talks with Diana about the many ways LinkedIn can support your goals. Regardless of where you are in your career, if you’ve been waiting for the right opportunity to jump into LinkedIn, this is the episode for you.

As a leader, your primary responsibility is developing and equipping your people to do their jobs, anticipate problems, and create a better future. Learning how to let go of day-to-day control over workload is a significant, challenging process for many leaders. David Veech shares insights to help leaders empower their teams, stay connected, and pursue sustainable growth.

When the pace of change feels faster than ever, it’s critical to ensure that new initiatives are rolled out in a way that enables easy adoption. Finance leader Randip Singh talks with Diana about how people, technology, and process need to work together for short and long-term success.

Following your gut reaction worked well for our ancestors living on the savannah; unfortunately, it’s not well-adapted to modern life in a complex, global business environment. Dr. Gleb Tsipursky helps us understand how to overcome our cognitive biases, make better decisions, and brace ourselves for the changes the coronavirus pandemic will continue to bring our way. Access additional resources from Gleb by visiting talent-champions.com. Listeners, we have a quick favor to ask of you. Please visit our website to complete our listener survey. By taking a few minutes to share your needs and experiences, you’ll help us plan future episodes to serve your needs. Access the survey now at https://www.talent-champions.com/listener-survey

Talent and learning initiatives don’t have to be complex in order to make an impact on strategic goals. Talent and learning leader Roz Tsai shares how insights from neuroscience have led her to create experiences that drive authentic, sustainable change in leaders.

Just as companies value their products and services, you have skills and expertise that are valuable to your employer or clients. Bob Sherlock helps us understand how basic marketing principles apply to communicating our value as individuals when seeking new opportunities.

We all know how important it is to engage and motivate employees, and yet many of the efforts in this area have results that are short-lived. Dr. Trish Holliday talks with Diana about how to create an environment that’s inspiring, and she also shares lessons learned from her tenure as Chief Learning Officer for the State of Tennessee.

Whether you’ve been working remotely for years or have suddenly found yourself setting up a remote office, there are essential cultural foundations required to make it work. Frank Cottle has been in the business of supporting flexible workspaces for 30 years, and he shares the keys to leading a fruitful remote organization.

As Chief Talent Development Officer at Comcast, Martha Soehren’s career story is filled with fascinating decisions, risks, and not taking no for an answer. In this episode, she shares career advice and inspiration to help you establish and pursue your career dreams.

Asking questions and listening to the answers sounds like a straightforward process we engage in every day—but how often do both sides walk away with the information they needed from the interaction? Tim Genck shares practical strategies for asking questions that lead to better results, as well as ways to become an active listener.

While companies are chasing employee engagement, they’re missing a fundamental building block, evidenced by the growth in perks while retention figures drop. Jason Treu talks with Diana about simple and effective ways to build trust, resolve conflict, and create engaged teams that get results.

After a remarkable human resources career with private tech companies, Teresa Roche transitioned to the role of CHRO in the municipal government of the City of Fort Collins, Colorado. In this episode, she shares the similarities and differences she’s encountered moving from the private to public sector, as well as the mindset that has helped her to succeed across the board.

The relationship an employee has with his or her direct manager is one of the strongest predictors of retention. How can companies use this information in their efforts to retain top talent? How can leaders assess their own career opportunities and ensure they have great options in the future? Diana talks with Bev Kaye, author of Up is Not the Only Way: Rethinking career mobility, about the mistakes companies are making that are costing them their best people, as well as ways we can all take control of our career paths.

Projecting confidence is a timeless and critical success factor for leaders in just about any position. Your skills, abilities, and intelligence can all be diminished in the eyes of others if you don't show your ability to lead teams and projects, as well as handle challenging conversations and clients. In episode 29, Diana talks with Judy Braun, author of Show Up Confidently, about how talent champions can gain confidence and inspire it in others.

From executive recruiting and coaching to advocating for women and minorities to gain leadership roles, Janice Ellig has spent her career helping others craft their own success. In episode #28, Janice shares the big decisions and daily actions that can help you pursue your professional dreams.

Episode #27: Predicting retention and turnover with David Allen and Brooks Holtom by FranklinCovey

There are three types of relationships at play that influence the overall employee experience at any given company, and the overriding characteristic of those relationships is rooted in trust, respect, and fairness. As Chief Innovation Officer at Great Place to Work, Tony Bond has worked with some of the world's leading companies. In episode 26, he shares success factors, leadership pointers, and trends he's seen that will help talent champions build a winning culture in their own organizations.

Some leaders bring out the best in their teams; others accidentally diminish the efforts of the people around them. Diana talks with best-selling author Liz Wiseman about how to build a multipliers culture, what she learned from building and running a tech giant's corporate university, and how to find the best resources to support your leadership journey.

Whether you’re the interviewer or the candidate, the stakes are high in the recruiting process. Both sides stand to lose valuable time, money, and opportunities if a candidate turns out not to be the right fit for the role, yet even long interview processes only offer a snapshot of the opportunity. In episode 24 of the Talent Champions podcast, Diana talks with communication professor Arianne Gasser about ways to make job interviews more successful for all involved.

Bringing in a new leader to accomplish something that hasn’t been possible internally can lead to a major culture clash. In episode 23 of the Talent Champions podcast, Diana talks with Sonia Clark about how both sides can go into the hiring process with eyes wide open, ensuring the best possible fit and setting the new leader up for success. Sonia’s advice is equally valuable whether you’re interviewing for a new role or recruiting for a high-profile position.

Cultural agility is the ability to quickly, comfortably, and effectively work in different countries and collaborate successfully with people from different cultures. In episode 22 of the Talent Champions podcast, Diana talks with Paula Caligiuri about how developing cultural agility is a pressing need for leaders in all organizations—not only multinational corporations. Learn how to assess and build a culturally agile team.

Stress and anxiety are epidemic in many of our lives. Is it even possible to be productive, successful, and healthy in today's business world? In episode 21 of the Talent Champions podcast, Diana talks with Peggy Sealfon about large and small changes that can help you to feel less overwhelmed and more focused.

Feedback can be a double-edged sword: the giver usually intends to be helpful but often comes across downright crushing. On the other hand, many leaders are locked in a cycle of making the same mistakes over and over while struggling to get anyone to give them the honest feedback they need to improve. In this episode, Diana talks with Marshall Goldsmith’s own coach, Jim Moore, about how givers and receivers can turn feedback into the vital tool for growth it was always meant to be.

Teamwork is a competitive advantage for every organization, but many teams are actually a collection of high-performing individuals who are functioning independently. John Gillis and Kristine Lilly, authors of the new book Powerhouse: 13 Teamwork Tactics that Build Excellence and Unrivaled Success, show us how lessons in teamwork from the world-champion U.S. women’s soccer team can translate into the business world.

A powerful executive presence will make you more effective as a leader, and today’s guest says it doesn’t have to be an elusive trait. Learn how to take your executive presence to the next level with coach and author Val Williams.

Diversity and inclusion are critical factors for any talent champion who wants to succeed in today's world. Dennis Kennedy and Angeles Valenciano, Founder and CEO respectively of the National Diversity Council, talk about where we've been and how far we still have to go in order to create equality in the workplace.

Through the rise of software development methodologies, the agile way of working has transformed performance management, bringing the customer experience to the inside of the creation process. Dr. Anna Tavis, human capital thought leader and creator of human capital master’s programs at NYU, explains how agile has forever changed the way we work in HR and what talent champions can do to stay on top.

There's no one right path to guaranteed leadership success, particularly if the skills needed to lead and inspire don't come naturally. Scott Miller, author of the new book Management Mess to Leadership Success, talks about his journey as a leader and how to assess whether your aspiration to lead is the right fit for you.

A servant leader is genuinely interested in serving others—employees, customers, peers, and colleagues. Servant leaders set the purpose for the team and lead with their values. A compelling leadership story helps others to understand why they lead the way they do. Lisa Doyle, VP of Global Learning at Booz Allen Hamilton, shares her leadership story, along with some guidance for crafting your own story.

Whether you aspire to the c-suite, coach others to help them get there, or are looking to take your next step up the leadership ladder, you’ll learn lots from the ideas and practical advice shared by Cassandra Frangos. After working on the succession plan for one of the biggest CEOs in the tech world, Cassandra published Cracking the C-Suite Code: How successful leaders make it to the top to help others learn how to navigate into the executive level.

Attracting a diverse talent pool requires a strong brand that resonates with the variety of groups from which your organization recruits. Kristen Ribero, head of employer marketing at Handshake, shares ideas for building an employer brand, measuring your efforts, and improving the effectiveness of college and university recruiting.

Strategic communication is the practice of being intentional about how we communicate, who we communicate with, which channels we use, and when we communicate. Every point of communication ties back to an overarching vision and strategy. Arianne Gasser, adjunct communication professor at Villanova University and product manager at Energage, talks with Diana about how successful leaders communicate and why what you say is just as important as what you don’t say.

How you present yourself and communicate with your peers is critical to successful leadership and moving up in the ranks. But for many people, a powerful executive presence can be elusive as they struggle to understand what’s holding them back. Anna Wildermuth, Founder and CEO of Personal Images and an award-winning executive image consultant, talks with Diana about some of the most common struggles when it comes to looking and acting the part of an executive leader.

Training that truly serves the needs of today’s employees has evolved beyond the classroom and formalized instruction to point-of-need support. How do learning and development professionals keep up? Bob Mosher, Chief Learning Evangelist at Apply Synergies, talks about keeping up with the rate of change in organizations and creating a culture shift that gets people learning and performing at a much faster rate.

In a world of stiff competition for talent, companies are doing everything they can to create an environment that attracts the right people and keeps them on board. As SVP of HR, Learning, and Organizational Development at Vi Senior Living, Judy Whitcomb and her team have worked to build a culture that's a powerful force for attracting and retaining talent. Listen now to learn how they established the culture and what they're doing today to keep it strong.

Talent leaders are challenged to drive business results, and there’s no shortage of measurement tools purported to help you squeeze insights out of your data. Dr. Stacey Boyle, Chief People Planner at Smarter People Planning and Diana’s co-author on Be More Strategic in Business, talks about approaching analytics from the bigger picture view—why are you measuring? What do you want evaluation to help you accomplish?

Chief human resource officers are challenged to be strategic business partners by recruiting talent for open positions and filling the leadership pipeline for future needs—all while balancing the day-to-day HR needs of a growing workforce. Carol McBride, CHRO of Germania Insurance and author of HR, Where's your freaking sense of humor? talks with Diana about what her team is doing to meet business needs and how she stays relevant in a competitive field. Carol also offers important advice for aspiring CHROs.

We all have many demands on our time. How do you make sure you’re accomplishing the right things and using your allotted hours as efficiently as possible? Kory Kogon, author of The Five Choices: The Path to Extraordinary Productivity and a VP at Franklin Covey Co., shares tips, tricks, and prioritization methods for surviving in a fast-paced business world. View more content and download the resources that were mentioned in the episode at https://www.talent-champions.com/episode-5

Networking is a critical and underrated success factor for talent champions, which is why we’re devoting another episode to talking about how to build your own strategic and intentional network. Michael Dulworth, a professional networker and CEO at Executive Networks, addresses some of the biggest challenges people associate with networking.

Building a strong, active network is one of the biggest secrets to success for leaders in almost any field, but so many of us struggle to make and nurture authentic connections. Mary McNevin, a long-time successful talent leader and power networker, talks about how to create your own network of powerful connections who can help you when you need it most. Learn more at https://www.talent-champions.com/

Technology has radically changed the talent field, and that's not stopping any time soon. Casper Moerck, Head of Learning Technology for the Americas at Siemens, talks about what's on the horizon and gives practical ideas to help talent champions keep up this critical competency.

How can learning leaders stay on top of everything they need to succeed today and tomorrow? I discussed that question in depth with Sarah Kimmel, VP of Research for Human Capital Media, a division of MediaTec Publishing, which publishes Chief Learning Officer, Talent Economy, and Workforce magazines. Sarah was the lead researcher on an unprecedented report called "The Role of CLO: What's next?" Even our talent champions in HR without direct responsibilities for learning will want to hear Sarah's great insights.

Talent Champions is the best source of relevant and engaging discussion focused on the issues facing the world of HR and talent development. Join host and talent development veteran, Diana Thomas, on your commute, coffee break, down time, and gym time as she shares best practices, promotes new approaches and discusses important solutions available to HR and talent development professionals.