Thinking Inside the Box

In today's episode, I chat with Andrea Herron, Head of People at WebMD, an HR executive leader, published author of "There's an Elephant in Your Office," and host of the award-winning podcast The HR Scoop. Andrea was recently selected as one of Ragan's Top Women in Wellness and HR, an Agent of Change in American Healthcare Leader magazine, and a Top Leader in DEIB by Mogul. She lives in Portland, OR with her family and french bulldog Norman.Our conversation began, as many do, with a candid discussion regarding how life is different today than it was in 2020. When the conversation pivoted to mental health, I was eager to learn more.Prior to her role at WebMD, Andrea was the Vice President, Human Resources at the Oregon Humane Society. Clearly drawn to organizations making a bigger impact in society, I was curious where that inspiration came from. And how it has informed her professional practice. It was a really fun conversation. I learned a lot. And I hope you enjoy listening as much as we did recording it.Andrea HerronAndrea Herron is the Head of People at WebMD, an HR executive leader, published author of "There's an Elephant in Your Office," and host of the award-winning podcast The HR Scoop. She was recently selected as one of Ragan's Top Women in Wellness and HR, an Agent of Change in American Healthcare Leader magazine, and a Top Leader in DEIB by Mogul. She lives in Portland, OR with her family and french bulldog Norman.LinkedInWebsiteThinking Inside the BoxConstraints drive innovation. We tackle the most complex issues related to work & culture. And if you enjoy the work we're doing here, consider giving us a 5-star rating, leaving a comment & subscribing. It ensures you get updated whenever we release new content & really helps amplify our message.LinkedInWebsiteApple PodcastsGoogle PodcastsSpotifyStitcherPocket CastMatt BurnsMatt Burns is an award-winning executive, social entrepreneur and speaker. He believes in the power of community, simplicity & technology.LinkedInTwitter

In today's episode, I chat with Jess Weems Thibault, VP of Growth at HireEducation, a talent service firm that supports education and EdTech partners in the Early Childhood, K12, Higher Education, and Workforce sectors. A former-teacher-turned-marketer, Jess works with industry leaders to strategically grow executive, sales, marketing, and product teams in organizations of all sizes with the goal of providing equitable access to education and economic mobility. Jess spent over a decade working in various nonprofit settings, including as a middle-school science teacher. I was curious to learn how her unique background influenced her approach to mentoring in the tech and edtech spaces. How she sees technology shaping the future of learning.It was a really fun conversation. I learned a lot. And I hope you enjoy listening as much as we did recording it.Jess Weems ThibaultA former-teacher-turned-marketer, Jess Weems Thibault is the VP of Growth at HireEducation, a talent service firm that supports education and EdTech partners in the Early Childhood, K12, Higher Education, and Workforce sectors. She works with industry leaders to strategically grow executive, sales, marketing, and product teams in organizations of all sizes with the goal of providing equitable access to education and economic mobility. Jess spent over a decade working in various nonprofit settings, including as a middle-school science teacher. She has an MBA from the University of Wisconsin, an MEd in Secondary Science Education, and a BS in Resource Economics from the University of Massachusetts, Amherst.LinkedInWebsiteThinking Inside the BoxConstraints drive innovation. We tackle the most complex issues related to work & culture. And if you enjoy the work we're doing here, consider giving us a 5-star rating, leaving a comment & subscribing. It ensures you get updated whenever we release new content & really helps amplify our message.LinkedInWebsiteApple PodcastsGoogle PodcastsSpotifyStitcherPocket CastMatt BurnsMatt Burns is an award-winning executive, social entrepreneur and speaker. He believes in the power of community, simplicity & technology.LinkedInTwitter

In today's episode, I chat with Jim Stroud. With over a decade of experience in recruitment and sourcing, Jim has consulted for companies such as Microsoft, Google, Siemens, and a host of startup companies. During his tenure with Randstad Sourceright's Global Head of Sourcing and Recruiting Strategy, he alleviated the sourcing and recruiting headaches of clients worldwide. Jim has created and sold five online properties, managed an award-winning blog, published a weekly newsletter for jobseekers, a recruiter training magazine and co-hosted a popular technology podcast. Presently, Jim produces content and manages events for SourceCon, the original sourcing conference. That made him the perfect person to sit down with and chat talent. We began with what change in the talent profession (in the past 3 years) has surprised him most? What's the most common question he receives from talent leaders today? And with myriad creative projects, including an author of 5 HR related books, producer of the YouTube series - "The Jim Stroud Show," and producer of "The Jim Stroud Podcast" - what inspires him to create contenty after all this time?It was fun discussion as Jim that went a lot of places. And I hope you enjoy listening as much as we did recording it.Jim StroudWith over a decade of experience in recruitment and sourcing, Jim Stroud has consulted for companies such as Microsoft, Google, Siemens, and a host of startup companies. During his tenure with Randstad Sourceright, he alleviated the sourcing and recruiting headaches of Randstad clients worldwide as its Global Head of Sourcing and Recruiting Strategy. Presently, Jim produces content and manages events for SourceCon, the original sourcing conference. LinkedInWebsiteThinking Inside the BoxConstraints drive innovation. We tackle the most complex issues related to work & culture. And if you enjoy the work we're doing here, consider giving us a 5-star rating, leaving a comment & subscribing. It ensures you get updated whenever we release new content & really helps amplify our message.LinkedInWebsiteApple PodcastsGoogle PodcastsSpotifyStitcherPocket CastMatt BurnsMatt Burns is an award-winning executive, social entrepreneur and speaker. He believes in the power of community, simplicity & technology.LinkedInTwitter

In today's episode, I chat with Terrance Cooley, Chief People Officer and Executive Vice President of Special Projects for the United States Air Force "Joint All-Domain C2" R&D Center, steering the agency's strategic vision, people-first culture, digital security posture and advanced warfighter technology development. A champion of inclusivity, he shapes high-performance, cross-functional teams that model and inspire a workplace based on trust, curiosity, integrity and excellence. Which was a great place to begin our discussion. I had an opportunity to ask Terrance about his unique background, from his time as a Wireless Systems Specialist, architecting $73 million in wireless networks for Combat Search & Rescue teams and North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) allies, to his time as the VP of Cyber Risk & Compliance for the United States Air Force's largest Active Cyber Defense group, equipping 82 global vulnerability assessments and overseeing the certification of over 700 analysts. In his role today, Terrance is tasked with outfitting a highly-specialized force that operates in life and death scenarios with very real stakes. And how he thinks about the unique challenges and opportunities of implementing technological innovations alongside cultural change?It was the latest in what has now become a series of inspiring, enlightening, and engaging chats with Terrance. And I hope you enjoy listening as much as we did recording it.Terrance CooleyTerrance serves as the Chief People Officer and Executive Vice President of Special Projects for the United States Air Force "Joint All-Domain C2" R&D Center, steering the agency's strategic vision, people-first culture, digital security posture and advanced warfighter technology development. A champion of inclusivity, he shapes high-performance, cross-functional teams that model and inspire a workplace based on trust, curiosity, integrity and excellence. Terrance cut his teeth as a Wireless Systems Specialist, architecting $73 million in wireless networks for Combat Search & Rescue teams and North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) allies before moving into global IT program management and delivering the world's first 30-nation Federated Mission Network. He previously served as the VP of Cyber Risk & Compliance for the United States Air Force's largest Active Cyber Defense group, equipping 82 global vulnerability assessments and overseeing the certification of over 700 analysts. LinkedInThinking Inside the BoxConstraints drive innovation. We tackle the most complex issues related to work & culture. And if you enjoy the work we're doing here, consider giving us a 5-star rating, leaving a comment & subscribing. It ensures you get updated whenever we release new content & really helps amplify our message.LinkedInWebsiteApple PodcastsGoogle PodcastsSpotifyStitcherPocket CastMatt BurnsMatt Burns is an award-winning executive, social entrepreneur and speaker. He believes in the power of community, simplicity & technology.LinkedInTwitter

In today's episode, I chat with Verdell Walker, a seasoned consumer-oriented content and marketing professional and board director. Verdell is highly regarded by her peers as a thought leader and someone who fosters an inclusive environment, demonstrated by her effectiveness in leading and working collaboratively with teams. She serves on the board of directors of Scholastic, Inc, and has held roles at Spotify, Mattel, and Sesame Workshop - the makers of Sesame Street. With stints at such iconic brands, a good place for us to start was the tension between legacy and innovation. How did this factor into Verdell's thinking? We discussed her enduring legacy at Spotify; developing the brand's first slate of original kids & family podcasts and garnering nearly 400K listeners less than 5 months after launch! What did she learn taking that journey?And we closed discussing the future of content. In an era punctuated by AI, how will organic creativity shine through?Verdell WalkerVerdell Walker is a seasoned consumer-oriented Content and Marketing professional and board director. She has a proven track record of developing and executing innovative strategies that achieve bottom line growth and increase brand value. She is highly regarded by her peers as a thought leader and someone who fosters an inclusive environment, demonstrated by her effectiveness in leading and working collaboratively with teams. Walker serves on the board of directors of Scholastic, Inc, and has held roles at Spotify, Mattel, and Sesame Workshop. Walker received Bachelor of Arts degrees in Economics and Middle Eastern Studies from Trinity College and an MBA from Harvard Business School. She also holds the CERT Certificate in Cybersecurity Oversight from the Software Engineering Institute at Carnegie Mellon University. LinkedInWebsiteThinking Inside the BoxConstraints drive innovation. We tackle the most complex issues related to work & culture. And if you enjoy the work we're doing here, consider giving us a 5-star rating, leaving a comment & subscribing. It ensures you get updated whenever we release new content & really helps amplify our message.LinkedInWebsiteApple PodcastsGoogle PodcastsSpotifyStitcherPocket CastMatt BurnsMatt Burns is an award-winning executive, social entrepreneur and speaker. He believes in the power of community, simplicity & technology.LinkedInTwitter

In today's episode, I chat with Martyn Redstone, Conversational AI & Generative AI Consultant at PPLBOTS. With close to 20 years of recruitment industry experience, and nearly 7 dedicated to the exploration of automation and AI in recruitment, Martyn is a leading thinker at the intersection of talent and technology.He believes strongly in harnessing the power of artificial intelligence to create more efficient, equitable, and enjoyable recruitment processes. And our discussion followed a similar track. It began with the evolution of recruitment technology over the past two decades, highlighting the pivotal moments or technologies that have reshaped the industry. B Before long we shifted to the role of chatbots and conversational AI - addressing not only the practical uses cases, but also the behavioral psychology influences that ultimately inform the design, ensuring they are intuitive and engaging for users.Longtime listeners of this show know how passionate I am about how humans interact with and use technology. And Martyn was a perfect sparring partner.It was another in a line of memorable discussions. And I hope you enjoy this as much as we did recording it.Martyn RedstoneMartyn is a Conversational and Generative AI Ubergeek and all-around recruitment HR tech wizard with over 25 years of experience under his belt. He's spent the last six years diving deep into the world of Conversational AI in recruitment and HR and is the founder of PPBOTS, the the only AI consultancy that is dedicated to the world of Recruitment and HR. He's been at the forefront of shaping the industry conversation around the future of AI-powered communication and has the degrees and diplomas to prove it. With a background in Computer Science, Martyn is also a member of the UK-based Recruitment and Employment Confederation, but don't let that fool you—he's not your average corporate drone. When he's not busy talking to computers, Martyn loves meeting like-minded professionals who share his passions and interests."LinkedInTwitterThinking Inside the BoxConstraints drive innovation. We tackle the most complex issues related to work & culture. And if you enjoy the work we're doing here, consider giving us a 5-star rating, leaving a comment & subscribing. It ensures you get updated whenever we release new content & really helps amplify our message.LinkedInWebsiteApple PodcastsGoogle PodcastsSpotifyStitcherPocket CastMatt BurnsMatt Burns is an award-winning executive, social entrepreneur and speaker. He believes in the power of community, simplicity & technology.LinkedInTwitter

In today's episode, I chat with Lydia Di Francesco, CEO & Workplace Wellness Specialist at Fit + Healthy 365.  With over a decade of experience in the wellness industry, Lydia's insights into creating a harmonious, productive work environment are invaluable for organizations adjusting to new realities in a post-pandemic world. We discussed the significant shift in employee wellness programs since 2020. How organizations are now recognizing the critical need for holistic wellness strategies that go beyond physical health, encompassing mental and emotional wellbeing. This shift is not just a trend but a response to a growing understanding of the multifaceted nature of employee wellness.The positive impacts of effective wellness programs are clear. Lydia shared how organizations with robust wellness initiatives see notable improvements in employee productivity, engagement, and retention. This not only benefits the employees on a personal level but also enhances the overall performance and success of the organization.And as the recent recipient of the Businesswoman of the Year award in Ottawa, Lydia expressed how this recognition fuels her mission to advocate for workplace wellness. It's a testament to her impactful work and also serves as a platform to further promote the importance of wellness in the corporate world.It was another in a line of memorable discussions. And I hope you enjoy this as much as we did recording it.Lydia Di FrancescoLydia Di Francesco is a passionate advocate who has made it her mission to empower individuals to lead more fulfilling, harmonious lives. She is the CEO and Workplace Wellness Specialist at Fit + Healthy 365. Her business provides wellness workshops, leadership training for teams and organizations on how to build a culture of well-being, and the creation of strategic wellness plans and programs. Lydia has worked in the wellness industry for over 11 years. She holds a Bachelor of Social Sciences and an MBA from uOttawa and is a Certified Workplace Health and Performance Practitioner. Lydia is a regular TV guest expert and has been published in national and local newspapers and magazines. She was recently named Businesswoman of the Year.LinkedInWebsiteThinking Inside the BoxConstraints drive innovation. We tackle the most complex issues related to work & culture. And if you enjoy the work we're doing here, consider giving us a 5-star rating, leaving a comment & subscribing. It ensures you get updated whenever we release new content & really helps amplify our message.LinkedInWebsiteApple PodcastsGoogle PodcastsSpotifyStitcherPocket CastMatt BurnsMatt Burns is an award-winning executive, social entrepreneur and speaker. He believes in the power of community, simplicity & technology.LinkedInTwitter

In today's episode, I chat with Julius Probst, European Labor Economist at AppCast. A PhD graduate from Lund University in Economic History, Julius brings a unique perspective to the table, combining his knowledge of historical economic patterns with current macroeconomic trends.Julius starts by sharing his journey, from his early passion for macroeconomics and monetary economics during his bachelor's and master's studies, to his role at Appcast. The conversation then shifts to the heart of European labor economics. Julius provides an in-depth analysis of current trends, emphasizing how macroeconomic factors such as inflation, GDP growth, and policy decisions influence labor market dynamics. He highlights the importance of demographic variables, drawing connections between population trends and workforce changes, and how these elements are integrated into his economic analyses.Demographic trends make this an important discussion for those considering the future of organizational talent. What got us here simply won't get us there as our population rapidly ages. It was another in a line of memorable discussions. And I hope you enjoy this as much as we did recording it.Julius ProbstJulius Probst is the European labor economist at Appcast. Before that, he was working as economist and application specialist at Macrobond Financial. He did his M. Sc. in Economics with a specialization in macroeconomics and his PhD in Economic History at Lund University in Sweden. During the PhD, he also worked as a researcher for the European Central Bank for half a year.LinkedInTwitterThinking Inside the BoxConstraints drive innovation. We tackle the most complex issues related to work & culture. And if you enjoy the work we're doing here, consider giving us a 5-star rating, leaving a comment & subscribing. It ensures you get updated whenever we release new content & really helps amplify our message.LinkedInWebsiteApple PodcastsGoogle PodcastsSpotifyStitcherPocket CastMatt BurnsMatt Burns is an award-winning executive, social entrepreneur and speaker. He believes in the power of community, simplicity & technology.LinkedInTwitter

In today's episode, I chat with Tami Rosen, Chief People Officer at Pagaya to explore the ins and outs of HR transformation.  Tami formerly held leadership roles with Goldman Sachs, Apple, and Atlassian. And our discussion was a reunion, of sorts. Tami and I first met during the Global HR Summit in 20202, where she was kind (and brave) enough to join us as one of 60 speakers - in a virtual reality headset.  Our discussion started there, with a look back at the Global HR Summit, as Tami shared her lingering impressions from the event, alongside her insights on the potential of virtual reality technology in HR for large enterprises.  Tami passionately advocates for HR's role as a disruptive and innovative force, capable of not just supporting but actively driving organizational change. And so we took the opportunity to highlight Tami's introduction of the Continuous Learning Cycle (CLC) at Pagaya, a pioneering approach that replaces traditional 360 reviews, focusing on enhancing employee development and productivity.  It was another in a line of memorable discussions. And I hope you enjoy this as much as we did recording it. Tami RosenA recognized thought leader, influencer and senior executive in HR, Tami Rosen spent her career transforming the impact of Human Resources as a senior executive for some of the world's most recognized companies, including Goldman Sachs, Apple, Luminar Technologies, Atlassian, and, most recently, Pagaya, where she currently holds the title of Chief People Officer and leads a dynamic workforce of over 750+ across Israel and the United States. Tami's visionary perspective goes beyond viewing people as a company's most valuable asset; she sees HR as a disruptive technology and innovative force that drives business operations and capabilities beyond the imaginable. Her forward-thinking approach positions HR as a catalyst for transformative change, shaping the future of organizations. Embodying a leadership style steeped in inclusivity and innovation, Tami has pioneered groundbreaking initiatives focused on the advancement of underrepresented communities. She established Wall Street's inaugural, award-winning LGBTQ+ Ally Program at Goldman Sachs and designed the framework for Atlassian's 'TEAM Anywhere' program that has redefined remote work paradigms. Her contribution to Pagaya is cemented in the company's foundational value: 'Culture of Learning,' which centralizes learning and education in all aspects of the organization.LinkedIn Thinking Inside the BoxConstraints drive innovation. We tackle the most complex issues related to work & culture. And if you enjoy the work we're doing here, consider giving us a 5-star rating, leaving a comment & subscribing. It ensures you get updated whenever we release new content & really helps amplify our message. LinkedInWebsiteApple PodcastsGoogle PodcastsSpotifyStitcherPocket CastMattMatt Burns is an award-winning executive, social entrepreneur and speaker. He believes in the power of community, simplicity & technology. LinkedInTwitter

In today's episode, I chat with Enrique Rubio, HR, Tech and Future of Work expert, keynote speaker and founder of Hacking HR, a global learning community at the intersection of future of work, technology, business and organizations, with thousands of members of all over the world. Enrique is also the Head of Global Community at Transform. Enrique and I have been friends for many years now. We met in the days before the pandemic, and found easy alignment with our shared passion for making a difference.  In the years since, we've individually branched out while remaining connected through events, LinkedIn and the occasional video chat. This discussion, like many before it, addresses the future of work and HR's role in defining it. Though we also explored Enrique's origin story, including his time in the corporate world, and how HackingHR was formed.  It was another in a line of memorable discussions with a good friend. And I hope you enjoy this as much as we did recording it. Enrique RubioEnrique is an HR, Tech and Future of Work expert, keynote speaker and founder of Hacking HR, a global learning community at the intersection of future of work, technology, business and organizations, with thousands of members of all over the world, and also the Head of Global Community at Transform. Enrique is one of the top 100 HR global influencers. He was the founder and CEO at Management Consultants, a firmed specialized in Human Resources in Venezuela. Before Management Consultants, Enrique worked in the telecommunications sector as a Senior Project Engineer for Telefonica and several other companies in the early to mid-2000s. Enrique is a guest author in several blogs about innovation, management and human resources. Most recently Enrique worked as an advisor to the Chief Human Resources Officer at the Inter-American Development Bank.  Enrique currently leads Hacking HR, one of the fastest growing communities of HR leaders around the world. Enrique frequently speaks about topics ranging from DEIB, future of work, HR strategy, employee experience, among others, drawing on Hacking HR's research. Additionally, Enrique designs hundreds of learning programs for the Hacking HR community in the form of events and short-term programs.  Enrique is a Fulbright Scholar, and Electronic Engineer with an Executive Master's in Public Administration from Maxwell School at Syracuse University.  LinkedInWebsite Thinking Inside the BoxConstraints drive innovation. We tackle the most complex issues related to work & culture. And if you enjoy the work we're doing here, consider giving us a 5-star rating, leaving a comment & subscribing. It ensures you get updated whenever we release new content & really helps amplify our message. LinkedInWebsiteApple PodcastsGoogle PodcastsSpotifyStitcherPocket CastMattMatt Burns is an award-winning executive, social entrepreneur and speaker. He believes in the power of community, simplicity & technology. LinkedInTwitter 

In today's episode, I chat with Candace DiCresce, the Senior Director of Safety & Accessibility at Rogers Communications, where she leads a talented team that is driven by a passion for supporting employee safety and well-being.  Candace has over 25 years of experience in occupational health and safety, wellness and well-being, working in consulting with Deloitte, industry at MDS, and the public sector with the Toronto Transit Commission.  Her broad view afforded some incredible insights as we discussed her experiences at Rogers, where her team led the strategic integration of safety, disability management, mental health, wellness, accessibility and accommodation into a holistic function that protects and enriches employee physical and mental well-being.  The walls between work and life have crumbled down. And professionals like Candace ensure what remains is a workplace we all can be proud of. Candace DiCresceCandace DiCresce is the Senior Director of Safety & Accessibility at Rogers Communications, where she leads a talented team that is driven by a passion for supporting our employees' safety and well-being at work and throughout their lives, and for removing barriers.  Candace has over 25 years of experience in safety, well-being, environmental and sustainability problem-solving, working in consulting, industry, and the public sector including at Deloitte, MDS (a global life sciences company), and the Toronto Transit Commission.  At Rogers, she drove strategic integration of safety, disability management, mental health, wellness, accessibility and accommodation into a holistic function that protects and enriches employee physical and mental well-being. She is honoured to serve on the Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety's Council of Governors. In 2018, she was recognized as an Innovator in Workplace Mental Health by DiversityCan Magazine. Candace holds a B.A.Sc. in civil engineering from the University of Toronto, is a proud professional engineer, and is the grateful mother to two weird and wonderful teens. LinkedIn  Thinking Inside the BoxConstraints drive innovation. We tackle the most complex issues related to work & culture. And if you enjoy the work we're doing here, consider giving us a 5-star rating, leaving a comment & subscribing. It ensures you get updated whenever we release new content & really helps amplify our message.LinkedInWebsiteApple PodcastsGoogle PodcastsSpotifyStitcherPocket CastMattMatt Burns is an award-winning executive, social entrepreneur and speaker. He believes in the power of community, simplicity & technology.LinkedInTwitter

In today's episode, I chat with Cole Napper, the Vice President of People Analytics & Product Evangelist for Orgnostic, an innovative people analytics, generative AI, data orchestration, & employee listening platform.  Cole Napper is also the Co-Host of Directionally Correct, a People Analytics Podcast that leverages his 12+ years of rapidly escalating experience building HR centers of excellence from the ground up to scale — with an expert focus on People Analytics.  From analyst to business executive, to podcaster, Cole has looked at people analytics from a number of vantage points. And so it was a great opportunity to get his perspective on how far we've come and what we can expect from the likes of big data, machine learning and artificial intelligence.  And we had an opportunity to pick up a conversation - how we transform HR from cost center to profit center - in the latest installment of this theoretical exercise. Longtime listeners of the show know this is dangerous ground for me.  It was far-reaching conversation that covered a number of topics relevant to today's leaders. And I hope you enjoy our conversation as much as I did recording it.Cole NapperCole Napper is the Co-Host of Directionally Correct, A People Analytics Podcast with Cole & Scott and owner of Directionally Correct LLC. He is also the Vice President of People Analytics & Product Evangelist for Orgnostic, an innovative people analytics, generative AI, data orchestration, & employee listening platform.  Cole has 12+ years of rapidly escalating experience building HR centers of excellence from the ground up to scale — with an expert focus on People Analytics. He creates competitive advantage using People Analytics for companies big (Texas Instruments, Toyota, PepsiCo) & not-so-big (Orgnostic, Motive, Booster). LinkedInDirectionally Correct PodcastDirectionally Correct SubstackDirectionally Correct Spotify  Thinking Inside the BoxConstraints drive innovation. We tackle the most complex issues related to work & culture. And if you enjoy the work we're doing here, consider giving us a 5-star rating, leaving a comment & subscribing. It ensures you get updated whenever we release new content & really helps amplify our message.LinkedInWebsiteApple PodcastsGoogle PodcastsSpotifyStitcherPocket CastMattMatt Burns is an award-winning executive, social entrepreneur and speaker. He believes in the power of community, simplicity & technology. LinkedInTwitter

In today's episode, I chat with Susan Hanold, HR HCM Strategy Executive, Speaker and Board Director, Formerly Vice President, Strategic Advisory Services, encompassing the organization's talent, DEI and M&A practices for ADP, a Human Capital Management technology organization. Susa helped ADP establish their first Human Capital Management Consulting practice, working with executives at the likes of Chevron, Oracle, Cisco, Starbucks, Microsoft and Amazon on myriad transformational initiatives. And with her broad view of the market, we discussed the current state of the talent economy, and how organizations are responding to meet the challenge.We later transitioned to a discussion regarding HR technologies, referencing Susan's recent article in HR Professional Magazine: “Navigating a Crowded HR Technology Market”, sharing her tips on how to navigate the intricate HR Technology terrain.It was far-reaching conversation that covered a number of topics relevant to today's leaders. And I hope you enjoy our conversation as much as I did recording it. Susan Hanold Susan Hanold is one of the Top Women in HR Technology, Founder of Plan Z Solutions, and a renowned talent strategist!Susan made the leap from HCM Sales executive to Industry Thought Leader, and since 2004, Plan Z Solutions has been a trusted partner, providing invaluable technology and leadership development advice to clients in their HR strategy initiatives. Known as the Talent Doctor, Susan is an exceptional resource for anyone looking to enhance their teams and engagement strategies.Susan Hanold serves as Vice President for Strategic Advisory Services and is responsible for working with clients to provide strategy, consultation and practical talent management solutions to help drive organizational change. She is a successful change leader with global experience in both the design and implementation of talent initiatives.Susan Hanold has more than 20 years of results based leadership experience as an executive coach and organization development expert working with corporations to help them develop their talent strategy. She is a frequent speaker at industry conferences and events.Susan Hanold is a graduate of Texas Tech University and holds a Bachelor of Science in Education. She also holds a Master of Science degree and Doctor of Philosophy in Leadership Development with a minor in Industrial Engineering from Texas A&M University. Susan HanoldPlan Z Solutions Thinking Inside the BoxConstraints drive innovation. We tackle the most complex issues related to work & culture. And if you enjoy the work we're doing here, consider giving us a 5-star rating, leaving a comment & subscribing. It ensures you get updated whenever we release new content & really helps amplify our message.LinkedInWebsiteApple PodcastsGoogle PodcastsSpotifyStitcherPocket CastMatt BurnsMatt Burns is an award-winning executive, social entrepreneur and speaker. He believes in the power of community, simplicity & technology.LinkedInTwitter

In today's episode, I chat with Arthur Petropoulos, Founder & Managing Partner at Hill View Partners, a Providence-based investment firm that specializes in mergers & acquisitions, business sales/exits, and capital advisory services for middle-market and lower middle-market companies. Arthur founded Hill View Partners in 2016 after a successful tenure on Wall Street as an Investment Banker, Private Equity Investor, and Head of Mergers & Acquisitions and Corporate Development for a high growth Operating Company. The first half of this 2023 saw M&A activity in the U.S. experience a significant decline in dollar value, falling by 41 percent compared to the same period last year. However, the number of deals decreased by only five percent, according to a recent report from Korn Ferry. What are the common traps that many business owners fall into during the process of selling or exiting their businesses? How has the availability of artificial intelligence impacted his strategy?  How does he see this sector evolving over the next 5-10 years? Arthur was kind enough to stop by and let me pick his brain. I hope you enjoy our conversation as much as I did recording it.Arthur PetropoulosArthur Petropoulos founded Hill View Partners in 2016 after a successful tenure on Wall Street as an Investment Banker, Private Equity Investor, and Head of Mergers & Acquisitions and Corporate Development for a high growth Operating Company. Of note, Arthur served as the Co-Head of the Internal Private Equity group at Cantor Fitzgerald / BGC Partners, and was the Director of Corporate Development for a diversified Business Services Company. Arthur works hand in hand with all clients, and has led numerous successful transactions in our sole focus area of Selling/Exiting and Securing Capital/Financing for Privately Held Family, Entrepreneur, and Small Investment Group owned Businesses generating $400k to $4 Million of EBITDA spanning from Software to Diversified Business Services to Distribution/Manufacturing, and all industries in between.  Arthur is a Rhode Island native, having earned his undergraduate Business Degree from Providence College and his Juris Doctorate with a focus of Corporate Transactions and Finance from Roger Williams University School of Law.Thinking Inside the BoxConstraints drive innovation. We tackle the most complex issues related to work & culture. And if you enjoy the work we're doing here, consider giving us a 5-star rating, leaving a comment & subscribing. It ensures you get updated whenever we release new content & really helps amplify our message.LinkedInWebsiteApple PodcastsGoogle PodcastsSpotifyStitcherPocket CastMattMatt Burns is an award-winning executive, social entrepreneur and speaker. He believes in the power of community, simplicity & technology. LinkedInTwitter

In today's episode, we delve into the world of organizational culture with @Lorne Rubis. From the rinks of the @National Hockey League with the @LA Kings to the digital buzz of the dot-com era, to leading HR functions in financial services at @ATB and in education at @Norquest College, Lorne's professional story is one of developing leaders. He believes successful organizations are 'People First and Customer Obsessed'. He believes successful leaders are eternally curious. And in weighing the advice he wants to share most with the next generation of HR professionals, Lorne points to the importance of culture. We discussed why so many organizations get it wrong. And how we fix it. This was another memorable conversation and I hope you enjoy as much as I did recording it.Lorne RubisLorne Rubis has more than 40 years of culture, leadership and transformation experience in various C Suite roles at organizationsthroughout North America and Europe. He currently advises CEOs from start-ups to well established, large corporations in both the private and public sector. He also recently co-founded Belongify (www.belongify.com) to focus on the evolution from inclusion to belonging in organizations.Lorne held the positions of Chief Evangelist and Chief People Officer with ATB Financial and was instrumental in advancing ATB's culture, to where it became widely recognized as one of the top companies to work for in North America.Lorne has held executive positions driving culture and business transformation for a number of companies in the United States, including as an officer of a Fortune 50 company and as Vice President, Operations with the Los Angeles Kings. He has been the CEO of two privately held international companies, is a sought after thought leader, speaker, and cultural strategist.Lorne is a published author (The Character Triangle) and was awarded the 2018 Ivey School of Business/HRD Magazine Canadian Lifetime Achievement Award for his contributions to the Human Resource community and advancing the workplace in Canada. In 2020 the HRD Magazine included Lorne in their Global 100 list of top HR Leaders. Lorne holds a Bachelor of Education degree from the University of Alberta and a Master of Science in Industrial and Labour Relations from the University of Oregon. He teaches courses on Culture and HR strategy at the U of Alberta EMBA program and at Harvard's School of Extension. LinkedInWebsiteThinking Inside the BoxConstraints drive innovation. We tackle the most complex issues related to work & culture. And if you enjoy the work we're doing here, consider giving us a 5-star rating, leaving a comment & subscribing. It ensures you get updated whenever we release new content & really helps amplify our message.LinkedInWebsiteApple PodcastsGoogle PodcastsSpotifyStitcherPocket CastMatt BurnsMatt Burns is an award-winning executive, social entrepreneur and speaker. He believes in the power of community, simplicity & technology.LinkedInTwitter

In today's episode, I chat with Julia Pollak, Chief Economist at ZipRecruiter, a leading online employment marketplace. Her team uses data from the ZipRecruiter marketplace to measure the health of the US labor market, identify hiring trends, and helping employers and job seekers prepare for the future of work. Their research is frequently cited in leading media outlets, like the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, and NPR.In the simplest of terms, in North America there are more people leaving the workforce than joining it. Every day. The World Economic Forum's recent Future of Jobs 2023 report, predicts that between now and 2027, 44% of workers' core skills will be disrupted. Technology is moving faster than companies can design and scale up their training efforts. How does an economist see that in the simplest of terms? What advice would she have for employers and job seekers alike? How does the labor market see remote and hybrid work today?As we collectively navigate the future of work, Julia's unique perspective provides needed clarity when considering evidence-based strategic decisions. What got us here, won't get us there.This was another memorable conversation and I hope you enjoy as much as I did recording it.Julia PollakJulia Pollak is Chief Economist at ZipRecruiter, a leading online employment marketplace that uses AI-driven smart matching technology to connect millions of businesses and job seekers. She uses data from the ZipRecruiter marketplace to measure the health of the labor market, identify hiring trends, and help employers and job seekers prepare for the future of work. Her research is frequently cited in leading national outlets, like the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, and NPR.Prior to working at ZipRecruiter, Julia was an Assistant Policy Analyst at the RAND Corporation and an adjunct economics instructor at Pepperdine University.Julia holds a B.A. in economics from Harvard and an M.Phil. in policy analysis from Pardee RAND Graduate School. She is a drilling reservist in the U.S. Navy.Thinking Inside the BoxConstraints drive innovation. We tackle the most complex issues related to work & culture. And if you enjoy the work we're doing here, consider giving us a 5-star rating, leaving a comment & subscribing. It ensures you get updated whenever we release new content & really helps amplify our message.LinkedInWebsiteApple PodcastsGoogle PodcastsSpotifyStitcherPocket CastMatt BurnsMatt Burns is an award-winning executive, social entrepreneur and speaker. He believes in the power of community, simplicity & technology.LinkedInTwitter

In today's episode, I chat with Bobby Humes, an experienced executive and leadership coach with a wide range of expertise in human resource operations and organizational change strategy. Bobby previously served as chief HR officer for the City of Seattle, providing executive leadership consultation to executive cabinet members and their HR teams.Bobby's also a friend. We met during the early days of the pandemic. I messaged him out of the blue to pitch an idea for an HR virtual reality conference. A few months later we collaborated in the metaverse, and have stayed in touch ever since. Our conversation covered a lot of ground: from Bobby's background in the armed forces, and ultimately, the transition to public service leadership, to the importance of diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging initiatives. We closed with a stroll down memory lane, and our times spent together in VR headsets. It was great to reconnect with a friend. And I hope you enjoy our conversation as much as I did recording it.Bobby HumesBobby is an experienced executive and leadership coach with a wide range of expertise in human resource operations and organizational change strategy. He is known for his presence, discernment, and sense of humor when working with clients. He creates a supportive space to help them effectively plan, identify barriers, and leverage their values and strengths to optimize their superpowers. Bobby believes in his clients' resilience and capability to achieve their goals with focus, presence, and accountability.Bobby has led change management initiatives throughout his career to enhance HR policy and employee engagement at the enterprise level. Keenly skilled and experienced in developing and supporting dynamic leaders and teams, Bobby previously served as chief HR officer for the City of Seattle, providing executive leadership consultation to executive cabinet members and their HR teams.As a revered HR professional, Bobby is focused on diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI), organizational culture, labor and employee relations, and talent acquisition. He is a sought-after speaker on workplace culture and DEI topics and also serves on several community boards providing leadership for DEI strategies, policies, and programs.LinkedInThinking Inside the BoxConstraints drive innovation. We tackle the most complex issues related to work & culture. And if you enjoy the work we're doing here, consider giving us a 5-star rating, leaving a comment & subscribing. It ensures you get updated whenever we release new content & really helps amplify our message.LinkedInWebsiteApple PodcastsGoogle PodcastsSpotifyStitcherPocket CastMatt BurnsMatt Burns is an award-winning executive, social entrepreneur and speaker. He believes in the power of community, simplicity & technology.LinkedInTwitter

In today's episode, I chat with Dorie Clark, the Wall Street Journal bestselling author of The Long Game, Entrepreneurial You, Reinventing You, and the award-winning Stand Out, named the #1 Leadership Book of the Year by Inc. magazine.She's one of the Top 50 business thinkers in the world according to Thinkers50, was honored as the #1 Communication Coach in the world by the Marshall Goldsmith Leading Global Coaches Awards, and is one of the Top 5 Communication Professionals in the World, as graded by Global Gurus.Dorie has always left an impression. Born in Pinehurst, North Carolina, she left high school at age 14 to attend the Program for the Exceptionally Gifted at Mary Baldwin College (now University) in Staunton, Virginia. Going on to teach at a number of prestigious academic institutions, herself - Duke University, Columbia Business School, HEC Paris - Dorie has unique insights on the next generation of business leaders.  Her journey, experiences, and those of her students were the basis of a really fun discussion that covered education, leadership and the timeless lessons that inform success. This was a bucket-list conversation and, one I hope you enjoy as much as I did recording it.Dorie ClarkDorie Clark helps individuals and companies get their best ideas heard in a crowded, noisy world. She has been named one of the Top 50 business thinkers in the world by Thinkers50.She was honored as the #1 Communication Coach in the world by the Marshall Goldsmith Leading Global Coaches Awards, and one of the Top 5 Communication Professionals in the World by Global Gurus.She is a keynote speaker and teaches executive education for Columbia Business School. She is the Wall Street Journal bestselling author of The Long Game, Entrepreneurial You, Reinventing You, and Stand Out, which was named the #1 Leadership Book of the Year by Inc. magazine.Clark has been described by the New York Times as an “expert at self-reinvention and helping others make changes in their lives.” She is a frequent contributor to the Harvard Business Review, and you can download her free Long Game Strategic Thinking Self-Assessment TwitterLinkedInFacebookInstagramYouTubeThinking Inside the BoxConstraints drive innovation. We tackle the most complex issues related to work & culture. And if you enjoy the work we're doing here, consider giving us a 5-star rating, leaving a comment & subscribing. It ensures you get updated whenever we release new content & really helps amplify our message.LinkedInWebsiteApple PodcastsGoogle PodcastsSpotifyStitcherPocket CastMatt BurnsMatt Burns is an award-winning executive, social entrepreneur and speaker. He believes in the power of community, simplicity & technology.LinkedInTwitter

In today's episode, I chat with Katy George, McKinsey's chief people officer and a leader in the firm's Operations Practice. In her role, Katy is responsible for McKinsey's global people functions, including professional development and learning, recruiting, human resources, performance evaluation, and people analytics. She is also a member of the Shareholders Council, the firm's equivalent of the board of directors, and their 15-person global leadership team.In recent years, Katy has focused on advanced technology development, adoption and the workforce development necessary to capitalize on innovation. And that was the starting point for a wide-ranging discussion that covered, among other topics, labor economics, global workforce demographics, and the shift to skills. As organizations and their leaders reevaluate talent strategies that got them this far, Katy's unique vantage point advances a discussion that puts the employee at the centre and delivers outpaced growth for those who deploy it.This was another bucket-list conversation and I hope you enjoy as much as I did recording it.Katy GeorgeSince joining the firm, Katy has partnered with clients on their transformations, including operational performance improvement, operations strategy linked to business strategy, and operating model design.She has led programs around product launch, manufacturing network configuration and plant performance, end-to-end sourcing and supply chain optimization, and quality system effectiveness. Katy has also worked with companies on digitizing their sales and marketing approaches, as well as their operations, making technology platform decisions, and transforming organization structures.In recent years, Katy has focused on advanced technology development and adoption, and the workforce development required to capture the value from these new technologies. She coleads McKinsey's partnership with MxD, a 250-member consortium of leading government academic and corporate organizations. Her industry experience includes work in the pharmaceutical, medical-device, consumer-goods, and aerospace industries. All her work includes a focus on capability building to support sustained performance improvement.Prior to joining McKinsey, Katy worked as an associate analyst at an economic consulting firm. Her doctoral work focused on production system design and supply chain improvements in assembly industries. Katy works actively with Episcopal Relief & Development, an international relief and development agency.Social links:LinkedInThinking Inside the BoxConstraints drive innovation. We tackle the most complex issues related to work & culture. And if you enjoy the work we're doing here, consider giving us a 5-star rating, leaving a comment & subscribing. It ensures you get updated whenever we release new content & really helps amplify our message.LinkedInWebsiteApple PodcastsGoogle PodcastsSpotifyStitcherPocket CastMatt BurnsMatt Burns is an award-winning executive, social entrepreneur and speaker. He believes in the power of community, simplicity & technology.LinkedInTwitter

In today's episode, I chat with Kevin McDonald, Vice President, People Services & Insights for The E.W. Scripps Company.  Kevin has over 25 years of experience working with large and mid-market companies in HR operations, technology strategy, vendor governance, implementations, and merger & acquisition integration.In addition to his professional accomplishments, Kevin serves as the varsity assistant coach for the girls' basketball team at Fairfield High School and volunteers as a Show Choir “tech dad”.  He also serves on the Fatherhood Committee for the Talbert House and on the board of the Purple Monkey Project.His varied background was the basis of a really engaging discussion covering much ground. From the impacts of systems thinking and project management to HR digital transformation and the nuances of coaching business professionals and amateur athletes. We wrap, chatting about the future - for Kevin, his organization, and, more broadly, the HR profession. I hope you enjoy our conversation as much as I did recording it.Kevin McDonaldWith a primary focus on HR technology & service delivery, business process outsourcing governance, and business process transformation, Kevin has spent the last twenty years focused on maximizing the value of his company's technology and service provider relationships along with significant M&A work helping Scripps through three transformational events in his 16+ years with the company. Kevin spent the first 11 years of his career in multiple capacities at Fifth Third Bank.  He led the development of the Bank's first benefits open enrollment website in 1997 and was on the core team who implemented the Lawson HRIS. Primarily responsible for core HR, Benefits and Self Service, Kevin also played a key role as an SME for many other work streams.  Kevin has served as the Vice Chair of the HROA Board of Trustees from 2012-2013 and was a founding member of the ADP COS Client Advisory Board.  Kevin was also named an HRO Today HRO Practitioner Superstar in 2013, 2014, 2015, and 2016 and currently serves on various advisory boards with OneSource Virtual.  In his personal life, Kevin and his wife, Sandra, along with two daughters, Cameron (23) and Courtney (17) reside in Fairfield, OH.Social links:LinkedInScrippsPurple Monkey Project Thinking Inside the BoxConstraints drive innovation. We tackle the most complex issues related to work & culture. And if you enjoy the work we're doing here, consider giving us a 5-star rating, leaving a comment & subscribing. It ensures you get updated whenever we release new content & really helps amplify our message.LinkedInWebsiteApple PodcastsGoogle PodcastsSpotifyStitcherPocket CastMatt BurnsMatt Burns is an award-winning executive, social entrepreneur and speaker. He believes in the power of community, simplicity & technology.LinkedInTwitter

In today's episode, I chat with Michele Adams, Vice President of Walmart Claim Services in Bentonville, Arkansas. Before joining Walmart, Michele was the Vice President, Risk Management Services at Walt Disney World Resort in Orlando, Florida where she spent more than twenty years in the risk management organization. In 2017 Michele was inducted into the Florida Workers' Compensation Hall of Fame for her contributions to the betterment of the workers' compensation industry in Florida. And in 2019, she received the Summa Comp Laude award from Work Comp Central, recognized for the positive impact she has made to the national workers' compensation community.And that was the inspiration as we kicked off a wide-ranging discussion that covered transformational leadership, predictive analytics, and the importance of diverse teams. The term 'business transformation' is frequently used in today's corporate world. In your perspective, what does it truly mean and how have you implemented it in your roles?Predictive analytics is playing an increasingly significant role across various sectors. In your work, how do you utilize predictive analytics, and how integral is it to your strategies?What have your past experiences taught you about leadership, and specifically, building diverse teams?We addressed these and many other questions over what was a far-reaching and fascinating conversation and one which I hope you enjoy as much as I did recording it.Michele AdamsMichele Adams joined Walmart, Inc. in 2020 where she is the Vice President of Walmart Claims Services in Bentonville, Arkansas. She has experience leading dynamic and diverse teams managing all aspects of risk and casualty claims and Michele is a national speaker on a wide range of topics involving risk management and workers' compensation. Michele serves on the Board of Directors of the Workers' Compensation Research Institute; is the past-Chair and Executive Committee Member of the Medicare Advocacy and Recovery Coalition; serves on the Boards of the Florida and Arkansas Self Insured Guaranty Associations; and is a past member of the Executive Committee of the National Council of Self-Insureds. Michele is a native Floridian and when she is not working, is an avid reader and enjoys writing, watching college football, biking, traveling, and spending time with her family.Thinking Inside the BoxConstraints drive innovation. We tackle the most complex issues related to work & culture. And if you enjoy the work we're doing here, consider giving us a 5-star rating, leaving a comment & subscribing. It ensures you get updated whenever we release new content & really helps amplify our message.LinkedInWebsiteApple PodcastsGoogle PodcastsSpotifyStitcherPocket CastMatt BurnsMatt Burns is an award-winning executive, social entrepreneur and speaker. He believes in the power of community, simplicity & technology.LinkedInTwitter

In today's episode, I chat with Joeri Billast, a best-selling author on Amazon, renowned Web3 strategist, and host of the Web3 CMO Stories podcast. In his spare time, Joeri is a Leuven, Belgium-based Fractional CMO in B2B tech, leveraging his unique expertise to guide businesses in NFT and Metaverse marketing, driving substantial impacts in an emerging tech landscape.Navigating the world of Web3 can be complex, so we began with the basics. What is Web3 and what innovations are represented under this umbrella term? What are the common misconceptions of Web3 - both opportunities and risks for enterprise organizations - and how can leaders maximize its value?And we ended with a fun projection of Web3's future. Where is it going in the next 12-18 months? And how will it affect working professionals like us?I admittedly got to indulge my inner technologist here, and Joeri was kind enough to share his knowledge, insights and hopes for the future. It was a really engaging discussion, and I hope you enjoy our conversation, as much as I did recording it.Joeri BillastJoeri Billast is a renowned Web3 strategist, hosts the Web3 CMO Stories podcast and is a best-selling author on Amazon. Known for his W3X Marketing Mastermind and his work as a Fractional CMO in B2B tech, Joeri leverages his unique expertise to guide businesses in NFT and Metaverse marketing, driving substantial impacts in the emerging tech landscape.LinkedIn YouTube Instagram Facebook TikTok Twitter Web3 CMO Stories podcast Personal website/blogThinking Inside the BoxConstraints drive innovation. We tackle the most complex issues related to work & culture. And if you enjoy the work we're doing here, consider giving us a 5-star rating, leaving a comment & subscribing. It ensures you get updated whenever we release new content & really helps amplify our message.LinkedInWebsiteApple PodcastsGoogle PodcastsSpotifyStitcherPocket CastMatt BurnsMatt Burns is an award-winning executive, social entrepreneur and speaker. He believes in the power of community, simplicity & technology.LinkedInTwitter

In today's episode, I chat with Ariel Rubin, formerly a design lead for iconic brands such as IDEO and Apple. In total, Ariel spent 15 years as a creative professional working as a musician and photographer in addition to leading design. Today she lives with her family on Vancouver Island and is the owner/operator of Rockrose Farm, a demonstration garden, flower farm & artist centre.In over 150 episodes of this podcast, Ariel is the first guest we've had that I went to high school with. We talked about our individual and collective experiences during that formative time and, later on, Ariel's journey through a number of professional chapters.From Victoria, to Cambridge to Silicon Valley - experience design is a common thread - and so I asked Ariel to define it for us, and share how she still embeds it today in nearly every aspect of her life. It was a wonderful discussion; part journey down memory lane and part reflective session for two professionals at inflection points. An honest conversation that I hope you enjoy as much as I did recording it.Ariel RubinAriel Rubin spent 15 years as a creative professional working as a musician, photographer and design lead for companies like IDEO and Apple. She now lives with her family on Vancouver Island, and is the owner/operator of Rockrose Farm; a demonstration garden, flower farm & artist centre.Website Instagram LinkedIn High School Program Thinking Inside the BoxConstraints drive innovation. We tackle the most complex issues related to work & culture. And if you enjoy the work we're doing here, consider giving us a 5-star rating, leaving a comment & subscribing. It ensures you get updated whenever we release new content & really helps amplify our message.LinkedInWebsiteApple PodcastsGoogle PodcastsSpotifyStitcherPocket CastMatt BurnsMatt Burns is an award-winning executive, social entrepreneur and speaker. He believes in the power of community, simplicity & technology.LinkedInTwitter

In today's episode, I chat with Daniel Mangena, entrepreneur, author and executive producer based in Los Cabos, Mexico. After receiving a late diagnosis of Asperger's and experiencing what can only be described as life-shattering trauma at just 20, Daniel spent the next seven years struggling to keep these revelations and events from spilling into every area of his life. As a result of his struggles, Daniel built a simple, four-step system called the Beyond Intention Paradigm.Through his own struggles, Daniel found a path to lasting joy and purpose, and he wants nothing more than to share the tools that he feels saved his life. He's written multiple books and his “Do it With Dan” podcast series, published articles and worldwide workshops, have thousands around the globe. Together we explored the balance between spirituality and business, discussing how other professionals can find this balance. How Daniel's unique journey informed his perspective. And how he's helped others overcome heir own challenges. This was a deviation from our usual format. Much more personal, and I think, ultimately, more relatable. Beyond that, it was a really engaging discussion, and I hope you enjoy our conversation, as much as I did recording it.Daniel MangenaEarly in his career, Daniel noticed a recurring theme that held people back in life; thinking they didn't have enough money to do what they really wanted to do. Daniel's life experiences taught him this was actually the easiest thing to resolve. His mission became helping people figure this out so they could get on with the business of creating their dream lives.His hard-earned lessons came at the price of amassing great wealth at a very young age and losing it all twice. Yet these hardships became the experiences that would eventually take his life to an even higher level of abundance.Now, Daniel teaches others the information he learned and used to finally achieve sustainable wealth and a truly fulfilling, happy life. He has discovered there is a better and almost effortless way to live a rich life in every sense-not just financially.Daniel's unique philosophies and processes have completely transformed thousands of clients' financial lives while instilling the belief in them that money is an energy that we can all align to.Daniel is also a successful entrepreneur, podcast host, international speaker, and teaches several large group wealth and life mastery workshops every year.DreamwithDanLinkedInThinking Inside the BoxConstraints drive innovation. We tackle the most complex issues related to work & culture. And if you enjoy the work we're doing here, consider giving us a 5-star rating, leaving a comment & subscribing. It ensures you get updated whenever we release new content & really helps amplify our message.LinkedInWebsiteApple PodcastsGoogle PodcastsSpotifyStitcherPocket CastMatt BurnsMatt Burns is an award-winning executive, social entrepreneur and speaker. He believes in the power of community, simplicity & technology.LinkedInTwitter

In today's episode, I chat with Chris Taylor, the Founder of Actionable.co, an organization that helps facilitators, trainers, consultants and coaches scale their impact through measurable behavior change. That latter point has proven so elusive for talent leaders for as long as I can remember. Development programs are divisive: on one hand, you have strong advocates who cite transformational experiences at the individual, team and organizational level. And others question the true ROI. Talent leaders find themselves in the middle, and until recently, have been underequipped to have meaningful conversations. It was this line of discussion that I was keen to explore; memories of my own experiences still fresh in my mind from nearly 20 years in the corporate world. And Chris was kind enough to indulge my curiosities - from the importance of development as a tool for strategic alignment to the critical importance of knowledge transfer to ensure learners do realize benefit. It was a really fun discussion, and I hope you enjoy our conversation as much as I did recording it.Chris TaylorChris founded Actionable.co in 2008 for the express purpose of helping corporate learners apply what they learned; consistently and measurably.  Since then, Chris – and his team at Actionable – have supported the deployment of over 2000+ programs leveraging the Impact Certainty model for driving change.Chris is a regular speaker and writer on Learning Impact Measurement, Behavior Change and how to overcome the challenges of eLearning.LinkedIn (Chris) LinkedIn (Actionable) Twitter (Chris) Twitter (Actionable) WebsiteThinking Inside the BoxConstraints drive innovation. We tackle the most complex issues related to work & culture. And if you enjoy the work we're doing here, consider giving us a 5-star rating, leaving a comment & subscribing. It ensures you get updated whenever we release new content & really helps amplify our message.LinkedInWebsiteApple PodcastsGoogle PodcastsSpotifyStitcherPocket CastMatt BurnsMatt Burns is an award-winning executive, social entrepreneur and speaker. He believes in the power of community, simplicity & technology.LinkedInTwitter

In today's episode, I chat with Bob Goodwin, the Founder of Career Club, a unique service that uses proven sales and marketing methods to help clients land a career that matters to them.The inspiration for Career Club was born from Bob's experiences leading client engagements for global brands like Coca-Cola, Samsung, and P&G.  He saw the opportunity to bring marketing principles, coupled with sales disciplines, to conduct much more effective job search campaigns.  Bob is also the host of a popular podcast called Career Club Live.Our discussion explored the realities of outplacement strategies in an era highlighted by transformation. The traditional, formulaic approach borne from risk mitigation has been replaced by a more human approach, argues Bob. And throughout our conversation, we discussed how organizations and their leaders need to adapt. Change is inevitable. We can choose to treat people well when they're leaving the organization. It was a really fun discussion, and I hope you enjoy our conversation, as much as I did recording it.Bob GoodwinBob Goodwin is the Founder of Career Club, a unique service that uses proven sales and marketing methods to help clients land a career that matters to them.  The inspiration for Career Club was born from his experience leading the client engagements for global brands like Coca-Cola, Samsung, and P&G.  He saw the opportunity to bring marketing principles, coupled with sales disciplines, to conduct much more effective job search campaigns.  Most recently, Career Club has launched NextPlacement™, an innovation in the outplacement arena that provides mental health support, emotional intelligence coaching, and deep community to employees who have been affected by a layoff. Bob is also the host of a popular podcast called Career Club Live and is based in Cincinnati. LinkedInWebsiteCareer ClubThinking Inside the BoxConstraints drive innovation. We tackle the most complex issues related to work & culture. And if you enjoy the work we're doing here, consider giving us a 5-star rating, leaving a comment & subscribing. It ensures you get updated whenever we release new content & really helps amplify our message.LinkedInWebsiteApple PodcastsGoogle PodcastsSpotifyStitcherPocket CastMatt BurnsMatt Burns is an award-winning executive, social entrepreneur and speaker. He believes in the power of community, simplicity & technology.LinkedInTwitter

In today's episode, I chat with Sofian Lamali, the Executive Director, Organizational Development & Effectiveness at SABIC - a global chemicals leader headquartered in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. From making cars and planes more fuel-efficient, to helping conserve the world's water supply and enabling colorful smartphone cases, the organization is helping their customers achieve their ambitions and build a better tomorrow.A key driver of the organization's success is talent. And with over 33,000 employees operating in 50 countries worldwide, Sofian is tasked with helping SABIC translate their corporate strategy into talent & people strategies globally. An I/O Psychologist by trade, he applies evidence-based approaches to enable employee growth across the organization. And this was the basis of a really engaging conversation covering a number of topics, though with a specific emphasis on the Middle East region. Selfishly, I had a number of questions for Sofian, including:What are the unique organizational challenges facing the Middle East region?How has organizational psychology contributed to the broader diversification of the economy beyond resources?And how do cultural and structural complexities impact talent development and leadership practices within organizations?I set a goal in 2023 to connect with more diverse voices. And this discussion did not disappoint! From the region's unique demographics - 70% of the population is under 30 - to the rapidly-changing social conditions that are impacting every corner of Middle Eastern society, I came away with a deeper understanding of the region. Beyond that, it was a really fun discussion, and I hope you enjoy our conversation, as much as I did recording it.Sofian LamaliSofian is an emerging thought & practice leader in the field of leadership development, talent management, learning & culture. His focus is to support global organizations translate their corporate strategy into talent & people strategies.As an I/O Psychologist, he applies evidence-based approaches to enable people growth. Throughout his career, he assumed a variety of senior roles in global blue chip companies, where he established sustainable and  impactful talent development legacies.LinkedInWebsiteThinking Inside the BoxConstraints drive innovation. We tackle the most complex issues related to work & culture. And if you enjoy the work we're doing here, consider giving us a 5-star rating, leaving a comment & subscribing. It ensures you get updated whenever we release new content & really helps amplify our message.LinkedInWebsiteApple PodcastsGoogle PodcastsSpotifyStitcherPocket CastMatt BurnsMatt Burns is an award-winning executive, social entrepreneur and speaker. He believes in the power of community, simplicity & technology.LinkedInTwitter

In today's episode, I chat with Wanda Wallace, the NYC-based Managing Partner of Leadership Forum, an organization whose purpose is to change the world by changing the way we work. Wanda is also the host of the weekly radio show and podcast “Out of the Comfort Zone” and is the author of You Can't Know It All: Leading in the Age of Deep Expertise.Her professional background includes chapters as the Associate Dean of Executive Education and EVP of Corporate Education at Duke University, and so I was curious to hear her thoughts on the evolution of executive development. And this was the basis of a really engaging conversation covering a number of topics, including:How are career and leadership models evolving?What are 3 three core questions every leader must ask themselves to get outside of their comfort zone?Change is omnipresent and it's placing higher demands on leaders than ever before. It's discussions like this that give me hope.Beyond that, it was a really fun discussion, and I hope you enjoy our conversation, as much as I did recording it.Wanda WallaceDr. Wanda T. Wallace, managing partner of Leadership Forum, coaches, facilitates, and speaks on improving leadership through better conversations. She hosts the weekly radio show and podcast “Out of the Comfort Zone” and is the author of You Can't Know It All: Leading in the Age of Deep Expertise.LinkedInWebsiteYou Can't Know It AllOut of the Comfort ZoneThinking Inside the BoxConstraints drive innovation. We tackle the most complex issues related to work & culture. And if you enjoy the work we're doing here, consider giving us a 5-star rating, leaving a comment & subscribing. It ensures you get updated whenever we release new content & really helps amplify our message.LinkedInWebsiteApple PodcastsGoogle PodcastsSpotifyStitcherPocket CastMatt BurnsMatt Burns is an award-winning executive, social entrepreneur and speaker. He believes in the power of community, simplicity & technology.LinkedInTwitter

In today's episode, I chat with Klint Kendrick, Walmart's Senior Director, HR M&A and International Workforce Strategy. Over the past 15+ years, Klint has led key growth initiatives in diverse industries including manufacturing, aerospace and defense, media, retail and technology. Recognized as a global authority on people, culture and leadership issues regarding  Mergers & Acquisition (M&A) activities, Klint brings a unique perspective at a time when seemingly every other week there's a large organizational restructuring announced. From large-scale layoffs to corporate mergers, there's considerable disruption occurring in a post-pandemic global economy highlighted by demographic complexities, macroeconomic headwinds, and the shift to new ways of working. The fact is, one of the reasons mergers and acquisitions have a negative connotation is that a majority of them - I've read stats as high as 70% - end up failing, resulting in substantial value destruction. What are some common pitfalls or mistakes that organizations make during the M&A process? What lessons can businesses learn from these failures to improve their chances of success in future M&A endeavours?We covered these and so much more in what was a really fun discussion, and I hope you enjoy our conversation, as much as I did recording it.Klint KendrickKlint C. Kendrick, Ph.D., SPHR is a sought-after expert on issues of people, leadership, and culture in M&A. In addition to authoring the HR Practitioner's Guides to M&A Due Diligence and Cultural Integration, Klint has worked on more than 100 of public and private mergers, acquisitions, joint ventures, and divestitures, making him a respected authority in the field. His presentations on the human side of M&A have been heard by HR and Corporate Development leaders at high-profile events.LinkedInThe HR Practitioner's Guide to M&A Due DiligenceThe HR Practitioner's Guide to Cultural integration in M&A Thinking Inside the BoxConstraints drive innovation. We tackle the most complex issues related to work & culture. And if you enjoy the work we're doing here, consider giving us a 5-star rating, leaving a comment & subscribing. It ensures you get updated whenever we release new content & really helps amplify our message.LinkedInWebsiteApple PodcastsGoogle PodcastsSpotifyStitcherPocket CastMatt BurnsMatt Burns is an award-winning executive, social entrepreneur and speaker. He believes in the power of community, simplicity & technology.LinkedInTwitter

In today's episode, I chat with Thad Price, CEO of the Austin-based Talroo, a data-driven job and hiring event advertising platform that helps businesses reach the candidates they need to build their essential workforce. With more than 17 years of experience in online recruitment and the job search vertical, Thad is a recognized thought leader in the talent space. And together we covered a number of relevant topics, including:How can companies recession-proof their recruitment strategy?What can companies do to attract more candidates in a mismatched market?As a leader, when seeing a spike in turnover, what should you analyze first?Beyond that, we got to know more about what makes Thad tick. How he approaches his role as a leader to ensure the organization remains innovative, customer-focused, and resilient in such disruptive times. It was a really fun discussion, and I hope you enjoy our conversation, as much as I did recording it.Thad PriceThad Price is CEO at Austin-based Talroo, the data-driven job and hiring event advertising platform that helps businesses reach the candidates they need to build their essential workforce. He provides leadership, strategy, and guidance to all departments. With more than 17 years of experience in online recruitment and the job search vertical, Thad is a recognized thought leader in the HR/TA space. He genuinely believes that there is no industry that plays a more integral role in the economy.  Thad uses his cross-functional experience to turn client feedback into innovative products that help companies hire better. Under Thad's leadership, Talroo continues its mission of disruption in the industry. Prior to joining Talroo, he was a VP of Business Development at Job.com.LinkedInThinking Inside the BoxConstraints drive innovation. We tackle the most complex issues related to work & culture. And if you enjoy the work we're doing here, consider giving us a 5-star rating, leaving a comment & subscribing. It ensures you get updated whenever we release new content & really helps amplify our message.LinkedInWebsiteApple PodcastsGoogle PodcastsSpotifyStitcherPocket CastMatt BurnsMatt Burns is an award-winning executive, social entrepreneur and speaker. He believes in the power of community, simplicity & technology.LinkedInTwitter

In today's episode, I chat with Oscar Trimboli, author, host of the Apple award-winning podcast, Deep Listening, and a sought-after keynote speaker. Oscar is on a quest to create 100 million Deep Listeners. He's passionate about using the gift of listening to bring positive change in homes, workplaces, and cultures worldwide, and has interviewed over 100 of the most diverse workplace listeners, including air traffic controllers, deaf and foreign language interpreters, hostage negotiators, and spies as part of researching world-class listeners.In this noisy era punctuated by an infinite number of disruptions, we dove straight into the power of active listening, asking relevant questions such as:What's the difference between active listening and deep listening?What's the cost of not listening in the workplace?And if we're programmed to be distracted, what does the research sayabout becoming a better listener?This is one of those podcasts I'll return to again and again. Each time taking in a deeper layer, as Oscar sprinkles wisdom throughout. And it's a must-listen for anyone looking to improve leadership, management, and of course, listening skills. Above all, it was a really fun discussion, and I hope you enjoy our conversation, as much as I did recording it.Oscar TrimboliOscar Trimboli is on a quest to create 100 million Deep Listeners. He is an author, host of the Apple award-winning podcast Deep Listening and a sought-after keynote speaker. He is passionate about using the gift of listening to bring positive change in homes, workplaces, and cultures worldwide. He has interviewed over 100 of the most diverse workplace listeners, including Air traffic controllers, deaf and foreign language interpreters, hostage negotiators, and spies as part of researching world-class listeners.Over 14,000 people have contributed to his research about what gets in their way when it comes to listening Oscar is a marketing and technology industry veteran working for Microsoft, PeopleSoft, Polycom, and Vodafone. He consults to American Express, AstraZeneca, Google, HSBC, Montblanc, PwC, Salesforce, Sanofi, and Siemens. Oscar loves his afternoon walks with his wife, Jennie, and their dog Kilimanjaro. He will be playing Lego with one of his four grandchildren on the weekends.LinkedInWebsiteThinking Inside the BoxConstraints drive innovation. We tackle the most complex issues related to work & culture. And if you enjoy the work we're doing here, consider giving us a 5-star rating, leaving a comment & subscribing. It ensures you get updated whenever we release new content & really helps amplify our message.LinkedInInstagramTwitterWebsiteApple PodcastsGoogle PodcastsSpotifyStitcherPocket CastMatt BurnsMatt Burns is an award-winning executive, social entrepreneur and speaker. He believes in the power of community, simplicity & technology.LinkedInTwitter

In today's episode, I chat with Jenn T. Grace, an award-winning author, nationally recognized speaker, and publishing strategist. She's the founder of Publish Your Purpose, the acclaimed hybrid publishing company that gives first-time authors the secrets to getting their books written, finding an eager audience, and otherwise marking their place in the publishing world. Jenn leads ambitious authors through every aspect of writing, editing, and publishing. Whether it's a business guide that shows the breadth of their expertise, or an emotionally vulnerable memoir that takes readers deep into life's challenges, she helps authors articulate their purpose and fulfill their mission. Publish Your Purpose is a certified B Corp social enterprise that meets the gold standard of socially and environmentally-friendly business practices.Together we touched on a number of important topics, from helping first-time authors find their voice, to the best advice for gaining media recognition. We chatted about how Jenn, and more broadly, her organization, incorporates sustainability and ethical considerations into their publishing process. And how, in turn, they inspire authors to create a meaningful impact through their literary works.It was a really fun discussion, and I hope you enjoy our conversation, as much as I did recording it.Jenn T. GraceAn award-winning author, nationally recognized speaker, and savvy publishing strategist, Jenn T. Grace is the founder of Publish Your Purpose, the acclaimed hybrid publishing company that gives first-time authors the secrets to getting their books written, and finding an eager audience & marking their place in the publishing world. Publish Your Purpose is a certified B Corp social enterprise that meets the gold standard of socially and environmentally-friendly business practices.Jenn has published the books of over 100 business owners, entrepreneurs, speakers, and memoirists so more diverse stories can exist in the world and her authors can make a positive impact and achieve the recognition and success they deserve. She is the author of six books, including her memoir, House on Fire. Jenn has been featured in Forbes, The Huffington Post, The Wall Street Journal, and CNBC. LinkedInWebsiteThinking Inside the BoxConstraints drive innovation. We tackle the most complex issues related to work & culture. And if you enjoy the work we're doing here, consider giving us a 5-star rating, leaving a comment & subscribing. It ensures you get updated whenever we release new content & really helps amplify our message.LinkedInInstagramTwitterWebsiteApple PodcastsGoogle PodcastsSpotifyStitcherPocket CastMatt BurnsMatt Burns is an award-winning executive, social entrepreneur and speaker. He believes in the power of community, simplicity & technology.LinkedInTwitter

In today's episode, I chat with Aaron Mitchell, the visionary game-changer who sparked a wave of financial equity and inclusion when he drove an initiative to move $100m of Netflix's cash into Black-owned banks in 2020. The groundbreaking effort provided a platform for marginalized communities to thrive and drew nationwide attention, leading to features in The New York Times, CNBC, and Wired.I originally met Aaron in 2020. I was in the throes of planning the global HR summit, to this day - still the world's largest enterprise conference presented in virtual reality, and I wanted to have Aaron be a part of it. Unfortunately, schedules didnt line up, though we've remained in touch ever since, keeping tabs on each other's progress, until one day we'd get a chance to speak again. Today's that day and our discussion surpassed even my wildest expectations. Together we delved deep into Aaron's journey and motivations, his experiences at Netflix, and the genesis of his pivotal Black Banks initiative. We'll also explore our shared passion for Brazil, Aaron's tactics for "hacking" the system for racial equity, and his vision for the coming 12 months.It was a long time coming, worth every bit of the wait, and I hope you enjoy our conversation, as much as I did recording it.Aaron MitchellAaron Craig Mitchell is an LA based Entrepreneur, Advisor, Coach, and Change maker with nearly 20 years experience across various industries. He is currently the Co-founder and CEO of Pega Visão Salvador Club (PVSC), a Web3 entertainment company as well as CEO of Aaron Craig Mitchell Enterprises, LLC (ACME, LLC), a coaching and advisory business. He was recently the Director of HR for Netflix Animation, one of the largest and fastest growing animation studios in history and prior to that spent his career as a leader in Talent Acquisition across various industries, companies and geographies. An experienced business leader with a demonstrated history of executing change, Aaron has become globally recognized for his historic work pioneering Netflix's 2% Cash Holdings Pledge of $100 Million into Black Owned Banks. LinkedInWebsiteThinking Inside the BoxConstraints drive innovation. We tackle the most complex issues related to work & culture. And if you enjoy the work we're doing here, consider giving us a 5-star rating, leaving a comment & subscribing. It ensures you get updated whenever we release new content & really helps amplify our message.LinkedInInstagramTwitterWebsiteApple PodcastsGoogle PodcastsSpotifyStitcherPocket CastMatt BurnsMatt Burns is an award-winning executive, social entrepreneur and speaker. He believes in the power of community, simplicity & technology.LinkedInTwitter

In today's episode, I chat with Wolfgang Bremer, an accomplished German-Canadian design expert with a unique blend of design and product knowledge garnered over 20+ years' experience working with the likes of Nokia and SAP, along with numerous highly funded startups, leading global design teams creating products used by industry giants such Google, Coca-Cola and Porsche.Today, as the Vice President of Design at Elli, a brand under the prestigious Volkswagen Group, he continues to shape the world of design with his creative problem-solving skills and meticulous attention to detail.Our discussion begins with an exploration into the origins of Wolfgang's fascination with design and product development, continues with his journey working for and with Fortune 500 companies, and delves into his most memorable projects. Along the way, he shares his unique approach to consumer software design, his guiding principles for leading design teams, and how an entrepreneurial mindset has influenced his work.It was a really fun discussion, and I hope you enjoy our conversation, as much as I did recording it.Wolfgang BremerWolfgang Bremer is a German Canadian award-winning design veteran with 20+ years of experience. He has managed global design teams and worked on products used by tens of millions of users in 190+ countries. Wolfgang likes building products and simplifying people's lives. He currently serves as the Vice President & Head of Design at Elli – A Brand of the Volkswagen Group.LinkedInWebsiteThinking Inside the BoxConstraints drive innovation. We tackle the most complex issues related to work & culture. And if you enjoy the work we're doing here, consider giving us a 5-star rating, leaving a comment & subscribing. It ensures you get updated whenever we release new content & really helps amplify our message.LinkedInInstagramTwitterWebsiteApple PodcastsGoogle PodcastsSpotifyStitcherPocket CastMatt BurnsMatt Burns is an award-winning executive, social entrepreneur and speaker. He believes in the power of community, simplicity & technology.LinkedInTwitter

In today's episode, I chat with Josh Millet, the founder & CEO of Criteria, a Los Angeles-based venture-backed talent success company that helps organizations make more objective, evidence-based talent decisions that both reduce bias and drive outcomes. With over 20 million assessments administered globally, the company has helped organizations make objective, data-driven hiring decisions that lead to better business outcomes with its scientifically validated assessments across multiple dimensions including aptitude, personality and skills. Josh is uniquely-positioned to answer some really tough questions, notably: what are some the biggest challenges facing HR and talent acquisition professionals today? How can they be addressed?  And how has Criteria helped organizations increase their hiring success rates by an average of 52%, reduce turnover by 48%, and generate 25% more revenue?No, really. They're impressive results and I wanted to tap into what makes a professional like Josh tick. He shared some of the most common mistakes that organizations make when it comes to talent acquisition. Why, for years, organizations have struggled to make objective, evidence-based talent decisions. And how does he see the role of technology evolving in the hiring process.It was a really fun discussion, and I hope you enjoy our conversation, as much as I did recording it.Josh MilletJosh Millet is the founder + CEO of Criteria, a venture-backed talent success company that helps organizations make more objective, evidence-based talent decisions that both reduce bias and drive outcomes. With over 20 million assessments administered globally, the company has helped organizations make objective, data-driven hiring decisions that lead to better business outcomes with its scientifically validated assessments across multiple dimensions including aptitude, personality and skills. On average, Criteria has helped organizations increase their hiring success rates by an average of 52%, reduce turnover by 48%, and generate 25% more revenue. Prior to launching Criteria, Josh co-founded an online test preparation company, Number2.com, which was acquired by Xap Corp in 2002. LinkedInWebsiteThinking Inside the BoxConstraints drive innovation. We tackle the most complex issues related to work & culture. And if you enjoy the work we're doing here, consider giving us a 5-star rating, leaving a comment & subscribing. It ensures you get updated whenever we release new content & really helps amplify our message.LinkedInInstagramTwitterWebsiteApple PodcastsGoogle PodcastsSpotifyStitcherPocket CastMatt BurnsMatt Burns is an award-winning executive, social entrepreneur and speaker. He believes in the power of community, simplicity & technology.LinkedInTwitter

In today's episode, I chat with Catherine Gordon, the Director People & Culture at Canuck Place Children's Hospice, a Vancouver-based organization that supports patients from British Columbia and the Yukon, on Canada's west coast, many of whom live with life-threatening illnesses.In addition to inpatient and outpatient care, Canuck Place operates 13 patient beds and 8 family suites through two hospices, alongside services that include medical respite and family support, pain and symptom management, 24-hour virtual care, music and recreation therapy, education and art, grief, loss, and bereavement counselling, as well as end-of-life care.It's an organization built on a foundation of caring, one that perfectly suits Catherine. Originally, from Northern Ireland, Catherine worked in London, UK for eight years before immigrating to Vancouver, BC, Canada in 2005.  And in her most-recent role at Canuck Place, she's drawn upon years of experience in the recruitment, legal, technology, regulatory, environmental, healthcare and non-profit sectors.  I originally met Catherine through GROW, an HR mastermind I co-developed with Enrique Rubio at HackingHR. Catherine quickly differentiated herself as a senior leader who led from the heart, and navigating 2020 and 2021 with her as part of our inaugural cohort, was a real privilege. This was the jumping off point for our discussion. Though we also spoke at length about the great work happening at Canuck Place. I was curious how her team supported the professionals tasked, in turn, with supporting some of the province's most-vulnerable children. How they navigated the pandemic in a healthcare setting, and what adaptations they've been able to bring forward as best-practices.It was a really fun discussion, and I hope you enjoy our conversation, as much as I did recording it.Catherine GordonOriginally, from Northern Ireland, Catherine worked in London, UK for eight years before immigrating to Vancouver, BC, Canada in 2005.  She has experience in the recruitment, legal, technology, regulatory, environmental, healthcare and non-profit sectors, the latter being her passion.  Since 2018, she has been the Director, People and Culture at internationally recognized Canuck Place Children's Hospice; she supports all aspects of HR for 200 staff across BC.  LinkedInWebsiteThinking Inside the BoxConstraints drive innovation. We tackle the most complex issues related to work & culture. And if you enjoy the work we're doing here, consider giving us a 5-star rating, leaving a comment & subscribing. It ensures you get updated whenever we release new content & really helps amplify our message.LinkedInInstagramTwitterWebsiteApple PodcastsGoogle PodcastsSpotifyStitcherPocket CastMatt BurnsMatt Burns is an award-winning executive, social entrepreneur and speaker. He believes in the power of community, simplicity & technology.LinkedInTwitter

In today's episode, I chat with Andrew Bartlow, CHRO, Author, Advisor, Investor, Founder, and Executive Coach for HR Leaders. Andrew has over 25 years' of Human Resources and Talent Management experience at organizations across a wide spectrum of sizes, maturity stages, and industries.He's also the co-author of “Scaling for Success: People Priorities for High Growth Organizations,” has a master's degree from the top program in his field, and has been CECP, SPHR, Six Sigma, and executive coaching certified.Andrew leads Series B Consulting, which helps businesses to articulate their people strategy and accelerate their growth, while navigating rapid change. He also founded the People Leader Accelerator, which is the preeminent development program for startup HR leaders.His experience was a great starting point for our discussion regarding the challenges of today's HR leader. Andrew and I share many views, including that it's never been more difficult to lead the corporate tasked with supporting an organization's most precious resource - its people. Sandwiched between an economic crisis, still wounded from a global pandemic that raised expectations, and placed an incredible amount of pressure on a function that's historically been underfunded, HR leaders have a nearly-impossible task. Andrew's responded to the challenge by sharing his knowledge and has launched a series of programs aimed at closing the kill gap among the next generation of HR leaders. Together we discussed what he's learned on this journey, how he's evolved as a leader, and how those lessons translate to support founder-led tech organizations. It was a really fun discussion, and I hope you enjoy our conversation, as much as I did recording it.Andrew BartlowAndrew Bartlow  is the co-author of “Scaling for Success: People Priorities for High Growth Organizations,” has a master's degree from the top program in his field, and has been CECP, SPHR, Six Sigma, and executive coaching certified.Andrew leads Series B Consulting, which helps businesses to articulate their people strategy and accelerate their growth, while navigating rapid change. He also founded the People Leader Accelerator, which is the preeminent development program for startup HR leaders.LinkedInWebsiteThinking Inside the BoxConstraints drive innovation. We tackle the most complex issues related to work & culture. And if you enjoy the work we're doing here, consider giving us a 5-star rating, leaving a comment & subscribing. It ensures you get updated whenever we release new content & really helps amplify our message.LinkedInInstagramTwitterWebsiteApple PodcastsGoogle PodcastsSpotifyStitcherPocket CastMatt BurnsMatt Burns is an award-winning executive, social entrepreneur and speaker. He believes in the power of community, simplicity & technology.LinkedInTwitter

In today's episode, I chat with Nida Leard, a former Fortune 500 executive, serial entrepreneur, and self-identity reinvention coach with more than two decades of experience in business, psychology, and personal development. Nida is the founder of Nida Leard Consulting and Coaching, where she advises world-class experts to become legendary market outliers. She's also the author of the ‘One to Millions Entrepreneur', host of the Nida Leard Podcast show, and a regular contributor to Forbes, Entrepreneur, and Brainz Magazine and has been featured on Business Insider, ABC, CNBC, USA Today, and other media.We began our discussion by learning more about Nida's story, how she transitioned from corporate executive to entrepreneur, and what lessons she learned along the way. Our conversation quickly pivoted to the topic of mental resilience, something both Nida and I have a lot of experience with both personally, and in helping our clients navigate the inevitable ebbs and flows of change. We discussed how leaders can build mental resilience, defined the point of divergence for your most-talented team members, and how working with truly-gifted people needs to be treated differently. It was a really engaging discussion, and I hope you enjoy our conversation, as much as I did recording it.Nida LeardNida is a serial entrepreneur, top-tier business consultant, self-identity reinvention coach, and former Fortune 500 executive with more than two decades of experience in business, psychology, and personal development. Nida is the founder of Nida Leard Consulting and Coaching, where she advises world-class experts to become legendary market outliers. She works with highly exceptional coaches, consultants, and experts who want to build a truly innovative business that stands out from the rest with a one-of-a-kind solution and market position.Nida is the author of the One to Millions Entrepreneur and host of the Nida Leard Podcast show. Her education background is in Business and Psychology. She is a regular contributor to Forbes, Entrepreneur, and Brainz Magazine and has been featured on Business Insider, Fox, ABC, CNBC, USA Today, and other media. LinkedInWebsiteThinking Inside the BoxConstraints drive innovation. We tackle the most complex issues related to work & culture. And if you enjoy the work we're doing here, consider giving us a 5-star rating, leaving a comment & subscribing. It ensures you get updated whenever we release new content & really helps amplify our message.LinkedInInstagramTwitterWebsiteApple PodcastsGoogle PodcastsSpotifyStitcherPocket CastMatt BurnsMatt Burns is an award-winning executive, social entrepreneur and speaker. He believes in the power of community, simplicity & technology.LinkedInTwitter

In today's episode, I chat with Rob Whalen, sales operation executive, entrepreneur, and the CEO / Co-Founder of PTO Exchange, a benefits platform that turns unused paid time off (PTO) hours into liquid assets that can be converted into things employees value – retirement accounts, student loan repayment, travel awards, and charitable causes.The organization's innovative approach to employee compensation and wellness has been featured in the likes of Bloomberg News, The Washington Post, Fox Business News, and GeekWire.With over 17 years' of experience selling software through partner and channel operations, Rob is a master when it comes to strategically analyzing problems,  increasing customer acquisition, and creating products that deliver a competitive advantage. The focus of our discussion was his work at PTO Exchange, where while building the company with his co-founder, Todd Lucas, they happened upon an opportunity to leverage previously under-utilized employee benefits. They discovered that by enabling this capability and accountability, organizations could create equity and inclusion for workers, and allow them to direct earned benefits to the causes that mattered most to them. Truly ahead of its time, the organization embraces employee empowerment wholly, and their thinking is very much with the trend. Employees are increasingly demanding financial agency, and whether its innovations like daily pay, or the option to leverage underutilized benefits, organizations are rising to the challenge with the help of leaders like Rob. I know I learned a lot in our brief time together, and I hope you enjoy our conversation, as much as I did recording it.Rob WhalenRob Whalen is the Co-Founder and CEO of PTO, Inc. where he started the company with Todd Lucas from his house in Woodinville. He is a serial entrepreneur with a BA in accounting from Seattle University and over 25 years selling and developing software and hardware products. PTO Exchange was selected a “Cool Vendor of the year” by Gartner in 2017 and was one of this years “Awesome New Technology's” at the Health and Benefits Leadership conference 2018.  His vision of the company is to address the workers of tomorrow with flexible, portable benefits.LinkedInWebsiteThinking Inside the BoxConstraints drive innovation. We tackle the most complex issues related to work & culture. And if you enjoy the work we're doing here, consider giving us a 5-star rating, leaving a comment & subscribing. It ensures you get updated whenever we release new content & really helps amplify our message.LinkedInInstagramTwitterWebsiteApple PodcastsGoogle PodcastsSpotifyStitcherPocket CastMatt BurnsMatt Burns is an award-winning executive, social entrepreneur and speaker. He believes in the power of community, simplicity & technology.LinkedInTwitter

In today's episode, I chat with Carice Anderson, a global learning and organizational development leader, facilitator and published author with several years of experience in developing human capital strategies and programs across a broad range of industry sectors. Her expertise includes talent strategy, leadership development, talent management, change management, executive coaching, DEI and facilitation to meet business objectives, deliver impact and engage employees at all levels.Her book: Intelligence Isn't Enough: A Black Professional's Guide to Thriving in the Workplace, recounts the frustrations she felt as a young Black woman beginning her career. And in this book, she empowers young Black professionals by equipping them with advice and little-known principles of career success from her experiences and interviews with thirty successful Black leaders.Carice is passionate about mastering the balance between working on your career and working in it, and it informed our wide-ranging conversation. We discussed the importance for organizations to meet Black professionals where they are, not where they think they are or should be. We discussed the tips and tools Black professionals can leverage to strategically chart their career paths and advance in the workplace for lifelong success. It was a candid conversation that opened my eyes and left me with a greater appreciation for the challenges facing Black professionals. I hope you enjoy our conversation, as much as I did recording it.Carice AndersonCarice is the author of Intelligence Isn't Enough: A Black Professional's Guide to Thriving in the Workplace which was published in October 2022 with Berrett-Koehler Publishers. Carice wants to empower professionals to take ownership of their careers by helping them understand themselves, others and their environments better so that they can ultimately have more impact and fun at work. In her book, Carice shares her career insights as well as lessons learned from 30 successful Black leaders that she interviewed for the book. She has presented insights from her book to companies such as Google, Bain & Company, JPMorgan Chase, Accenture, Bloomberg and Biogen, just to name a few. Carice has an MBA from Harvard Business School and she has worked for top companies such as McKinsey & Company, Deloitte and Korn Ferry.  LinkedInWebsiteThinking Inside the BoxConstraints drive innovation. We tackle the most complex issues related to work & culture. And if you enjoy the work we're doing here, consider giving us a 5-star rating, leaving a comment & subscribing. It ensures you get updated whenever we release new content & really helps amplify our message.LinkedInInstagramTwitterWebsiteApple PodcastsGoogle PodcastsSpotifyStitcherPocket CastMatt BurnsMatt Burns is an award-winning executive, social entrepreneur and speaker. He believes in the power of community, simplicity & technology.LinkedInTwitter

In today's episode, I chat with Richard Dasselaar, Digital Transformation & Strategy Leader, at Modern Dental Group, a worldwide medical device manufacturer and distributor. Based in Haarlem, Netherlands, Richard also sits as Section Chair for Artificial Intelligence (AI) in the Cardiology Working Group, for the International Society for Telemedicine & eHealth, and is a Researcher, Advisory & PhD student in Digital Health Strategy, with an emphasis on value based care at Erasmus Universiteit Rotterdam.More than his impressive credentials, Richard is passionate about improving our world, dedicating much of his time solving for conscious equitable implementation in the healthcare sector. This was the catalyst for a wide-ranging discussion about global demographics, artificial intelligence, quantum computing, virtual reality, and the importance of service in realizing a fulfilling life. We talk about his latest research, work, and its implications to a world desperate for tangible solutions. In most developed nations, the population is aging at rates expected to place very real pressure on healthcare systems. Without meaningful action, the constraints on finite resources seen during the pandemic are a prelude to what we can expect in the next 5-10 years. Beyond that, we talked about the motivations for his selfless approach to problem-solving. A true multidisciplinary professional, Richard seamlessly blends his experiences in economics, marketing & technology to sell innovation to a population that, at times, has been resistant to change. It was a fascinating discussion, and I'm eager for you to listen. In doing so, I hope you enjoy our conversation, as much as I did recording it.Richard DasselaarRichard Dasselaar is an expert in digital health strategy and his focus is on the integration of medical AI into our global and regional health technology ecosystems for the timely identification of disease and to bring superior care to those who need it. For the past 12 years has been active for several leading blue chips and NGO's in seeding, development, research and launch for digital health technologies and research in the global MedTech space. LinkedIn InstagramThinking Inside the BoxConstraints drive innovation. We tackle the most complex issues related to work & culture. And if you enjoy the work we're doing here, consider giving us a 5-star rating, leaving a comment & subscribing. It ensures you get updated whenever we release new content & really helps amplify our message.LinkedInInstagramTwitterWebsiteApple PodcastsGoogle PodcastsSpotifyStitcherPocket CastMatt BurnsMatt Burns is an award-winning executive, social entrepreneur and speaker. He believes in the power of community, simplicity & technology.LinkedInTwitter

In today's episode, I chat with Richard Newman, the Farnham Common, United Kingdom-based Founder of Body Talk. Over the past 22 years, Richard and his team have trained over 120,000 business leaders around the world to increase their leadership ratings by up to 44% and win 59% more votes in an election by changing a few simple behaviors.A student first, Richard comes by these lessons naturally. He's surprisingly introverted. A painfully shy child, Richard has high-functioning autism, which often prevented him from conveying his feelings, ideas and emotions to those around him. At age 18, Richard set out on his own personal mission to discover the secrets of core communication principles. He went to live in the foothills of the Himalayas with Tibetan monks, who spoke no English. A few short years later, he was a professional actor, studying how to walk, move and speak with intention to increase his impact on an audience. He became a keynote speaker, coach, author and speechwriter, winning the coveted Cicero Grand Prize for Best Speechwriter of the Year. In our discussion, we cover a number of fascinating topics. From Richard's journey from introvert to keynote speaker, the lessons he learned in Tibet, and the power of storytelling. What is your legacy? How do you live a life of intention? These are two of the many questions I put to Richard in a conversation with benefits to leaders, entrepreneurs, and frankly anyone looking to communicate with greater intention. It was an inspiring discussion, and I'm eager for you to listen. In doing so, I hope you enjoy our conversation, as much as I did recording it.Richard NewmanRichard is the Founder of Body Talk. Over the past 22 years his team have trained over 120,000 business leaders around the world, to improve their communication and impact, including one client who gained over $1 Billion in new business in just one year, using the strategies that Richard teaches. LinkedInWebsiteThinking Inside the BoxConstraints drive innovation. We tackle the most complex issues related to work & culture. And if you enjoy the work we're doing here, consider giving us a 5-star rating, leaving a comment & subscribing. It ensures you get updated whenever we release new content & really helps amplify our message.LinkedInInstagramTwitterWebsiteApple PodcastsGoogle PodcastsSpotifyStitcherPocket CastMatt BurnsMatt Burns is an award-winning executive, social entrepreneur and speaker. He believes in the power of community, simplicity & technology.LinkedInTwitter

In today's episode, I chat with retired LtCol Kathy Gallowitz, a self-described Navy ‘brat', who after 30 years' of dedicated service to her country, now champions on behalf of veterans.Today, she coaches employers on the best strategies for hiring and retaining Veteran talent. A highly sought-after talent pool, less than 3% of Veterans are unemployed, while more than 30% are defined as underemployed. It's an issue we discussed at length over an engaging half-hour discussion. It's a topic close to my heart - and whatever your thoughts on the legitimacy of combat arms, it's (nearly) universally understood that the treatment of veterans represents a considerable opportunity in America. At a time when organizations are looking to close the talent gap, hiring veterans is one solution. Why then, are so many struggling to hire, train, and retain them? How can we bridge the gap?I hope you enjoy our conversation, as much as I did recording it.Kathy GallowitzRetired LtCol Kathy Gallowitz was heavily influenced by military service, growing up as a Navy ‘brat' and serving nearly 30 years as an Air Force Officer. She is the author of Beyond ‘Thank You For your Service,' The Veteran Champion Handbook for Civilians and has Masters degrees in Nursing and Political Science.  Kathy also equips volunteer faith community leaders to build Military Ministries to cultivate mutual support, a sense of belonging and spiritual resiliency for Service members, Veterans and their families.Vanguard Veteran Overview:https://vanguardveteran.start.page Complimentary Veteran-Ready assessment:https://vanguardveteran.files.wordpress.com/2022/07/may-2021_-vr-employer-assessment.pdf Vanguard Veteran's Employer Consulting and Training:https://vanguardveteran.com/veteran-champion-consulting-training/ Invite Vanguard Veteran to Speak: https://vanguardveteran.com/invite-me-to-speak/ “Beyond ‘Thank you For Your Service:' the Veteran Champion handbook for civilians” on Amazon: https://bit.ly/BeyondThankYouForYourServiceThinking Inside the BoxConstraints drive innovation. We tackle the most complex issues related to work & culture. And if you enjoy the work we're doing here, consider giving us a 5-star rating, leaving a comment & subscribing. It ensures you get updated whenever we release new content & really helps amplify our message.LinkedInInstagramTwitterWebsiteApple PodcastsGoogle PodcastsSpotifyStitcherPocket CastMatt BurnsMatt Burns is an award-winning executive, social entrepreneur and speaker. He believes in the power of community, simplicity & technology.LinkedInTwitter

In today's episode, I chat with Murray Sabrin. Murray is a seasoned author and finance expert, writing about the impacts of the healthcare economy in scholarly and popular publications. His new book, The Finance of Health Care: Wellness and Innovative Approaches to Employee Medical Insurance, provides business decision makers with the information they need to match the optimal health care plan with the culture of their workforce.Americans spend more on medical care as a percentage of GDP than any other nation. For the decade ending in 2020, insurance premiums rose 47 percent and deductibles jumped nearly 69 percent. Even with employer-based medical insurance benefits, employees now pay on average nearly $6,000 toward their employers' average of $22,221 for family coverage.   With rising costs, employers have been voting with their dollars by opting out of the traditional medical insurance market. By investigating the options now made available through medical entrepreneurs, employers can reduce medical insurance costs and put money into their employees' pockets.This is a topic close to my heart - an evidence-based approach to helping employees. We discussed how a company's culture will dictate the most appropriate health care coverage, how wellness programs can help employers achieve two major goals — keeping employees healthy, while reducing medical care costs, and the role a patient-centered health care benefits package plays in reducing absenteeism.Beyond that, it was another fun chat, and I hope you enjoy our conversation, as much as I did recording it.Murray SabrinDr. Murray Sabrin is Emeritus Professor of Finance in the Anisfield School of Business, Ramapo College, where he taught Corporate Finance I, Securities & Investment, and Financial History of the United States.  Dr. Sabrin was awarded a Ph.D. in economic geography from Rutgers University, an M.A. in social studies education from Lehman College and a B.A. in history, geography, and social studies education from Hunter College. Dr. Sabrin has worked in commercial real estate sales and marketing, personal portfolio management, and economic research.  He has published articles in scholarly journals and op-eds in several newspapers throughout New Jersey.     He and wife retired to Florida in 2021. LinkedInWebsiteThinking Inside the BoxConstraints drive innovation. We tackle the most complex issues related to work & culture. And if you enjoy the work we're doing here, consider giving us a 5-star rating, leaving a comment & subscribing. It ensures you get updated whenever we release new content & really helps amplify our message.LinkedInInstagramTwitterWebsiteApple PodcastsGoogle PodcastsSpotifyStitcherPocket CastMatt BurnsMatt Burns is an award-winning executive, social entrepreneur and speaker. He believes in the power of community, simplicity & technology.LinkedInTwitter

In today's episode, I chat with Valentino Megale, the Rome-based CEO & Co-Founder of Softcare Studios, a digital health startup developing XR solutions in healthcare and well-being, with a special focus on pain and stress management in patients undergoing invasive medical procedures, and optimization of healthcare interventions.Selected as the best e-health startup in Europe by the European Commission in 2018, Softcare Studios' track record includes commercial partnerships with leading MedTech and pharma companies like Merck, Roche, Novartis and BD, and collaborations with a growing network of hospitals, medical specialists and research partners such as the Politecnico and CNR in Milano.Together we discussed the potential for XR to transform healthcare as we know it, the barriers to adoption, from both patients & healthcare professionals, and how virtual reality, in particular, can generate value today & into the future. If you're a return listener to this podcast, you know how passionate I am about the use cases of VR in large enterprise. Though its in industries such as healthcare that will likely lead the way. Demographically-speaking, we're at an inflection point in North America, Europe & Asia-Pacific. Our populations are aging & we need innovative solutions to ensure citizens receive a standard of care necessary to live long, happy lives. It gives me confidence speaking with innovators such as Valentino. And I really enjoyed our conversation. I hope you do, as well. Valentino MegaleStartup founder, currently CEO of Softcare Studios, a digital health startup developing virtual reality solutions for pain and stress management of patients undergoing medical treatments. A scientist by training, with a Ph.D. in Neuropharmacology. He is also an advisor on the topics of digital safety and privacy in the metaverse (with a special focus on child safety and medical XR) as a member of the Extended Reality Safety Initiative (XRSI) non-profit organization. Startup mentor, lecturer and author on the topics of emerging tech, healthcare, and social impact.WebsiteLinkedInThinking Inside the BoxConstraints drive innovation. We tackle the most complex issues related to work & culture. And if you enjoy the work we're doing here, consider giving us a 5-star rating, leaving a comment & subscribing. It ensures you get updated whenever we release new content & really helps amplify our message.LinkedInInstagramTwitterWebsiteApple PodcastsGoogle PodcastsSpotifyStitcherPocket CastMatt BurnsMatt Burns is an award-winning executive, social entrepreneur and speaker. He believes in the power of community, simplicity & technology.LinkedInTwitter

In today's episode, I chat with Robin Singhvi, the Portland, Oregon-based Founder of SmartCue, an effectiveness platform that allows enterprise software sales teams to create contextual & tailored demos for every prospect. Robin has spent over a decade in the US B2B SaaS space as a sales and solutioning leader, supporting sales and product teams to develop and execute best-in-class experiences for customers.Together we discussed the evolution of enterprise sales, how relationships have evolved with the use of technology & how the pandemic changed everything. Robin began the journey at SmartCue as a solopreneur, built a hybrid team split between Oregon & India & became a true student of his own business, applying best practices to build relationships with clients, while fostering a culture of engagement internally. We talked about the challenges of growing your business as a solopreneur, the nuances of leading teams a world apart from one another & how being intentional about asynchronous work was the key to the firm's success. Past listeners of this podcast will be familiar with my thoughts on the differences between building sales & influence - unique skills in their own right - and how sharing best-practices cross-functionally allows us to be more effective in a world that's still driven by relationships. Beyond that, it was another fun chat, and I hope you enjoy our conversation, as much as I did recording it.Robin SinghviRobin Singhvi is the founder of SmartCue, a smart sales effectiveness platform that helps sales teams deliver personalized product demos and close deals faster. Robin spent over a decade in the US B2B SaaS space as a sales and solutioning leader, playing the quarterback between sales and product teams to develop and execute the best solutions for customers and key stakeholders. He built up the muscle memory to identify prospect needs and accelerate deal cycles. Robin has demonstrated success at driving high-value, complex, strategic partnerships with multiple stakeholders and teams in a highly matrixed environment.Robin has a computer science degree from here in India (2003) and an MBA from Willamette University in Salem, Oregon (2010). Post his MBA, he spent 10+ years with startups of various sizes, all in the B2B SaaS space selling to Enterprise clients, mostly in the US. WebsiteLinkedInThinking Inside the BoxConstraints drive innovation. We tackle the most complex issues related to work & culture. And if you enjoy the work we're doing here, consider giving us a 5-star rating, leaving a comment & subscribing. It ensures you get updated whenever we release new content & really helps amplify our message.LinkedInInstagramTwitterWebsiteApple PodcastsGoogle PodcastsSpotifyStitcherPocket CastMatt BurnsMatt Burns is an award-winning executive, social entrepreneur and speaker. He believes in the power of community, simplicity & technology.LinkedInTwitter

In today's episode, I chat with Stephen McGarvey, an internationally-recognized expert in the field of persuasion & influence. Stephen has consulted to corporations globally in a range of industries, working with sales and marketing departments to optimize their performance by understanding how the customer thinks and what unconscious elements/patterns drive their behavior. Our conversation followed a number of twists & turns, beginning with a discussion regarding influence & persuasion. We then detoured into a fascinating discussion regarding the unconscious mind - a set of processes in the mind which occur automatically and are not available to introspection, including thought processes, memories, interests, and motivations. As we strive to better ourselves & the world around us, a deeper understanding of self is one path to impact. Stephen reminds us of this weaving in personal experiences, lessons & anecdotes. Beyond that, it was another fun chat, and I hope you enjoy our conversation, as much as I did recording it.Stephen McGarveyStephen McGarvey is an international speaker, an expert on persuasion and influence, and the founder of a boutique consulting firm, Solutions In Mind. He assists corporations and audiences around the world in solving difficult communications problems by guiding them on an engaging, fast-paced, fascinating journey inside the unconscious mind. His new book is the USA Today and Wall Street Journal #1 Best Seller  Ignite a Shift: Engaging Minds, Guiding Emotions and Driving Behavior (Morgan James Publishing, July 2022). LinkedInWebsiteThinking Inside the BoxConstraints drive innovation. We tackle the most complex issues related to work & culture. And if you enjoy the work we're doing here, consider giving us a 5-star rating, leaving a comment & subscribing. It ensures you get updated whenever we release new content & really helps amplify our message.LinkedInInstagramTwitterWebsiteApple PodcastsGoogle PodcastsSpotifyStitcherPocket CastMatt BurnsMatt Burns is an award-winning executive, social entrepreneur and speaker. He believes in the power of community, simplicity & technology.LinkedInTwitter

In today's episode, I chat with Rob Briner, Professor of Organizational Psychology at Queen Mary University of London and Bjørknes University College in Oslo, Norway.I've had Rob on my radar as a podcast guest for a few years now. He comes highly-recommended from people I respect for his willingness to speak plainly on complicated issues. And as we look at the organizational leadership landscape in 2022, complicated is one word I'd certainly use to describe conditions which are ever-changing with ever higher stakes. What are evidence-based practices? What should we think about them? We chatted about sources of information. In an era of widespread misinformation; a seemingly infinite number of parallel echo chambers feeding us their version of the truth, how do you identify appropriate sources of information? Why does it matter? What is the appropriate balance of quantitative and qualitative data? What does it look like in practice?This was a fun, far-ranging discussion with application for all of us - whether a solopreneur, or a business executive in a large enterprise. How we approach decision-making has a material effect on what ideas thrive and which one stalls. It affects employee satisfaction and in today's knowledge-based economy, ultimately, organizational performance. It was such a pleasure connecting with Rob. And I hope you enjoy it. Rob BrinerRob is Professor of Organizational Psychology at Queen Mary, University of London and was co-founder and Scientific Director of the Center for Evidence-Based Management.  His research has focused on several topics including well-being, emotions, stress, ethnicity, the psychological contract, absence from work, motivation, work-nonwork and everyday work behaviour.Beyond academic research Rob helps practitioners and organizations make better use of evidence, including research evidence, in decision-making as well as encouraging academics to make research more accessible. He has received several awards for his work in this area including the British Psychological Society Division of Occupational Psychology Academic Contribution to Practice Award in 2014 and topped HR Magazine's Most Influential Thinker list in 2016 and in 2019 received a Lifetime Achievement Award and was admitted to HR Magazine's Hall of Fame.LinkedInWebsiteThinking Inside the BoxConstraints drive innovation. We tackle the most complex issues related to work & culture. And if you enjoy the work we're doing here, consider giving us a 5-star rating, leaving a comment & subscribing. It ensures you get updated whenever we release new content & really helps amplify our message.LinkedInInstagramTwitterWebsiteApple PodcastsGoogle PodcastsSpotifyStitcherPocket CastMatt BurnsMatt Burns is an award-winning executive, social entrepreneur and speaker. He believes in the power of community, simplicity & technology.LinkedInTwitter

In today's episode, I again chat with Heidi Hauver, the Ottawa, Canada-based Chief People Officer of TrackTik, where she's leading a world-class team building the World's Largest Security Workforce Management Company.I've known Heidi for a few years now. We originally met as part of the GROW HR mastermind program presented by HackingHR, where she quickly differentiated herself as an innovative and strategic people leader. Together we covered a lot of ground. Beginning with her experiences as a business executive supporting start-ups, alongside the human resources considerations for venture-backed organizations. We eventually landed on the topic of growth mindset for mid-career professionals - a topic I know well - discussing how education & professional credentials are essential ingredients, along with lived experiences, in developing the next era of business leaders. In today's rapidly changing job market, it is becoming increasingly important for leaders to consider resilience in their career planning. According to the Harvard Business Review, today the average tenure of a leader is five (5!) years. And Deloitte survey found that 85% of executives believe their industry will face significant disruption in the next three years. I always love my chats with Heidi & this one was no different, as she gives us all things to think about. Beyond that, I had a lot of fun, and hope you enjoy our conversation, as much as I did recording it.Heidi HauverHeidi is an innovative and strategic people leader who partners with innovative companies to provide executive leadership in human resources with over twenty years of experience in multiple industries. Focused on transformational HR, since 2007 she has founded an HR practice and built three HR departments for companies from the ground up. As Chief People Officer of TrackTik / Trackforce Valiant she leads a world class team helping to build the World's Largest Security Workforce Management Company.Heidi's energetic leadership and constant innovation have earned her several awards, including an Alumni of the Year Award (Business) with Algonquin College, the inaugural nationally recognized 2018 Leadership Agency Award for Woman of Distinction, a 2017 Top 25 HR Professional, a 2012 Ottawa Business Journal/Ottawa Chamber of Commerce Forty Under 40 Award, and a 2012 CATA Information Technology Strategic HR Leadership Award. LinkedInThinking Inside the BoxConstraints drive innovation. We tackle the most complex issues related to work & culture. And if you enjoy the work we're doing here, consider giving us a 5-star rating, leaving a comment & subscribing. It ensures you get updated whenever we release new content & really helps amplify our message.LinkedInInstagramTwitterWebsiteApple PodcastsGoogle PodcastsSpotifyStitcherPocket CastMatt BurnsMatt Burns is an award-winning executive, social entrepreneur and speaker. He believes in the power of community, simplicity & technology.LinkedInTwitter

In today's episode, I again chat with Bryan Wish, a San Francisco-based Founder & CEO of Arcbound, a full-service personal branding platform. From starting a content platform with 800+ contributors, to establishing an investment fund's global community across 30+ countries, Bryan has seen firsthand the power of content and community in fulfilling one's mission.Bryan saw the opportunity to build a company like Arcbound while working on a book launch for The Creative Curve by tech CEO Allen Gannett. Bryan realized Allen wasn't just launching a book; he was building a personal brand. With that in mind, Bryan set out to build an end-to-end service to create a sustainable platform for leaders who want to unify others with their message. Four years later, Arcbound has worked with 100+ clients, from Fortune 100 CEOs to global investors and bestselling authors.Bryan has also become a friend. We've kept in touch; each checking in on the other. In this episode, we talked about finding creativity in times of stress. We shared our individual experiences building resilience as an entrepreneur, and how that's become a powerful lesson as we help other leaders. Beyond that, I had a lot of fun, and hope you enjoy our conversation, as much as I did recording it.Check out Bryan's first podcast appearance at episode 57:  How to Find Pathways to BelongingBryan WishAs CEO of Arcbound, Bryan Wish focuses on growth and business development, hiring, public relations, and executing the company's strategic vision.He has built his career around mobilizing communities and bringing unique voices and perspectives to the masses. From starting a content platform with 800+ contributors, to establishing an investment fund's global community across 30+ countries.Bryan loves hiking in Tahoe or Yosemite, building out his wardrobe piece by piece in local vintage stores, refining his newly found tennis game, exploring the world, or doing some deep introspection by a fire while listening to acoustic folk music.LinkedInTwitterThinking Inside the BoxConstraints drive innovation. We tackle the most complex issues related to work & culture. And if you enjoy the work we're doing here, consider giving us a 5-star rating, leaving a comment & subscribing. It ensures you get updated whenever we release new content & really helps amplify our message.LinkedInInstagramTwitterWebsiteApple PodcastsGoogle PodcastsSpotifyStitcherPocket CastMatt BurnsMatt Burns is an award-winning executive, social entrepreneur and speaker. He believes in the power of community, simplicity & technology.LinkedInTwitter

In today's episode, I chat with Saad Siddiqui, a General Partner at Telstra Ventures, a San Francisco-based VC firm that incorporates data science and quantitative analysis of non-financial data into its diverse investing criteria.Saad started his career as an investment banker at RBC Capital Markets, and Bank of America Merrill Lynch, and previously served as an executive at Informatica and Cisco. Today alongside his work at Telstra, Saad is also an investor in HR Tech companies like Certn, Spekit, and Forage. Which makes him a particularly interesting person to speak with about a number of topics we're passionate about on this show. From remote / hybrid / fluid work, the latest HR tech trends, to what's on the mind of business executives considering digital transformations today - Saad has a wealth of experience that's on full display here.We also chatted about the role of technology in fueling fluidity, how data affords visibility, and how he spots start-ups in the HR technology space worthy of investment. As you can hear, it was a wide-ranging interview covering a number of topics. It's something I want to do more of in 2023 - bring on a wider array of guests from different backgrounds to advance a discussion that ultimately affects us all. I had a lot of fun chatting with Saad, and hope you enjoy our conversation, as much as I did recording it.Saad SiddiquiSaad Siddiqui is General Partner at Telstra Ventures, a San Francisco-based VC firm that incorporates data science and quantitative analysis of non-financial data into its mix of investing criteria. He's an investor in HR Tech companies like Certn, Spekit, and Forage. Saad is a Kauffman Fellow and also previously served as an executive at Informatica and Cisco. He started his career as an investment banker at RBC Capital Markets, and Bank of America Merrill Lynch.LinkedInThinking Inside the BoxConstraints drive innovation. We tackle the most complex issues related to work & culture. And if you enjoy the work we're doing here, consider giving us a 5-star rating, leaving a comment & subscribing. It ensures you get updated whenever we release new content & really helps amplify our message.LinkedInInstagramTwitterWebsiteApple PodcastsGoogle PodcastsSpotifyStitcherPocket CastMatt BurnsMatt Burns is an award-winning executive, social entrepreneur and speaker. He believes in the power of community, simplicity & technology.LinkedInTwitter