Podcasts about chro

Most organizations treat AI adoption as a technology rollout. However, the ones gaining traction treat it as a leadership and culture challenge. In this episode of #shifthappens, Monica French, USA SMB Director at Microsoft, shares what she's hearing directly from small business leaders navigating AI — and why the human side of adoption is where most initiatives either accelerate or stall. Monica draws on frontline conversations with SMB founders, MSP partners, and her own career pivoting from traditional banking to fintech to explain why experiential learning outperforms passive training, why the chief human resource officer (CHRO) belongs at the AI table alongside the chief technology officer (CTO), and how lightweight governance can coexist with early experimentation. She also unpacks the gap between executive ambition and employee readiness — and what leaders can do to close it.

In this episode of our On The Road series, we sit down with Amy Coleman, Executive Vice President, Chief People Officer at Microsoft, to explore how leaders can scale AI transformation without losing the human connection at the center of work.Amy reflects on stepping into the Chief People Officer role at Microsoft, the humility of becoming a beginner again, and why leaders do not need to pretend they have all the answers in moments of uncertainty. What matters is being honest, learning fast, and bringing people with you.Her message is clear: AI and humans cannot be separated. As work changes, HR leaders have to help people understand what is shifting, what still matters, and how AI can unlock more creativity, curiosity, innovation, and human potential.

How can the power of the pause make you an even more effective HR leader?Why do HR leaders need to have a point of view and the courage to share it?My guest on this episode is Michael Fraccaro, Former CPO at Mastercard, Senior Advisor at Egon ZehnderDuring our conversation Michael and I discuss the following: Why your credibility as a CHRO is built on your understanding of the business, not HRHow the power of the pause transforms decision qualityWhy culture is a leadership behavior, not a program How courage, not technical knowledge is the real differentiator for HR leaders who want to move from good to greatWhy the CHRO pipeline challenge is less about technical skills and more about mindset, grit, and learning agilityConnecting with Michael: Connect with Michael on LinkedIn Episode Sponsor: Next-Gen HR Accelerator - Learn more about this best-in-class leadership development program for next-gen HR leadersHR Leader's Blueprint - 18 pages of real-world advice from 100+ HR thought leaders. Simple, actionable, and proven strategies to advance your career.Succession Planning Playbook: In this focused 1-page resource, I cut through the noise to give you the vital elements that define what “great” succession planning looks like.

In this episode of our On The Road series, we sit down with Laura Mattimore and Lucia Suarez from Procter & Gamble to explore how one of the world's most iconic companies is redesigning talent for the AI era.Laura leads global talent across P&G's enterprise talent systems, including hiring, learning, leadership development, workforce planning, and talent strategy. Lucia leads talent development, talent management, analytics, insights, employee experience, and transformation within that broader talent agenda.Their message is clear: AI is not just a technology shift. It is a work, culture, skills, and employee experience shift. For P&G, the opportunity is not to replace the human, but to build around human plus AI, with HR playing a central role in redesigning how work gets done.

In this episode of our On The Road series, we sit down with Kalifa Oliver, Ph.D. Senior Director of Technology - People Analytics at Lowe's Companies, Inc. to explore why HR needs to stop chasing AI tools and start solving the right business problems.Kalifa now sits in technology, not HR, leading teams across engineering, product, analytics, and people data. That gives her a very different view of what HR transformation actually requires.Her message is clear: AI is not magic. It will only be useful if HR asks better questions, understands the problem it is trying to solve, and stops adding technology on top of broken or unnecessary work.

Unser heutiger Gast hat Betriebswirtschaftslehre an der Bergischen Universität Wuppertal studiert und anschließend einen MBA mit Schwerpunkt Human Resources Management an der Management Akademie Heidelberg, der FH Ludwigshafen und dem Dublin Institute of Technology absolviert. Ihre Karriere begann im HR-Bereich als Management-Trainee am Flughafen Düsseldorf. Danach wechselte sie zur Deutschen Apotheker- und Ärztebank, bevor sie mehrere Jahre bei Heraeus tätig war, zuletzt als Global Head of HR im Bereich Precious Metals. Es folgten Stationen bei Saint-Gobain Sekurit sowie bei Vantage Towers, wo sie als Head of HR Germany und für europäische Cluster-Märkte verantwortlich war. Zuletzt war sie Chief Human Resources Officer bei Kandelium und hat dort die strategische Personalarbeit gestaltet. Heute arbeitet sie als freiberufliche Autorin, Speakerin und Sparringspartnerin für Führungskräfte und Organisationen. In ihrer Arbeit geht es um Führung, Kultur und die Frage, wie Menschen in Organisationen wirksam werden können. Sie hat selbst erlebt, wie stark Strukturen, Erwartungen und Rollenbilder Karrieren beeinflussen. Diese Erfahrungen prägen ihre Perspektive bis heute. Ein wichtiger Teil ihres Weges waren Lernräume und Netzwerke. Unter anderem war sie Teilnehmerin im New Work Masterskills Executive Programm und hat sich dort intensiv mit ihrer eigenen Rolle als Führungskraft auseinandergesetzt. Mit ihrem Buch „Fuckup & Forward“ beschreibt sie Führung aus einer persönlichen Perspektive und greift Themen wie Fehler, Zweifel und Entwicklung auf. Seit über acht Jahren beschäftigen wir uns in diesem Podcast mit der Frage, wie Arbeit den Menschen stärkt, statt ihn zu schwächen. Wir haben in mehr als 500 Episoden mit fast 700 Persönlichkeiten darüber gesprochen, was sich für sie verändert hat und was sich noch verändern muss. Warum fällt es uns so schwer, offen über Fehler zu sprechen und was würde sich verändern, wenn wir es wirklich tun? Was hält viele Frauen heute noch davon ab, sichtbar zu werden und Führung zu übernehmen? Und was können wir konkret von neuen Modellen wie geteilter Führung darüber lernen, wie Zusammenarbeit in Zukunft funktioniert? Fest steht: Für die Lösung unserer aktuellen Herausforderungen brauchen wir neue Impulse. Daher suchen wir weiter nach Methoden, Vorbildern, Erfahrungen, Tools und Ideen, die uns dem Kern von New Work näherbringen. Darüber hinaus beschäftigt uns von Anfang an die Frage, ob wirklich alle Menschen das finden und leben können, was sie im Innersten wirklich, wirklich wollen. Ihr seid bei On the Way to New Work, heute mit Marinka Zeiss. [Hier](https://linktr.ee/onthewaytonewwork) findet ihr alle Links zum Podcast und unseren aktuellen Werbepartnern

Send us Fan MailWhat happens when a company decides HR experience doesn't actually matter?In this episode of Jaded HR, Warren and CeeCee dive headfirst into the frustrating reality of how many organizations still view HR as little more than paperwork, party planning, and administrative busywork.The conversation starts with a real-world story that'll make HR professionals cringe: a small company passes over an internal employee with an HR degree for an HR opening… and hires a former school teacher with zero HR experience instead. Why? Because leadership viewed the role as “mostly administrative.” Warren and CeeCee unpack the deeper issue behind decisions like this — the ongoing devaluation of HR expertise and the dangerous assumption that “anyone can do HR.”From there, things spiral beautifully into discussions about: companies replacing CHROs with “Chiefs of Staff”  why succession planning can backfire when nobody retires  retaining ambitious employees in small organizations  the emotional toll of career stagnation  why great employees eventually outgrow some companies  Walmart's latest accommodation lawsuit disaster  and SHRM's absolutely wild 2026 conference pricing The SHRM rant alone is worth the listen. Warren and CeeCee break down the jaw-dropping cost of attending the national conference, debate whether modern HR professionals still need organizations like SHRM, and question whether niche experts and social media creators are replacing traditional HR associations entirely.There's also: Costco vs. Sam's Club suburban warfare  forklift certification anxiety  Pokémon Go bonding moments  pool season HOA drama  thunderstorms as sleep therapy  and enough cynical HR commentary to power an entire leadership retreat. If you've ever wondered whether companies truly understand the value of HR — this episode answers that question loudly and painfully.Topics Covered HR leadership  CHRO trends  HR career growth  succession planning  employee retention  SHRM conference 2026  HR certifications  workplace accommodations  Walmart lawsuit  HR burnout  talent development  organizational culture  HR professional development  cynical HR stories  Human Resources podcast Support the showWant to:* Share a dumb employee question* Share a crazy story* Ask us a question* Share a  best practice * Give us feedbackOur Link Tree below has links to our social media sites,  Patreon, Apple podcasts, Spotify & more.Please leave a review on your favorite podcast player and interact with us online!Linktree - https://linktr.ee/jadedhrFollow Cee Cee on IG - BoozyHR @ https://www.instagram.com/boozy_hr/

AI is accelerating change faster than most organizations are emotionally prepared for.Employees are anxious. Leaders are overwhelmed. And many managers are being asked to guide people through uncertainty without ever being taught how to truly understand human behaviour in the first place.In this episode of the foHRsight podcast, Mark Edgar sits down with organizational psychologist, executive coach, and author Karl Hebenstreit to explore why empathy, emotional intelligence, and self-awareness may become some of the most important leadership capabilities of the AI era.Together, they unpack:Why AI is creating more fear and pressure at work than many organizations want to admit The leadership gap created when technical experts become people managers overnight How unclear expectations quietly damage trust, performance, and culture Why understanding motivation matters more than personality labels How the Enneagram can help leaders better navigate teams, conflict, communication, and change This conversation is ultimately about something bigger than frameworks or assessments. It's about building workplaces where people feel understood enough to actually thrive.About Our GuestKarl Hebenstreit is an author, speaker, executive coach, and organizational development leader with more than 25 years of experience helping leaders and teams work more effectively together. His work focuses on emotional intelligence, leadership development, and using the Enneagram as a practical framework for building healthier organizations and stronger human connection.Stay connected with foHRsightTo sign up for our monthly newsletter, foHRsight, click HERE Follow us on LinkedIn:Mark EdgarNaomi Titleman Collafuture foHRward  Follow us on InstagramFor more information on our private community for forward-thinking HR leaders, including how to join our next Manager-Director HR Leader cohort launching this spring, visit our website at futurefohrward.com/community. We are also currently welcoming new members in our CHRO and VP+ HRBP & Talent cohorts. Don't miss your chance to join the community you've been missing!Support the show

What does it mean when the only HR professional in a room of 6,000 AI innovators refuses to stay silent? Anju Choudhary attended HumanX in San Francisco, looked around, and decided that was not a coincidence. It was a calling. In this live conference conversation recorded at HumanX, Lori Adams-Brown sits down with Anju Choudhary, a seasoned Chief Human Resources Officer, to talk about what it really means to keep humans at the center of one of the most consequential shifts in how we work. Anju's message is clear: people leaders do not belong on the sidelines of the AI conversation. They belong at the head of the table. In this episode, you'll hear: Why Anju was the only HR professional among 6,000 attendees at a major AI conference, and what that signals for the profession The mindset shift every people leader needs right now: from "human in the loop" to "human in the lead" How building her first AI agent in under two minutes changed the way she talks about AI adoption What India's vast cultural and linguistic diversity taught her about adaptability, care, and meeting people where they are A practical, courage-forward invitation: take your first step, ask for help, and remember, we are all co-creating this together About Anju Choudhary: Anju Choudhary is a Chief Human Resources Officer with global leadership experience spanning IBM, Australia, New Zealand, the United States, and beyond. A passionate advocate for human-centered AI adoption, she believes the people who understand the human element are exactly the ones who need to be shaping the future of work. Find Anju Choudhary at: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/anju-choudhary1/ Timestamps: [00:00] Welcome and live recording introduction at HumanX, San Francisco [01:30] Anju's global journey: IBM, a traveling husband, and the richness of India's cultural diversity [04:00] What excites her most: creativity, collaboration, and the human-AI partnership [05:30] "From human in the loop to human in the lead" [07:00] What concerns her: people feeling helpless, frozen, and left behind [08:30] Building her first AI agent in two minutes and why that first step changes everything [09:30] A call for more HR and people leaders at AI decision tables [10:30] Final wisdom: raise your hand, ask for help, and co-create the journey forward Subscribe, leave a review at https://www.aworldofdifferencepodcast.com/reviews/new/, and share this episode with a people leader who needs to hear this. Visit https://www.aworldofdifferencepodcast.com for more resources. Join us on Patreon for exclusive content Join us on Substack for a deeper dive. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Episode 43 | Bob Fieck, CHRO, Wausau Supply Company Grit Is a Choice: Execution and Servant Leadership in the Building Products Industry Bob Fieck has spent 30 years stepping into situations most people would step away from -- broken operations, underfunded startups, businesses in the red, and organizations navigating major cultural change. Today, as CHRO of Wausau Supply Company, he brings that same mindset to one of the LBM industry's most dynamic and fast-growing organizations. In this episode, Bob and Tony cover the career arc that shaped him -- from a safety role at a paper converting operation in Oshkosh to labor relations, executive recruiting, and ultimately CHRO across some of the most complex organizations in manufacturing and distribution. Along the way, Bob developed a three-part leadership framework centered on execution, grit, and servant leadership -- and he breaks down exactly what each one means in practice. Topics covered in this episode: Why his mentor pushed him into HR when he wanted nothing to do with it Managing a two-month strike while sleeping at the plant Being hired before the company existed -- and building an HR function from a hotel conference room The 90-day execution model that transformed an underperforming business unit What Angela Duckworth's research on grit reveals about who actually succeeds How Wausau Supply is building an employer-of-choice culture across multiple brands and distribution centers Why his grandson's Pop Warner football schedule is the real reason he came back to Wisconsin

In this episode of the Brandon Hall Group™ Excellence at Work podcast, host Rachel Cooke, COO of Brandon Hall Group, sits down with Lisa Cannell, Senior Managing Director of University of Virginia Darden Executive Education and Lifelong Learning, for a conversation that is equal parts strategic wake-up call and practical playbook. Lisa brings 25 years of HR and organizational development experience across corporations and higher education, and what she offers is not a technology perspective on AI but a deeply human one. Her argument is simple and urgent: organizations are getting AI adoption wrong not because they lack tools or talent, but because they are underestimating the people challenge at the center of it. This conversation covers why CHROs are sitting on a rare strategic opportunity, what most organizations are missing in their AI rollouts, and how Darden is helping leadership teams move beyond pilots and into transformation.

What does it mean when the only HR professional in a room of 6,000 AI innovators refuses to stay silent? Anju Choudhary attended HumanX in San Francisco, looked around, and decided that was not a coincidence. It was a calling. In this live conference conversation recorded at HumanX, Lori Adams-Brown sits down with Anju Choudhary, a seasoned Chief Human Resources Officer, to talk about what it really means to keep humans at the center of one of the most consequential shifts in how we work. Anju's message is clear: people leaders do not belong on the sidelines of the AI conversation. They belong at the head of the table. In this episode, you'll hear: Why Anju was the only HR professional among 6,000 attendees at a major AI conference, and what that signals for the profession The mindset shift every people leader needs right now: from "human in the loop" to "human in the lead" How building her first AI agent in under two minutes changed the way she talks about AI adoption What India's vast cultural and linguistic diversity taught her about adaptability, care, and meeting people where they are A practical, courage-forward invitation: take your first step, ask for help, and remember, we are all co-creating this together About Anju Choudhary: Anju Choudhary is a Chief Human Resources Officer with global leadership experience spanning IBM, Australia, New Zealand, the United States, and beyond. A passionate advocate for human-centered AI adoption, she believes the people who understand the human element are exactly the ones who need to be shaping the future of work. Find Anju Choudhary at: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/anju-choudhary1/ Timestamps: [00:00] Welcome and live recording introduction at HumanX, San Francisco [01:30] Anju's global journey: IBM, a traveling husband, and the richness of India's cultural diversity [04:00] What excites her most: creativity, collaboration, and the human-AI partnership [05:30] "From human in the loop to human in the lead" [07:00] What concerns her: people feeling helpless, frozen, and left behind [08:30] Building her first AI agent in two minutes and why that first step changes everything [09:30] A call for more HR and people leaders at AI decision tables [10:30] Final wisdom: raise your hand, ask for help, and co-create the journey forward Subscribe, leave a review at https://www.aworldofdifferencepodcast.com/reviews/new/, and share this episode with a people leader who needs to hear this. Visit https://www.aworldofdifferencepodcast.com for more resources. Join us on Patreon for exclusive content Join us on Substack for a deeper dive. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Most performance problems aren't about effort. They're about unclear expectations. When employees don't know exactly what they're responsible for, how much authority they actually have, or what happens when they hit it out of the park (or don't), the whole system breaks down. In this episode, you'll learn: Why trust and communication breakdowns are the real root cause of most organizational chaos, and how the Three-Legged Stool framework helps diagnose which leg is missing The two authority-blocking archetypes leaders fall into (the micromanager and the cowboy) and how both end up leaving employees without the space to grow or succeed A simple self-reflection exercise you can use this week to evaluate how you're setting expectations and recognizing your team Timestamps 00:02 Intro: What HR Mixtape is all about 00:16 Caroline's background and what she helps leaders solve 01:04 How 'people chaos' shows up in organizations: trust, communication, and the data trail it leaves behind 02:27 The Three-Legged Stool explained: responsibility, authority, and consequences 03:24 Which leg is missing most often, and why consequences get neglected 07:00 Why consequence clarity, both positive and negative, is the foundation of real accountability 11:20 Authority blockers in action: Shari's story about draft work, iteration, and the peek behind the curtain 12:42 The two authority-blocker archetypes: the micromanager and the authority cowboy 17:11 Why leadership development stays in the CHRO top five every year, and what's at stake if we don't fix it 20:56 One quick win this week: a self-reflection exercise for all three legs of the stool Guest: Caroline Quiett is the Principal of Quiett Consulting, LLC, where she helps leaders solve performance issues by building clear accountability structures, defined roles, and practical leadership systems. Drawing on deep curiosity about people and a genuine passion for untangling organizational complexity, Caroline developed the Three-Legged Stool framework to help leaders think more clearly about responsibility, authority, and consequences. She works with organizations of all sizes to restore trust, improve communication, and create environments where both people and performance can thrive. Brought to you by Paylocity. Paylocity is the fasted growing unified platform for HR, Finance, and IT. Paylocity brings your people, processes, and data together in one place so HR leaders can spend less time managing systems and more time doing the work that actually moves their organizations forward. Learn more at paylocity.com Keywords: accountability, performance management, leadership development, three-legged stool, responsibility, authority, consequences, people management, HR strategy, organizational culture, trust, communication, manager training, employee recognition

In this episode of our On The Road series, we sit down with Jennifer Reimert, SVP, Consulting Practice at Workhuman, to explore how organizations can make recognition reach the people who are often hardest to reach: frontline and deskless workers.Jennifer spent 20 years as an HR practitioner and total rewards leader before joining Workhuman. She was also a Workhuman customer back when the company was Globoforce, using recognition to help bring two merged companies together when culture, identity, and belonging were under real pressure.Her message is clear: recognition cannot only work for people at a desk. If most of the work that defines your culture happens on the floor, in the field, in hospitals, in plants, in stores, or across customer sites, then recognition has to meet people where they actually work.

In this episode of our On The Road series, we sit down with KeyAnna Schmiedl, Chief Human Experience Officer at Workhuman, to explore how organizations can identify future leaders before they are already in the obvious succession pipeline.KeyAnna shares how Workhuman's Future Leaders technology is helping companies spot the people giving off strong leadership signals across the business, including those who may not be visible through traditional talent reviews, manager nominations, or proximity to senior leaders.Her message is clear: the best future leaders are not always the most obvious names in the room. If HR can use better signals to see talent earlier, organizations can retain, develop, and invest in people before they walk out the door.

In this episode of Season 2 of The Language Question ~ Ceist na Teangan, host Finghin Mac Cárthaigh (Flor McCarthy) sits down with Molly Nic Céile, Irish language teacher, content creator, author, and founder of Gaeilge i mo Chroí / Irish in my Heart: A Guide to Loving and Living the Irish Language.Together, they explore how learning Irish (Gaeilge) can go far beyond grammar and vocabulary, opening powerful pathways into identity, heritage, and belonging.Thanks for your interest in The Language Question ~ Ceist na Teangan! Subscribe for free to receive priority notification on future episodes and to access valuable Irish language learning resources.Throughout the conversation, they reflect on the emotional power of Irish — from family connections and memory to the deep cultural meanings embedded within words.Molly shares her personal journey from learning Irish in an English-medium school in Donegal to building a global Irish-language community online through YouTube, Instagram, teaching, writing, and podcasting. Through her work, she is helping thousands of learners rediscover Irish not as a school subject, but as a living language connected to joy, creativity, identity, and community.This episode reminds us that Irish is not simply something to learn — it is something to experience, feel, and live.This Episode Celebrates:* The role of storytelling and media in learning Irish* The importance of conversation and community in language revival* The emotional connection between language, identity, and heritage* Breaking perfectionism and fear around speaking Irish* Making Irish accessible through creativity, technology, and modern mediaIf you've ever felt disconnected from Irish — or unsure where to begin — this episode will inspire you to start again.Thanks for reading The Language Question ~ Ceist na Teangan! Subscribe for free to receive priority notification on future episodes and to receive valuable resources.Podcast NotesRediscovering Irish Beyond the ClassroomMolly reflects on her experience learning Irish through the Irish education system and how, despite enjoying the language at school, she still left feeling unable to truly speak it conversationally.She and Finghin discuss the limitations of exam-focused language teaching, particularly the emphasis on rote learning and artificial oral exam structures, and how this can disconnect learners from the living reality of the language.The conversation highlights an important truth: many people already carry more Irish than they realise — they simply need confidence, encouragement, and opportunities to use it naturally.Building an Irish Language Community OnlineAfter studying media production, Molly began creating Irish-language content online in 2019 through her YouTube channel Gaeilge i mo chroí.What began as simple videos teaching basic phrases gradually grew into a global online Irish-language community. Molly speaks about the surprise and excitement of hearing from learners around the world — from Ireland to Australia to the United States — all reconnecting with Gaeilge online.Through YouTube, Instagram, podcasts, and conversation circles, Molly discovered that Irish could become part of everyday life outside traditional educational structures.Today, her work helps thousands of learners around the world build confidence speaking Irish through accessible, encouraging, and community-driven learning.Thanks for reading The Language Question ~ Ceist na Teangan! Subscribe for free to receive priority notification on future episodes and to receive valuable resources.Gaeilge i mo Chroí: Irish in the HeartMolly discusses the inspiration behind her award-winning book Gaeilge i mo Chroí: Your Guide to Loving and Living the Irish Language, which won Lifestyle Book of the Year at the Irish Book Awards 2024.The book explores:* The emotional relationship many Irish people have with Gaeilge* Common myths about the language* Language shame and perfectionism* The importance of bilingual learning approaches* How Irish can become a natural part of modern lifeThroughout the episode, Molly speaks passionately about creating spaces where learners feel safe to use whatever Irish they have — even imperfectly.As she explains, Irish does not belong only to fluent speakers or classrooms. It belongs to everyone who wishes to reconnect with it.Buy Gaeilge i mo Chroí / Irish in my HeartIrish, Identity and BelongingOne of the strongest themes throughout the conversation is the emotional and cultural significance of the Irish language.Molly reflects on discovering that her own great-grandfather was a native Irish speaker from Mayo, and how close the language still remains within living memory for many Irish families.She speaks about the growing visibility of Irish in modern culture — from online communities and podcasts to films like An Cailín Ciúin and the wider revival happening among younger generations.For Molly, learning and speaking Irish is not about perfection — it is about connection: connection to identity, to heritage, to community, and to one another.The Future of Irish: A Living LanguageMolly shares her optimism about the future of Gaeilge and the growing momentum surrounding the language, both in Ireland and internationally.Now living in New York, she describes the thriving Irish-language community there — including pop-up Gaeltachtaí, conversation groups, Irish classes, and friendships formed entirely through Gaeilge.She also discusses her work teaching Irish online and at the Irish Arts Center in Manhattan, as well as her plans for a second book exploring the Irish language from a new perspective.Her central message throughout the episode is simple but powerful:Irish survives when people use it, enjoy it, and allow it to become part of everyday life.Free Irish Learning ResourcesIf you enjoyed this episode of The Language Question ~ Ceist na Teangan and want to continue your Irish language journey:Access free Irish learning resources, stay updated on upcoming episodes, and receive exclusive content.Sign up here:Free ResourcesThe Language Question ~ Ceist na Teangan Free ResourcesYou can also follow my writing on Substack:Thanks for reading The Language Question ~ Ceist na Teangan! Subscribe for free to receive priority notification on future episodes and to receive valuable learning resources.A newsletter and community for anyone learning the Irish language as an adultSlán tamall,Finghin Mac CárthaighHost – The Language Question ~ Ceist na TeanganMore on Molly Nic CéileMolly Nic CéileMolly Nic Céile is an Irish language teacher, content creator, author, and founder of Gaeilge i mo Chroí, an online platform dedicated to helping people learn and live the Irish language in an accessible and joyful way.Originally from Letterkenny, County Donegal, Molly launched her YouTube channel in 2019 to share her love of Gaeilge through videos, conversation, storytelling, and community learning. Today, her content has reached learners all over the world.She teaches Irish online internationally and at the Irish Arts Center in Manhattan, New York. In 2024, her first book, Gaeilge i mo Chroí: Your Guide to Loving and Living the Irish Language, won Lifestyle Book of the Year at the Irish Book Awards.Molly is currently writing her second book while continuing to create spaces where people can reconnect with Irish through conversation, creativity, and community.Learn more:WebsiteYouTubeInstagram This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit finghinmac.substack.com

This week on Truth Works, my co-host Jeff Markowitz and I sit down with Judy Gilbert, the Chief People Officer of Oura, the company behind the Oura Ring.Judy is not a typical HR leader.She started her career at McKinsey, moved into executive search at Egon Zehnder, and then spent 12 years inside Google's People Operations team, helping scale the company from roughly 3,000 employees to 70,000.Along the way she ran learning and development, ran performance management, and served as head of HR for both YouTube and Google's moonshot factory, Google X.After Google, she became Chief People Officer at the biomanufacturing company Zymergen, where she helped build the team, took the company public, and then navigated its sale and wind-down.She tried to retire. It didn't last. The pull of being on a team trying to do hard things brought her to Oura.In this episode, we get into the difference between HR as an order-taker and HR as a genuine strategic partner, and why so many chief people officers get "organ rejected" within a year of joining.We talk about the danger of arriving with a fixed playbook, the chemistry that has to exist between a founder and their people leader, and why the job is really about being the one person willing to tell the emperor he has no clothes.Judy also shares the exact questions she asks before taking any role, how she pressure-tested Oura's CEO Tom Hale by sparring with him over compensation philosophy, and why a company's soul has to already exist before anyone can help it grow.In this conversation, we discuss:- The "I don't want to know" fear that stops people tracking their health- Whoop vs Oura, and how much data is actually useful- Why strategic HR is a competitive advantage most companies waste- The three questions Judy asks before joining any company- Why chief people officer turnover is so brutally high- The "toolkit" mistake that gets HR leaders fired- Being the person who has to tell the CEO he has no clothes- Glass balls vs rubber balls, and what to drop when you're building- How to protect a company's soul while running a hard business- Why clear cultures keep people and confused ones lose them- Why every CHRO is now the company's AI strategistThis is a candid look at the work behind the work, from someone who has built the people function at three very different companies and seen what separates the ones that scale from the ones that stall.If this conversation changed how you think about culture, leadership, or the people who quietly hold a company together, share it with someone who needs to hear it.Full episode of Truth Works with Judy Gilbert out now.

Preparing to retire after 40 years in HR leadership, Sue joins us to reflect on a career defined by commercial understanding, community engagement and a belief that inclusion drives performance.   Sue shares that the heart of Markel's identity is the 'Markel Style', a set of principles connecting how the business operates with how it serves stakeholders and the wider community - and sits at the centre of employee experience.  Sue makes the case that community engagement, through volunteering, board service and pro bono work, is one of HR's most powerful and underused tools for developing leaders, building empathy and sharpening decision-making. Sue leaves us with a clear message: when HR connects business performance and community impact, it creates stronger leaders and better business results.  Thank you to Deel for sponsoring this episode. What does HR look like when it's built for global scale? With Deel, HR teams can hire, onboard, and manage talent in 150+ countries without setting up local entities or managing multiple vendors. ·        Generate compliant contracts in minutes. ·        Automate onboarding. ·        Tackle performance reviews. ·        Centralize employee records, time off, and benefits in one place. Deel takes care of compliance and document management, so you can focus on people, not processes. From that first offer letter to ongoing support, Deel makes global HR feel local, fast, and easy.   Visit www.deel.com/uplift today.   Are you looking for your next great read that inspires you and helps your work?   Our book of the month for May is The Working Parent Equation, Balancing small humans with big careers, by Georgie Rudd. Know a working parent? A colleague that has all the plates spinning, and you're not quite sure how they're managing? Or perhaps that's you?!   The Working Parent Equation is an extra special book, packed with practical exercises for anyone to reflect on their own, personal, working parent equation, and wonderfully our very own Cecilia Crossley wrote the foreword.   Here's her summary: It's an incredibly helpful tool for any working parent - one that will help you, your family, your organisation, and society – because each of us intentionally designing our own equations takes us a step closer to gender equality.   Head to UpliftingPeople.com to grab your copy, and we hope you enjoy this month's Uplifting Book.  

If your organization isn't obsessed with how fast your people can learn, you're already falling behind in the race to "out-learn" the competition. In this episode, I'm joined by Susan LaMonica, the Chief Human Resource Officer at Citizens Financial Group—a super-regional bank with $226 billion in assets and 18,000 employees.  We explore how they are driving a massive workforce transformation to build a team that is ready for the future of work. We dive deep into their journey of becoming a skills-based organization and how they use a "skills taxonomy" and an internal talent marketplace to support mobility and career development. Susan also explains their "measured approach" to AI governance within a heavily regulated industry, including the role of their Generative AI Council. We unpack their "Reimagine the Bank" initiative, where they are rethinking 47 different business processes to drive value and effectiveness. From launching internal "gigs" to tracking productivity metrics like customer NPS and employee sentiment, this conversation is a strategic guide for any leader looking to blend high-tech tools with a human-centered culture. Watch the full video on YouTube ---------- Start your day with the world's top leaders by joining thousands of others at Great Leadership on Substack. Just enter your email: ⁠⁠https://greatleadership.substack.com/ Quick heads-up: my new book, The 8 Laws of Employee Experience, is a practical playbook for building an environment where people do their best work—order a copy here: https://bit.ly/8exlaws

In this episode of our On The Road series, we sit down with Ken Wechsler, SPHR, CCP, VP, Total Rewards at Akamai Technologies, to explore how AI is changing the conversation around rewards, recognition, performance, and the future of work.As a total rewards leader, Ken is now facing questions that would have seemed unlikely just a few years ago: What is our AI strategy? What outcomes are we trying to drive? How will AI change productivity, performance, and how people are rewarded?His message is clear: AI skills alone should not automatically mean higher pay. The real question is whether AI helps people deliver better outcomes, raise performance, create more value, and help the business move forward.

In this episode of the HR Leaders Podcast On The Road, we sit down with Eric Mosley, Founder and CEO at Workhuman to explore how recognition data, AI, and human insight are changing the way organizations identify their future leaders.Eric shares how Workhuman's new Future Leaders capability uses recognition data, performance data, and AI to identify the people most likely to rise into senior leadership roles years before they are officially promoted.And this is where it gets really interesting.Eric says the strongest signals are not coming from a traditional succession planning form. They are coming from the language people use about each other, the recognition moments that describe how work actually gets done, and the patterns that emerge across billions of human interactions.

Agentic AI is already reshaping how work gets done, and the biggest risk for CIOs isn't failure, it's falling behind. In this episode of ThinkCast, Gartner VP Analyst Brandon Germer explains why scaling agentic AI can't be done in silos, and how CIOs must co-lead with other C-suite members to build the financial, operational, and governance foundations for enterprise-wide impact.   You'll learn: Why the biggest risk in agentic AI isn't failure — it's waiting too long to act What it takes to scale AI beyond isolated use cases into enterprise-wide systems How to align the CIO, CFO, COO and CHRO around shared outcomes Why the CIO's role is shifting from technology owner to orchestrator Dig deeper: Download our guide to realizing AI value Attend a Gartner CIO Conference near you See why Gartner is the world authority on AI Try out AskGartner for more AI-powered insights  

Many organizations are planning for AI disruption. Far fewer are planning for demographic disruption.In this episode of foHRsight, Dan Pontefract joins Naomi Titleman Colla to unpack what he calls “age debt” — the growing organizational risk created when companies ignore longevity, ageism, workforce demographics, and the loss of institutional wisdom.The conversation challenges the way we think about generational labels at work and asks a bigger question: what happens when organizations become so focused on optimization and speed that they stop valuing experience altogether?Dan introduces a new framework for thinking about careers through evolving life stages instead of fixed generational identities, and explores why the future of work will require organizations to rethink career paths, knowledge transfer, leadership structures, and workforce wellbeing.For HR leaders navigating talent shortages, succession concerns, burnout, and constant change, this episode offers a more human and sustainable lens on what future-ready organizations actually need.About Our GuestDan Pontefract is an award-winning author, leadership strategist, keynote speaker, and adjunct professor at the University of Victoria. A former Chief Learning Officer at TELUS, Dan has spent decades helping organizations rethink leadership, learning, culture, and the future of work. His latest book, The Future of Work Is Grey explores the overlooked workforce risks tied to age, longevity, and organizational wisdom. Website & free assessments: www.thefutureofworkisgrey.comTake the Personal Age Assessment to see how prepared you are for age debtTake the Organizational Age Assessment to benchmark your companyStay connected with foHRsightTo sign up for our monthly newsletter, foHRsight, click HERE Follow us on LinkedIn:Mark EdgarNaomi Titleman Collafuture foHRward  Follow us on InstagramFor more information on our private community for forward-thinking HR leaders, including how to join our next Manager-Director HR Leader cohort launching this spring, visit our website at futurefohrward.com/community. We are also currently welcoming new members in our CHRO and VP+ HRBP & Talent cohorts. Don't miss your chance to join the community you've been missing!Support the show

In this episode of the HR Leaders Podcast On The Road, we sit down with Jorge Quezada, MBA (He.Him.His), Vice President, Culture & Performance at Granite Construction, to unpack what happens when culture stops being treated as a soft initiative and starts being run as a business driver.Jorge explains why culture is the operating system of an organization, shaping how people think, act, interact, and bring the company's mission, vision, and values to life every day.He shares how Granite is updating its culture for the next 100 years by preserving what makes the company strong, diagnosing what needs to change, and creating the conditions for people to grow, adapt, and perform.Most importantly, Jorge reveals why the future of culture belongs to leaders who stop copying best practices from other companies and start understanding what their own people, business, and operating system actually need.

As AI and emerging technologies reshape work, HR is being pushed into a bigger role: making sure the company's workforce strategy keeps pace with its business strategy.▶️ Watch this episode on YouTube!In this episode, Matt Kirchner sits down with Dr. Peter Fasolo, former CHRO of Johnson & Johnson and now Director of the Institute for Leadership & Work at Boston University, to talk about the future workforce from one of the most senior vantage points in HR. Fasolo does not describe HR as a siloed function focused on policies and process. He describes it as a system tied to competitive pressures, customers, leadership, organizational design, and the business outcomes that matter most to the executive suite and the board.Fasolo argues that as AI takes on more routine work, the value of HR has to become more strategic, not less: understanding the internal labor market, knowing where to build talent versus buy it, helping the company close capability gaps, and making sure the workforce is aligned with where the business is headed. With Matt pushing the conversation into practical territory, the episode becomes a broader discussion about leadership, culture, upskilling, and what companies will need from HR chiefs as the future workforce takes shape.Listen to learnHow HR leaders can tell whether the company actually has the skills and leadership depth its strategy requiresAre mass layoffs truly due to AI, or is there more going on in these businesses?How to decide when to build talent, buy talent, borrow talent, or use AIWhere companies should redirect their talent if they're able to automate tasks with AIWhy the next phase of HR leadership is less about administering programs and more about helping the executive team build an organization that can compete3 Big Takeaways from this Episode:1. HR has to move closer to the center of business strategy. Fasolo makes the case that HR can no longer be defined mainly by process, policy, or employee programs. As work changes, the real job is helping leadership understand whether the company has the talent, structure, and alignment to deliver on its strategy.2. The future workforce starts with maximizing the capabilities you already have. Before companies rush to hire, restructure, or blame AI for workforce disruption, Fasolo argues they need a much clearer view of their internal labor market, skill gaps, and job architecture. Workforce strategy starts with knowing what exists inside the business and maximizing your human capital.3. Technology only creates value if leaders use the freed-up capacity well. AI and workforce disruption is all over the headlines, but here's a grounded way to approach it. If routine work takes less time, then organizational leaders need to redirect their people toward customers, coaching, judgment, problem solving, and the kinds of leadership work that technology cannot replace.Resources: https://techedpodcast.com/fasolo/We want to hear from you! Send us a text.Instagram - Facebook - YouTube - TikTok - Twitter - LinkedIn

In this episode of the HR Leaders Podcast On The Road, we sit down with Khalil Smith, VP, Inclusion, Diversity, and Engagement at Akamai Technologies, to unpack what it really takes to build a performance culture where people trust each other enough to speak up, challenge ideas, and grow.Khalil explains why culture is not what leaders say they want, but what the organization actually rewards, and why silence is often the clearest signal that trust has broken down.He shares how leaders can build stronger cultures by creating trust, encouraging healthy disagreement, aligning systems with values, and making recognition and feedback feel honest, specific, and useful.Most importantly, Khalil reveals why the future of culture belongs to organizations that close the gap between what they say and what they reward, creating environments where people can challenge respectfully, perform boldly, and speak up without fear.

In this episode of the HR Leaders Podcast On The Road, we sit down with Peter Andrew Danzig, Senior Advisor, Foundation Culture at Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, to unpack what psychological safety really means beyond the buzzword.Peter explains why psychological safety is not a checklist, policy, or one-time initiative, but a belief system that has to be co-created, practiced, and reinforced through everyday behavior.He shares how leaders can build safer spaces by embracing healthy friction, operationalizing empathy, and creating room for challenge, accountability, apology, repair, and growth.Most importantly, Peter reveals why the future of culture belongs to organizations that stop treating safety as comfort, and start building environments where more people can speak honestly, move through conflict, and still feel seen, heard, and valued.

Hidden skills decide who stays valuable:"Your career has never been a ladder, it's…""We have just always done success wrong.""It is my job to make sure that they know that in the future..."One Friday habit can expose the pattern…See BoldEncounters.TVAngela Finlay Angela Finlay has spent years as a CHRO, CEO, professor, and human capital strategist watching careers shift faster than job titles can explain. Her warning is simple: the old ladder story is broken. The people who stay valuable now learn to name, combine, and communicate the skills they already carry—the become their own career agent.Skill Stacking Angela's Skill Stacking framework turns scattered experience into career leverage. Supportive, tactical, adaptive, complementary, and knowledge-seeking skills become a practical map for staying relevant as AI, layoffs, career pivots, and changing organizations reshape work. The mistake is waiting for others to notice what you can do. The move is to become clear enough on your value to find its need and be able to say it powerfully.Inside This Episode• Why staying and changing something can beat quitting too soon• How a hidden AI builder inside one company was missed by entitle, title-based thinking• Why emotional intelligence may become more valuable as tools get smarter• How curiosity from history, martial arts, teaching, or life can sharpen your work• What a hospital custodian taught Angela about human impact at every levelGo Deeper — Join the Club for Premium Action PlansAngela gives Premium listeners one practical step for this week: choose one real success from the past few days, write down the skills it required, name what worked, identify one gap, and ask a micro-mentor to help sharpen it. Then use the STACK lens to go deeper than the obvious two skills and uncover the ten underneath. Also avoid the obstacle coming when you do this—Angela reveals how.Listen + Connecthttps://www.BoldEncounters.TVAngela Finlayhttps://www.windwardhcm.comhttps://www.linkedin.com/in/ablumfinlay/Moments To Revisit• Angela saying careers were never ladders in the first place• The childhood moves that taught her to walk into new rooms• The miserable job she reframed by growing the people around her• The AI-skilled employee nobody found because nobody knew to ask• The custodian who changed how a CHRO saw value in every roleFinal ThoughtAngela reveals something many ambitious people miss: relevance is not only built by learning the next tool. It is built by seeing the full pattern of what you already know, how you adapt, how you communicate, and how you help others move. The future belongs less to people with one impressive specialty and more to people who can name their value, keep adding to it, and bring it where it matters.Do you feel stuck between where you are today… and who you're meant to become? Find your next step inside Bold Encounters Club with premium guidance at: https://www.BoldEncounters.TV — you can also give the gift of Premium success to someone else you care about.Thank YouCalvin Cook—Caljo, original music, @Caljo MusicAliyah Peña, Post Production, aliyahmpena@gmail.comSkyler Maudsley, Video Editing, skylermaudsley@gmail.comRosalie McGinn, Social Media, rosalie.mcginn1@gmail.com

What if the reason your culture isn't shifting… isn't your people?For many HR leaders, the pressure is familiar. You hire thoughtfully. You invest in development. You talk about inclusion. And yet, something still doesn't move.Because the issue isn't just who is in the organization. It's what they move through once they're there.In this episode, Mark Edgar sits down with Celeste Warren to unpack a more pragmatic, and more demanding, view of diversity, equity and inclusion. One that moves beyond representation and into the systems that shape access, opportunity, and performance.They explore why so many DEI efforts fail to create real change, how the role of the Chief Diversity Officer has evolved through a decade of volatility, and what it actually takes to build environments where people can thrive.This is not a conversation about optics or ideology. It's about how organizations work, who they work for, and what leaders need to redesign if they want performance to be sustainable.If you're leading through complexity, trying to balance business outcomes with human realities, this episode will challenge how you think about both.About Our Guest Celeste Warren is a former Chief Diversity and Inclusion Officer and global HR leader with decades of experience across complex organizations. She now advises companies on how to embed inclusive and equitable practices into business and people systems. Her work is grounded in both lived experience and deep operational expertise, making her perspective both practical and hard to ignore.Stay connected with foHRsight To sign up for our monthly newsletter, foHRsight, click HERE Follow us on LinkedIn:Mark EdgarNaomi Titleman Collafuture foHRward  Follow us on InstagramFor more information on our private community for forward-thinking HR leaders, including how to join our next Manager-Director HR Leader cohort launching this spring, visit our website at futurefohrward.com/community. We are also currently welcoming new members in our CHRO and VP+ HRBP & Talent cohorts. Don't miss your chance to join the community you've been missing!Support the show

In this episode of the HR Leaders Podcast On The Road, we sit down with Julie A. Stone, Chief Learning Officer, Group VP at TTEC, to unpack what it really takes to bring AI into an organization without losing the human connection, trust, and coaching that actually drive performance.Julie explains why simply training people on AI tools is not enough, and how leaders must help employees understand where, when, and how AI fits into their actual work.She shares how TTEC is using AI to create more time for human coaching, improve guidance in the flow of work, measure coaching effectiveness, and give people safe spaces to practice, learn, and build confidence.Most importantly, Julie reveals why the future of AI transformation belongs to leaders who start with real business problems, bring people along transparently, and redesign work in a way that helps people perform better.

These episodes of #thePOZcast, live from Transform 2026 in Las Vegas, are proudly brought to you by our friends at Overalls What if your employees had one central hub to handle real life? Meet Overalls. A smarter way to support your team, combining expert human LifeConcierges™ with AI to solve everyday challenges across healthcare, caregiving, benefits, insurance, finances, life admin, and more. From start to finish, Overalls handles the details — using existing benefits where they fit, and filling in the gaps where they don't. So employees save time, reduce stress, and stay focused at work, while employers boost engagement and get more value from their benefits. Overalls is redefining how work supports life, helping employee teams from Reddit, Patreon, BeatBox, and more cross pesky to-dos off their lists every day. Learn more at https://getoveralls.com/?utm_source=podcast&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=pozcast Thanks for listening, and please follow us on Insta @NHPTalent and www.youtube.com/thePOZcast For all episodes, please check out www.thePOZcast.com About:  Nancy Hauge , Chief People Experience Officer  Nancy oversees all "people" functions worldwide at Automation Anywhere, including talent acquisition, communication, total rewards, learning and development, engagement, DEI, and Social Impact. She brings more than 30 years of experience in senior leadership and management consulting roles. Prior to joining Automation Anywhere, she was the chief people officer at HotChalk, where she was responsible for all people functions, legal, and facilities. Before that, Nancy served as the SVP of global human resources and facilities at Silicon Image through its 2015 acquisition, and as SVP of human resources for K12 Inc. (STRIDE) through its 2007 IPO. She also has executive experience at Ruckus Network, Noah's New York Bagels, Gymboree Corporation and Sun Microsystems.  She was recognized by HRO Today as CHRO of the Year 2023, for Innovation.  Additional recognition includes being named by HR Leadership as one of the Top 100 HR Tech Influencers for 2021, by HRO Today as a Leader of Distinction in North America in 2019. She is also a recipient of the "Stevie Awards" for women in high tech and was named by the Silicon Valley Business Journal as one of the "100 Women of Influence" in Silicon Valley both in 2015. Nancy has served on the Board of Regents for Holy Names College and the Board of Advisors to The Cameron School of Business at The University of North Carolina, Wilmington.  What you didn't know: Nancy started her career in comedy. Writing and performing. Of course, Nancy admits that she is lucky she wasn't very good at that or she would not be here today. Key Takeaways: 1. People Are the Most Unpredictable — and That's the Point Nancy's reason for still loving HR after 45 years: no two days are ever the same, because people will always surprise you. That unpredictability isn't a bug in the people function — it's what makes it the most creative, human-centered role in any organization. 2. AI Agents Should Do the Work Humans Shouldn't Have to Do The real promise of AI in HR isn't efficiency for its own sake — it's freeing humans to do what humans are actually best at. Reviewing resumes, scheduling interviews, and answering repetitive benefit questions should be automated. Creativity, judgment, and connection should not. 3. The Referral Agent Changes How Jobs Get Designed Automation Anywhere's referral agent is a glimpse at the future of workforce planning: as a new job description is written, AI maps it to existing tools in the catalog and recommends what else needs to be built. Jobs are no longer just roles — they're a design challenge. 4. The Future of Benefits Is Bespoke, Not Bulk Volume-purchased, one-size-fits-many benefits packages are a legacy model. Millennials and Gen Z expect benefits that match their actual life — their family structure, their life stage, their specific needs. Companies that don't move toward personalization will lose the talent war to those that do. 5. Benefits Are How You Reach Into the Family Nancy's reframe: benefits aren't just a compensation component — they're the one place a company can make an employee's family a partner in retention. When a company helps with a night nurse, fertility support, or postpartum care, the family notices. And families influence career decisions. 6. The Night Nurse Benefit Generated the Most Emotional Response of Nancy's Career Of all the benefits Nancy has implemented across 45 years, a night nurse support service for new parents produced the most extraordinary emotional response she has ever received from employees. It's a reminder that the highest-impact benefits often aren't the most expensive — they're the most human. 7. AI Agents Can Surface Benefits at the Exact Moment They're Needed The awareness and adoption problem in benefits is real: employees don't think about benefits until they need them. AI agents that detect life changes — a new dependent added to insurance, a leave request filed — and proactively surface relevant benefits solve this problem at scale, without requiring HR to monitor or manage it manually. 8. People Share More With Agents Than With HR — and That's a Feature Employees are more willing to disclose sensitive, personal information to an AI agent than to a human HR representative, because there's no fear of judgment or career consequences. That confidentiality drives benefit utilization and gives companies a more accurate picture of what employees actually need. 9. Great Alumni Are Part of the Benefits ROI Nancy's two-vector framework for benefits ROI — retention and human wellness — includes something most people skip: the alumni experience. The goal isn't just to keep employees as long as possible. It's to make them feel so well-cared-for that when they leave, they become ambassadors. That has real, lasting value. CHAPTERS: 00:00 – Introduction: Adam welcomes Nancy Hauge — whose favorite color is puce — and sets up a conversation with one of the most experienced people leaders in the series. 02:00 – Meet Nancy & Automation Anywhere Nancy introduces herself as Chief People Experience Officer and describes Automation Anywhere's AI agent platform — built to help enterprises manage agentic solutions across their entire tech stack. 04:00 – Why 45 Years in HR Never Gets Old Nancy's answer to what keeps her energized after four-plus decades: people are the least predictable thing in the world, which makes HR the most creative function in any business. 06:30 – The Greatest Innovation in HR Tech Nancy's take on the biggest recent leap: AI agents that remove human bias from processes, hand repetitive work back to machines, and free people to do what they're actually best at — creativity and problem solving. 09:00 – The Referral Agent: AI Redesigning Job Descriptions A specific innovation at Automation Anywhere: an AI agent that, as a job description is written, maps it to existing agents in the catalog and recommends new ones to build — fundamentally changing how work gets designed. 12:00 – The Future of Benefits Is Bespoke Nancy's bold prediction: one-size-fits-many benefits are on the way out. The next generation of workers — Millennials and Gen Z — expect à la carte, concierge-level solutions tailored to their life and their family, not volume-purchased packages. 15:00 – Benefits Reach Into the Family A reframe that changes how you think about total rewards: benefits are the one place a company can reach into an employee's family and make them partners in retention. That's a responsibility — and an opportunity. 17:30 – The Night Nurse Benefit The benefit that generated the most emotional response Nancy has ever seen in her career — a post-birth night nurse support service — and why the reaction from employees was extraordinary. 21:00 – AI Agents Driving Benefits Awareness How Automation Anywhere uses AI agents to proactively surface the right benefits at the right moment — detecting life changes like a new baby on insurance and prompting employees with relevant support before they even think to ask. 24:00 – Confidentiality & the Trust Factor Why employees are more likely to share vulnerable, personal information with an AI agent than with HR — no judgment, no performance review implications, no office gossip. And why does that drive benefit utilization? 26:30 – Justifying Benefits ROI on Two Vectors Nancy's framework: retention is one vector, human wellness and happiness is the other. And the goal isn't just keeping people — it's creating great alumni who leave saying the company genuinely cared about them. 29:00 – The 5-Year Century Nancy previews her upcoming book, co-authored with Automation Anywhere's CEO, publishing May 19th via Wiley — about how rapidly everything is changing and how AI agents are going to help humanity tackle its biggest challenges.

En nuestro episodio 511 conversamos con Michael Kienle, Global VP Talent Acquisition de L'Oréal sobre: + Eliminar las carreras aburridas. + El rol y futuro de la IA en RR.HH. + Construir empresas centradas en las personas. + Qué hacer y qué no como líder de talento. + Los primeros días como CHRO. + El futuro del reclutamiento. + Crear carreras fluidas en las empresas. + Cómo construir marca empleadora. + El potencial del talento latino. __________________________________________________________________________

A massive wave of retirements known as "Peak 65" is creating a serious crisis for organizations as decades of institutional knowledge begin to walk out the door. This shift in workforce demographics means we must act now to secure our talent pipeline before these experts leave for good. In this episode, CHRO Robin Benoit shares how she and her team at FM are tackling this challenge at its core. We explore their unique mentorship program called AKA (Accelerating Knowledge Advancement), which pulls experts away from their day jobs to help newer employees reach senior-level career growth years ahead of schedule. Robin explains the balance between AI optimization and human interaction, highlighting the danger of using technology to automate entry-level work in a way that "kills off" the learning process for future leaders. We discuss building a "career lattice" for internal mobility and why we need transparent retirement conversations to ensure experienced workers don't block promotion paths while we still benefit from their wisdom through reverse mentorship. This episode is essential for CHROs who want to use succession planning and employee engagement to thrive in the future of work. Watch the full video on YouTube ---------- Start your day with the world's top leaders by joining thousands of others at Great Leadership on Substack. Just enter your email: ⁠⁠https://greatleadership.substack.com/ Quick heads-up: my new book, The 8 Laws of Employee Experience, is a practical playbook for building an environment where people do their best work—order a copy here: 8EXlaws.com

In this episode of the HR Leaders Podcast On The Road, we sit down with Raúl J. Valentín, EVP & Chief Human Resources Officer at ABM Industries, live from Workhuman Live Orlando 2026, to unpack what it really takes to lead a frontline workforce through constant change, AI transformation, and rising employee expectations.Raúl explains why the future of HR is not about choosing between people and technology, but designing systems where people and AI work together to make work faster, fairer, and more human.He shares how ABM is building resilience across a workforce of more than 100,000 team members by focusing on fairness, recognition, manager capability, and helping employees feel seen, heard, and valued wherever they work.Most importantly, Raúl reveals why HR leaders must stop waiting for perfect answers before taking action, and instead create safe ways to launch, learn, improve, and lead transformation in motion.

These episodes of #thePOZcast, live from Transform 2026 in Las Vegas, are proudly brought to you by our friends at Overalls What if your employees had one central hub to handle real life? Meet Overalls. A smarter way to support your team, combining expert human LifeConcierges™ with AI to solve everyday challenges across healthcare, caregiving, benefits, insurance, finances, life admin, and more. From start to finish, Overalls handles the details — using existing benefits where they fit, and filling in the gaps where they don't. So employees save time, reduce stress, and stay focused at work, while employers boost engagement and get more value from their benefits. Overalls is redefining how work supports life, helping employee teams from Reddit, Patreon, BeatBox, and more cross pesky to-dos off their lists every day. Learn more at https://getoveralls.com/?utm_source=podcast&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=pozcast Thanks for listening, and please follow us on Insta @NHPTalent and www.youtube.com/thePOZcast For all episodes, please check out www.thePOZcast.com About:  Kyle Forrest is the Future of HR Leader for Deloitte Consulting LLP. The Future of HR team advises, implements, and helps business and HR leaders drive business and workforce outcomes through Deloitte's knowledge and practical understanding of HR operating models, processes, AI and automation capabilities, HR technology and vendor partner strategies, and evolving HR skills and capabilities. Forrest also serves as the dean of Deloitte's Next Generation CHRO Academy, bringing together senior HR leaders aspiring for the CHRO role to advance their careers. Takeaways:  1. The AI Conversation Has Moved On — and That's a Good Thing A year ago, every conference session was about AI features. In 2026, the more important question has taken center stage: what should humans be doing? Organizations that are answering that question well are investing in the uniquely human capabilities — creativity, presence, novel thinking, relationship-building — that AI cannot replicate. 2. No Generation Is Primarily Motivated by Pay Alone Deloitte's research across all four workforce generations is consistent: salary is table stakes, not a differentiator. Purpose, mental wellbeing, financial wellness, and a sense that the company cares about the whole person are what actually move the needle on attraction and retention. 3. Mental Wellbeing Benefits Are Now a Business Outcome, Not a Perk The link between employee stress and productivity is well-documented. Organizations that invest in mental health benefits aren't just being compassionate — they're protecting output, engagement, and retention. Gen Z's comfort with this dialogue has accelerated adoption across the board. 4. The Sandwich Generation Is the Next Big Benefits Frontier A growing number of employees are simultaneously raising children and caring for aging parents. This dual caregiving burden creates stress, distraction, and leave risk that compounds over time. Benefits that help employees navigate elder care — not just time off, but actual guidance and support — are going to become a significant differentiator in the next few years. 5. Women's Health Benefits Have an Underserved Second Chapter The fertility benefits conversation has expanded — but Kyle points to a significant gap: supporting mothers through recovery, healing, and the early transition to parenthood after birth. There is growing investment in this space, and the companies that get ahead of it will have a meaningful advantage. 6. How a Company Handles Pregnancy Loss Is Now Part of Its Employer Brand Word travels fast — especially on social media. How an organization supports an employee through the loss of a pregnancy or a failed IVF cycle is the kind of story that gets shared widely. It's become a visible signal of company culture and values that candidates and current employees pay attention to. 7. Benefits ROI Lives in Attrition and Time-to-Hire Data Kyle's framework for building the business case: calculate the cost of slow hiring and high attrition, then show how the right benefits mix moves those numbers. Unfilled roles have a direct revenue impact — and retaining the right people means not missing out on sales, delivery, or growth. 8. Performance Psychology Coaching Is the Most Interesting New Benefits Category Drawing on decades of research in elite sports, performance psychology coaching helps employees handle high-pressure moments, navigate stress, and show up at their best — consistently. It's distinct from traditional mental health services and addresses a different, underserved need in the workforce. 9. Asynchronous Interviewing Is Democratizing the Candidate Pipeline Tools that let candidates complete interviews and skills assessments on their own time — at 5:30 AM before work or after putting the kids to bed — are surfacing qualified candidates who would have otherwise been filtered out by scheduling friction. Companies using these tools are finding people they would have missed. 10. Modern HR's Job Is Strategy, Not Inquiry The more benefits navigation and routine HR questions can be handled through technology and concierge services, the more HR professionals can focus on what actually moves the business: partnering with leaders to personalize benefits for their specific workforce mix, build better teams, and make smarter people decisions. CHAPTERS:  00:00 – Welcome Back, Kyle Adam welcomes Kyle Forrest back for his third appearance and sets up what's different about Transform 2026 compared to previous years. 02:00 – The Shift: From AI Features to Human Value Kyle's big observation from the conference circuit: last year was about AI products; this year is about what work should remain human — and why that's the more important conversation. 04:30 – What AI Still Can't Do The uniquely human capabilities that no model can replace: being present in the room, generating novel ideas, building real relationships, and innovating in ways that go beyond the existing body of human knowledge. 07:00 – Four Generations, One Workforce, Zero Agreement on Pay Deloitte's generational research shows that across Gen Z, Millennials, Gen X, and Boomers, salary alone is not the primary motivator — and what that means for how companies structure total comp. 09:30 – Mental Wellbeing as a Business Outcome How Gen Z's comfort with mental health dialogue has pushed organizations to take wellness benefits more seriously — and the research linking stress reduction directly to productivity and engagement. 12:00 – The Sandwich Generation Problem A growing segment of the workforce is simultaneously caring for kids and aging parents. Kyle makes the case for why navigation benefits for elder care aren't just nice to have — they're becoming critical. 15:00 – Benefits That Remove Burden from HR How smart benefits design reduces the volume of questions HR has to field — freeing people professionals to spend time with business leaders on strategic workforce decisions instead. 17:30 – The Modern Role of HR Kyle's take on how the HR profession has evolved over nearly 100 years — and where it needs to go next: less inquiry-answering, more personalized workforce strategy in partnership with business leaders. 20:00 – Fertility Benefits and the Overlooked Healing Journey The growing investment in women's health benefits — and the often-missed opportunity to support mothers not just through the fertility journey, but through recovery, healing, and the transition to parenthood. 23:00 – Supporting Loss in the Workplace A candid moment: how companies show up for employees who experience pregnancy loss or failed IVF is becoming a visible differentiator — and word spreads fast, in both directions. 25:30 – The ROI Case for Benefits Investment Kyle's framework for justifying benefits spend: tie it to time-to-hire, attrition rates, and the measurable revenue impact of unfilled roles and disengaged employees. 28:00 – Performance Psychology Coaching One of the most interesting emerging benefits: coaching that applies lessons from elite sports psychology to help employees navigate stress, pressure, and high-stakes moments at work. 30:30 – TA Tech Innovation: Interviewing on Your Time The candidate experience innovation Kyle is most excited about: asynchronous interview and skills assessment tools that let candidates go through the process at 5:30 AM or after bedtime — and the pipeline results companies are seeing. 33:00 – Where to Find Kyle & Deloitte's Research Kyle points listeners to Deloitte's Insights to Action platform and his LinkedIn for the latest research and workforce intelligence.

What if the problem isn't that your people aren't performing… but that your system is broken?Right now, many organizations are rushing to adopt AI, cutting entry-level roles, and asking more from leaders who are already at capacity. It feels efficient. It looks strategic. But it's quietly eroding the very foundation of future performance.In this episode, host Mark Edgar sits down with Kelly Monahan to challenge the way we're thinking about work, leadership, and AI. They explore why starting with technology is the wrong move, how outdated systems are limiting human potential, and what leaders need to rebuild if they want sustainable performance.This is a conversation about getting the moment right. Not just implementing AI, but redefining how value is created, how people are developed, and what leadership actually requires now.If you're feeling the pressure to “move faster” while sensing something deeper is off, this episode will help you step back and rethink where to start.About Our GuestKelly Monahan is a future of work advisor, researcher, and bestselling author focused on the intersection of human behavior, leadership, and technology. With a background in HR and a PhD in organizational research, she works closely with executives to help them navigate AI-driven transformation while keeping human performance at the center.Stay connected with foHRsightTo sign up for our monthly newsletter, foHRsight, click HERE  Follow us on LinkedIn:Mark EdgarNaomi Titleman Collafuture foHRward  Follow us on InstagramFor more information on our private community for forward-thinking HR leaders, including how to join our next Manager-Director HR Leader cohort launching this spring, visit our website at futurefohrward.com/community. We are also currently welcoming new members in our CHRO and VP+ HRBP & Talent cohorts. Don't miss your chance to join the community you've been missing!Support the show

In this episode, we sit down with John Barrand, CHRO for the State of Utah, to discuss an inspiring transformation in public sector performance management. John led a bold effort to overhaul Utah's performance management system—moving it from a culture of “adequacy” and silence to one focused on learning, growth, connection, and accountability. John shares how he and his team achieved legislative change requiring quarterly check-ins, implemented management training, and shifted the state's mindset around performance and development. You will want to hear this episode if you are interested in...[01:16] Initial state of Utah's performance management system[06:23] Value of continuous learning and curiosity in government [10:06] Defining the “why” for performance management in Utah[17:02] Risks and Resistance in Systemic Change[20:06] Quarterly employee check-ins initiative[25:59] Balancing fairness and measurement without alienating staff [34:28] Creation of a system-wide talent mobility program [40:01] Development of incentive structures and bonus allocations [44:22] Sustainability and future of the programPerformance Management is a Sector-Spanning ChallengePerformance management has a notorious reputation, often maligned as bureaucratic and misaligned. These challenges aren't confined to just the private sector. Public organizations often face a wealth of bureaucracy and challenges that can inhibit transformation, compounded by a cultural tendency towards silence and an adequacy mindset.When John assumed his role in 2021 for the state of Utah, over 70% of employees had an “unknown” performance rating, and only 16% had received annual reviews. The pervasive culture of silence fostered disengagement and suspicion, and performance management, where it occurred, was simply about maintaining adequacy—a relic from nearly a century and a half of defensive bureaucracy.From Compliance to ConnectionThe first pivotal move was defining purpose. Clarity on the “why” behind performance management is crucial. For Utah, the why was growth: enabling employees to learn and grow while retaining top talent—shifting away from the punitive roots of performance management. As John says: “Employees don't want feedback, they want connection. They don't want evaluation, they want attention”.One of the new steps John took was to require quarterly check-in conversations with all employees. The effect was transformational: from just 16% of employees having annual reviews to 89% participating in four quarterly check-ins within the first year. This regular cadence broke the culture of silence, making communication a legal and cultural imperative.Overhauling the System: What ChangedWhere most organizations tinker at the edges, Utah's public sector embraced bold, structural change. They implemented legislation for conversations, which included quarterly check-ins and annual reviews, demonstrating a high-level commitment to improving performance management.Only 30% of managers previously had any training, and now, over 87% have been developed in crucial skills such as feedback, resilience, and collaboration. Utah also funds performance management by reallocating cost-of-living adjustments and introducing performance-driven bonuses. Goals now consist of both output-aligned objectives and developmental “how” objectives, pushing employees to reflect on and improve their impact.Evidence of a Transformed CulturePerformance conversations have become increasingly meaningful. The organization saw a 40% increase in first-year exits for cause—not a sign of ruthless weeding out, but of identifying and addressing performance issues sooner, thereby improving overall health without a drop in retention. High-potential (HIPO) employee retention rates rose 16% above the general population, and newly calibrated bonus systems rewarded and motivated top talent. Utah's success has garnered attention from major institutions—including Harvard and the London School of Economics—looking to distill lessons from its model. Resources & People MentionedUtah Governor's OfficeUtah LegislatureHarvard UniversityLSE HB0104GRIT Initiative      Connect with John BarrandJohn BarrandConnect With Red Thread ResearchWebsite: Red Thread ResearchOn LinkedInOn FacebookOn TwitterSubscribe to WORKPLACE STORIES

How can your culture become a competitive advantage?Why is engagement not just an HR metric, but a driver of business performance?My guest on this episode is Bala Sathyanarayanan, EVP and CHRO, Greif Inc. During our conversation Bala and I discuss the following: Why culture is the operating system that determines whether strategy succeeds or fails.Why engagement is not just an HR metric, but a leading indicator of customer and business performance.How organizations that focus on systems outperform those that focus only on outcomes.Why HR's credibility depends on its ability to create measurable business value.Why great organizations are never “great,” they are always chasing it.Connecting with Bala: Connect with Bala on LinkedInEpisode Sponsor: Next-Gen HR Accelerator - Learn more about this best-in-class leadership development program for next-gen HR leadersHR Leader's Blueprint - 18 pages of real-world advice from 100+ HR thought leaders. Simple, actionable, and proven strategies to advance your career.Succession Planning Playbook: In this focused 1-page resource, I cut through the noise to give you the vital elements that define what “great” succession planning looks like.

Pat Wadors, CHRO at Intuitive (the company behind the da Vinci surgical robot), the architect of LinkedIn's Diversity, Inclusion and Belonging framework known as DIBs, and the author of the 2024 Wiley book Unlock Your Leadership Story, joins Jessica Neal and Peter Clarke on Truth Works.From losing her mother during her freshman year of college and getting diagnosed with dyslexia in a career center conversation at LSU, to declaring at nineteen that she was going to run HR, Pat traces the unlikely path that took her from a fine art major in Louisiana to one of the most respected CHROs in Silicon Valley.She walks through the moment Jeff Weiner called her in the middle of a staff meeting at Plantronics to come fix LinkedIn at three thousand employees, the whiteboard exercise in her first five weeks that forced the executive team to admit they were not actually being "open and constructive," and the 3am realisation that became DIBs.She talks openly about why John Donahoe pursued her for ServiceNow with a now legendary line about marriage, and the comment from a head of product that has stuck with her for years, telling her she was the dentist while the rest of the executive team were just dental hygienists.She then opens up about her Personal Scorecard, and the moment her son devastated her by pointing out that if she actually stuck to her own scorecard, she would only see her grandchildren seventy two times by the time they turned eighteen.In this episode, Jessica, Peter and Pat discuss:The art show story that taught Pat at eighteen that she only sold to people she actually likedThe three year clock she runs in her head to avoid getting pigeon-holed in any roleWhat joining LinkedIn at three thousand employees was actually likeThe whiteboard exercise that became the foundation of LinkedIn's cultureWhy she gave DIBs to the world rather than keep it inside LinkedInThe dinner with John Donahoe that turned into a marriage proposal for a jobWhy she thinks of HR as a product with agile development methodologyWhat a CHRO actually needs to learn about the business to earn a real seat at the tableWhy she had a hysterectomy with the da Vinci robot and was ready to cook dinner that nightThe Personal Scorecard framework and how her son broke her heart with itGoldilocks, the Three Pigs, the Tortoise and the Hare, and Mulan as leadership lessonsThe one question she keeps on her desktop that empowers her every dayPat's book, Unlock Your Leadership Story: How to Build Understanding and Motivate Teams Using Fables and Folktales, is available now on Amazon, patwadors.com and as an audiobook.

It feels like we are on a fast treadmill because technology and AI are changing work so quickly. It is hard to stay ahead when old ways of doing things no longer work in this new, advanced digital world. In this episode, Sue Davies, EVP & CHRO of Markel, discusses navigating organizational transformation and how to build resilience in an AI-driven world. We uncover the "ABCS" (Awareness, Buy-in, Competence, and Sustainability) framework for organizational change to guide employees through the anxieties of technological change. We explore the shift from the traditional career ladder to internal talent mobility and why individual accountability is the key to upskilling for the future of work. Sue also shares how AI tools, like Co-pilot can speed up employee training while keeping human interaction and trust at the center of the business. From reflections on a 40-year career to modern AI pilots, Sue shares a clear focus on building workforce adaptability without losing the human touch. This episode provides a strategic roadmap for CHROs looking to lead their people through AI transformation with confidence and empathy. Watch the full video on YouTube ---------- Start your day with the world's top leaders by joining thousands of others at Great Leadership on Substack. Just enter your email: ⁠⁠https://greatleadership.substack.com/ Quick heads-up: my new book, The 8 Laws of Employee Experience, is a practical playbook for building an environment where people do their best work—order a copy here: 8EXlaws.com

April 27th, 2026. Three policy hits in the same week, all with direct workforce consequences. Bo, Luke, and ASHHRA Executive Director Jeremy Sadlier break down what HR leaders need to do before July 1st.

In episode 249, Coffey talks with Jenay Huey about how growing businesses should approach HR strategy, outsourcing, and internal capability building.  They discuss why small businesses delay investing in HR until problems arise; misconceptions about HR as a cost center versus strategic function; differences between transactional HR tasks and long-term workforce strategy; when to hire in-house HR based on employee count and complexity; how to evaluate HR consultants and service level agreements; the role of benefits brokers, attorneys, and HRIS platforms; pros and cons of outsourcing HR functions and PEO arrangements; selecting and scaling HR technology systems effectively; building internal HR talent pipelines and succession planning; importance of business acumen and aligning HR initiatives with financial outcomes.  For HR teams who discuss this podcast in their team meetings, we've created a discussion starter PDF to help guide your conversation. Download it here https://goodmorninghr.com/EP249  Good Morning, HR is brought to you by Imperative—Bulletproof Background Checks. For more information about our commitment to quality and excellent customer service, visit us at https://imperativeinfo.com.   If you are an HRCI or SHRM-certified professional, this episode of Good Morning, HR has been pre-approved for half a recertification credit. To obtain the recertification information for this episode, visit https://goodmorninghr.com.   About our Guest:  Jenay Huey, SHRM-SCP, PHR, is the President of Dunedin HR Solutions LLC and a seasoned Human Resources strategist dedicated to "putting the human back in HR." With a career built on helping organizations and employees, Jenay serves as a fractional CHRO, aligning HR policies with business vision to drive net income and team engagement. She is dedicated to serving small and medium size organizations.   She believes that all organizations deserve access to an HR professional that understands their organization, scales solutions to their size and culture and undertsands the employment compliance landscape.   Jenay has over 20 years of experience in HR and people operations. She has worked with organizations from small family run businesses to organizations with over 7000 employees. She received her B.A.Sc from the University of South Florida, holds several certifications including her SHRM-SCP and PHR from HRCI.  Jenay Huey can be reached at  https://www.dunedinhrsolutionsllc.com https://www.linkedin.com/in/jenay-huey https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100094367457078  https://www.instagram.com/dunedin_hr_solutions_llc  About Mike Coffey:  Mike Coffey is an entrepreneur, licensed private investigator, business strategist, HR consultant, and registered yoga teacher. In 1999, he founded Imperative, a background investigations and due diligence firm helping risk-averse clients make well-informed decisions about the people they involve in their business. Imperative delivers in-depth employment background investigations, know-your-customer and anti-money laundering compliance, and due diligence investigations to more than 300 risk-averse corporate clients across the US, and, through its PFC Caregiver & Household Screening brand, many more private estates, family offices, and personal service agencies. Imperative has been named a Best Places to Work, the Texas Association of Business' small business of the year, and is accredited by the Professional Background Screening Association.  Mike shares his insight from 25+ years of HR-entrepreneurship on the Good Morning, HR podcast, where each week he talks to business leaders about bringing people together to create value for customers, shareholders, and community. Mike has been recognized as an Entrepreneur of Excellence by FW, Inc. and has twice been recognized as the North Texas HR Professional of the Year.  Mike serves as a board member of a number of organizations, including the Texas State Council, where he serves Texas' 31 SHRM chapters as State Director-Elect; Workforce Solutions for Tarrant County; the Texas Association of Business; and the Fort Worth Chamber of Commerce, where he is chair of the Talent Committee. Mike is a certified Senior Professional in Human Resources (SPHR) through the HR Certification Institute and a SHRM Senior Certified Professional (SHRM-SCP). He is also a Yoga Alliance registered yoga teacher (RYT-200) and teaches multiple times each week. Mike and his very patient wife of 28 years are empty nesters in Fort Worth.  Learning Objectives: Identify when a growing company should invest in HR support or leadership Evaluate external HR resources, consultants, and PEOs effectively Design a scalable HR strategy that aligns with business growth and profitability 

Women in Chemical's interviews, Tift Shepherd, Senior HR Executive and former CHRO for Woman of the Week 4/15/2026. 

What if HR is still thinking too small about AI? In this episode of the Digital HR Leaders podcast, David Green is joined by Paul, Chief Evangelist and Talent Strategist at Visier, to explore why traditional transformation approaches may no longer be fit for purpose, and what HR needs to do differently to keep pace. Join them, as they tackle some of the biggest questions facing the function today: Is the current framing of AI in HR too narrow? Does HR need to operate more like finance to remain relevant? What does it take to move from pilots to real, enterprise-wide impact? And as AI becomes embedded across the business, does people analytics become less visible… or more critical than ever? This episode is sponsored by Visier. Visier Workforce AI is your GPS for workforce decisions. Spot attrition risk, uncover pay gaps, measure leadership impact, and track skills shortages before they slow growth. Then act. Align talent to real business outcomes. Across industries, HR and business leaders are using Visier Workforce AI to navigate the biggest workforce shifts of our time. Move from knowing to doing, faster. See it in action at visier.com Also, make sure to read to explore Visier's latest research on strategic workforce planning in the AI era. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode, Kathi Enderes sits down with Rob McAuslan, Vice President for Artificial Intelligence at Southern New Hampshire University (SNHU), one of the world's largest and most innovative online universities with more than 200,000 students. Before leading SNHU's AI strategy, Rob taught, worked, and volunteered across Africa, the Mediterranean, and East Asia, working with populations ranging from K-12 students to refugees to graduate scholars. That lived experience shapes everything about how SNHU thinks about AI: not as a tool for automation, but as a means of expanding access, amplifying human potential, and meeting learners exactly where they are. SNHU is no ordinary university. As one of the largest and most innovative higher education institutions in the United States, it has built its reputation on making education accessible to learners who the traditional system has often left behind: working adults, career changers, veterans, and underserved communities. Rob's role as VP for AI sits squarely at the intersection of that mission and the most consequential technological shift of our time. Rob and Kathi discuss what it really means to deploy AI with humans at the center, and what that demands of institutions, leaders, and learners alike. The conversation moves through the practical and the philosophical: How do you design AI experiences that honor the dignity and complexity of every individual? What does skills-based, AI-enabled learning look like for someone who has never had access to it before? And what can higher education teach the corporate world about building AI that actually serves people rather than simply processing them? If you're a CHRO, CIO, learning leader, or business executive wondering how to move beyond pilots and hype, this conversation will show you what responsible, scalable AI adoption really looks like—and how to get started in your own organization. Related resources Podcast: The Rise Of The Supermanager – JOSH BERSIN Research: AI Pacesetters: Six Secrets Of The Superworker Company – JOSH BERSIN New Certificate Course in Galileo Learn: AI in L&D Get Galileo: The AI Superagent for You Chapters (00:00:03) - What Works in the Future of Work(00:00:40) - How Southern New Hampshire University Is Taking a Human Approach to AI(00:02:58) - How to Apply AI at Southern New Hampshire University(00:07:49) - Southern New Hampshire University's 4-Stage AI Adoption Model(00:14:16) - One of the issues around AI governance(00:19:13) - Employee Experience and AI in the People Team(00:21:43) - WSJD Live: The AI Policy(00:23:32) - In the Elevator With Provost Rob Ferguson(00:24:06) - What Works In Education? With Rob McAuslan

Technology is moving faster than ever, and many of us feel the pressure to keep up without losing our human touch. We need a clear path to help our teams embrace change while building a culture of trust and growth. In this episode, Lisa Coulson, SVP and Chief Human Resource Officer at Principal Financial Group, joins me to talk about what it means to build an AI-literate workforce at its core within financial services. We explore how their data literacy and employee training program reached 90% of workers and how internal AI tools like "Page" and "Penny" helped with their AI adoption. Lisa shares their step-by-step "funnel" approach to reskilling and upskilling, the impact of AI in leadership development, and how to build an internal talent marketplace to match employee skills with new roles. We also tackle the necessity of governance in a regulated industry and the ongoing challenge of measuring AI's ROI and productivity gains during a workforce transformation. This episode is every CHRO's clear guide for leading a digital shift while keeping the employee experience strong. Watch the full video on YouTube ---------- Start your day with the world's top leaders by joining thousands of others at Great Leadership on Substack. Just enter your email: ⁠⁠https://greatleadership.substack.com/ Quick heads-up: my new book, The 8 Laws of Employee Experience, is a practical playbook for building an environment where people do their best work—order a copy here: 8EXlaws.com

Angela Finlay is a Chief Human Capital Strategist, former CHRO, educator, and author of Skill Stacking: Taking Ownership of Your Career in Changing Times. With over 30 years leading talent strategy across Fortune 150 companies and fast-growing organizations, she helps professionals and leaders rethink what it takes to build a resilient career in a rapidly shifting world. Angela also teaches Leadershipand Human Capital Management at the graduate level, including at Columbia University, where she brings real-world clarity to the future of work. Through her Skill Stacking framework, Angela equips individuals and organizations to move beyond outdated career paths and resume thinking. Instead of waiting to be developed, she challenges people to take ownership of their growth by intentionally building capabilities that create opportunity, mobility, and long-term relevance. In a world shaped by AI, disruption, and constant change, her message is clear: careers are no longer managed for you. They are built by you. Angela Finlay Vroom Vroom Veer Summary Jeff welcomes guest Angela Finlay and they laugh about the rough tech start to the session. Jeff prompts Angela to talk about what she's excited about. Angela describes her current roles: fractional and interim CHRO/HR leader for small- to mid-sized businesses, college-level teaching (including work with Columbia University and Fairleigh Dickinson), and a passion project — her book titled Skill Stacking, Taking Ownership of Your Career in Changing Times. She frames her book's premise: people don't need to “start over,” they can reconfigure and combine existing skills — an evolution rather than a revolution. Jeff and Angela briefly discuss historical job-displacement fears (Jeff mentions the example of a job to pick up horse poop) and Angela recounts a podcast episode she'd heard about the transcontinental railroad and the recurring nature of job-displacement panic in society. Jeff asks about Angela's background. Angela says she attended about seven schools by high school because her father worked in the newspaper industry and the family moved often; she learned to “reemerge” in new places. In high school she intentionally pushed herself out of her comfort zone (played field hockey on a losing team, joined activities) and learned to try uncomfortable things. Jeff shares a personal anecdote about his mother buying clothes for a freshman dance and how that changed his presentation. Angela mentions putting her son in a uniform/blazer changed his demeanor. Angela describes applying to many colleges; she unexpectedly received a full scholarship to Fairleigh Dickinson and originally intended speech pathology but switched to accounting (in part because her father was an accountant). She took a job in public accounting, found the work (manual ledger work, calculators printing on paper) tedious, and left a cubicle job after about six months. Her manager had been put in charge of HR and offered it to her — she accepted, taught herself about performance evaluations via library research, and began building HR capability despite feeling underqualified. Jeff observes that “figuring things out” is a valuable skill. Angela warns about over-reliance on instant help (Alexa) and the loss of productive struggle. They note chat AI tools are often very positive/encouraging; Jeff gives a brief anecdote of using AI to check hardware compatibility for an old computer and the AI correctly telling him “no.” Angela traces her career: roughly eight to nine years in public accounting, then head of HR at another firm, then about ten years with a Japanese conglomerate, Mitsui. She describes cultural differences at the Japanese company: relationship-building, the “ringy” process (needing consensus from many people), and the need to engage in non-work conversation before work talk. She shares a story about a code-entry error that produced multiple memos and made her feel like she was living an “Office Space” moment. Jeff and Angela discuss how office rhythms and politeness differ across cultures and organizations. Angela says later she moved to a community bank CHRO role in Brooklyn; when the bank was sold in the pandemic she reassessed and moved toward fractional/interim CHRO work and teaching — leveraging her experience going into companies during transitions. She mentions accounting-firm sales training early in her career and that she's “dangerous” at selling herself; also ties her teaching to early acting lessons and “interacting” skills. They turn to the book and the skill-stacking framework. Angela explains the idea of inventorying and intentionally categorizing one's skills instead of assuming you have no skills. She outlines categories in her stack model: Supportive skills: foundational expertise (examples she names include accounting and employment law). Tactical skills: execution skills — getting things done, project management, time/task management, resource allocation. Adaptive skills: ability to pivot, learn from feedback, take feedback constructively rather than fight it. Complementary skills: people-related abilities and emotional intelligence (EQ) — empathy, relationship-building (she gives a vivid hospital anecdote where a staffer's comforting, practical human response mattered more than clinical intervention). Knowledge-seeking: ongoing learning and curiosity, the polymath concept and making connectors among different domains. Jeff and Angela discuss AI: Angela uses AI in her work but notes it tends to be optimistic and encouraging and may not tell her when an idea is a bad one. Jeff recounts the story about AI warning him not to plug a CPU into an incompatible system. They discuss limits of AI and nuance: Angela emphasizes the human ability to read subtext, in-person dynamics, and emotional cues in organizations — things she believes AI can't replicate. Jeff and Angela also discuss image-generation tools: Angela has experimented with them, found mixed results (about “forty percent” success in her words), and recounts trying to generate an image for a white paper and getting irrelevant outputs (a “rose” instead of the intended interconnected GROWING acronym). Angela links this back to knowledge-seeking and prompting skill development. Angela says she's developing a free app that will let people upload resumes to visualize their skill stacks; she invites listeners to get on the list. She gives her contact info: the website stackingyourcareer.com, LinkedIn (Angela Finlay), and a YouTube channel called Stacking Your Career where she posts videos about the concepts. Jeff repeats the site and they discuss audiences and career planning briefly: Jeff references the FIRE movement (financial independence/retire early) as context for needing ways to make money; Angela stresses building and tracking transferrable skills so people can pivot across a long career span, mentioning the idea of a “sixty year career” and the U-shaped curve of happiness (listeners are told people burn out or are bored after many years and should plan to pivot). The interview wraps up with Jeff thanking Angela for the conversation and inviting her back. Angela agrees. Jeff jokes about “skill building” to end the recording. Tim Paige's outro thanks listeners, points them to the show notes at vvveer.com (transcribed as “v v veer dot com / triple v v double e r dot com”), and signs off. Connections Website

Companies today are rushing to build an AI strategy, but they often forget to create a human strategy to match it. As technology takes over daily tasks, keeping the human element alive at work is a huge challenge for business leaders. In this episode, Kathie Patterson, Chief Human Resources Officer at Ally, joins us to explore how to balance new AI tools with human emotional intelligence. We uncover how to roll out AI to employees for better efficiency while making sure a human is always in the loop for the moments that truly matter. Kathie explains why leaders need strong EQ and training in crucial conversations to handle conflicts, since frustrating moments like getting stuck in dead-end phone trees prove that people still crave real human connection during stressful times. We also explore balancing workplace empathy with business accountability, offering real support like mental health and fertility benefits without treating adult employees like children. Finally, we look at how to adapt to generational shifts, like Gen Z entering the workplace, and the risks of using AI for HR tasks like hiring and promotions. CHROs will find this episode essential for building a future-ready culture that embraces both high-tech tools and deep human connection. Watch the full video on YouTube ---------- Start your day with the world's top leaders by joining thousands of others at Great Leadership on Substack. Just enter your email: ⁠⁠https://greatleadership.substack.com/ Quick heads-up: my new book, The 8 Laws of Employee Experience, is a practical playbook for building an environment where people do their best work—order a copy here: 8EXlaws.com

About Jessica: Jessica Smith is a distinguished human resources leader with over 13 years of experience, as an expert voice for your upcoming stories on the current job market.  Jessica's extensive background in HR innovation, particularly in the tech industry with companies like Amazon, AWS, and Meta, positions her uniquely to discuss the intersection of stress, job uncertainty, and the evolving workplace. Her role as the Director of Global Diversity and People Experiences at Meta has equipped her with the insights needed to navigate and address stress-related challenges in diverse work environments. With a bilingual International MBA from IESE Business School and a BS in finance from Hampton University, Jessica offers a global perspective on how organizations can implement strategies to mitigate stress and foster resilience among employees. Her experience across major U.S. and European cities further enriches her understanding of diverse workplace cultures and stress management practices. Resources & Mentions:

Preparing a global team for a world that changes by the minute can feel like a race against time, especially when 80% of jobs face major shifts by 2030. In this episode, we tackle the challenge of turning that fear into a high-performance culture that stays ahead of the technology curve. Tracy Platt, CHRO of Newell Brands, joins us to explore top strategies for AI adoption, focusing on the move toward "agentic commerce" and the urgent need for AI literacy across the whole company. We also unpack simple ways to put AI into daily work, like cutting performance management review times from two hours down to 30 minutes. Our discussion highlights the shift from tracking vanity metrics to measuring real business results and why human judgment is the ultimate guardrail for AI-driven work. Tracy shares how managing ambiguity has become the most valuable currency for modern leaders in this brave new world. For CHROs, this episode is your clear roadmap for leading your talent strategy and workforce planning through the rapid evolution of the future of work. Watch the full video on YouTube ---------- Start your day with the world's top leaders by joining thousands of others at Great Leadership on Substack. Just enter your email: ⁠⁠https://greatleadership.substack.com/ Quick heads-up: my new book, The 8 Laws of Employee Experience, is a practical playbook for building an environment where people do their best work—order a copy here: 8EXlaws.com