September 11, 2025

231. When HR goes rogue, with former Adidas VP of HR, Tony Cooke

46 minutes

Welcome back to Truth, Lies & Work, the award-winning podcast where behavioral science meets workplace culture.

Hosted by Chartered Occupational Psychologist Leanne Elliott and business owner Al Elliott, this episode features Tony Cooke, former VP of Human Resources at Adidas, who spent decades proving that HR doesn't have to be the department everyone dreads.

Episode Summary

Imagine you're the head of an HR team and you get asked to present the team's vision for the future workforce of the largest sportswear company in Europe. But instead of sitting down and putting together the usual dull PowerPoint slide presentation, you instead decide to make a James Bond style movie. You have the MD kidnapped, he's tied up, he's stuffed into a chest and he does multiple takes until he is bruised and battered.

That's exactly what happened at Adidas, where Tony Cooke was running HR. His approach was to make HR more human by appealing to people's sense of humor and showing genuine personality. His initiatives were so effective that HQ kept stealing them and rolling them out worldwide, earning his team the nickname "The North Mafia."

What We Cover

Why HR Became the Villain

How HR became the convenient pantomime villain in organizations

The Waggish Approach

What it means to be "waggish" and take formality out of HR

Maverick Initiatives

The "Addie Oscars" - cost-neutral recognition that packed halls to the rafters

Speed dating for talent across different markets

"DIVIN" (Diversity + Inclusion) - making difficult topics fun and engaging

The James Bond Movie

How Tony's team created a spy movie instead of PowerPoint slides for Workforce 2020

Key Takeaways

1. Collaborate with Senior Stakeholders Early

Tony's biggest learning was that even the best ideas need buy-in from decision makers. Build those relationships before you need them, not after.

2. Learn the Business Inside and Out

Don't just be an HR person - be a business partner who understands revenue, competitors, and strategic priorities. Tony challenged HR professionals to know their company's turnover.

3. Show Your Human Side

Stop being the aloof rule-maker and let people see that you're human with frailties, bad days, and emotions. People warm to authenticity, not perfection.

The Results

Adidas became known as a talent factory with a conveyor belt of leaders going to senior roles across America, Amsterdam, Germany, and beyond. That's the business impact of making HR genuinely human at one of the world's most recognizable brands.

Resources

Tony Cooke on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tony-cooke-9706341b/

Tony's book "Waggish Chronicles of a Maverick in a Corporate World" on Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Waggish-Chronicles-Maverick-Corporate-World-ebook/dp/B0FDBL9XGS

Also available on Everand: https://www.everand.com/book/877879715/Waggish-Chronicles-of-a-Maverick-in-a-Corporate-World

Connect with Your Hosts

Connect with Al on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/thisisalelliott/

Connect with Leanne on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/meetleanne

Join the discussion about this episode on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/truthlieswork/

Email: [email protected]

Chat with us on Twitter: @truthlieswork

YouTube channel: @TruthLiesWork

Check us out on TikTok: @truthlieswork

Want a chat about your workplace culture? [email protected]

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By HubSpot Podcast Network

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