From Humble Beginnings to HR Leadership: Insights from Dan Thompson

In this episode of the Built by People Podcast, host Dave welcomes Dan Thompson, Chief Benefits Officer and Division President at Thompson Risk, to share his career journey.

Dan discusses his rise from a modest background, working varied roles in healthcare, sales, payroll, and ultimately insurance, where he found significant success. Dan emphasizes the importance of financial acumen and strategic thinking for HR professionals aspiring to advance to C-suite roles.

He stresses the need for HR professionals to align closely with CFOs and CEOs, understand company financials, and continuously improve their skills.

Dan also highlights using mentorship and networking to foster career growth and the significance of balancing human capital management with business objectives to ensure organizational success.

00:00 Welcome and Introduction

00:14 Dan's Career Journey

03:40 Transitioning to CHRO: Key Skills and Competencies

04:56 Challenges in Advancing to Leadership Roles

07:45 Understanding Business and Financial Acumen

09:59 The Role of Mentorship and Networking

12:29 Demonstrating Strategic Value

14:59 Parting Advice and Conclusion

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Navigating Complex Business Challenges through Effective HR Leadership with Melanie Naranjo

In this episode of the Built by People Podcast, the host welcomes Melanie, who shares her diverse career journey from the fashion industry to her current role at Officer Athena, a compliance training company.

Melanie discusses significant business challenges, including miscommunication between sales and product teams, and details the implementation of a cross-functional communication tool that helped bridge these gaps.

She further emphasizes the importance of translating HR initiatives into business outcomes and collaborating closely with the CEO to make strategic decisions.

Melanie highlights the value of humility and curiosity in leadership, offering practical advice on building stronger, more effective teams.

00:00 Welcome and Introduction

00:44 Melanie's Career Journey

01:46 Addressing Business Challenges

04:37 Partnering with CEOs

06:53 Bridging Departmental Gaps

09:13 Parting Advice

10:30 Conclusion

Previ is a private pricing network that is free for companies to launch and maintain. It saves employees $2,200/year on essential services like their cell phone and auto insurance bill. ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Visit here to learn more⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

Balancing Employee Health and Cost Management with Gillian Plummer, from Quest Diagnostics

In this episode of the Built by People Podcast, the host welcomes Gillian from Quest Diagnostics. Gillian shares her unique career journey from marketing to HR and discusses her current role overseeing employee health and wellbeing for 50,000 employees.

She elaborates on strategies for balancing better health outcomes while managing healthcare costs, particularly in a self-funded environment.

Gillian highlights trends in mental health and financial stress among employees and discusses the company's segmented, data-driven approach to addressing these issues. She emphasizes the importance of creating a culture of health and wellness, supported by tailored programming and preventative care initiatives.

Gillian concludes by sharing her parting advice on building a wellbeing-focused culture and the critical role of leadership in this effort.00:00 Introduction and Guest Welcome00:44 Jillian's Career Journey02:11 Balancing Health Outcomes and Costs03:37 Addressing Employee Health Trends05:39 Leveraging Data and Analytics06:58 Effective Health Support Strategies09:29 Supporting Employee Wellbeing12:11 Parting Advice and Conclusion

Previ is a private pricing network that is free for companies to launch and maintain. It saves employees $2,200/year on essential services like their cell phone and auto insurance bill. ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Visit here to learn more⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

Navigating HR Leadership and Scaling with Jomana Elwenni

In this episode of the Built by People Podcast, the host welcomes Jomana Elwenni, VP of People and Culture at Momentic Studios. Jomana shares her diverse career journey within HR, detailing her evolution from traditional HR roles to leading people operations across various industries and organizational growth stages.

She discusses the challenges of building credibility as the first HR leader in founder-led environments, the strategic shift required in scaling HR operations without predefined systems, and offering actionable solutions to gain executive buy-in. Jomana also covers her experience navigating challenging market shifts, emphasizing the importance of being a steady and strategic leader during difficult times.

She concludes by advising HR professionals to be clear about their roles, communicate their impact, and recognize when to step away if their value isn't respected.

00:00 Introduction and Welcome

00:56 Jomana's Career Journey

03:34 Establishing Credibility as an HR Leader

06:12 Scaling HR Operations with Executives

08:06 Navigating Challenging Situations

11:04 Implementing Significant HR Initiatives

14:12 Parting Advice for HR Leaders

15:38 Conclusion and Farewell

Previ is a private pricing network that is free for companies to launch and maintain. It saves employees $2,200/year on essential services like their cell phone and auto insurance bill. ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Visit here to learn more⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

Navigating HR's Diverse Landscape with Allison Hamel from Hudl

In this episode of the Built by People Podcast, the host welcomes Allison, a seasoned HR professional with experience across retail, education, government, and tech sectors.

Allison shares her unique career journey, starting with Target Corporation, followed by roles at Denver Public Schools and the City of Denver, before joining Hudl.

She delves into her approach to building and managing HR teams, emphasizing the importance of hiring diverse strengths, maintaining high engagement, and combating burnout.

Allison also discusses her strategies for being a strategic business partner and shares valuable lessons from her diverse career background. She concludes with advice for HR practitioners and those early in their careers.

00:00 Welcome and Introduction

00:49 Allison's Career Journey

03:48 Building Effective HR Teams

05:47 Maintaining Engagement and Combating Burnout

08:57 Being a Strategic Partner in HR

11:33 Lessons from a Diverse Background

13:24 Parting Advice and Conclusion

Previ is a private pricing network that is free for companies to launch and maintain. It saves employees $2,200/year on essential services like their cell phone and auto insurance bill. ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Visit here to learn more⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

Rebranding HR and Empowering Management with Matt from Life Ray

In this episode of the Built by People Podcast, the host Dave welcomes Matt, the global HR head at Life Ray. Matt shares his unconventional career journey from marketing strategy to HR leadership and details how his background has influenced his approach to rebranding HR within the company.

He discusses the importance of transitioning HR's role from rule enforcement to business partnership and elaborates on key initiatives like launching the company's first employee survey and goal-setting system.

Matt also emphasizes the significance of developing middle management, outlining strategies for leadership development and effective feedback.

He concludes with advice on understanding the unique needs of a business and its leaders to tailor HR practices accordingly.

00:00 Introduction and Welcome

00:52 Matt's Career Journey

02:46 Rebranding HR at Life Ray

05:43 Core Management Development

07:50 Middle Management Effectiveness

11:36 Parting Advice and Conclusion

Previ is a private pricing network that is free for companies to launch and maintain. It saves employees $2,200/year on essential services like their cell phone and auto insurance bill. ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Visit here to learn more⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

Leveraging Technology and Human-Centered Design in Learning & Development with Sean Bengry on Built by People Podcast

In this episode of the Built by People Podcast, the host welcomes Sean, who shares his journey through four career phases: build, manage, consult, and lead, deeply rooted in a love for learning.

Sean discusses leveraging technology in talent development, including a customized learning platform at PWC for their cybersecurity practice. He explains incorporating human-centered design into training programs and details a significant learning design strategy at Accenture that improved engagement and performance.

Sean elaborates on leveraging AI and knowledge management to enhance learning experiences and shares his vision of AI's transformative impact on learning and development.

The episode concludes with Sean's parting advice on the importance of combining elegant design with technology and being T-shaped in one's career.

00:00 Introduction and Career Journey

01:52 Leveraging Technology in Talent Development

03:42 Human-Centered Design in Training Programs

04:36 Implementing Learning Design Strategies

06:16 Enhancing Learning with AI and Technology

08:39 Future of AI in Learning and Development

12:59 Parting Advice and Final Thoughts

Previ is a private pricing network that is free for companies to launch and maintain. It saves employees $2,200/year on essential services like their cell phone and auto insurance bill. ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Visit here to learn more⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

Navigating Legal and HR Management with Angela Galindo from Linklaters

In this episode of the Built by People Podcast, the host welcomes Angela, who shares her extensive career journey, starting from her days as a lawyer to her current role at Linklaters.

Angela discusses her transition from practicing law to handling HR, professional development, and talent management roles in various law firms. She elaborates on her experience at Bank of America, where she led inclusion initiatives and navigated a large global organization.

Angela explains how she achieved buy-in from partners in a law firm setting and describes her work with associate forums to enhance employee experience. She also shares strategies for managing teams, improving communication skills, and balancing additional responsibilities.

The episode closes with Angela's advice on the importance of clear and concise communication for career advancement.

00:00 Introduction and Career Beginnings

01:33 Transition to Law Firm Management

04:19 Navigating Law Firm Structures

06:21 Engaging with the Associate Forum

08:22 Leading Inclusion Initiatives at Bank of America

10:18 Balancing Team Responsibilities

11:50 Parting Advice on Communication Skills

13:16 Conclusion

Previ is a private pricing network that is free for companies to launch and maintain. It saves employees $2,200/year on essential services like their cell phone and auto insurance bill. ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Visit here to learn more⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

Navigating the Intersection of People, Tech, and Policy with Bernard Coleman III from Swing Education

In this episode of the Built by People Podcast, the host welcomes Bernard, who shares his multifaceted career journey from the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee to his current role at Swing Education.

Bernard discusses his roles in political campaigns, including working for the Democratic National Committee and Hillary Clinton's presidential campaign, and his transition into tech with companies like Uber and Gusto.

He elaborates on making difficult managerial decisions, the importance of coaching, and the need for self-awareness in effective leadership.

Bernard also shares advice on providing constructive feedback and the value of continuous, iterative management practices to nurture and grow talent. The episode concludes with Bernard emphasizing the importance of self-awareness for personal and professional success.

00:00 Introduction and Welcome

00:41 Bernard's Career Journey

02:25 Navigating Difficult Decisions in Management

03:35 Self-Awareness in Leadership

04:39 Turning Around Challenging Employee Situations

06:17 Delivering Difficult Feedback Effectively

08:02 Parting Advice and Conclusion

Previ is a private pricing network that is free for companies to launch and maintain. It saves employees $2,200/year on essential services like their cell phone and auto insurance bill. ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Visit here to learn more⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

Journey and Impact of an HR Leader: Insights from Thomas LokarIn this episode of the Built by People Podcast, join host Dave as he welcomes Thomas, an accomplished HR leader, who shares his diverse career journey. From obtaining a PhD in organizational behavior to leading significant HR transformations across various organizations, Thomas offers valuable insights into leadership development, technology integration, and strategic HR initiatives.

He discusses his experiences at companies like Mitel and National Car Wash Solutions, emphasizing workforce planning, leveraging AI in HR, and implementing efficient staffing and retention strategies.

Thomas also sheds light on the evolution of the HR business partner role and provides practical advice for HR leaders on driving value creation and embracing technological advancements in their organizations.

00:00 Introduction and Welcome

00:42 Thomas's Career Journey

03:59 Leadership and HR Strategies at Mitel

06:48 Rebuilding HR Functions at National Car Wash Solutions

09:45 Leveraging AI in HR

12:05 Defining the HR Business Partner Role

14:17 Parting Advice for HR Professionals

15:40 Conclusion and Farewell

Previ is a private pricing network that is free for companies to launch and maintain. It saves employees $2,200/year on essential services like their cell phone and auto insurance bill. ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Visit here to learn more⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.