Cappuccino with HR

This week, Rudi Bauer spoke with Karin Krobath, Founding Partner of Identifire, and Axel Ebert, Founding Partner of wortwelt, about a term that hasn´t been here before. “ANGSTFREUDE” - this ambiguous term describes the current situation, which is caused by AI rushing into our lives. We constantly switch between fear and excitement.

In this episode, Rudi Bauer talks with Florian Dyballa, Co-Founder and CEO of Aivy, about the intersection of business psychology, artificial intelligence, and the future of recruitment.

They discuss the common pitfalls of "gut feeling" in hiring and how a structured, evidence-based approach can eliminate bias and uncover hidden potential. Florian explains why the traditional CV is becoming outdated in a skills-based economy and how Aivy uses psychological diagnostics to provide a clearer signal early in the HR process. They also explore the "triangle" relationship between hiring managers, HR departments, and AI, emphasizing why the final decision must remain human—but should be backed by better data.

In this episode, Rudi Bauer sits down with Barbara Wilk, Head of Global Talent Acquisition and People Analytics at Appfire, to explore the strategic "build vs. buy" dilemma in talent acquisition.

They delve into the intentionality required to scale leadership in high-growth environments, moving beyond reactive hiring to build teams that "don't happen by accident." Barbara shares candid insights on the hidden costs of internal promotions, the value of external market disruption, and how to balance growth mindsets with the practical constraints of time and budget. This conversation offers a clear roadmap for leaders navigating the complexities of modern team building and succession planning.

“What do I actually need to thrive?”

That question from my conversation with Bo Wullings stayed with me long after the recording ended.

Bo’s story is fascinating:
He started as a swimmer, realized he wouldn’t make the national team, accepted that reality, and then completely reinvented himself through rowing, eventually making the Dutch national team there instead. But the real lesson wasn’t about sports. It was about self-awareness.

Knowing: → where you thrive → what gives you energy → what kind of environment helps you grow → and being honest when something no longer fits

In work and in life, sustainable performance doesn’t start with pushing harder.
It starts with understanding yourself better.

In this episode, Rudi Bauer sits down with Stefan Ganß, Business Trainer and professional Storyteller with over 20 years of experience in radio and TV, to explore why storytelling is the most powerful tool for making messages stick in a data-driven world.

They delve into the "three-act structure" and the methodology of "story listening," discussing how even the most boring industrial data or ISO standards can be transformed into compelling narratives through contrast and emotion. Stefan shares his unique perspective on the "paper bag" moment that launched his career, the shift from being a narrator to being an empathetic observer, and why the modern leader’s greatest challenge isn’t finding material, but having the courage to prioritize the human element over raw information.

Hiring is broken if we still believe CVs predict performance.
In my conversation with Nick Leslie from Canditech, we talked about one of the biggest shifts in recruiting right now:

Moving from pedigree to proof.

Because in a world where AI can help candidates tailor hundreds of CVs, resumes are becoming harder and harder to trust as the main signal.

The real question is no longer: “Where did this person work before?”The better question is: “Can this person actually do the job?”

That’s why skills-based hiring and job simulations are becoming so important. They create a more objective, transparent, and fair process, for companies and for candidates. Less guessing. Less bias. More evidence.

And maybe most importantly: More opportunities for people who might not look perfect on paper, but have exactly the skills needed to succeed.

In this episode, Rudi Bauer sits down with Leandro Gomes da Silva, Founder of The AI Laundry and Head of AI Operations at Noble Recruitment, to explore whether the HR world is truly prepared for the dawn of AI agents.

They delve into the practicalities of building custom AI tools for recruitment, including Leandro’s own outreach generator, "Martha", and discuss the shift from traditional talent acquisition to the emerging role of the "Talent Engineer." Leandro shares his unique perspective on balancing rapid-fire technological adoption with the irreplaceable human element of hiring, offering a candid look at how AI can eliminate administrative "anchors" to allow for three-Michelin-star candidate experiences.

In this episode, Rudi Bauer sits down with Joe Atkinson, Co-Founder of PromptMates and Director of AI & Automation at Seed, to explore the burgeoning world of "vibe coding" and the rise of the AI-native recruiter.

They dive deep into why talent acquisition professionals should stop waiting for perfect SaaS solutions and start building their own custom tools. Joe shares his journey from a non-technical founder to an AI innovator, offering a practical roadmap for HR leaders to move from "AI anxiety" to "AI experimentation."

In this episode, Rudi Bauer talks with René Knapp, Member of the Management Board at UNIQA Insurance Group, about navigating corporate leadership in times of uncertainty and rapid technological change.

They explore how the insurance industry is transforming through AI and digitization, why long-term thinking remains a competitive advantage, and how companies can build cultures that truly drive change. René shares insights on shifting from role-based to skills-based organizations, making HR a strategic business driver, and measuring people impact through data and KPIs. He also discusses the importance of collaboration, adaptability, and AI literacy as key skills for the future, and how UNIQA is working to balance employee satisfaction with high performance in a complex, evolving environment.

This week, I sat down with Glauco Leal, Founding Recruiter at Lovable, to talk about the intersection of AI-native culture and modern HR practices.

We discussed the shift toward "vibe coding" and the democratization of development, exploring how AI tools allow non-technical staff to build their own custom solutions. Glauco also shared insights on maintaining a human-centric balance in an AI-first environment, the necessity of rapid skill refreshing, and why creativity and obsession are the most critical traits for new hires in 2026. Very inspiring episode.