Why do HR leaders need to be talent mavens, employee advocates, and company defenders?

How can you shift from a cost mindset to a return on investment mindset?

My guest on this episode is Jackson Lynch, CHRO at Sunnova and founder of the “Talent Sherpa” newsletter

During our conversation Jackson and I discuss:

• Why you need to meet the business where it is and not where you wish it would be.
• Why CHROs and CEOs need to be aligned on 'what good looks like' for an effective partnership.
• The three essential 'hats' HR leaders must wear: Talent Maven, Employee Advocate, and Company Defender.
• The role of business acumen in enabling HR leaders to predict outcomes and shape future work strategies.
• Why HR leaders need to shift from a cost to a return on investment mindset.

Connecting with Jackson:

Connect with Jackson Lynch on LinkedIn

Learn more or subscribe to Jackson’s newsletter, Talent Sherpa

Episode Sponsor:

Next-Gen HR Accelerator - Learn more about this best-in-class leadership development program for next-gen HR leaders

How can HR advocate and support their front-line leaders?

Why is it a smart investment to develop your front-line leaders and team members?

My guest on this episode is Monica Rothgery, Friend of the Frontline Leader, Speaker and Author of “Lessons from the Drive-Thru.”

During our conversation Monica and I discuss:

• Monica's unique career journey at Yum Brands, progressing from restaurant manager to training leader to Chief Operating Officer for KFC in Thailand and the U.S.
• Her mission to help elevate, support, and develop front-line leaders across the world
• The importance of organizations developing management training programs that emphasize leadership, decision-making, and team empowerment
• The critical role of face-to-face training and mentorship for frontline leaders
• How HR leaders can ensure frontline leaders' voices are heard, even when they are not in the room.

Connecting with Monica:

Connect with Monica Rothgery on LinkedIn

Learn more about Monica and her work elevating front-line leaders

Episode Sponsor:

Next-Gen HR Accelerator - Learn more about this best-in-class leadership development program for next-gen HR leaders

How can you balance the three roles of being an HR leader?

What does it mean to be a servant HR leader?

My guest on this episode is Angela Cheng-Cimini, CHRO, Board Director, AAPI Champion, & Keynote Speaker

During our conversation Angela and I discuss:

• How Angela transformed an experience early in her career into a lifelong leadership lesson.
• Why she believes the best HR leaders are technical experts, business focused and change agents.
• Her vision for "hyper-personalization" in employee experiences and how HR can practically implement this.
• Why she is passionate about paying it forward and helping others in their careers.

Connecting with Angela:

Connect with Angela Cheng-Cimini on LinkedIn

Episode Sponsor:

Next-Gen HR Accelerator - Learn more about this best-in-class leadership development program for next-gen HR leaders

Are you flourishing at work, or could you be languishing?

What creates true wellbeing in the workplace?

My guest on this episode is Corey Keyes, Professor Emeritus of Sociology at Emory University and Author, “Languishing: How to Feel Alive Again in a World That Wears Us Down.”

During our conversation Corey and I discuss:

• How "languishing" represents a state between depression and flourishing, characterized by feelings of emptiness and emotional numbness
• The six domains of human excellence and their role as foundations for flourishing
• Why actively engaging in the "Five Vitamins of Flourishing" is essential for mental wellbeing
• The critical role of quality workplace relationships in preventing invisibility and promoting flourishing
• How leaders can create conditions that support wellbeing and flourishing in the workplace

Connecting with Corey:

Learn more abut Corey Keyes and his book, Languishing

Episode Sponsor:

Next-Gen HR Accelerator - Learn more about this best-in-class leadership development program for next-gen HR leaders

How can your organization’s purpose drive culture change?

In evolving your culture, how can you honor the past while embracing the future?

My guest on this episode is Stacey Hoin, CHRO of Guardian Life who discusses why your company's purpose should be your north star and how it drives success.

During our conversation Stacey and I discuss:

• How Stacey's willingness to bet on herself shaped her career trajectory
• Why Guardian defined its purpose as "Inspiring Well-Being" and how it drives their success
• How Guardian invests in their customers' and colleagues' mental health and well-being
• How Guardian evolved its purpose, values, and leadership behaviors to honor its past while embracing its future
• Why empathy and compassion are core success factors for their colleagues' behavior

Connecting with Stacey:

Connect with Stacey Hoin LinkedIn

Episode Sponsor:

Next-Gen HR Accelerator - Learn more about this best-in-class leadership development program for next-gen HR leaders

What does it mean to be an AI-powered organization?

How can AI help you to be a more strategic HR leader?

My guest on this episode is Prasad Setty, Lecturer, Stanford GSB, Advisor, Former VP at Google, People Ops and Workspace.

During our conversation Prasad and I discuss:

• How people analytics has evolved over the years and what’s next
• What it really means to become an AI-powered organization
• Why you should view AI as your thought partner, not as your replacement
• Real life examples of how AI is helping HR to deliver more value to their organizations
• Why the future of HR will center on scaling human judgment, not replacing it

Connecting with Prasad:

Connect with Prasad Setty LinkedIn

Episode Sponsor:

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Next-Gen HR Accelerator - Learn more about this best-in-class leadership development program for next-gen HR leaders

How can OKRs increase transparency and drive performance?

What makes OKRs different than traditional goal setting?

My guests on this episode are Melissa Huntley, VP, Global Head of Talent Management, Visa & Aaron Monroe, Global Head Agile Center for Enablement, JPMorgan Chase & Co

During our conversation Melissa, Aaron, and I discuss:

• What OKRs are and what makes them different than traditional goal setting processes
• How OKRs increase transparency, collaboration, and agility in organizations
• How the quarterly goal setting in OKRs helps managers to be better people leaders
• Why OKRs can work for organizations of all sizes and complexity
• How performance management is integrated into the OKR process
• The role that HR leaders can play in implementing OKR processes into an organization

Connecting with Melissa and Aaron:

Connect with Melissa Huntley LinkedIn

Connect with Aaron Monroe LinkedIn

Episode Sponsor:

Deeper Signals - Click here to get your free Core Drivers assessment and 14-day free trial!

Next-Gen HR Accelerator - Learn more about this best-in-class leadership development program for next-gen HR leaders

How do you make your company a great place to work year after year?

Why is investing in and developing people leaders essential to building a great culture?

My guests on this episode is Tim Richmond, EVP & Chief Human Resources Officer, AbbVie

During our conversation Tim and I discuss:

• Why creating a strong organizational culture starts with the goal of being known as a great place to work
• How AbbVie's innovative "Ways We Work" framework equally weights and rewards both performance and behavioral metrics
• His advice to HR leaders on how to build trust and credibility with the business leaders they support
• The central role and importance of people leadership in driving business outcomes
• Why he believes the future of HR demands equal focus on strategy, leadership development, and talent management

Connecting with Tim:

Connect with Tim Richmond on LinkedIn

Episode Sponsor:

Deeper Signals - Click here to get your free Core Drivers assessment and 14-day free trial!

Next-Gen HR Accelerator - Learn more about this best-in-class leadership development program for next-gen HR leaders

How can teams overcome collaboration overload?

Why are the three components of trust critical to building an effective team?

My guest on this episode is Rob Cross, Senior Vice President of Research at i4cp and Katheryn Brekken, Senior Research Analyst at i4cp

During our conversation Rob, Katheryn, and I discuss:

• Why eight out of ten teams actually underperform due to collaborative dysfunctions.
• How common collaborative dysfunctions, such as misalignment and priority overload, hinder team performance, and what to do about it.
• How companies like Roche and Supercell are using innovative practices to dramatically improve team collaboration.
• How HR can play a pivotal role in supporting effective team collaboration across an organization.
• Why combining “precision collaboration” with a high-trust environment is critical to increase team effectiveness.

Connecting with Rob and Katheryn:

Connect with Rob Cross on LinkedIn

Connect with Katheryn Brekken LinkedIn

Learn more about i4cp and team network effect

Episode Sponsor:

Deeper Signals - Click here to get your free Core Drivers assessment and 14-day free trial!

Next-Gen HR Accelerator - Learn more about this best-in-class leadership development program for next-gen HR leaders

How can you identify and place top talent in stretch assignments?

What does it mean to invest in and place a bet on talent?

My guest on this episode is Stephanie Lilak, EVP & Chief People Officer, Mondelez International

During our conversation Stephanie and I discuss:

• How Stephanie's unique career philosophy and making unconventional career choices have driven her success.
• Why she believes in stretching talent throughout all career stages, not just in early careers.
• The critical role of HR leaders in driving the talent agenda and an aligning the role, talent and business needs to drive value.
• Why she believes peer relationships for HR leaders are critical and you need to purposefully invest in them
• Insights into Stephanie's approach to onboarding as a 3X CHRO and lessons you can apply to your organization.

Connecting with Stephanie Lilak:

Connect with Stephanie Lilak LinkedIn

Episode Sponsor:

Deeper Signals - Click here to get your free Core Drivers assessment and 14-day free trial!

Next-Gen HR Accelerator - Learn more about this best-in-class leadership development program for next-gen HR leaders