In episode 195, Coffey talks with Diane Allen about achieving flow state at work to maximize productivity, creativity, and fulfillment.

They discuss the definition of flow as an optimal state of mind where people perform and feel their best; the neurological and physiological aspects of flow including the release of performance-enhancing hormones; how the intersection of skill, challenge, and purpose creates entry points into flow; the impact of workplace interruptions on productivity; how individuals can identify their unique flow strategy; the mechanics of creating group flow in teams; practical workplace design elements that support flow states.

Diane will be a keynote speaker at the North Texas SHRM Annual Conference on April 28-29, 2025. You can register for that event at https://ntxshrm.org/event-5716977.

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:

Violinist Diane Allen is an international speaker, thought leader, and best-selling author of Flow: Unlock Your Genius, Love What You Do. She helps leaders and teams activate their flow state, enabling them to navigate disruption, combat burnout, and create thriving cultures where purpose and passion drive peak performance.

Her journey into the transformative power of flow began as a young violinist. Feeling bullet-proof with her New York City violin training, she’d show up to auditions with visions of winning the job of her dreams, but fear would get the better part of her.

After ten years of experimentation, Diane made a breakthrough. By focusing deeply on her musical interpretation, she activated the flow state, an optimal state of mind where fear dissolves, and performance soars beyond one’s imagination.

It only took one fearless audition for Diane to become a 15-year Concertmaster (lead violinist) of the Central Oregon Symphony, a beloved violin teacher for 28 years, and author of the Fingerboard Workbook series for violin, viola, cello and bass.

It was her groundbreaking Flow Strategy™ system that earned her a spot on the TEDxNaperville stage with features on TED, ABC, CBS, NBC, and FOX.

With the elegance of drawing the bow across her Copper Dragon violin, Diane’s experiential programs blend live musical performance, scientific principles, storytelling, positive psychology, inspiration, and actionable takeaways, empowering people to activate their flow state, be in their genius, and love what they do.

Diane Allen can be reached at:
TEDx/TED Talk
https://dianeallen.com/
https://www.linkedin.com/in/dianeallenspeaker/
https://www.instagram.com/dianeallenspeaker/
https://www.facebook.com/dianeallenspeaker/
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCZOk_r1n2X2FmbRcoiUhIHQ

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:

1. Identify the three key elements (skill, challenge, and purpose) necessary to create flow states for individuals and teams.
2. Design work environments that minimize interruptions and allow for uninterrupted blocks of focused time.
3. Develop strategies to help employees recognize and access their unique flow triggers.

In episode 194, Coffey talks with Lucy Adams about transforming people practices to meet modern business needs.

They discuss how traditional HR processes focus on conformity rather than flexibility; the tendency to design policies around the lowest common denominator rather than individual needs; regulation burdens in the UK versus the US; opportunities to reframe DEI initiatives to be more effective and inclusive; the challenges of the hybrid workplace model; the importance of carefully selecting managers who actually want to lead people; the impact of AI on HR functions and employee roles.

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:

Lucy Adams was the BBC’s HR Director during one of its most turbulent periods. Responsible for all aspects of employee relations, reward, training and development, she reduced the BBC management by over 30%, saving the organisation £25m a year. In her five year tenure Lucy saw four Directors General come and go, oversaw the move to Manchester site and coped with numerous, very public crises including executive pay-offs and the Savile scandal. This alongside the everyday work of talent retention, development and remuneration, HR policy, and the challenges of delivering multiple changes in a publicly-funded organisation working in a highly commercial, fast-moving sector with over 20,000 employees.

Prior to working at the BBC, Lucy was Group HR Director at Serco, the government services business, and at the law firm Eversheds.

For the last 10 years Lucy has been the CEO of Disruptive HR with the mission of 'changing people practices for good'. Lucy challenges business leaders and HR professionals to reappraise their approaches and to consider how relevant and productive they are in a disrupted world. She offers new ideas and practical innovative approaches that the more progressive companies are already adopting. Combining her strategic HR expertise with practical implementation, she advocates for an innovative yet grounded approach which aims to put the “human” back into Human Resources.


Lucy is not just a business leader and hugely popular keynote speaker, but also a well-known author of the bestseller “HR Disrupted” a book packed with practical ways to innovate your approach to leading people in a disrupted world. Her latest book bestseller “The HR ChangeToolkit” provides the complete guide to making it happen.

Lucy Adams can be reached at

https://disruptivehr.com 

https://www.linkedin.com/in/lucykadams 

https://www.facebook.com/hrdisruptive 

https://www.instagram.com/disruptive_hr

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:

1. Develop HR practices that prioritize customization for individuals rather than enforcing broad conformity
2. Implement people leadership strategies that balance compliance requirements with genuine human engagement
3. Establish alternative career paths that don't force skilled individual contributors into management roles they don't want

In episode 193, Coffey talks with Terri Swain about recent HR news items including return-to-office mandates, “illegal DEI”, and whether it is Alt+Ctrl+Delete or Ctrl+Alt+Delete.

They discuss SHRM's report showing significantly higher workplace incivility in companies with return-to-office mandates; challenges with remote work including leadership development and communication skills; the "over-employment" phenomenon where remote workers secretly hold multiple full-time jobs; the Trump administration's position on DEI programs and the EEOC's new guidance; how political affiliation affects hiring decisions; the importance of rebranding DEI efforts while maintaining their core purpose.

Links to stuff they talked about are on our website at https://goodmorninghr.com/EP193 and include the following topics:

- SHRM: How Return-to-Office Mandates Are Affecting Workplace Civility

- Business Insider: Secretly Working 2 Remote Jobs, RTO Could Hurt Overemployment - Business Insider

- HR Dive: EEOC Outlines How DEI Might Be ‘Unlawful’

- HR Morning ‘Illegal DEI’ Explained: 12 Warnings in New EEOC Guidance

- EEOC: What To Do If You Experience Discrimination Related to DEI at Work

- EEOC: What You Should Know About DEI-Related Discrimination at Work

- Reddit: [OR] Not Hiring Trump Supporters

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 .75 recertification credits. To obtain the recertification information for this episode, visit https://goodmorninghr.com.

About our Guest:

Terri is the founder and Chief Truth Seeker with DecipHR a Fort Worth based, human resources consulting firm specializing in Equal Employment Opportunity investigations, employee relations and interim HR leadership. The company was founded in 2022 after the sale of her 24 year old company, The HR Consultant in 2021. 

DecipHR has a nationwide and diverse client base, specializing in solving complex employee relations issues and providing interim HR leadership to growing companies.  Prior to her consulting role, she had Fortune 200 human resource leadership experience in the areas of employee relations, human resource planning, and training and development.

Terri began her career in human resources via government compliance as an investigator for the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC).  In her spare time, she enjoys a good book, a brisk walk, loud live music and travel to new places.

Terri Swain can be reached at

https://www.linkedin.com/in/terriswain

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:

1. Evaluate return-to-office policies based on business needs rather than blanket mandates.
2. Implement performance management systems that effectively monitor productivity regardless of work location.
3. Develop inclusive workplace initiatives that comply with legal requirements and meet business objectives

In episode 192, Coffey talks with Shawn Johnson about creating multigenerational inclusive and productive workplaces.

They discuss the age ranges and characteristics of different generations in today's workforce; how parenting styles and historical events shape generational perspectives; the evolution of generational values over time; ways different generations view leadership and meaningful work; strategies for creating environments where multiple generations can collaborate effectively; the importance of balancing experienced wisdom with fresh perspectives.

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:

Shawn Johnson is a speaker, trainer, and consultant. She has been involved in leadership development for over 20 years, from small privately owned companies to Fortune 1000. She’s passionate about working with leaders and their teams to foster generational inclusion, using her own experience growing up in a four-generation family business.

Her presentations prepare organizations to better understand each generation’s approach to the world of work, build a foundation of trust, and create higher performing teams. As a result, they leverage generational differences for greater success.

She and her husband, Ronnie, live in the Fort Worth area and enjoy life in the country with their 2 dogs, 2 cats, and hanging out with their multi-generational Johnson family.

Shawn Johnson can be reached at

https://shawnjohnsonspeaks.com/ (download her Generational Cheat Sheet here!)

https://www.linkedin.com/in/ShawnJohnsonSpeaks

https://x.com/geninclusion

https://www.facebook.com/shawnjohnsonspeaks

https://www.instagram.com/ShawnJohnsonSpeaks

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:

1. Create workplace cultures that value and leverage the strengths of different generations
2. Develop leadership approaches that accommodate varying generational expectations about feedback and communication
3. Implement strategies that blend experienced wisdom with new perspectives to drive innovation and productivity

In episode 191, Coffey talks with Dr. Matt Zakreski about leveraging neurodivergent employees’ unique strengths.

They discuss the prevalence of neurodivergence in the workplace; the various types of neurodivergence beyond autism; the concept of masking and its impact on employees; how to avoid tokenism through universal design; strategies for clear communication with neurodivergent employees; the importance of creating appropriate incentives and accommodations; preparing neurotypical employees to work effectively with neurodivergent colleagues.

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:

Matthew "Dr. Matt" Zakreski, PsyD is a professional speaker and clinical psychologist who specializes in working with neurodivergent (gifted, 2e, ADHD, Autism, Dyslexia, etc.) people. He has spoken nearly a thousand times all over the world about supporting neurodivergent people in all walks of life, from schools to college to the workplace. Dr. Matt specializes in taking knowledge of the brain, human behavior, and clinical psychology and making that accessible and practical for people to improve their lives. When it comes to working with organizations, Dr. Matt is an expert at helping everyone to grow in a meaningful, authentic way based on skills that stick with you well after he’s left the stage. Everyone deserves to have a better life; the more we know about ourselves and our brains, the better we can meet those goals. He is the co-founder of The Neurodiversity Collective, LLC and the author of the Neurodiversity Playbook: How Neurodivergent People Can Crack the Code of Living in a Neurotypical World.

Dr. Matt Zakreski can be reached at

http://www.drmattzakreski.com/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/matthew-zakreski-0a32358/

https://www.facebook.com/drmattzakreski

https://www.instagram.com/drmattzakreski

Purchase his book here: https://www.amazon.com/Neurodiversity-Playbook-Neurodivergent-People-Neurotypical/dp/195336036X

Book Dr. Matt for speaking, coaching, or consulting services here:

https://www.drmattzakreski.com/blank-3 

Dr. Matt's new podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/nerding-out-on-neurodiversity/id1771917660

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:

1. Implement universal design principles that support all employees while avoiding tokenism of neurodivergent workers
2. Develop clear communication practices that make implicit workplace expectations explicit
3. Create appropriate accommodations and incentives that align with neurodivergent employees' needs and preferences

In episode 190, Coffey talks with Audrey Mickahail about using skills-based hiring to access untapped talent pools.

They discuss the "paper ceiling" that excludes qualified candidates without degrees; how degree requirements became default screening tools; the value of skills and experience gained through alternative routes; strategies for employers to identify and assess core competencies; the importance of gateway jobs in career development; tools and resources available through Opportunity at Work to support skills-based hiring.

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:

Audrey Mickahail is Senior Vice President, Private Sector & Membership Experience, at Opportunity@Work. In this role, she is responsible for the organization’s Private Sector business as well as the team that ensures a high quality and consistent customer experience with Opportunity@Work through its service offerings to help employers, philanthropies, regional consortia, and the public sector enable economic mobility for workers who are Skilled through Alternative Routes (STARs).

Audrey Mickahail can be reached at 

https://www.linkedin.com/in/mickahail/

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:

1. Develop hiring processes that focus on essential job competencies rather than credentials
2. Identify gateway roles that can serve as entry points for skilled workers without degrees
3. Implement skills assessment methods that effectively evaluate candidates' abilities regardless of educational background

In episode 189, Coffey talks with Charles Krugel about a Day Without Immigrants-related firing, unions, the future of DEI, and the ongoing changes coming from the Trump administration. 

They discuss a "Day Without Immigrants" protest that led to employee terminations at a Texas burger company; Amazon's North Carolina facility voting against unionization; President Trump's firing of NLRB and EEOC officials and the resulting impact on employment regulations; the rescinding of various NLRB  labor-friendly memos including those on non-compete agreements and confidentiality clauses; the legal complexities of DEI initiatives in the current political climate; geographic variations in labor laws across states and cities.

Links to stuff they talked about are on our website at https://goodmorninghr.com/EP189 and include the following topics:

Local Burger Business Fires Workers After They RSVP’ed for Pro-Immigrant Walkout: Hat Creek Burger Company reacted quickly after national protest - News - The Austin Chronicle

Amazon North Carolina Workers Reject Union, Handing Retailer Win in Labor Fight

Trump Paralyzes US Labor Board by Firing Democratic Member

Trump hobbles US anti-discrimination agency by firing Democrats | Reuters

Explainer: Trump says corporate diversity efforts are illegal - but are they?

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:

For the past 24 years Charles Krugel, charlesakrugel.com, has run his own management side labor & employment law practice based in Chicago.

His clients are worldwide & in all industries. 1/3 of his practice is HR counseling on day-to-day micro issues; another 1/3 of his practice is transactionally based (e.g., employment agreements); & the final 1/3 of his practice is litigation in both state & federal courts & before regulatory agencies. Charles represents union as well as non-unionized companies.

Charles is frequently quoted & interviewed by the media, annually gives dozens of presentations, serves on numerous boards of directors for numerous organizations & is an award-winning attorney.

Charles Krugel can be reached at

https://www.linkedin.com/in/charlesakrugel/

https://www.linkedin.com/groups/1798953/

https://www.charlesakrugel.com/

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:

1. Develop strategies for addressing employee activism while minimizing legal exposure
2. Implement DEI initiatives that expand applicant pools without violating Title VII protections
3. Create workplace cultures where effective management communication reduces the likelihood of employee litigation

In episode 188, Coffey talks with Amy Rosellini about the importance of emphasizing behavior change in workplace training.

They discuss the high cost and low effectiveness of current workplace training approaches; the importance of measuring behavior change rather than just knowledge transfer; the role of peer feedback in learning; how to engage resistant learners; strategies for packaging training to increase voluntary participation; and using the Knowledge Transfer Measurement Model (KTMM) for measuring training effectiveness and sustained behavioral change.

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:

Dr. Amy Rosellini is a distinguished Human Resources consultant specializing in organizational learning and human capital strategy. Since 2013, Amy has led RLT Impact, a consulting firm offering fractional CHRO and learning services. With over two decades of experience spanning diverse industries including manufacturing, retail, construction, real estate, and financial services, Amy excels in designing impactful knowledge management strategies to enhance corporate learning.

Amy also chairs a CEO Advisory group in the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex, convening monthly to tackle pressing business challenges. She is deeply involved in facilitating strategic planning, executive coaching, and leadership development initiatives nationwide, fostering robust talent planning and bolstering employee engagement.

Educationally, Amy holds a Bachelor of Science from Texas A&M University, a Master’s degree from the University of North Texas, and completed her Ph.D. in Information Science from UNT in 2020. She remains actively engaged with the academic community, serving as adjunct faculty at the University of North Texas G. Brint Ryan College of Business, SMU Cox School of Business, and University of Dallas Satish & Yasmin Gupta College of Business. Amy's current research endeavors focus on augmented reality in corporate learning and addressing learning disparities in early childhood education.

A published author, Amy's research has been featured in numerous refereed articles and books. She is a sought-after keynote speaker at conferences nationwide, delivering compelling talks on learning methodologies, improvisation for business, and innovative human capital strategies.

Amy Rosellini can be reached at

https://rltimpact.com

http://www.linkedin.com/in/amyrosellini

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:

1. Design training programs that focus on measurable behavioral changes rather than just knowledge transfer
2. Implement feedback systems that incorporate peer review and continuous assessment rather than relying solely on self or manager evaluations
3. Develop recognition and reward systems that encourage ongoing learning and behavioral change among both employees and supervisors

In episode 187, Coffey talks with Leah Stiegler about best practices for the intake process for workplace
investigations.

They discuss when employers must investigate complaints versus when they can decline; examples of
investigations that revealed unexpected findings; handling confidentiality requests from complainants;
documentation requirements for complaints and investigations; managing employees who don't want
formal investigations; proper record retention practices.

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:

Leah can walk employers through any workplace situation. From complex personnel matters, to
implementing client-specific performance management practices, Leah advises employers to navigate
these issues to keep them out of court. Her counseling covers the entire employment spectrum:
recruitment, onboarding, workplace culture, pay equity audits, RIFs, terminations and severance
packages. Leah handles workplace investigations and defends actions before administrative agencies
such as the EEOC, DOL, and NLRB. Leah has extensive litigation experience, defending employers in state
and federal court on claims including but not limited to: Breach of employment agreements
Harassment, discrimination, and retaliation (Title VII) Whistleblower complaints ADA or religious-based
failure to accommodate claims FMLA non-compliance Workplace violence and negligent supervision
FLSA unpaid overtime, misclassification and off-the-clock claims Workplace safety, OSHA, or VOSH
actions.

Leah also represents employers navigating union issues, labor relations arbitrations and collective
bargaining. Every workforce loves Leah's dynamic public speaking style. Having traveled the Mid-Atlantic
to train front-line employees, upper management, HR and other industry professionals, Leah creates
custom workforce training programs with her team and has fun doing it!
Leah also maintains a higher education practice. She provides day-to-day compliance advice to public
and private higher ed institutions on employment and student-related matters. These include navigating
Title VII, Title IX, and code of conduct investigations, faculty, administrative, and athletic coach contracts
and severance packages, tenure and promotion processes, and pay equity audits. Leah also trains school
leadership, such as Deans and Chairs, on improving documentation and engaging in performance
management of faculty.

To see Leah in action, check out What's the Tea in L&E!
Leah is perpetually single with lots of free time to fine-tune her stand-up comedy routine. When not in
the office, you can find Leah crossing up (and trash talking) opponents on the basketball court or busting
out a less-technical, overly passionate Moon Walk at hip hop class.
Leah Stiegler can be reached at
https://www.woodsrogers.com/
https://www.linkedin.com/in/leah-stiegler-28aa7a62/

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:
1. Identify when informal complaints trigger an organization's duty to investigate
2. Develop effective intake procedures that protect both the organization and complainant while
maintaining appropriate documentation
3. Implement systematic investigation processes that follow proper scope and documentation
protocols regardless of complaint severity

In episode 186, Coffey talks with Mark Mohammadpour about creating workplace cultures that prioritize employee well-being.

They discuss the evolution of workplace relationships post-pandemic and the importance of well-being beyond salary; the cost implications of employee turnover; the four essential workspaces needed for modern employees (office, home, social spaces, and nature); the importance of having clear purposes for in-office work requirements; how to measure and improve employee well-being across physical, mental, career, community, and financial dimensions; the critical role of consistent communication throughout the employee journey; the value of understanding customer needs when making workplace decisions; the importance of benefits awareness and usage in employee satisfaction.

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:

Mark Mohammadpour, APR, Fellow PRSA (he/him): After spending his communications career leading award-winning programs for Adobe, Microsoft, and the U.S. Army, and after losing and keeping off 150 pounds over the last 15 years, Mark founded Chasing the Sun to empower people to shine. Chasing the Sun helps companies design their Culture of Well-being so they can retain healthy employees and create a healthy bottom line. The funniest person he knows is his incredible wife, Christine, and he'll talk to you all day about his love for soccer, Peloton, and their sweet labradoodle Molly. Learn more about Mark and Chasing the Sun in his intro video reel.

Mark Mohammadpour can be reached at 

https://www.chasingthesunpdx.com/ 

https://www.linkedin.com/in/markmohammadpour/

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:

1. Implement a three-part approach to assess organizational wellness by examining benefits usage data, conducting work stream-specific surveys, and holding focused employee conversations
2. Create purposeful in-office experiences that provide unique value different from remote work, particularly for activities like brainstorming and professional development
3. Develop clear, consistent communication strategies throughout the employee journey to ensure understanding of company decisions, benefits, and growth opportunities