In episode 202, Coffey talks with Shannon Norris about a federal court ruling that invalidated portions of the EEOC's 2024 harassment guidance related to sexual orientation and gender identity. 

They discuss Norther District of Texas Federal Judge Matthew Kacsmaryk’s decision in State of Texas v. EEOC; the narrow scope of the Supreme Court’s ruling in Bostock v. Clayton County; the EEOC’s broad interpretation of the Bostock ruling in its 2024 Enforcement Guidance on Harassment in the Workplace; the elimination of courts’ deference to agency’s opinions under the Loper Bright Enterprises v. Raimondo decision; the distinction between agency guidance and actual law post Loper; practical workplace challenges concerning bathrooms, pronouns, misgendering, and dress codes; the difference between harassment based on biological sex versus sexual orientation or gender identity; why the Texas v. EEOC ruling doesn't change existing anti-harassment law; the importance of maintaining respectful workplaces regardless of legal requirements; and advice for employers to avoid becoming test cases in emerging litigation.

Links to stuff they talked about are on our website at https://goodmorninghr.com/EP202 and include the following topics:

State of Texas and The Heritage Foundation v. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, et al: Memorandum Opinion and Order

EEOC  Enforcement Guidance on Harassment in the Workplace

Bostock v. Clayton County, Georgia Certiorari to the United States Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit 

Federal judge in Texas rules LGBTQ+ people can be discriminated against at work

Federal Judge Scraps Biden EEOC’s Gender Identity Guidance: Here’s What It Means for the Workplace

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:

Shannon Norris has represented a broad range of clients since he began practicing in 1993 in the areas of employment law, business litigation, trade secrets, civil fraud, and employee benefits.  During that time, he has represented Fortune 100 companies to small businesses and individuals.  Mr. Norris has extensive experience with employment litigation, noncompete agreements, misappropriation of trade secrets, and occupational fraud.  He is a regular speaker on topics relating to employment law, civil litigation, and human resources.

Mr. Norris began his career in 1993 at the law firm of Jones Day, where he was a member of the Labor & Employment Law Section.  He formed his own practice in the year 2000.  He is also a Certified Fraud Examiner and a member of the Association of Certified Fraud Examiners.

Mr. Norris is Martindale-Hubbell AV Preeminent Peer Review Rated.  Ratings reflect the anonymous opinions of members of the bar and the judiciary.  Martindale-Hubbell® PEER REVIEW RATINGS™ fall into two categories—legal ability and general ethical standards.

Shannon Norris can be reached at

https://www.norrisfirm.com

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

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.       Understand the constitutional limitations on federal agencies like the EEOC under current law.

2.       Understand the limitations of State of Texas v. EEOC and continue to prohibit any workplace harassment or disparate treatment based on sex.

3.    &n...

In episode 201, Coffey talks with Jodi Brandstetter about using “design thinking” to effectively integrate AI into HR processes. 

They discuss how design thinking focuses on understanding problems from both business and human perspectives; the importance of starting with one specific HR challenge when implementing AI; how AI can assist throughout each stage of the design thinking process; ethical considerations when selecting AI vendors; concerns about job displacement versus job evolution; the value of transparency when implementing AI that affects employees; practical applications like improving communication and automating administrative tasks; security considerations when using AI tools; and the need to continuously test AI tools for bias and effectiveness.

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:

Jodi Brandstetter is an HR consultant, bestselling author, and speaker who specializes in integrating design thinking and AI into HR practices. As the founder of Lean Effective Talent Strategies, she helps small to midsize companies in science, manufacturing, engineering, and technology modernize their talent strategies. With over 20 years of experience, she is certified in Design Thinking and has authored books like Hire by Design and HR by Design. Jodi lives outside of Cincinnati, OH with her husband, daughter and fur babies.

Jodi Brandstetter can be reached at:

https://jodibrandstetter.com 

https://linkedin.com/in/jodibrandstetter

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.       Apply design thinking methodology when implementing AI to ensure solutions address both business needs and employee experiences.

2.       Evaluate AI tools with a focus on responsible vendors, data security, and potential bias to protect both organizations and individuals.

3.       Prepare employees for workplace evolution by being transparent about AI implementation and providing upskilling opportunities for roles affected by automation.

In episode 200, Coffey talks with Gary Fowler live from the North Texas SHRM Conference about alternative dispute resolution especially mediation when a lawsuit may be involved. 

They discuss the distinctions between mediation and arbitration; the confidentiality protections in mediation; the difference between mediation and arbitration; preparation for effective mediation sessions; why decision-makers need to be present during mediation; economic and non-economic factors that can be addressed through mediation; the mediator selection process; who pays for mediation; and how a good mediator helps parties reach agreement.

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:

Gary Fowler is a mediator and arbitrator with JAMS. He has been Board Certified in Labor and Employment Law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization since 1994 and is a Fellow of the College of Labor and Employment Lawyers. With over 35 years of experience in all areas of labor and employment law, he has served as a mediator and arbitrator since 2015. He is a frequent speaker on alternative dispute resolution, focusing on mediation of discrimination, harassment, trade secret, executive compensation, and wage/hour disputes. He was co-chair of the Jackon Walker L&E section from 2013 to 2021, when he joined JAMS.

Gary Fowler can be reached at

https://www.jamsadr.com/fowler/

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.       Distinguish between the different forms of alternative dispute resolution

2.       Prepare effectively for mediation

3.       Understand the confidentiality provisions in mediation agreements and under Texas law

In episode 199, Coffey talks with David McLaughlin about evolving leadership styles and their impact on the workforce.

They discuss the evolution of leadership styles from historical figures like Julius Caesar to modern executives; the contrast between transformational and transactional leadership approaches; the connection between leadership, culture, behavior, and results; the importance of developing people rather than just focusing on short-term metrics; and the impact of collaboration on teams.

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. 

Special thanks to Steve Peglar of HR Strategies of Texas for creating the Good Morning, HR theme music. 

About our Guest:

David B. McLaughlin, M. Ed, SHRM-SCP, CWMF, has been a leader in human resources and organizational development for over 20 years. 

He is the founder of Pendulum Coaching, LLC as a coach and consultant, as well as the newly created Modern Leadership Research Lab focusing on leadership research. He has been a leader in the corporate world for some of the most well-known organizations in Oklahoma, including being on the Fortune Best Companies to Work For list in Oklahoma City for 18 years. 
 
 David has a M. Ed in Adult Education and B.S. in Accounting from the University of Central Oklahoma. He is also a Ph. D student at Kansas State University researching the intersection of mindfulness and emotional intelligence among leaders. 

David is the host of The Modern Leader podcast. He has proudly served on numerous non-profit, association, and business leadership boards across Oklahoma. 

David is the author of Modern Leadership: Leaving Vintage Leadership Behind (https://a.co/d/5xxZ7iH). 

David McLaughlin can be reached at

http://pendulumcoaching.com

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

The Modern Leader Podcast with David B. McLaughlin

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.       Distinguish between "vintage" leadership (hierarchical, metrics-focused) and "modern" leadership (collaborative, people-focused) to adapt leadership style to today's workforce needs.

2.       Implement transformational leadership practices that invest in employee development rather than using transactional approaches that treat employees as replaceable assets.

3.       Recognize how team-level culture often has more impact on employee experience than organization-wide culture, emphasizing the critical role of frontline and middle managers.

In episode 198, Coffey talks with Kelly Baringer about 2025 trends in employee health benefits and strategies for reducing healthcare costs.

They discuss value-based care and directed networks that steer patients to providers with better outcomes; consumer-driven healthcare plans with transparent pricing and no balance billing; the rising costs of pharmacy benefits and hidden broker compensation; and fiduciary responsibilities of HR professionals when managing employee healthcare plans.

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:

Kelley Barringer is a Vice President of Employee Benefits Consulting, with the Employee Benefits team located in Dallas, Texas. She serves as a senior client executive, client advocate, and key liaison with our clients’ executive teams, human resources, benefits, finance, and operations contacts. She provides oversight of the USI service team including overseeing the day-to-day needs of clients and is responsible for conducting periodic dialogue with key client contacts to assume overall satisfaction with the USI team. She joined USI in 2022 and has been in the insurance industry since 2015. 

Prior to USI, Kelley worked at Ardent Solutions/Alera Group for 6.5 years in employee benefits. Before that, she worked in technology sales and services at Canon USA. Kelley spent time in the medical device industry working with physical therapists and in operating rooms with implants. 

She has her B.S. in Exercise Science from (UTA) The University of Texas at Arlington and achieved her M.B.A. through (SMU) Southern Methodist University’s executive program. She was a Specialist in the US Army Reserve’s 441st Ambulance Unit, deployed to Camp Buehring, Kuwait as a medic.   

Kelley is involved in her local SHRM chapter, DallasHR, as a board member, and is a Tri-chair for the Richardson Chamber of Commerce’s Women in Leadership Committee. She and her oldest daughter are involved with their local National Charity League chapter. She also sits on the City of Richardson’s Tax Increment Financing (TIF) Board. 

Kelley was raised in Garland, TX and resides in Richardson, TX.  She and her husband have three school-aged children.

Kelley Barringer can be reached at

https://www.usi.com/

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

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.       Investigate value-based care options like UHC's app-based plans that use provider ratings and incentivized co-pays to guide employees toward higher quality care while reducing costs.

2.       Identify and understand broker compensation structures within your healthcare plans to fulfill fiduciary responsibilities and ensure transparency in benefit costs.

3.       Evaluate personal and company liability protection needs regarding employee benefits decisions, including whether HR professionals need to be covered under errors and omissions policies.

In episode 197, Coffey talks with Adam Dougherty about angry ex-employees and new ways to get sued.

They discuss managing post-termination communications from angry ex-employees; responding to threats of litigation; the importance of good people practices when faced with litigation threats; new causes of discrimination claims following last year’s Supreme Court Muldrow v. City of St. Louis decision; and the wisdom of always assuming a decision that doesn’t go an employees way may constitute an "adverse employment action.”

Links to stuff they talked about are on our website at https://goodmorninghr.com/EP197 and include the following topics:

-          Evil HR Lady: Former Employee Threatens Lawsuit. How should HR respond?

-          Bloomberg Law: Justices’ New Bias Test Puts Performance Reviews in Legal Bind

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:

Adam Dougherty is board certified in labor and employment law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization.

Adam counsels employers throughout Texas and the United States on a daily basis concerning a multitude of cutting edge and high stakes employment advice matters including terminations disciplinary actions and leave and accommodation issues 

Adam also regularly prepares handbooks personnel policies noncompete agreements employment agreements and complex separation agreements In addition to litigating in state and federal courts and arbitration proceedings on various discrimination FLSA and noncompete matters he also regularly appears before the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission EEOC US Department of Labor DOL and various state agencies Adam also conducts antiharassment and antidiscrimination training and workplace investigations.

In addition to representing companies all across the state of Texas Adam also maintains a national and international practice representing companies operating in each of the states and across the globe In light of his unique experience representing multi state employers he serves on the Steering Committee of the firm’s Multistate Advice and Counseling Practice Group.

Adam is cocreator along with Sean Urich of “Monthly Conversations with Adam and Sean” an interactive employment law briefing held regularly in Dallas for legal and HR professionals The briefings are also broadcast live to a national and international audience See recent topics and other presentations in “Speeches” below.

Adam is a volunteer with DallasHR and has also served as the Co-President of the Shelton School Dads’ Group the past president of the University of Arkansas School of Law’s National Alumni Association and as a coach of his daughters’ basketball and softball teams.

Adam Dougherty can be reached at https://www.linkedin.com/in/adam-dougherty-6946aa2/

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 proper communication protocols when terminated employees threaten litigation, including directing all communications to one person and preserving relevant documentation.

2.       Document performance improvement plans thoroughly and follow through on scheduled check-ins to avoid undermining the company's position in potential litigation.

3.       Anticipate more claims under the expanded definition of "adverse employment action" following the Muldrow decision by carefully reviewing workplace decisions that might affect employee status or opportunities.

In episode 196, Coffey talks with Sam Kabert about achieving "soul-life balance" as an alternative approach to traditional work-life balance.

They discuss the concept of soul-life balance focusing on inner well-being rather than compartmentalizing work and personal life; the 90-second rule for processing emotions based on neuroscience research; the importance that people leaders model soul-life balance; the BREATH framework (Breathe, Relax, Energy to reveal, Accept, Transform, Habits) for emotional regulation; the "ninja breath" technique for managing stress in real-time; practical applications for incorporating these practices in workplace settings; and the importance of processing emotions rather than compartmentalizing them.

Sam will be a keynote speaker at the North Texas SHRM Annual Conference on April 298-29, 2025. You can learn more at https://ntxshrm.org/page-1824327

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:

Sam Kabert is an expert in subconscious reprogramming, nervous system regulation, and breathwork integration. As a successful entrepreneur turned mental wellness coach, he’s helped high-performing leaders break free from burnout, stress, and emotional roadblocks—using the same techniques he’ll be teaching in this challenge.

Sam Kabert can be reached at
instagram.com/samkabert
https://www.linkedin.com/in/kabert/ 

https://www.facebook.com/soulseekrz
https://samkabert.com/
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCHi-hxuxUe2ZlPJCMkZ7fFQ

Sam Kabert’s BREATH Club: samkabert.com/club

Sam Kabert’s books on Amazon https://www.amazon.com/stores/author/B09T262PKP 

Soul Seekr podcast https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/soul-seekr/id1474728691

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 simple breathwork techniques in workplace settings to help employees regulate emotions and manage stress 
2. Create psychological safety through practices like WIFL (What I Feel Like expressing) to improve team communication 
3. Design wellness initiatives that address inner mental-emotional health rather than simply checking boxes for work-life balance

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