Guerrilla HR

We're exploring a topic becoming increasingly central to modern workplace dynamics: the intersection of professional leadership and the responsibilities of caring for aging parents. Becky is joined by Janice Goldmintz, founder of Talk About Aging and author of Getting Older But Not Old, to discuss the unique challenges faced by the "sandwich generation"—those balancing the needs of their children, their careers, and their elderly parents.

Janice shares expert insights on how employees can manage their professional bandwidth during major life transitions and how organizations can evolve to support staff through more than just childcare initiatives.

In this episode of the Guerrilla HR Podcast, host Becky Drozdz sits down with Ivonne Ferneaux, founder of EmpowerUp Consulting, to explore why diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives are facing a significant backlash and how organizations can move toward more pragmatic, structural success.

Ivonne introduces her powerful concept of "Ghost Gaps"—the invisible organizational divides that determine who has power, information, and investment within a company. Together, they discuss why authentic human connection is the key to overcoming "compliance theater" and how both leaders and individuals can work to bridge these gaps.

I'm sitting down with Sandra Coker, founder and CEO of Human Power Solutions and author of People Profit. Together, they dive into the critical role of employee development within the total rewards framework and discuss why traditional leadership often fails to retain top talent.

Sandra shares her "boots on the ground" philosophy, arguing that leadership isn't just about style—it's about truly hearing employees and fixing broken processes that lead to "first-aid employees" walking out the door.

We dive into the shifting landscape of the 2026 workplace. While recent reports show that fewer employees are planning to leave their organizations, only a fraction actually feel energized by their work.

I'm joined by Dr. David Shar, a consultant and University of Maryland researcher who specializes in why people fall out of love with their careers and how to rekindle that passion. David shares his non-traditional journey from running a Baltimore ice cream shop—where a "trivial" job provided deep meaning for his crew—to researching the systemic causes of employee stagnation.

Key topics in this conversation include:

• The Catalyst for Passion: How an ice cream shop manager learned that work can be a "happy place" even amidst personal tragedy.

  
  

• The Reality of Burnout: Why burnout isn't just about overwork, but rather the accumulation of "dirty glasses"—the bureaucracy, red tape, and interpersonal conflicts that block a state of flow.

  
  

• Nice vs. Kind: Why effective leadership requires "bucket filling" and the courage to give tough, honest feedback rather than performative politeness.

  
  

• Thermostats vs. Thermometers: A simple mental shift you can use in the next 24 hours to set a better temperature for your workplace culture.

  
  

Stick around until the end to hear David’s most controversial take yet—it has nothing to do with HR and everything to do with pizza.

"Forced fun is never fun." In this episode of the Guerrilla HR Podcast, host Becky sits down with Dr. Mickey Fitch-Collins, whose career path is anything but ordinary. From being the youngest professional bass fisherman in the U.S. to reaching the C-suite in higher education, Mickey explains why she walked away from it all to focus on the future of Learning and Development (L&D).

We dive into the "Great Discernment" and why 73% of employees are staying at their jobs despite only 67% feeling energized. Mickey breaks down the "push-pull" nightmare of middle management, the isolation that leads to burnout, and why most AI integration is currently failing in the workplace.

What you’ll learn in this episode:

• The Death of "Forced Fun": Why traditional L&D feels like "paid-for offense" and how to make it authentic.

  
  

• The Middle Manager Crisis: Why organizations are "trimming the fat" and why that’s a massive mistake for success.

  
  

• Problem-First AI: Stop buying licenses and start identifying the actual problems you are trying to solve.

  
  

• The 24-Hour Rule: One simple step you can take today to take the driver's seat of your own career.

  
  

• Human Skills vs. AI: Why critical thinking and decision-making are the most valuable "water wings" in the deep end of tech.

Stop waiting for your company to pick your path. It’s time to build a professional development plan that actually belongs to you.

We're tackling the sobering reality of financial stability in 2026. Opening with data from the Bank of America Institute and Bankrate, Becky highlights that nearly a quarter of households are living paycheck to paycheck, with pessimism about the economic future reaching new highs.

Becky is joined by Brenton Harrison, a certified financial planner and founder of New Money, New Problems, to discuss how individuals can take control of their financial narratives. The conversation explores:

• Financial Psychology: Understanding the personal fears and "awareness pieces" that prevent people from checking their balances.

  
  

• The Foundational Pillars: Why every financial plan must include layered emergency reserves and a balance between saving for the future and meeting today's needs.

  
  

• Leveraging Debt: Differentiating between "terrible" revolving credit card debt and leveraged debt like student or car loans.

  
  

• Accessible Resources: How to find free, competent advice through community centers, local libraries, and often-overlooked employer benefits.

  
  

The episode concludes with a passionate look at the ALICE population (Asset Limited, Income Constrained, Employed). Becky challenges the "minimum wage skills" myth, arguing that financial success isn't just about individual education, but requires systemic policy changes in housing, childcare, and transportation.

In this episode of the Guerrilla HR podcast, Becky is joined by Traci Austin, Chief Strategy Consultant and owner of Elevated Talent Consulting. Together, they explore the evolving landscape of the workforce—specifically the rise of "new collar" jobs—and how organizations can identify and develop leadership potential in traditionally overlooked roles.Key Discussion Points

*The Rise of "New Collar" Jobs: Understanding the shift toward roles where specialized skills, certifications, and experience are prioritized over traditional four-year degrees.

*Defining Culture: A look at culture as the sum of behaviors that an organization chooses to allow or not allow.

*The Power of Language in Leadership: How shifting your phrasing—such as offering an "opportunity to dig into a project" rather than just "letting someone take it on"—can significantly impact team motivation.

*Building Self-Awareness & Trust: Why leaders must seek honest feedback from peers and create safe spaces where employees trust that their transparency won't be used against them later.

*"Stop Bitching, Start Pitching": Re-framing every complaint as a "poorly worded request" and using a problem-solving framework to empower employees to influence change.

*Developing Emerging Leaders: Practical strategies for growing talent, including:

*Buddy Programs: Pairing high-potential employees with new hires to build influence without formal authority.

*Cross-Functional Project Teams: Using projects to test leadership skills in a "low bar, high ceiling" environment.

*Teaching Critical Thinking: Encouraging teams to make decisions at the highest level possible while considering unintended consequences.

Becky is joined by Joni Hough, owner of Rise Up Consignments, to discuss how to dress for interviews in a changing workplace landscape. From "size-inclusive" professional wear to the nuances of tech vs. corporate attire, Joni shares expert advice on how to look your best without breaking the bank. The duo also covers the do's and don'ts of accessories, makeup, and even how to dress for your professional headshots.

• The "One Step Above" Rule: When researching a company's culture, aim for a formality level just one step above what employees typically wear on a daily basis for your interview.

  
  

• Industry-Specific Styling: * Finance/Legal: Stick to conservative colors like black, navy, tan, or charcoal with classic pinstripe suits.

  
  

  • Tech: Opt for dark jeans paired with a nice blouse and flat, closed-toed shoes.

    
    

  • Creative Fields: Use pops of color and separates to show personality while remaining professional.

    
    

• The Power of Consignment: Professional consignment shops offer high-quality, "size-inclusive" (XS to 5X) clothing at roughly 40% to 50% of retail prices.

  
  

• Avoiding Distractions: Avoid "jingle-jingle" accessories like loud bangle bracelets or overboard makeup that might distract an interviewer from your skills.

  
  

• Headshot Tips: For professional photos, stick to solid colors. Avoid prints and stripes, as they do not photograph well and make editing difficult.

In this episode of the Guerrilla HR podcast, host Becky Drozdz sits down with Barry Wolfe, founder of Argos HR Solutions and author of It's All in Your Head. They challenge traditional HR "doom and gloom" by discussing why psychology-based tools often fail employees and why leadership should focus on "nouns" (deliverables) rather than "verbs" (tasks). From driving forklifts at thirteen to serving as a VP of HR, Barry shares how a "value-centric" approach can bridge the gap between corporate vision and the reality of the night shift.

• The "No-Asshole" Rule for New Grads: Becky shares her recent advice to students at the University of South Carolina, Lancaster: the most important core competency is simply not being a jerk. This applies to teamwork, communication, and basic respect.

  
  

• The Homogeneity Myth: Corporate leaders often view their organization as one uniform culture, but the reality on the ground—especially at different sites or on the night shift—is often completely different.

  
  

• Culture Happens at the Frontline: A company’s true culture isn't what is written on a mission statement; it is decided by frontline supervisors through their daily interactions with employees.

  
  

• Defining Value-Centric Leadership:

  • Focus on Nouns, Not Verbs: Organizations shouldn't pay people just to "do" things (verbs); they should pay for "results" or "deliverables" (nouns).

    
    

  • The Universal Question: Every employee wants to know: "What do I have to do to get a raise around here?" Value-centric leadership provides a clear, data-driven answer to that question for every role, not just sales.

    
    

• The "Overhead" Trap: Barry illustrates value through the example of a dental receptionist. By focusing on the billable value of filling cancellations rather than just "answering phones," a role traditionally seen as overhead becomes a critical driver of revenue.

  
  

• Skepticism of Personality Tests: Barry discusses research suggesting that many popular HR tools, such as personality testing and competency modeling, lack the scientific backing to truly predict performance.

  
  

• Book: It’s All in Your Head: Why Psychology Doesn’t Help Your Employees Deliver Value and What Can by Barry Wolfe

  
  

• Book: Chasing Stars: The Myth of Talent and the Portability of Performance by Boris Groysberg

  
  

• Website: Argos HR

In this episode of the Guerrilla HR Podcast, Becky Drozdz is joined by IDEA (Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, and Accessibility) expert Michael Bach to challenge traditional approaches to diversity work. Michael explains why moving from a "social justice" or "moral" justification to a data-driven business case is the key to making organizational change truly "sticky". From the massive costs of employee turnover to opening new customer markets, this conversation highlights why IDEA is not just a "nice-to-have" but a core business strategy for 2026.

• 2026 Financial Outlook: Becky discusses the 2.8% Social Security COLA adjustment for 2026 and how it differs from the 3.5%–4% salary increases currently seen in cost-of-labor data.

  
  

• The Problem with "The Right Thing to Do": Michael discusses why the moral imperative often fails in the corporate world and how to align IDEA with shareholder value and CEO priorities.

  
  

• The Talent Pillar: How a commitment to IDEA impacts recruitment and retention, noting that 75% of employees would stay at a company because of its IDEA commitments.

  
  

• The High Cost of Inequity: A look at the real dollar cost of replacing employees (50%–300% of a salary) and the economic impact of the gender wage gap.

  
  

• Starting from Scratch: Michael’s "North Star" advice for organizations: build a rock-solid, 2-to-3-page business case that speaks your company's specific financial and strategic language.

  
  

• Practical Resources: An overview of Michael's books, Birds of All Feathers and Alphabet Soup, designed as practical how-to manuals for small-to-medium enterprises.

  
  

• A "COVID Baby" Biography: The story behind Michael's biography of RuPaul's Drag Race winner Evie Oddly, All About Evie: Into the Oddity.

  
  

• "Oh My God, Becky" Segment: Becky clarifies the distinction between "market rate" and a "living wage," expressing the need for a country where 40 hours of work consistently meets basic needs.

  
  

• Books by Michael Bach:

  • Birds of All Feathers: Doing Diversity and Inclusion Right

    
    

  • Alphabet Soup: The Essential Guide to LGBTQ2+ Inclusion at Work

    
    

  • All About Yvie: Into the Oddity (Co-written with Evie Oddly)

    
    

• Guest Website: michaelbach.com

  
  

• Social Media: @themichaelbach on all platforms