This episode features an interview with Courtney Panik, Chief People Officer at Symphony.

Courtney brings two decades of global HR leadership to the table, with experience spanning Yahoo, Mastercard, and now Symphony, where she oversees everything from talent acquisition and development to DEIB strategy and organizational effectiveness. A veteran of complex M&A integrations and large-scale change initiatives, Courtney was named a 2021 U.S. Women in Finance Award winner for Excellence in Human Resources.

In this episode, Courtney pulls back the curtain on what most leaders get wrong about change management and how to fix it. She shares the one tool every HR pro should be using but probably isn’t, why communication timing can make or break trust, and how to turn HR into a true strategic engine inside the business. Whether you’re leading through change or preparing for it, Courtney’s playbook is a must-listen.

Guest Bio

Courtney Panik is the chief people officer at Symphony. She is responsible for designing and executing the company’s talent strategy and creating an inclusive and high-performing culture. Courtney leads all people-related efforts, including talent acquisition and integration, talent management, learning and development, organizational effectiveness, people operations, and diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging.

Prior to joining Symphony in 2020, she was a VP of human resources at Mastercard, focused on diversifying the company’s product portfolio through mergers and acquisitions. Courtney also spent 10 years at Yahoo, where she held positions in HR business partnership, compensation, employee engagement, and program management, including two international assignments in the United Kingdom and India.

Courtney was recognized with the Excellence in Human Resources Award as part of the Markets Media U.S. Women in Finance Awards 2021.

Guest Quote

“We are a function that should always be anticipating the needs of the business and our employees, which means we need to be 10, 20-plus steps ahead. If you're playing that far ahead, then you really should never be in a high-pressure situation because you're planning and understanding what is happening.”

Time Stamps

1:49 What No One Tells You About Leading Change

2:47 The Blind Spot HR Pros Always Miss

5:41 Your Cross-Functional Dream Team

7:54 How to Communicate When You Don’t Have Answers

11:05 Rethinking What Strategic HR Really Means

12:41 The Pre-Work That Makes or Breaks It

13:17 Courtney’s Secret Weapon for Change

15:03 Building the Ultimate Project Plan

Sponsor

I’m Telling HR is brought to you by Rippling, the #1 rated HR workforce management system that eliminates the friction from running a business. Visit Rippling.com to learn more.

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