HR.Salon Podcast

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In this episode of HR Salon, host Andrew Biernat sits down with Ron Klinger, a Houston-based consultant who helps organizations win by unlocking the power of their people. Ron and Andrew — with matching energy and gusto — dig into why so many organizations are stuck at historic lows in engagement, and why the fix isn't a pizza party or a ping pong table.

Ron and Andrew compare frameworks for defining engagement before zeroing in on the real lever for organizational change: the middle manager. Ron makes the case that mid-management is the glue holding companies together — the conduit between executive vision and frontline execution — and that most organizations set new managers up to fail by promoting their best individual contributors without ever training them to lead people.

In this episode, you'll learn:

• Why nearly two-thirds of the global workforce is disengaged — and why that hurts the engaged one-third the most
• Why middle managers are the most critical (and most neglected) layer in any organization
• The danger of turning technical superstars into managers without training ("you just killed their career")
• Why the word "subordinate" should be banned from every manager's vocabulary
• How generational differences — up to six generations in one workplace — complicate management today
• A simple framework for effective one-on-ones: engagement score, workload check, and priority alignment
• Why self-awareness is the first domino in becoming a better manager or leader
• The "help me help you" approach to managing up and protecting your team from C-suite chaos
• Why career pathing (not just paychecks) is key to closing the purpose gap between frontline workers and executives
• Ron's bottom-line philosophy: "Take care of your people, and they'll take care of your business"

Ron Klinger helps organizations win through the power of employee engagement, retention, and people-first management. Connect with him on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/ronklinger/ or visit his site at mtran.com.

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Today's guest Alan Gregerman wrote the book The Wisdom of Ignorance: Why Not Knowing Can Be the Key to Innovation in an Uncertain World. Often we seek to be the smartest or most knowledgeable person in the room. In this episode, Alan challenges that pursuit and shows us the high value that not being in the know can have on a company and on a team. 

This discussion changed the way I see new hires and opened my mind to the possibilities and potential that most organizations overlook. 

Check out Alan's book on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0FJJSXVGV

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In this fun and insightful episode of HR Salon, host Andrew Biernat sits down with longtime HR leader and founder of Whine and Dine Networking, Keith Bogen, to talk about why real human connection still matters—and why Rochester is the next city to get its own Whine and Dine chapter.

With 23 years of building connections across 19 cities, Keith has turned “networking” into something far more meaningful: making friends, sharing stories, and building community that lasts. Together, Andrew and Keith explore the lost art of conversation in an age when networking too often feels forced or self‑serving—and how to bring warmth, humor, and genuine generosity back to it.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

• Why Whine and Dine Networking is all about community, not contacts
• How fewer rules and more laughter create authentic connection
• The secret to making people remember you long after the event
• Why Keith says “the value of knowing me is knowing who I know”
• How servant leadership strengthens relationships inside and outside of work
• What genuine generosity can do for your career and well‑being
• How to build your personal brand without a 30‑second elevator pitch
• Why in‑person connection still beats any digital alternative
• How storytelling and humility attract better opportunities
• The one daily question that keeps Keith focused on helping others

As Whine and Dine Rochester launches, this episode is both an invitation and a reminder: real success starts with a smile, a story, and a shared glass of something good.

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Rethinking Motivation and Building Sustainable Change in the Workplace

Kate McCaffrey and Andrew Biernat Co-Host this joint episode of the HR.Salon and Twisting Paradigms IRL podcasts. Together they explore how motivation is an intrinsic, collaborative process rather than something imposed from the outside. They delve into practical strategies for fostering lasting engagement, addressing systemic barriers, and creating cultures that inspire energy and high performance, especially in challenging times.

In this episode:

• The misconception that motivation is something you do to others
• The critical role of intrinsic motivators: autonomy, belonging, and competence
• How assessment tools can empower self-awareness and drive motivation
• The importance of ongoing conversations and embedding motivation into team culture
• Strategies for sustaining change amid organizational shifts and crises
• Practical tips for leaders to create space, set boundaries, and build resilience
• The power of pre-planning for hard moments and disruptions
• The paradigm shift: influencing motivation collaboratively rather than controlling it
• Key language cues to retire, like "I can't" and "I'm busy," to foster growth
• The significance of consistency and intentional reflection for long-term impact

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In this thought-provoking episode of HR Salon, host Andrew Biernat sits down with executive coach Deborah Pratt, who has guided more than 10,000 leaders through critical career transitions. Together, they unpack why organizations spend heavily on onboarding and engagement—but often neglect the exit experience.

Deborah explores how “offboarding” done poorly can damage trust, brand reputation, and long-term innovation, while human-centered approaches—like those used by the U.S. State Department and Airbnb—set both employees and organizations up for future success.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

• Why layoffs can trigger lasting trauma for both those who leave and those who stay
• How empathy and proactive planning can turn separations into powerful brand moments
• Why companies that “do the right thing” ultimately strengthen culture and resilience
• What it means to design for the virtuous cycle instead of the vicious one

This conversation redefines the future of work—where leaders view offboarding not as an afterthought but as an essential part of building strong, sustainable organizations.

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[This is the unabridged audio for the book The Team That Loves Mondays by Andrew Biernat.]

The Cure for the Sunday Scaries.

Imagine a team that starts the week with energy, not exhaustion.

This book is your blueprint for transforming a burned‑out culture into one that thrives—without gimmicks or empty “engagement” campaigns.

You’ll learn how to:

• Replace outdated performance management with real-time, energizing feedback that sparks accountability.
• Skip the PIP when performance slips — deliver a JOLT instead.
• Turn workplace friction into alignment and trust using The 10 Relationship X‑Factors.
• Create a team dynamic that makes motivation contagious

Grounded in research and tested in the everyday realities of modern teams, The Team That Loves Mondays gives you what every growing company needs most: a culture that fuels results and restores joy at work.

Because when Mondays work, everything else does too.

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In this episode of HR Salon, host Andrew Biernat sits down with coach and talent development expert Will Corbett for an energizing conversation about how storytelling, connection, and curiosity transform how we lead and engage at work.

From the neuroscience behind employee engagement to why stories stick 22 times better than data, Will shows how leaders can create trust and alignment by sharing real, human stories — not just business plans. Together, they explore how connectedness fuels creativity, how great managers slow down to speed up results, and why every person is walking around with something valuable you don’t yet know.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

• Why storytelling builds trust, empathy, and better leadership
• How engagement rises when people feel connected to purpose
• What great leaders do differently to stay “the right different”
• Simple ways to bridge the gap between productivity and presence

A refreshingly human conversation about leadership that reminds us: better business begins with better stories.

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In this inspiring HR Salon conversation, host Andrew Biernat sits down with Elisha Meek, corporate leader, author, and burnout coach, to explore how to end your toxic relationship with work—without quitting your job.

Alicia shares her own three‑year battle with burnout, the moment that changed everything, and how a cupcake‑shop idea with her family became the spark that reignited her joy. Together, Andrew and Alicia unpack how passion projects, creative energy, and identity beyond your job can actually make you a better employee instead of a distracted one.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

• Why burnout is less about overwork and more about emotional over‑investment
• How pursuing a “weird thing” outside of work restores balance and fulfillment
• Why creativity and purpose fuel better performance at work
• A simple framework—brains, body, and soul—to revive motivation and take back control

Whether you’re burned out or simply bored out, this episode proves you don’t have to torch your career to find peace. You can keep the paycheck and reclaim your joy.

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In this episode of HR Salon, host Andrew Biernat sits down with Kevyn Rustici, COO of Boulter Industrial Contractors, to challenge one of HR’s oldest myths—that it’s a cost center. Kevin shares why he believes HR is actually a profit center, revealing how organizations that treat people as strategic assets, not overhead, outperform their peers.

Together, they explore:

• How people analytics can predict performance and drive profitability.
• Why HR teams must learn to speak the language of business to earn true influence.
• The power of trust, communication, and feedback loops in building alignment.
• How talent pipelines and transparent leadership can future‑proof your organization.

Whether you’re an HR leader, people manager, or executive, this discussion redefines what it means to connect human and financial performance — proving that culture and profit aren’t opposites, they’re partners.

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In this episode of HR Salon, Andrew welcomes Laura Azzarella, President of the Buffalo Niagara HR Association and a passionate advocate for the ethical and practical use of AI in HR. With over 15 years of experience implementing HR tech, Laura brings both excitement and caution to the conversation: how do we use these tools to empower people, not replace them?

In this episode, you’ll learn:

• Why AI can’t be trusted blindly—and how “trust but verify” should become standard HR policy.
• How to use AI to amplify productivity, not automate away connection or confidentiality.
• Why tomorrow’s best organizations will hire for soft skills like resilience, curiosity, and empathy—and build the technical skills later.

This episode dives into the delicate balance between innovation and ethics, showing why the future of HR isn’t about choosing between technology and humanity—it’s about making them work better together.

Check out her content on Substack: https://substack.com/@appliedhr

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