In this episode of the Navigating Forward podcast, Nora Willgren, a leader at Launch Consulting's management consulting studio, and Pete Salvo, Senior Director and Global Studio Leader for Software Engineering, discuss the evolving landscape of remote work. They delve into the challenges, benefits, and best practices of remote and hybrid work environments. The conversation touches on the impact of remote work on productivity, the importance of clear communication and data-driven decision-making, and how to foster a strong company culture even when teams are distributed. They also explore the use of tools and AI to enhance collaboration and efficiency in remote settings. 

In this podcast, Kevin Scott from Launch Consulting and Chris Echelmeier from Microsoft discuss the transformative impact of AI, specifically Microsoft Copilot, on the workplace and employee experience. Kevin introduces the conversation, highlighting impressive statistics about Copilot's productivity benefits. Chris elaborates on the rapid adoption of AI, explaining how tools like Copilot alleviate mundane tasks, thereby enhancing job satisfaction and efficiency. They emphasize the importance of effective communication, leadership, and cultural shifts within organizations to foster AI adoption and address concerns about AI replacing human roles. Chris shares insights on how AI can support a thriving work environment by giving employees time back and enabling more strategic, innovative work. They conclude by discussing the necessity of continuous learning and skill development to adapt to AI-driven changes in the workplace. 

Speakers:

• Harrison Bishop (EVP of Recruiting, Launch Consulting Group)
• Jennifer Tran (Senior Recruiter, Planet Technology)

Description: In this episode, Harrison Bishop, EVP of Recruiting at Launch Consulting Group, introduces the topic of modern recruiting with a focus on balancing technology and relationships. He is joined by Jennifer Tran, a Senior Recruiter at Planet Technology, one of the companies within The Planet Group. Jennifer emphasizes the importance of prioritizing relationships with candidates to help grow The Planet Group's family of consultants. The conversation sets the stage for a deeper dive into how AI and technology are integrated into the recruitment process while maintaining a critical human touch.

Guest: Rich Wood, Tech & Culture Writer, and Employee Experience (EX) Expert, 3Seven

In this episode, Melanie Roberson dives deep into the crucial topic of employee experience (EX) with Rich Wood. They explore what EX truly means, debunk common myths, and discuss why investing in a holistic employee experience is more critical than ever for organizational success. From understanding the comprehensive nature of EX to identifying the benefits of a well-implemented EX strategy, Melanie and Rich provide valuable insights for leaders and HR professionals alike.

Key Highlights:

• The real definition of employee experience and its components.
• Common misconceptions about EX and why they matter.
• The impact of EX on organizational productivity and employee retention.
• Practical steps to start building a thriving employee experience.

In this episode of "Navigating Forward," Kevin McCall is joined by Dr. Kalyan Basu to discuss generative AI and its future impact. Kevin and Kaylan cover the challenges in model training, the potential of synthetic data, and how businesses can prepare for the changing landscape of AI. Dr. Basu, with his extensive experience from academia to Microsoft and as a technical advisor, provides practical insights into the progression from large to small language models, multimodal experiences, and the advancements in AI accessibility. Stay tuned to learn about the intersection of policy, legislation, and AI development from a seasoned expert.

Learn more about Kevin McCall: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kevin-mccall-74b66/
Learn more about Kalyan Basu: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kalyan-basu-61959b2/

On this episode of Navigating Forward, Melanie Roberson and Kevin McCall from Launch Consulting walk through ten of the top misperceptions or myths about AI. From bias and hallucinations to data readiness and cost, they chat about some of the top concerns as organizations think about delving into AI projects. Plus, they discuss some of the top questions Kevin hears from friends and business leaders alike: Is AI creative? Is AI conscious? Will AI replace people? Listen in for answers to these questions and more. 

Find Kevin at https://www.linkedin.com/in/kevin-mccall-74b66/
Find Melanie at https://www.linkedin.com/in/melanie-roberson-55a0a23/

Learn more about Launch Consulting and AI at https://www.launchconsulting.com/ai-first

On this episode of Navigating Forward, Lisa Thee from Launch Consulting sits down with Jamie Fiore Higgins, author and ex-Goldman Sachs Managing Director. They discuss how company culture — and the differences between the version espoused by leadership and the actual version that employees experience — can impact both employee engagement and innovation. They touch on how having a vision isn't enough because it takes leadership curiosity to ensure it's being followed in practice. The pair also chats about some of the topics from Jamie's book, Bully Market, including how marginalization is hiding right in plain sight most of the time. 

Find Lisa at https://www.linkedin.com/in/lisathee/

Find Jamie at:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/jamiefiorehiggins/
https://jamiefiorehiggins.com/

Learn more about Launch Consulting at https://www.launchconsulting.com/

On this episode of Navigating Forward, Launch Consulting's Kevin McCall, Managing Director of AI, and Melanie Roberson, Director of Organizational Effectiveness, talk about the 5 Ds of AI: dull, dirty, dangerous, difficult, and double-time. The 5 Ds framework is a way of thinking about the type of tasks where AI can complement and augment human capabilities at work. With examples of each of the 5 Ds, they delve into how AI that's guided by humans can empower and support us in our roles, so that we have more time to spend on more meaningful tasks. Listen in to hear about how the collaboration between AI and humans plays into the future of work.  

Find Kevin at https://www.linkedin.com/in/kevin-mccall-74b66/
Find Melanie at https://www.linkedin.com/in/melanie-roberson-55a0a23/

Learn more about Launch Consulting and AI at https://www.launchconsulting.com/ai-first

On this episode of Navigating Forward, Lisa Thee sits down with Shantha Mohan, who is an author, mentor, and Executive in Residence at Carnegie Mellon University. They chat about the challenges that people can face when making the jump from a technical individual contributor role to technical leadership. Shantha shares stories of her own career path from an individual role to eventually leading teams around the world — including some of the challenges she faced and how she overcame them. Hear some of the advice she gives her students, including what you should be doing every day and how to know when it's time to find something else to do. 

Find Lisa at https://www.linkedin.com/in/lisathee/
Find Shantha at:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/shanthamohan/ 
https://shanthamohan.com/

On this episode of Navigating Forward, Lisa Thee chats with Lynda Grindstaff, VP of Engineering at McAfee, and Creighton Adams, Senior Director of Cybersecurity at Launch Consulting. In the cybersecurity realm, they discuss personal cybersecurity posture, how to stay aware of what's important for your own situation, and how personal posture can impact enterprise security when working from home. Also, they give great ideas for people looking to break into (or pivot into) a cybersecurity career and they encourage anyone to go ahead and take the risk and try it out. 

Find Lisa at https://www.linkedin.com/in/lisathee/
Find Lynda at https://www.linkedin.com/in/lyndagrindstaff/
Find Creighton at  https://www.linkedin.com/in/creighton-adams/

Learn more about Launch Consulting at https://www.launchconsulting.com/