People and Strategy

In this episode of People + Strategy, Thomas A. Cole, chair emeritus of the Sidley Austin law firm, reflects on the leadership lessons that shaped his 47-year career. He reveals why true meritocracy depends on character, humility, and what he calls “selfless ambition.” Cole explains how leaders can avoid the trap of building weak benches, why feedback is a gift, and how credentialism can hold organizations back. Listeners will walk away with a deeper understanding of how to grow talent and teams that make better decisions to create inclusive workplaces. 

For more on merit and inclusion in the workplace, register for BLUEPRINT: https://conference.shrm.org/blueprint 

Subscribe to People + Strategy podcast to get the latest episodes, expert insights, and additional resources delivered straight to your inbox: https://shrm.co/nq47pr  

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Explore SHRM’s all-new flagships. Content curated by experts. Created for you weekly. Each content journey features engaging podcasts, video, articles, and groundbreaking newsletters tailored to meet your unique needs in your organization and career. Learn More: https://shrm.co/coy63r 

In this episode of People + Strategy, Bob Goodwin, president of Career Club, unpacks why HR leaders must speak the language of CEOs and CFOs to secure influence in the boardroom. Drawing on research, case studies, and his work with executives, Bob reveals how financial fluency, business acumen, and data-driven storytelling can elevate HR from a “soft” function to a strategic driver of growth. Learn how CHROs can bridge the disconnect with the C-Suite to stay indispensable in an era of cost pressures and AI disruption. 

Subscribe to People + Strategy podcast to get the latest episodes, expert insights, and additional resources delivered straight to your inbox: https://shrm.co/nq47pr  

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Explore SHRM’s all-new flagships. Content curated by experts. Created for you weekly. Each content journey features engaging podcasts, video, articles, and groundbreaking newsletters tailored to meet your unique needs in your organization and career.

Learn More: https://shrm.co/coy63r 

What does it take to create a thriving, low-ego culture in a global organization with 24,000 employees? Paulo Pisano, CHRO of Booking Holdings and CPO of Booking.com, shares how he connects culture to strategy, leverages customer dashboards and engagement metrics to benchmark success, and drives alignment across international teams. Discover why resisting the influence of the HiPPO (highest paid person’s opinion) is essential for effective decision making and gain practical insights to elevate your own organizational culture. 

Subscribe to People + Strategy podcast to get the latest episodes, expert insights, and additional resources delivered straight to your inbox: https://shrm.co/nq47pr

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Explore SHRM’s all-new flagships. Content curated by experts. Created for you weekly. Each content journey features engaging podcasts, video, articles, and groundbreaking newsletters tailored to meet your unique needs in your organization and career. Learn More: https://shrm.co/coy63r

In this episode of People + Strategy, Velisha Haddox shares her journey from commercial litigator to CHRO of the Cook County Government in Illinois, revealing the critical role of consistency, transparency, and executive support in driving change. Hear how Cook County’s HR team reduced attrition, modernized job architecture, and enhanced employee benefits to attract top talent. Discover actionable strategies for turning around HR departments, fostering executive alignment, and becoming an employer of choice, even in complex public sector environments.

Subscribe to People + Strategy podcast to get the latest episodes, expert insights, and additional resources delivered straight to your inbox: https://shrm.co/nq47pr --- Explore SHRM’s all-new flagships. Content curated by experts. Created for you weekly. Each content journey features engaging podcasts, video, articles, and groundbreaking newsletters tailored to meet your unique needs in your organization and career. Learn More: https://shrm.co/coy63r

In this episode of People + Strategy, Stephen Childs, CHRO at Panasonic Automotive discusses the importance of embracing risk in the workplace, especially as the HR role continues to grow. Childs shares how he built influence across the C-suite and how volunteering for tough assignments throughout his career accelerated his development. Discover how Panasonic Automotive scaled from 400 to 8,000 employees, navigated major acquisitions, and cultivated a resilient culture — demonstrating business accretive as a result.

Subscribe to People + Strategy podcast to get the latest episodes, expert insights, and additional resources delivered straight to your inbox: https://shrm.co/nq47pr

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Explore SHRM’s all-new flagships. Content curated by experts. Created for you weekly. Each content journey features engaging podcasts, video, articles, and groundbreaking newsletters tailored to meet your unique needs in your organization and career. Learn More: https://shrm.co/coy63r

In this episode of People + Strategy, labor relations expert David Rittof discusses why employees seek union representation and how organizations can respond. Discover the warning signs of union activity, common management mistakes, and the evolving attitudes of Gen Z toward unions. Rittof offers practical advice for CHROs, CEOs, and supervisors on fostering employee involvement and adapting to new workplace realities.

Subscribe to People + Strategy podcast to get the latest episodes, expert insights, and additional resources delivered straight to your inbox: https://shrm.co/nq47pr

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Explore SHRM’s all-new flagships. Content curated by experts. Created for you weekly. Each content journey features engaging podcasts, video, articles, and groundbreaking newsletters tailored to meet your unique needs in your organization and career. Learn More: https://shrm.co/coy63r

In this episode of People and Strategy at SHRM25 in San Diego, Thanh Giddarie, director of HR for MIT Health at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, discusses how organizations can leverage data to communicate the value of HR. Giddarie shares her journey from marketing to HR, the importance of annual HR reports and trending analyses, and how quantitative and qualitative metrics can demonstrate HR’s value to the C-suite. The conversation also dives into Thanh’s doctoral research on the gender gap in university presidencies. The audience will gain practical insights on leadership pathways for female leaders, how to measure HR impact, build support networks through mentorship, and foster a culture of growth for all employees.

Subscribe to People + Strategy podcast to get the latest episodes, expert insights, and additional resources delivered straight to your inbox: https://shrm.co/nq47pr

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Explore SHRM’s all-new flagships. Content curated by experts. Created for you weekly. Each content journey features engaging podcasts, video, articles, and groundbreaking newsletters tailored to meet your unique needs in your organization and career. Learn More: https://shrm.co/coy63r

In this episode of People and Strategy, join Lori Monfiletto, CHRO at Los Alamos National Laboratory, as she discusses her journey into HR and the transformative initiatives she has led over the past five years. Monfiletto shares how Los Alamos revamped its benefits, compensation systems, and service delivery model to align with a new mission and double its workforce during the Great Resignation. From implementing innovative incentive plans to navigating change management, Monfiletto offers actionable insights into how HR leaders can drive organizational success while staying mission focused.

Subscribe to People + Strategy podcast to get the latest episodes, expert insights, and additional resources delivered straight to your inbox: https://shrm.co/nq47pr

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Explore SHRM’s all-new flagships. Content curated by experts. Created for you weekly. Each content journey features engaging podcasts, video, articles, and groundbreaking newsletters tailored to meet your unique needs in your organization and career. Learn More: https://shrm.co/coy63r

In this episode of People and Strategy recorded at SHRM25 in San Diego, Dennis A. Davis, national director of client training at Ogletree Deakins, explores the complexities of employee terminations. From legal considerations to psychological safety, Davis shares actionable insights on how to conduct employee termination meetings with dignity, including the best time of day for a firing and how to maintain workplace civility. Tune in to learn best practices for handling one of the most challenging aspects of HR leadership.

Subscribe to People + Strategy podcast to get the latest episodes, expert insights, and additional resources delivered straight to your inbox: https://shrm.co/nq47pr

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Explore SHRM’s all-new flagships. Content curated by experts. Created for you weekly. Each content journey features engaging podcasts, video, articles, and groundbreaking newsletters tailored to meet your unique needs in your organization and career. Learn More: https://shrm.co/coy63r

In this episode of People and Strategy recorded at SHRM25 in San Diego, Jordan Quigley, North American VP at Robert Half, explores the evolving role of emotional intelligence quotient (EQ) in leadership and workforce development. Drawing from Robert Half’s hiring research and real-world examples, Quigley discusses how HR leaders can nurture rising talent, bridge skills gaps, and embrace technology to unlock creativity and critical thinking. Whether you're an HR leader or a business executive, this episode offers actionable strategies to future-proof your workforce and foster a people-first culture.

Discover where SHRM26 will be hosted: https://annual.shrm.org/

Related article: https://www.shrm.org/executive-network/insights/chros-heres-where-hr-is-headed-next

Subscribe to People + Strategy podcast to get the latest episodes, expert insights, and additional resources delivered straight to your inbox: https://shrm.co/nq47pr

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Explore SHRM’s all-new flagships. Content curated by experts. Created for you weekly. Each content journey features engaging podcasts, video, articles, and groundbreaking newsletters tailored to meet your unique needs in your organization and career. Learn More: https://shrm.co/coy63r