Real talk with Ken & Co.

🎙️ HR Unplugged Real Talk with Ken & Co. – EP19 "Listen First: How DISC Can Transform the Way You Communicate" 👂🧠💬

This week, Ken kicks things off with a story that hits home: Are you listening to understand, or just waiting to reply? From a powerful reminder in his morning Bible time to a humbling sales meeting gone sideways, Ken unpacks why how we listen changes everything.

Enter DISC — not a personality test, but a behavioral assessment that can reshape the way we connect, lead, and make decisions. Ken breaks down the four styles (Dominance, Influence, Steadiness, Conscientiousness), shares real-world lessons, and explains how knowing your style — and theirs — can turn awkward conversations into productive ones.

💡 What you’ll hear:

• The Chinese concept of “Ting” — listening with ears, eyes, heart, and mind
• Why treating people the way they want to be treated gets better results
• A real-life story of missing the mark with a fast-paced, task-oriented client
• The four DISC styles and how each prefers to communicate
• Why self-awareness is just as important as understanding others

✨ “Seek first to understand, then be understood — and you’ll not only hear more, you’ll connect more.”

#HRUnplugged #RealTalkWithKen #DISCProfile #CommunicationSkills #LeadershipDevelopment #ActiveListening #SeekToUnderstand #WorkplaceCulture #BehavioralStyles #ListeningWithPurpose

🎙️ HR Unplugged Real Talk with Ken & Co. – EP18
"The Power of Belief When You Feel Broken" ✨🕊️🎧 This week, Ken reconnects with artist, author, and wellness coach Ashley Osborne-Grace, and this time — the audio works! 🙌 In a real, redo-style episode, Ashley opens up about her journey through depression, identity loss, and faith renewal, and how those battles shaped the woman she is today. Together, they unpack what it really takes to show up when life gets heavy — not just in personal spaces, but in the workplace too. Spoiler alert: It starts with belief. 💡 What you’ll hear:

• How Ashley rebuilt herself after losing her sense of identity
• Why “right thoughts = right outcomes” applies to life and leadership
• How to support team members through quiet struggles
• The one phrase she clung to through it all: “Keep the faith”

• Why knowing someone’s why matters more than their resume 📲 Find Ashley at @‌AshleyGraceMovement and on all music platforms under Ashley Grace.
🎶 Visit her site: ashleygracemovement.com 🙏 Like, comment, and subscribe if you believe in the power of hope, healing, and human connection. #HRUnplugged #RealTalkWithKen #AshleyGrace #KeepTheFaith #HealingAtWork #FaithAndLeadership #MentalHealthMatters #WellnessJourney #PurposeDrivenWork #WorkplaceCulture

🎙️ HR Unplugged Real Talk with Ken & Co. – EP17 "Gut vs. AI: Making Better Hiring Decisions with Both" 🤖🧠💼

This week, Ken dives into the evolving world of recruiting—where instinct meets innovation. Can your gut still guide you when AI is in the mix? Should it? And how do we find the sweet spot between data, intuition, and real human insight?

With personal stories, practical stats, and one candidate who talked a bit too much, Ken breaks down how AI and gut instinct can work together—not compete—to build smarter, fairer, and more human hiring processes.

💡 What you’ll hear:

• Why 87% of companies now use AI in hiring
• The surprising pros and cons of AI vs. gut (scalability, bias, consistency & more)
• When your instinct is right—and when it misleads you
• A live example of how Ken used both gut and AI to place a candidate in the right role
• Why data supports decisions, but humans make them stick

✨ “AI can run 24/7—but it still can’t feel your gut.”

👍 Like, 💬 comment, and 🔔 subscribe to keep the real talk going each week.

#HRUnplugged #RealTalkWithKen #AIInHiring #RecruitingWithHeart #HRTech #DataDrivenDecisions #HumanInsight #HiringStrategy #PeopleAndPerformance

🎙️ HR Unplugged Real Talk with Ken & Co. – EP16 "Do Your Little Bit of Good: When Plans Shift, Purpose Shows Up" 🌍✨

Sometimes, tech doesn’t cooperate and interviews have to wait. But this week, Ken turns a sound issue into an opportunity to reflect on something deeper: the quiet power of doing good right where you are.

Inspired by a quote from Desmond Tutu—“It’s those little bits of good put together that overwhelm the world”—this episode is a short, powerful reminder that we don’t need perfect timing or recognition to make an impact. Just intention.

💡 What you’ll hear:

• The value of showing up when plans fall through
• How simple, thoughtful actions shift culture
• Why impact doesn’t require applause
• A personal take on leadership, success, and doing good anyway

It’s not a full episode—just a quick nugget of real talk. But maybe that’s exactly what today needs.

💬 Share your own "bit of good" in the comments, and don’t forget to like, subscribe, and spread the word.

#HRUnplugged #RealTalkWithKen #LittleBitOfGood #DesmondTutuQuote #LeadershipInTheEveryday #DoGoodAnyway #HumanFirstHR #PurposeOverPerfection

🎙️ HR Unplugged Real Talk with Ken & Co. – EP15 "Leading Through Loss: How to Show Up When Tragedy Hits" 💬💔

This week, Ken opens his heart in a powerful solo episode that hits close to home. In the wake of devastating floods in Central Texas, he explores what it truly means to lead with empathy when employees, coworkers, or entire communities are grieving.

With personal stories, lessons from his own recovery journey, and practical guidance for both teammates and HR leaders, Ken reminds us that presence—not pressure—is the first step to support.

💡 What you’ll hear:

• How to be there when words fall short
• Why silence can feel like abandonment
• What not to say to someone in pain
• How leaders can prepare before tragedy strikes
• The story of a quiet act of kindness Ken will never forget
• Practical tools for HR teams: grief support, EAPs, reentry plans & more

✨ “You can’t fix grief—but you can sit in it with someone.”

If this episode speaks to you or someone you know, share it. Let’s build workplaces where care is more than policy—it’s personal.

#HRUnplugged #RealTalkWithKen #EmpathyInLeadership #GriefSupportAtWork #HumanFirstHR #MentalHealth #WorkplaceWellness #PresenceOverPressure #TeamCulture

🎙️ HR Unplugged Real Talk with Ken & Co. – EP14 "The Change Starts with You" 🔥🧠💬

This week, Ken sits down with the one and only Ari Medrano — transformational leader, advocate, and living proof that real change starts from the inside out.

From working with gang-impacted youth in L.A. to leading teams in corporate America, Ari brings unmatched energy, insight, and truth to the conversation. Together, she and Ken explore the voices in our heads, the power of reframing our story, and why authenticity without intention can do more harm than good.

💡 What you’ll hear:

• Why you can’t pour into others until you’ve healed yourself
• What it means to “fail forward” and own your story
• The difference between being authentic and being intentional
• How to coach change in yourself before leading it in others
• Ari’s jaw-dropping personal story: from wheelchair to dance floor in 21 days 🩰🔥

✨ “If I can do that with faith, focus, and action—what could you not do?”

📲 Follow Ari, share your favorite moment in the comments, and don’t forget to like, subscribe, and tap the bell 🔔 so you never miss a real conversation that actually matters.

#HRUnplugged #RealTalkWithKen #TransformationalLeadership #AriMedrano #HealingInLeadership #FailForward #AuthenticityWithPurpose #LeadByExample #GritAndGrace

🎙️ HR Unplugged Real Talk with Ken & Co. – EP13 "Transformational Change Where Passion Meets Purpose: Carla’s Journey" 🌟🩰💬

She’s back! This week, Ken reconnects with Carla Eugenia Treviño — ballerina, educator, and changemaker — to talk about her bold shift from center stage to center purpose.

In this intimate follow-up conversation, Carla shares how she left the performance spotlight to create space for kids with disabilities to move, dance, and thrive. From her first student who couldn’t see to the small community that sought her out, Carla’s journey is a powerful reminder that real impact doesn’t always come with applause — sometimes it starts with one quiet yes. 🙌

💡 What you’ll hear:

• How Carla redefined success through service, not status
• The moment she realized she was made for more than performance
• What it really means to listen to your gut (and God)
• Her advice to anyone facing a scary but necessary change
• Why being scared is sometimes the proof you’re on the right path

📲 Follow Carla on IG at @‌carlaeugenia1 👍 Like, 💬 comment, and 🔔 subscribe to catch more bold, honest episodes every week.

#HRUnplugged #RealTalkWithKen #CarlaEugenia #TransformationalChange #PurposeDriven #DisabilityInclusion #LeadershipWithHeart #BallerinaToChangemaker #ListenToYourWhy #AnxietyIsChange

🎙️ HR Unplugged Real Talk with Ken & Co. – EP12 "Change Needs Room to Grow" 🌱💼

This week, Ken is recording from his hometown of St. Louis and reflecting on what it really takes to make lasting change—not just in business, but in life.

From a story about a ballerina-turned-changemaker (👀 Carla’s back next week!) to advice for struggling business owners, Ken breaks down why change doesn’t happen in a vacuum… it happens in an environment built for it.

💡 What you’ll hear:

• How to create an environment that supports change
• Why incremental pivots often matter more than massive overhauls
• A powerful reflection on purpose, clarity & culture
• What it means to really hear your team
• The surprising HR takeaway from a simple coffee shop moment ☕️
• And why your “why” is more than just a buzzword—it’s your anchor

📌 Change takes space. Change takes support. And most of all, it takes intention. 👍 Like, 💬 comment, and 🔔 subscribe to keep the Real Talk going.

#HRUnplugged #RealTalkWithKen #LeadingChange #WorkplaceCulture #BusinessPivot #PersonalGrowth #HRLeadership #PurposeDrivenWork

🎙️ HR Unplugged Real Talk with Ken & Co. – EP11 "Change Is Hard—But Staying the Same Is Harder" 🔄🍎💡

In this solo episode, Ken gets real about change—why we avoid it, how we push through it, and what actually makes it stick. Whether it's swapping cookies for apples or rethinking your hiring process (yes, even when your welder gets lost at sea 🛶😅), this is a bold, funny, and practical guide to leveling up.

Using his PCPAM method (Pre-contemplation, Contemplation, Preparation, Action, Maintenance), Ken shares stories that hit close to home—from personal health to HR transformations at companies like Adobe—to show that sustainable change is possible, but it starts with honest reflection.

💡 What you’ll hear:

• Why “same old song and dance” won’t get you far 🎸
• The 5 real stages of change (and where most people stall)
• Lessons from Adobe’s HR evolution
• A wild story about a welder and the Coast Guard 🛥️
• How one sentence from a professor changed Ken’s whole life 🎙️

📢 Ready to make a change? Like, comment, and subscribe to keep the real talk going every week.

#hrunplugged #RealTalkWithKen #organizationalchange #PCPAM #leadership #workplaceculture #AdobeHR #ChangeMindset #adobe #dallas #businessinnovation #digitaltransformation #BusinessChange #changeleadership #innovation #disruptthenorm #changemanagement #futureofwork #AgileChange #adaptandthrive #transformationtuesday

🎙️ HR Unplugged Real Talk with Ken & Co. – EP10 "Leading Remote with Trust, Not Timecards" 🏡📊🌐

This week, Ken is joined by Andrea Hrusovska, global HR consultant and founder of HR4U Solutions, for a wide‑ranging conversation on one of today’s hottest topics: remote work.

With 25+ years of experience across Central Europe and the U.S., Andrea brings a people-first lens to building remote teams that thrive. From setting expectations to flexible KPIs, she shares smart, grounded insights that go far beyond buzzwords.

💡 What you’ll hear:

• Why results > hours is the future of work
• The truth about remote productivity (hint: it’s higher)
• The real role of trust, feedback & culture in virtual teams
• How to manage expectations
• A powerful real-life story of leading with empathy that changed a career

Whether you’re remote, hybrid, or figuring it out—this is real talk you don’t want to miss.

📩 Connect with Andrea at: [email protected] 👍 Like, 💬 comment, and 🔔 subscribe for more honest, human conversations every week.

#HRUnplugged #RealTalkWithKen #RemoteWork #TrustAndLeadership #HRConsulting #HybridTeams #KPIsThatMatter #HR4USolutions #WorkLifeBalance