Talent Champions with Diana Thomas

We live in a low-trust age, but that shouldn’t stop us from being the change the world needs. Trustworthiness and trustfulness are the foundations of a thriving work culture, and Stephen M. R. Covey has loads of practical advice for creating the environment that will enable organizations to thrive and win today and in the future.

Throughout his varied and fascinating career in learning, healthcare, and now human resources, Justin Lombardo has learned a lot about digging in and letting go. In this episode, he and Diana discuss ways to be a continuous learner, how to know when it’s time to move on from your role or organization, and ideas for managing the needs of a stressed-out workforce while maintaining a strategic point of view.

Self-care is absolutely essential for everyone, and top leaders tend to be the most likely to let recovery time slip away in their demanding lives. Jack Groppel, author of The Corporate Athlete and professor at Judson University, explains why leaders set the tone for the whole culture by prioritizing their own needs. From co-founding the human performance institute at Johnson & Johnson to summitting Mt. Kilimanjaro with his 12-year-old son, Jack shares from his deep knowledge about how leaders can inspire their people by meeting their own needs first.

To find links to resources mentioned in this episode, visit talent-champions.com.

Today’s employees have three top concerns: diversity and inclusion; flexible working; and career growth. The leaders that are setting themselves and their organizations up for success in the future are focused on creating the best work environments where people are safe bringing their whole selves to work, as well as supported in their physical and mental wellbeing. Patrick Cournoyer, Chief Evangelist at Peakon, shares lots of ideas that enable leaders to focus on the things that matter most to their employees.

There are many resources out there to help leaders grow and develop, but it turns out that most significant growth occurs through challenges. In this episode, executive leadership expert Kevin Wilde offers tools to help us recognize growth opportunities, reflect on what we learn, and be intentional about carrying new lessons forward.

To access Kevin’s coachability assessment, visit our website, talent-champions.com.

Defining your purpose—that feeling of fire in your belly—is deeply connected with your overall health and wellness. In episode 45, we welcome back health and wellness coach Peggy Sealfon to discuss how to create a purpose, or vision statement, and hear about how to connect to your purpose every day. As she did in episode 21, Peggy shares a wealth of resources and tips to help all of us keep the most important things at the forefront of our lives.

In all the disruption of 2020, certain basic principles of strategic leadership have become even more critical to surviving and thriving. In episode #44, guest host Mary McNevin interviews Diana Thomas and Stacey Boyle about their 2018 book, Be More Strategic in Business: How to win through stronger leadership and better decisions. They discuss the gamut of issues facing leaders in the talent space today, including the importance of driving business results, how to connect with people remotely, investing in your own career, and what the next year will hold.

Fitting the practice of learning analytics into the overall business ecosystem has enabled financial services firm Edward Jones to meet learners at their points of need and use learning to move the needle on business metrics. Leaders Mary Francone and Tiffany Jarvis break down the agile methodology that has supported their entire learning strategy, using data to make in-the-moment decisions about what to do next. In this episode, we learn how the L&D team at Edward Jones is equipping its workforce for the future.

LinkedIn has gone from being a job-hunting platform to a multi-faceted social network for professionals, but many people still struggle with how to be use it to their advantage. In this episode, LinkedIn expert and career coach Bianca Jackson talks with Diana about the many ways LinkedIn can support your goals. Regardless of where you are in your career, if you’ve been waiting for the right opportunity to jump into LinkedIn, this is the episode for you.

As a leader, your primary responsibility is developing and equipping your people to do their jobs, anticipate problems, and create a better future. Learning how to let go of day-to-day control over workload is a significant, challenging process for many leaders. David Veech shares insights to help leaders empower their teams, stay connected, and pursue sustainable growth.