Show Notes & Key Takeaways Show Notes

EnterpriseDB CHRO Einav Lavi shares how she transformed from finance instructor to business-focused HR leader by speaking the language of executives—revenue, costs, and ROI. She details challenging a COVID-era 20% layoff mandate with data-driven alternatives that saved nearly $1M, leading company-wide AI implementation, and positioning HR as "builders of the business" rather than policy enforcers. The conversation covers earning executive credibility through commercial fluency, courage to challenge leadership decisions, and viewing HR as a strategic change management function.

Key Takeaways

• Speak business language: Translate HR initiatives into revenue impact, cost analysis, and ROI rather than engagement scores or time-to-fill
• Challenge with data: Respond to executive decisions with financial models and alternative cost analyses, not emotional appeals
• Earn credibility through commercial fluency: Understand revenue, margins, and business metrics to gain genuine executive partnership
• Lead cross-functional change: Position HR as change management experts who can spearhead company-wide initiatives like AI implementation
• Use HR as transformation pilot: Test new processes within your department first, document results, then scale across the organization
• Master the "why" in communication: Focus on explaining why changes benefit the business, not just what changes are happening
• Invest in business knowledge: Understand different departments' priorities to become a true business partner rather than order-taker
• Commit to continuous learning: Block dedicated time for market trends, financials, and industry developments that impact your company

 

Einav Lavi on LinkedIn

LHH Recruitment Solutions 

A Beautiful Working World

A Soundbeam Studios Production

Show Notes

Lucia shares her unconventional career philosophy: choose companies over jobs. With experience at Yahoo, Patreon, and six years at Virta, she argues that job titles, managers, and compensation frequently change, but company mission remains stable. The conversation explores Virta's unique hiring challenge of needing 20-50 healthcare coaches and providers within weeks due to unpredictable patient enrollment. Their solution: a 4,500-person talent community (4x their workforce) maintained through regular communication, cohort-based hiring, and radical transparency to enable rapid deployment when demand spikes.

Key Takeaways

• Choose company over job details: Focus on company mission and ethos rather than specific titles, managers, or compensation—these change frequently while mission stays stable.

• You are the asset: View your skills as portable value that can be applied anywhere, not tied to a specific role or company.

• Mission alignment prevents burnout: Working for organizations whose purpose resonates with you provides emotional fuel during difficult periods.

• Build talent communities at scale: Virta maintains 4,500 people (4x workforce) with regular communication, enabling rapid hiring for unpredictable demand.

• Use cohort hiring for transparency: Set hiring dates reduce uncertainty and improve candidate communication about timing and expectations.

• Simplify your tech stack: Consolidating tools reduces complexity and costs while improving focus on relationships.

• Prioritize authentic recruiting: Transparent, anti-sales communication builds better candidate relationships than traditional "selling" approaches.

• Consider fractional work: Consulting and fractional roles offer flexibility to wait for aligned opportunities while maintaining income.

Links

Lucia Guillory LinkedIn

LHH Recruitment Solutions 

A Beautiful Working World

A Soundbeam Studios Production

Gianna Driver, a seasoned Chief People Officer shares her stance on eliminating cover letters and resumes, the mutual evaluation process during job searches, and the critical questions candidates should ask to assess company culture. Gianna emphasizes the importance of in-person interactions and offers valuable advice for job seekers navigating a challenging market.

 

Takeaways

• Should we eliminate cover letters and resumes?
• Job searches are a mutual evaluation process.
• Asking the right questions to gauge company culture.
• Tuning in to subtle cues during interviews.
• Knowing your worth independent of your employer.

Gianna Driver on LinkedIn

LHH Recruitment Solutions 

A Beautiful Working World

A Soundbeam Studios Production

Helen Burns, the Global Talent Director at Owkin, about her unique journey in talent acquisition. Helen shares her transition from freelance consulting to an in-house role, the importance of long-term talent strategies, and the challenges of building a talent team in a rapidly changing industry. They discuss the significance of employer value propositions, company culture, and navigating imposter syndrome in career growth. Helen emphasizes the need for clarity in attracting talent and the importance of being open to learning and adapting in a new environment.

• The Global Talent Scout role emphasizes proactive recruitment strategies.
• Balancing immediate hiring needs with long-term talent strategies.
• Imposter syndrome can be overcome by reflecting on past achievements.

Helen Burns on LinkedIn

LHH Recruitment Solutions 

A Beautiful Working World

A Soundbeam Studios Production

 

Summary

In this episode, Rob interviews Jonathan Graber, the head of talent at Gynger, discussing his journey from agency recruiting to in-house talent acquisition. They explore the challenges and rewards of transitioning roles, the importance of setting deadlines in hiring, and the diverse responsibilities that come with working in a startup environment. Jonathan shares insights on managing priorities, the significance of people operations, and how to navigate the complexities of talent acquisition in a fast-paced setting.

Takeaways

• The 10 80 10 rule illustrates how people respond to requests.
• Transitioning from agency to in-house recruiting
• Adding People Ops responsibilities
• Prioritizing recruitment based on urgency and revenue impact.
• Managing multiple roles in a startup requires effective triage.

 

Jonathan Graber on LinkedIn

LHH Recruitment Solutions 

A Beautiful Working World

A Soundbeam Studios Production

 

JP, Chief People Officer at Metropolis, emphasizes the need to reframe the return to office narrative, highlighting the irreplaceable value of human connection and collaboration that cannot be replicated through remote work alone. He shares insights on fostering a culture of access and the responsibilities that come with managing a large workforce post-acquisition. In this conversation, John-Paul Sukkar discusses the challenges and strategies involved in integrating a large organization after a significant acquisition. He emphasizes the importance of cultural shifts, change management, and the reevaluation of core values to foster innovation and ownership among employees. JP shares insights on balancing agility with necessary processes in a larger corporate environment and introduces a personal framework for decision-making that encourages long-term thinking and risk-taking.

Takeaways

In-person interactions foster serendipitous conversations that can unblock issues. AI cannot replicate the nuances of human interactions in the workplace. Return to office should be viewed as an opportunity, not a punishment. Creating a culture of access encourages open communication and collaboration.  Day one changes are crucial for signaling new directions. Ownership mentality is essential for employee engagement. Taking risks on oneself is vital for personal and professional growth.

 

Links

JP Sukkar on LinkedIn

LHH Recruitment Solutions 

A Beautiful Working World

A Soundbeam Studios Production

 

Elizabeth explains how succession planning reveals far-reaching insights about the state of talent in an organization. As Director of Talent Management and Organizational Development at Cerence AI, Elizabeth has prioritized generating individual development plans (IDPs) for all employees. Elizabeth emphasizes that employees should take ownership of their careers and seek out opportunities for growth, while companies must create supportive environments to retain top talent. The conversation highlights the need for open communication, feedback mechanisms, and the role of managers in fostering a culture of development and engagement. Takeaways:

• Why implementation of talent management strategies is crucial.
• How succession planning is essential for organizational growth.
• Every employee should have an Individual Development Plan (IDP).
• Companies must support their managers to retain talent.
• Employees should take ownership of their career paths.

 

Cerence AI

Elizabeth on LinkedIn

LHH Recruitment Solutions 

A Beautiful Working World

A Soundbeam Studios Production

 

Mike Mroczka is an interview coach, author, software engineer, and consultant specializing in helping hiring organizations eliminate cheating in their interview processes. Mike shares the challenges posed by AI tools in coding interviews, the distinction between using resources and cheating, and the necessity of evaluating candidates' foundational knowledge. Mike shares insights on how organizations can design interviews to deter cheating and the tools available for monitoring candidates. The discussion concludes with a hopeful outlook on the future of technology in hiring, emphasizing the importance of adapting to new challenges while maintaining a focus on genuine skill assessment.   Episode Notes:

• AI is significantly influencing the interview process.
• Defining & evaluating "vibe coding" 
• Candidates often use AI tools to prepare for interviews, raising ethical questions.
• How Companies are adapting their interview processes to account for AI usage.
• Maintaining a balance between technology and traditional interviewing methods.
• There must be an unimpeachable understanding at the base of professional skills.
• Interviews are becoming more challenging due to AI tools.
• Candidates are using AI, which complicates the assessment process.
• Cheating in interviews is not solely AI-based; leaks can occur.
• In-person interviews do not guarantee the absence of cheating.
• There are services that help candidates cheat during interviews.
• Interview design must evolve to prevent cheating effectively.
• Bad actors are increasingly infiltrating the hiring process.
• Monitoring tools can help detect cheating but are not foolproof.
• Awareness and training can significantly improve the hiring process.

Links:

Mike Mroczka on LinkedIn

Mike Mroczka on Twitter

Mike Mroczka Website

Beyond Cracking the Coding Interview

LHH Recruitment Solutions 

A Beautiful Working World

A Soundbeam Studios Production

 

Lia Economos discusses the evolution of interview processes, particularly in the context of integrating AI tools and adapting to the changing landscape of technical interviews. She emphasizes the importance of structured interviews as companies grow and the need to design interview questions that challenge candidates beyond the capabilities of AI. The discussion also touches on the ethical implications of over-employment and the necessity for candidates to network effectively during their job search.

 

Key Points From This Episode:

 

• A brief overview of her background and what brought her to Replicate. 

• Lia tells us about the 18-month hiatus that she took between jobs. 

• The importance of practicing interview skills even when you aren’t seeking a job. 

• How to help candidates who haven’t interviewed in a while prepare for interviews.

• Lia tells us about her interview process with Replicate and the recent one she conducted. 

• When companies need to consider creating a structured interview process. 

• How she sees AI tools being used in candidates’ interviews. 

• Why AI can make technical screenings less effective. 

• How Lia would handle finding out if an employee was lying about having multiple jobs. 

• Lia shares advice for people reentering their careers after a hiatus. 

 

Quotes:

 

“If you’re hiring for a team and you’re hiring more than one person, you have to create structured interviews around [the] principles that you’re looking for.” — @liaeconomix [19:22]

 

“There are so many tools right now that exist for technical candidates to use AI without the interviewer knowing that you have to redesign your interviews to make sure that you’re allowing for and working around these tools.” — @liaeconomix [22:44]

 

Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:

 

Lia Economos on LinkedIn

Lia Economos on X

Replicate

LHH Recruitment Solutions 

A Beautiful Working World

 

In today’s fast-paced world where candidates are always looking for the next opportunity, it’s rare to find someone dedicated to growing within one organization. As today’s guest Lani Montoya demonstrates, internal growth may be the best way to develop exceptional people leaders. Lani is the Chief People Officer at Pernod Ricard, the world leader in premium international wines and spirits, and she begins by explaining her path to joining the company and why she chose to grow in it instead of seeking opportunities elsewhere. We discuss how to rise above workplace complacency, the value of persistence and commitment, whether a work-life balance is real or myth, and the role of modern people leaders. Lani also describes how she makes new hires, how she helps others realize their people-leadership potential, what Pernod Ricard has cooking in leadership development, and her advice for choosing between staying at a company and pursuing other avenues.   

 

Key Points From This Episode:

 

• Lani describes Pernod Ricard and how she became its Chief People Officer.

• Why she chose to grow within the organization instead of looking elsewhere. 

• How to stay at a company without becoming complacent (and still adding value).

• What Lani is busy working on today, and what she still hopes to achieve at the company.  

• Why she believes in balance as a whole but not in work-life balance.

• Understanding what’s expected of modern people leaders.

• How Pernod Ricard prepares its people to become the type of leaders it needs. 

• Lani’s process for helping others embrace and explore their people-leadership potential.

• Whether leadership and career growth go hand-in-hand 

• Unpacking Pernod Ricard’s leadership development platform. 

• Pernod Ricard’s strategy for becoming known as a skills-based organization.

• Lani’s advice for deciding whether to leave or stay at a company for personal growth. 

 

Quotes:

 

“I always found the work I did [at Pernod Ricard] very interesting. I love the trust, the independence that I had, and I always felt like I was making a difference.” — Lani Montoya [11:41]

 

“I’m not so sure that I believe in work-life balance, but I do believe in balance.” — Lani Montoya [14:57]

 

“Strengthening the role of the people leader is a big opportunity for driving engagement, driving results, and driving our culture.” — Lani Montoya [22:39]

 

“Being a people leader is as much an art as it is a science.” — Lani Montoya [25:05]

 

Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:

 

Lani Montoya on LinkedIn

Learning & Development | Pernod Ricard

LHH Recruitment Solutions 

A Beautiful Working World