The H.I.T. Podcast

Welcome back to the HIT (Human Resources, Insurance, and Technology) podcast! This week, host Toby Kennedy is joined by world-renowned business consultant and author Kevin Lawrence for a deep dive into the strategies that separate stagnant companies from high-growth organizations.

With over 30 years of experience helping executive teams scale 5x to 10x, Kevin shares why the "people piece" is the ultimate fuel for any growth engine.

In this episode, we explore:

The Discernment of Growth:

Learn the critical difference between making your business "better" (optimizing units) versus making it "bigger" (driving core growth).

Escaping the "Pull of Problems":

Discover why leaders often get trapped in the drama of daily problem-solving, inadvertently starving their company's growth engine.

The 30% Growth Rule:

Why every leader, including those in HR, should aim to spend 30% of their time on future-focused growth activities like networking with top talent.

Quarterly Talent Discipline:

Why annual reviews aren't enough and how executive teams must actively manage and develop "Aces" every 90 days.

Courage vs. Fear:

How leadership from the top creates an environment where people feel safe to take chances and learn from mistakes.

**About Our Guest**

Kevin Lawrence is a strategic advisor to CEOs and executive teams worldwide. He is a key contributor to the book "Scaling Up," author of "Your Oxygen Mask First," and author of the recent release "The Four Forces of Growth."

Brought to you by:

Montage Insurance Solutions

#BusinessGrowth #ScalingUp #Leadership #HRTech #HITPodcast #KevinLawrence #ExecutiveCoaching #HumanResources

In this episode of The H.I.T. Podcast, host Toby Kennedy sits down with Kim Bohr, CEO of Spark Effect, to break down the latest research on organizational trust—and why it may be one of the most important (and overlooked) drivers of performance.

This conversation moves beyond theory and into practical frameworks leaders can use right now.

Key Insights on Organizational Trust

Trust as a KPI:

Trust isn’t soft—it’s measurable and directly tied to revenue, retention, and reputation.

Thriving in Disruption:

Organizations that lean into change can see a +12% increase in trust above baseline.

Manager Trust Gap:

During change, trust in direct managers drops faster than overall organizational trust.

What Builds (and Breaks) Trust:

Transparency, empathy, and communication build trust—while misalignment and poor execution erode it.

The Five Dimensions of Trust

To make trust measurable, the research outlines five key areas:

• Strategic Clarity – Do employees understand where the organization is going?

• Psychological Safety – Can people speak up without fear?

• Relational Continuity – Do employees feel connected to purpose and culture?

• Technology & Systems Trust – Are tools implemented clearly and transparently?

• Fairness in Change – How are difficult decisions (like layoffs) handled?

The Five C’s Framework

A practical model for leading through change while maintaining trust:

• Context – What’s changing and why

• Commitment – What stays the same

• Change – What’s happening next

• Care – Supporting your people

• Call to Action – What to do this week

If you lead people, manage teams, or influence culture, this episode offers clear, actionable ways to build and sustain trust—even in uncertain times.

Access the full report + resources:

sparkeffect.com/hit

What does it actually take to build and lead companies that scale?

In this episode of The H.I.T. Podcast, entrepreneur, executive, and author Glenn Poulos joins the show to share lessons from nearly four decades of building, leading, and selling successful businesses.

Glenn discusses how moving away from “seat-of-the-pants” management toward a structured leadership system—specifically the Entrepreneurial Operating System (EOS)—helped transform the way his companies operate and scale.

We dive into practical leadership strategies including:

• Structure before people — why clear roles and expectations drive performance
• Defining meaningful core values with team input
• Holding teams accountable and enforcing culture consistently
• Why HR must operate as a strategic leadership partner, not just an administrative function
• The importance of meeting cadence — weekly, quarterly, and annual planning
• How AI and technology are helping businesses analyze opportunities and streamline RFP processes
• Lessons learned from building and exiting multiple companies

Glenn also shares insights from his book Never Sit in the Lobby, which focuses on sales discipline, leadership accountability, and building durable organizations that customers trust long-term.

If you’re a leader, entrepreneur, or HR professional focused on building stronger teams and scalable businesses, this conversation delivers practical insights from someone who has done it at the highest level.

What does it actually take to build and lead companies that scale?

In this episode of The H.I.T. Podcast, entrepreneur, executive, and author Glenn Poulos joins the show to share lessons from nearly four decades of building, leading, and selling successful businesses.

Glenn discusses how moving away from “seat-of-the-pants” management toward a structured leadership system—specifically the Entrepreneurial Operating System (EOS)—helped transform the way his companies operate and scale.

We dive into practical leadership strategies including:

• Structure before people — why clear roles and expectations drive performance
• Defining meaningful core values with team input
• Holding teams accountable and enforcing culture consistently
• Why HR must operate as a strategic leadership partner, not just an administrative function
• The importance of meeting cadence — weekly, quarterly, and annual planning
• How AI and technology are helping businesses analyze opportunities and streamline RFP processes
• Lessons learned from building and exiting multiple companies

Glenn also shares insights from his book Never Sit in the Lobby, which focuses on sales discipline, leadership accountability, and building durable organizations that customers trust long-term.

If you’re a leader, entrepreneur, or HR professional focused on building stronger teams and scalable businesses, this conversation delivers practical insights from someone who has done it at the highest level.

What are we actually chasing?

Likes?

Applause?

Recognition?

Or real impact?

In this episode of The H.I.T. Podcast, Dr. Brandi Stankovic, Ed.D. joins us fresh off her recent TED talk to challenge the modern definition of “success” — especially the kind fueled by online praise and performative wins.

We explore:

• Why fake happiness and surface-level validation are so easy to chase

• How leaders unintentionally reward the wrong behaviors

• What organizations should really be measuring

• How to build cultures rooted in meaningful work — not optics

If you lead people, influence culture, or care about what your organization is truly optimizing for, this conversation is a must-watch.

This one goes deeper than tactics — it’s about intention.

What do rules and expectations have in common? You shouldn’t set them if you’re not willing to enforce them.

Unenforced standards make bad performers worse—and they quietly drain the motivation of your best people when they see inconsistency.

In this episode, I had the absolute pleasure of sitting down with Tommie Jo Brode for a powerful conversation about leadership, culture, team-building, and what it really means to hold the line as a leader.

We talk about:

• Why accountability protects your top performers
• How culture erodes when standards aren’t enforced
• The connection between expectations and trust
• What strong, consistent leadership actually looks like

This is one of those conversations that feels simple—but hits deep. If you care about building high-performing teams and protecting your culture, you won’t want to miss this one.

What exactly is a TPA (Third-Party Administrator)—and why does it matter in the world of health insurance?

In this episode, Nick Buratti from Allied Benefit Systems joins me for a clear, practical conversation about how TPAs operate, what they’re responsible for, and where they fit into the broader health insurance ecosystem.

If you’re involved in employee benefits, self-funded health plans, or just want to better understand how all the moving pieces connect, this episode is a must-watch.

#TheHITPodcast #HealthInsurance #TPA #EmployeeBenefits #SelfFunded #HRLeadership #AlliedBenefitSystems #HealthcareExplained

What does it really take to build a high-performing, low-drama team?

In this episode, we break down the real-world strategies behind employee management, intentional turnover, and aligning teams with mission, vision, and values—including practical lessons from the Entrepreneurial Operating System (EOS).

We cover:

Managing People & Turnover

• The real cost of keeping the wrong person in the role
• What “intentional turnover” means—and how to handle transitions the right way
• Creating kind, professional exits while protecting team performance
• Why strong teams naturally push toward “right people, right seats”

Intelligent Hiring

• Hiring for natural wiring—not just resumes
• Using personality and behavioral assessments to identify top performers
• Why the best employees make difficult roles look effortless
• Data-driven filtering to focus on candidates most likely to succeed

EOS & Team Alignment

• How EOS aligns teams around mission, vision, and values
• The Six Key Components: Vision, People, Data, Issues, Process, Traction
• Using scorecards, structured meetings, and accountability rhythms
• Military-style” backward planning from long-term goals to 90-day priorities

If you’re a leader, founder, or HR professional trying to build a disciplined, accountable, and high-performing culture—this episode delivers practical insights you can apply immediately.

That advice we all know we need to hear—delivered in a no-nonsense, get-it-done way.

In this episode, we’re joined in studio by Chris Hallberg, aka The Business Sergeant—one of Inc. Magazine’s Top 50 Leadership and Management Experts, published author, and personally trained by Gino Wickman, creator of EOS and author of Traction.

Chris breaks down his world-renowned leadership principles that help teams:

• Stop accepting poor leadership
• Build real accountability
• Adopt a disciplined, military-style mindset
• Get measurable results

This is a must-watch for leaders who are done with excuses and ready to raise the standard.

We’re excited to welcome Mark Dunahoo, President & COO of TruHu, into the studio for a thoughtful conversation on employee engagement and feedback.

In this episode, we dive into TruHu’s mission, how organizations can better listen to their people, and what HR leaders should be thinking about as they look to strengthen culture, communication, and trust across their teams.

We cover:

• Practical approaches to employee engagement
• Why feedback systems often fail—and how to improve them
• What HR leaders should prioritize right now
• Tools and strategies that actually work in the real world

This episode is a great watch for HR professionals who care about culture, connection, and building workplaces where people feel heard.

Special thanks to our sponsors:

TruHu, Excel Health, Cigna, KLB, and Rula

#HR #HumanResources #HRPodcast #EmployeeEngagement #HRTechnology #EmployeeFeedback #WorkplaceCulture #EmployeeBenefits