The People Strategy Podcast

Matt Sunshine is the Managing Partner and CEO of The Center for Sales Strategy, a sales performance consulting company helping B2B organizations attract, retain, and develop the highest performing salespeople. Matt developed and launched the company’s inbound marketing division, LeadG2, which helps businesses establish thought leadership and lower lead costs. He’s also a writer, speaker, and moderator offering lead generation, inbound marketing, and sales process expertise.

When employees are accustomed to excelling in their roles, it can be challenging to transition to a leadership position. By outlining expectations and cultivating intentionality, companies can nurture their leaders’ strengths. How can you create a culture of intentional growth?

Although it may seem counterintuitive, growth and leadership advocate Matt Sunshine maintains that leaders can grow professionally through a combination of freedom and responsibility. This involves encouraging leaders to take ownership of their career trajectories. Yet freedom must accompany clear expectations that define role success, core values, and culture. Through rigorous mentorship and culture alignment, employees can transition effectively from being top performers in their roles to leading others in their career growth.

Tune in to the latest episode of The People Strategy Podcast as Traci Austin hosts Matt Sunshine, the Managing Partner at The Center for Sales Strategy, to discuss driving organizational culture and growth. Matt describes the role of trust, accountability, and belief in professional growth, his unique approaches to culture integration, and The Center for Sales Strategy’s innovative growth trajectory.

This episode is brought to you by Elevated Talent Consulting, a leading provider of comprehensive talent management solutions. 

Whether you're looking to optimize your recruitment process, enhance employee engagement, or develop effective leadership strategies, Elevated Talent Consulting has the expertise to level up your team. 

Discover how they can transform your workforce at elevatedtalentconsulting.com.

Traci Austin is the Owner and Chief Talent Officer at Elevated Talent Consulting, a certified woman-owned HR firm. As an HR professional and chief strategy consultant, she has over two decades of experience creating and building HR departments for small businesses. Traci specializes in employee development, consulting, and coaching and creates fulfilling work environments that align employee aspirations with business goals. She also hosts The People Strategy Podcast.

Most people dread annual performance reviews, fearing their managers will judge them for poor performance. In reality, these review sessions should encourage employees to maintain autonomy over their roles so they can pursue their strengths and passions. How can managers and leaders optimize the performance management process to keep employees engaged and proactive in their roles?

Rather than conducting performance reviews to maintain organizational compliance, HR executive Traci Austin says performance management should be an ongoing feedback loop that aligns company and employee goals. Managers can gather feedback through employee self-assessments and by conducting monthly and quarterly reviews. These review meetings are joint responsibilities between employees and managers to set and achieve goals aligned with the organization’s desired outcomes. Throughout the process, leaders should maintain clear accountability expectations and communication, providing employees with a platform to express concerns and grow in their roles.

In this episode of The People Strategy Podcast, co-host Chad Franzen of Rise25 sits down with Traci Austin to discuss the performance management process. Traci shares practical tips for creating conditions for employees to contribute, the significance of continuous performance documentation, and how performance reviews support employees' goals. 

This episode is brought to you by Elevated Talent Consulting, a leading provider of comprehensive talent management solutions. 

Whether you're looking to optimize your recruitment process, enhance employee engagement, or develop effective leadership strategies, Elevated Talent Consulting has the expertise to level up your team. 

Discover how they can transform your workforce at elevatedtalentconsulting.com.

Traci Austin is the Owner and Chief Talent Officer at Elevated Talent Consulting, a certified woman-owned HR firm. As an HR professional and chief strategy consultant, she has over two decades of experience creating and building HR departments for small businesses. Traci specializes in employee development, consulting, and coaching and creates fulfilling work environments that align employee aspirations with business goals. She also hosts The People Strategy Podcast.

Work environments are built on various interconnected relationships nurtured by appreciation, gratitude, and trust. How can leaders maintain healthy relationships with their teams to boost organization-wide engagement?

According to people strategist Traci Austin, trust is the foundation for every relationship, allowing individuals to work together to achieve organizational goals. Cultivating this trust requires identifying employees' unique behavioral and emotional needs through psychologically safe environments. These workspaces allow individuals to express themselves openly; to support this, you can have your team identify each other's strengths, relationship dynamics, outcomes, and shared purposes. Through these exercises, your team can promote honesty, vulnerability, clear expectations, and accountability. 

In The People Strategy Podcast’s latest Team Retention series episode, co-host Chad Franzen meets with Traci Austin to discuss the role of trust in employee engagement. Traci shares how executing your mission, vision, and values contributes to employee appreciation and gratitude, how to measure the impact of psychological safety exercises, and the common barriers to organizational trust.

This episode is brought to you by Elevated Talent Consulting, a leading provider of comprehensive talent management solutions. 

Whether you're looking to optimize your recruitment process, enhance employee engagement, or develop effective leadership strategies, Elevated Talent Consulting has the expertise to level up your team. 

Discover how they can transform your workforce at elevatedtalentconsulting.com.

Jenna Spencer is the Founder and CEO of AssistPro®, a virtual assistant matching and delegation coaching service. Since founding the company, she has helped hundreds of clients delegate and develop their executive assistants into leaders. Under Jenna’s leadership, AssistPro® has grown more than 50% each year since its founding, leading her to launch Delegation Works, an educational platform for entrepreneurs and small business owners. She is also a member of professional and community organizations, including Women Entrepreneurs Inc. and Strategic Coach. 

Virtual executive assistants provide entrepreneurs with invaluable support and allow them to step away from the daily grind to focus on growth. These positions also allow driven professionals to work remotely and flexibly while gaining experience, knowledge, and skills. How can entrepreneurs and virtual executive assistants work together to propel the organization forward?

Business coach Jenna Spencer advocates for authentic and genuine connections between entrepreneurs and their virtual executive assistants. When business owners identify an assistant who aligns with their values, goals, and needs, they gain the time and energy to maintain a consistent presence in their companies. Entrepreneurs can even act as mentors to their executive assistants, providing them with learning opportunities and a sense of community engagement through skill development initiatives. This mutually beneficial relationship enhances customer service and employee experiences.

Listen to this episode of The People Strategy Podcast as Traci Austin interviews Jenna Spencer, the Founder and CEO of AssistPro®, about creating community and connection in virtual workspaces. Jenna highlights the value of networking and business relationships, her company’s most memorable wins, and her aspirations for her team. 

This episode is brought to you by Elevated Talent Consulting, a leading provider of comprehensive talent management solutions. 

Whether you're looking to optimize your recruitment process, enhance employee engagement, or develop effective leadership strategies, Elevated Talent Consulting has the expertise to level up your team. 

Discover how they can transform your workforce at elevatedtalentconsulting.com.

Traci Austin is the Owner and Chief Talent Officer at Elevated Talent Consulting, a certified woman-owned HR firm. As an HR professional and chief strategy consultant, she has over two decades of experience creating and building HR departments for small businesses. Traci specializes in employee development, consulting, and coaching and creates fulfilling work environments that align employee aspirations with business goals. She also hosts The People Strategy Podcast.

Leading organizational studies show that employee skill development and training is 70% experiential, 30% collaborative, and 10% in-classroom learning. These methods create pathways for employees to progress within an organization. How can you nurture team growth while supporting your organization’s needs?

Talent development expert Traci Austin has established a proprietary talent pathway plan to identify and support employees’ growth trajectories within an organization. The process involves collaborating with management and leadership teams to identify employees’ invaluable skills and traits and determine ideal role progressions that align with organizational structures. The plan is only effective when an organization determines its intention and aligns it with company-wide outcomes. They must also foster continuous improvement through feedback structures and training that supports long-term growth.

In this installment of The People Strategy Podcast Team Retention series, co-host Chad Franzen of Rise25 interviews Traci Austin about developing talent pathway plans. She talks about how to integrate diversity, inclusion, mentorship, and feedback into these plans, how to consider individual career aspirations, and the difference between succession, employee development, and talent pathways. 

This episode is brought to you by Elevated Talent Consulting, a leading provider of comprehensive talent management solutions. 

Whether you're looking to optimize your recruitment process, enhance employee engagement, or develop effective leadership strategies, Elevated Talent Consulting has the expertise to level up your team. 

Discover how they can transform your workforce at elevatedtalentconsulting.com.

Traci Austin is the Owner and Chief Talent Officer at Elevated Talent Consulting, a certified woman-owned HR firm. As an HR professional and chief strategy consultant, she has over two decades of experience creating and building HR departments for small businesses. Traci specializes in employee development, consulting, and coaching and creates fulfilling work environments that align employee aspirations with business goals. She also hosts The People Strategy Podcast.

According to Psychology Today, only 20% of people set goals. What’s more, 70% of those people fail to achieve them. This often happens when they lack accountability and intention in setting goals. What strategies can you implement to set and achieve goals successfully?

Well-defined goals can improve employee engagement and enhance collaboration between HR and executives. HR strategist Traci Austin employs the SMART framework — specific, measurable, actionable, realistic, and time-based — to help middle-managers set goals that propel their organization forward. Additionally, identifying the “why” behind your goals integrates them with meaning and boosts team motivation to work toward them. Traci also mentions that aligning employees’ personal and professional goals helps retain them as they identify a purpose within the organization.

Tune in to episode 180 of The People Strategy Podcast as co-host Chad Franzen of Rise25 joins Traci Austin to talk about crafting goals with intention. Traci explains the various types of goals, the common mistakes in goal-setting, and her approach to aligning organizational goals.

This episode is brought to you by Elevated Talent Consulting, a leading provider of comprehensive talent management solutions. 

Whether you're looking to optimize your recruitment process, enhance employee engagement, or develop effective leadership strategies, Elevated Talent Consulting has the expertise to level up your team. 

Discover how they can transform your workforce at elevatedtalentconsulting.com.

Traci Austin is the Owner and Chief Talent Officer at Elevated Talent Consulting, a certified woman-owned HR firm. As an HR professional and chief strategy consultant, she has over two decades of experience creating and building HR departments for small businesses. Traci specializes in employee development, consulting, and coaching and creates fulfilling work environments that align employee aspirations with business goals. She also hosts The People Strategy Podcast.

Creating a culture where people can thrive is vital, yet with various team dynamics at play, it can be difficult to foster collaboration and cohesion. How can you align your organizational strategy with individual contributions to achieve a unified goal?

Individuals in high-performing teams are passionate, accountable, and clear communicators who make decisions based on the team’s best interests. With experience building these efficient teams, Traci Austin says you must identify optimal performance levels for both the team and the individual and align them with your desired organizational outcomes. She also recommends implementing KPIs that measure milestones and achievements, ensuring the team remains on course. This allows you to communicate potential missteps and build lasting trust within the organization.

Tune in to another episode of The People Strategy Podcast as Traci Austin is interviewed by co-host Chad Franzen of Rise25 about creating high-performance teams. Traci talks about the importance of goal alignment and strength assessment, sharing tools for assessing team behaviors and identifying shared organizational strategies.

This episode is brought to you by Elevated Talent Consulting, a leading provider of comprehensive talent management solutions. 

Whether you're looking to optimize your recruitment process, enhance employee engagement, or develop effective leadership strategies, Elevated Talent Consulting has the expertise to level up your team. 

Discover how they can transform your workforce at elevatedtalentconsulting.com.

Traci Austin is the Owner and Chief Talent Officer at Elevated Talent Consulting, a certified woman-owned HR firm. As an HR professional and chief strategy consultant, she has over two decades of experience creating and building HR departments for small businesses. Traci specializes in employee development, consulting, and coaching and creates fulfilling work environments that align employee aspirations with business goals. She also hosts The People Strategy Podcast.

Lack of communication during onboarding can leave new hires uncertain, potentially affecting how they perceive their role in the new company. How could a well-structured preboarding process change this narrative and foster a better start for employees and employers?

Seasoned HR expert Traci Austinunravels the secrets of helping new hires feel integrated and valued even before they officially start. Outlining the value of strategic preboarding interactions in setting the stage for a welcoming first day, she suggests activities such as connecting on LinkedIn, sending welcome packages, and assigning a buddy to make a significant impact. By fostering open communication and setting clear expectations, employers can reduce the anxiety of starting a new job, leading to higher engagement and retention. According to Traci, collaboration between the hiring manager and the team in the preboarding process facilitates knowledge transfer and minimizes turnover by setting clear expectations and focusing on cultural alignment. 

In this new episode of The People Strategy Podcast, co-host Chad Franzen joins Traci Austin, Owner and Chief Talent Officer at Elevated Talent Consulting, to discuss key strategies for transforming the new hire experience. Traci highlights how preboarding can lead to higher retention rates and employee performance, how to project employee culture and values effectively, and how to avoid potential pitfalls in employee onboarding.

This episode is brought to you by Elevated Talent Consulting, a leading provider of comprehensive talent management solutions. 

Whether you're looking to optimize your recruitment process, enhance employee engagement, or develop effective leadership strategies, Elevated Talent Consulting has the expertise to level up your team. 

Discover how they can transform your workforce at elevatedtalentconsulting.com.

Brian Confer is the Co-founder and Chief Growth Officer at Capturely, which offers professional headshots tailored to corporate clients. With experience in the B2B, professional services, and technology sectors, he helps founders and their companies scale and establish market dominance. Brian is also a TEDx speaker and holds an executive MBA. 

When a company undergoes a paradigm shift, team members are often forced to change roles suddenly, making it difficult to sustain a strong culture. How can you empower your team to remain resilient and innovative as you transition your organization to new heights?

Organizational change-maker Brian Confer began offering professional headshots in a vibrant pink truck. Yet this wasn’t sustainable during the pandemic, so he pivoted his organization to integrate technology for virtual photo options. This shift entailed cross-training team members in new roles to build skill sets for a new organizational structure. Although some team members may struggle with the adjustment initially, Brian says that fostering a culture of transparency and engagement empowers them to embrace new opportunities and grow professionally.

Tune in to the latest episode of The People Strategy Podcast as Traci Austin talks with Brian Confer, the Co-founder and Chief Growth Officer of Capturely, about how he evolved his people strategy to align with a new business model. Brian also discusses how headshots elevate organizational professionalism, how AI compromises authenticity in professional imaging, and how personalized headshots can serve as an innovative people strategy.

This episode is brought to you by Elevated Talent Consulting, a leading provider of comprehensive talent management solutions. 

Whether you're looking to optimize your recruitment process, enhance employee engagement, or develop effective leadership strategies, Elevated Talent Consulting has the expertise to level up your team. 

Discover how they can transform your workforce at elevatedtalentconsulting.com.

Jennifer Loper is the President of C3, a family and children brand marketing and design agency. As a marketing and communications leader, she has over 30 years of experience working with corporate brands in the restaurant, hospitality, and retail industries. Jennifer is also a board member of the Unleashed Brands Foundation, a charitable organization supporting at-risk youth in communities. 

Traditional work structures have evolved significantly over the past 30 years. What once required a rigid 9-5 structure has now morphed into a more fluid and personalized way of achieving professional success. How can organizations adapt to this new dynamic, and what does it mean for the future of work?

As a leader in workplace flexibility and employee personalization, Jennifer Loper advocates for alternative work structures that promote personal and professional fulfillment. For instance, fostering transparent conversations about employee needs and work preferences boosts performance and allows them to thrive. Additionally, maintain flexibility in your hiring structures, recognizing that people aren’t defined by their education and skills but rather by their core values and work ethic. Evolutionary workplaces and compassionate leadership cultivate innovation and allow your organization to adapt and scale.

Tune in to the latest episode of The People Strategy Podcast as Traci Austin welcomes Jennifer Loper, the President of C3, to talk about shaping people strategies with flexibility and workplace evolution. Jennifer shares how workplace flexibility benefits multiple industries, how compassionate leadership promotes evolutionary practices, and key insights from the Restaurant Leadership Conference.