True Stories at Work: fresh from HR

Curious about Tikkun Olam + Chiron at work, here are some links to get started:

What makes ‘Tikkun Olam’ Jewish? – Unpacked (jewishunpacked.com)

What’s Chiron In Astrology? The Minor Planet Is Known As The “Wounded Healer” (bustle.com)

Stories are what we remember and how we connect, so please share yours with me!

Let’s talk about your people strategy

Tell a story!

Make a Workplace Confession

Ask a question+ make a suggestion

 Haiku for Brett

Brett knows, heart not head,

is how we shine, because, well…

it’s not about you.

Curious about e-discovery + harassment training at work, here are some links to get started:

The Overlooked Benefits of Workplace Harassment Prevention 

Let’s talk about your culture + strategy

Tell a story!

Make a Workplace Confession

Haiku for Leah.

Leah spills the tea.

Sex, politics, on the plate.

Taboo topics served.

In this episode of True Stories at Work, host Michelle Aronson introduces Leah, a management-side attorney with great insights and stories about the human side of work.

Leah takes us through her journey from dreaming of being the boss to finding her path into employment law. We explore the imperfections of humans at every level of the workplace, including two executives caught in an intimate embrace after hours on a conference room table.

We discuss some legal challenges of remote work (mouse jigglers, anyone?) and the evolving impact of AI on HR practices, while emphasizing the importance of keeping human connection at the heart of performance management.

Don’t miss the workplace confession about a stairwell romance, brought to life by an AI voice. And stay tuned for the next episode where we discuss the off-limit dinner party trifecta of: sex, tech, and politics!

00:00 Introduction

02:33 Leah’s Story

10:34 Stories at Work

30:18 Workplace Confessions

32:32 Culture + Strategy Lab

32:47 Haiku for Leah

A bit about Leah:

Leah Stiegler is a principal and management-side employment lawyer at the Virginia-based law firm Woods Rogers. She stars in her own YouTube series, What’s the Tea in L&E, where she and a colleague tackle – with good humor and straightforward advice – topics that HR leaders really need to navigate.

What is your favorite piece of leadership advice? Strive for servant leadership. A manager who is willing to put on flame-resistant overalls on the manufacturing floor is going to be one with fewer complaints against him.

A few favorite HR resources: Bloomberg Law helps me in my practice, local SHRM chapters are always incredible for networking.

Stories are what we remember and how we connect, so please share yours with me

Let’s talk about your people strategy

Tell a story!

Make a Workplace Confession

Host: Michelle Aronson

Have you ever wondered about how your people and culture influence your business financials? In this True Stories at Work episode you get to meet Jolene who began in Financial Forensics on wall street to turning around companies through HR… using culture as her gateway drug into shaping companies for the better. You’ll hear how moving 33 times during the grades K-12 impacted her ability to connect quickly and build trust. Jolene shares her union negotiation tactics, call to action for leaders to be authentic, and how to solve HR problems by looking at them from a different angle. You will also learn how she used those connection skills during her union negotiations. We discuss the challenge of entitlement, catty behavior at work and how incredible it can be when you don’t do things the way you’ve always done them.

And don’t miss the workplace confession, read in an AI voice, to hear some of the more subtle ways that culture drives financials by reducing theft or sabotage at work.

Resources

Curious about the cost of culture on your company + the value of authenticity at work, here are some links to get started:

Not Just Soft Skills: Corporate Culture as a Key Company Value Driver | Columbia Business School

Managing Authenticity: The Paradox of Great Leadership (hbr.org)

What is Authentic Leadership? (The Theory and Model) (youtube.com)

Stories are what we remember and how we connect, so please share yours with me

Let’s talk about your people strategy

Tell a story!

Make a Workplace Confession

Host: Michelle Aronson

Editor: Bella Hutchins

In this episode of True Stories at Work, host Michelle Aronson sits down with Stella, an HR executive, who shares her journey from sales to Human Resources during the 2009 housing crisis. Stella opens up about the art of building a strong company culture, highlights the core values driving her employees, and reflects on her career journey across three different industries. Don’t miss the workplace confession to find out what happens when three people try to hide in the same closet—for very different reasons!

00:00 Introduction

03:12 Stella’s Story

09:12 Stories at Work

22:22 Workplace Confession: The Closet Incident

24:48 Culture + Strategy Lab

25:04 Haiku for Stella

Resources

Curious about the importance of culture or where to begin building one, here are some links to get started:

Corporate Culture In A New Era: Views From The C-suite (harvard.edu)

Changing Company Culture Requires a Movement, Not a Mandate (hbr.org)

Stella drops some wisdom:

Stella’s favorite resources? Other HR professionals. Building a network of experts as a sounding board is essential—especially if they’re smarter than you! And don’t forget to offer support in return. Stella’s best friend, a labor & employment attorney, is a prime example of how handy these connections can be. Nurture your network so you’re always one connection away from the answer or advice you need.

Stories are what we remember and how we connect, so please share yours with me

Let’s talk about your people strategy

Tell a story!

Make a Workplace Confession

Host: Michelle Aronson

Editor: Bella Hutchins

Have you ever considered how luck and timing impact your career? In this episode of True Stories at Work, meet Norah, who worked VERY hard but also showed up in the right place at the right time with the right skills.

From her serendipitous encounter at a smoothie shop to landing her first formal HR role at a bank during the 2008 financial collapse – she shares the moments that changed her career. We also discuss the challenges of office romance, return-to-work strategies, and how assuming positive intent could transform your workplace.

At the end, you’ll hear a workplace confession about the awkward moment when you accidentally send a text message complaining about a co-worker directly to that annoying co-worker, and how to recover if that ever happens to you.

From Smoothie Bar to HR Star: Luck, Timing and Hard Work

00:00 Introduction

02:14 About Norah

14:58 Norah’s Stories

30:39 Workplace Confession

40:14 Culture + Strategy Lab

40:48 Haiku for Norah

Resources

Curious about finding or being a good mentor + how to apologize, here are some links to get started:

What’s the Right Way to Find a Mentor?

The best way to apologize (according to science) (youtube.com)

Stories are what we remember and how we connect, so please share yours with me

Let’s talk about your people strategy

Tell a story!

Make a Workplace Confession

Host: Michelle Aronson

Editor: Bella Hutchins

In this episode of ‘True Stories at Work,’ Michelle Aronson interviews Keri-Lynne (KL), a seasoned HR professional who transitioned from sales and marketing to human resources by accident. KL shares her unique journey from selling cars to becoming a Chief People Officer, highlighting the importance of career ownership, empathy in leadership, and navigating challenges during the pandemic. She also discusses her experiences with global HR projects and the critical role of culture in organizations. The episode concludes with KL’s perspectives on career growth, a listener’s workplace confession, and advice for taking charge of one’s career.

Accidentally HR: From Car Sales to the C-Suite: Keri-Lynne

00:00 Introduction

02:39 About KL

12:34 Stories at Work

30:59 Workplace Confessions

34:16 Haiku for KL

Haiku

KL’s a baller.

Wants you hustling for big dreams,

you’re the shot caller.

Resources

Curious about career development + having essential conversations at work, here are some links to get started:

What’s Holding Back Your Career Development? (hbr.org)

A Managers Guide to Having the Most Essential Conversations With Your Employees

Wanna be a Baller – for your listening enjoyment ????

About our guest: Keri-Lynne Shaw is a Fractional Chief People Officer who started in the trenches and learning the hard way, KL has mastered the nuances of compensation dynamics and is dedicated to empowering people to recognize their market and negotiate with intent.

Stories are what we remember and how we connect, so please share yours with me

Let’s talk about your people strategy

Tell a story!

Make a Workplace Confession

Host: Michelle Aronson

Editor: Bella Hutchins

This episode of ‘True Stories at Work’ hosted by Michelle Aronson features a conversation with Travis, an experienced HR professional and Talent Acquisition leader. Travis shares his journey from aspiring to be in a rockstar to falling into Human Resources. Travis discusses the challenges, surprises, and emotional moments he has faced in his career. He reflects on a powerful moment with an executive coach that changed his outlook on leadership and his life. We discuss the importance of HR in business strategy, the value of coaching, and the need for companies to be transparent and aligned in their values and actions.

Resources

Curious about the benefits of coaching + how to set yourself up for success in college and life, here are some links to get started:

Leaders Need Professional Coaching Now More Than Ever (hbr.org)

The Secret Syllabus – A Guide to the Unwritten Rules of College Success

Stories are what we remember and how we connect, so please share yours with me

Let’s talk about your people strategy

Tell a story!

Make a Workplace Confession

Host: Michelle Aronson

Editor: Bella Hutchins

Did you ever think it would be easy to work in England, because you already speak the language?  Well tune into this episode of ‘True Stories at Work’ to meet Dina, an executive coach and former HR professional, shares her experiences working in human resources across different cultures and the unique challenges that come with it. She shares challenges with the English language and culture while working in the UK, New York City and Texas. You’ll learn why she quit a job to save herself from a bad boss. And how she stays adaptable, resilient, and trusts herself to always move toward a better version of herself. We wrap it up with a workplace confession involving a playful prank in the parking lot involving a squirty wiper washer and a boss.

Resources

Curious about Culture Shock + How Damaging a Bad Boss is at work? Here are some links to get started:

Helping Expatriate Employees Deal with Culture Shock (shrm.org)

How Damaging Is a Bad Boss, Exactly? (hbr.org)

Stories are what we remember and how we connect, so please share yours with me

Let’s talk about your people strategy

Tell a story!

Make a Workplace Confession

Listen to the show

Host: Michelle Aronson

Editor: Bella Hutchins