Unscripted with Versique

“Live with being kind and working hard. Everything works out when you do that, take risks, and work without fear.” -Kristin Dean 

Kristin Dean left her full-time role in HR to pursue her dream of being a stay-at-home mom. After a many valuable years, Kristin desired to return to work, but she internalized the fear of not being able to have both a successful career and a strong present role as a mother.  Eventually, Kristin made the choice to dive back into her career at a few fast-paced tech companies such as Code42, Delegate, and Revel,  eventually landing at Arctic Wolf—where she’s been for the past 5 years. She speaks about the supportive environment of her team, and gives tips for how HR professional can be strategic business partners with executive leadership. Learn about tools for  effective leadership, developing the will to win, and making choices without fear in this episode of People make it possible.

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When Anne Sample entered Ohio State University, she was set on becoming a Biochemical Engineer. However, her path took a different direction as she gained various experiences that shaped her career. As an AV expert at a homeroom in high school, she developed a strong interest and confidence in technology. Then, her first job in communications administration for Whirlpool in a small town taught her the importance of prioritizing the business in any task she undertakes and ensuring that her contributions positively impacted the company's success. These experiences helped shape Anne's career aspirations and goals as she entered the HR industry.

Throughout Anne’s career she’s held HR management and leadership roles at Thrivent, Caribou Coffee, Pepsi Americas, and Citigroup. In this episode, she expresses the differences between small versus global organizations and how to do business across different world cultures. 

Now, as owner and CEO of Navigate Forward, she’s invested in growth, and providing highly customized support to senior executives who are currently in transition.   

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“We all get to choose how we spend our time. And we either do it with intention, or by accident. So what do you want to be focused on? Where do you want to spend your time? How are you going to make room for those things in your life? And it’s going to mean saying no to some things that you don’t want to, or need to, or choose to.” -Sarah Waite 

Sarah Waite is “supernaturally curious.” As the Chief People Officer at Second Harvest Heartland, she is always asking how leaders can think about things differently. From building out talent strategy, to leading change management and traveling across the country, Sarah discovered the most important lessons a company can learn are how to form teams of connection and curiosity that lead to authenticity and inclusion. Sarah is also the President of HR Executive Forum and is committed to building diverse teams that drive business results and strong cultures.

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“Every leader should aspire for the people within their team to be able to say, ‘I am a valuable member of a winning team doing meaningful work in an environment of trust.’ And if your team can say that, then they will be engaged within the role.” -Chris Dardis  

In this first episode of 2023, we’re taking a look back at our top episodes from 2022, featuring inspiring stories from incredible leaders in business. In addition, Chris Dardis, the host of “People make it possible” and the President of Interim Solutions at Versique, will be behind the mic sharing his own story of career growth, building teams, and the important leadership lessons he’s learned along the way. 

In this episode you’ll learn about:

• Leading with curiosity over criticism
• Building a winning team 
• HR themes from 2022
• Industry predictions for 2023

This episode is guest hosted by Angela Wistrcill, Creative Content Strategist at Versique.

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“I always think that the best way to be noticed and considered to ascend into the next role is to be the best you can be at your current role.” -Erin Feigal

As the CHRO of Prime Therapeutics, Erin and her team have been pioneers of a new “Way of Work” even before the pandemic began, setting up the future of flexible work for employees. Erin herself was surprised to be on a successor track at a turning point in her career, but embraced the ambiguity by holding fast to a simple principal: “Don’t be hesitant to accept a promotion or change roles because you’re afraid it may mean taking on more work. The work may just be different, not more.” In this podcast episode, Erin encourages leaders to define what they want their role to be, and hold true to it. 

“Those things that are uncomfortable that we might be fearful of, it's surprising if you just kind of dive in head first, how quickly you can come out with a different perspective on the other side.”

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Kristin Gaarder was the very first CHRO of Calabrio, a customer experience intelligence company. As a leader, Kristin’s philosophy lies in providing accountability for her team to take a vision they have, break down barriers, and deliver it with excellence. Kristin has navigated the variances in HR while practicing business in over 40 countries around the world.  

Kristin is a member of Chief, a network dedicated to  supporting women executive leaders. She uses her unique experiences to encourage a path of growth through building and strengthening human connection. 

“If you consider what’s happening in the world, this special and unique time won’t be here again. So we have such an opportunity to make change and to redefine work culture.”

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People grow exponentially when they’re given an opportunity that stretches them to just the right amount. And they just fly. – Molly Weiss

Not everyone takes as unique of a path to HR leadership as Molly Weiss. She studied theater history and sang in a band before pursuing post-grad HR and Business from the University of Minnesota. Molly is now a leading industry veteran with 20 years of experience, serving as CHRO of Adolfson & Peterson Construction. 

From a young age, Molly learned that work should contribute to the world in a way that is tangible. Years later, Molly followed a call to become an ordained Episcopal Priest—a journey supported by her colleagues and leaders at the time—which shaped her to become a leader with renewed depth of understanding and empathy. Molly teaches us there’s power in saying, “I don’t know” and asking for help. “Long ago I got over the need to be the smartest person in the room,” says Molly. “In fact, I would prefer it if I weren’t. Because that means that everybody around me has so much richness to bring to the table."

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"People work hard for money, but they'll give their life for meaning." -Tony Sorensen

You can tell a lot about a person by asking them the question, "What is one event that has shaped who you are today?" Tony Sorensen, Founder & President of Versique Search & Consulting, uses this question to vet potential employees and create a culture of meaning and growth at his company. Through challenges as an entrepreneur building a company from the ground up, Tony's vision is one based on being one of the team, creating long-term careers for his team members, and holding fast to Versique's core values including "winning through service & trust." In this episode, Tony shares the vision and passion that started it all, and his excitement for the future.

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"As you build an experience in success or failure, you have more confidence when it comes to an even bigger opportunity or bigger risk...and you can recover and thrive." -Shawn Moren, Executive Advisory/Partner (CHRO Sector), Gartner

Shawn was the head of HR at Regis Salons when COVID-19 hit, ravishing the nation and service industry. Regis quickly worked to diligently flesh out a safety and operations plan to ride the turbulent months that followed. No stranger to challenges, Shawn recalled a question her father posed to her at a tennis match when she was younger, "Do you want to hit home runs or do you want to hit base hits? You cannot hit home runs without strikeouts, that's just a part of life." Focusing on connectivity with others, Shawn found success in instilling an environment of meaningful work and values among her team members.  

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"To be a leader I needed to get inspired and become a student of culture." -Kendall Harrell, Chief People Officer for Caribou Coffee

Kendall began with a desire for orthopedic surgery and sports medicine. Lifetime Fitness became instrumental in his HR career, where he started as a personal trainer and quickly moved into the human resource department, thanks to an incredible mentor who encouraged him along the way. "Who are you going to bring with you?" is a motto Kendall learned from his father, applying this to his leadership style to help other people achieve what they aspire to. At Caribou Coffee, Kendall found connection to a brand with work that he enjoys — "I've always wanted to make sure that I could get to the point in my career where I felt like all of me can come to work." In this episode, Kendall shares more about finding his path, sitting in a coffee shop of inspiration. 

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