In this episode, Roxanne chats with Christina Luconi — former Chief People Officer at Rapid7 and current startup whisperer — about entitlement in the workplace, what authenticity actually looks like, and why being liked is overrated when you’re trying to build real culture. Christina shares war stories from decades in tech, including the infamous “mom called me” moment, her journey toward radical openness, and what people leaders get wrong about influence and impact.

In this podcast episode, Roxanne and Melanie explore workplace dynamics, focusing on disagreements between employees and managers, as well as differing work philosophies. But, in the case where a manager is truly incompetent, what should you do? Should you approach their manager directly? Confront them? Or should you simply quit and leave? Tune in to find out!

In this conversation, Roxanne and Melanie discuss short employment stints, sharing their experiences and examining societal judgments. They explore the implications of hiring candidates with brief job histories and the risks involved, emphasizing the need for a good fit between employers and employees. The discussion also touches on a recent LinkedIn controversy involving Roxanne, highlighting challenges in public discourse and the importance of empathy in professional interactions.

In this conversation, Roxanne and Melanie discuss a hiring process that went awry. It seemed as though a candidate was on track to be hired, but over the weekend, some back-channel information reached Roxanne that changed everything. They talk about the excitement of potentially moving forward with the hire and the disappointment of having to retract that decision when new, startling information became available. They also reflect on what could have been done differently.

Ashley Herd, Melanie Naranjo, and Roxanne begin a discussion on leadership, empathy, and employee relations. They explore the balance between employee perks and performance, as well as what happens when a company needs to retract those perks. The conversation then shifts to a Glassdoor review criticizing a candidate's interview experience, which took place while Roxanne was conducting the interview on a treadmill.

Carrie Berg from Teladoc Health discusses leadership, growth mindset, and gender dynamics in the workplace. She emphasizes the need for empathy in leadership and how men's and women's approaches to influence differ. The discussion highlights the challenges women face in leadership roles, the importance of emotional intelligence, self-awareness, and effective communication. Roxanne, Melanie, and Carrie share practical tips for improving leadership skills and promoting a supportive corporate culture, while stressing the value of feedback and accountability.

Roxanne, Anna, and Melanie discuss HR, leadership, and AI's role in the workplace, who could it potentially replace and how can employees prepare themselves to get hired. They talk about the increasing importance of AI for career advancement, aligning with business objectives, and what role AI curiosity plays in getting hired or promoted.

In this conversation, Roxanne and Melanie discuss various themes related to leadership and company culture, as well as the impact of AI on job security. Their discussion begins with an analysis of a hypothetical case study involving a VP of Marketing who accidentally shares a post about AI taking over jobs during a screen-sharing session while addressing employees at his university.

Roxanne and Rob Chesnut discuss the complexities of business ethics, emphasizing integrity, the challenges of ethical decision-making, and the importance of leadership in setting ethical standards. They share real-world examples, including an incident at eBay, and explore the impact of external events on company culture. The conversation highlights the need for clear expectations, the role of artificial intelligence in the workplace, and the necessity for leaders to model ethical behavior and address concerns effectively.

Melanie and Roxanne discuss the evolving role of Human Resources, particularly the Chief People Officer. They emphasize the need for alignment between people and business strategies, clear roles, collaboration, productive feedback, and the importance of trust and proactive problem-solving in leadership.