What The HR!

By TCSHRM -Twin Cities Society for Human Resources ManagementBusiness Careers

What The HR! episodes

May 21 Episode 119: Slaying the Myths of Success
Scott Mason—The Myth Slayer—is a 2x TEDx speaker, executive coach, attorney, author, and former senior New York City government and nonprofit executive. A graduate of Columbia Law School, Scott spent more than two decades leading complex, high-impact initiatives across government, legal, nonprofit, and mission-driven organizations. This included serving as second-in-command of New York City’s central administrative court and as General Counsel and head of operations for the nation’s largest provider of domestic violence shelters. Today, Scott translates Greek myths into practical leadership tools that help professionals name hidden patterns, lead with greater courage, and build stronger, healthier organizations. He has spoken for SHRM chapters, bar associations, nonprofits, leadership summits, and professional audiences across the country.
Guest:
Scott Mason: The Myth Slayer | Executive Coach for Next Chapter Leaders |
2x TEDx Speaker | Name Your Toxic Myth — Then Write a Hero Story | I Want Your Future to Be EPIC
Website: https://www.MyFreedomRocks.com
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/themythslayer/
Hosts:
Jay Olson - https://www.linkedin.com/in/jayolson/
Lena Scullard - https://www.linkedin.com/in/lenascullard/

INTERESTED IN SPONSORSHIP? Please email [email protected].
Twin Cities Society For Human Resources (TCSHRM): Recognized as one of the nation's largest SHRM chapters, TCSHRM is based in the Twin Cities of Minneapolis and St. Paul, Minnesota. With an ongoing calendar of events, our mission is to provide high quality professional development, information exchange, and networking opportunities for the Human Resource professional through multiple channels.
Join Us! Become a TCSHRM Member
Attend a TCSHRM Event
Thank you for listening, and if you enjoy our podcast episodes please consider leaving a review, as it helps us reach more listeners.
© MMXXIII TCSHRM. All Rights Reserved. For Personal Use Only.
1 hr 1 min
April 22 Episode 118: From Performance to Purpose: What Alignment Really Means
Laura King has had over 30,000 career conversations across two decades as an executive recruiter. She's sat with leaders at every level: the ones hitting their stride, the ones grinding without traction, and the ones doing everything right on paper and still falling short.

She learned that the gap between potential and performance almost always comes down to the system around people, not the people themselves.

Every transformation — especially now, with AI reshaping how work gets done — has to pass through the human layer. How people make decisions. How they take ownership. How they work together under pressure. Most organizations want to make that transition. They just haven't been given the tools to redesign it.

That insight is the foundation of UNLOK. As Co-Founder & CEO, Laura translates what she observed in 30,000 conversations into a working methodology that diagnoses the operating environment and gives organizations a path forward.

She's done listening. Now she's unlocking what organizations are actually capable of.
Guest:
Laura King: Executive Recruiter | Author & Speaker https://www.linkedin.com/in/lauraking1/

Hosts:
Jay Olson - https://www.linkedin.com/in/jayolson/
Lena Scullard - https://www.linkedin.com/in/lenascullard/

INTERESTED IN SPONSORSHIP? Please email [email protected].
Twin Cities Society For Human Resources (TCSHRM): Recognized as one of the nation's largest SHRM chapters, TCSHRM is based in the Twin Cities of Minneapolis and St. Paul, Minnesota. With an ongoing calendar of events, our mission is to provide high quality professional development, information exchange, and networking opportunities for the Human Resource professional through multiple channels.
Join Us! Become a TCSHRM Member
Attend a TCSHRM Event
Thank you for listening, and if you enjoy our podcast episodes please consider leaving a review, as it helps us reach more listeners.
© MMXXIII TCSHRM. All Rights Reserved. For Personal Use Only.
50 min
April 08 Episode 117: The Human Advantage: Leading Through Wellbeing
Nikki Peters is the Founder and CEO of Studio 9 to 5, a national workplace wellness company transforming how organizations support employee health, energy, and performance. With 20 years of experience in the corporate wellness sector, Studio 9 to 5 has partnered with companies across healthcare, government, finance, and commercial real estate to deliver programs that improve engagement, resilience, and workplace culture.
Guest:
Nikki Peters: Founder & CEO of Studio 9 to 5 Wellness https://www.linkedin.com/in/nikkipeters/

Hosts:
Jay Olson - https://www.linkedin.com/in/jayolson/
Lena Scullard - https://www.linkedin.com/in/lenascullard/

INTERESTED IN SPONSORSHIP? Please email [email protected].
Twin Cities Society For Human Resources (TCSHRM): Recognized as one of the nation's largest SHRM chapters, TCSHRM is based in the Twin Cities of Minneapolis and St. Paul, Minnesota. With an ongoing calendar of events, our mission is to provide high quality professional development, information exchange, and networking opportunities for the Human Resource professional through multiple channels.
Join Us! Become a TCSHRM Member
Attend a TCSHRM Event
Thank you for listening, and if you enjoy our podcast episodes please consider leaving a review, as it helps us reach more listeners.
© MMXXIII TCSHRM. All Rights Reserved. For Personal Use Only.
1 hr 10 min
March 11 Episode 116: Bringing Emotional Intelligence to Every Conversation – Even in an AI World
Amy Jacobson is an EI and human behaviour specialist, delivering emotional intelligence programs, keynotes & workshops across Australia internationally. She is a twice Wiley-published author of 'Emotional Intelligence: A simple and actionable guide to increasing performance, engagement and ownership', and the new book ‘The Emotional Intelligence Advantage: Mastering change and difficult conversations’. Amy is a sought-after media commentator whose mission is to break down misconceptions around E.I., help people to increase their emotional intelligence and create purpose-driven teams who get results!
Guest:
Amy Jacobson: Emotional Intelligence Specialist https://www.linkedin.com/company/finding-your-y/about/

Hosts:
Jay Olson - https://www.linkedin.com/in/jayolson/
Lena Scullard - https://www.linkedin.com/in/lenascullard/

INTERESTED IN SPONSORSHIP? Please email [email protected].
Twin Cities Society For Human Resources (TCSHRM): Recognized as one of the nation's largest SHRM chapters, TCSHRM is based in the Twin Cities of Minneapolis and St. Paul, Minnesota. With an ongoing calendar of events, our mission is to provide high quality professional development, information exchange, and networking opportunities for the Human Resource professional through multiple channels.
Join Us! Become a TCSHRM Member
Attend a TCSHRM Event
Thank you for listening, and if you enjoy our podcast episodes please consider leaving a review, as it helps us reach more listeners.
© MMXXIII TCSHRM. All Rights Reserved. For Personal Use Only.
1 hr 4 min
February 25 Episode 115: Nobody Likes a Bad Manager - Not Even Your Money
Jeffery Robinson is the Senior Program Director at Build Wealth MN, where he leads financial education, coaching, workforce development, and housing counseling programs that help families build stability and generational wealth. His work is rooted in his personal mantra: “Because Somebody Did It for Me.”
A graduate of the University of Minnesota–Morris, Jeffery co-founded Imani, a student organization supporting Black men on a predominantly white campus. Before joining Build Wealth, he spent over 20 years as a Senior Quality Control Mortgage Underwriter, evaluating mortgage-backed securities across the U.S., Puerto Rico, and abroad, experience that gave him a deep understanding of the financial barriers families face.
Jeffery first came to Build Wealth as a client seeking support for his own family. Inspired by the transformation he experienced, he became a volunteer, contractor, coach, and ultimately Senior Program Director, now helping thousands move toward financial stability.
When he’s not meeting with clients or strengthening programs, you’ll find Jeffery running the trails of Minneapolis and St. Paul, training for his next marathon, both in life and on the pavement.
Eric Howell is a seasoned executive, entrepreneur, workforce strategist, and innovator with over 15 years of experience advancing economic empowerment and career mobility across diverse communities. As the Senior Innovation & Expansion Director at Build Wealth MN, he oversees the flagship Pathways to Increase Employment & Earnings Potential (PEEP) workforce program and has been instrumental in taking Build Wealth’s Financial Stabilization Program Online curriculum to national scale.
Eric leads statewide and national strategies that integrate workforce development, financial wellness, and technology—strengthening talent pipelines and expanding opportunities for individuals and families. Prior to this role, he served as Director of Workforce, Wealth, and Housing Solutions, and Operations at the Urban League Twin Cities, and he is the founder of the Urban Tech Institute, a virtual IT training school supporting learners of African descent.
A dynamic national and international speaker and professional actor, Eric engages audiences with powerful insights on leadership, innovation, motivation, and community transformation. Passionate about creating sustainable pathways to success, he champions collaborative solutions that uplift families, strengthen organizations, and drive measurable, lasting change.
Guests:
Jeffery Robinson | Senior Program Director https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeffery-robinson-905643206/
Eric Howell | Innovation and Development Strategist | Career and Organizational Management Consultant | Public Speaker & Facilitator | Educator https://www.linkedin.com/in/ericchowell/
Host:
Jay Olson - https://www.linkedin.com/in/jayolson/
INTERESTED IN SPONSORSHIP? Please email [email protected].
Twin Cities Society For Human Resources (TCSHRM): Recognized as one of the nation's largest SHRM chapters, TCSHRM is based in the Twin Cities of Minneapolis and St. Paul, Minnesota. With an ongoing calendar of events, our mission is to provide high quality professional development, information exchange, and networking opportunities for the Human Resource professional through multiple channels.
Join Us! Become a TCSHRM Member
Attend a TCSHRM Event
Thank you for listening, and if you enjoy our podcast episodes please consider leaving a review, as it helps us reach more listeners.
© MMXXIII TCSHRM. All Rights Reserved. For Personal Use Only.
55 min
February 12 Episode 114: Human-Centered Hiring in an AI World
Paul DeBettignies, better known online as Minnesota Headhunter, is a Minnesota IT Recruiter who builds IT teams with startups and tech companies, creates recruiting strategies for Fortune 500 clients, author of the Minnesota Headhunter blog, the longest running regional recruiter blog and an Advisor to ToggleGreen.
He is a frequent local and national speaker, trainer and subject matter expert on recruiter, HR, career, networking and social media topics. Recent activities include presentations at Twin Cities Startup Week, Google for Entrepreneurs, Michigan Recruiters Conference, University of Minnesota, CHS, MinneBar and ERE and interviews with NPR, WCCO AM (CBS) Radio & TV, KSTP TV (ABC), MSP Business Journal, Minneapolis StarTribune and Dice.com
Paul is involved in the Minneapolis and St Paul technology, marketing and social media communities as a sponsor, volunteer and mentor and is the founder of Midwest Recruiting Bootcamp.
Guest:
Paul DeBettignies | Senior Talent Strategist & Advisor | Speaker | MN tech Scene Advocate | https://www.linkedin.com/in/mnheadhunter/
Hosts:
Jay Olson - https://www.linkedin.com/in/jayolson/
Lena Scullard - https://www.linkedin.com/in/lenascullard/
INTERESTED IN SPONSORSHIP? Please email [email protected].
Twin Cities Society For Human Resources (TCSHRM): Recognized as one of the nation's largest SHRM chapters, TCSHRM is based in the Twin Cities of Minneapolis and St. Paul, Minnesota. With an ongoing calendar of events, our mission is to provide high quality professional development, information exchange, and networking opportunities for the Human Resource professional through multiple channels.
Join Us! Become a TCSHRM Member
Attend a TCSHRM Event
Thank you for listening, and if you enjoy our podcast episodes please consider leaving a review, as it helps us reach more listeners.
© MMXXIII TCSHRM. All Rights Reserved. For Personal Use Only.
1 hr 6 min
January 28 Episode 113: Finding the Courage to Speak Up, Stand Out, and Shine
A 6-time award-winning keynote speaker Meredith Breitstein tours the world encouraging leaders to step into their destiny, walk through fear, and SHINE by finding their courage. She specializes in helping teams, and her audiences speak up, stand out, and command a room with their presence. After coaching thousands of leaders she has learned there are 5 steps all of us can take to level UP and start right away. In her most requested Keynote Meredith teaches her 5-step framework
to reveal how all teams and leaders can S. H. I. N. E.
In Meredith's TEDx talk "Don't waste a minute, shine RIGHT NOW" she inspires her audiences to take fast, committed action to show up powerfully so they can SHINE after adversity. She is frequently hired as a Motivational Speaker, Emcee, and a Leadership Trainer for organizations to help leaders and teams standout and SHINE. She loves teaching clients how to level up their courage to power up their
presence and be SEEN!
Guest:
Meredith Breitstein | Motivational Keynote Speaker, Master Leadership Trainer, TV Talk Show Host | https://www.linkedin.com/in/themeredithshow/
Contact info:
o Email: [email protected]
Hosts:
Jay Olson - https://www.linkedin.com/in/jayolson/
Lena Scullard - https://www.linkedin.com/in/lenascullard/
INTERESTED IN SPONSORSHIP? Please email [email protected].
Twin Cities Society For Human Resources (TCSHRM): Recognized as one of the nation's largest SHRM chapters, TCSHRM is based in the Twin Cities of Minneapolis and St. Paul, Minnesota. With an ongoing calendar of events, our mission is to provide high quality professional development, information exchange, and networking opportunities for the Human Resource professional through multiple channels.
Join Us! Become a TCSHRM Member
Attend a TCSHRM Event
Thank you for listening, and if you enjoy our podcast episodes please consider leaving a review, as it helps us reach more listeners.
© MMXXIII TCSHRM. All Rights Reserved. For Personal Use Only.
50 min
January 15 Episode 112: The Habits of Future-Ready Leaders: Talent, AI, and What Actually Matters
Rick Rittmaster is a Leadership and Talent Development expert who leads the Leadership Solutions practice at Strategic Talent Partners and is a Co-Founder at Groveland Leadership. With over a decade of experience partnering with CEOs and senior executives, he helps organizations enhance leadership capability and drive sustainable growth.
Rick is known for his unique ability to make complex leadership strategies attainable and actionable. He designs practical solutions that not only address the root causes of leadership challenges but also resonate across organizations, bringing leadership development to broader audiences.
He holds a Master’s degree in Organizational Psychology and has spent more than 10 years in Talent Management roles with companies including UnitedHealth, MTS Systems, and Starkey Hearing Technologies. Rick regularly presents at national leadership conferences, webinars, and industry panels, sharing insights on leadership development, organizational effectiveness, and talent strategy.
Guest:
Rick Rittmaster | Leadership & Talent Development Expert at Strategic Talent Partners, and Co-Founder at Groveland Leadership | linkedin.com/in/richardrittmaster
Contact info:
o Email: [email protected]
Hosts:
Jay Olson - https://www.linkedin.com/in/jayolson/
Becky Lauseng - https://www.linkedin.com/in/becky-lauseng/
INTERESTED IN SPONSORSHIP? Please email [email protected].
Twin Cities Society For Human Resources (TCSHRM): Recognized as one of the nation's largest SHRM chapters, TCSHRM is based in the Twin Cities of Minneapolis and St. Paul, Minnesota. With an ongoing calendar of events, our mission is to provide high quality professional development, information exchange, and networking opportunities for the Human Resource professional through multiple channels.
Join Us! Become a TCSHRM Member
Attend a TCSHRM Event
Thank you for listening, and if you enjoy our podcast episodes please consider leaving a review, as it helps us reach more listeners.
© MMXXIII TCSHRM. All Rights Reserved. For Personal Use Only.
1 hr 11 min
December 03, 2025 Episode 111: Unlocking Human Potential: Neuroscience, Coaching, and AI for Better Leaders
Heather Polivka helps leaders create workplaces where people thrive, great talent stays, and businesses grow. Whether clients are responding to a changing talent market, fueling high growth, or navigating accelerated change, Heather guides leaders to cultivate a way of working that fuels their business and empowers their people. She has been doing that for more than two decades at companies of all sizes.
Her journey includes leadership roles at major brands such as Target—where she spent a decade in product management and development—and the Lenox Group, where she served as Managing Director of Product Marketing, honing her expertise in consumer behavior and brand strategy.
Guest:
Heather Polivka | Founder & CEO of Awesome People Leaders | https://www.linkedin.com/in/heatherpolivka/
Contact info:
o Email: [email protected]
o Schedule Time with me at: https://meetings.hubspot.com/heatherpapl/meetings
o LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/heatherpolivka/
o Our website: https://www.awesomepeopleleaders.com/
Hosts:
Jay Olson - https://www.linkedin.com/in/jayolson/
Becky Lauseng - https://www.linkedin.com/in/becky-lauseng/
INTERESTED IN SPONSORSHIP? Please email [email protected].
Twin Cities Society For Human Resources (TCSHRM): Recognized as one of the nation's largest SHRM chapters, TCSHRM is based in the Twin Cities of Minneapolis and St. Paul, Minnesota. With an ongoing calendar of events, our mission is to provide high quality professional development, information exchange, and networking opportunities for the Human Resource professional through multiple channels.
Join Us! Become a TCSHRM Member
Attend a TCSHRM Event
Thank you for listening, and if you enjoy our podcast episodes please consider leaving a review, as it helps us reach more listeners.
© MMXXIII TCSHRM. All Rights Reserved. For Personal Use Only.
53 min
November 20, 2025 Episode 110: Getting a Handle on Handbooks
Lena Scullard and Becky Lauseng welcomed employment attorney Kate Bischoff to discuss employee handbooks, which she defined as documents setting expectations and guidance distinct from tactical policy manuals. Kate advised that HR should determine the handbook's tone to match the company culture, use the document to drive cultural change, and review the handbook annually, ideally from back to front and through the perspective of an employee needing guidance.
Key recommendations included ensuring harassment and essential EEO policies are prominently featured, avoiding broad off-the-clock conduct language, and keeping the handbook concise (less than 35 pages) by removing specific policy details like employment classifications, lengthy discipline policies, and temporary trend topics like returning to the office.
Guest:
Kate Bischoff | Employee Attorney & HR Professional | https://www.linkedin.com/in/k8bisch
Resources:
Website: http://www.k8bisch.com
Kate's LinkedIn Learning Session on Employee Handbooks: https://www.linkedin.com/learning/human-resources-creating-an-employee-handbook-26129200
Email: [email protected]
Hosts:
Becky Lauseng - https://www.linkedin.com/in/becky-lauseng/
Lena Scullard - https://www.linkedin.com/in/lenascullard/
INTERESTED IN SPONSORSHIP? Please email [email protected].
Twin Cities Society For Human Resources (TCSHRM): Recognized as one of the nation's largest SHRM chapters, TCSHRM is based in the Twin Cities of Minneapolis and St. Paul, Minnesota. With an ongoing calendar of events, our mission is to provide high quality professional development, information exchange, and networking opportunities for the Human Resource professional through multiple channels.
Join Us! Become a TCSHRM Member
Attend a TCSHRM Event
Thank you for listening, and if you enjoy our podcast episodes please consider leaving a review, as it helps us reach more listeners.
© MMXXIII TCSHRM. All Rights Reserved. For Personal Use Only.
48 min

About What The HR!

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What the HR! is an award-winning podcast. Presented by TCSHRM and hosted by Becky Lauseng, Jay Olson, and Lena Scullard. The podcast provides insights, strategies, and anecdotes that explore how to…