HR Superstars
15Five's acclaimed podcast features real stories and strategic advice from the world's most successful People Ops and HR leaders.
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Featured Episode
Is HR’s Strategic Role at Risk? What the Data Tells Us, And What to Do About It with Will Howard & David Hawthorne
HR teams are moving from external hiring to internal impact. Will Howard, Practice Lead at McLean & Company, shares the latest research behind HR’s shift in priorities, showing why retention and leadership now take the lead. David Hawthorne, Chief People Officer at AnchorPoint Management, brings a real-world lens to the data. He explains how to move from reactive to strategic, why data literacy matters, and how to rethink people leadership from the ground up.
Together, they explore how HR can stay relevant by aligning with business goals and building the kind of leadership that drives results.
Recent Guests
HR leaders from the world's largest and most successful companies like Walgreens, Twitter, and Levi Strauss & Co.
How to Design a Boardroom-Worthy Performance Strategy with Dr. Jeff Smith
Boards want clarity. Executives want results. And HR leaders are being asked to deliver both.
15Five’s Karina Young and Jeff Smith discuss how to design a performance strategy that holds up in the boardroom and drives outcomes across your organization. Together, they walk through how to align your people programs with company priorities, surface the right data, and present a roadmap that earns buy-in and accelerates impact.
Why Retention Starts with Better Managers with David Hawthorne
Trends are everywhere, but translating them into real business impact takes more than reading a report. It takes HR leaders who understand their business and know how to turn insights into strategy.
David Hawthorne, Chief People Officer at Anchor Point Management Group, shares how he brings 2025 HR trends to life by aligning people strategy with business goals. He breaks down how to scale leadership, strengthen culture, and improve retention in a high-growth environment, from hiring the right people and developing frontline managers into future executives. He also explains why HR can’t operate in a silo—and how becoming a true business partner starts with knowing how your company runs.
Solving the Conundrum of International Distributed Teams with Alexandra Erman
Global teams give companies access to top talent and fresh perspectives, but managing them comes with challenges—time zones, cultural differences, and keeping everyone aligned. Alexandra Erman, Chief People Officer at BforeAI, knows what it takes to lead international teams successfully. In this episode, she shares how to foster connection across borders while respecting local cultures. She explains why businesses should move beyond country-centric mindsets and build people strategies rooted in flexibility, trust, and autonomy. Alexandra also dives into the role of clear communication and pay equity in creating a strong, unified workforce.
Putting a Human Touch on Data-Driven HR with Brittany Rohde
Being data-driven doesn’t mean sacrificing the human side of HR. Data can be used to guide decisions while keeping people at the center.
Brittany Rohde, Head of People at Monarch Money, believes that HR can be both analytical and people-focused. She shares how to scale sustainably by using automation wisely, bringing employees into key decisions, and building trust through transparency. Brittany also explains why data literacy is an essential skill for HR leaders—helping them make better decisions, strengthen teams, and drive long-term success.
Discovering Your Leadership Voice with Susannah Robinson
What kind of leader do you want to be? Pause and really think about that. Or better yet, write it down on paper. Susannah Robinson, Founder and President of Partnership for Talent emphasizes the importance of defining your leadership vision. In this episode, she explains how self-awareness, trust, and consistency shape leadership and why your approach should evolve over time.
How to Break the Burnout Cycle with Brittany Fowler and Stephanie Smith
HR teams provide emotional, mental, and strategic support to their organizations, but who’s supporting them? As burnout among HR leaders reaches alarming levels, it’s clear that those responsible for employee well-being often struggle themselves.
Recorded live at the 5th HR Superstars Summit, this episode features Brittany Fowler at Kickstarter and Stephanie Smith at Tagboard as they share their personal experiences with burnout, the warning signs to watch for, and the strategies they’ve implemented to create a healthier, more sustainable approach to HR.
Stop the BS and Thrive at Work with Kelly Mackin
Kelly Mackin, CEO of Motives Met, explains why a one-size-fits-all approach to engagement doesn’t work. Her firsthand experience in a toxic work environment inspired her to develop a framework for understanding the 28 human motives that drive well-being. By uncovering what matters most to each individual, both leaders and team members can co-create a healthy culture where everyone feels seen and supported. Kelly also shares how leaders can begin taking small but meaningful steps to create a more personalized approach to work-life harmony.
Why Your Offsite Isn’t Working (Yet) with Jared Kleinert
In this episode, Jared Kleinert, Founder and CEO of Offsite, shares what makes an offsite truly effective. He explains how to move beyond basic event planning and create experiences that deepen engagement, reinforce company culture, and boost retention. He also discusses how HR leaders can gain executive buy-in and ensure your offsite is more than just a line item on the budget.
How to Lead From the Heart with Mark Crowley
Mark Crowley, author of Lead From the Heart and a pioneer in human-centered leadership, believes it starts with cultivating a culture of care. Drawing on groundbreaking research and decades of experience, Mark explains how emotions, trust, and belonging shape employee well-being and performance.
Passing the Mic and Introducing Karina Young as Your New Host
This episode marks an exciting new chapter for HR Superstars as Adam Weber passes the mic to Karina Young, the new host and VP of People at 15Five. Adam reflects on his journey as the podcast's host, sharing highlights, lessons, and the incredible connections he’s made with HR leaders around the world.
Karina steps in to share her vision for the future of the podcast, focusing on empowering managers, navigating organizational change, and exploring cutting-edge trends in HR. With a passion for creating thriving workplaces, Karina aims to spotlight innovative strategies and foster meaningful conversations with today’s leading people leaders.
Secret #1: You must Speak the Language of Your Business
How do top HR leaders successfully pitch new ideas and gain executive buy-in? In this episode, Adam Weber reveals why the key lies in speaking the language of the business.
From Overwhelm to Excellence in Leadership with Anita Grantham
What if the secret to extraordinary organizational success lies in being playful and fearless? Anita Grantham believes it does.
A leading people leader and Head of HR at BambooHR, Anita shares her unique approach to building a company that outperforms the market. Her journey to running HR at a top SaaS company is filled with lessons in embracing curiosity, learning from pain, and maintaining positive energy. Anita emphasizes the importance of showing up consistently as a leader, viewing work through a lens of gratitude, and creating an environment where values and mission drive every action.
Empowering Leaders Through On-The-Job Coaching with Katie Burke
Is it possible to create a high-performance culture without losing the human touch? Katie Burke believes it is.
On this episode, Katie Burke, former Chief People Officer of HubSpot, shares how her unique journey from media relations to chief people officer shaped her view on progressive people operations. Reflecting on her 11-year journey at HubSpot, Katie discusses the critical importance of on-the-job coaching and regular feedback for team performance.
Katie and Adam discuss the traits of top HR leaders, balancing employee satisfaction with high-performance demands, and the art of trusting one's intuition in HR. Tune in to learn more on sustaining high performance, motivating employees, and maintaining authenticity in company culture.
Shaping Company Culture Beyond Perks with Melissa Daimler
While many equate company culture with perks like ping pong tables and free food, Melissa Daimler challenges this superficial view and emphasizes the profound impact of well-defined behaviors and processes. In this episode, Melissa Daimler, Chief Learning officer at Udemy, shares insight on creating a culture grounded in core values and constructive debate.
Melissa also discusses how observable behaviors should be tied into every aspect of talent management, from hiring and development to rewards and promotions.
Melissa and Adam explore the concept of culture as an action, examining how systems thinking can bridge connections and enhance collaboration in HR leadership. They provide insights on measuring key talent metrics, improving manager effectiveness, and fostering a continuous learning environment for managers.
Finding Balance Amidst Startup Chaos with Lee Rubin
How do you navigate shifting priorities during life’s big moments while maintaining team chemistry and a strong company culture? Lee Rubin, founder and CEO at Confetti, shares her insights as she prepares for maternity leave. In this episode, Adam and Lee discuss the balancing act leaders face during significant life changes. From reorienting priorities to combating burnout, their conversation is rich and insightful.
Learn about prioritizing employee well-being, the evolving role of HR, and practical strategies for maintaining team chemistry in a fully remote setup.
Shaping a People-First Workplace in a Digital Era with Carmen Amara
As remote work has become the new norm, the role of managers in shaping the employee experience has never been more critical.
Carmen Amara, Chief People Officer at Yelp, delves into the importance of empathy in management, especially amid the challenges introduced by the pandemic.
With work and life increasingly intertwined, Carmen shares practical measures Yelp has implemented, like setting core hours and managing meetings more effectively, to support their remote workforce.
Three Behaviors to Cultivate as a Human-First Leader with Paul Wolfe
We’re all humans first and leaders second. In this conversation, Paul Wolfe, author of Human Beings First, shares how leaders can stay grounded in their humanity and cultivate deeper connections with the people around them.
Paul invites leaders to implement three simple behaviors to help them create safe spaces for their teams. He discusses what it means to be a human-centered leader, how the workforce's values have changed, and what causes leaders to forget that they're human. Over two decades of work at industry-leading organizations like GE and American Express have given Paul a wealth of insights. He shares the good and the bad from his experiences, emphasizing the importance of vulnerability and curiosity in leadership.
Trust: A Secret Weapon in the War for Talent with Eric Termuende
While HR leaders might be losing sleep over the pace of AI or the return to office debate, Eric Termuendeshares that the real concern ought to be the talent crisis. Eric is a keynote speaker and bestselling author of Rethink Work.
In this conversation, he reveals the root of the talent problem: a lack of trust between individuals and organizations. Eric explains why trust is at the core of high-performing teams and shares tangible strategies for building trust at scale. Eric also discusses his take on the future of flexibility in the workplace and why he expects company culture to become increasingly nuanced.
Finding Remote Work’s Sweet Spot with Nick Bloom
Before the pandemic, only 5% of Americans worked from home. Now, half of the population spends at least one day a week doing so. What effect has the shift to remote work had on productivity, profitability, and employee satisfaction? Nick Bloom is here to tell us.
Nick is a Stanford professor who has researched remote work for over two decades. He’s even informed presidential policy regarding remote work. In this conversation, Nick shares his measured, research-based opinions on remote work and its influence on organizations and individuals. The rise in remote work has also introduced the controversial concept of location-dependent compensation. Nick shares his data-driven insights on how employers should manage pay for employees scattered across the country or globe.
Reinventing Offboarding and Ending Awkward Exists with Rebecca Consolvo
Offboarding doesn’t have to be awkward. When done well, it can be an empowering experience for both the individual and the organization. In this conversation, Becky Consolvo, CEO and Founder of 9Box Consulting and former HR leader at Telsa and Apple, delves into the art of onboarding. She’s on a mission to bring excellence to employee exits through transparent communication and employee empowerment.
Becky also shares how saying yes to new experiences has accelerated her career. She reflects on her time at Apple and Tesla, explaining that humility and eagerness to learn were crucial to her success.
Setting Boundaries and Pursuing Growth with Tarveen Forrester
How do you care for others without losing yourself? Tarveen Forrester, VP of People at Kickstarter, shares her experience with this challenge. In this live webinar replay, Tarveen brings her decade-plus experience to discuss how setting boundaries impacts productivity and sustainable success.
Tarveen opens up about her career transition from Tastemade to Kickstarter, sharing how she knew it was time for a new adventure and what she’s learned from the experience. She discusses the transition to a four-day workweek and what it’s like to lead a unionized tech company. She also shares her strategic approach to starting a new leadership role. She emphasizes the need for patience, avoiding the rush to achieve quick wins, and instead, documenting learnings, building trust, and adapting to your new environment.
Simplifying HR for Maximum Impact with Jeff Smith
Are your managers equipped to lead with both heart and strategy? Dr. Jeff Smith, Chief Product Officer at 15Five and author of "The Meaningful Manager," argues that bridging this gap is key to organizational success.
In this episode, Jeff discusses the critical need for managerial skill development and the importance for managers to talk with their employees about their career paths. Adam and Jeff discuss how several strategies and 15Five’s innovations are reshaping HR leadership, emphasizing the importance of prioritization, accountability, and data-informed decisions to drive meaningful progress in organizations. These conversations help high performers understand their future opportunities and growth within the company.
AI-Powered Talent Acquisition with Khaled Hussein
When you find the *right* candidate at the *right* time in your career for the *right* role, magic happens. But aligning those stars is easier said than done. That’s where AI is a game-changer.
In this episode, Khaled Hussein, Co-Founder and CEO of Betterleap, discusses how AI is transforming the talent acquisition space. He also discusses the innovative ways Betterleap is leveraging AI to accelerate recruiting processes, including a Google-like natural language sourcing tool. Khaled emphasizes the importance of harnessing AI to find the right candidates. He also shares the potential for HR leaders to leverage technology to add significant strategic value to their organizations.
Introduction to the Five Secrets of the Top 5%
After ten years and over a thousand conversations with HR leaders, Adam Weber is sharing five insights you can apply to your work right now.
Before we get there, we need to address the challenge HR leaders face today. Despite reduced budgets and flat staff sizes, HR's role is more important than ever. Yet only 50% of executive teams view HR as the strategic partner they are. It’s no wonder 98% of HR leaders are dealing with burnout.
But the good news is it doesn’t have to be this way. Stay tuned for future episodes where you’ll learn how to unlock your HR career, become a more strategic leader, and do the work of your dreams.
Navigating Culture, Workforce Planning, and Long-Term Success with Bill Banham and Christopher Bjorling
“As soon as the first bullet flew, the plan was out the window, and we started reacting,” General Schwarzkopf said about the Gulf War. The same is true for workforce planning. We put plans in place, but then reality strikes. We need both clear plans and adaptability to adjust on the fly while keeping our strategic vision in place.
In this episode, Christopher Bjorling and Bill Banham, co-hosts of the People and Performance podcast, discuss mastering strategic workforce planning. They explain company culture's role in employee performance, how to balance short-term goals with long-term success, and how AI is shaping the future of HR.
Hiring Strategies for Value Alignment with Jonathan Reynolds
What would make your competitor’s highly valued and performing employees want to leave and work for you? It’s not enough to announce that you’re hiring or have a great work culture. You must also differentiate yourself in a way that appeals to top talent.
In this episode, Jonathan Reynolds, CEO of Titus Talent Strategies, discusses strategies to improve your talent acquisition process, especially for executive roles. He emphasizes “value proposition” as the key to hiring someone who can adapt and drive your company’s values and vision forward.
You’ll learn more about the importance of role clarity and how it leads to better productivity. Listen to Jonathan’s narratives as he explores the deeper layers of a candidate’s motivation, the possible red flags, and the necessity of a growth mindset in potential hires.
Finding Success in Results-Only Work Environments with Cali Ressler
What if your work schedule was defined by trust and productivity, not the time you spend at your desk? Imagine how this could affect your search for true job satisfaction. We invited Strategic Talent Executive Cali Ressler to discuss the concept of a results-only work environment and the current distrust and misconception surrounding job crafting.
Cali shares insights on the post-pandemic workforce, highlighting the importance of adapting to employees’ changing needs and the challenges that HR leaders face. But she also touches upon her personal HR journey, calling it unexpected, fulfilling, and unending. Here, Cali opens up about her mental health journey and the significance of self-care. This episode serves as a reminder that everyone has hidden struggles, regardless of their external successes.
Streamlining Success through Trust-Building Strategies with Kimberly Carroll
Tomorrow’s HR leaders are challenged to create workspaces that balance efficiency with trusting relationships among teams. In this episode, Kimberly Carroll, Managing Principal at IA, shares insightful strategies for modernizing HR processes, compelling leaders to embrace delegation and focus on impactful change. She openly discusses why HR’s processes often fall short and how the struggle to do it all can lead to burnout.
With a background in education and a passion for fostering growth within organizations, Kimberly highlights the critical need for mapping out current and future states of HR processes while ensuring flexibility and clear communication for successful change management.
Creating a Culture of Belonging in the AI Era with Smiley Poswolsky
Amidst a backdrop of burnout, layoffs, and loneliness, belonging at work has never been more important. In this episode, keynote speaker Smiley Poswolsky unpacks the power of belonging in the workplace. He shares how the current loneliness epidemic and his experience at Camp Grounded, an adult summer camp focused on digital detox and authentic connection, solidified his passion for fostering belonging.
Smiley explains how to create cultures of belonging and why it’s so important in the era of AI. He shares how to overcome common barriers to belonging and leaves us with easy ways to build opportunities for authentic connection into everyday rhythms at work.
Crafting A Human-Centric Workplace with Watchen Nyanue Hampton
Does your company culture make every employee feel seen, heard, and appreciated? Or is it deep-rooted in behaviors that cause someone to feel like a number? In this episode, Watchen Nyanue Hampton, Founder and CEO of I Choose The Ladder, shares her unique perspectives on the need for more human-centric approaches in the workplace. She calls upon HR leaders to view employees as full individuals, highlighting that behaviors and actions should align with the company’s core values.
Watchen also relays her opinions about outsourcing employee surveys and exit interviews. She notes that outsourcing creates a sense of safety for employees to be candid with feedback. During the conversation, Watchen taps into practical methods to counter generational clashes arising from differing workplace expectations. You’re sure to take away strategies for creating more relatable and less mechanical work environments.
Bridging the Skills Gap in Modern Work with Ravin Jesuthasan
Are we witnessing a transforming landscape in the world of HR work? The answer is a resounding “yes.” In this episode, Ravin Jesuthasan, Global Leader for Transformation Services at Mercer, delves into the imperative shift from traditional HR practices to a future where HR functions as a steward of work.
The discussion explores generative AI’s impact on work, the evolving HR service delivery model, and the need for upskilling and reskilling in the face of rapidly changing demand for skills. Ravin also highlights practical approaches to bringing business leaders on board with these changes, illustrating HR’s essential role in meeting the workforce’s evolving needs.
The Power of Science-Based Simplicity with Marc Effron
What’s your approach to maintaining simplicity in performance management while ensuring it’s thorough enough to capture the company's objectives? This episode features insights from the Talent Strategy Group’s President, Marc Effron, as he sheds light on the power of simplifying processes and HR’s critical role in fostering a goal-centric culture that thrives on clarity and focus.
Marc details two critical steps that help drive employee performance: setting “stretchy” goals and building influencing skills. He also stresses the need for HR leaders to become “business junkies” who deeply understand the business to drive meaningful impact in an organization. The conversation dives further into the science of human performance and academic research to inform HR processes, maintaining the idea that performance management is strategy implementation.
Career Development Beyond the Manager Path with Dr. Bev Kaye
As one of the most recognized thought-leaders in HR, Dr. Beverly Kaye shares her deep wisdom, practical insights, and timeless truths developed over six decades of experience in career advancement and employee engagement. You’ll learn how Bev’s philosophy challenges traditional career paths and offers new ways for individuals to find satisfaction within their careers beyond the typical managerial trajectory.
The conversation expands on groundbreaking yet practical strategies to empower two sets of relationships: HR leaders to managers and managers to their employees.
HR Superstars LIVE From Austin!
We’re getting spicy in this episode – literally!
Hollie Castro, CPO at Miro, Amy Campbell, CPO at Overhaul, and host Adam Weber dig into HR hot takes over hot wings in front of a live audience in Austin, Texas. Hot topics include the value of employee engagement surveys, who HR should report to, and knowledge decay from L&D efforts.
Amy and Hollie also share their unfiltered insights on how to thrive as people leaders, from setting priorities to managing stress. Amy discusses fighting comparison and learning to say no, while Hollie reflects on her personal growth journey and the value of vulnerability.
Navigating Generational Diversity in the Modern Workforce with Donald Knight
Can fusing Gen Z’s tech skills with older generations’ expertise create smarter HR practices and push business creativity forward? In this episode, Donald Knight, Chief People Officer at Greenhouse Software, shares his remarkable insights about Gen Z’s impacts on the workforce, DEI’s evolution, and fulfillment in maximizing your time and dedicating your service.
Donald discusses his rich experiences and personal journey through HR, revealing that he doesn’t believe in a work-life balance. Instead, he uses a “work-life blender” strategy to facilitate personal growth and amplify talent development within his team. You’ll also learn why Donald calls on DEI professionals to shift their focus toward results and adopt a data-centered approach.
Fostering Connections and Conflicts in Remote Work with Katya Laviolette
The modern workplace is evolving to embrace the personal within the professional sphere. Think of it as “bringing your whole self to work.” In this episode, Katya Laviolette, CPO at 1Password, candidly discusses integrating diversity, equity, and inclusion practices within remote environments. She celebrates the blended approach of profit, people, and culture as a means for both individual and company-wide prosperity.
Katya offers her insights on conflict management, the necessity of intentional communication, and the valuable impact that occasional in-person meetings can have on the work culture—including conflict resolution. The conversation also details the tricky topic of managing performance and behavior, advocating for simplicity and clarity in conveying company values.
Embracing Post-Traumatic Growth Within HR with Rebecca Weaver
Continued changes in the HR world bring opportunities for growth and reimagination. In this evolving landscape, how can you take your own experiences, both in and out of HR, and apply what you’ve learned to benefit others? Join the conversation in this week’s pivotal episode with Rebecca Weaver, founder and CEO of HR Uprise. Rebecca delves into HR’s transformative journey, challenging us to rethink how we work and lead. She proposes creating a specialized HR role that combines managerial duties with proactive employee involvement. This compelling vision of a restructured HR can guide organizations through modern-day challenges.
Rebecca also shares her personal tales of resilience through her health crisis and the creation of HR Uprise against the backdrop of #MeToo and the pandemic. Her story reveals the untold strength found in post-traumatic growth—a concept that sows seeds of change for contemporary leadership.
Redefining Work-Life Balance with Anessa Fike
What do you think about the meaning of HR work at its core? How do HR leaders bring humanity back to work cultures and meet changing workforce needs? The future of HR sees a call to action for leaders and organizations to redefine their work cultures. In this episode, Anessa Fike, Founder of Fike & Co. and author of “The Revolution of Work,” challenges the traditional work structure framework and advocates for a more humane approach to productivity—one that honors diverse life demands.
Anessa highlights the realities of an ever-changing workforce and the imperative for choice and adaptability in work arrangements. But the conversation is more than just a dialogue about work structure. From psychological safety to a culture celebrating vulnerability, the revolution of work should promote places of balance, respect, and emotional intelligence.
Embracing a Marathon Mindset in Your HR Journey with Marissa Morrison
In HR, cultivating a marathon mindset isn’t just a choice; it’s a necessity. It’s about pacing yourself for the long run, emphasizing strategic growth and intentional planning with each stride, and not just speeding through daily tasks.
In this episode, we dive deep with Marissa Morrison, the VP of People at ZipRecruiter, as she discusses her impressive career and personal journey of balance, self-awareness, and intentional living. Throughout the conversation, the central theme revolves around understanding and acting upon your personal and professional aspirations. Marissa poses two powerful questions for self-reflection: “What do I want?” and “How do I want to show up?” Genuine answers to these questions will lead to finding activities that recharge your batteries while being conscious of those that drain you.
Finding Solid Ground Amidst Burnout with Jim Marsden
How might your HR strategies improve if you know how to approach burnout and regrounding when feeling off-center?
In this episode, Jim Marsden, Executive Coach at Reboot, discusses the personalized nature of addressing workplace burnout and feeling overwhelmed. His instrumental guidance is ideal for anyone looking to become an executive. Learn more about recognizing internal conflicts that contribute to burnout and the value of aligning with your personal needs and values. You’ll also find practical advice for seeking perspective and navigating stress, proposing ways to support others and yourself when dealing with challenges.
Strategies for Unlocking Employee Potential with Sarah McTate
How do HR leaders constructively and positively navigate conflict while maintaining a thriving work culture?
In this episode, we explore the innovative strategies Sarah McTate, Director of People and Culture at TurboTenant, employs. She discusses tips and practical examples on fostering manager effectiveness, implementing a mental fitness program, and tackling conflict resolution within a small business.How do HR leaders constructively and positively navigate conflict while maintaining a thriving work culture?
In this episode, we explore the innovative strategies Sarah McTate, Director of People and Culture at TurboTenant, employs. She discusses tips and practical examples on fostering manager effectiveness, implementing a mental fitness program, and tackling conflict resolution within a small business.
Tackling the Human Element in Organizational Success with David Ducheyne
Strategies never fail—people do. As an authority on the relationship between strategy and human behavior, David Ducheyne engages in a powerful conversation about the negative behaviors that undermine collaboration and strategic progress within companies.
David is the founder of Otolith out of Belgium, and we invited him to discuss what makes a meaningful strategy resonate deeper and last longer with employees. His insights resonate with anyone invested in nurturing a workplace culture primed for innovation and strategic triumph.
The Lifespan of Learning in HR with Meg Bear
Your skills at the start of your career may not be the same when you exit. How can HR leaders help their workforce adapt to the shortening lifespan of skills?
Meg Bear is a luminary in the HR space who recently concluded her impactful tenure as the President of SAP Success Factors. Meg’s career pause for rest and exploration underlines the importance of stepping back to propel forward. In this episode, Meg reflects on the accelerated pace at which skills are becoming obsolete and the imperative for HR to emerge as culture-change agents.
Removing Friction to Embrace Employee Fulfillment with Tonille Miller
Tonille Miller, founder of EXT, explores the concept of employee disengagement and removing sources of friction as we enter the future of HR work. Inspired by Tonille’s book, “The Flourishing Effect,” the discussion expands on key insights and actionable methods to bolster an environment ripe for growth, meaning, autonomy, and learning.
Talent Sourcing Strategies Beyond the Resume with Adam Gordon
The future of HR sees recruitment evolving faster than ever. Is your talent acquisition strategy ready for tomorrow's challenges? In this episode, Adam Gordon, co-founder of Poetry, dives deep into the “humble, hungry, and smart” hiring philosophy. He brings a progressive twist, focusing on potential and cultural fit over traditional experience metrics.
Talent acquisition is no place for the status quo. With this in mind, Adam emphasizes the crucial role of HR in strategic workforce planning, noting how generative AI and automation are game-changers in the hiring process. In discussing recruitment malpractices and technological advancements, Adam also spotlights the human element needed to give candidates a more informed and engaging application process.
Keeping the Humanity in a Humanless HR World with Mervyn Dinnen
What are the emerging trends in HR? How will these trends shape the employee lifecycle journey as 2024 approaches? Join renowned analyst and author Mervyn Dinnen as he explores upcoming HR tides, including the shifting nature of the employee life cycle journey and the concept of “humanless” HR.
The fact is, HR is transitioning from a period of management and direction to one of support and enablement. The balance between leveraging technology and preserving humanity in HR leads to a high-performing culture. It inspires your employees to bring their best, including flexibility, access to learning, holistic well-being, and personalized recognition.
Transforming HR Managers into Culture Architects with Melanie Lougee
As automated and self-guided careers become the norm, what will the future hold for HR managers?
Melanie Lougee, Head of Future HR Products at ServiceNow, focuses her work on what will be expected from the HR manager of tomorrow. In this episode, she explores the role managers will play in the evolving workforce, which includes generational differences and post-COVID environments. The future of HR isn’t only limited to changes in work management. It’s also about how managers must adapt their skills to create “thriving teams”—a concept that will replace traditional success metrics.
Bringing People and Strategy Together with Arjen Mackaaij
The journey from administrative to strategic HR is full of lessons to learn and skills to gain. But what additional insights and guidance can you glean from seasoned CPOs?
As a previously experienced CPO, Arjen Mackaaij now serves as Chief People Officer at Front. He shares his real-time journey and strategic approach to people operations in this episode. Learn how Arjen uses the Strength Finders framework to support unique individual skills within his team, promote effective collaboration, and sustain conflict resolution. He also highlights four important criteria that every aspiring or established CPO should consider when deciding which organization to work with next.
Doing More with Less with George LaRocque
In the era of AI and automation, how can HR leaders continue delivering meaningful outcomes when they have fewer resources?
George LaRocque, Founder and Principal Analyst of WorkTech delves into AI use in HR, shedding light on optimizing your workforce and “doing more with less.” In this episode, he shares invaluable insights on data protection, aligning HR with business strategy, and relinquishing the status quo.
Drawing from his expertise as an HR industry tech executive, George also explores how to craft a compelling business case to win over leadership. You’ll learn that embracing the future of HR includes skills-based organizations and a fresh perspective on recruitment, retention, and resource allocation.
Visions for the HR Work of Tomorrow with Neil Jensen
The here-and-now of HR work is always on your mind. But do you anticipate what the future will look like? Have you considered what role AI will play and what’s in store for frontline workers? In this episode, Neil Jensen, Future of Work Thought Leader and Strategist at Workday, explores these questions and more.
Neil shares his insights on the evolving workforce and the hottest topic in HR right now: generative AI. Throughout the conversation, you’ll find how this technology ties in with the future of HR and can potentially accelerate your journey from administrative work to strategic leadership. You’ll also learn the importance of frontline workers and what their development could (and should) look like going forward.
Learning to Grow by Letting Go with Katie Cox Branham
The HR journey is filled with lessons, inspirations, and growth. Katie Cox Branham, VP of People at Salesloft, shares her story to motivate others to elevate their game. Hers is a testament to the dedication and drive as the first HR hire at Salesloft, eventually becoming a strategic people leader.
In this episode, Katie talks about her early days doing tasks she loved, from reimagining the orientation program to transitioning off old systems and implementing new software. But as she rose in HR, she reflected on the struggle of letting go and transitioning into a management role.
There's much to learn from the conversation's takeaways, including how employee fulfillment and engagement make up the formula for effective work cultures.
HR Superstars Live from Thrive!
What does it *really* mean to be strategic in HR?
In 2022, only 46% of HR leaders were viewed as contributing strategic value to the business by their peers in the C-suite, according to Sapient Insights Group’s 2023-2024 Annual HR Systems White Paper report.
This week’s episode centers on the state of strategic HR today and as we approach 2024.
Join the conversation recorded live from our recent THRIVE conference in Denver, Colorado, with Cliff Stevenson, Director of Research at Sapient Insights Group, and Jamy Conrad, VP of People at TrustRadius.
Hot topics include the impact of AI on HR, the need for change management, and a remarkable decrease in regrettable turnover from 40% to 3%!
Managing the Person, Not the Role with Alex Genetti
Just eight years ago, Alex Genetti, Head of People at Enable, started as a people coordinator, quickly advancing to lead a people function. In this brief period, she honed skills, including concise communication about important matters.
How Technology Can Drive HR Decisions and Strategic Thinking with John Machado
Imagine getting quality HR software to handle your everyday tasks. How would your role blossom if you had more time to concentrate on the work you love to do?
Join the conversation with John Machado, CTO at UKG, as he shares his insights on how technology can empower HR leaders to unlock their full potential. You’ll explore the role of AI in harnessing HR data, the challenges and opportunities it presents, and the exciting possibilities that lie ahead.
Learn how leveraging technology can elevate the future of HR work and lead you to become a more strategic thinker.
Making the Shift from Doer to Leader with Kelli Thompson
Elevating from individual contributor to C-suite, strategic HR leader is a hard yet worthwhile journey. It requires an identity shift from doer to leader, but the mindset change doesn’t happen overnight.
Leadership coach Kelli Thompson, founder of [Clarity & Confidence Corporate Women’s Leadership, specializes in helping women advance to rooms where decisions are made. In this episode, she shares her personal experience of transitioning from an administrative role to a team leader. Kelli also discusses a pattern of behavior she’s seen with many clients, something she calls the “overwhelm cycle.” Anyone working toward a leadership role must learn how to be comfortable with the discomfort of delegating. When you let go of needing to be the hero who saves the day, you make room to find new answers for this new world of work.
What U.S. HR Leaders Can Learn from Their European Counterparts with Even Bolstad
What if HR could be a tool to elevate careers *and* build productive work-life balances? Even Bolstad, President of the European Association for People Management, explains that in Europe, it’s not a choice between one or the other.
In this episode, you’ll learn about the need to upskill and reskill the workforce, the potential social consequences of not adapting to the culture that is (not what it should be), and the importance of learning from diverse HR practices across Europe.
Using Courage to Effectively Communicate with Michelle Gladieux
Why do some HR leaders struggle with courage and confidence in advocating for themselves or others in the workplace?
Michelle Gladieux, founder of Gladieux Consulting and author of “Communicate with Courage,” answers this question. As it turns out, the strengths that make you a good HR leader may prevent you from effectively communicating when it matters the most.
But it doesn’t have to remain that way.
In this episode, Michelle shares the four challenges that hinder people from taking risks and showing courage to communicate effectively in the workplace. You’ll learn more about the factors in overcoming those challenges: the impacts of biases, the value of diverse perspectives, and the importance of understanding the operations in your organization.
Bringing the Five Languages of Appreciation into the Workplace with Dr. Paul White
Building a work culture of appreciation among managers and employees is an HR dream. And while turning that dream into reality isn’t necessarily a snap, it’s not the obstacle you may have thought it once was.
In this episode, host Adam Weber sits down with Dr. Paul White, coauthor of “The Five Languages of Appreciation in the Workplace,” to explore why and how authentic appreciation in the workplace can transform your office atmosphere, whether it's in-person or remote. Dr. White delves into each of the five languages of appreciation:
- Words of affirmation
- Quality time
- Acts of service
- Tangible gifts
- Physical touch
HR leaders can create appreciation resources for employers and managers to live out the work, inspiring value and motivation among each other. But the key is to not treat every employee the same.
Closing the Gap Between Vulnerability and Leadership with Jacob Morgan
As an HR leader, how do you balance a work culture of strong, visionary, and confident employees with discussions about their challenges, failures, and struggles? You start by normalizing the idea of vulnerability at work. A trained futurist and an authority on workplace leadership, Jacob Morgan delves into his thoughts and concepts from his latest book, “Leading with Vulnerability” where he interviewed over 100 CEOs and 14,000 employees. In this episode, he discusses the important challenge of introducing vulnerability in a work setting. Jacob shares his own personal journey, starting out as a skeptic and ending as a believer. He also hones in on a crucial takeaway: vulnerability is only effective when combined with competence and leadership. With actionable tips and strategies, you’ll learn how you can integrate vulnerability into your own leadership style.
Optimizing Movement for Increased Productivity and Less Burnout with Lara Heimann
In this episode, host Adam Weber sits down with movement expert Lara Heimann, founder and CEO of LYT Method, to explore the powerful connections between mind messaging and movement. It doesn’t take much for HR leaders to set employees on the right track toward productivity, happiness, and overall well-being.
The Secrets to a Successful Off-site with Nadia Alaee
Want to know the secrets to a successful off-site program?
Nadia Alaee, Senior Director, HRBP at Deel, has all the answers. She works diligently to build and execute an effective offsite program that brings people together for in-person collaboration.
In this conversation, Nadia shares her insights and journey in building and implementing successful off-site events. She dives into several key areas: how to build a foolproof agenda, involve key stakeholders, leverage technology and offline interactions, all while fostering relationships and strengthening team dynamics.
Embracing Authenticity and Creating a Culture of Belonging With Ritu Bhasin
Creating a culture of belonging begins with individual healing. Ritu Bhasin, author of We’ve Got This – Unlocking the Beauty of Belonging, shares how leaders’ personal growth cascades into organization-wide belonging. In this conversation, she unravels the complexity of belonging, leadership, and self-discovery, and how they all intersect to create inclusive and authentic work environments. Get ready to be inspired and challenged as we navigate the personal and professional journeys that shape our sense of belonging and the impact it has on others.
Blending Data with Human-Centered Initiatives with Sarah Lovelace
Creating a thriving culture requires both empathy and data. Sarah Lovelace, VP of People at Airbase, mixes these two ingredients perfectly. By blending data with human-centered initiatives, she’s built vibrant, successful cultures at several incredible organizations.
In this conversation, Sarah shares her insights and her journey in building and implementing effective people practices. She dives into several key areas: connecting a global organization, using data to align leadership on initiatives, and collaborating with finance to plan effectively.
Overcoming Analysis Paralysis in Hiring with Gabby Popowitz
Analysis paralysis gets the best of us all, especially when it comes to hiring decisions. Gabby Popowitz, Senior Director of Talent & Culture at Boardable, shares her advice for crafting a consistent, empowering talent acquisition program that enables clear decision-making. She explains the importance of combining deep research with structure and simplicity in the hiring process. Gabby also shares what she’s learned about compassion as an HR leader after losing her mom. She emphasizes the importance of reacting with care and serving as a supportive ambassador for the company when employees face difficult situations.
Overcoming the Shame Spiral to Unlock Growth with Sayle Hutchison
Sayle Hutchison, CFO of 15Five, is one of the most accomplished CFOs in the software industry, but it took a journey of personal growth to get where she is today. She shares how she’s overcome negative self-talk and shame, developed confidence as a female leader in tech, and committed to creating a life worth living. In this conversation, Sayle unpacks the common obstacles she's seen other high-performing women face on their journey to becoming executives. She explains a concept called the Defeat Triangle and provides tangible steps to overcome it and unlock growth.
Prioritizing and Adapting Your Core Values with Christine Kaszubski
Core values are even more important than your strategic plan, according to Christine Kaszubski, Chief People Officer at Pindrop. She explains that core values provide a shared vocabulary, vision, and understanding. These elements establish a level of trust that companies lacking a strong set of core values struggle to develop. In this conversation, Christine shares her insights on building a strong organizational culture through actionable core values and culture champions. She also provides guidance for adapting those core values as your business evolves, setting yourself up for success at a new organization, and planning ahead for future needs.
Eliciting Potential in Your Employees with Andrea Butcher
Focusing on the human experience is crucial to effective HR leadership, whether you’re seeking to protect your organization, develop leaders, or foster employee growth. Andrea Butcher, CEO of HRD, author of the Human Resource Kit for Dummies, and host of the [Being [at Work]] podcast, breaks down the importance of human connection in these key areas of HR. She shares her perspective on how HR has shifted over the past two decades, explains how to create more human work environments, and offers her advice for aspiring HR leaders.
Fixing Broken HR Systems One Win at a Time with Kara Kirby
As HR leaders, we’re working inside broken systems. How do we positively influence our organizations despite the systemic issues we face? In this episode, Kara Kirby CEO of Insights Leadership Group and host of the Pop! On Leadership podcast, shares how HR leaders can borrow skills from sales to influence their organizations for the better. Kara emphasizes the importance of advocating for yourself, speaking the language of your audience, and starting small. She discusses the most broken pieces of HR today and shares how to address them to make a lasting impact on your organization.
Cultivating Exceptional Employee Experience Through Trust and Transparency with Mary Slaughter
Mary Slaughter, author and Distinguished Principal Research Fellow at The Conference Board, brings her decades of C-suite to discuss comprehensive employee experience, including the emotions of your employees, employee trust in the midst of layoffs, and the importance of prioritizing leadership development.
Empowering Growth Through Self-Discovery with Gretchen Schott
In this conversation, Gretchen Schott, Chief Learning Officer at Threefold, emphasizes the need to slow down and quiet the noise to enable personal and organizational growth. She explains how making time to reflect and cultivating a practice of stillness allows you to create a culture of growth, empowerment, and fulfillment for yourself and your employees.
Embracing Simplicity in HR with Dawn Mitchell and Pamela Greenberg
Hacker One's Chief People Officer Dawn Mitchell and Senior Manager of Talent Strategy Pamela Greenberg are prime examples of getting your foundation right. They’ve learned that building a top culture doesn’t require flashy new approaches—just a simple, transparent strategy for taking care of your people. In this episode, you’ll learn how to implement tried-and-true approaches to developing trust, create a thriving remote-first culture, and establish a solid foundation that empowers leaders.
Empowerment is the Future of HR with Sarah Walker
Sarah Walker, Head of People at LTSE, has always been a few years ahead of the trends in the HR world. In this conversation, Sarah shares advice for enabling business leaders and taking a strategic, operational approach to HR. You'll hear how her experience in operations and entrepreneurship have translated into powerful insights for her role today.
Creative Ways to Combat Talent Scarcity
Ben Eubanks, Chief Research Officer at Lighthouse Research & Advisory and author of Talent Scarcity, reveals the root problem with hiring and retention. Through his research, he’s seen many job-hoppers end up unsatisfied no matter the pay increases or lofty titles they achieve. The common thread among them is that they’re seeking – and failing to find – deeper connection at work.
Breaking Through the Concrete Ceiling with Zee Clarke
In this episode, Zee shares her powerful story of overcoming the concrete ceiling, a phrase reserved for women of color specifically, because while glass can be broken, concrete is much harder to break. She explains how she used her own experience to help others, and practical breathing techniques for stress relief.
Integrating Cultures Through M&As with Sarika Lamont
The Vice President of People & Culture at Vidyard shares the crucial steps HR leaders can take to ensure seamless integration during mergers and acquisitions by prioritizing people and culture to drive results. She explains how she takes a proactive approach to people leadership, breaks down silos, and challenges herself to think differently to enable a new vision for the future.
What Neuroscience Reveals About Employee Experience
Dr. Zak breaks down his Immersion Framework for creating incredible employee experiences including, setting the stage, immersing employees in the experience through emotional engagement, and targeting individuals who are especially engaged and can become champions.
Building a Culture of Authenticity with Tyneeha Rivers
Curaleaf CPO, Tyneeha Rivers, breaks down the process of creating lasting cultural change to create spaces where people can be their authentic selves. As you listen, you’ll hear strategies for equipping leaders to empathetically connect with employees and techniques for using data to measure and improve employee engagement.
Making a Data-Driven Case for Employee Development with David Pearson
From tuition reimbursement to creating training programs, investing in your employees’ growth can get expensive. So how do you know if it’s worth it? David shares how to make a data-driven case for employee development programs to ensure everyone is equipped to succeed at their current job and beyond.
Perfect Is the Enemy of Progress with Liesel Mertes
Liesel shares practical ways to strengthen your empathy muscle as a manager, HR leader, and friend. She explains what is and isn't effective at helping someone through hardship and offers tangible tools to care for people well.
Leading Through Trauma with Tarveen Forrester
In this conversation, Tarveen Forrester, Head of People Operations and Diversity at Tastemade, shares her advice for navigating hard situations and leading others through them. Tarveen also discusses how to equip managers to lead a diverse workforce, leverage your team members’ strengths, and create a cohesive culture when spread across the globe.
Empathy & Expectations: Your First 90 Days as a People Leader w/ Workweek's Hebba Youssef
Hebba is CPO at Workweek and creator of the popular “I Hate It Here” newsletter. She shares her experience about the importance of communicating to other leaders what is and is not a fire, and what she does not stand for as an HR leader. Curious to hear what that is? Listen in...
HR’s Evolution from Cost Center to Profit Center
As a former VP of HR for over 20 years, Jill spent her career learning about the importance of a people strategy and how it can positively affect an organization’s culture and environment.Listen in to learn more about how to delegate so you have time to think, what it looks like to invest in outside partners, and how to get the most out of your people function.
Unapologetically Human: Embracing Mental Health in the Workplace w/ Walgreens' Holly May
What responsibility do leaders have in supporting the mental health of their employees? One thing is certain—authenticity and vulnerability play an important role. Holly speaks with Adam about the power of vulnerability and how it can impact employees, improving work relationships and performance.
People Leaders & The Weight of Keeping Secrets w/ Jen Paxton
The unwritten job description of a people leader is the need to listen and safeguard everyone’s worries and struggles, but it can be a lonely place. Jen shares how secrets can impact a person’s mental health and also shares practical ways to dig yourself out of that isolation.
How People Fuel VC Success with VMG Partners’ Brianna Rizzo
Listen in to hear Brianna correct misconceptions about talent in VC ecosystems, reveal the secret to building a strong startup team, and share how to fuel your success with a talent strategy.
Making Bold Investments in Your People with Auror’s Kirsti Grant
Kirsti shares the guiding principles that have allowed her team at Auror to create a cohesive and high-performing culture they love. This includes sharing context around every initiative, aligning the team on strategy, and the massive ROI of leadership development.
Leading with Meaning Over Mandates: An Exclusive Live Podcast from 15Five's Thrive Gathering
Salesforce’s Karen Mangia discusses leading with values, creating meaning at work, and how to make your company a community where people find belonging. She shares the importance of flexibility, autonomy, and choice for employees when it comes to workplace policies and benefits.
Preserve Your Cultural “Secret Sauce” As You Grow with Rippling’s Christine Maxwell
Christine shares how she helps set people up for success by emphasizing the importance of intentional onboarding, using cultural rituals to reinforce company values, and humanizing executive leadership. Perhaps that's part of why Rippling has grown from 200 to 1,600 people in just two years.
Translating Personal Conversations into Business Results
Kathleen Ragelis, Head of People at Komodo Health, joins the show to share her experience with the power of vulnerable conversations and how they translate to business results. She also walks us through how to build an environment that balances high-performance with high-care.
Tech-Enabled Coaching Creates A Work World Where Everybody Wins
Jon Greenawalt shares how tech is making manager coaching and training more accessible, and how it can bring about lasting change. We dive into the core competencies of the modern leader, how to create learning programs that work, and how to show the return on your investment in personal development.
People Leaders are Business Leaders
Helpscout's Latoya Lyn took her seat at the executive table to educate the business on what HR can do as a business partner and business leader. Listen as she explains why she's primarily a product leader, building products (acquisition, performance, etc.) for the business to drive on.
Teaming Up with Your C-Suite
Becoming a teammate with the rest of the leadership team is critical to building a successful HR function. In this episode, Kate McKinnon, Head of HR at Playfly Sports, discusses what it looks like to partner with your people, find creativity in HR, and unify around a shared mission.
The Measurable Value of Inclusion
15Five's Cara Pelletier shares her personal story around discovering her neurodivergence and how that fuels her passion for working in the DEIB space. Cara also explains how inclusive companies experience more than just safe working environments; they also see measurable returns on the investment they make in their people.
The HR Industry’s Evolution from an Administrative Function to a Strategic Function
Today's leaders need to consider the enormous complexity we’re all facing and how to care for employees as human beings. Businesses tend to move to one end of the empathy/results spectrum. Josh Bersin, top industry analyst and founder of the Josh Bersin Academy, shares his thoughts on maintaining a balanced focus on both results and empathy.
Your Host
HR Superstars is the first and only People Ops podcast that is integrated with a thriving HR community hosted by...
Adam Weber
Fmr. CPO & Creator of HR Superstars Community
Adam Weber is the SVP of Community at 15Five and the former Chief People Officer and Co-founder of employee engagement survey platform, Emplify, which was acquired by 15FIve in 2021. Adam has spoken around the country on topics like employee engagement, team performance, and leadership development, and is the author of the Amazon bestseller, Lead Like A Human. In 2020, Adam was named to Business Insider’s list of Rising Stars in HR. He is a former musician, retired pastor, aspiring comedian, and currently lives in Zionsville, Indiana with his wife, two sons, and dog, Poppy. Follow Adam on LinkedIn.
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