HR Superstars – Details, episodes & analysis

Too many leaders still separate people and performance, as if caring about one cancels out the other.

In this episode, Fringe CEO and co-founder Jordan Peace joins Karina Young to challenge that mindset. He explains how trust and genuine care empower people to do great work. Together, they explore what happens when organizations lose their sense of humanity, how fear and disconnection create cynicism, and why rebuilding culture starts with small acts of kindness. Jordan also shares how HR leaders can use data and storytelling to get executives to prioritize employee well-being as a key driver of an organization's long-term success.

Join us as we discuss:
(00:00) Meet HR Superstar: Jordan Peace
(04:33) Why workplaces feel disconnected from people
(08:34) Cultural warning signs: cynicism and blame
(12:18) Relationships drive engagement and productivity
(14:16) How to get the C-suite to care more
(19:19) The impact of people-first leadership
(26:06) Why events & activities can't fix culture
(34:30) Healing workplace cynicism through genuine care

Resources:

For the entire interview, subscribe to HR Superstars on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or YouTube, or tune in on our website. Original podcast track produced by Entheo.

Listening on a desktop & can't see the links? Just search for HR Superstars in your favorite podcast player.

Hear Karina's thoughts on elevating your HR career by following her on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/karinayoung11/

Download 15Five's The HR Leader's Guide to Reducing Regrettable Turnover: https://www.15five.com/guide-to-reducing-regrettable-turnover?utm_source=podcast&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=Q2_2023_Podcast_CTAs&utm_content=Reducing Regrettable Turnover eBook

For more on maximizing employee performance, engagement, and retention, click here: https://www.15five.com/demo?utm_source=podcast&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=Q2-Podcast-Ads&utm_content=Schedule-a-demo

Jordan Peace's LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/jordan-peace-fringe/

We talk a lot about strategy in HR, but not enough about the stories behind it. 

Too often, people-first initiatives lose their power because the "why" gets buried under data, process, and policy.

In this minisode, Karina Young, VP of People at 15Five and host of HR Superstars, discusses why storytelling is one of the most overlooked skills in HR leadership. She shares how storytelling makes sense of data, experience, and business decisions and how HR leaders can use stories to earn buy-in for initiatives across the organization.

For anyone looking to strengthen their communication skills, this episode will help you lead with more empathy and impact.

Join us as we discuss:
(00:00) Meet HR Superstar: Karina Young
(00:44) Why HR storytelling matters now
(02:30) Translating your "why" across audiences
(06:04) Do this to improve your communication skills

Resources:

For the entire interview, subscribe to HR Superstars on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or YouTube, or tune in on our website. Original podcast track produced by Entheo.

Listening on a desktop & can't see the links? Just search for HR Superstars in your favorite podcast player.

Hear Karina's thoughts on elevating your HR career by following her on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/karinayoung11/

Download 15Five's Employee Engagement Playbook: https://www.15five.com/ebook/engage-to-excel-15fives-employee-engagement-playbook/?utm_source=podcast&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=Q2_2023_Podcast_CTAs&utm_content=Employee

For more on maximizing employee performance, engagement, and retention, click here: https://www.15five.com/demo?utm_source=podcast&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=Q2-Podcast-Ads&utm_content=Schedule-a-demo

HR leaders are feeling the squeeze. 

With limited resources and growing pressure to improve engagement, performance, and retention, many are tasked with building manager support systems from scratch, often without the time or tools to do it effectively. In this episode, Morgan Webb, Senior Strategic Advisor at 15Five, and Yen Tan, Evangelist, Expansion & Manager Products at 15Five, share how HR can take a more focused and sustainable approach to manager enablement.

They discuss why blanket training programs rarely work, how to use data to identify where support is needed most, and why piloting and iterating can drive better results than aiming for perfection. This conversation guides HR teams ready to stop doing it all and start doing what works.

Join us as we discuss:

(00:00) Meet HR Superstars: Yen Tan & Morgan Webb

(03:24) Yen Tan on management journey and challenges

(04:43) Morgan Webb shares leadership lessons

(06:55) The current state of HR and why HR owns manager enablement

(10:04) Managers are the bridge between HR goals and culture

(16:26) The danger of generic training and what to do instead

(18:18) The 70-20-10 model and learning styles

(20:01) Piloting and adapting learning based on feedback

(28:01) Overcoming skepticism and finding champions

(31:41) Measuring the effectiveness of manager enablement

(35:12) Continuous measurement for engagement and health

(37:07) Using manager meetings and existing rhythms for reinforcement

Resources:

For the entire interview, subscribe to HR Superstars on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or YouTube, or tune in on our website. Original podcast track produced by Entheo.

Listening on a desktop & can't see the links? Just search for HR Superstars in your favorite podcast player.

Hear Karina's thoughts on elevating your HR career by following her on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/karinayoung11/

Download 15Five's Manager Enablement Playbook: https://www.15five.com/content/15fives-manager-enablement-playbook-for-hr-leaders/?utm_source=&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=Podcast​​ 

For more on maximizing employee performance, engagement, and retention, click here: here:https://www.15five.com/demo?utm_source=podcast&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=Q2-Podcast-Ads&utm_content=Schedule-a-demo

Are you drowning in new program roll-outs, employee relations, and change management? It's time to put a simple, solid infrastructure in place.

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.

For the entire interview, subscribe to HR Superstars on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or Stitcher. Or tune in on our website. Original podcast track produced by Entheo.

Want to connect with thousands of other strategic HR leaders like you, join the HR Superstars Community!

Listening on a desktop & can't see the links? Just search for HR Superstars in your favorite podcast player.*

Have a burning HR or people ops question and don't know who to turn to? Adam Weber and the HR Superstars Hotline is here to help.

On this show, you get to hear from truly stellar people leaders and how they think about running extraordinary companies and cultures. While Adam occasionally shares some of his ideas alongside them, we thought we'd switch things up and give you a glimpse into how he thinks about the world of progressive HR, people operations, and doing business a little differently than ever been done before.

In this episode, Adam delves into the current hot topic of unlimited PTO, offering his unique and insightful perspective, while also offering ways to navigate the subject.

Have a question for Adam? Leave your own voicemail at speakpipe.com/hrsuperstarshotline

For the entire interview, subscribe to HR Superstars on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or Stitcher. Or tune in on our website.

Want to connect with thousands of other strategic HR leaders like you, join the HR Superstars Community!

Listening on a desktop & can't see the links? Just search for HR Superstars in your favorite podcast player.*

Sarah Walker, Head of People at LTSE, has always been a few years ahead of the trends in the HR world.

Years before they became macro trends, she dove into innovative strategies like putting an operational lens on HR, prioritizing wellness at work, and leveraging HR as a strategic function.

Now, Sarah is focused on equipping business leaders to do things they've typically relied on HR to do, such as handling tough conversations with employees and noticing problems as they arise. She believes empowerment is the future of HR.

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.

For the entire interview, subscribe to HR Superstars on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or Stitcher. Or tune in on our website. Original podcast track produced by Entheo.

Want to connect with thousands of other strategic HR leaders like you, join the HR Superstars Community!

Listening on a desktop & can't see the links? Just search for HR Superstars in your favorite podcast player.*

Have a burning HR or people ops question and don't know who to turn to? Adam Weber and the HR Superstars Hotline is here to help.

On this show, you get to hear from truly stellar people leaders and how they think about running extraordinary companies and cultures. While Adam occasionally shares some of his ideas alongside them, we thought we'd switch things up and give you a glimpse into how he thinks about the world of progressive HR, people operations, and doing business a little differently than ever been done before.

In this episode, Adam shares what separates the best HR leaders from everyone else.

Have a question for Adam? Leave your own voicemail at speakpipe.com/hrsuperstarshotline

For the entire interview, subscribe to HR Superstars on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or Stitcher. Or tune in on our website.

Want to connect with thousands of other strategic HR leaders like you, join the HR Superstars Community!

Listening on a desktop & can't see the links? Just search for HR Superstars in your favorite podcast player.*

Employers everywhere are struggling with hiring and retention. The list of reasons for talent scarcity is long, but what's at the heart of the issue?

Ben Eubanks, Chief Research Officer at Lighthouse Research & Advisory, and author of Talent Scarcity reveals the root problem: a lack of connection.

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.

In this conversation, Ben shares actionable insights from his research to help people leaders create a culture that attracts and retains top talent.

For the entire interview, subscribe to HR Superstars on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or Stitcher. Or tune in on our website. Original podcast track produced by Entheo.

Want to connect with thousands of other strategic HR leaders like you, join the HR Superstars Community!

Listening on a desktop & can't see the links? Just search for HR Superstars in your favorite podcast player.*

Many people leaders today are dealing with burnout, stress, and mental health issues, but people of color are disproportionately affected.

Zee Clark, author of Black People Breathe, experienced this firsthand as a young professional in Silicon Valley. Eventually, she burned out and took a sabbatical to India to heal. Along the way, she learned the life-changing mindfulness skills that she teaches today.

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.

For the entire interview, follow HR Superstars on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or Stitcher. Or tune in on our website. Original podcast track produced by Entheo.

Want to connect with thousands of other strategic HR leaders like you, join the HR Superstars Community!

Listening on a desktop & can't see the links? Just search for HR Superstars in your favorite podcast player.*

HR leaders play a pivotal role in guiding their organizations towards strategic growth. This is particularly true when it comes to navigating the complexities of rapid growth and M&A integration where prioritizing culture and people can be the difference between success and failure.

Sarika Lamont, Vice President of People & Culture at Vidyard, shares the crucial steps HR leaders can take to ensure seamless integration and 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.

For the entire interview, subscribe to HR Superstars on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or Stitcher. Or tune in on our website. Original podcast track produced by Entheo.

Want to connect with thousands of other strategic HR leaders like you, join the HR Superstars Community!

Listening on a desktop & can't see the links? Just search for HR Superstars in your favorite podcast player.*