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.*

Creating an extraordinary employee experience is the never-ending quest of people leaders.

Thankfully, we don't have to leave it up to luck or trial and error. In this conversation, Dr. Paul Zak, Professor, Speaker, and Co-Founder of Immersion Neuroscience, reveals the science behind exceptional employee experiences.

Dr. Zak explains how to use his Immersion Framework to engage employees, increase productivity, and improve happiness. He shares his formula for creating top-notch experiences and crafting training that sticks.

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.*

You can't change culture behind a desk.

Tyneeha Rivers, Chief People Officer at Curaleaf, has been transforming cultures for 25 years. She knows that if you want to see a shift in your organization, you have to roll up your sleeves.

In this conversation, Tyneeha 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.

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.*

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 best practices on conflict management strategies.

In this episode, Adam shares best practices on conflict management strategies.

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.*

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.

Join us as we discuss:

(00:00) Meet HR Superstars: Will Howard & David Hawthorne

(01:30) What is McLean & Company's HR Trends Report

(04:29) Will Howard breaks down the new data

(09:52) Turning HR's reactive response into a proactive strategy

(11:51) The risk of HR losing strategic ground

(18:52) Data literacy as an opportunity for HR impact

(27:12) Rethinking leadership and career paths

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 Performance Review Playbook:(https://www.15five.com/ebook/review-process-playbook?utm_source=podcast&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=Q2_2023_Podcast_CTAs&utm_content=Performance) 

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

Will Howard's LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/williamjhoward/

David Hawthorne's LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/thedhawthorne/

McLean & Company - https://hr.mcleanco.com/

Anchor Point Management Group - https://www.anchorpointmg.com/

From tuition reimbursement to creating training programs, investing in your employees' growth can get expensive. How do you know if it's worth it?

In this conversation, David Pearson, SVP of People and Culture at Extensis HR, shares how to make a data-driven case for employee development.

He shares how his organization develops its employees to ensure they are equipped to succeed at their current job and beyond. David also discusses the calm and steady presence an HR leader needs to bring to stabilize a team, how to balance composure with authenticity, and how to offboard with care to maintain long-lasting relationships.

Empathy isn't a personality trait. According to Liesel Mertes, Founder of Handle with Care Consulting, it's an essential workplace skill we need to hone.

And at the same time, people who go through disruptions and hard times have to eventually return to the office and add value to the organization. There's a balance to having empathetic conversations and being honest about the nature of the employer/employee relationship

In this episode, 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.

Resources from this episode:

• Balancing High Care and High Performance Panel Discussion
• Empathy Starters One-Page Guide
• For the entire interview, subscribe to HR Superstars on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or Stitcher. Or tune in on our website.

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

Carrying the weight of others' trauma is one of the heaviest people leader responsibilities. If we don't manage our own health well, we'll burn ourselves out to the detriment of those around us.

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. After a tumultuous few years managing the pandemic and the death of an employee, she's developed strong coping skills and boundaries to support her own mental and physical health so she can lead her team well. 

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. 

Join us as we discuss:

• [02:00] Managing self-care as a people leader

• [09:30] Leading others through trauma

• [13:00] Collaborating with a diverse workforce

• [19:00] Equipping managers to communicate effectively

• [22:30] Creating a cohesive culture as a global organization

Resources for this episode:

HR Superstars Summit landing page

*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.*

HR leaders always think of new and better ways to onboard employees, but they rarely think about onboarding themselves.

Hebba Youssef, an HR leader with a mission to build strong connections with employees, joins the podcast to share what people leaders should focus on during their first 90 days.

As the Chief People Officer of Workweek and creator of the popular "I Hate It Here" newsletter, she's always looking to set her people up for success. What's her secret? Onboarding people with equal empathy and expectations. She found that developing good feedback habits and teaching her team how to do things was essential for success, but listen in to learn more about why they have to go together.

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.*

The world of modern HR has changed over the years, but what's something that should always be true?

Jill Lehman, the CEO of Evolve HR Services, believes that strategy should be a core focus no matter what year it is. 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. 

Join us as we discuss:

[05:42] Cultivating culture for the future you want

[11:01] Getting out from behind your desk to learn how to serve your employees 

[23:08] Why HR needs to think like a profit center

[32:23] The benefits of incorporating intentional art in offices 

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.*

Secrets can be heavy, especially when you're carrying others' secrets as well as your own. 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 really lonely place.

Jen Paxton is very familiar with the feeling. As a people leader, entrepreneur, and mother of two, she's had to find ways to cope and stay motivated. In this episode she shares how secrets can impact a person's mental health and also shares practical ways to dig yourself out of that isolation.

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.*

What responsibility do leaders have in the mental health of their employees? Opinions vary, but one thing is certain—authenticity and vulnerability play an important role. Holly May is a seasoned HR professional with a background in total rewards and business partnering in diversity, equity, and inclusion. She has held CHRO roles at Starbucks, Abercrombie and Fitch, and now at Walgreens Boots Alliance, where she has championed the importance of mental health strategies in the workplace.

In her career, Holly discovered the importance of embracing the whole human after a difficult experience herself. Through her struggle, she realized the power of vulnerability and how it can transform relationships and improve performance. Now she embraces balance and prioritizes being a "whole human" at work.

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.*

Culture isn't magic.

When you analyze organizations with great cultures, they all have similar  structures to achieve success.

Daniel Coyle is a renowned author and performance expert who has studied the behavior of successful groups for over a decade. His book, The Culture Code, explores the three pillars of safety, vulnerability, and direction that all successful teams use to be more than the sum of their parts.

Along the way, you'll learn how culture is more like a living set of relationships moving together toward a goal rather than something that's accidentally obtained.

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.*

How do you leave a legacy that outlasts your tenure?

There's no magic formula, but Shane has certainly left his mark on 15Five in his decade with the company. From "Question Fridays" to offering ketamine-assisted therapy as a benefit to employees, he's built a culture that fosters not only the growth of the organization but also of our people themselves.

As Shane transitions out of his role as Chief People Officer, we are excited to welcome Adam Weber as the new host of HR Superstars. Adam is an author, speaker, former Chief People Officer, and currently hosts the popular HR Superstars Community. So he's kind of the perfect person for the role.

In his debut episode, he talks with Shane about legacy, building a culture that fosters growth, and unlocking human potential.

Join us as we discuss:

• [01:52] Transforming what it means to be an employee
• [10:09] Going beyond professional and social identities
• [16:58] Being the vehicle for the realization of people's dreams
• [31:39] Leaving a legacy that outlasts your tenure

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.*

In recent years, talk therapy has become a more normalized benefit for many employees. But what about psychedelic-assisted therapy?

Mindbloom is a mental health treatment company that provides at-home Ketamine therapy with a mission to make the treatment more approachable and affordable.

In this episode, Kristin Arden, lead clinician, shares how Mindbloom is reducing barriers to accessing care and debunking the stigmas around psychedelics. Not only does she share the healing powers of Ketamine therapy, but she also discusses the ways it can transform teams and organizations.

Join us as we discuss:

• [02:12] How ketamine therapy repairs damage from chronic stress
• [12:06] The impact of mental health on the ability to function at work
• [20:40] Benefits of an at-home treatment model
• [28:53] Advice for leaders interested in ketamine therapy

In November of 2022, 15Five became the first company to offer Ketamine-assisted therapy as an employee benefit.

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.*

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.

Join us as we discuss:

(00:00) Meet HR Superstar: David Hawthorne

(02:18) David Hawthorne's HR journey at Anchor Point

(05:57) Shift from hiring to leadership & retention

(09:16) Understanding business to boost HR impact

(18:34) Moving from tactical to strategic HR

(22:46) Leadership's role in reducing turnover

(29:50) AI's role in HR now and in the future

(40:09) The risk of not evolving in HR

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/

Click here to download 15Five's HR Outcomes Playbook: https://www.15five.com/ebook/hr-outcomes-playbook-unlocking-the-true-business-value-of-hr/?utm_source=podcast&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=Q2_2023_Podcast_CTAs&utm_content=HR 

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

David Hawthorne's LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/thedhawthorne/

Anchor Point Management Group - https://www.anchorpointmg.com/

Tech companies are in a big transition right now. They're moving from a "growth at all costs" mentality to a focus on profitability.

Part of this shift means HR teams need to think differently about headcount. We can't hire our problems away. Instead, we need to think about new forms of leverage.

How do you lead your teams to be thinking in a new way despite the whiplash speed of change?

Jim Bartolomea joins the show to share the steps he's taking to shift his focus to profitability as a people leader at ClickUp.

Join us as we discuss:

• [04:30] The role of HR in company culture
• [06:45] Strategically managing headcount
• [10:30] Investing in talent development
• [15:00] Balancing high performance and high care
• [18:30] Why benefits and flexibility attract and retain talent
• [22:45] Holding a compassionate perspective even in a tight market

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.*

The guest audio in this recording is slightly muffled and does not reflect how the guest sounds normally. 

What's the secret to venture capital (VC) success? People.

Brianna Rizzo, Talent Partner at VMG Partners, joins the show to share the power of the people who fuel startups.

For Brianna, it all comes down to building rapport before it's needed, developing a strong talent network, and routing the right people to the right places.

This requires getting curious, investing in relationships, and strategically balancing priorities. When done well, this talent strategy supercharges new companies and enables them to scale successfully.

Listen 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.

Join us as we discuss:

• [03:30] The critical role of talent partners in VC
• [09:45] What founders don't understand about talent
• [14:30] Balancing priorities
• [17:00] Building trust with entrepreneurs
• [22:00] Why diverse teams create new opportunities
• [25:00] Collecting a library of resources
• [28:00] Pursuing a career as a talent partner
• [33:00] The power of coaching
• [43:00] How to learn more about VC talent partners

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.*

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

In this episode, Shane shares gratitude for his eclectic career journey.

You'll learn:

• How workplaces are dojos for our own highest potential
• Why no single role will define your career
• Why work is never just the means to an end

If you've spent time with kids, you know "because I said so," is rarely a satisfactory answer.

The same is true with our teams. We're independent people who question top-down mandates. We want to understand the logic behind a request.

This simple truth has been a guiding principle for Barb Bidan, Chief People Officer at Crunchyroll. When she jumped into her role, she knew she wanted to lead with curiosity and vulnerability. She's chosen to admit what she doesn't know, stand firm on her convictions, and honor the needs of her people.

Listen to hear how she's applied her curious approach to creating a return to work plan, bringing people together after acquisitions, and designing leadership development curriculum.

Join us as we discuss:

• [03:30] Co-creating a healthy hybrid work strategy
• [09:00] Communicating a clear "why"
• [12:00] Designing for both flexibility and certainty
• [20:00] Intentionally bringing people together
• [24:30] Fostering a "first team" mentality
• [31:30] Creating a leadership development curriculum
• [38:15] Learning from variety

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.*

Rapid growth can kill company culture and employee experience. But it doesn't have to be that way.

Kirsti Grant, VP of People Experience at Auror, decided to intentionally make her team better with scale. It's taken hard work, but it's absolutely paid off.

Kirsti joins the show to share the guiding principles that have allowed her team to create a cohesive and high-performing culture they love. She gives practical advice about ensuring everyone has the right context when decisions are made, investing in your people, and helping people love their jobs.

Join us as we discuss:

• [02:00] Developing a consistent employee experience
• [11:00] Managing the grief of layoffs
• [18:00] Making hard work generative rather than destructive
• [22:30] Creating a cohesive culture during growth
• [28:00] Investing in leadership development
• [36:00] Getting a little bit better every day
• [39:00] Shane's fiction recommendations
• [45:00] Helping people love their jobs

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! Interested in Leadership Development for your managers? Check out Transform Training & Coaching.

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

What are your people passionate about? Are they engaging those passions in their jobs today?

Unfortunately, most managers don't know because they don't have regular 1-on-1s with their people. But Bonnie Curtis is here to change that.

She recently completed research on frontline managers and their relationships with their bosses. The findings are painfully obvious: as leaders, we need to ensure the basics are happening in our companies but we're dropping the ball far too often. From career conversations to translating company goals into clear plans for teams, people on the frontlines aren't getting the support they need to succeed.

Bonnie joins the show to remind us of the basics we're neglecting, share how we can support frontline managers, and encourage self-leadership.

Join us as we discuss:

• [02:00] Supporting frontline managers
• [07:00] Creating opportunities for engagement
• [11:00] Operationalizing role clarity
• [15:00] Developing self-leadership
• [21:30] Becoming a transformational manager
• [26:00] Practicing empathy as a leader
• [30:45] Forging a win-win dynamic
• [33:30] Partnering with frontline managers

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.*

Whether we're being picky eaters as kids refusing to eat our broccoli, or as grown-up employees pushing back on back-to-office rules, as humans, we resist mandates.

That's why, rather than taking a top-down authoritarian approach, Karen Mangia, VP of Customer and Market Insights at Salesforce and author of Success From Anywhere, encourages us to lead by finding shared values.

Karen joined Shane for this live podcast recording at Thrive, our annual gathering of HR leaders that recently took place in Austin, Texas. Listen to hear them discuss leading by values, creating meaning at work, and how to make your company a community where people find belonging.

Join us as we discuss:

• [02:00] Gathering with a purpose
• [06:15] Aligning organizational and personal values
• [09:00] Learning what matters to your people
• [14:00] Differentiating between authentic needs and entitlement
• [19:00] Getting unstuck and discovering possibilities
• [22:00] Coaching vs. managing
• [24:30] Finding more ways to win
• [28:00] Allowing people to be honest about what they want and need
• [32:30] Moving from tolerance to consciousness
• [34:45] Developing companies into communities

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.*

Christine Maxwell, VP of People at Rippling, knows a thing or two about growth, as her organization has grown from 200 to 1600 in less than two years.

She joins the show to share how she helps set her people up for success when they first join the team and beyond. She emphasizes the importance of intentional onboarding, using cultural rituals to reinforce company values, and humanizing executive leadership.

Christine shares practices you can incorporate to cultivate strong leaders, communicate clearly, and preserve your cultural "secret sauce" even as you grow.

Join us as we discuss:

• [03:30] The neurobiology of belonging
• [06:30] Providing significant opportunities for your team
• [09:30] Empowering an influx of employees to be successful
• [14:30] Making new hires feel cared for with thoughtful onboarding
• [19:00] Practices for building great managers
• [22:30] Reinforcing culture with company rituals
• [27:00] The critical role CEOs play in setting cultural tone
• [34:00] The impact of communicating business priorities effectively

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.

Join us at Thrive 2022 with your fellow HR leaders and their teams for an unforgettable experience of community-building, learning, and inspiration! We'll have some fascinating panels and key notes where you'll learn how to drive action that fuels higher performance, create more engaged humans, and how to build an HR team that unlocks the potential of managers and is in alignment with executives. We'll also be recording a special episode of the HR Superstars podcast, live at the event. Go to 15Five.com/Thrive to register and get special early bird pricing until September 23rd.

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.*

Being a manager today is like taking a master class in self-development.

More than any external practice, your own self-awareness and emotional intelligence are key to both your individual success and your organization's success. When we intentionally grow in these areas, work can be a win-win paradigm where we bring our best selves to work and invite others to do the same.

This all sounds great, right? But how do we actually make it happen?

Jon Greenawalt, SVP of Customer Transformation at 15Five, shares how tech is making coaching more accessible, and how it can bring about lasting change.

In this episode, Jon dives into the core competencies of a modern leader, how to create learning programs that work, and how to show the return on your investment in personal development.

Join us as we discuss:

• [08:00] Continuous education and training
• [10:00] Integrating learning and development with HR
• [14:30] Translating ideas to action through software
• [16:30] Turning survey data into an actionable strategy
• [23:00] Where the ed tech industry is going
• [27:00] Measuring learning outcomes
• [30:00] What healthy psychological safety looks like
• [36:00] Why strengths-based development works
• [38:30] The importance of self-awareness as a leader

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.

Join us at Thrive 2022 with your fellow HR leaders and their teams for an unforgettable experience of community-building, learning, and inspiration! We'll have some fascinating panels and key notes where you'll learn how to drive action that fuels higher performance, create more engaged humans, and how to build an HR team that unlocks the potential of managers and is in alignment with executives. We'll also be recording a special episode of the HR Superstars podcast, live at the event. Go to 15Five.com/Thrive to register and get special early bird pricing until September 23rd.

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.*

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

In this episode, Shane shares his opinion on compensation philosophies and what it takes to retain top talent.

You'll learn:

• Compensation can't be done in a vacuum; it requires collaboration
• Why comp programs aren't just revenue opportunities, they are opportunities to retain and attract top talent
• How we're all partners in the business when it comes to accomplishing goals

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.

Whether you're leading a remote team or expanding globally, this conversation offers practical insights to help your people thrive.

Join us as we discuss:

(00:00) Meet HR Superstar: Alexandra Erman

(05:47) Creating unity in an international workforce

(10:35) Enabling asynchronous communication across time zones

(15:02) Why early HR leadership matters 

(18:18) HR metrics for distributed teams

(21:58) BeforeAI's dual management system

(32:20) Compensation bands and pay transparency

(39:21) Intentional ways to support a global workforce

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 Performance Review Playbook:
 https://www.15five.com/ebook/review-process-playbook?utm_source=podcast&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=Q2_2023_Podcast_CTAs&utm_content=Performance

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

Alexandra Erman's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexandraerman/

BforeAI's Website: https://bfore.ai/

What's the People Leadership paradox?

HR, the people tasked with driving outcomes via all the other individuals at the company, are often set up for failure. Employees are an organization's largest expense and also the most important driver for achieving your goals. Shouldn't companies be empowering HR to succeed?

Helping employees thrive within the confines of a budget, performance standards, and compensation parameters is a paradox many people leaders face, and Julie Rogers joins the show to discuss performance in the context of the evolving employee engagement landscape.

She also dives into challenges people leaders face, how to build trust between your people and organization, and best practices for developing lasting engagement.

Join us as we discuss:

• [05:00] The evolution of employee engagement
• [08:00] Understanding the value of people data
• [10:30] Defining employee engagement
• [13:00] The paradox of people leadership
• [17:30] Acknowledging the two-way business relationship
• [21:00] Building employer-employee trust
• [28:00] Leading with clarity and kindness
• [32:00] Iterating on your people lifecycle
• [37:30] Why semantics matter
• [42:00] Setting expectations and communicating about perks

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.

Join us at Thrive 2022 with your fellow HR leaders and their teams for an unforgettable experience of community-building, learning, and inspiration! We'll have some fascinating panels and key notes where you'll learn how to drive action that fuels higher performance, create more engaged humans, and how to build an HR team that unlocks the potential of managers and is in alignment with executives. We'll also be recording a special episode of the HR Superstars podcast, live at the event. Go to 15Five.com/Thrive to register and get special early bird pricing until September 23rd.

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.*

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

In this episode, Shane shares why he's taking a sabbatical and why 15Five created a sabbatical program in the first place.

You'll learn:

• The power of making space to just be a human being
• How time off inspires innovation and creativity
• Why companies should think about giving employees time to be 

There are a lot of taboo topics these days. But some of the most moving experiences happen when we muster up the courage to talk about the things we aren't supposed to talk about.

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. She shares three practices her team uses to stay in touch with the rest of their company, and the role of managers in cultivating healthy culture.

Join us as we discuss:

[13:00] The power of storytelling in navigating tough topics
[20:30] How intentional conversations translate to business results
[25:00] The role of managers in cultivating a high-performance and high-care culture
[27:30] The importance of the ability to coach as a people partner
[33:00] Helping people partners understand business context
[38:00] Showing the outcomes your people team brings to the business
[40:00] Staying curious and open to feedback
[43:30] Fighting imposter syndrome

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.

Join us at Thrive 2022 with your fellow HR leaders and their teams for an unforgettable experience of community-building, learning, and inspiration! We'll have some fascinating panels and key notes where you'll learn how to drive action that fuels higher performance, create more engaged humans, and how to build an HR team that unlocks the potential of managers and is in alignment with executives. We'll also be recording a special episode of the HR Superstars podcast, live at the event. Go to 15Five.com/Thrive to register and get special early bird pricing until September 23rd.

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.*

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

So here it is. Your first sneak peek into Shane's brain and his take on the power of believing.

You'll learn:

• How we shape other people at the same time they shape us
• The value of external championing, especially in the form of mentorship
• Why recognition gives you the push to give your gifts 

How many times have you taken a personality assessment only to forget all about it a few days later?

Ann Herrmann-Nehdi, Chair of the Board and Chief Thought Leader at Herrmann, believes it's time to make assessments usable on a daily basis. Hermann uses a proprietary Whole Brain® Thinking approach (not a personality assessment) to make it easy to build alignment, engagement, and agility across your organization.  Ann's on a mission to help leaders and teams change their thinking and leverage each others' strengths.

She joins the show to discuss neurodiversity, retraining your brain, and becoming a human-centered leader. We dive into practical ways to take ownership of your mind and build a stronger team by understanding yourself and others more deeply.

Join us as we discuss:

[03:00] Defining cognitive diversity and neurodiversity
[05:30] How the brain develops over time
[09:00] How to change your brain
[12:30] Becoming a human-centered leader
[19:30] Beginning the journey of self-awareness
[26:15] Using assessments effectively
[35:30] The importance of recognizing our differences

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.

The HR leaders who join our show share deep insights about keeping employees engaged and fostering high performance. 15Five's Perform product gives people leaders the tools they need to help run strategic end-to-end performance management. It allows for unbiased performance measurement so you can make fair and accurate compensation decisions and ensure every employee is growing in their roles, their careers, and their lives. Head over to 15five.com/perform and try 15Five free for a couple of weeks or request a demo.

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.*

We're about to launch our new season of HR Superstars in September, so we wanted to give you a sneak peek at which amazing guests you can expect to hear from.

First, we kick off with brain science. Ann Herrmann-Nehdi, shares how Herrmann's HBDI Brain Dominance Instrument assessment differs from personality assessments, using a proprietary Whole Brain Thinking approach to make it easy to build alignment, engagement, and agility across your organization.

Next, Kathleen Ragelis, Head of People at Komodo Health, shares her experience with the power of vulnerable conversations and storytelling and how they translate to business results.

And we're really excited to share the interview with advisor and Chief People Officer, Julie Rogers. People leaders have a lot on their plate, and Julie and Shane talk about how unfortunate it is that despite all they do, people leaders are often set up for failure.

Shane also catches up with Jon Greenawalt, who leads Transform, 15Five's coaching and manager training solution. And finally, we wrap the season by talking to Christine Maxwell, Chief People Officer at Rippling, one of the most innovative HRIS companies around.

You won't want to miss this season of HR Superstars.

For the entire episode, 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.*

A people-first approach to work sounds great, but is it really a winning strategy?

Diane Adams, Chief Culture and Talent Officer at Sprinklr, is here to say it is, and she has the numbers to prove it.

In just over a year, her team reduced attrition by 44%, even in the midst of a hot labor market.

She joins the show to share her perspective on work-life integration, the power of believing in people, and balancing authenticity with performance.

Join us as we discuss:

[02:00] The value of work-life flexibility
[07:45] Why people-first work is a winning strategy
[12:00] The power of believing in your people
[17:30] Showing up authentically through loss
[26:15] Balancing authenticity with achieving results
[30:15] Managing performance and employee delight
[40:30] Supporting your people's dreams and strengths

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.

The HR leaders who join our show share deep insights about keeping employees engaged and fostering high performance. 15Five's Perform product gives people leaders the tools they need to help run strategic end-to-end performance management. It allows for unbiased performance measurement so you can make fair and accurate compensation decisions and ensure every employee is growing in their roles, their careers, and their lives. Head over to 15five.com/perform and try 15Five free for a couple of weeks or request a demo.

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.*

If you want to be a strategic HR leader, you need to master compensation. And then remaster it again and again.

Andrea Morales, VP of People Rewards, Data, and Operations at Affirm, shares insights from her experience, as well as principles for creating a compensation strategy that accomplishes business goals and retains high performers.

Buckle up for a great conversation that's part therapy and part strategy.

Join us as we discuss:

[02:00] How collaboration with total rewards helps achieve business goals
[04:00] Current employee expectations of compensation
[09:00] Handling the emotional labor of HR
[12:30] Collaborating with your executive team
[17:30] How to design an effective compensation philosophy
[21:00] Educating employees and creating transparency
[30:00] The importance of understanding business context in total rewards

For the entire interview, follow HR Superstars on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or Stitcher. Or tune in on our website, 15Five.com/podcast. Original podcast track produced by Entheo.

The HR leaders who join our show share deep insights about keeping employees engaged and fostering high performance. 15Five's Perform product gives people leaders the tools they need to help run strategic end-to-end performance management. It allows for unbiased performance measurement so you can make fair and accurate compensation decisions and ensure every employee is growing in their roles, their careers, and their lives. Head over to 15five.com/perform and try 15Five free for a couple of weeks or request a demo.

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.*

Becoming a teammate with the rest of the leadership team is critical to building a successful HR function.

Kate McKinnon, Head of HR at Playfly Sports, knows this firsthand and has developed strategies that allow her to serve her form a partnership with the C-Suite from day one at an organization.

In this episode, Kate and Shane discuss what it looks like to partner with your people, find creativity in HR, and unify around a shared mission.

Join us as we discuss:
[02:00] Forming a partnership with your C-Suite
[03:50] Making room for gray areas and creativity in HR
[07:15] Balancing boundaries with servant leadership
[12:30] Finding your dream job
[20:00] Rallying around a shared mission
[25:00] Uncovering organizational needs
[29:00] The importance of C-level buy-in
[31:30] Bringing connectivity to HR
[34:00] The future of work culture

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.

The HR leaders who join our show share deep insights about keeping employees engaged and fostering high performance. 15Five's Perform product gives people leaders the tools they need to help run strategic end-to-end performance management. It allows for unbiased performance measurement so you can make fair and accurate compensation decisions and ensure every employee is growing in their roles, their careers, and their lives. Head over to 15five.com/perform and try 15Five free for a couple of weeks or request a demo.

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.*

In the midst of the Great Resignation, Great Reshuffling, or whatever you call the turnover trend, any organization would jump at the chance to reduce their attrition by 100% and serve their community at the same time.

Amber Selking, VP of Leadership and Culture Development at Lippert Components, joins the show to share how her team's attrition fell drastically over 10 years as their organization began to prioritize purpose and community service.

In this episode, she and Shane discuss how to help employees pursue their dreams, find purposeful work, and serve those around them. Listen in to find out how you can do the same.

Join us as we discuss:
[03:00] Grounding yourself in your identity, purpose, and environment
[07:00] Using accessible assessments as awareness tools
[09:45] Combatting the drawbacks of personality assessments
[14:00] Using business as a force for good
[20:00] Helping people reclaim power over their lives
[25:00] The power of community to achieve dreams
[29:00] The business case for community involvement
[31:30] Empowering employees to improve day-to-day operations
[32:00] Applying culture and leadership principles to all workforces
[34:00] Sketching your vision for the future

Resources mentioned in this episode:

• The Brain-Based Enneagram
• StrengthsFinder Assessment
• VIA Character Strengths Survey
• Lippert Leadership Academy
• PurposePoint's 2023 Purpose Summit

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

The HR leaders who join our show, share deep insights about keeping employees engaged and fostering high performance. 15Five's Perform product gives people leaders the tools they need to help run strategic end-to-end performance management. It allows for unbiased performance measurement so you can make fair and accurate compensation decisions and ensure every employee is growing in their roles, their careers, and their lives. Head over to 15five.com/perform and try 15Five free for a couple of weeks or request a demo.

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.*

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.

Join us as we discuss:

(00:00) Meet HR Superstar: Brittany Rohde

(05:58) Building a comp plan that's fair to everyone

(09:26) Intentional scaling during rapid growth

(14:32) How to get buy-in from employees

(18:42) The power of transparency in open forums

(22:28) Building relationships as a remote company

(25:44) How to maximize employee engagement surveys

(31:07) The value of mentorship for HR leaders

(35:33) Setting boundaries for work-life balance

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 HR Outcomes Playbook:
https://www.15five.com/ebook/hr-outcomes-playbook-unlocking-the-true-business-value-of-hr/?utm_source=podcast&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=Q2_2023_Podcast_CTAs&utm_content=HR

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

Brittany Rohde's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brittany-rohde-970964b2/

Monarch Money's website: https://www.monarchmoney.com/

Developing an intentional culture is a challenge for any team, but it's especially daunting in the midst of intense growth.

Casey Bailey, Head of People at Deel, jumped in to build HR infrastructure soon after the company had grown from 50 to 550 employees in a single year.

In this episode, she shares how you can avoid some of the challenges she's been facing, how she takes a high-trust approach to performance management, and how to build a strong global remote culture.

Join us as we discuss:
[07:00] Building culture through hypergrowth
[09:45] Developing compensation infrastructure for a globally distributed organization
[11:30] Navigating work arrangements post-pandemic
[15:00] Creating cohesion and bringing people together as a remote team
[18:00] The relational ROI of in-person events
[22:30] Performance management in a high-growth, global remote organization
[25:00] Giving feedback effectively across cultures and communication styles
[26:45] Casey's top tips for building a healthy remote culture

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.

This episode is brought to you by 15Five's Manager Accelerator™ Program, where certified in-house coaches teach skills like how to have more regular, effective conversations, how to leverage employee strengths, and how to motivate and inspire teams. Looking to reduce turnover, improve succession planning, and grow your top talent? Choose from online, live, and hybrid training options athttps://www.15five.com/products/manager-training.

Interested in learning more about The Meaningful Manager? You can find the link to purchase here: https://www.amazon.com/Meaningful-Manager-Manage-What-Matters/dp/1544529465

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.*

LaToya Lyn, Chief People Officer at Help Scout, is more than a people leader. She's a business and product leader.

In this episode, LaToya shares what this dichotomy looks like for her, how HR drives business growth, and the importance of finding both mental and emotional renewal. She also explains how to find a seat at the table for strategic business conversations while prioritizing both personal and organizational sustainability.

Listen in for LaToya's advice on how to grow the HR "products" you provide to your organization.

Join us as we discuss:
[04:00] The importance of an abundance mindset
[08:30] Identifying as a business leader and HR leader
[12:30] KPIs for HR
[20:00] The future of the talent market
[25:30] Sustainability and B Corps
[30:00] Focusing your energy and action
[40:00] The psychological contract between employees and employers
[47:45] Advice for up-and-coming people leaders

For the entire interview, follow HR Superstars on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, orStitcher. Or tune in at 15Five.com/podcast. Original podcast track produced by Entheo.

This episode is brought to you by 15Five's Manager Accelerator Program™, where certified in-house coaches teach skills like how to have more regular, effective conversations, how to leverage employee strengths, and how to motivate and inspire teams. Looking to reduce turnover, improve succession planning, and grow your top talent? Choose from online, live, and hybrid training options at https://www.15five.com/products/manager-training.

Interested in learning more about The Meaningful Manager? You can find the link to purchase here: https://www.amazon.com/Meaningful-Manager-Manage-What-Matters/dp/1544529465

Want to connect with thousands of other strategic HR leaders like you, join the HR Superstars Community at community.15five.com!

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

Are you still looking for your "new normal"?

It's not coming anytime soon, explains Brian Elliott, Executive Leader of Future Forum, SVP at Slack, and author of How the Future Works.

The good news? We're going to keep getting better – constantly evolving, rather than settling into the status quo.

In this episode, Brian shares research-backed insights from how to most effectively change company practices to build relationships in a digital-first environment. He leaves you with ideas to ponder and practices to try with your own teams.

Join us as we discuss:
[03:00] Leading flexible teams and building in-person connections
[11:30] Managing change collaboratively
[17:30] Effective ways to build trust
[23:30] Innovations that improve the way we work
[28:00] Taking an apolitical stance as a company
[33:00] Driving initiatives as a team
[36:30] Best practices for leading distributed teams
[45:30] Tactics for creating margins for your team

For the entire interview, follow HR Superstars on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or Stitcher. Or tune in at 15Five.com/podcast. Original podcast track produced by Entheo.

This episode is brought to you by 15Five's Manager Accelerator Program™, where certified in-house coaches teach skills like how to have more regular, effective conversations, how to leverage employee strengths, and how to motivate and inspire teams. Looking to reduce turnover, improve succession planning, and grow your top talent? Choose from online, live, and hybrid training options at https://www.15five.com/products/manager-training.

Unlock the power of flexible work with Brian's practical "how-to" guide: How The Future Works. 

Want to connect with thousands of other strategic HR leaders like you, join the HR Superstars Community at community.15five.com!

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