The LeaderLab: Powered by LifeLabs Learning – Details, episodes & analysis

What does it take to lead people well when the rules of work keep changing?

In this episode of The Leader Lab, Lynee Luque, Chief People Officer at NerdWallet, shares how she’s navigating AI adoption, organizational change, acquisitions, and remote-first leadership, while keeping the human side of work at the center.

Hear how Lynee approaches leading through ambiguity, why copying and pasting playbooks rarely works, and how People teams can act as the testing ground for change before it scales across the organization.

🎧 Tune in to learn:

• How to lead through uncertainty without over-relying on process
• Why mindset shifts need to come before AI skill-building
• What it takes to support a truly remote-first workforce
• How NerdWallet approaches acquisitions by elevating, not absorbing, new companies
• Why today’s shift from the “war for talent” to the “war on talent” matters for every People leader

A thoughtful, practical conversation for People leaders building resilient, adaptive teams in a fast-changing world.

What’s the role of L&D in the age of AI?

In this episode of The Leader Lab, Will Feng (VP of People, Fabletics) shares how TechStyle Fashion Group is rethinking learning, from the ground up. Hear how they’re developing human skills, engaging middle managers, and building an “AI-first mindset” across brands.

🎧 Tune in to learn:

• The power of peer-based learning and clear communication
• What an AI-first mindset really looks like
• How middle managers can be your greatest asset in transformation
• How they reached 90% L&D program participation 

A practical, real-world conversation for People leaders shaping the future of work.

Now that we’ve learned what it takes to grow kind from a systems level, it’s time to get a little more granular. In this series, we'll discuss how leaders can play an active role in helping their teams and people through periods of growth in the kindest way possible. In this episode of The LeaderLab, we invite Victoria Chen,  Facilitation Lead and Leadership Trainer, to demonstrate how leaders can use reasoning questions to create perspective and promote productive dialogue by understanding the ‘why’ behind somebody’s ‘what’.

Want to help your organization grow kind? Get in touch with us to find out which learning experiences are right for your team.

[Music by Blue Dot Sessions]

We're taking a tiny break to Grow Kind and bring you new and exciting content on August 1st! 

When we look at growth from a systems level, it’s essential that we intentionally consider the people that growth will impact the most. In this special episode of The LeaderLab, we welcome back a few incredible guests from our systems-level Grow Kind series to discuss how the ‘grow kind’ mission came to be at LifeLabs Learning, what we’ve learned about growing kind so far, and what companies can do to grow in a way that benefits the business while still being people-centered, empowering, and energizing. 

Want to help your organization grow kind? Get in touch with us to find out which learning experiences are right for your team.

[Music by Blue Dot Sessions]

As your company grows, how do you maintain its purpose, mission, and values across teams at scale? Joie Lim, LifeLabs Learning’s Impact Lead, joins The LeaderLab this week to talk about how leaders can protect an org’s ethos by reinforcing the behaviors that align with the company’s ideal identity.

Want to help your organization grow kind? Get in touch with us to find out which learning experiences are right for your team.

How can you ensure the systems and practices that are scaling alongside your business stay as inclusive and anti-biased as possible? This week, Vanessa is joined by Ashley Schwedt, LifeLabs Learning’s Director of IDEA (Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, and Anti-bias), to discuss one of her favorite tools: a DEI checklist for systems that we refer to as the FAIR framework. 

Want to help your organization grow kind? Get in touch with us to find out which learning experiences are right for your team.

How does your company convert information into knowledge that’s accessible org-wide? The LeaderLab invites Brian Dann, certified Knowledge Manager, and Katya Davydova, author and leadership facilitator, to share the 4D Model of Knowledge Management. Brian, Katya, and Vanessa discuss how this tool helps companies organize, socialize, and deepen their knowledge base at scale even during times of rapid growth. 

Want to help your organization grow kind? Get in touch with us to find out which learning experiences are right for your team. 

[Music by Blue Dot Sessions]

Is your company intentionally and accurately prioritizing the needs of the business? The LeaderLab invites Robyn Long, LifeLabs Learning’s Chief of Staff and Business Operations Strategist, to share one of her favorite calibration tools with our listeners: the Business Priority Score (BPS) system. Robyn and Vanessa discuss how this tool helps companies grow sustainably as they scale by clarifying company-wide goals and taking action on the highest-priority projects first.   

Want to help your organization grow kind? Get in touch with us to find out which learning experiences are right for your team. 

[Music by Blue Dot Sessions]

The LeaderLab Podcast is BACK for a brand new season! To kick things off, The LeaderLab invites listeners into an intimate conversation with LifeLabs Learning’s new CEO, Priscila Bala. Vanessa and Priscila’s conversation spans both the personal and organizational as the two discuss the journey of change leadership and the vision we’ve identified to shape the company’s evolution as we enter a phase of intentional hypergrowth: growing kind.

Want to help your organization grow kind? Get in touch with us to find out which learning experiences are right for your team. 

[Music by Blue Dot Sessions]