Human Resources and Workplace Culture

The human resources profession continues to evolve and have an increasing impact on organizational results. Our guests at the top of the field bring insights into building a winning culture and succeeding in HR.

Episode 50: Sparking a renaissance of trust with Stephen M. R. Covey

We live in a low-trust age, but that shouldn’t stop us from being the change the world needs. Trustworthiness and trustfulness are the foundations of a thriving work culture, and Stephen M. R. Covey has loads of practical advice for creating the environment that will enable organizations to thrive and win today and in the future.

Episode 49: Navigating an executive career with Justin Lombardo

Throughout his varied and fascinating career in learning, healthcare, and now human resources, Justin Lombardo has learned a lot about digging in and letting go. In this episode, he and Diana discuss ways to be a continuous learner, how to know when it’s time to move on from your role or organization, and ideas for managing the needs of a stressed-out workforce while maintaining a strategic point of view.

Episode 47: How empowered leaders create engaging work environments with Patrick Cournoyer

Today’s employees have three top concerns: diversity and inclusion; flexible working; and career growth. The leaders that are setting themselves and their organizations up for success in the future are focused on creating the best work environments where people are safe bringing their whole selves to work, as well as supported in their physical and mental wellbeing. Patrick Cournoyer, Chief Evangelist at Peakon (a Workday company), shares ideas that enable leaders to focus on the things that matter most to their employees.

Episode 40: Positive change in challenging times with Randip Singh

When the pace of change feels faster than ever, it’s critical to ensure that new initiatives are rolled out in a way that enables easy adoption. Finance leader Randip Singh talks with Diana about how people, technology, and process need to work together for short and long-term success.

Episode 36: Creating an environment that inspires greatness with Trish Holliday

We all know how important it is to engage and motivate employees, and yet many of the efforts in this area have results that are short-lived. Dr. Trish Holliday talks with Diana about how to create an environment that’s inspiring, and she also shares lessons learned from her tenure as Chief Learning Officer for the State of Tennessee.

Episode 35: Enabling remote work with Frank Cottle

Whether you’ve been working remotely for years or have suddenly found yourself setting up a remote office, there are essential cultural foundations required to make it work. Frank Cottle has been in the business of supporting flexible workspaces for 30 years, and he shares the keys to leading a fruitful remote organization.

Episode 33: The art and value of inquiry with Tim Genck

Asking questions and listening to the answers sounds like a straightforward process we engage in every day—but how often do both sides walk away with the information they needed from the interaction? Tim Genck shares practical strategies for asking questions that lead to better results, as well as ways to become an active listener.

Episode 32: Building trust for engaged teams with Jason Treu

While companies are chasing employee engagement, they’re missing a fundamental building block, evidenced by the growth in perks while retention figures drop. Jason Treu talks with Diana about simple and effective ways to build trust, resolve conflict, and create engaged teams that get results.

Episode 31: Practicing HR in the public sector with Teresa Roche

After a remarkable human resources career with private tech companies, Teresa Roche transitioned to the role of CHRO in the municipal government of the City of Fort Collins, Colorado. In this episode, she shares the similarities and differences she’s encountered moving from the private to public sector, as well as the mindset that has helped her to succeed across the board.

Episode 30: A long-term view of career mobility with Bev Kaye

The relationship an employee has with his or her direct manager is one of the strongest predictors of retention. How can companies use this information in their efforts to retain top talent? How can leaders assess their own career opportunities and ensure they have great options in the future? In episode #30, Diana talks with Bev Kaye about the mistakes companies are making that are costing them their best people, as well as ways we can all take control of our career paths.

Episode 28: How to build the career of your dreams with Janice Ellig

From executive recruiting and coaching to advocating for women and minorities to gain leadership roles, Janice Ellig has spent her career helping others craft their own success. In episode #28, Janice shares the big decisions and daily actions that can help you pursue your professional dreams.

Episode 27: Predicting retention and turnover with David Allen and Brooks Holtom

Our understanding of retention and turnover has gotten incredibly complex in the age of big data. As internal and external data sources build a more complete picture, the question turns to how organizations should be deploying these predictions to their benefit. Professors David Allen and Brooks Holtom have built a model that predicts when employees will quit and conducted an in-depth study with live data. In this episode, they share some surprising findings about turnover and the reasons people stay in their jobs.

Episode 26: What makes a great place to work with Tony Bond

There are three types of relationships at play that influence the overall employee experience at any given company, and the overriding characteristic of those relationships is rooted in trust, respect, and fairness. As Chief Innovation Officer at Great Place to Work, Tony Bond has worked with some of the world's leading companies. In episode 26, he shares success factors, leadership pointers, and trends he's seen that will help talent champions build a winning culture in their own organizations.

Episode 25: Building a multipliers culture with Liz Wiseman

Some leaders bring out the best in their teams; others accidentally diminish the efforts of the people around them. Diana talks with best-selling author Liz Wiseman about how to build a multipliers culture, what she learned from building and running a tech giant's corporate university, and how to find the best resources to support your leadership journey.

Episode 24: Effective interviewing with Arianne Gasser

Whether you’re the interviewer or the candidate, the stakes are high in the recruiting process. Both sides stand to lose valuable time, money, and opportunities if a candidate turns out not to be the right fit for the role, yet even long interview processes offer only a snapshot of the opportunity. In episode 24 of the Talent Champions podcast, Diana talks with communication professor Arianne Gasser about ways to make job interviews more successful for all involved.

Episode 23: Job fit, company culture, and hiring for success with Sonia Clark

Bringing in a new leader to accomplish something that hasn’t been possible internally can lead to a major culture clash. In episode 23 of the Talent Champions podcast, Diana talks with Sonia Clark about how both sides can go into the hiring process with eyes wide open, ensuring the best possible fit and setting the new leader up for success. Sonia’s advice is equally valuable whether you’re interviewing for a new role or recruiting for a high-profile position.

Episode 22: Working across cultures with Paula Caligiuri

Cultural agility is the ability to quickly, comfortably, and effectively work in different countries and collaborate successfully with people from different cultures. Diana talks with Paula Caligiuri about how developing cultural agility is a pressing need for leaders in all organizations—not only multinational corporations. Learn how to assess and build a culturally agile team.

Episode 20: Using feedback for good with Jim Moore

Feedback can be a double-edged sword: the giver usually intends to be helpful but often comes across downright crushing. On the other hand, many leaders are locked in a cycle of making the same mistakes over and over while struggling to get anyone to give them the honest feedback they need to improve. Diana talks with Marshall Goldsmith’s own coach, Jim Moore, about how givers and receivers can turn feedback into the vital tool for growth it was always meant to be.

Episode 19: Winning through teamwork on the field and off with John Gillis and Kristine Lilly

Teamwork is a competitive advantage for every organization, but many so-called teams are actually a collection of high-performing individuals who are functioning independently. John Gillis and Kristine Lilly, authors of the new book Powerhouse: 13 Teamwork Tactics that Build Excellence and Unrivaled Success, show us how lessons in teamwork from the world-champion U.S. women’s soccer team can translate into the business world.

Episode 17: Diversity and inclusion with Dennis Kennedy and Angeles Valenciano

Diversity and inclusion are critical factors for any talent champion who wants to succeed in today's world. Dennis Kennedy and Angeles Valenciano, Founder and CEO respectively of the National Diversity Council, talk about where we've been and how far we still have to go in order to create equality in the workplace.

Episode 16: Human capital analytics and technology with Anna Tavis

Through the rise of software development methodologies, the agile way of working has transformed performance management, bringing the customer experience to the inside of the creation process. Dr. Anna Tavis, human capital thought leader and creator of human capital master’s programs at NYU, explains how agile has forever changed the way we work in HR and what talent champions can do to stay on top.

Episode 12: Creating a talent brand with Kristen Riberio

Attracting a diverse talent pool requires a strong brand that resonates with the variety of groups from which your organization recruits. Kristen Ribero, head of employer marketing at Handshake, shares ideas for building an employer brand, measuring your efforts, and improving the effectiveness of college and university recruiting.

Episode 8: Building a culture that attracts and retains talent with Judy Whitcomb

In a world of stiff competition for talent, companies are doing everything they can to create an environment that attracts the right people and keeps them on board. As SVP of HR, Learning, and Organizational Development at Vi Senior Living, Judy Whitcomb and her team have worked to build a culture that's a powerful force for attracting and retaining talent. Listen now to learn how they established the culture and what they're doing today to keep it strong.

Episode 6: The desk of the CHRO with Carol McBride

Chief human resource officers are challenged to be strategic business partners by recruiting talent for open positions and filling the leadership pipeline for future needs—all while balancing the day-to-day HR needs of a growing workforce. Carol McBride, CHRO of Germania Insurance and author of HR, Where's your freaking sense of humor? talks about what her team is doing to meet business needs and how she stays relevant in a competitive field. Carol also offers important advice for aspiring CHROs.