Future of HR

How can workforce readiness become mission readiness?Why is a people strategy not the same thing as a business strategy?My guest on this episode is Kathleen McCarthy, EVP and Chief Human Resources Officer, SAICDuring our conversation Kathleen and I discuss the following: Why a people strategy is not a business strategyWhy "progress over perfection" beats waiting for the perfect planHow CHROs are shifting from business partners to enterprise capability buildersWhy workforce readiness is a moving target, not a fixed destinationWhy you can't hire your way out of the readiness gapConnecting with Kathleen: Connect with Kathleen on LinkedInEpisode Sponsor: Next-Gen HR Accelerator - Learn more about this best-in-class leadership development program for next-gen HR leadersHR Leader’s Blueprint - 18 pages of real-world advice from 100+ HR thought leaders. Simple, actionable, and proven strategies to advance your career.Succession Planning Playbook: In this focused 1-page resource, I cut through the noise to give you the vital elements that define what “great” succession planning looks like.

How can organizations make employee well-being a leadership responsibility, not just an employee responsibility?Why is belonging the number one driver of employee well-being?My guest on this episode is Mark C. Crowley, a pioneer in workplace leadership, speaker, and bestselling author of Lead from the Heart and The Power of Employee Well-Being.During our conversation, Mark and I discuss the following: Why leading with the heart is often misunderstood as being "soft" in business settings.How pulse surveys, when paired with real accountability systems, can transform manager behavior and team performance.Why belonging is the number one driver of employee well-beingWhy employee well-being is the leader’s responsibility, not the employee’s and the research that proves it.Why HR leaders need to challenge decisions that prioritize short-term financial metrics over long-term culture and people.Connecting with Mark: Connect with Mark on LinkedIn Learn more about Mark’s books and podcastEpisode Sponsor: Next-Gen HR Accelerator - Learn more about this best-in-class leadership development program for next-gen HR leadersHR Leader’s Blueprint - 18 pages of real-world advice from 100+ HR thought leaders. Simple, actionable, and proven strategies to advance your career.Succession Planning Playbook: In this focused 1-page resource, I cut through the noise to give you the vital elements that define what “great” succession planning looks like.

How can HR lead with courage?How can organizations be both high performing and healthy?My guest on this episode is Pat Wadors, CHRO, Intuitive and author of “Unlock Your Leadership Story.”During our conversation, Pat and I discuss the following: Why HR leaders must have the courage to challenge decisions that compromise the organization’s or their own values, even when it puts their role at risk.What it truly means to build a healthy company, not just a high-performing one.How can you partner with the business, so they own the initiatives and not HRWhy HR needs to adopt a product mindset when designing employee experiences and strategic initiatives.Why should you have a “personal scorecard” that helps you navigate your career and personal life.Connecting with Pat: Connect with Pat on LinkedIn Learn more about Pat’s book Unlock Your Leadership Story. Episode Sponsor: Next-Gen HR Accelerator - Learn more about this best-in-class leadership development program for next-gen HR leadersHR Leader’s Blueprint - 18 pages of real-world advice from 100+ HR thought leaders. Simple, actionable, and proven strategies to advance your career.Succession Planning Playbook: In this focused 1-page resource, I cut through the noise to give you the vital elements that define what “great” succession planning looks like.

How does active listening build a culture of trust?Why is the employee experience as important as the customer experience?My guest on this episode is DJ Casto, CHRO, SynchronyDuring our conversation, DJ and I discuss the following:How adopting an agile mindset and methodologies transformed Synchrony's approach to HRHow Synchrony bucked the “return to office” trend by listening to employee feedback and maintaining a flexible, performance-based work model.Why they created a frontline experience team to invest in and improve the employee journey and customer experience.How Synchrony uses active listening to co-create the employee experience and shape the culture.Connecting with DJ:Connect with DJ Casto on LinkedInEpisode Sponsor:Next-Gen HR Accelerator - Learn more about this best-in-class leadership development program for next-gen HR leadersHR Leader’s Blueprint - 18 pages of real-world advice from 100+ HR thought leaders. Simple, actionable, and proven strategies to advance your career.Succession Planning Playbook: In this focused 1-page resource, I cut through the noise to give you the vital elements that define what “great” succession planning looks like.

The "Best of 2025" episode features fourteen don't miss moments from HR executives and thought leaders who…So, who can you expect to learn from on this episode?Monique Herena, Chief Colleague Experience Officer, American ExpressWanda Wallace, Managing Partner, Leadership Forum & Darren Overfield, EVP, Coaching & Consulting at Kaiser Leadership SolutionsRiina Hellström, Founder, Agile HR CommunityDave Ulrich, Partner at The RBL GroupMarcia Avedon, 3X CHRO, Board Director, Human Capital Expert, and Executive CoachLisa Chang, EVP & Chief People Officer, The Coca-Cola CompanyChristina Norris-Watts, Head of Assessment & People Practices, Johnson & JohnsonAnita Graham, EVP & CHRO, LabcorpChristy Pambianchi, CHRO, Caterpillar Inc.Ani Huang, Senior EVP, CHRO Association & Anthony Nyberg, Director, Center for Executive Succession at University of South CarolinaBrandon Sammut, Chief People & AI Transformation Officer, ZapierTina Gupta, SVP, Talent Management, New York Life InsuranceBrian Miller, Chief Talent and D&I Officer, Levi Strauss & CoJennifer Wilson & Brad Warga, Partners and Global Co-Heads of the Human Resources Officers Practice at Heidrick & StrugglesEpisode Sponsor:Next-Gen HR Accelerator - Learn more about this best-in-class leadership development program for next-gen HR leadersHR Leader’s Blueprint - 18 pages of real-world advice from 100+ HR thought leaders. Simple, actionable, and proven strategies to advance your career.Succession Planning Playbook: In this focused 1-page resource, I cut through the noise to give you the vital elements that define what “great” succession planning looks like.