The Modern People Leader: Forward-Thinking HR

Epizode

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  323 - How ServiceNow's AI heat map answers "what does my job look like in 3 years": Brandon Roberts (SVP Talent Strategy & Workforce Transformation, ServiceNow) 21.08.2026 1h 2min

  Brandon Roberts, leader of Talent Strategy and Workforce Transformation at ServiceNow, joined us on The Modern People Leader. We talked about how ServiceNow is redesigning HR for the AI era, why every role needs to be mapped for AI impact, and more.----  Sponsor Links:🔗 Learn more about Tilt at hellotilt.com/mpl🔗Learn more about Beqom at beqom.com/mpl🔗. Explore the 2026 ​Deloitte Human Capital Trends ReportMPL Links:🔗 Go sign up for MPL Build.----  (09:30) Creating ServiceNow’s Talent Strategy and Workforce Transformation Organization(14:45) How AI Supercharges ServiceNow’s Workflow Platform(21:50) Now Assist and the Productivity Shift in HR Operations(22:55) Why ServiceNow Reinvested AI Productivity Gains Instead of Just Cutting Costs(25:15) How AI Is Changing Software Engineering Roles(29:25) Building an AI Heat Map for Every Role in the Company(35:05) AI Control Tower, Usage Signals and Where to Invest Transformation Resources(36:45) Employee Works and the Agent Orchestration Layer for HR(38:30) Data Agent, Engagement Agent and Real-Time People Insights(41:00) The Reskilling Challenge for HRBPs Using AI-Powered Insights(43:25) People Strategists, People Technologists and People Scientists(47:30) Why Brandon and Jacque Built the ServiceNow AI Transformation Playbook(51:15) Why Companies Are Too Focused on Technology and Not Enough on Skills(52:05) Helping People Step Away From Their Work Identity as Roles Change---- 📬 Subscribe to our weekly newsletter to get episode recaps💡 Follow The Modern People Leader on LinkedIn😊 Follow Daniel Huerta on LinkedIn😊 Follow Stephen Huerta on LinkedIn---- Past guests on MPL include Brené Brown, Annie Dean (VP of Team Anywhere, Atlassian), Josh Bersin, Katie Burke (Chief People Officer, Harvey), Liz Fosslien, Helen Russell (Chief People Officer, HubSpot), Dave Scott (Chief People Officer, ADT), Melanie Rossenwasser (Chief People Officer, Dropbox), Crystal Boysen (Chief People Officer, Sprout Social), and many more.
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  The 3 archetypes of the future people team & Jessica Zwaan's first 4 Months in New Role 18.08.2026 42min

  Jessica Zwaan joined us on The Modern People Leader. We talked about her first four months at Leapsome, why HR needs to operate more like a product team, and how AI agents, forward-deployed engineers, and flexible HR systems could reshape the future of people operations.----  Sponsor Links:🔗 Learn more about SixFiftyMPL Links:🔗 Go sign up for MPL Build.----  (11:40) Jessie’s 12-Week Sprint and the “How We HR” Document(13:10) Why The Purpose of Work Changed What Jessie Wanted Next(14:10) Why People Ops Will Change the Most Through AI(15:30) The Three Future Archetypes of People Teams(17:35) Starting With Retros, Problem Statements and Roadmaps(18:15) Launching Transparent Compensation and Leveling(19:10) Building a Dynamic Promotion and Merit Increase Coach(19:30) Why Leapsome Added a Forward-Deployed Engineer to the People Team(20:15) What to Look for in a Forward-Deployed Engineer for HR(22:30) What Surprised Jessie After Joining Leapsome(23:20) Why Founder Fit Matters So Much for People Leaders(31:20) Speed, Urgency and Knowing When to Pull Back(32:25) Why Traditional 30, 60, 90 Day Plans Are Dead(35:10) Bringing Practitioner Credibility Into Product Strategy(37:35) Building HR Agents People Can Trust(39:20) AI-Powered Calibration Pre-Reads and Better Manager Conversations(40:35) The Idea of a Plastic HRIS(41:10) What HR Should and Should Not Vibe Code(42:00) Why HR Deserves Commercial-Grade Tools and Better ROI---- 📬 Subscribe to our weekly newsletter to get episode recaps💡 Follow The Modern People Leader on LinkedIn😊 Follow Daniel Huerta on LinkedIn😊 Follow Stephen Huerta on LinkedIn---- Past guests on MPL include Brené Brown, Annie Dean (VP of Team Anywhere, Atlassian), Josh Bersin, Katie Burke (Chief People Officer, Harvey), Liz Fosslien, Helen Russell (Chief People Officer, HubSpot), Dave Scott (Chief People Officer, ADT), Melanie Rossenwasser (Chief People Officer, Dropbox), Crystal Boysen (Chief People Officer, Sprout Social), and many more.
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  321 - Molly Graham (WorkLife Podcast) on Why Everyone Just Became a Manager 14.08.2026 58min

  Molly Graham, Host of WorkLife Podcast & Co-Founder of Glue Club and The Guild, joined us on The Modern People Leader. We talked about career emergence, why fear is slowing down AI adoption at work, and why the future of HR will depend on leaders who can create clarity, curiosity, accountability, and better management habits for both people and AI agents.----  Sponsor Links:🔗 Learn more about Beqom at beqom.com/mpl🔗 Explore the 2026 ​Deloitte Human Capital Trends Report🔗 Learn more about SixFiftyMPL Links:🔗 Go sign up for MPL Build.----  (05:25) Molly’s Origin Story: Google, Facebook, Quip and Career Emergence(09:30) What Molly Does Today: Helping People Feel Less Alone and More Confident at Work(11:30) Turning Down the Big COO Job That Would Have Made Her Miserable(19:00) Why Fear Is Dominating the Future of Work Conversation(23:49) The Macro Narrative That AI Is Coming for Everyone’s Job(24:32) Why AI-Branded Layoffs Are Damaging the Trust Conversation(25:24) Why the Future Belongs to People Who Approach AI With Curiosity(27:15) Building a Clear Leadership Narrative Around AI(31:28) Creating a Culture of Sharing and Experimentation(32:04) What Facebook Got Right About Blameless Failure(34:36) Why Culture Is Built Through What Leaders Do, Not What They Say(35:20) Why the “Super IC” Conversation Misses the Real Point(36:20) Why Everyone Just Became a Manager(37:05) Managing Agents Requires the Same Skills as Managing Humans(40:06) Why Token Consumption Can Become the New Productivity Theater(41:05) Why No Company Has AI Fully Figured Out(43:39) Lazy Interns: Why AI Slop Is Turning Smart People Into Bad Employees(48:00) Why AI Work Still Requires Human Accountability(49:05) Molly’s Rule: If You Send It, You Own It(50:49) False Productivity and Why the End Result Matters Most(52:04) Career Advice: Learn the Business---- 📬 Subscribe to our weekly newsletter to get episode recaps💡 Follow The Modern People Leader on LinkedIn😊 Follow Daniel Huerta on LinkedIn😊 Follow Stephen Huerta on LinkedIn---- Past guests on MPL include Brené Brown, Annie Dean (VP of Team Anywhere, Atlassian), Josh Bersin, Katie Burke (Chief People Officer, Harvey), Liz Fosslien, Helen Russell (Chief People Officer, HubSpot), Dave Scott (Chief People Officer, ADT), Melanie Rossenwasser (Chief People Officer, Dropbox), Crystal Boysen (Chief People Officer, Sprout Social), and many more.
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  320 - How Moxie's COO built an AI strategy for a people business: Kate Connor, COO, Moxie 10.08.2026 58min

  Kate Connor, Chief Operating Officer at Moxie Communications Group, joined us on The Modern People Leader. We talked about how Moxie is adopting AI safely, why leaders should automate low-judgment work first, and how to embed AI into the culture without replacing human creativity, judgment, and relationships. ----  Sponsor Links:🔗 Learn more about SixFifty🔗 Learn more about Tilt at hellotilt.com/mpl🔗 Learn more about Beqom at beqom.com/mplMPL Links:🔗 Go sign up for MPL Build.----  (19:14) Why AI Strategy Is Different in a People-Powered Agency(20:06) Automating Admin and Low-Judgment Work First(20:51) Using AI to Create More Time for Client Relationships and Storytelling(21:24) Bringing the Team Into the AI Roadmap Through Workshops(24:06) Why Moxie’s AI Approach Starts With Safety(24:35) Building an AI Use Policy With Cybersecurity and CTO Advisors(25:41) Why AI Belongs on the Strategic Roadmap(26:08) Being Transparent With the Team About AI Intentions(26:31) Positioning AI as an Extension of the Team(28:00) Running Team Workshops to Identify What Should Be Automated(29:05) Building Proprietary Tools for Problems Off-the-Shelf Platforms Cannot Solve(30:38) Messaging AI as an Expander, Not a Replacement(32:31) GEO Optimization and the Future of PR(34:07) Monthly AI Hackathons and Learning From the Team(34:43) Why AI Cannot Stay With the Leadership Team(35:22) When to Build Custom AI Tools Instead of Buying Off-the-Shelf(39:08) Culture as the Feeling and Energy People Associate With a Company(39:43) Building People Programs Around Real Business Needs(44:19) Why Moxie Has Strong Retention(48:43) Listening to the Team to Build Better Retention Programs(51:03) Career Advice: Understand What AI Means for Your Job---- 📬 Subscribe to our weekly newsletter to get episode recaps💡 Follow The Modern People Leader on LinkedIn😊 Follow Daniel Huerta on LinkedIn😊 Follow Stephen Huerta on LinkedIn---- Past guests on MPL include Brené Brown, Annie Dean (VP of Team Anywhere, Atlassian), Josh Bersin, Katie Burke (Chief People Officer, Harvey), Liz Fosslien, Helen Russell (Chief People Officer, HubSpot), Dave Scott (Chief People Officer, ADT), Melanie Rossenwasser (Chief People Officer, Dropbox), Crystal Boysen (Chief People Officer, Sprout Social), and many more.
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  319 - The Psych Safety Playbook: Davida Lindsay-Bell (Chief People Officer, Hanna Andersson) 04.08.2026 59min

  Davida Lindsay-Bell, Chief People Officer at Hanna Andersson, joined us on The Modern People Leader. We talked about why AI transformation needs to start with people, how Hanna Andersson operationalized psychological safety, and why trust, learning, and intelligent failure are the foundation for lasting change.----  Sponsor Links:🔗 Learn more about Tilt at hellotilt.com/mpl🔗 Learn more about Beqom at beqom.com/mpl🔗 Explore the 2026 ​Deloitte Human Capital Trends ReportMPL Links:🔗 Go sign up for MPL Build.----  (18:58) Why AI Transformations Are Struggling Right Now(20:10) Why Organizations Need to Start With the Why Before AI(21:14) Building AI With Trust, Experimentation and Learning Out Loud(21:53) Why Cultural Readiness Must Come Before Technical Readiness(22:30) Making Psychological Safety a Priority 35 Days Into the Role(23:03) What Davida Noticed During Her Listening Tour(24:23) Infusing Psychological Safety Into Values and Leadership Expectations(25:17) Shifting From a Nice Organization to a Kind Organization(28:16) Inclusion, Learner, Contributor and Challenger Safety(29:07) Making Culture Measurable Through Calibration Rubrics(30:23) Creating Clarity With Bain’s RAPID Decision-Making Framework(33:00) Why the CEO Relationship and Air Cover Matter First(35:00) Davida’s LORA Framework: Listen, Absorb, Respond, Act(38:41) Why Strategy and Culture Are Not Separate Tracks(39:26) Cultivate Excellence as Hanna Andersson’s Strategic People Pillar(42:25) Amy Edmondson’s The Right Kind of Wrong and the Permission to Fail(45:05) Preventable Failures vs. Intelligent Failures(47:05) Hanna Andersson’s Three-Pronged AI Journey(49:20) How Psychological Safety Supports AI Adoption(52:08) Hanna Andersson’s AI Philosophy: Augmenting Human Judgment to Unleash Creativity---- Past guests on MPL include Brené Brown, Annie Dean (VP of Team Anywhere, Atlassian), Josh Bersin, Katie Burke (Chief People Officer, Harvey), Liz Fosslien, Helen Russell (Chief People Officer, HubSpot), Dave Scott (Chief People Officer, ADT), Melanie Rossenwasser (Chief People Officer, Dropbox), Crystal Boysen (Chief People Officer, Sprout Social), and many more.
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  318 - The #1 Place To Work in The World: Laura Fuentes (CHRO, Hilton) 31.07.2026 1h

  Laura Fuentes, CHRO at Hilton, joined us on The Modern People Leader. We talked about Hilton’s hospitality mindset, why great leaders should operate like great hosts, and how Hilton scales culture, listening, recognition, and purpose across more than 500,000 team members.----  Sponsor Links:🔗 Learn more about Beqom at beqom.com/mpl🔗 Explore the 2026 ​Deloitte Human Capital Trends Report🔗 Learn more about SixFiftyMPL Links:🔗 Go sign up for MPL Build.----  (17:18) Behind the Scenes of the Hospitality Mindset Report(19:21) Reintroducing a More Optimistic Narrative About Work(22:05) Hilton’s Four Culture Pillars: Inclusion, Wellness, Growth and Purpose(22:34) Culture Is the Accumulation of Small Moments(24:54) Leaders Should Think Like Chief Host Officers(25:41) Moving From AI Anxiety to AI Agency(27:56) Why Nuance Does Not Scale Easily Across Global Teams(33:29) Why Leadership Is Energy Management, Not Just Time Management(39:28) Scaling the Systems and the Soul of the Company(41:49) The One Conversation That Sparked Hilton’s Crisis Concierge Program(45:10) Why Hilton’s General Managers Are the Global Leaders the World Needs Now(48:39) The Soul of Hilton: Purposeful, Hospitable, Gritty and Competitive(50:35) Giving Away One Million Room Nights to Medical Professionals(51:12) Helping Furloughed Team Members Find New Jobs During the Pandemic---- 📬 Subscribe to our weekly newsletter to get episode recaps💡 Follow The Modern People Leader on LinkedIn😊 Follow Daniel Huerta on LinkedIn😊 Follow Stephen Huerta on LinkedIn---- Past guests on MPL include Brené Brown, Annie Dean (VP of Team Anywhere, Atlassian), Josh Bersin, Katie Burke (Chief People Officer, Harvey), Liz Fosslien, Helen Russell (Chief People Officer, HubSpot), Dave Scott (Chief People Officer, ADT), Melanie Rossenwasser (Chief People Officer, Dropbox), Crystal Boysen (Chief People Officer, Sprout Social), and many more.
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  What Job Is Your Job Doing (Purpose and Work): Jessica Zwaan 25.07.2026 41min

  Jessie Zwaan, author of Purpose and Work and Built for People, joined us on The Modern People Leader. We talked about why the old purpose-at-work narrative is breaking, how people relate to work through jobs, careers, and callings, and why HR leaders need to rethink how they build meaning into work.----  Sponsor Links:🔗 Learn more about Beqom at beqom.com/mpl🔗 Learn more about Tilt at hellotilt.com/mplMPL Links:🔗 Go sign up for MPL Build.----  (08:05) Why Jessie Wrote Purpose and Work(10:00) The Question That Sparked the Book: What Job Does Your Job Do for You?(15:05) The Three Research Pillars Behind the Book(16:38) Why People Are Questioning Work More Than Ever(18:31) The Rise of Mission Statements, Values Walls and “Changing the World” Messaging(20:07) How AI, Layoffs and Recession Broke the Purpose Narrative(22:47) The Three Job Orientations: Job, Career and Calling(23:43) Why Purpose Alignment Does Not Automatically Mean Higher Performance(24:51) Why Seeing Work as “Just a Job” Can Still Drive High Performance(26:22) Matching Workplace Programs to Employee Purpose Profiles(27:22) How Writing Purpose of Work Changed Jessie as a Person and Leader(34:11) What Holds HR Leaders Back From Changing the Purpose Narrative?(35:08) The Employee Who Thought She Was Broken Because Purpose Did Not Motivate Her(36:03) How False Purpose Narratives Can Silence and Hurt People---- 📬 Subscribe to our weekly newsletter to get episode recaps💡 Follow The Modern People Leader on LinkedIn😊 Follow Daniel Huerta on LinkedIn😊 Follow Stephen Huerta on LinkedIn---- Past guests on MPL include Brené Brown, Annie Dean (VP of Team Anywhere, Atlassian), Josh Bersin, Katie Burke (Chief People Officer, Harvey), Liz Fosslien, Helen Russell (Chief People Officer, HubSpot), Dave Scott (Chief People Officer, ADT), Melanie Rossenwasser (Chief People Officer, Dropbox), Crystal Boysen (Chief People Officer, Sprout Social), and many more.
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  316 - Doing things that don’t scale but actually matter: Daniel Bay, Chief People Officer at Underdog 17.07.2026 56min

  Daniel Bay, Chief People Officer at Underdog, joined us on The Modern People Leader. We talked about why HR teams in hypergrowth should stop copying big-company playbooks, how Underdog invests deeply in manager coaching, and why impact matters more than activity.----  Sponsor Links:🔗 Explore the 2026 ​Deloitte Human Capital Trends ReportMPL Links:🔗 Go sign up for MPL Build.----  (13:32) The Misconception About Hypergrowth HR(14:42) Why Startups Should Not Copy Google, Meta or Big-Company HR Playbooks(17:08) Pick One or Two Things That Do Not Scale But Actually Matter(18:24) Why World-Class Managers Are the Biggest Unlock at Underdog(20:49) The Case for Giving Every Manager a Coach(29:17) Rethinking One-Size-Fits-All Performance Processes(33:39) Running HR Like a Political Campaign(36:38) Why Impact Matters More Than Activity(40:26) Why the People Team Should Never Become a Drag on the Business(42:19) The Simple Test: Will Employees Actually Want to Do This?(44:21) Rethinking Overly Structured Interview Processes(49:33) Why Daniel Would Not Hire a Traditional HR Leader Today(52:22) Why Thinking Differently Is HR’s Competitive Edge in the Age of AI---- 📬 Subscribe to our weekly newsletter to get episode recaps💡 Follow The Modern People Leader on LinkedIn😊 Follow Daniel Huerta on LinkedIn😊 Follow Stephen Huerta on LinkedIn---- Past guests on MPL include Brené Brown, Annie Dean (VP of Team Anywhere, Atlassian), Josh Bersin, Katie Burke (Chief People Officer, Harvey), Liz Fosslien, Helen Russell (Chief People Officer, HubSpot), Dave Scott (Chief People Officer, ADT), Melanie Rossenwasser (Chief People Officer, Dropbox), Crystal Boysen (Chief People Officer, Sprout Social), and many more.
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  6 M&As Later: What this CPO has Learned (Nichole Viviani, Chief People, Culture & Change Officer at Global Payments) 10.07.2026 57min

  Nichole Viviani, Chief People, Culture and Change Officer at Global Payments, joined us on The Modern People Leader. We talked about why culture makes or breaks M&A, how Global Payments aligned 27,000 people through “goals before roles,” and why leaders need to over-communicate through uncertainty.----  Sponsor Links:🔗 Learn more about Intuit QuickBooks Workforce at QuickBooks.com/workforce🔗 Learn more about Tilt at hellotilt.com/mplMPL Links:🔗 Go sign up for MPL Build.----  (04:27) Nichole’s Career Journey: From Commercial Leadership to HR & Change(09:10) The Global Payments Merger & Combining Leadership Teams in Five Months(13:36) Why Culture Makes or Breaks M&A(14:53) Why Transformation Should Never Have a Start and End Date(17:10) How to Keep What Made an Acquired Company Special(20:42) Why Culture Is So Often Misunderstood During M&A(24:11) Turning Company Values Into Behaviors and Non-Negotiables(25:06) Why Truly Uniting Two Cultures Can Take Three Years(27:42) Behind the Scenes of Global Payments’ Welcome Day(32:46) “Goals Before Roles”: Creating Focus Before the Org Structure Is Final(35:08) How 98% of 27,000 Employees Got Goals During Uncertainty(37:12) Focus on What You Can Control During Major Change(38:14) Don’t Make Assumptions: Ask Questions and Stay Curious(41:56) Building Momentum Through Tracking, Monitoring & Pulse Checks(43:57) Turning an Uphill Marathon Into Achievable Sprints(44:38) Managing Team Energy Through Psychological Safety(48:03) How to Rally People and Protect Morale During Constant Uncertainty(50:54) “In the Absence of a Narrative, People Will Find Their Own”---- 📬 Subscribe to our weekly newsletter to get episode recaps💡 Follow The Modern People Leader on LinkedIn😊 Follow Daniel Huerta on LinkedIn😊 Follow Stephen Huerta on LinkedIn---- Past guests on MPL include Brené Brown, Annie Dean (VP of Team Anywhere, Atlassian), Josh Bersin, Katie Burke (Chief People Officer, Harvey), Liz Fosslien, Helen Russell (Chief People Officer, HubSpot), Dave Scott (Chief People Officer, ADT), Melanie Rossenwasser (Chief People Officer, Dropbox), Crystal Boysen (Chief People Officer, Sprout Social), and many more.
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  314 - Building HR from Scratch: From Team of 3 to 40: Courtney Kolar (Chief People Officer, Neighborly) 07.07.2026 55min

  Courtney Kolar, Chief People Officer at Neighborly, joined us on The Modern People Leader. We talked about how she helped build an HR function from a three-person team into a 40-person people organization and the People Services 2020 roadmap that created the foundation for scale.----  Sponsor Links:🔗 Learn more about Cloverleaf at cloverleaf.me/mplMPL Links:🔗 Go sign up for MPL Build.----  (03:20) Courtney’s Career Journey: From Kohl’s Store Management to HR(09:27) Neighborly’s Growth: From 600 Employees and 9 Brands to 1,600 and 28(12:43) Walking Into a Three-Person HR Team & Seeing the Blank Slate(15:17) How the People Organization Grew to 40 Across HR, Comms & Facilities(19:20) People Services 2020: The Four-Year Roadmap to Transform HR(21:48) Building the Foundation: Going Digital, Organizing Policies & Adding Systems(23:07) Manager Training, Change Management & the Resistance to More Structure(26:06) The M&A People Integration Playbook: Inventory, Trust & Culture(30:40) What Came After 2020: Pandemic Pivots & the Next Phase of the HR Roadmap(34:52) What People Services 2030 Could Look Like in the Age of AI(37:56) Reimagining Job Architecture for a Changing Workforce(41:18) Why Every Company Should Operate Like It Needs to Be IPO Ready(44:01) Courtney’s Personal Readiness Plan for the Next Stage of Leadership---- 📬 Subscribe to our weekly newsletter to get episode recaps💡 Follow The Modern People Leader on LinkedIn😊 Follow Daniel Huerta on LinkedIn😊 Follow Stephen Huerta on LinkedIn---- Past guests on MPL include Brené Brown, Annie Dean (VP of Team Anywhere, Atlassian), Josh Bersin, Katie Burke (Chief People Officer, Harvey), Liz Fosslien, Helen Russell (Chief People Officer, HubSpot), Dave Scott (Chief People Officer, ADT), Melanie Rossenwasser (Chief People Officer, Dropbox), Crystal Boysen (Chief People Officer, Sprout Social), and many more.
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  313 - The New Power Duo: CHRO + CTO (Sunaina Lobo, Chief People Officer, Omnissa) 03.07.2026 43min

  Sunaina Lobo, Chief People Officer at Omnissa, joined us on The Modern People Leader. We talked about why the HR-IT partnership is becoming critical in the AI era, how Omnissa is approaching AI transformation with a small but mighty team, and what it takes to build an AI-first culture while maintaining trust and engagement.----  Sponsor Links:🔗 Learn more about Intuit QuickBooks Payroll at QuickBooks.com/workforceMPL Links:🔗 Go sign up for MPL Build.----  (05:56) Sunaina’s Global Journey Across Eight Countries(07:49) From Aspiring Jazz Singer to HR Leader(09:47) The Power of Sponsors Over Mentors(12:00) What Omnissa Does and Its AI-Driven Digital Work Platform(13:03) Why the HR-IT Partnership Is the New Strategic Alliance(15:39) Leading AI Transformation with HR and R&D Together(19:32) How Omnissa’s AI Leadership Team Operates(22:54) The “Small But Mighty” AI Transformation Team(24:44) Early AI Wins Across Product, Marketing, and People Teams(25:46) The Rise of Employees Who Reinvent Their Own Roles(27:40) Lessons Learned from Omnissa’s AI Transformation Journey(31:31) Building AI Fluency Across the Organization(34:24) Overcoming Fear and Building Trust Around AI Adoption(38:22) Why Thoughtful AI Rollouts Matter More Than Speed(40:44) Reimagining Performance Management with AI(43:10) Looking Ahead: Omnissa’s People Experience Strategy(45:14) Development Days, Manager Excellence & Employee Growth(46:40) Creating a Global Culture with Local Relevance(46:57) The Return of Employee Engagement and Listening Programs ---- 📬 Subscribe to our weekly newsletter to get episode recaps💡 Follow The Modern People Leader on LinkedIn😊 Follow Daniel Huerta on LinkedIn😊 Follow Stephen Huerta on LinkedIn---- Past guests on MPL include Brené Brown, Annie Dean (VP of Team Anywhere, Atlassian), Josh Bersin, Katie Burke (Chief People Officer, Harvey), Liz Fosslien, Helen Russell (Chief People Officer, HubSpot), Dave Scott (Chief People Officer, ADT), Melanie Rossenwasser (Chief People Officer, Dropbox), Crystal Boysen (Chief People Officer, Sprout Social), and many more.
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  312 - How an Army General Mobilized a 30,000-Person Company to Build Talent from Within: Patricia Frost, Chief People & Places Officer, Seagate 30.06.2026 1h 5min

  Patricia Frost, Chief People and Places Officer at Seagate, joined us on The Modern People Leader. We talked about her military-to-CPO journey, how Seagate built Talent Link to unlock internal mobility, and what it looks like to democratize AI across a global workforce.----  Sponsor Links:🔗 Learn more about Cloverleaf at cloverleaf.me/mpl🔗 Learn more about Tilt at hellotilt.com/mpl🔗 Explore the 2026 ​Deloitte Human Capital Trends ReportMPL Links:🔗 Go sign up for MPL Build.----  (07:25) Patricia’s story: four generations of military service(10:39) Transitioning from the military to civilian leadership(19:45) Applying military team development principles to HR(23:19) The internal mobility gap Patricia discovered at Seagate(24:37) Building Career Discovery, now Talent Link, with Gloat(26:16) Using AI to make the most of internal talent(29:29) Shifting from “my team” to “Seagate’s talent”(32:08) Training managers not to hold back internal talent(34:28) Seagate’s company-wide AI implementation strategy(41:17) Seagate’s AI Council, AI Collective, and AI Champions(43:26) CEO-mandated transformational initiatives and BHAGs(47:05) Creating an agent management system(48:01) Redesigning jobs without replacing people(49:40) Why AI agents won’t sit on Seagate’s org chart(52:35) What it means to redesign job roles and workflows(53:14) Seagate’s full job architecture review with Cobrainer(55:08) Skills taxonomy and planning for future talent needs(56:16) Why engineers are embracing job architecture---- 📬 Subscribe to our weekly newsletter to get episode recaps💡 Follow The Modern People Leader on LinkedIn😊 Follow Daniel Huerta on LinkedIn😊 Follow Stephen Huerta on LinkedIn---- Past guests on MPL include Brené Brown, Annie Dean (VP of Team Anywhere, Atlassian), Josh Bersin, Katie Burke (Chief People Officer, Harvey), Liz Fosslien, Helen Russell (Chief People Officer, HubSpot), Dave Scott (Chief People Officer, ADT), Melanie Rossenwasser (Chief People Officer, Dropbox), Crystal Boysen (Chief People Officer, Sprout Social), and many more.
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  311 - How Mejuri Runs: Operating Model, Biz Reviews & Decision Velocity (Kate Railton, Chief People Officer at Mejuri)  26.06.2026 1h 6min

  Kate Railton, Chief People Officer at Mejuri, joined us on The Modern People Leader. We talked about how Mejuri transitioned from e-commerce into retail, why they've decided to flatten the organization, and the business review cadences and operating model that allow them to move faster.----  Sponsor Links:🔗 Learn more about Tilt at hellotilt.com/mplMPL Links:🔗 Go sign up for MPL Build.----  (08:00) Kate’s Origin Story: Psychology, Sociology & Finding HR(13:00) Joining Mejuri and Building People Ops from the Ground Up(15:15) Why Founder-Led Businesses Are Addictive(16:40) What Mejuri Does: Fine Jewelry for Everyday Celebration(20:00) Mejuri’s Shift From E-Commerce to Retail(34:00) Why Mejuri Flattened the Organization(35:00) Diagnosing Decision Velocity, Clarity & Top-Heavy Management(37:00) Span of Control, Broader Scopes & Founder Access(39:00) Managing Employee Perception During Org Flattening(42:00) Strategic Memo Writing and Business Reviews(44:00) What Goes Into Mejuri’s Memo Template(45:00) Training Leaders to Write Clear Strategic Narratives(46:00) The Lasting Impact of Operating Cadences(48:00) Mejuri’s Weekly, Monthly & Quarterly Business Review Rhythm(50:00) How People Ops Connects to Strategic Pillars(51:00) People QBRs, Retail Metrics & Org Health Signals(55:00) The Amazon-Inspired Operating System Behind Mejuri’s Reviews(58:00) HR Metrics CEOs and ELTs Actually Care About(59:00) Tier One vs. Tier Two People Metrics(01:01:00) The “So What?” Behind HR Reporting---- 📬 Subscribe to our weekly newsletter to get episode recaps💡 Follow The Modern People Leader on LinkedIn😊 Follow Daniel Huerta on LinkedIn😊 Follow Stephen Huerta on LinkedIn---- Past guests on MPL include Brené Brown, Annie Dean (VP of Team Anywhere, Atlassian), Josh Bersin, Katie Burke (Chief People Officer, Harvey), Liz Fosslien, Helen Russell (Chief People Officer, HubSpot), Dave Scott (Chief People Officer, ADT), Melanie Rossenwasser (Chief People Officer, Dropbox), Crystal Boysen (Chief People Officer, Sprout Social), and many more.
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  310 - Rethinking the Manager Role & Career Growth (CPOs of Yelp, Zapier, & Time Doctor @ Running Remote) 23.06.2026 1h 6min

  Daniel moderated a live panel at Running Remote 2026 with Carmen Amara (Yelp), Brandon Sammut (Zapier), and Vinícius Coelho (Time Doctor) to discuss how AI is reshaping leadership, management, and career growth. ----  Sponsor Links:🔗 Learn more about Intuit QuickBooks Payroll at QuickBooks.com/workforce🔗 Learn more about Cloverleaf at cloverleaf.me/mpl🔗 Explore the 2026 ​Deloitte Human Capital Trends ReportMPL Links:🔗 Go sign up for MPL Build.----  (05:07) Talent Development and Why Managing Is Getting Harder(07:09) Employee Clarity, Engagement, and Organizational Alignment(08:29) AI Adoption, Skill Building, and Employee Expectations(10:01) Zapier’s AI Journey: From Hackathons to Business Impact(12:43) Moving Beyond AI Adoption to Strategic Outcomes(13:36) Building AI Functions and Faster Decision-Making(15:21) Yelp’s AI Strategy and Operationalizing AI Across the Business(18:43) How AI Is Changing the Role of Managers(19:30) The Future Manager: More Scale, More Development, or More Building?(22:29) Leadership, Talent Growth, and Manager Evolution(24:36) Fewer Management Roles and New Career Paths(25:28) Leadership Beyond People Management(28:53) Executive-Level Individual Contributors and AI-Enabled Roles(29:42) Flattening Organizations and Growing Without Promotions(32:05) The Challenge of Career Development in Flat Organizations(35:01) New AI-Native Roles and the Rise of AI Automation Engineers(38:30) Helping Employees Grow Through Lateral Development(40:47) Final Advice: Rethinking Leadership and Career Growth(44:15) Audience Q&A Begins(44:54) Developing Future Leaders Who May Leave the Company(47:29) Keeping Management Layers Lean Without Overloading Managers(49:10) Should AI Agents Receive Performance Reviews?(50:45) Why Zapier Created the AI Automation Engineer Role(52:04) Does Managing AI Mean Everyone Becomes a Manager?(53:57) The Future of Early-Career Talent in an AI World---- 📬 Subscribe to our weekly newsletter to get episode recaps💡 Follow The Modern People Leader on LinkedIn😊 Follow Daniel Huerta on LinkedIn😊 Follow Stephen Huerta on LinkedIn---- Past guests on MPL include Brené Brown, Annie Dean (VP of Team Anywhere, Atlassian), Josh Bersin, Katie Burke (Chief People Officer, Harvey), Liz Fosslien, Helen Russell (Chief People Officer, HubSpot), Dave Scott (Chief People Officer, ADT), Melanie Rossenwasser (Chief People Officer, Dropbox), Crystal Boysen (Chief People Officer, Sprout Social), and many more.
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  309 - Why AI Should Give Us Time Back, Not More Work: Ray'n Terry (Chief People Officer, MOO) 19.06.2026 58min

  Ray'n Terry, Chief People Officer at MOO, joined us on The Modern People Leader to discuss why AI should create more space for humanity at work instead of simply increasing productivity. We talked about balancing business performance with employee wellbeing, rethinking performance management in an AI-powered world, and why leaders must intentionally help people reclaim time, creativity, and connection.----  Sponsor Links:🔗 Book a conversation with Compete at compete.com/mpl🔗 Learn more about Intuit QuickBooks Workforce at QuickBooks.com/workforce🔗 Learn more about Tilt at hellotilt.com/mpl----  (05:12) Ray'n's Career Journey and Moving from the U.S. to London(10:05) Joining Moo and Choosing the Right Leadership Opportunity(12:25) The Interview That Almost Went Wrong(14:18) Vulnerability, Resilience, and Leadership Self-Awareness(16:05) Opening Moo’s South Africa Office and Scaling Globally(17:28) Why Strong Culture Changes the Role of a CPO(18:10) AI, Humanity, and Giving People Time Back(20:08) The Washing Machine Story and Lessons for AI Adoption(21:55) Critical Thinking, Creativity, and Human Connection in an AI Era(24:05) Why Leaders Must Intentionally Reclaim Time(26:10) Fighting the Culture of Filling Every Minute with Work(26:52) Moo’s Experiment: Reinvesting Free Time Into Personal Wellbeing(28:15) The ROI of AI: Better Humans, Not Just More Productivity(30:20) Leadership, Employee Engagement, and Human Performance(31:05) Can HR Still Make Work Better?(32:15) Why Human Impact Often Happens Behind the Scenes(34:15) Moo’s AI Survey and Understanding Employee Sentiment(35:20) Speed vs. Quality: What Employees Are Experiencing(36:40) Leadership Responsibility in High-Pressure Environments(38:20) AI’s Impact on Productivity and Workday Design(39:05) Recognition, Performance, and AI-Assisted Work(40:35) Rethinking Performance Reviews in an AI World(42:10) Why Traditional Performance Management May Need Reinvention(44:00) Balancing Compliance, Governance, and Modern Talent Practices(46:45) Leadership, Humanity, and High Performance Can Coexist(49:45) Clear Expectations, Feedback, and Human-Centered Leadership(51:20) Productivity, Flexibility, and Managing Outcomes Instead of Time(52:30) Rapid Fire: Advice for New HR Professionals ---- 📬 Subscribe to our weekly newsletter to get episode recaps💡 Follow The Modern People Leader on LinkedIn😊 Follow Daniel Huerta on LinkedIn😊 Follow Stephen Huerta on LinkedIn---- Past guests on MPL include Brené Brown, Annie Dean (VP of Team Anywhere, Atlassian), Josh Bersin, Katie Burke (Chief People Officer, Harvey), Liz Fosslien, Helen Russell (Chief People Officer, HubSpot), Dave Scott (Chief People Officer, ADT), Melanie Rossenwasser (Chief People Officer, Dropbox), Crystal Boysen (Chief People Officer, Sprout Social), and many more.
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  308 - Lean Into the White Space: Amy Reichanadter (Chief People Officer, Databricks) 16.06.2026 52min

  Amy Reichanadter, Chief People Officer at Databricks, joined us on The Modern People Leader to discuss her upskilling journey throughout her career, creating consumer-grade employee experiences, and leading through rapid technological change. ----  Sponsor Links:🔗 Learn more about Cloverleaf at cloverleaf.me/mpl----  (07:28) Long-Term Career Growth and the Value of Staying Power(10:35) Why Continuous Learning Matters for Modern HR Leaders(13:11) The Builder Mindset: AI, Leadership, and Hands-On Learning(16:08) How Databricks Uses AI Internally Across HR(17:37) Upskilling in the AI Era and Accelerated Learning Loops(19:10) Building AI Readiness: From Baseline Knowledge to Power Users(20:59) Identifying AI Champions and Future Talent(23:18) Databricks’ AI Transformation Journey and Early Use Cases(26:08) Prioritizing HR Automation and Building AI-Native Processes(28:39) AI Transformation as a Full-Time Organizational Effort(30:18) Consumer-Grade AI Experiences for Employees(33:19) Building HR Agents and Delivering Instant Employee Support(36:42) Product Design Lessons from Consumer Technology(39:29) Creating a North Star for AI Transformation(42:26) AI, Critical Thinking, and the Future of Learning(45:17) Learning Resources, Podcasts, and Professional Development(47:39) Does AI Free Creative Capacity or Reduce Critical Thinking?(50:08) Reimagining the HR Function Through AI(51:47) Why AI Skills Are Becoming Essential for Every Employee ---- 📬 Subscribe to our weekly newsletter to get episode recaps💡 Follow The Modern People Leader on LinkedIn😊 Follow Daniel Huerta on LinkedIn😊 Follow Stephen Huerta on LinkedIn---- Past guests on MPL include Brené Brown, Annie Dean (VP of Team Anywhere, Atlassian), Josh Bersin, Katie Burke (Chief People Officer, Harvey), Liz Fosslien, Helen Russell (Chief People Officer, HubSpot), Dave Scott (Chief People Officer, ADT), Melanie Rossenwasser (Chief People Officer, Dropbox), Crystal Boysen (Chief People Officer, Sprout Social), and many more.
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  How Does AI Make Employees Feel? (What Medium's Data Says): Cameron Price, Head of People & Talent at Medium 09.06.2026 1h 2min

  Cameron Price, Head of People & Talent at Medium, joined us on The Modern People Leader to discuss how people teams can lead AI change management through trust, curiosity, and human-centered design. We talked about AI fluency, balancing innovation with authenticity, measuring employee sentiment around AI adoption, and why humans-first leadership matters more than ever. ----  Sponsor Links:🔗 Book a conversation with Compete at compete.com/mpl🔗 Learn more about Tilt at hellotilt.com/mpl🔗 Explore the 2026 ​Deloitte Human Capital Trends Report----  (06:22) Cameron’s Career Story and Journey Into People Leadership(07:20) From Poetry Degree to Startups and Customer Support(08:18) Building Teams Across San Francisco, Dubai, and the Philippines(09:10) Growing Through Recruiting, HR, and Leadership at Medium(10:05) Biggest Lessons Becoming Head of People(11:20) What Medium Does and Why Human Content Matters(12:50) Content Businesses, AI, and Why These Times Feel Different(14:10) Medium’s AI Journey: Observation to Transformation(15:40) AI as Change Management, Not Just Tool Adoption(17:05) Humans First: Medium’s Values and AI Philosophy(18:45) What Humans First Actually Looks Like in Practice(20:05) Knowing When Not to Use AI(21:15) Balancing Human Creativity with AI Capabilities(22:10) Creating AI Policies Without Top-Down Control(24:00) Experimentation Culture and Building AI Guidelines(25:20) AI as a Capability Expander, Not a Content Machine(26:35) AI Fluency Expectations and Behavior-Based Frameworks(28:15) Why Judgment Matters More Than Tool Usage(29:00) Building an AI Culture Without Centralized Control(30:10) The Role of Managers in AI Adoption(31:10) Using AI to Make Management More Effective(32:10) Rolling Out AI Fluency Expectations Through Managers(34:10) Addressing AI Skeptics and Resistance to Adoption(36:05) Staying Curious While Managing AI Concerns(37:30) AI Skills, Career Development, and Job Market Realities(39:15) Why AI Won’t Replace You, But AI Fluency Might Matter(40:00) Development Responsibility and Proactive Learning(42:10) Measuring AI Sentiment Instead of AI Spend(43:10) AI Brain Fry and Managing the Pace of Change(44:40) What Happens If AI Tools Disappear Tomorrow?(45:30) Designing Medium’s AI Sentiment Survey(47:00) Survey Findings: Friction, Slop, and Downstream Work(49:05) Engagement, Satisfaction, and Employee Trust(50:15) AI Overload, Burnout, and Context Switching---- 📬 Subscribe to our weekly newsletter to get episode recaps💡 Follow The Modern People Leader on LinkedIn😊 Follow Daniel Huerta on LinkedIn😊 Follow Stephen Huerta on LinkedIn---- Past guests on MPL include Brené Brown, Annie Dean (VP of Team Anywhere, Atlassian), Josh Bersin, Katie Burke (Chief People Officer, Harvey), Liz Fosslien, Helen Russell (Chief People Officer, HubSpot), Dave Scott (Chief People Officer, ADT), Melanie Rossenwasser (Chief People Officer, Dropbox), Crystal Boysen (Chief People Officer, Sprout Social), and many more.
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  306 - Breaking Down the HR-Finance Gap: Nir Leibovich (Intuit QuickBooks Workforce) 05.06.2026 49min

  Nir Leibovich, Product Executive at QuickBooks Workforce, joined us on The Modern People Leader to discuss why HR and finance teams struggle when data lives in silos and how unified systems create better business decisions. Downloadable PDF with top takeaways: https://modernpeopleleader.kit.com/episode306----  Sponsor Links:🔗 Book a conversation with Compete at compete.com/mpl🔗 Learn more about Tilt at hellotilt.com/mpl🔗 Learn more about Intuit QuickBooks Workforce at QuickBooks.com/workforce----  (06:34) Nir’s Entrepreneurial Journey: Builder Mindset and Solving Problems(15:12) HR’s Admin Burden and Why the Function Still Feels Broken(17:23) Why HR and Business Teams Operate in Silos(20:08) Why HR Teams Must Understand the Business to Support People Better(21:17) Why Finance and HR Alignment Matters More Than Ever(22:29) The Problem with Separate Systems and Separate Data Sources(23:18) Construction Industry Example: Real-Time Workforce Data in Action(26:11) Why Unified Systems Create Better Business Decisions(26:34) The Spreadsheet Problem: Finance vs HR Source of Truth(28:22) Moving Beyond Parallel Processes and Building Shared Metrics(34:00) AI, Unified Data & Better Business Recommendations(35:02) AI Use Cases and Why Unified Workforce Data Changes Everything(36:18) Employee Trust, Sensitive Data & Responsible AI Adoption(38:16) The Two Biggest Barriers to AI Adoption: Value and Trust(40:00) Using AI to Become Better Managers and People Leaders(42:25) How Close Are We to the Future of AI-Powered Workforce Decisions?---- 📬 Subscribe to our weekly newsletter to get episode recaps💡 Follow The Modern People Leader on LinkedIn😊 Follow Daniel Huerta on LinkedIn😊 Follow Stephen Huerta on LinkedIn---- Past guests on MPL include Brené Brown, Annie Dean (VP of Team Anywhere, Atlassian), Josh Bersin, Katie Burke (Chief People Officer, Harvey), Liz Fosslien, Helen Russell (Chief People Officer, HubSpot), Dave Scott (Chief People Officer, ADT), Melanie Rossenwasser (Chief People Officer, Dropbox), Crystal Boysen (Chief People Officer, Sprout Social), and many more.
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  305 - HR Alone Can't Create High Performance: Amy Schwartz, Head of Global HR at Wiz 02.06.2026 51min

  Amy Schwartz, Chief People Officer at Wiz, joined us on The Modern People Leader. We talked about why HR alone can't create a high-performance culture, why relationships and influence matter more than HR systems, and why "picking up the trash" - a leadership philosophy she picked up working in casinos - has stuck with her ever since.----  Sponsor Links:🔗 Learn more about Cloverleaf at cloverleaf.me/mpl🔗 Learn more about Intuit QuickBooks Payroll at QuickBooks.com/workforce🔗 Learn more about Tilt at hellotilt.com/mplMPL Links:🔗 Go sign up for MPL Build.----  (07:02) Amy’s Career Story: From Casinos to Chief People Officer(10:01) Life in Vegas and Leadership Lessons Outside the Strip(11:40) What Wiz Does and Joining a Hypergrowth Company(12:33) Google Acquisition and Joining the Google Cloud Family(13:42) Why HR Alone Cannot Create High Performance(16:11) HR Systems Aren’t the Work, Influence Is(18:01) High Performance Obsession and Getting the Fundamentals Right(19:53) Why Leadership Shapes Culture More Than HR Programs(21:00) The Limits of HR Ownership and Building Executive Influence(22:25) Breaking Out of Traditional HR Thinking(24:10) The MVP Mindset and Reallocating Time to What Matters(25:15) Introducing “Pick Up the Trash” Leadership Philosophy(29:33) What Picking Up the Trash Looks Like at Wiz(31:45) HRBP Expectations and Operating Principles for Teams(34:25) Future-Proofing HR: MVP Thinking and Operational Excellence(37:08) Burnout, Humanity, and Why EQ Still Matters(41:08) People Ops as Product and Design Thinking for HR Teams(45:08) Avoiding Rip-and-Replace Change Management(47:10) Starting Small: Bringing Product Thinking into HR Teams(49:17) Rapid Fire Questions Begin(50:05) Career Advice: Pick Up the Trash(51:30) Team Superpower: The Beacon(52:42) Performance Questions Every Leader Should Ask(53:36) Dream Guests, Molly Graham, and Operator Mindsets ---- 📬 Subscribe to our weekly newsletter to get episode recaps💡 Follow The Modern People Leader on LinkedIn😊 Follow Daniel Huerta on LinkedIn😊 Follow Stephen Huerta on LinkedIn---- Past guests on MPL include Brené Brown, Annie Dean (VP of Team Anywhere, Atlassian), Josh Bersin, Katie Burke (Chief People Officer, Harvey), Liz Fosslien, Helen Russell (Chief People Officer, HubSpot), Dave Scott (Chief People Officer, ADT), Melanie Rossenwasser (Chief People Officer, Dropbox), Crystal Boysen (Chief People Officer, Sprout Social), and many more.
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  304 - What Actually Being People-First Looks Like: Laura Tomaino (Chief People Officer, Glooko) 26.05.2026 1h 3min

  Laura Tomaino, Chief People Officer at Glooko, joined us on The Modern People Leader. We talked about why “People-First” leadership feels harder in 2026 and what it actually looks like to live up to that today.----  Sponsor Links:🔗 Learn more about Cloverleaf at cloverleaf.me/mpl🔗 Learn more about Tilt at hellotilt.com/mplMPL Links:🔗Go sign up for MPL Build.----  (08:51) Building HR from Scratch at HealthEdge & Scaling Through Growth(11:12) Joining Glooko & Leading People Across Seven Countries(13:03) What Glooko Does & Supporting Diabetes Care Globally(13:39) Joining Before a $100M Series F & Building a New Leadership Team(15:15) Why “People-First” Leadership Feels Harder in Today’s World(16:56) The Real Meaning of Being People-First in HR(19:22) Why HR Leadership Can Feel Lonely & the Need for Real Conversations(21:20) The Four Drivers of Employee Experience: Connection, Growth, Recognition & Alignment(25:54) Why Mission Alignment & Business Transparency Matter(28:08) Bringing Remote Teams Together Through Global Company Events(29:09) How to Stay People-First Even on a Tight Budget(32:02) Tough Leadership Decisions, Benefits Changes & Listening to Employees(36:06) AI Anxiety, Flattening Organizations & the Future of Work(38:24) Why Laura Is Optimistic About AI & Workforce Change(42:40) How Employees at Glooko Feel About AI Adoption(46:36) Curiosity Over Fear: What Makes Teams Thrive During Change(48:15) Why Curious People Beat “Brilliant Jerks” Every Time(51:28) Hiring for Curiosity, Passion & Human-Centered Thinking(55:20) AI’s Future in Healthcare & Managing Massive Health Data Responsibly ---- 📬 Subscribe to our weekly newsletter to get episode recaps💡 Follow The Modern People Leader on LinkedIn😊 Follow Daniel Huerta on LinkedIn😊 Follow Stephen Huerta on LinkedIn---- Past guests on MPL include Brené Brown, Annie Dean (VP of Team Anywhere, Atlassian), Josh Bersin, Katie Burke (Chief People Officer, Harvey), Liz Fosslien, Helen Russell (Chief People Officer, HubSpot), Dave Scott (Chief People Officer, ADT), Melanie Rossenwasser (Chief People Officer, Dropbox), Crystal Boysen (Chief People Officer, Sprout Social), and many more.