The Modern People Leader: Forward-Thinking HR

Episodi

• 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.
• 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.
• 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.
• 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.
• 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.
• 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.
• 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.
• 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.
• 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.
• 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.
• 303 - Directed Innovation: How to Point AI at Something That Actually Matters (Jevan Lenox, Chief People Officer, Writer) 22.05.2026 58min

  Jevan Lenox, Chief People Officer at Writer, joined us on The Modern People Leader. We talked about why AI adoption alone is not enough, how companies can use “directed innovation” to drive real business outcomes with AI, and what high performance looks like in the AI era.----  Sponsor Links:🔗 Learn more about Cloverleaf at cloverleaf.me/mpl🔗 Explore the 2026 ​Deloitte Human Capital Trends Report🔗 Book a conversation with Compete at compete.com/mplMPL Links:🔗Go sign up for MPL Build.----  (06:23) Reinventing McKinsey’s Hiring Process Across North America(07:21) Moving to Asia-Pacific & Falling in Love with the People Path(08:22) Leaving Consulting for High-Growth Companies(09:03) Lessons From Square, Blue Bottle Coffee & Founder-Led Companies(10:08) Why Blue Bottle Coffee Changed Jevan’s Perspective on Leadership(12:55) What Writer Actually Does Explained in Plain Language(14:40) The Disconnect Between AI Adoption & Real Business Outcomes(16:10) Why AI Fluency Alone Does Not Create Business Value(17:34) Why the Best AI Strategies Combine Bottom-Up & Top-Down Leadership(20:06) AI’s Next Phase: Growth, Scale & Expanding the Business(21:40) Marketing Personalization, AI Agents & Customer Experience at Scale(23:35) Stephen’s CTO Experiments & Building AI Systems for MPL(27:10) Directed Innovation vs “Let a Thousand Flowers Bloom”(29:30) From AI Adoption Metrics to Real Organizational Outcomes(31:05) Why AI Leaderboards Can Create the Wrong Behaviors(32:22) Understanding AI Workflows, Iteration & Knowledge Sharing(33:28) Positive Deviance & Finding High-Impact AI Use Cases(36:10) AI Virality, Peer Learning & Spreading Better Workflows(38:12) What High Performance Looks Like in the AI Era(39:45) Why “AI-Pilled” Employees Become Force Multipliers(41:18) System Thinking, Career Growth & Reinventing Performance(42:05) Daniel’s AI Sales Bot & Reinventing Enterprise Sales Workflows(43:18) Why Traditional Change Management No Longer Works(44:15) “There Is No Final Answer in HR Anymore”(45:20) AI as a Creative Thought Partner & Expanding Imagination(46:08) AI, Productivity & Unlocking Strategic Thinking Time(47:20) The “Maslow’s Hierarchy” of AI Value Creation(48:10) The Rise of AI Managers & Automated Leadership Structures(50:32) AI’s Impact on Early Career Talent & New Grads(52:02) Why Adaptability Will Matter More Than Specialization(53:32) Why Talent Acquisition & Recruiting May Be Fundamentally Reinvented ---- 📬 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.
• 302 - Are we ready for AI Coaching? 15.05.2026 1h

  Kirsten Moorefield, Chief Strategy Officer & Co-Founder at Cloverleaf, Sarika Lamont, CPO at Vidyard, and Sarah Royer, Sr. Manager of People Ops at Nirvana Insurance, joined us on The Modern People Leader for a live discussion on AI coaching. We talked about what AI coaching actually means today, building these tools in-house versus buying, and why career growth will never be a perfect checklist.----  Sponsor Links:🔗 Learn more about Intuit QuickBooks Payroll at QuickBooks.com/workforceMPL Links:🔗 Go sign up for MPL Build.----  (08:53) What AI Coaching Actually Means Today(10:47) The AI Coaching Definition Problem & Human Coach Misconceptions(12:01) Why AI Cannot Replace Human Relationships at Work(13:54) AI as an Enabler for Better Manager Conversations(15:05) Teaching Employees to Own Their Career Growth(16:18) Building AI Tools for Managers, Coaching & Performance Conversations(18:08) Connecting HR Systems, Context & Employee Data Together(20:02) Sarah’s Approach to Building AI Coaching Skills in Claude(22:01) Buying vs. Building AI Coaching Tools Internally(24:05) Kinfolk, AI Employees & Workflow Automation at Vidyard(27:00) Claude Skills, AI Coaching Gems & Legal Guardrails(29:47) Why HR Teams Should Start Small & Experiment Fast(31:00) What Makes an AI Coaching Tool Actually Valuable(32:14) Why Daily Coaching & Relationship Context Matter Most(34:11) The Importance of Personalized Coaching in the Flow of Work(36:01) Cloverleaf’s MCP Approach & Integrating Behavioral Data(37:12) Why Managers Struggle With Coaching Conversations(38:04) HR’s AI Adoption Problem & Fear of Falling Behind(40:07) Sarika’s Approach to AI Change Management at Vidyard(42:02) Making AI Adoption Fun, Human & Transparent(44:04) Focus Fridai, AI Enablement & Experimentation Culture(45:12) Why AI Skills Are Becoming Mandatory for Employees(46:09) Sarah on Creating Space for HR Teams to Build With AI(47:53) HR Professionals as Builders & Full-Stack Problem Solvers(48:49) AI Ethics, Compliance Risks & Responsible AI Coaching(50:28) Balancing AI Pressure From CEOs While Protecting Employees(51:15) Q&A: How Employees Are Actually Using AI Coaches(52:43) Career Growth, Self-Ownership & the Limits of AI Guidance(55:09) Why Career Growth Will Never Be a Checklist---- 📬 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.
• 301 - There's No “Right Answer” Anymore in HR: Jevan Lenox (Chief People Officer, Writer) & Cara Brennan Allamano (Founder, People Tech Partners) 12.05.2026 33min

  Cara Brennan Allamano (Founder of PeopleTech Partners and former Chief People Officer at Lattice) and Jevan Lenox (Chief People Officer at Writer) joined Stephen at Fix Healthcare Live. They talked about the growing pressure on HR leaders and why modern people leaders need to rethink how they operate in a rapidly changing world.----  Sponsor Links:🔗 Explore the 2026 ​Deloitte Human Capital Trends Report🔗 Learn more about Cloverleaf at cloverleaf.me/mpl🔗 Learn more about Intuit QuickBooks Payroll at QuickBooks.com/workforceMPL Links:🔗 Go sign up for MPL Build.----  (03:00) How the CPO Role Is Transforming in Real Time(04:00) COVID’s Lasting Impact on Employee Expectations and Healthcare(05:00) Why Healthcare Became an Emotional Workplace Issue(06:00) The Tension Between Rising Costs and Better Employee Support(07:00) The Shift From an Employee-Powered Market to an Employer-First Economy(08:00) Why Modern CPOs Are Starting to Look More Like COOs(10:00) Business Acumen, Operating Acumen, and the New Expectations for HR(11:00) Why Traditional Benefits Systems Are Falling Behind(12:00) AI’s Rapid Growth and What It Means for HR Leadership(13:00) How AI Is Democratizing Technology for People Teams(15:00) Why Judgment and Expertise Still Matter in the AI Era(16:00) The Case for Strategic Partners Over Building Everything In-House(17:00) Scaling Better Employee Experiences Through AI Systems(19:00) HR Leaders as Major Buyers of Healthcare(20:00) The Ethical Weight of Benefits Decisions(21:00) Why CPOs Need Innovative Healthcare Partners(22:00) Making Hard Trade-Offs With Integrity(23:00) Why Healthcare Innovation Feels Risky for Finance Leaders(26:00) Cara’s Advice: Stay Educated on Emerging Healthcare Innovation(27:00) Jevan’s Advice: Stop Searching for “The Answer”(28:00) Why the Future of HR Requires Constant Iteration(29:00) Community, Partners, and Navigating Uncertainty ---- 📬 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.
• 300 - Supporting Parents: AVP of Global Benefits & Well-being at Merck + CEO of Wellthy 08.05.2026 1h

  Lindsay Jurist-Rosner, Co-Founder and CEO of Wellthy, and Stephan Dolling, AVP of Global Benefits & Well-being at Merck, joined us on The Modern People Leader. We talked about the rising pressures facing working families and what companies can do to support their employees that are caregivers.----  Sponsor Links:🔗 Learn more about Tilt at hellotilt.com/mpl🔗 Learn more about Intuit QuickBooks Payroll at QuickBooks.com/workforce🔗 Explore the 2026 ​Deloitte Human Capital Trends ReportMPL Links:🔗 Go sign up for MPL Build.----  (06:00) HR’s Expanding Role in Healthcare & Family Support(08:00) The Rising Cost of Childcare & Caregiving Challenges(10:00) Layoffs, Workplace Pressure & The “Sandwich Generation”(11:00) How Employee Expectations Changed Post-COVID(13:00) Merck’s Philosophy on Supporting Working Families(15:00) What Real Employee Support Looks Like in Practice(17:00) Flexibility, Compassionate Time & Supporting Diverse Workforces(18:00) The Importance of Benefits Communication & Employee Awareness(20:00) Simplifying Access to Benefits Through Journey Mapping(22:00) Most Popular Benefits at Merck: Backup Care, Flexibility & Concierge Support(24:00) Why Backup Care Peaks During School Breaks(25:00) Senior Care, Pet Care & New Caregiving Trends(26:00) Why Managers Need Better Support & Empathy Training(28:00) What Great Managers Do During Caregiving Crises(30:00) Building a Workplace Culture Rooted in Flexibility & Trust(31:00) The $70 Billion Childcare Disruption Problem(32:00) How COVID Changed Merck’s Backup Care Strategy(34:00) Why Fast, Flexible Care Solutions Matter Most(35:00) The Future of Backup Care & AI-Powered Matching(38:00) Why Employees Don’t Engage With Benefits Programs(39:00) Simplicity vs Specificity in Benefits Communication(41:00) Keeping Benefits Top-of-Mind Before Employees Need Them(42:00) Using Employee Testimonials to Normalize Caregiving(45:00) Why Modern Workplaces Need to Normalize Care Conversations(46:00) Real Stories of Caregiving Support During Crisis Moments(48:00) Helping Employees Through Dementia Care & COVID Emergencies(49:00) Navigating Grief, Medical Debt & End-of-Life Care Support(51:00) Building the Business Case for Caregiving Benefits(53:00) Productivity, Flexibility & the ROI of Caregiving Support(55:00) Why Caregiving Is an Economic Issue, Not Just a Social Issue(56:00) AI, Productivity & the Cost of Context Switching(58:00) Mental Health, Burnout & What Employees Need Most Right Now ---- 📬 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.
• 299 - AMA with Jessica Zwaan on Org Design & Metrics 05.05.2026 57min

  Jessica Zwaan, VP People Strategy & Operations at Leapsome and author of Built For People, joined us for another MPL Build AMA. This time we talked about how to redesign your People team if you're running your team like a product team, why metrics like internal promotion retention matter more than traditional HR KPIs, and more.----  Sponsor Links:🔗 Explore the 2026 ​Deloitte Human Capital Trends Report🔗 Learn more about Intuit QuickBooks Payroll at QuickBooks.com/workforceMPL Links:🔗 Go sign up for MPL Build.----  (06:00) Building Internal AI Tools: From Non-Technical to Product Thinking(09:00) The HR Paradox: More Strategic Power, More Emotional Pressure(12:00) Why Most Employees Don’t Understand Company Strategy(15:00) The Real Problem Isn’t AI — It’s Communication and Leadership(19:00) How the CPO Role Changed After COVID and AI Acceleration(22:00) Short-Term vs Medium-Term Thinking in High-Speed Organizations(25:00) Trust, Transparency, and Decision-Making in Uncertain Environments(27:00) Why Scaling HR Strategy Is Harder in Established Companies(29:00) The Death of Traditional Career Paths and Org Hierarchies(32:00) Why the CPO Role Is Still Misunderstood at the Executive Level(34:00) Saying No: The Most Underrated Skill in HR Leadership(36:00) HumanOps vs Strategic Work: Where HR Should Actually Focus(38:00) Aligning AI Strategy with Business Outcomes (Not Just Tools)(40:00) The “So What?” Framework for Driving Real Impact(44:00) Why Most Companies Are Building the Wrong AI Stack(45:00) AI as a Product Advantage: Driving Strategy Through Use Case(46:00) When AI Adoption Becomes Non-Negotiable for Employees(48:00) Why Long-Term Planning Is Dead (and What Replaces It)(49:00) Rethinking Headcount: Hiring vs Rebuilding Roles with AI(52:00) Where AI Will Actually Replace Work in HR(54:00) Stop Thinking Roles — Start Thinking Workflows(55:00) Rebuilding Teams for Human + AI Collaboration(58:00) The End of the SaaS Hiring Playbook(59:00) New Metric That Matters: Revenue per Employee(01:01:00) The Risk of “AI Tech Debt” from Poor Implementation(01:02:00) Why Every Company Will Face AI Pressure Soon(01:03:00) HR as Crisis Management: The Reality of the Role(01:05:00) If HR Isn’t in the Room Early, You’ve Already Lost Influence---- 📬 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.
• 298 - How to Stop Managing from Memory: Amin Palizban (Co-founder & CEO, Topicflow) 29.04.2026 1h 11min

  Amin Palizban, Co-Founder & CEO of TopicFlow, joined us on The Modern People Leader. We talked about why managers are at a breaking point, how AI is transforming performance management, and what it takes to build AI-native people products that actually support managers in real time.----  Get the AI for Performance Management Toolkit: https://modernpeopleleader.kit.com/aiforperformanceSponsor Links:🔗 Explore the 2026 ​Deloitte Human Capital Trends Report🔗 Book a conversation with Compete at compete.com/mpl🔗 Learn more about Intuit QuickBooks Payroll at QuickBooks.com/workforceMPL Links:🔗 Go sign up for MPL Build.----  (03:33) Amin’s Career Journey: From Engineer to CEO of TopicFlow(07:32) Early Exposure to Performance Management Tools and Market Gap(10:05) AI’s Impact on Productivity and Internal Workflows (MPL 2.0)(12:36) Why Managers Are Burnt Out and the “Code Red” Situation(16:30) The Real Problem: Poor Manager Training and Promotion Practices(21:34) Why Traditional L&D and HR Tools Are No Longer Effective(24:21) What Real Manager Support Looks Like in the AI Era(26:49) Coaching vs Performance Reviews: Why They Should Be Separate(29:15) Why AI Coaching Can Be More Effective Than Human Coaching(34:38) The Increasing Span of Control and Manager Workload Challenges(36:02) Why Performance Reviews Are Still Not Data-Driven(40:01) What Data Sources Actually Matter for Better Reviews(46:15) Transcript Data as “Corporate Gold” and Cultural Shift Challenges(52:05) From Asking AI to Ambient Intelligence and Proactive Coaching(56:39) Personalized AI Coaching and the “Scale to One” Future---- 📬 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.
• The Emotional Load of Today’s CPO (MPL Live Toronto): CPOs of Mejuri, 1Password, & TouchBistro 27.04.2026 1h 28min

  In this live episode of The Modern People Leader recorded in Toronto, the crew reflects on the evolving role of HR leaders amid rising AI pressure, shifting expectations, and increasing emotional load. They unpack real-time challenges around strategy clarity, leadership trust, and how people teams must adapt to stay effective in a rapidly changing world. Our guests for this episode:- Kate Railton, Chief People Officer @ Mejuri- Katya Laviolette, Chief People Officer @ 1Password- Jenny Do Forno, Chief People Officer @ TouchBistro----  Sponsor Links:🔗 Learn more about Tilt at hellotilt.com/mpl🔗 Explore the 2026 ​Deloitte Human Capital Trends Report🔗 Learn more about Intuit QuickBooks Payroll at QuickBooks.com/workforceMPL Links:🔗 Go sign up for MPL Build.----  (06:00) Building with AI: Creating Tools Without Engineering Background(08:00) Internal Tools & Using AI to Solve Operational Problems(10:00) Framing the Conversation: State of HR & Growing Expectations(12:00) Poll Results Breakdown: Why HR Leaders Feel Split(14:00) Strategy Misalignment: The Real Organizational Problem(17:00) Communication Gaps & Repeating Strategy Effectively(18:00) The Emotional Load on HR Leaders Today(19:00) How the CPO Role Has Evolved Since COVID(21:00) Speed of Change & Constant Decision-Making Pressure(23:00) Balancing Short-Term vs Medium-Term Thinking in HR(25:00) Transparency, Trust & Decision-Making in Organizations(27:00) Managing Complexity in Large vs Growing Companies(29:00) The Future of Career Paths & Organizational Design(31:00) Challenges in Advising Employees on Career Growth(32:00) Misunderstandings About the CPO Role(34:00) Saying No & Avoiding the “Catch-All” HR Trap(35:00) HR Is Not the Therapist: Redefining Responsibilities(36:00) HumanOps vs PeopleOps: Where HR Should Focus(38:00) Aligning AI Strategy with Business Strategy(41:00) Practical Framework: Building Strategy with “So What?”(44:00) AI as a Business Driver vs Just a Tool(46:00) Enforcing AI Adoption & Organizational Expectations(47:00) Iterating Strategy Across Different Employee Groups(48:00) Q&A Begins: AI Replacing Roles & Team Structures(50:00) Headcount Strategy & Reimagining Roles with AI(52:00) Where AI Will Impact HR Most (TA, Learning, Compensation)(54:00) Task-Based Thinking vs Role-Based Thinking(55:00) Rebuilding Teams Around Work, Not Titles(56:00) Resistance to Change & Leadership Challenges(58:00) The End of Traditional Org Design Playbooks(59:00) Revenue Per Employee & New Success Metrics(01:01:00) Preparing for AI Mandates from Leadership(01:02:00) Managing Crisis Culture in HR Roles(01:04:00) Trust, Leadership, and Being Included Early
• 296 - Rethinking How we Pay People: James Seechurn (Author of 'What Pay Costs’ & ‘Nothing Left to Take Away’ 21.04.2026 58min

  James Seechurn, Author of ‘What Pay Costs’ and ‘Nothing Left to Take Away’, joined us on The Modern People Leader.We talked about why traditional “pay for performance” systems often fail—both because individual performance is hard to measure in knowledge work and because incentives don’t actually drive better outcomes. We also explored a new definition of performance centered on innovation, and how companies can unlock it by creating the conditions of autonomy, competence, and relatedness instead of relying on compensation levers.---Sponsor Links:🔗 Learn more about Intuit QuickBooks Payroll at QuickBooks.com/workforce🔗 Book a conversation with Compete at compete.com/mpl🔗 Learn more about Cloverleaf at cloverleaf.me/mplMPL Links:🔗 Go sign up for MPL Build.---- 📬 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.
• 295 - Workplace Dread, Gen Z, & Leaving Your "Heart Print": Claude Silver (Chief Heart Officer, VaynerX) 14.04.2026 54min

  Claude Silver, Chief Heart Officer at VaynerX, joined us on The Modern People Leader. We talked about why workplace dread is increasing in today’s environment, what Claude has learned from Gen Z employees, and how leaders can leave their “heart print” on the people they work with.----  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.----  (04:24) Claude’s Career Story: From Athlete to Chief Heart Officer(10:54) What VaynerX Does: Modern Marketing and Creative Ecosystem(13:13) Building a Learning Culture and Developing People Internally(15:51) Why Workplace Dread Is Increasing in Today’s Environment(18:16) The Importance of Self-Awareness and Emotional Control(20:30) Supporting Teams Without Having All the Answers as a Leader(20:56) What Claude Has Learned from Gen Z Employees(23:06) The Challenge of Patience and Career Growth Expectations(24:42) Why Relationships Matter More Than Ever at Work(26:51) The Impact of COVID and Isolation on Younger Generations(29:23) Overcoming Workplace Dread Through Action and Learning(31:51) Paying It Forward and Supporting Others in Their Growth(33:38) What It Means to Leave a “Heartprint” at Work(35:17) Emotional Optimism, Bravery, and Efficiency Explained---- 📬 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.
• 294 - AI Is Turning HR into Builders: Zachary Parris (AI x Talent @ Google) 10.04.2026 1h 2min

  Zachary Parris, who’s re-imagining talent development for the AI era at Google, joined us on The Modern People Leader. We talked about how AI is turning HR leaders into builders, why product thinking is replacing traditional HR programs, and how anyone can now create impactful tools without a technical background. ----  Sponsor Links:🔗 Book a conversation with Compete at compete.com/mpl🔗 Learn more about Wellthy at wellthy.com/mplMPL Links:🔗 Go sign up for MPL Build.----  (08:39) Zach’s Career Story(13:56) The Shift into AI Product Building and Internal Tool Creation(14:29) Zach’s New Role at Google and Product-Driven HR(16:07) What People Get Wrong About Google Today(18:26) How HR Used to Operate vs. How AI Is Changing Everything(20:21) Early Skepticism Around Product-Led HR(22:00) The Breakthrough Moment: Building an AI Agent in Days(25:09) Shifting from Programs to Products in HR(25:53) New Skills Required: Problem Statements and Deep Focus Work(28:20) Example: Driving Product Adoption Through Onboarding Design(30:39) How User Research Changes in a Product-Led HR Model(32:30) Expanding Inputs: From Surveys to Real User Interaction and Feedback---- 📬 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.