Andrea Cooper, Chief People Officer at Talkspace

Navigating HR Leadership with Andrea Cooper: Insights into Team Management, Virtual Work, and Leadership Evolution.In this episode of the Built by People podcast sponsored by Previ, host Dave D'Angelo welcomes Andrea, an HR executive with over 25 years of experience. Andrea shares her non-traditional career journey and insights on evolving her leadership approach, especially in managing distributed and virtual teams. She highlights the importance of in-person connections and cultural competence. Andrea also discusses the critical skills HR professionals need, such as balancing in-depth work with broad oversight and staying true to one's unique style. She emphasizes the power of empathy and vulnerability in challenging times like workforce reductions. Her parting advice encourages HR leaders to be genuine and forgo the traditional, buttoned-up corporate image for deeper, more meaningful workplace interactions.00:00 Introduction to the Built by People Podcast00:16 Sponsorship Message from Previ00:44 Andrea's Career Journey01:48 Evolving Leadership Approaches02:56 Managing Distributed and Virtual Teams04:40 Critical Skills for HR Professionals07:02 Building Corporate Culture and Employee Experience09:18 Surprising Lessons in HR Leadership10:32 Parting Advice for HR Leaders11:09 Conclusion and Farewell