"I Live Off Intensity": Steve Cadigan on Jeff Weiner's Leadership That Built LinkedIn episode artwork

EPISODE · Aug 21, 2025 · 17 MIN

"I Live Off Intensity": Steve Cadigan on Jeff Weiner's Leadership That Built LinkedIn

from “HR Heretics” | How CPOs, CHROs, Founders, and Boards Build High Performing Companies · host HR Heretics

For today's essential Heretics 101 feature, we talked to Steve Cadigan, LinkedIn's first hired CHRO. Steve dissects LinkedIn's hypergrowth challenges, contrarian HR principles, and the fundamental shift from acquiring to developing talent internally.*Email us your questions or topics for Kelli & Nolan: [email protected] coaching and advising inquire at https://kellidragovich.com/HR Heretics is a podcast from Turpentine.Support HR Heretics Sponsors:Planful empowers teams just like yours to unlock the secrets of successful workforce planning. Use data-driven insights to develop accurate forecasts, close hiring gaps, and adjust talent acquisition plans collaboratively based on costs today and into the future. ✍️ Go to https://planful.com/heretics to see how you can transform your HR strategy.Metaview is the AI platform built for recruiting. Our suite of AI agents work across your hiring process to save time, boost decision quality, and elevate the candidate experience.Learn why team builders at 3,000+ cutting-edge companies like Brex, Deel, and Quora can’t live without Metaview.It only takes minutes to get up and running. Check it out!KEEP UP WITH NOLAN + KELLI ON LINKEDINSteve: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cadiganNolan: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nolan-church/Kelli: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kellidragovich/—LINKS:Metaview 10x Podcast: https://www.metaview.ai/resources/10x-recruiting—TIMESTAMPS:(00:00) Intro(01:50) LinkedIn's Identity Crisis: When Your Product Is Your Problem(02:40) The Million-Dollar Question: "Why Would Anyone Want to Work Here?"(04:35) HR's Only Two Products: Judgment and Credibility(05:00) The Performance Review Rebellion(05:16) Sponsors: Planful | Metaview(07:21) Jeff Weiner's Intensity Philosophy: "I Live Off Chaos"(08:10) The Vulnerability Breakthrough: How a CEO Learned to Inspire(10:15) The Ownership Revolution: Why Leadership Teams Must Own HR(11:15) Remote Work Reality Check: "We Don't Know Yet"(12:00) Blitz Scaling Failures: Inheritors vs. Builders(13:43) The Perfectionist's Trap: "Do You Hear All Those Balls Dropping?"(14:20) Why He'll Never Return: The Six-Year-Old's Question That Changed Everything(15:27) Future of Work: From Buy Talent to Build Talent Economy This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit hrheretics.substack.com

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"I Live Off Intensity": Steve Cadigan on Jeff Weiner's Leadership That Built LinkedIn

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This episode was published on August 21, 2025.

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For today's essential Heretics 101 feature, we talked to Steve Cadigan, LinkedIn's first hired CHRO. Steve dissects LinkedIn's hypergrowth challenges, contrarian HR principles, and the fundamental shift from acquiring to developing talent...

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