S7 E7: Slam Dunk Leadership: What Basketball Taught Me About HR with Chris Henrichs

There's so much we can learn from the sports that we love. So lace up your sneakers and pull up your socks, because this episode is a full-court press of insights, laughs, and way too many basketball metaphors! Today, Chris Henrichs is giving a masterclass on how the lessons from the court can transform the way we think about HR, leadership, and building a workplace that doesn’t just survive, but thrives. From Michael Jordan’s killer competitiveness to the art of drafting the right players (or employees), Chris breaks down all the interesting parallels between basketball and HR.  We’re talking leadership styles, creating a winning culture, handling competition, and why HR is basically the coach, GM, and referee of the workplace. Whether you’re a die-hard sports fan or someone who thinks a “pick-and-roll” is a bakery order, you’ll still hae actionable takeaways that’ll make you rethink how you lead, collaborate, and bounce back from setbacks. Are you ready to unlock the full potential of your workforce? PI empowers organizations to align talent with business strategy, helping you drive results and build a culture where your people truly thrive. Transform how you hire, engage, and lead—visit predictiveindex.com to learn how you can create meaningful change in your organization today! 00:03:45 - One Topic Chris is Really Interested in Right Now 00:06:00 - The Connection Between Basketball and HR 00:08:07 - How Competition Helped Shape Chris’s Career  00:13:22 - Who Inspires Chris in Sports, and How it Translates to HR Leadership 00:18:31 - How This Famous Michael Jordan Quote Plays Out in the Workplace 00:21:22 - Lessons Chris Learned About People Ops From Playing Basketball 00:27:26 - Different Leadership Styles and How They Compare to Leaders on the Court 00:31:24 - Balancing Top Perfomers With the Rest of the Team 00:34:45 - HR’s Equivalent of Drafting the Right Players 00:42:02 - Creating a Workplace Where People Challenge Each Other But Still Collaborate 00:43:57 - Bouncing Back From a Rough Patch 00:46:57 - Creating a Competitive But Healthy Work Environment 00:53:13 - Chris’s Dream Basketball Team Roster And if you love I Hate It Here, sign up to Hebba’s newsletter! It’s for jaded, overworked, and emotionally burnt-out HR/People Operations professionals needing a little inspiration. https://workweek.com/discover-newsletters/i-hate-it-here-newsletter/   And if you love the podcast, be sure to check out https://www.youtube.com/@ihateit-here for even more exclusive insider content! Follow Chris: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chrishenrichs/ Follow Hebba:  YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@ihateit-here/videos LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/hebba-youssef Twitter: https://twitter.com/hebbamyoussef