The Modern People Leader: Forward-Thinking HR

D.V. Williams, Chief People Officer from Match Group joined us on The Modern People Leader. We talked about why Match is betting on Gen Z talent, how skills are replacing titles as the new currency of work, and how Match is thinking about flexible mentorship and early-career programs.----  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.----  (10:45) Why Match Is Betting on Gen Z Talent(12:00) Why Product and People Strategy Need to Align(15:20) How Gen Z Thinks About Work Differently(17:00) How Tinder Improved Engagement and Shifted the Internal Culture(18:20) Becoming Product-Led and Consumer-Focused(19:00) Flattening the Org and Getting Doers Closer to Decisions(23:45) Why Tenure and Title Are Outdated Proxies for Value(24:20) Skills as the New Currency of Work(24:45) Rebuilding Mentorship Around Skill Acquisition(25:20) Flexible Mentorship and the “Tinder for Skill Acquisition” Idea(30:15) How Match Is Approaching AI Internally(31:00) Equipping Employees With AI Without Framing It as Headcount Reduction(31:20) Match’s AI Day and Employee-Led Experimentation(34:00) How Dating Apps Are Evolving With AI and IRL Experiences(35:00) Using AI to Help People Show Up More Authentically on Dating Apps(40:15) Match’s Cross-Functional Rotational Program(41:30) Match’s Internship Program: 20,000 Applicants for 26 Roles(43:35) How the 2026 Rotational Program Is Different From Traditional Programs(45:35) Why Curiosity Beyond the Job Description Matters(48:05) Focusing Development on Skill Acquisition, Not the Next Title---- 📬 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.

Christy Lake, Chief Administrative Officer at Twilio, joined us on The Modern People Leader. We talked about how AI is changing work, why skills, governance, and human judgment matter more than ever, and how Twilio is thinking about remote-first work, employee experience, and curiosity in the AI era.----  Sponsor Links:🔗 Learn more about SixFifty🔗 Explore the 2026 ​Deloitte Human Capital Trends ReportMPL Links:🔗 Go sign up for MPL Build.----  (11:20) The Hardest Thing on Christy’s Plate as CAO(12:00) Why AI Is the Biggest Transformation Christy Has Seen(13:00) Upskilling, Security, Data and Governance in the AI Era(14:30) Why AI Does Not Have a Clear Playbook Yet(15:25) Why This AI Cycle Comes With So Much Fear(17:30) Building a Skills Infrastructure for the Future of Work(18:15) Tasks, Roles and Where Human Judgment Still Matters(19:15) Twilio’s Three-Horizon View of AI Change(25:00) The Task Construct of Work and AI-Able Work(26:00) Why Existing Companies Still Need Org Design and Change Management(29:00) The Future of Employee Experience and the One Prompt Box(31:15) Why UX Will Matter More in the Future of Work(32:00) Why Companies Should Not Move Too Fast Without Human-in-the-Loop Design(33:40) Why People Still Need to Be Seen, Recognized and Thanked(36:00) Why Twilio Stayed Remote First(38:10) Hiring From Anywhere and Becoming a Net Talent Winner(40:45) Remote-First Companies and AI-First Readiness(42:00) AI Burnout, Remote Work and the Pressure to Do More(44:10) Why AI Upskilling Is Becoming Nights-and-Weekends Work(48:05) Why Constant Change Leaves People Without a Sense of Mastery---- 📬 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.

Becks Port, Chief People Officer at Okta, joined us on The Modern People Leader. We talked about why AI agents should be treated like digital coworkers, how Okta is thinking about agents on the org chart, and what the future of HR, career development, security, and team design could look like as humans work alongside machines.----  Sponsor Links:🔗 Learn more about Beqom at beqom.com/mpl🔗 Learn more about SixFiftyMPL Links:🔗 Go sign up for MPL Build.----  (07:45) AI Agents as Coworkers and Digital Workers(08:20) Why Agents Need Managers, Accountability and Clear Handoffs(09:00) Which AI Agents Belong on the Org Chart(11:10) Deconstructing and Reconstructing Roles Around AI(13:15) How AI Is Creating New Roles at Okta(15:45) Why Okta Is Adding an Agentic Coach to the Org Chart(18:20) Decision-Making With Human and Agentic Coworkers(19:10) Why Task-Level Granularity Matters for AI Delegation(20:45) Okta’s Head of AI Transformation Role(21:15) Building Agentic Coaches and Onboarding Agents(22:00) Upskilling Employees to Become AI Proficient(23:15) The Future Structure of the People Team(25:00) Coaches, Advisors, Workforce Architects and Embedded Tech Talent(27:10) Why AI Proficiency Is the Safest Career Bet(29:10) Why Graduate Programs and Rotational Programs May Make a Comeback(32:35) Why Getting an Agent on the Org Chart Is a 12-Month Process(34:35) Securing AI Agents, Access and Kill Switches(37:30) Digital Colleagues That Never Sleep(40:05) Why Future Teams May Be Organized Around Processes Instead of Functions---- 📬 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.

Clare Bonham (Chief Product Officer) and Sébastien Baehni (CTO) from beqom joined us on The Modern People Leader. We talked about how managers can make better pay and performance decisions, why AI should support but not replace human judgment, and what intentional AI looks like in compensation.----  Downloadable PDF with top takeaways: https://modernpeopleleader.kit.com/episode326 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 Report MPL Links:🔗Go sign up for MPL Build.----  (10:45) Why Managers Need Context for Pay and Performance Decisions(11:35) Pay History, Pay Range, Budget and Talent Data(14:40) The Evolving Role of Managers in Compensation Decisions(16:05) The Difference Between Owning the Decision and Just Delivering the Message(17:45) How Managers Should Talk About Pay Constraints With Employees(23:05) Hiding Complexity While Letting Managers Drill Down(25:05) Why People Do Not Want AI Fully Deciding Their Compensation(26:15) Why AI Should Help but Humans Should Stay in Control(29:25) The Three Principles of Intentional AI: Explainable, Collaborative and Controllable(31:45) Why Compensation and Performance Decisions Must Stay Human-Centered(34:10) Auditing the Data, Rules and Models Behind a Pay Decision(36:10) The Three Types of AI in Compensation and Performance(38:45) Why LLMs Should Not Make Compensation Calculations(39:30) Why Compensation Needs Correctness, Not Plausibility(40:35) Moving Comp Teams Away From Spreadsheet-Heavy Work(41:20) Refocusing Comp Professionals on Strategy, Fairness and Incentives(48:05) The Rise of the High-Impact Individual Contributor(50:05) Why Automating Easy Tasks Could Increase Burnout---- 📬 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.

Heather Dunn, Chief People Officer at Brex, joined us on The Modern People Leader. We talked about Brex’s rapid acquisition by Capital One and how Heather led through diligence, communication, and integration.----  Sponsor Links:🔗 Explore the 2026 ​Deloitte Human Capital Trends Report🔗 Learn more about SixFiftyMPL Links:🔗 Go sign up for MPL Build.----  (20:45) Joining Brex During a Company Pivot(21:20) Brex’s 2024 Year of Transformation(23:20) The January 1 Call: Capital One Acquisition Diligence Begins(25:05) Three Weeks to Diligence, Communications and Announcement(26:30) Late Nights, Diligence Requests and the Pressure to Be Accurate(28:00) Supporting Executives Through the Emotional Weight of the Deal(29:00) Communicating on Behalf of the CEO and Building Trust Across Leadership(32:45) Telling the Company About the Capital One Acquisition(33:35) The Two-Part Communication Plan for Employees(35:30) The Emotional Load People Leaders Carry During Acquisitions(36:35) Diligence, Communication, Retention and Advocating for Yourself(39:50) “Don’t Crush the Butterfly” and Protecting What Makes Brex Special(43:15) How CPOs Should Advocate for Themselves During M&A(45:40) Fairness, Expectations and Protecting the Value of the CPO Role(49:15) Relaunching Brex’s EVP and External Story(50:35) The Story Behind “Be The Founder of Your Career”(53:10) The Foundry and Investing in Future Founders Inside Brex(57:48) Heather’s Superpower Nickname: Chief Truth-Teller Officer---- 📬 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.

Patsy Mangan joined us on The Modern People Leader. We talked about Scribd Flex, why flexibility only works when it is paired with clarity and accountability, and why Scribd needed the GRIT Performance framework.----  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.----  (10:00) The Pandemic, Distributed Hiring and the One-Way Door(12:40) Creating Scribd Flex Instead of Choosing a Generic Remote or Hybrid Label(19:05) Learning That Flexibility Alone Does Not Create Connection(20:00) Designing Hub Days Around Concentration of Attendance(22:50) Why Scribd Flex Needed the GRIT Performance System(23:35) Visibility Does Not Equal Performance(24:10) Why Clarity Drives Accountability in Flexible Work(26:35) The Four GRIT Dimensions: Goal-Oriented, Results-Driven, Innovative and Team-Focused(28:10) Giving Employees Ratings Across Each GRIT Dimension(29:00) How Scribd Flex Gives Freedom and GRIT Gives Clarity(34:15) Why Scribd Made Performance More Complex, Not Less(36:05) Calibration, Manager Bias and Making GRIT Fair(38:40) The Next Big Evolution: Becoming AI-Native(40:05) Moving From AI Adoption to Workflow Redesign(41:00) Rethinking Hiring, Career Journeys, Promotions and Performance Standards(42:15) Hiring for Specialty, Not Just Capacity(45:05) Connecting HR Tools to Where Employees Already Work(45:50) Why HR May Need Software Engineers Inside the Function(50:20) Why Human Judgment Becomes More Important as Output Gets Easier(52:38) Career Advice: Learn the Rules, Then Rewrite Them---- 📬 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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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

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.

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.

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.

Deborah Yount, CHRO at Sutter Health, joined us on The Modern People Leader to share her journey from finance to leading HR at one of the largest healthcare systems in the U.S. We discussed how Sutter reduced turnover by nearly 40%, built a culture of leadership accountability, and scaled employee experience and development across 60,000+ employees.----  Sponsor Links:🔗 Learn more about Tilt at hellotilt.com/mpl🔗 Learn more about Wellthy at wellthy.com/mplMPL Links:🔗 Go sign up for MPL Build.----  (05:18) Deborah’s Career Journey: From Finance to CHRO(08:15) Transition to Global Roles & Multinational Experience(10:31) Why Healthcare: Mission-Driven Work & Impact on Lives(11:21) Scale of Sutter Health: 60,000 Employees & Growing Network(14:57) Mission, Patient Experience, and Workforce Impact(16:22) Reducing Turnover from 18% to 9.8%: Key Results(17:46) Where to Start: Leadership, Culture & Employee Listening(19:06) Unique Challenges in Healthcare Workforce Experience(20:55) Differences from Tech: Purpose-Driven Work in Healthcare(22:00) “Power of One”: Bringing Thousands of Employees Together(24:32) Biggest Levers Behind Turnover Reduction(25:19) Fixing Early Attrition: Onboarding & Manager Enablement(27:40) Creating Career Pathways & Employee Growth Opportunities(28:00) Building a Development-for-All Strategy at Scale(30:52) Embedding Career Conversations Across the Organization(32:57) Leadership Modeling & Scaling Development Plans(33:35) HR Tech Stack, AI Integration & Learning Platforms---- 📬 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.

Eva Majercsik (Chief People Officer) and Trevor Schulze (CIO) at Genesys joined us on The Modern People Leader. We talked about how AI is reshaping how humans and machines work together, why CIO and CPO partnerships are more important than ever, and how to lead a human-centered AI transformation across the organization. ----  Sponsor Links:🔗 Book a conversation with Compete at compete.com/mpl🔗 Learn more about Tilt at hellotilt.com/mpl🔗 Learn more about Wellthy at wellthy.com/mplMPL Links:🔗 Go sign up for MPL Build.----  (06:37) Shift from CFO Partnerships to CIO-CPO Collaboration(08:23) Evolution of the CHRO Role & Seat at the Table(12:26) The Changing Nature of Work & Culture Transformation(14:42) Why Collapsing CIO + CPO Roles is the Wrong Take(16:51) The Power of CIO-CPO Partnership as a Force Multiplier(17:49) How Eva & Trevor Actually Work Together Day-to-Day(21:34) Rethinking Org Design, Bots, and Workforce Structure(22:49) Redefining Success: KPIs, Incentives & AI Impact(25:26) Why AI Transformation is Not One-Size-Fits-All(26:24) From Strategy to Execution: Driving Cultural Adoption(27:07) “AI Unlocked” & Building AI Literacy Across the Company(29:33) Why You Shouldn’t “Boil the Ocean” with AI(31:48) AI Hype, FOMO & Leadership Pressure(32:06) Creating Psychological Safety & Responsible AI Adoption(35:33) What’s Actually Realistic in the Next 2 Years of AI(36:43) Human-Centered AI & Employees Owning Their Role Evolution(38:35) Will Everyone Become AI Power Users?(40:23) The Viral “AI Doomsday” Narrative vs Reality(42:46) The Massive Reskilling Challenge Ahead(43:34) Job Destruction vs Job Evolution & Creation(47:12) Why Curiosity & Growth Mindset Will Define Winners(47:54) The Most Important Skills: Curiosity, Judgment, Empathy(49:18) Abundance Mindset: AI Creates More Opportunity(51:15) Managing Fear, Emotional Load & AI Anxiety(52:58) Why Every CPO Needs a Strong CIO Partnership---- 📬 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.

Amit Rapaport, Co-Founder & CEO of Compete, joined us on The Modern People Leader. We talked about why most HR metrics don’t matter to your CEO, how to think like a CEO when looking at workforce data, and more.----  Downloadable PDF with top takeaways: https://modernpeopleleader.kit.com/5-hr-rulesSponsor Links:🔗 Book a conversation with Compete at compete.com/mplMPL Links:🔗 Go sign up for MPL Build.----  (08:31) What Compete Does: AI Workforce Optimization Explained Simply(11:17) Why Most HR Metrics Don’t Matter to CEOs(14:47) Connecting Workforce Data to Business Outcomes and Revenue(17:34) Hiring Inefficiencies and the Hidden Cost of Poor Talent Decisions(18:03) Early Career Mistake: Reporting Data Without Strategic Context(21:30) From Executor to Strategic Business Partner in HR(22:33) Transitioning from HR Practitioner to Startup CEO(24:59) The Reality of Entrepreneurship: Feedback, Pressure, and Growth(27:14) Lessons from First-Time Founder Experiences and Challenges(29:03) How HR Leaders Can Think Like Their CEO(31:33) Aligning HR Metrics with Business Goals (Break-Even Example)(35:29) Upskilling, AI, and Driving Business Impact Through HR(37:24) Identifying High-Impact Employees and Productivity Signals(39:51) How AI Transforms Workforce Analytics(41:45) Human-in-the-Loop AI and Telling Better Data Stories(45:02) Security, Privacy, and Handling Sensitive Workforce Data---- 📬 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.

Beth Ley, Chief People Officer at Kendra Scott, joined us on The Modern People Leader. We talked about how to build the number one workplace for women, the “Great Talent Transfer” and Beth’s vision for internal talent mobility, and what it’s like to work with a visionary founder.---- Sponsor Links:🔗 Learn more about Wellthy at wellthy.com/mpl🔗 Learn more about Tilt at hellotilt.com/mpl----  (09:10) What Kendra Scott Stands For Beyond Jewelry(11:36) The “Great Talent Transfer” and Beth’s Vision for Internal Talent Mobility(14:33) How Beth Operationalizes Big Talent Ideas with Skills Inventory and Technology(17:31) Surprising Skills Discoveries and Unlocking Hidden Talent Across the Business(19:38) What “Head Scratcher” Meetings Are and How They Surface Important Issues(22:34) Helping Leaders Navigate Pressure, Change, and Economic Uncertainty(25:12) Why Leadership and Management Are Different and How Beth Leads Through Change(29:56) Fear, Loss, and Doubt: The Emotional Reality of Organizational Change(30:23) What Beth Has Learned Working with Kendra Scott’s New CEO(32:38) Beth’s Advice for People Facing Career Uncertainty and Reinvention(36:15) What It’s Like to Work with a Visionary Founder Like Kendra Scott(39:43) How Big Ideas Get Operationalized at Kendra Scott(41:30) Kendra Scott’s Commitment to Women’s Entrepreneurial Leadership(45:48) Beth’s Bigger Vision for Mentorship, Legacy, and Expanding Impact(47:12) Beth’s View on the Future of Retail, Human Connection, and Transformation---- 📬 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.

Matt McFarlane, Founder of FNDN, joined us on The Modern People Leader. We talked about how to build a successful HR consulting business, why niching down and strong branding matter, and how to create sustainable growth through content, community, and a portfolio career.----  Sponsor Links:🔗 Book a conversation with Compete at compete.com/mpl🔗 Learn more about Tilt at hellotilt.com/mplMPL Links:🔗 Go sign up for MPL Build.----  (05:07) Matt’s Career Story: From In-House HR to Founder of FNDN(08:03) Why Compensation Became Matt’s Core Focus Area(11:34) Taking the Leap: Leaving In-House and Starting from Scratch(12:09) Early Validation: Talking to Customers Before Selling(15:59) Finding a Niche: From Broad HR to Focused Compensation Services(17:19) The Importance of Customer Research and Feedback Loops(20:17) Building a Brand That Stands Out in HR Consulting(23:51) First Clients: How Matt Landed His Initial Work Without Cold Outreach(27:09) Using LinkedIn and Content to Build Trust and Generate Inbound Leads(30:00) Pricing Your Services: From Salary Goals to Hourly Rates(36:49) Overcoming Imposter Syndrome and Charging What You’re Worth(41:18) The Challenges of Going Solo: Isolation and Losing Team Dynamics(43:04) The First Invoice Moment and Early Wins as a Founder(44:58) Reflecting on Growth: Building a Business and Lifestyle by Design(48:22) From Consulting to a Portfolio Career: Expanding Beyond Time-for-Money(50:28) Launching a Podcast and Newsletter as Growth Channels(52:26) Creating Startup People Summit: Building Community and Events(54:20) Lessons from Running Events and Building in Public(56:44) Brand Playbook: Intentionality, Consistency, and Differentiation(01:01:31) Where to Find Matt and His Work---- 📬 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.

Most benefits strategies fail for one simple reason: employees don’t know how to use them. Matt Scovil, Co-Founder and CEO of Medefy, joined us to break down why confusing benefits lead to higher healthcare costs, why behavior change is the real unlock, and how HR teams can turn benefits from a cost center into something employees actually use.----  Downloadable PDF with top takeaways: https://modernpeopleleader.kit.com/episode288Sponsor Links:🔗 Learn more about Wellthy at wellthy.com/mpl----  (09:18) Matt’s Origin Story(14:03) Why Health Benefits Are So Hard for Employees to Understand(19:47) How Benefits Complexity Exploded Over the Last 5 to 10 Years(25:07) What HR Leaders Should Do When Benefits Costs Feel Out of Control(32:58) How Medefy Discovered What Employees Actually Want from Benefits Support(37:21) The Biggest Pitfalls Employers Make in Benefits Design and Communication(42:04) How Preventive Care Incentives Can Dramatically Lower Healthcare Costs(43:17) What Real Savings Can Look Like When Employees Use Benefits Better(44:57) Where Benefits, Personalization, and AI Are Headed Next(54:20) One Action HR Leaders Can Take Right Now to Start Fixing the Problem(57:13) Rapid Fire: Advice for Someone Starting Their Career Today---- 📬 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.

Alex Coonce (Chief People Officer) and Patrick Quigley (CEO) from Sidecar Health joined us on The Modern People Leader. We talked about building a strong CEO–CPO partnership, why culture must scale before headcount does, and how companies can become AI-native while staying transparent with employees.----  Downloadable PDF with top takeaways: https://modernpeopleleader.kit.com/episode287Sponsor Links:🔗 Learn more about Wellthy at wellthy.com/mpl🔗 Book a conversation with Compete at compete.com/mpl----  (06:17) How Alex joined Sidecar Health and the early hiring story(10:46) What Sidecar Health does and how their healthcare model works(16:52) The CEO–CPO partnership and how they built trust working together(17:57) Early disagreements, culture decisions, and navigating leadership dynamics during COVID(20:35) How Patrick’s expectations of the CPO role evolved beyond traditional HR(25:27) Frameworks for understanding the business: market, business model, and leadership dynamics(28:54) Decision-making: when the CPO leads vs. when the CEO steps in(31:32) Building a culture of ownership: “give speeding tickets, not permission slips”(32:25) Navigating uncertainty and employee trust during constant change(34:51) Leading the “people business” alongside the company business(39:53 Leadership changes and how to bring teams along during major org shifts(42:43) Managing leadership transitions and the “Olympic team” mindset for executives(46:43) AI strategy and preparing the organization for the AI era(48:24) Building an AI-native culture through experimentation and tool adoption(50:33) Why AI adoption was driven culturally through the people team, not just engineering(52:30) Operating lean: scaling a company without adding as much headcount(55:03) Rethinking career growth when management roles are fewer in the AI era(56:31) Curiosity, experimentation, and the future of AI adoption in organizations---- 📬 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.

Kim Smith from Tilt joined us on The Modern People Leader. We talked about how personalized leave support creates a better employee experience, what managers and HR teams often miss during leave transitions, and how to build a modern leave process that balances compliance, communication, and care.----  Downloadable PDF with top takeaways: https://modernpeopleleader.kit.com/episode286Sponsor Links:🔗 Learn more about Tilt at hellotilt.com/mplMPL Links:🔗 Go sign up for MPL Build.(05:43) Kim’s Career Story: How Her Own Leave Experience Led Her into Leave Management(10:16) Life on a Two-Person People Team at Tilt(11:02) What Tilt Actually Does: Explaining Leave Administration in Plain Language(12:26) Why Great Leave Experiences Need to Be Personalized, Not Checklist-Based(16:29) The Two Types of Employees Who Show Up During Leave(18:35) What Employees Should Ask Their Manager Before Going on Leave(25:14) A Step-by-Step Walkthrough of Designing a Great Leave Experience(31:15) Kim Reflects on Her Own Leave Experience While Working at Tilt(34:46) Why Knowledge Transfer and Coverage Planning Matter So Much Before Leave(36:15) Why HR Often Resists Personalized Leave Support and How to Rethink It(39:51) How Kim and Janisa Designed the Employee Leave Experience at Tilt(41:59) The “Rule of Five” for Helping Employees Re-enter After Leave(44:30) Balancing Tech and Human Support in Modern Leave Management(47:11) How AI Can Help HR Teams Manage Leave More Effectively---- 📬 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.

Melissa Theiss, Head of People Ops at Kit, joined us on The Modern People Leader to break down how HR leaders can build real business acumen using practical frameworks like Track-Racehorse-Jockey, her PeopleOps maturity diagnostic, and a 90-in-90 listening tour. We also walked through how to turn employee feedback into an actionable backlog and use it to shape a people strategy that supports the business first while staying people-centric.----  Downloadable PDF with top takeaways: https://modernpeopleleader.kit.com/episode285Sponsor Links:🔗 Book a conversation with Compete at compete.com/mpl🔗 Learn more about Wellthy at wellthy.com/mpl🔗 Learn more about Tilt at hellotilt.com/mplMPL Links:🔗 Go sign up for MPL Build.----  Timestamps:(06:51) Melissa’s career path(10:16)Melissa’s work outside Kit and her newsletter, The Business of People(11:45) what Kit does and how MPL uses it(14:50) “How does the business make money?”(15:20) Track-Racehorse-Jockey and how VCs evaluate a business(15:34) Track: market context and competitive landscape(17:56) Racehorse: business model and revenue engine (product-led growth, pricing, AI credits)(19:17) Jockey: leadership team signals and what to assess(20:18) Coaching HR leaders through business jargon and discomfort(22:59) Learning business acumen: newsletters, courses, and choosing an industry you care about(25:21) PeopleOps maturity diagnostic and how it works(25:44) The PeopleOps maturity score, priorities, and avoiding “too much process too early”(29:14) Example areas: compensation philosophy, interview structure, compliance, global workforce basics(31:13) How Melissa built the diagnostic over time(34:05) How often to re-run the diagnostic and keep improving over quarters(37:49) Managing feedback like a product backlog(44:38) Listening tours and what leaders uncover that surveys miss(48:44) The “90 and 90” listening tour structure, questions, and how to scale it past 100+ employees(53:33) Honesty in 1:1s and the value of quieter, thoughtful feedback(54:24) Building a cohesive people strategy from the three inputs(55:27) Weighting trade-offs and why “people-first” can fail if the business is not healthy---- 📬 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.

Jessica Zwaan joined us on The Modern People Leader for MPL Build’s first-ever AMA, alongside Jalene Vandermey-Jackson from Workleap. We talked about what traditional HR mindsets must be let go to become builders, how to collect lightweight employee feedback to help build the right products, and more.----  Downloadable PDF with top takeaways: https://modernpeopleleader.kit.com/episode284Sponsor Links:🔗 Learn more about Tilt at hellotilt.com/mpl🔗 Try AskChartHop at ChartHop.com/AI🔗 Learn more about Wellthy at wellthy.com/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.

Diane Sadowski-Joseph, Co-Founder of Clarinet, joined us on The Modern People Leader. We talked about why most AI adoption stalls at “talking the talk,” how to choose the right AI use cases using the “trifecta” and the Five Frictions framework, and how “click cutters” can unlock compounding gains by removing cognitive and workflow friction.----  Here’s everything Diane referenced: https://modernpeopleleader.kit.com/fivefrictionsSponsor Links:🔗 Learn more about Wellthy at wellthy.com/mpl🔗 Learn more about Tilt at hellotilt.com/mpl🔗 Try AskChartHop at ChartHop.com/AIMPL Links:🔗 Go sign up for MPL Build.---- (07:08) Diane’s career story and path to founding Clarinet(14:43) Why AI shows up in every episode and the “why companies are stuck” question(15:58) Why AI adoption feels hard despite tool abundance (DIY, bandwidth, readiness)(21:46) The “trifecta” criteria for identifying a good use case(27:39) An example of a bad AI use case: what broke and why it was abandoned(36:25) The “Five Frictions” framework and where to start(42:50) Example 1: time-to-hire goal and candidate feedback GPT workflow(47:03) Example 2: exec reporting and “hyper-personalized” dashboard pushes(52:39) “Click cutters” and how to find them---- 📬 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.

Liz Bronson, VP of People at Skimmer, joined us on The Modern People Leader to talk about intentionally “flatlining” her career for a period of time to prioritize parenting. ----  Downloadable PDF with top takeaways: https://modernpeopleleader.kit.com/episode282Sponsor Links:🔗 Learn more about Tilt at hellotilt.com/mpl🔗 Learn more about Wellthy at wellthy.com/mpl🔗 Try AskChartHop at ChartHop.com/AIMPL Links:🔗 Go sign up for MPL Build.---- (08:30) From teaching to HR: early roles, mentor, and learning the business(10:54) VMware era: growth, recruiting focus, and family move to Austin(11:55) Consulting chapter: building “Liz Bronson Consulting” and supporting startups(13:18) COVID shift: reevaluating priorities and deciding “it’s my turn”(15:12) Landing at Skimmer: growth, doubling, and why it is working(20:53) Intentional career “flatlining” for parenting and how she made it work(24:52) The “do it all” myth: stress, trade-offs, and household coping strategies(30:57) The career trade-offs no one talks about(32:14) Negotiating the partnership reset with her husband and what changed post-2020(41:49) The “must-have list” and choosing roles that fit life stages(45:08) The job-search grind after a reset, protecting mental health, and rebuilding momentum(48:27) Building a caregiver-friendly workplace, parental leave returns, and flexibility in practice(51:13) Influencing leaders, the business case, and the “why” behind policies and RTO mandates(55:36) Career advice for HR leaders, understanding the business, and becoming a stronger partner---- 📬 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.

Isabel Naidoo, Chief People Officer at Wise, joined us on The Modern People Leader to share how Wise builds a cohesive employee experience across global offices while still honoring local identity. ----  Downloadable PDF with top takeaways: https://modernpeopleleader.kit.com/episode281Sponsor Links:🔗 Try Viva’s $950 one-month trial at execviva.com/mpl🔗 Try AskChartHop at ChartHop.com/AI🔗 Learn more about Wellthy at wellthy.com/mplMPL Links:🔗 Go sign up for MPL Build.---- (05:23) Isabel’s Career Story and Path to Wise(10:54) Shift to Culture and the Global Playbook Topic(11:58) Why Wise Needs a Global Footprint: Customer Proximity and Regulation(13:27) Designing a Seamless Employee Experience Across Locations(14:27) Global Consistency vs Local Identity in Workplace Design(16:38) How Wise Creates an Irresistible Office Experience(19:22) Measuring Culture vs Driving Business Outcomes(21:47) Product Operating Model and Avoiding “HR Theatre”(23:05) Rituals That Maintain Mission Focus During Growth(24:31) Company Calls, Demos, and Ownership Through Equity(25:26) Quarterly Planning Rituals and Open Participation(27:38) Observable Signals of Culture and Employee Pride(28:25) AI and How It Changes Talent Strategy at Wise(28:58) Three Focus Areas: AI Usage, Building AI Skills, and Leading AI Teams(32:32) Measuring AI Impact Beyond Usage and Where to Start(35:22) Prerequisites for AI: Data and Operating Model(37:05) Choosing Use Cases, Human-in-the-Loop, and Reinforcing Human Skills(39:33) In-Person Connection and What Sets Strong Cultures Apart(40:34) Value of Community Learning in AI and HR Networks(43:22) Collaboration Model, Flexible Work, and Benefits That Support Performance(45:43) Sabbaticals and Work-From-Anywhere Policies(47:24) AI Use Case Example: Feedback Coach and Scaling Support(48:48) Innovation at Wise: Hiring for Excellence and Practicing 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.

Chase Warrington, Head of Operations at Doist, joined us on The Modern People Leader to break down how async-first work enables faster decision-making, stronger culture, and scalable operations. We talked about building trust without offices, the systems and rituals behind Doist’s execution velocity, and why async workflows are foundational to effective AI adoption.----  Downloadable PDF with top takeaways: https://modernpeopleleader.kit.com/episode280Sponsor Links:🔗 Try AskChartHop at ChartHop.com/AI🔗 Learn more about Tilt at hellotilt.com/mpl🔗 Go deeper on Viva's AI Journey in Roundtable with Jani (only 10 seats)MPL Links:🔗 Go sign up for MPL Build.---- (07:30) Chase’s Origin Story(11:15) What Doist Does: Productivity Tools, Todoist, and Async-First Principles(14:45) Why Async Work Changes How Leaders Think, Decide, and Scale(17:28) Independent Decision-Making as a Non-Negotiable at Doist(20:44) The Doist Operating System: Squads, Quarterly Cycles, and Decision Frameworks(23:17) Rituals That Power Execution: Async Standups, Demos, Retros, and Dashboards(26:30) Communication as Infrastructure: Async Guidelines, Transparency, and Trust(30:45) How Async Enables Better AI Adoption and an Organizational “Brain”(33:44) Inside Doist’s AI Ops Squad: Redesigning Planning, Search, and Workflows with AI(38:17) Vibe Coding, Non-Engineers, and the Rise of AI-Enabled Builders(47:22) Partnering with Head of People Nadia Vatalidis and Scaling People Systems(53:30) The Biggest Misconception About Remote and Async Culture---- 📬 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.