Humans Not Resources

Best-Self Management has ended, but don't worry because your friends at 15Five have launched a whole new podcast! HR Superstars honors you, the brave 21st century HR leader, by highlighting stories from the frontlines of People Ops. Never miss an episode of HR Superstars by visiting 15five.com/podcast! On HR Superstars delve deeply into all of the many aspects of what it takes to help companies win by becoming a strategic business partner to the rest of the leadership team. Each episode showcases conversations with HR leaders from some of the world’s largest, successful, and innovative organizations. Listen to topics like empowering managers to adopt a growth mindset and practice strengths-based leadership, how to have difficult conversations that balance the business performance needs with a high degree of care for people, and how to actually make diversity, equity, and inclusion a part of your cultural DNA instead of just lip service and a PR play. When your culture gets toxic, management is failing, and pe

Never underestimate the power of a network. Where we each sit in the web of people around us influences almost everything. As today’s guest explains, recognizing the patterns that exist within networks and consciously building them is the key to positively changing patterns as individuals and within organizations.   In This Episode: The COVID pandemic’s impact on relationships [1:30] Why we should care about strategic networks [3:47] Shaping networks for creativity within organizations [8:00] How leaders can help people build more beneficial strategic networks [12:48] The challenges of building relationships and networks in the world of remote work [17:15] Methods for fast-tracking relationships [25:00] How to be more present with our digital interactions [26:43] Creating connections at an organizational level [31:45]   About Marissa King Marissa King is a professor of Organizational Behavior at the Yale School of Management, where she developed and teaches a popular course entitled Managing Strategic Netwo

Toughness is often considered an essential ingredient in success. Sacrificing our humanity in the name of results is part of how many organizations do business. This dangerous approach ignores the central part of an organization: its people. Today’s guest works to bring the human element back to the workplace so that we can succeed with empathy and kindness.    In this episode:  Quickly adapting to the changes of 2020 [1:58] A new approach to leadership development and empathy [10:05] The role of kindness in creating high-performance [13:40] How convergence builds great cultures [17:32] Fostering values and competencies to create results [21:11] The new responsibility of supporting mental and emotional wellbeing in the workplace [26:30] Important questions leaders should ask their team [37:50]   About David Hanrahan As Chief Human Resources Officer of Eventbrite, David Hanrahan leads the global human resources team and plays a key role in leading organizational culture initiatives. David’s career has spanne

Human Resources gets a bad rap. While there’s certainly a lot wrong in the world of HR, it still has an important role to serve. It helps us operate as a more effective organization, but only when done properly. As more information becomes available, business leaders have the responsibility to help those in HR think more clearly and be more effective.   In this episode:  The actual source of employee engagement [5:03] The new and changing conditions of engagement during this unpredictable year [13:33] The distinction between checking-in and checking-on [20:32] Tips for cultivating relational mastery [24:11] Why not everyone can be a leader [33:30]   About Scott Miller Entering his twenty-fourth year with FranklinCovey, Scott Miller serves as the executive vice president of Thought Leadership. He is the host of On Leadership With Scott Miller, a weekly webcast, podcast, and newsletter that features interviews with renowned business titans, authors, and thought leaders.  Scott leads the strategy, development

Having ideals in your organization is one thing. However, putting these complex systems into practice is something else entirely. A modern dynamic business should constantly be pushing the limits about how it creates and executes systems and structures that elicit high-performance and high-engagement.   In this episode: FInding motivation to build and support a company that provides amazing experiences for its people  The four most important ingredients of performance management Why it’s worth investing in performance management  Creating a place for love and joy at work  Creating behaviors that align with your organization’s values Where responsibility lies for performance  How 15five developed its own people and performance management systems  The steps to implementing systems of high performance  Products and tactics that any organization can use to build essential competencies  How managers help their people align competencies with values The key elements of effectively using performance metrics   About

Right now, much of the business world is racing to figure out how to do remote work. This likely wasn’t a change they anticipated. However, there are some companies that have already been doing it for years and have valuable lessons to teach.   In this episode: What companies transitioning to remote work can learn from those that already do it [2:14] How the freedoms of remote work lead to more satisfaction [8:30] Addressing the needs and wants of employees who prefer a traditional office [14:10] How managers can take care of their remote team [16:15] How 2020 has changed the role of human resources [23:00] Ways to successfully blend remote and in-person work [31:20] The benefits of increased transparency [34:35]   About Lori McLeese Lori is Automattic’s Global Head of Human Resources. She and her team focus on making Automattic the best place Automatticians have ever worked. One aspect of this is building community in a distributed environment. She joined Automattic in 2010, when there were about 50 Automa

Often, in the game of business, results are the points by which everything is measured. Success relies on extraordinary results. But that doesn’t mean your personal values should ever be sacrificed to meet these goals. Today’s guest is an expert at taking a nuanced and informed perspective and applying it so that both professional and personal values are honored in the workplace.   In This Episode What the conscious leadership model is in practice [2:10] Realizing the importance of our actions through a cosmic lens [6:40] Where to find inspiration for building intrinsic motivation [12:02] Avoiding a culture of entitlement in your company [15:25] Pausing and reflecting on our natural impulses in the workplace [21:00] How to build emotional competence based on cooperation [26:55] The role of ritual inside a company culture [35:17]   About Matt MacInnis Matt is Chief Operating Officer at Rippling where he oversees business operations. From 2009 to 2018, he was the co-founder and CEO of Inkling, a mobile learni

In the workplace, personal hopes and dreams might not align with outside expectations. Many of us erect a wall between our work life and our personal life. As a result, we miss out on the possibility to form deeper interpersonal connections. Today’s guest has made it his mission to help bridge these gaps with people before they’ve even entered the workforce.   In This Episode How the psychological masks that we all wear hold us back [2:18] Creating a dynamic in companies and schools that align with their people’s hopes, dreams, and goals [6:10] Why companies need to create a culture that encourages vulnerability [8:55] What happens when an organization creates a culture of psychological safety [13:03] Creating an atmosphere of trust and openness [22:40] Tips and techniques for creating a better culture [29:06] Creating environments of safety while accounting for racial disparities [36:43] Recognizing the barriers that hold you back [47:30]   About Ashanti Branch Ashanti Branch works to change how young men

There are so many voices that are not represented throughout society. Be it in business or entertainment, many black people find it hard to be heard. This only deepens the psychological wounds of racism. As business leaders, we have a role in addressing this. Our guest today is on a mission to rectify this through spreading the message of personal empowerment.   About Joseph McClendon III Joseph McClendon III is one of the most sought-after Ultimate Performance Specialists in the industry. His unique brand of “tell, show, do” teaching and coaching creates rapid personal change that effectively moves people to take more consistent action to go further faster with their personal and business achievements. Joseph is a best-selling author and has delivered hundreds of workshops, coaching sessions, keynote addresses, seminars and training programs, and one-on-one therapeutic interventions. He has presented to well over 3 million people around the globe.   Sharing the Message of Personal Empowerment Often, just hea

The year 2020 has dramatically shifted the role of people leaders in business. COVID and the racial justice movement has rightly forced managers to take a hard look at their organization’s priorities. This is a time when human nature itself is being put back at the center of companies. As we consider the importance of how people feel while at work, good leaders are recognizing the opportunities to improve company culture.   About Kristina Johnson As the Chief People Officer at Okta. Kristina Johnson leads the organization’s global people function. She is responsible for the company’s human capital management strategy and oversees talent acquisition, talent development, total rewards, and engagement programs. Kristina brings more than 20 years of human resources experience to Okta and has worked across a variety of industries, including technology, software, consulting, and engineering, ranging from start-ups to large multi-national established businesses. She is an experienced leader of global teams and adept

No one is immune to burnout. It affects even the most passionate and resilient people. The mental and emotional exhaustion of burnout can slowly chip away at anyone’s fortitude. That’s why, especially in times like these, organizations need to support their people and bolster their resiliency however they can.   About Dr. Jacinta Jiménez Dr. Jacinta Jiménez (Dr. J) is an award-winning  Board-Certified Executive Leadership Coach with a 15-plus year career dedicated to the betterment of leaders. She’s worked with leaders in top organizations in Silicon Valley and throughout the world. A graduate of Stanford University, Dr. J is a sought after expert in bridging the fields of psychology and leadership. As the former Global Head of Coaching at BetterUp, she developed ground-breaking science-backed coaching approaches for helping today’s top organizations, while also leading a global community of 1500+ international Leadership Coaches in over 58 countries.   Balancing Agility with Resiliency As the difficulties of

What does company culture have to do with business results? At 15five, we see an incredibly strong link between the two. So does today’s guest who has used culture and values to build a pool of enthusiastic employees who are motivated to do their best work every day.   About Steve Zahm Steve Zahm is the president and Chief Culture Officer of Procore where he’s responsible for human resources, learning, development, and facilities and real estate. Steve is focused on the creation and scaling of positive workplace culture as a sustainable competitive advantage for achieving superior business results.   Why Culture is a Strategic Advantage for Business As the Chief Culture Officer, Steve works to make his company’s culture one of its greatest assets. He sees an undeniable connection between the culture of a company and its success. Good workplace culture pays back in so many ways. It attracts the best and most enthusiastic talent. When a company has a positive culture, employees are easier to attract, maintain h

Meaningful organizational change comes when we focus on what’s right with people rather than what’s wrong. This means understanding that not everyone thinks and operates the way that you do. When we appreciate these differences, we see them as assets that create stronger leaders, teams, and organizations. Darren Virassammy is a TEDx speaker and the Co-Founder and COO of 34 Strong. His team believes that everyone deserves a great place to work and that any workplace can be great. As a leading expert in the global workplace engagement community, the 34 Strong team leverages a strength-based approach to human development to create massive shifts within organizations.  When you understand how people in your organization learn best, you can identify how to best apply their strengths. Everyone thinks and processes information and ideas differently. Understanding this allows everyone to show up at their best. This creates a more effective and supportive work culture.  To breathe life into your strengths, Darren urge

In March of 2020 when COVID-19 hit, many organizations updated their remote work policies at least temporarily to allow people to work from home. Twitter made headlines in May by announcing that a remote work option would be available to their 5,000+ full-time workforce, forever! 15Five CEO, David Hassell interviews Twitter’s head of HR to discuss what Twitter has learned from making this shift after several months.  Jennifer Christie is the VP of People and Chief Human Resources Officer at Twitter. She leads the global people team and works with the executive management team and board of directors to support the strategic direction of the company. Jennifer oversees talent acquisition and management, diversity and inclusion, people systems and analytics, organizational and performance management, and training and development. Even before COVID, Twitter allowed employees to work remotely as part of their larger strategies around decentralization and Diversity & Inclusion. Now as a fully remote organization

Best-Self Management is returning for Season 5 on August 12th! In this season, David and Shane will be talking with HR leaders from some of the largest, most successful, and most progressive companies in the world, including Twitter, Okta, and Siemens. We'll discuss culture, people strategy, and how to thrive during turbulent times, for which there is no roadmap.   On the Best-Self Management podcast, we explore the brave new world of bringing your whole self to work. Best-Self Management proposes that if leaders build cultures and institute practices that support people in being and becoming their Best Selves, then high performance and uncommon loyalty is the result. What is Best-Self Management? A proven, research-based methodology proposing that when leaders build cultures that support people in being their best selves, high performance and engagement naturally result. Who are the hosts? David Hassell and Shane Metcalf have a uniquely healthy and productive cofounder relationship which they have leveraged

Diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging are receiving more attention these days, with many more companies asking, “How can we create more equity and a sense of belonging?” But have you ever considered the negative—exclusion? By shutting people out, consciously or not, we create shame and trauma. This is a powerful force that affects all aspects of society, not just work. It has become increasingly important to examine the root-causes of how current dynamics of exclusion began and the science behind the way we think, feel, and operate in the world.  Today, we welcome Rajkumari Neogy back to the show—an epigenetic coach and executive consultant focused on the intersection of neurobiology, culture, and empathy in today’s business world. Rajkumari believes that passionate self-reflection coupled with dedicated curiosity defines true leadership. Specializing in the tech sector, S/He has trained leaders at high-powered organizations, including Google, Facebook, and Salesforce.  In this episode, Rajkumari helps

In recent years, we’ve seen the employee engagement and performance software market explode. Along the way, we’ve come to realize that success takes more than just providing people with the software tools they need. It’s education and training that makes the difference, and a deep commitment to having organizations transform. Meaningful transformation only comes when the deep and difficult work happens. Today, we’re talking with two of our employees who are helping other organizations train their managers to be far more effective.  Jon Greenawalt, our Chief Performance Officer, brings over 20 years of global, cross-industry consulting experience to help develop leaders and teams through progressive leadership and management development programs. Jon is the former Chief People & Culture Officer at SharkNinja, where he built the Talent Development function, trained over 500 leaders and managers during his tenure, and implemented 15Five across the entire 1,600 global full-time employee population. Emily Diaz

Perhaps now more than any other time in History, demands on People Operations roles are incredibly high. Handling just the administrative side of HR while establishing a remote workforce can be a full-time job, let alone the all-important human element that requires your resources and attention. Because the true power of human resources lies in unlocking the potential of every employee, many HR leaders are discovering or refining new skills in 2020: “The Year of HR.”  Josh Bersin founded Bersin & Associates in 2001 (later acquired by Deloitte) to provide research and advisory services focused on corporate learning. He expanded the company’s coverage to encompass HR, talent management, talent acquisition, and leadership and became a recognized expert in the talent market. In 2019, Josh also founded the Josh Bersin Academy, an online professional development resource that has become the “Home for HR” in recent months. Right now, in addition to staying in business during an economic downturn, companies are s

Since late May 2020, there has been an accelerated evolution of the conversation around race and our roles as human beings, citizens, and business leaders. With this latest round of high-profile deadly police encounters with Black Americans and the massive response to it, many of us are at a loss about how to best respond. Business leaders especially may be avoiding the conversation because they are afraid to risk their futures because they said the wrong thing.  Today, we welcome Willie Jackson back to the podcast to continue the important conversation we began last time. More and more difficult conversations are happening across the country and around the world that require vulnerability and discomfort. Staying in the discomfort and being curious about it along with a willingness to be vulnerable and make mistakes, will lead to meaningful conversations that may in turn lead to long-lasting change in a country drenched in systemic racism.  We recognize that this is a time of opportunity, and these opportunit

We stand at a pivotal moment in American history, one when there is an opportunity to correct massive injustice, dismantle the structures of systemic racism, and co-create a new future where all people can have true freedom, equal rights, and equal opportunities for a life of safety and prosperity.  Businesses are rightly being called to take meaningful action towards racism and that includes the policies they put in place to have more diverse and inclusive workplaces. We invited today’ guest on the show to share his wisdom about what we as business leaders can do to ensure diversity, equity, and inclusion in the workplace.  Willie Jackson is a keynote speaker, consultant, and facilitator at ReadySet who helps leaders and organizations advance vital conversations that unlock connections across differences. His belief in the transformative power of media to change narratives led him to found Abernathy, a magazine for black men backed by companies like Mailchimp, Atlassian, and WeWork. Willie served as Founding