Human Capital

Ordinary Resilience (Replay): Using resilience and adversity as a catalyst for growth. Embracing challenges as opportunities for personal and professional transformation.iz Dec 17, 2024

On this inspiring replay, Jeff and Luis delve into the transformative power of resilience—not as a superhuman ability, but as a skill that anyone can nurture. They shed light on how resilience is built through everyday actions, choices, and mindsets, making it accessible to all of us. Drawing from real-life stories and research-backed insights, the episode explores how resilience helps individuals navigate setbacks, adapt to change, and find opportunities in adversity. Discover practical strategies for cultivating resilience in your own life, from developing emotional agility to fostering supportive relationships and creating routines that enhance mental and physical well-being. Jeff and Luis also emphasize the critical role resilience plays in team dynamics and leadership, offering actionable advice for fostering a resilient workplace culture.

Habits of Valuable Employees (Replay): Continuous learning, embracing change, and fostering open communication to drive growth and innovation. Dec 03, 2024

This week, we’re replaying an insightful conversation between Jeff and Verne Harnish, renowned author and leadership expert. In this episode, Verne shares timeless wisdom on leadership, values, and navigating change. He highlights the importance of continuous learning and adaptability in today’s fast-evolving business world. Together, Jeff and Verne explore how fostering healthy conflict and open communication within teams leads to better decisions and stronger trust. They also discuss how core values serve as essential guiding principles for leaders and employees, shaping a thriving organizational culture. Packed with actionable strategies and real-world examples, this replay offers valuable tools for driving growth and innovation in any organization.

Motivation Up, Attrition Down (Replay): Workplace happiness. The unexpected elements that shape job satisfaction, positive relationships, and increased productivity. Nov 19, 2024

On this replay, Jeff and Matthew Bidwell, a Wharton professor, explore key strategies for enhancing employee motivation and reducing attrition. They dive into the value of autonomy, learning opportunities, and variety in job roles, with real-world examples from companies like Costco and Trader Joe’s. They also discuss the importance of strong relationships between managers and employees, highlighting how genuine care for an employee’s well-being and career development can lead to higher engagement and retention. The conversation touches on managing stress in the workplace, offering insights on finding the balance between workload demands and employee resources. Also, Jeff and Matthew emphasize that while extrinsic benefits like pay matter, fostering an environment of trust, support, and autonomy is key to keeping employees loyal and satisfied.

89. The AI-Enabled Leader: AI’s impact on business. Exploring AI augmentation, Agentic AI, and balancing technology with human-centered leadership. Nov 05, 2024

On this episode, Jeff is joined by AI and technology expert Bernard Marr to discuss the transformative power of artificial intelligence in today’s business landscape. Bernard explains how AI, particularly generative and Agentic AI, is revolutionizing workflows, enhancing human capabilities, and reshaping leadership strategies. He emphasizes the importance of integrating AI without losing the human touch and offers insights into balancing efficiency with employee engagement. Bernard also delves into the risks of AI, such as data biases and ethical concerns, while sharing practical steps for leaders to foster trust and navigate the AI-driven future. Whether you’re an AI novice or an experienced executive, this conversation provides valuable insights into leveraging AI to enhance both organizational performance and human connection.

88. Becoming Irreplaceable: How employees can become significantly more valuable by leveraging synergies between the human and AI connection. Oct 22, 2024

In this episode, Jeff welcomes Pascal Bornet, a world-renowned expert in AI and automation, for a thought-provoking conversation about how technology is reshaping the future of work. As the author of , Pascal explores the often misunderstood relationship between humans and AI, offering a fresh perspective on how this powerful technology can enhance, rather than replace, human capabilities. He shares that the future success of individuals and businesses depends on balancing the strengths of AI with uniquely human traits such as creativity, critical thinking, and social authenticity. Jeff and Pascal discuss the importance of putting humans at the center of AI transformations and explain how the right synergy between humans and machines can create enormous value. They also delve into the ethical considerations and potential risks of AI, emphasizing the need for human oversight and adaptability in an ever-changing technological landscape.

87. The Evolving Leader: Unlocking the power of emotional intelligence. Exploring how the Enneagram helps leaders understand themselves and others. Oct 08, 2024

In this insightful episode, Jeff is joined by Scott Allender, author of The Enneagram of Emotional Intelligence and co-host of The Evolving Leader podcast. Together, they explore the power of emotional intelligence in the workplace, focusing on how the Enneagram can serve as a transformative tool for self-awareness. Scott unpacks the nine Enneagram types, explaining how each type reflects core motivations, fears, and behaviors that influence our leadership styles and interactions. Across the conversation, Jeff and Scott discuss the importance of recognizing the deeper, often unconscious, aspects of our personality that drive decision-making, relationships, and workplace dynamics. They also delve into how self-awareness can lead to greater empathy, trust, and ultimately, stronger team performance.

86. Learning and AI: Learning methods which stimulate curiosity and innovation. Achieving high performance with learning at the center of company strategy. Sep 24, 2024

On this episode Jeff welcomes Juliette Denny, Founder and Managing Director of Growth Engineering Limited. Jeff and Juliette have a spirited discussion about the transformative power of Learning and Development (L&D). With a background in psychology and marketing, Juliette has spent over 20 years developing innovative learning environments that engage employees and drive real business results. She shares her perspective on Edgar Dale's Cone of Experience and its widespread misconceptions, explaining how learning can be maximized through both abstract and concrete experiences. Juliette and Jeff also dive into the importance of curiosity in learning and how organizations often miss out on the true potential of L&D by not embedding it at the core of their strategy. Drawing on her experience working with companies like L’Oreal, HP, and Samsung, she highlights how a strong L&D approach can boost both innovation and profitability. Additionally, they offer a glimpse into her new venture, Iridescent Technology, and how AI is reshaping the way we approach personalized learning, helping to foster growth and adaptability in the workplace. Whether you're a leader, L&D professional, or lifelong learner, this episode provides valuable insights on how to build an effective learning culture that aligns with your organization's vision and goals.

85. Becoming Fearless: Practical strategies to address fear and boost leadership confidence. Reframing fear as insight that drives progress and decision-making. Sep 10, 2024

In this episode of Human Capital, Jeff is joined again by Dr. Benjamin Ritter, a leadership and career coach, organizational development expert, and founder of Live for Yourself Consulting. Jeff discusses with Benjamin his new book: Becoming Fearless: 65 Strategies to Journey from Self-Doubt to Self-Mastery, they share insights on overcoming fear and self-doubt to achieve personal and professional growth. The discussion delves into the root causes of fear, its impact on our work lives, and how embracing fearlessness can lead to stronger relationships, better performance, and a more fulfilling life. Whether you're struggling with career hesitations or looking to take healthy risks, this episode offers practical strategies for building confidence and leading and living with intention.

84. The Impact of Narrative: Viewing PR as a strategic way to lead. Earning instead of controlling your narrative, through authentic and effective communication. Aug 27, 2024

Dive into the world of strategic communication and storytelling with Jeff and this week's guest Cheryl Snapp Conner, a seasoned expert in PR and business communication. Throughout the episode, Jeff and Cheryl share valuable insights on how businesses can effectively tell their stories and navigate the complex landscape of modern communication. Cheryl shares compelling examples of companies that have mastered their messaging, as well as cautionary tales of PR missteps. They emphasize the critical importance of proactive communication strategies and authenticity in brand messaging while exploring the evolving role of social media in corporate communication, offering practical advice on handling crises in the digital age. The episode provides thought-provoking perspectives on measuring communication effectiveness and aligning PR efforts with overall business strategy.

83. Motivation Myths: Understanding the truths behind motivation; creating processes and following them with discipline in order to achieve greater things. Aug 13, 2024

In this insightful episode, Jeff talks with Jeff Haden about the mindset and habits that separate high achievers from the rest. Mr. Haden is a renowned author, speaker, and influencer with over 1 million LinkedIn followers and 2.5 million monthly readers of his articles in Inc. magazine. He's known for his expertise in leadership, company culture, and performance. Jeff has written numerous books, including The Motivation Myth, which Jeff and Jeff explore in depth on the show. Jeff shares how the power of discipline, and how overachievers are often ordinary people who have mastered the art of consistency. They break down how sticking to what you love, one day at a time, can lead to extraordinary success. As the two of them unpack the myths surrounding motivation, it becomes clear that motivation often doesn’t appear until you start taking action. Jeff and Jeff talk about how to build momentum through daily efforts and why the journey to achieving big goals begins with small, manageable steps. Tune in to discover practical strategies for cultivating discipline, maintaining motivation, and ultimately, turning your aspirations into reality. Whether you're looking to boost your productivity or achieve a long-term goal, this episode offers valuable insights to guide you on your path to success.

82. Ordinary Resilience: Using resilience and adversity as a catalyst for growth. Embracing challenges as opportunities for personal and professional transformation. Jul 30, 2024

In this episode, Jeff Hunt welcomes resilience expert Luis Velasquez, the author of Ordinary Resilience. They dive deep into the concept of resilience, exploring how overcoming obstacles can shape individuals into more effective leaders and employees. Luis shares his personal journey of resilience, growing up in Guatemala during a time of political unrest and economic hardship, as well as significant health challenges in the U.S. Despite these challenges, he managed to build a successful career, thanks to the support of the U.S. "Scholarships for Peace" program. Luis offers insights from his book, providing practical strategies for building resilience, emphasizing the importance of adaptability, relationships, and seeing challenges as opportunities for growth. Jeff and Luis talk about how resilience involves not just bouncing back but also growing from adversity and how recognizing the difference between pain and discomfort can help individuals push through difficult situations.

81. Talking on Eggshells: Transforming directives into collaborative questions to enhance workplace communication and foster true teamwork. Jul 16, 2024

In this engaging episode of the Human Capital Podcast, Jeff Hunt returns from a break with his batteries recharged and dives into a profound discussion with Sam Horn, a renowned communication strategist and author of "Talking on Eggshells." Sam shares her career journey, emphasizing the pivotal moments that shaped her expertise in effective communication and leadership. She highlights the significance of her "power three" – close family and friends, meaningful work, and daily nature walks – as the foundation of her gratitude and fulfillment. Sam recounts a critical leadership lesson where self-doubt led her to decline a major managerial role, later realizing her capability to succeed in that position. The conversation explores the vital role of language in fostering a positive workplace environment and the power of listening and situational awareness. Sam and Jeff provide practical strategies for leaders to enhance communication, reduce workplace resistance, and promote genuine collaboration. By shifting from authoritative commands to collaborative asks, they illustrate how leaders can create more dynamic and cooperative workspaces.

80. Leading With Heart & Purpose: Mid-year trends to shape your leadership skills. Insights on purpose-driven leadership, mental health, experimentation, AI, and transparency. May 28, 2024

In this solo episode, Jeff delves into the evolving landscape of leadership as we approach the midpoint of 2024. He highlights five key trends that are reshaping how leaders can effectively guide their teams with empathy and purpose. From finding purpose beyond profits, to leveraging AI, and building trust through transparency, Jeff provides practical insights and real-world examples to help leaders navigate the complexities of today's business environment. Tune in to discover how you can lead with heart and inspire your team in the year ahead. Thank you for listening to Human Capital. We will be pausing new episodes for another 8-weeks, but please stay tuned for a great lineup of inspiring and insightful guests.

79. Habits of Valuable Employees: Continuous learning, embracing change, and fostering open communication to drive growth and innovation. May 14, 2024

This week join Jeff in his engaging conversation with Verne Harnish, an acclaimed author and leadership expert. Verne shares invaluable insights on leadership, values, and change. Drawing from his extensive experience, he emphasizes the necessity of continuous learning and remaining open to change in today's dynamic business landscape. Jeff and Verne delve into the critical role of fostering healthy conflict and open communication within teams to facilitate better decision-making and build trust. They also discuss the significance of core values as guiding principles for both employees and leaders, highlighting their role in shaping organizational culture. This episode offers actionable strategies for driving growth and fostering a culture of innovation within any organization with practical advice and real-world examples.

78. Strategic Human Resources: From compliance to empowerment, the strategic evolution of HR, and the challenges in fostering closer collaboration with executive leadership. Apr 30, 2024

In this episode, Jeff invites Donna Hamlin, PhD to delve into the transformative journey of the HR department from its origins as primarily compliance-focused to its current role as a strategic advisor within organizations. Donna is CEO of BoardWise and an expert in corporate governance and strategic human capital management. Jeff and Donna highlight the challenges and opportunities faced by HR professionals. Their conversation explores HR leaders' need to develop strategic thinking skills and foster closer collaboration with executive leadership to drive organizational change and deliver high value.

77. A Culture of Sales: The pivotal role of a strong sales mentality. Engagement, communication, and customer-centric strategies for long-term success. Apr 16, 2024

In this illuminating episode, Jeff delves into the crucial interplay between organizational culture and sales strategy with Alice Heiman, a renowned sales leader and consultant. Together, they navigate the intricate landscape of modern business, highlighting the indispensable value of a strong sales mentality that emphasizes customer relationships, strategic market growth, and clear communication. Alice and Jeff bring the need for a clear exit strategy to the vital importance of aligning team strategies with long-term goals, and dynamics of customer relationships, and stress the necessity of multiple touchpoints. Alice advocates for a structured approach where top-tier clients have direct connections not just with sales, but also with product specialists, engineers, and senior executives, ensuring enhanced customer satisfaction and retention.

Being True at Work (Replay): Becoming comfortable bringing our true selves to work, authentically and imperfectly. Leadership courage, calmness, connection, and curiosity. Apr 02, 2024

Join Jeff Hunt in an engaging replay of a previous episode of the Human Capital podcast, featuring Cassandra Goodman, a distinguished figure in the world of business and leadership. Cassandra is known for her impactful roles in companies like GE, Adobe, and Mastercard, bringing a refreshing perspective to leadership with her latest book "Being True." In this conversation, Jeff and Cassandra delve into the "True Leadership" concept, encouraging us to move away from conventional leadership paradigms. Cassandra discusses the profound impact of understanding our inner nature, embracing all aspects of ourselves, and leading with empathy and effectiveness. They share insights on how cultivating self-awareness and authenticity can lead to not only personal fulfillment but also create a positive ripple effect in organizational culture.

76. Social Presence: Proactively navigating social presence in virtual meetings as presenter or attendee with greater intentionality, presence, and productivity. Mar 19, 2024

In this enlightening and transformative episode, Jeff welcomes Jeanine Turner as his guest. Jeanine is the author of "Being Present." Jeanine is also a Professor at Georgetown University, and she brings over three decades of research into how we use communication technologies and how they, in turn, shape our interactions at work, at home, and beyond. They start by dissecting the concept of "budgeted presence," where tasks often take precedence over relationships. From the challenges of navigating competitive and entitled presence to the importance of creating invitational spaces, Jeanine provides invaluable insights into how our tech habits impact the depth of our connections. Jeff and Jeanine uncover the nuances of persuasive communication while keeping the delicate balance between maintaining focus and fostering dialogues that nurture empathy and understanding. Get Jeanine's book here:

75. Embracing Authenticity: Dispelling company culture myths. How to embrace authenticity and storytelling. A roadmap for engagement and improved communication. Mar 05, 2024

In this episode, Jeff interviews Kelly Ann Doherty the current Executive VP and Chief Administrative Officer at the Mr. Cooper Group, overseeing a very large aspect of the company’s people and operations functions. She has nearly 20 years of experience serving some of the nation’s leading organizations in both Communications and People Ops. Jeff and Kelly Ann delve into corporate communication myths, emphasizing the dual role of both the "little C" in everyday dialogue with employees, and the "big C" of strategic messaging. They highlight the power of authenticity in fostering genuine connections and share innovative approaches like "Cooper Con," a conference with fun segments like "Hot Takes" to engage employees. They discuss how communication can be a strategic and competitive advantage, and how to assess your effectiveness at it, both individually and corporately. Their conversation also explores storytelling's impact on culture and brand equity, using personal experiences to drive employee engagement. Strategies for bridging generational gaps and practical tips for enhancing communication skills round out this dynamic discussion, as Kelly Ann shares a roadmap for personal and professional growth in corporate communication.

74. The Business Case for Diversity: Fostering inclusion and driving organizational transformation. The intersection of diversity, leadership, and change management. Feb 20, 2024

This week Jeff's guest is Shan Cooper. She is the Founder and CEO of Journey Forward Strategies. Shan’s impressive background includes being the first Black Woman to be VP and General Manager of a division of Lockheed Martin, overseeing 8,000 employees. She also served as the executive director for the Atlanta Committee for Progress, and is the former Chief Transformation Officer at West Rock. Shan and Jeff delve into the nuanced challenges of fostering diversity and inclusion while navigating organizational change. Shan's insights underscore the necessity of understanding long-term business cycles and addressing incidents of discrimination head-on. She shares the sobering experience of grappling with racially motivated violence within the company, highlighting the importance of creating a safe environment for dialogue and swift action against discriminatory behavior. Shan and Jeff underscore the significance of cultural competency in business interactions, emphasizing the need for leaders to invest in understanding diverse perspectives, and the pivotal role of effective leadership alignment and communication in driving organizational transformation. This insightful conversation advocates for clear communication, robust training, and modeling of desired behaviors to facilitate meaningful change within the workplace, ultimately fostering a culture of inclusion and driving organizational success.

73. Motivation Up, Attrition Down: Workplace happiness. The unexpected elements that shape job satisfaction, positive relationships, and increased productivity. Feb 06, 2024

In this engaging podcast episode, Jeff returns from his podcast sabbatical to explore the key factors influencing job satisfaction and workplace happiness with his guest Matthew Bidwell. With valuable insights and practical examples, this episode provides leaders and managers with actionable strategies to enhance workplace culture, reduce stress, and foster lasting employee satisfaction. The discussion delves into the surprising occupations where workers are most satisfied, the impact of learning opportunities and variety on employee contentment, the crucial role of relationships with managers and coworkers, effective strategies for stress management, and the significance of extrinsic benefits, including pay, in the overall job satisfaction equation.

Your Attention at Work (Replay): Debunking the myths of attention and multitasking. Tips to improve our relationship with technology while reducing stress. Jan 23, 2024

This week Jeff returns to his engaging conversation with Gloria Mark, Chancellor’s Professor at UC Irvine. Join Jeff and Gloria as they delve into the intricate relationship between our digital and offline behaviors. They explore the impact of technology on stress, mood, and overall well-being, shedding light on the challenges posed by information overload, especially in the workplace. Listen in as Jeff and Gloria challenge the myth of multitasking and unveil the advantages of monotasking. They also dissect the four common myths surrounding technology usage in the workplace. Gloria shares valuable insights on how incorporating meditation and mindfulness practices can enhance focus, leading to improved goal achievement, communication, decision-making, efficiency, and safety.

The Upside of Uncertainty (Replay): Changing the paradigm of uncertainty. Evaluating risk, aligning goals with values, and how to listen to your heart when making decisions. Jan 09, 2024

In this replay of Human Capital's episode, Jeff explores the topic of uncertainty with guests Susannah and Nathan Furr, authors of "The Upside of Uncertainty." Nathan is a professor of strategy at NSEAD University in Paris, and Susannah formerly owned an apparel company. Together they explore the difference between risk and uncertainty, how creativity and uncertainty are interwoven, and how reframing, preparing, doing, and sustaining can lead us to the upside of uncertainty. Susannah and Nathan share with Jeff about what uncertainty balancers are, and how to better navigate the emotions that come with uncertainty to produce positive outcomes.

Culture Shock (Replay): Improving employee engagement, fostering effective management habits, and building a diverse, strengths-based culture. Dec 26, 2023

In this replay of a captivating podcast episode, Jeff sits down with Jim Harter, Chief Scientist of Workplace Management and Wellbeing at the Gallup Corporation. They explore the enduring impact of the pandemic on work culture and customer relationships, drawing insights from Jim's book, "Culture Shock." Together, they tackle the challenges organizations are facing post-pandemic, from strained customer relationships to declining employee engagement, offering solutions for a better world of work. Jeff and Jim discuss common challenges organizations are facing, including deteriorating customer relationships and declining employee engagement. Jim reveals the key habits of great managers and the five innate traits that predict managerial success. They dive into the importance of focusing on employee strengths rather than weaknesses, and how to build a diverse, strengths-based culture.

Unstoppable Cultures (Replay): Building a positive culture through healthy conflict. Involving employees in decision-making to align with company values and purpose. Dec 12, 2023

Revitalize your workplace culture, step into this special replay episode where Jeff invites you to rediscover the profound insights shared by Ginger Hardage, former C-Suite Executive at Southwest Airlines. Ginger is known for her expertise in culture-building. Join as Jeff and Ginger emphasize the importance of putting employees first, transparency, and storytelling to connect employees with the company's values and purpose. Ginger highlights the importance of involving employees in decision-making and measuring leaders' contributions to the culture during performance evaluations. They stress the pivotal role of culture in organizational success and the role of leaders in modeling healthy conflict behavior while creating a safe work environment for open discussions and diverse perspectives.

Productivity and Calm (Replay): Six factors that lead to burnout. Reducing stress at work while achieving higher productivity. Strategies for finding calm in the midst of stress. Nov 28, 2023

This week, Jeff invites you to relisten and rediscover the insights shared by best-selling author and productivity expert, Chris Bailey. In this episode, Jeff and his guest talk about something that feels counter-intuitive to many; reducing workplace stress while also achieving higher productivity. In their conversation, Chris shares with Jeff about the science behind living a deeper, more intentional life. They discuss the link between calmness and productivity, the impact of dopamine on our ability to be calm, and simple strategies that can not only reduce anxiety at home and work but lead to a greater sense of peace. Chris helps listeners understand what the six factors are that lead to burnout, how to do a dopamine fast, and how to make better decisions about dividing our time between the digital and analog worlds.

72. Never Lose an Employee Again: How to shape employee experience to eliminate turnover, starting with the first 100 days. The intricate ties between customer and employee. Nov 14, 2023

Jeff brings the topic of employee retention to Human Capital, with professional speaker and best-selling author Joey Coleman. Jeff and Joey discuss his latest book, "Never Lose a Customer Again". Joey shares his motivation behind the book, based on two decades of customer experience. He explains the critical connection between exceptional customer experiences (CX), and the need for remarkable employee experiences (EX) for employees to deliver them. They delve into the challenge of bridging the gap between CX and EX, asserting that organizations often treat them as disparate entities. Joey calls on his eclectic background, as an attorney defending "alleged" criminals, selling custom research to Fortune 500 executives, racing along the Great Wall, juggling in front of the Taj Mahal, and working in the CIA and White House. Joey is a professional speaker and has given thousands of speeches all over the world, traveling to 51 countries (and counting).

71. Trusting Leadership: The building blocks of trust at work and home: understanding, motive, ability, character, and track record. Oct 31, 2023

In this episode, Jeff delves into the complex but crucial topic of trust, both business and personal relationships. Trust serves as the adhesive that binds individuals, organizations, and societies together, playing a pivotal role in determining the success of a company and its relationships with its employees and customers. Jeff's guest for this insightful interview is Dr. Henry Cloud, a renowned leadership expert, clinical psychologist, and bestselling author with extensive experience in executive coaching and leadership consulting. Dr. Cloud shares his vast knowledge and insights on trust and its impact on various aspects of performance, culture, and relationships. Jeff and Henry explore the key components of trust, which break down into five essential elements: understanding, motive, ability, character, and track record. These are the essential components for fostering trust within organizations, ensuring that teams and leaders can work together effectively. This episode will help you learn how to actively cultivate and maintain trust within your organization.

70. Is This Strategy Working?: The essential role of leaders, adaptable strategies, and collaborative cultures in achieving long-term organizational success. Oct 17, 2023

Listen to Jeff Hunt, Barbara Collins, and Lewe Atkinson discuss the critical elements of effective strategic planning and execution in organizations. Drawing from their extensive experience in leadership, management, and strategic consulting, they explore the roles of leaders in driving change and planning for the future. They highlight the importance of collaboration between executive teams and boards in governance and strategy development. Additionally, Jeff, Barbara, and Lewe introduce a dynamic approach to strategic planning, emphasizing continuous monitoring and adaptation. Join to gain valuable insights into the keys to long-term organizational success through strategic thinking and execution.

69. AI and Leadership: Adoption of AI: its economic impact and industry benefits. Creating inclusive AI cultures, and ensuring ethical AI use. Oct 03, 2023

On this episode, Jeff welcomes Rob Seamans, PhD, an Associate Professor at the NYU Stern School of Business. Rob is also the director of the Center for the Future of Management, and was previously the Senior Economist for technology and innovation on President Obama's Council of Economic Advisers. Rob’s research focuses on how firms use technology in their strategic interactions with each other, and the economic consequences of AI, robotics, and other advanced technologies. Rob and Jeff explore the rapid adoption of AI, its economic implications, and the challenges it poses to organizations. Rob shares key findings on AI's impact, discusses cultural aspects, and addresses productivity gains, industry benefits, and how to foster inclusive AI-driven cultures. Listen in to discover strategies for addressing AI-related job-security concerns, reskilling the workforce, and ensuring ethical AI implementation with a focus on responsible design and policymaker involvement.

68. The Thinking Field: The power of inclusive leadership. The keys to fostering a thinking environment which leads to improved innovation and equity. Sep 18, 2023

Join Jeff for an eye-opening conversation with Candice Smith as she shares her incredible journey growing up in apartheid South Africa. Candice discusses challenging a system that marginalized voices based on skin color, and how she discovered the power of the thinking environment. Candice and Jeff discuss horizontal vs. vertical leadership development & the importance of developing cognitive, emotional, and ethical capacities for more inclusive and effective leadership. Candice introduces the concept of a thinking environment, emphasizing the critical role of attention, equality, ease, and appreciation in fostering a culture of inclusivity and innovation. They discuss what some actionable steps are to creating a workplace where everyone's voice is valued, denial is dismantled, and courageous conversations lead to positive change.

67. Being True At Work: The "True Leader" acronym (Trust, Reassure, Understand, Empower). The essence of leadership and embracing one's authentic self. Sep 05, 2023

In this episode of the Human Capital podcast, Jeff welcomes a special guest from Australia, Cassandra Goodman, who introduces her latest book titled "Being True." What makes Cassie stand out is her wealth of experience in the business world and her extensive time as a senior executive and an external consultant. She has made a significant impact on renowned companies like GE, Adobe, and Mastercard, but what really sets Cassie apart is her mission to help leaders embrace their authentic selves, quirks and all. She's not just a fountain of innovative ideas, but also a fantastic role model for genuine self-expression. During their conversation, Jeff and Cassie dive into the intriguing concept of "True Leadership." They chat about how this approach requires us to let go of the traditional norms of leadership we're accustomed to. They dig deep into the significance of getting back in touch with our inner essence, understanding the different aspects of ourselves, and how being true to who we are can profoundly enhance our leadership with empathy and effectiveness. Cassie calls upon the well known therapeudic modality of Internal Family Systems (IFS), founded by Dr. Richard C. Schwartz, Ph.D. and leverages this to boast healthier "internal" and "external" leadership.

66. Purpose Driven Culture: The secrets behind Chick-fil-A's phenomenal success. The power of building a solid employee-centered culture. Aug 22, 2023

In this week's episode, Jeff interviews David Salyers, a former C-Suite Marketing Executive at Chick-fil-A. David played a pivotal role in creating Chick-fil-A's exceptional culture, resulting in remarkable achievements like 10 times revenue per location of the average competitor, and a 97% employee retention rate. David shares how a focus on building a strong culture and prioritizing service over profits led to Chick-fil-A's success. Jeff and David explore the relationship between brand, culture, and customer experience, emphasizing the importance of aligning employee and customer values. David's insights shed light on how to create a thriving business and a culture that people genuinely want to be a part of.

65. Unstoppable Cultures: Building a positive culture through healthy conflict. Involving employees in decision-making to align with company values and purpose. Aug 08, 2023

In this episode of the Human Capital Podcast, Jeff discusses the importance of fostering healthy conflict and building a positive workplace culture. This week's guest is Ginger Hardage, a former C-Suite Executive at Southwest Airlines who is known for her expertise in culture-building. Jeff and Ginger emphasize the importance of putting employees first, transparency, and storytelling to connect employees with the company's values and purpose. Ginger highlights the importance of involving employees in decision-making and measuring leaders' contributions to the culture during performance evaluations. They stress the pivotal role of culture in organizational success and the role of leaders in modeling healthy conflict behavior while creating a safe work environment for open discussions and diverse perspectives. Ginger will be speaking at a 4-day organizational culture masterclass called the Fellowship, being held from November 6-9 at the Four Seasons Rancho Encantado in Santa Fe, New Mexico.

64. Growth and Scaling: Valuable lessons about solving problems, trusting your team, and setting clear goals for entrepreneurial and business success. Jul 25, 2023

In this exciting episode, Jeff interviews Todd Westra, a successful entrepreneur. Todd shares about his journey which began as an eight-year-old with a paper route and ultimately allowed him to scale and successfully exit from several successful companies. Todd explains that in life, you can turn almost anything you love doing into a business if you can solve a problem. He also highlights the importance of setting clear values and a company culture that aligns with your goals. Todd and Jeff discuss the power of delegation and how founders must learn to trust their team members to handle tasks by giving them the freedom to find their own solutions. They also talk about knowing your business's purpose and long-term vision. Todd advises entrepreneurs to understand what problems their business solves and to be specific about their goals and targets and the importance of having an exit strategy.

The War For Talent (Replay): The talent war and how to find passionate people who are great at their jobs. The strategic benefits of a structured, video-based interview process. Jul 11, 2023

Revisit Jeff's interview with Sean Fahey. He is the Founder and CEO of VidCruiter, a company specializing in video interviewing and recruiting technology. Sean and Jeff discuss specifically how employers can find passionate people who are great at their jobs. Sean shares the challenges of having too many or not enough candidates in the pool, and the need to apply consistent structure, processes, and workflows to the recruiting methodology. Sean shares how he pulled off hiring 200 people in 30 days and how this became a catalyst for starting his company. They talk about weeding out bias in recruiting and what methods can improve diversity, equity, and inclusion. Sean shares his thoughts on the lack of readiness of artificial intelligence to be embedded into recruiting technologies and the associated pitfalls to be aware of.

Eliminating Silos (Replay): Leading from where you are. The benefits of authentic leadership, how to eliminate silos at the top, and the importance of “Team 1.” Jun 27, 2023

Jeff interviews Bradley Rencher, CEO of BambooHR where they have an inspiring conversation about leading from where you are, one of BambooHR’s core values. Brad shares how this comes from making an impact, and how it often means you're promoted before you get the title. Brad and Jeff discuss how most careers are not linear, why senior leaders must proactively mentor less experienced leaders, and how cultures that pitch and catch feedback well outperform their peers. Brad helps listeners understand the need to develop domain expertise at all levels of the organization and why eliminating silos at the top is paramount. Link to Brad’s article on Entrepreneur Magazine:

The HubSpot Culture Code (Replay): The HubSpot Culture Code, making inclusivity part of your DNA, and how to treat employees well, even when things aren't going well. Jun 13, 2023

This week Jeff revisits his interview with Katie Burke, Chief People Officer at HubSpot for a discussion about the HubSpot Culture Code. Katie shares how to make inclusivity part of your organization’s DNA through transparency, measurement, integrity, and authenticity. Jeff and Katie discuss ways to leverage both the head and heart to make the case for diversity improvement, and why these elements must be a business priority. Katie talks about the importance of treating employees well even when things are not going well at your organization. She shares the importance of vulnerability and how therapy can help reduce defensiveness and reactivity while leading to improved self-awareness.

63. Culture Shock: Improving employee engagement, fostering effective management habits, and building a diverse, strengths-based culture. May 30, 2023

In this podcast episode, we explore the lasting impact of the pandemic on work culture and customer relationships. Jeff's guest Jim Harter, is the Chief Scientist of Workplace Management and Wellbeing at the Gallup Corporation. Jim shares insights from his upcoming book "Culture Shock," offering solutions for a better world of work and life. Jeff and Jim discuss the common challenges organizations are facing coming out of the pandemic, including deteriorating customer relationships and declining employee engagement. Jim reveals the key habits of great managers and the five innate traits that predict managerial success. They dive into the importance of focusing on employee strengths rather than weaknesses, and how to build a diverse, strengths-based culture. Listen to discover how organizations can thrive in the post-pandemic era and create an engaged and productive workforce.

62. Leader As Coach: The commonalities between sports and business. How teamwork, leadership, strategy, and adaptability deliver top performance. May 16, 2023

Explore the connection between sports and business with Jeff's guest, Randy Bennett. Randy is the renowned Saint Mary’s Men’s Basketball coach and on this episode he shares his insights and experiences in coaching his team to excellence. Randy shares about the transormation from when he inherited a 2-27 team 20-years ago to one of the top non-Power 5 programs in the US, with a 70.9% win-loss ratio. Together, Jeff and Randy discuss leadership, teamwork, strategy, and culture in both sports and business. Randy shares valuable coaching tips about the importance of adaptability, a positive attitude, and teamwork in achieving success. They discuss the difference between improving personal best personal average, and how to manage systemic turnover in sports and business.

61. Difficult Conversations: Navigating difficult conversations with confidence and empathy while building strong, productive relationships with your colleagues. May 02, 2023

Difficult conversations are commonplace at work, but many people avoid them. Avoiding conflict sometimes feels easier, so we might avoid that tough conversation even though not having it might come at a high cost. In this episode, Jeff speaks to an expert who helps us understand the best strategies for managing difficult conversations and conflicts. Francesca LeBaron is a faculty member at the UC Berkeley Haas School of Business and she "teaches the class" (literally) on healthy conflict at work. Jeff and Francesca explore why it's important to know the goal of a conversation before engaging, how visioning helps us be proactive with difficult conversations, and the impact role-playing has on our ability to resolve conflict in a healthy way. Francesca also shares practical tips for employees looking to manage conflict when trying to manage up. She also talks about the tangible financial benefits of conflict resolution, including increased engagement, reduced turnover, better productivity, and improved brand equity.

60. Leveraging HR Tech : Biggest HR tech trends: The cost of inadequate implementation and the role of AI in HR. The value of in-person communication at work. Apr 18, 2023

In this episode, Jeff and his guest are diving into the exciting world of HR Tech! To shed some light on this complicated topic, Jeff interviewed Phil Strazzulla, Founder of , a website dedicated to helping HR teams find and buy the right software. Phil is passionate about HR Tech, remote work, investing, and people operations. Jeff and Phil explore the biggest and most important trends in HR Tech, why they matter, and the hottest categories currently in HR Tech. They also discuss the ROI of different types of HR software and which categories provide the greatest opportunity for business transformation. Additionally, they talk about the cost of not implementing the right HR Tech, how AI is impacting the industry now, and how it will transform the future. Jeff and Phil dive into how we can use AI to eliminate bias and what practices leaders need to deploy before considering installing new tech in the workplace. Finally, they discuss why HR tech will never replace the critical face-to-face conversations we must have in the workplace.

59. The Four-Day Workweek: Migrating from a 5-day to 4-day work-week. Positive research findings on work-life balance, productivity, and burnout rates. Apr 04, 2023

In this episode of the Human Capital podcast, host Jeff Hunt interviews Juliet Schor, Professor of Sociology at Boston University and board member of 4 Day Week Global, a research non-profit studying the concept of a four-day workweek. Juliet shares her findings on the benefits of a shorter workweek, including better work-life balance, higher employee retention, increased productivity, and decreased burnout rates. She also discusses how companies successfully made the shift to a four-day workweek and whether this change will become a competitive advantage for recruiting and retention. Juliet addresses concerns about measuring productivity and overcoming resistance from leaders who may be skeptical of this paradigm shift. Juliet's research sheds light on why this idea is gaining momentum and why it may become a significant ESG measure for companies in the future.

58. Enhancing Employee Value: Understanding role-based value and where it comes from. Building a diverse and innovative culture. Improving workplace experience. Mar 21, 2023

In this episode, Jeff and his guest Sumeet Salwan dive deep into how to identify and create value in an organization, while building a truly innovative and inclusive organizational culture. Sumeet is a co-founder of CEO Works, and he helps public-company CEOs make better value-creation decisions when leveraging talent. Previously he was Global Head of HR for the Johnson & Johnson consumer and medical device companies. He was also with Unilever for over 20 years, rising from intern to Senior VP, of HR. Sumeet shares how to build cultures that move beyond the numbers when improving diversity. Sumeet and Jeff discuss how to improve diversity awareness, improve decision-making, and why alternate viewpoints can result in improved outcomes.

57. Productivity and Calm: Six factors that lead to burnout. Reducing stress at work while achieving higher productivity. Strategies for finding calm in the midst of stress. Mar 07, 2023

This week Jeff and his guest talk about something that feels counter-intuitive to many; reducing workplace stress while also achieving higher productivity. Jeff's guest Chris Bailey is a best-selling author and lecturer on both productivity and calm. In their conversation, Chris shares with Jeff about the science behind living a deeper, more intentional life. They discuss the link between calmness and productivity, the impact of dopamine on our ability to be calm, and simple strategies that can not only reduce anxiety and home and work, but lead to a greater sense of peace. Chris helps listeners understand what the six factors are that lead to burnout, how to do a dopamine fast, and how to make better decisions about dividing our time between the digital and analog worlds.

56. Planning With Ambiguity: Turning VUCA into opportunity. The HR role when planning and making better strategic decisions when things are volatile and complex. Feb 21, 2023

In this episode, Jeff and his guest help us unpack how we can approach uncertainty through a lens of opportunity. This week's guest is Chris Scalia, he is Senior Vice President and CHRO at The Hershey Company, overseeing 16,000 employees. Chris is a C-suite executive with a rare combination of HR expertise, commercial business acumen and experience practicing HR law. Jeff and Chris show us how HR can play a pivotal business role in converting VUCA to opportunity. They talk about how leaders can not only plan better during times of uncertainty, but make better strategic decisions that benefit employees, customers, and stakeholders when things seem to be volatile and complex. Jeff and Chris talk about how to avoid overcorrection when managing in the face of risk and economic pressure, and the power of empathy when connecting with others.

55. Your Attention Span at Work: Debunking the myths of attention and multitasking. Tips to improve our relationship with technology while reducing stress. Feb 07, 2023

Jeff is back from his short sabbatical to welcome Gloria Mark, Chancellor’s Professor at UC Irvine. Jeff and Gloria discuss the relationship between our digital and offline behavior. They talk about technology at work, and how stress and mood are affected by our computer usage. Gloria shares research on how we are easily overloaded with information, and as a result get overwhelmed — especially in the workplace. Jeff and Gloria debunk the fallacy of multitasking and reveal the benefits of monotasking. They talk about the 4 myths of using technology at work. Gloria shares how meditation and mindfulness can improve our ability to focus, helping us to achieve goals, communicate better, make better decisions, and dramatically improve efficiency and safety. Gloria's New Book:

"Humbitious" Leadership (Replay): Becoming a "humbitious" leader that people want to follow. Using humility and ambition as strengths to make a significant, positive impact. Jan 24, 2023

This week Jeff revisits his interview with Dr. Amer Kaissi. Amer is an author of several books, an executive coach, a keynote speaker, and a professor at Trinity University. Jeff and Amer discuss the meaning of humility in a leadership context, including knowing and reflecting on your own strengths and weaknesses. During this insightful interview, Amer shares how humility comes from a place of strength, not weakness. He shares how he arrived at combining the terms humble and ambitious in the title of his new book “Humbitious.” Jeff and Amer discuss the relationship between competency and humility and they talk about whether it's possible to learn to be humble. Amer reviews the benefits of mindfulness at work, reveals three blocks to humility in leaders, and shares how to apply this knowledge everyday.

The Complete Leader (Replay): Jeff's New Year's goal-setting tips. What it looks like to be a "Complete" leader. Lessons from a Frenchman growing vegetables in China. Jan 10, 2023

Jeff kicks off the new year with some tips on goal-setting, including how to ensure your vision and values are aligned to goals, and reviewing common goal-setting mistakes. As he takes a pause on producing new episodes for 6-weeks, Jeff revisits his interview with Xavier Naville, Author of “The Lettuce Diaries: How A Frenchman Found Gold Growing Vegetables in China.” Xavier is the Principal at Vision Management Consultants, and was CEO of the Creative Food Group, a key supplier to major restaurant chains in China, like McDonald's, KFC, and Starbucks. Xavier grew the company to one that now has nine factories serving 6,500 restaurants a day and over $150MM in revenue. Jeff and Xavier discuss how his business experiences in China were vastly different than what is typical in most western companies. They talk about which leadership principles are universal, regardless of the country or industry. Xavier shares his personal stories about managing a Chinese team as a foreigner, trying to work with Chinese farmers to improve how they conducted agriculture, all while navigating investor demands. He and Jeff discuss the five ingredients that make up the “Complete Leader.” Xavier shares vulnerably from his leadership journey, which included some nail-biting experiences of being an expatriate in China, almost failing at his business, and his eventual successful exit.

The Enneagram & Teams (Replay): Create the healthiest and highest-performing team with the Enneagram. Improve self and team awareness to ultimately work better together. Dec 27, 2022

On this episode Jeff revisits his interview with Ginger Lapid-Bogda, PhD, she is an expert in using the Enneagram personality typing system in business. Jeff & Ginger discuss how 80% of Fortune 500 companies use personality tests to assess employees and potential candidates. Ginger shares how the Enneagram, with its 9 types is inexpensive or free, and can help people not by putting them "in a box," but helping them "get out of the box." Together they explore her book “Transform your Team with the Enneagram. Build trust, decrease stress, and increase productivity.” Ginger helps us take a pragmatic look at team dynamics and shows us how the different Enneagram types relate to the “forming, storming, norming, and performing" model. Jeff and Ginger discuss the difference between a group and a team, and why impatience is the greatest enemy of becoming a high-performing team. Ginger shares with Jeff the benefits of using assessment tools which include improved self-awareness, understanding candidates better, shortening the recruitment cycle, reducing bias, spotting dark personality traits, and learning to work better together. And they also talk about the other side, the problems, that include inaccuracies, unintended recruitment bias, and interpretation problems.

54. Leading Inclusion : The benefits of human variation at work. The importance of respect when managing and improving diversity, equity, and inclusion. Dec 13, 2022

On this episode Jeff interviews Gena Cox, about how leaders can build inclusion into workplace culture. Gena in an expert in inclusion, and has her PhD in Industrial & Organizational Psychology. Jeff and Gena discuss her new book, "Leading Inclusion, Drive Change Your Employees Can See and Feel.” Jeff and Gena explore why is it difficult for many C-Suite executives to understand and focus on diversity, equity, and inclusion in a way that creates long-lasting change. They discuss the lack of education about black history in the United States among business leaders, and how can leaders can better understand the impact of racial trauma at work. Jeff and Gena explore the concept of REDI and how it is different from DEIB. Gina shares why some commonly used terms are not helpful when referring to disadvantaged and underrepresented communities.

53. The Upside of Uncertainty: Changing the paradigm of uncertainty. Evaluating risk, aligning goals with values, and how to listen to your heart when making decisions. Nov 29, 2022

Jeff explores the topic of uncertainty with guests Susannah and Nathan Furr, authors of "The Upside of Uncertainty." Nathan is professor of strategy at NSEAD University in Paris, and Susannah's formerly owned an apparel company. Together they explore the difference between risk and uncertainty, how creativity and uncertainty are interwoven, and how reframing, preparing, doing, and sustaining can lead us to the upside of uncertainty. Susannah and Nathan share with Jeff about what uncertainty balancers are, and how to better navigating the emotions that come with uncertainty to produce positive outcomes.

Leading with Gratitude (Replay): Importance of gratitude, psychological safety, anxiety at work, the ROI of empathy, listening, connection, and engagement. Nov 15, 2022

As we approach the Thanksgiving Holiday in the U.S., Jeff goes back to an insightful conversation with Chester Elton a top expert in workplace culture and employee wellbeing. Chester is the author of 14 books, including "Anxiety at Work" & "Leading with Gratitude". Jeff and Chester unpack the nuances of anxiety in the workplace and how it affects individuals and organizations. Chester talks about key strategies that lead to work environments with the best chance of reducing workplace anxiety. Jeff and Chester discuss how the strategies companies implement either increase or decrease anxiety at work, and how to create workplace cultures that combine high productivity with psychological safety. Where to find Chester Elton: Anxiety at Work Podcast – The Culture Works -

52. The Whole Person Workplace : How to create a whole-person workplace with listening, empathy, creativity, and accountability. Making your workplace a better place. Nov 01, 2022

Jeff interviews Dr. Scott Behson on the show and explores his book “The Whole Person Workplace.” Scott and Jeff discuss how leaders can better understand the needs, wants, passions, and personal situations of employees, and how to create a whole-person workplace to attract the best talent, keep people engaged and ultimately lead them to treat customers better. Scott shares several examples of how the leaders he interviewed applied personalized strategies to create a more integrated approach to work for employees, and how in many cases these initiatives can be inexpensive or free.

Bonus: Jeff Hunt, CEO GoalSpan: Culture as the great differentiator. Core values, workforce alignment, and deep diving into the human aspect of work. Oct 18, 2022

In this bonus episode, Jeff takes the role of the guest and is interviewed by Brad Rencher, the CEO of BambooHR in his podcast "The Era Podcast". Jeff and Brad talk about core values and workforce alignment, and they dive deep into the deeply human aspect of work. Jeff shares with us how culture can be a great differentiator for a business and how putting employees first really leads to better business outcomes while bringing some humanity back into the workplace.

51. The Compassionate Leader: How to become a compassionate leader. Using the tools of presence, courage, candor, and transparency to unlock your full potential. Oct 04, 2022

On this episode Jeff interviews Rasmus Hougaard, the founder and CEO of Potential Project and the author of "Compassionate Leadership, How to Do Hard Things in a Human Way." Jeff and Rasmus explore how leaders can expect top performance while also being compassionate. They discuss important differences between compassion and empathy, and Rasmus shares some examples of exceptional leaders who are also compassionate. He discusses how mindfulness can be used at work to help prevent burnout. Rasmus talks about his extensive research on the difference between female and male (identifying) leaders, and what that research says about who is the better leader, and how gender is not a limiting factor. Rasmus guides listeners through a short yet powerful mindfulness exercise to reconnect with the present.

50. The HubSpot Culture Code: The HubSpot Culture Code, making inclusivity part of your DNA, and how to treat employees well, even when things aren't going well. Sep 20, 2022

Jeff welcomes Katie Burke, Chief People Officer at HubSpot onto the podcast for a discussion about the HubSpot Culture Code. Katie shares about how to make inclusivity part of your organization’s DNA through transparency, measurement, integrity, and authenticity. Jeff and Katie discuss ways to leverage both the head and heart to make the case for diversity improvement, and why these elements must be a business priority. Katie talks about the importance of treating employees well even when things are not going well at your organization. She shares about the importance of vulnerability and how therapy can help reduce defensiveness and reactivity while leading to improved self-awareness.

49. CEO, The Table Group: How we are each created uniquely for specific types of work. How working in your “Genius” leads to fulfillment, purpose, and performance. Sep 06, 2022

On this episode, Jeff welcomes Pat Lencioni, one of the best business authors of our time to explore his new book “The 6 Types of Working Genius.” They discuss the concept of how work happens in three phases: ideation, activation, and implementation. Pat talks about how each of us is created uniquely with two working geniuses that motivate and inspire us and help us reach a state of “flow.” He also shares how we have two competency and two frustration areas. Jeff and Pat talk about how teams must have people that represent these six areas of “Genius” to maximize team effectiveness and personal fulfillment.

Professor, UNC Charlotte (Replay): Breaking the cycle of bad meetings. Using the science of meetings to overcome meeting dysfunction and work better together. Aug 23, 2022

Jeff returns to the topic of meetings with this replay of a favorite episode. Jeff and his guest Dr. Steven Rogelberg discuss Steven’s book “The Surprising Science of Meetings: How You Can Lead Your Team to Peak Performance.” Steven is an organizational psychologist who holds the esteemed title of Chancellor’s Professor at UNC Charlotte for distinguished national, international, and interdisciplinary contributions. Steven shares best practices for meeting well – before, during, and after meetings. Jeff and Steven talk about how effective meetings can be engaging, productive, build trust, and can be enjoyable. He shares tips for meeting well virtually and why hybrid meetings don’t work. Steven talks about “social loafing” and what it looks like to be a good steward of people’s time.

48. Performance Management Expert: Continuous performance management. Reviews and feedback that is engaging, inspiring, and motivating. Aug 09, 2022

Christy Pruitt-Haynes and Jeff explore the topic of continuous performance management. Christy heads the Performance Practice at the NeuroLeadership Institute. She and Jeff talk about the evolution of traditional performance management processes, and the definition of continuous performance management. They discuss how critical it is for managers to be properly trained in continuous performance management. Christy shares the best strategies for working with managers and employees that don’t have the skillset to give and receive feedback in a healthy way. Jeff and Christy talk about the makeup of quality one-to-one meetings, the downsides of numerical ratings, and how organizations can move away from them.

47. CEO, BambooHR: Leading from where you are. The benefits of authentic leadership, how to eliminate silos at the top, and the importance of “Team 1.” Jul 26, 2022

Jeff interviews Bradley Rencher, CEO of BambooHR where they have an inspiring conversation about leading from where you are, one of BambooHR’s core values. Brad shares how this comes from making an impact, and how it often means you're promoted before you get the title. Brad and Jeff discuss how most careers are not linear, why senior leaders must proactively mentor less experienced leaders, and how cultures that pitch and catch feedback well outperform their peers. Brad helps listeners understand the need to develop domain expertise at all levels of the organization and why eliminating silos at the top is paramount. Link to Brad’s article on Entrepreneur Magazine:

46. Speaker, Author, Mentor, Lawyer: Creating cultures with mental health awareness. How to compassionately support employees or peers that are struggling. Jul 12, 2022

On this episode Jeff brings the topic of mental health at work to the forefront. Jeff shares from a recent large-scale study of mental health in the workplace that an overwhelming 84% of respondents reported at least one workplace factor that negatively impacted their mental health. Jeff’s guest, Frank Ramos is uniquely qualified to discuss this topic based on both his own personal experiences, and how he has helped others. Frank is one of the top Lawyers in the U.S. and is someone who overcame a season of deep depression many years ago. He shares with Jeff how his depression affected him at work, consuming his relationships, tasks, thoughts, and projects. Although those 2 years were the darkest of Frank’s life, since then he has healed and become devoted to helping others that struggle with mental health challenges. Frank helps listeners understand how to improve mental health awareness at work and how to compassionately support employees or peers that are struggling.

45. The Enneagram in Business, Part 2: How to develop the healthiest and highest performing team with the Enneagram. Build trust, decrease stress, and increase productivity. Jun 28, 2022

Jeff invites Ginger Lapid-Bogda back on the show to further explore the Enneagram and her new book “Transform your Team with the Enneagram. Build trust, decrease stress, and increase productivity.” Ginger helps us take a pragmatic look at team dynamics and shows us how the different Enneagram types relate to the “forming, storming, norming, and performing" model. Ginger shares a great definition of psychological safety, which is the belief that you won’t be humiliated or punished for sharing your thoughts and feelings. She also talks about the importance of feeling safe to take personal and interpersonal risks with others. Jeff and Ginger discuss the difference between a group and a team, and why impatience is the greatest enemy of becoming a high-performing team.

44. The Enneagram in Business, Part 1: Personality assessment tools with a focus on the Enneagram. Development strategies for everyone, and how to work better together. Jun 14, 2022

On this episode, Jeff interviews Ginger Lapid-Bogda, PhD, an expert in using the Enneagram personality typing system in business. Ginger has trained thousands of professionals worldwide on how to use the Enneagram in their professional work. Jeff & Ginger discuss how 80% of Fortune 500 companies use personality tests to assess employees and potential candidates. They talk about how this $3 billion dollar industry provides assessment tools that come with both benefits and problems. The benefits include improved self-awareness, understanding candidates better, shortening the recruitment cycle, reducing bias, spotting dark personality traits, and learning to work better together. The problems include inaccuracies, unintended recruitment bias, and interpretation problems. Ginger focuses us on a specific assessment tool called the Enneagram. Ginger shares how the Enneagram, with its 9 types is inexpensive or free, and can help people not by putting them "in a box," but helping them "get out of the box."

43. Chairman, OneAccord: Strategic leadership and decision-making. Impact of mergers and acquisitions on employees. When to leverage an outside consultant. May 31, 2022

On this episode, Jeff interviews Jeff Rogers who is Chairman of OneAccord. OneAccord is a consulting firm in the Pacific Northwest that assists clients with building operational value, as well as acquiring or selling their companies. OneAccord also assists nonprofits and faith-based communities, and they have helped over 450 organizations across the US over the past 22 years. Jeff shares his knowledge as an expert on the most strategic decisions leaders need to make. Jeff and his guest explore the process of decision-making for sensitive issues that can impact all employees like buying and selling companies, choosing the right timing to leverage an outside consultant, and strategic planning.

42. CEO, Hacking HR: Making diversity, equity, inclusion, belonging, and psychological safety part of your organization’s DNA. Selecting the right HR technologies. May 17, 2022

In this episode, Jeff interviews Enrique Rubio, who is a top 100 HR influencer, and the Founder and CEO of Hacking HR. Hacking HR is a global community for all who are interested in learning about everything people at work and doing HR in a better way. Jeff and Enrique explore the definitions of diversity, equity, inclusion, belonging, and psychological safety. Enrique shares what it looks like to adopt these key strategies as part of your internal culture, versus making them short-term, “check the box” events. They discuss ways that HR can remove friction and barriers within organizations to create better workplaces. Enrique shares how adopting HR technology is often done in a backward fashion – implementing what looks “sexy” compared with first paring down your processes, then fully understanding your objectives and the important customizations that are needed.

Preview of Things to Come: We're pausing this week but want to thank our listeners and give you a preview of exciting guests and topics coming up. Stay tuned! May 04, 2022

We're taking a break from producing the show this week but we'll be back on May 18th. Listen in as Jeff shares his excitement about our lineup of upcoming guests and topics.

41. Author, EVP Executive Networks: The great resignation and its correlation to experience and wellbeing. Promoting financial, emotional, physical, social, and career health. May 03, 2022

Jeff explores the connection between the great resignation and employee experience and wellbeing with Jeanne Meister, who is the founder of Future Workplace Academy, and Executive VP at Executive Networks. Jeanne is a regular contributor to Harvard Business Review and Forbes, and is the bestselling author of three books: the Future Workplace Experience, Corporate Universities, and the 2020 Workplace. They discuss how the great resignation is being fueled by employees looking for companies that better support experience and wellbeing. Jeanne talks about how employee wellbeing, which includes financial, emotional, physical, social, and career attributes, and looks at the whole person. Jeff and Jeanne talk about how to create a culture of care, and what organizations should do that are just getting started implementing employee experience and wellbeing strategies. Jeanne shares why surveys are important, and why leaders must understand the unique needs of the different generations when it comes to workplace experience and wellbeing.

40. Attorney, CHRO, Keynote Speaker: Ensuring proper legal protections while creating a culture where they are not needed. How to implement “speak-up” at your organization. Apr 19, 2022

On this episode, Jeff and his guest explore the tension many leaders feel between trying to protect their organizations from legal trouble, and creating cultures of humanity, openness, and compassion. Jeff’s guest is Deborah Moroz, who is a Licensed Attorney and is Chief Human Resources Officer at Health-Ade Kombucha. Deb is a Keynote Speaker and is active on several Boards including Carver Skateboards, and Helpr. Jeff and Deb talk about companies that are either not well protected legally, or have cultures that are prone to employee litigation, despite being protected. Deb shares what it looks like to create a culture that embodies the “owner’s mentality,” so even though you have legal protections, you don’t usually need them. They discuss how to implement a "speak-up" culture and the resulting benefits. Deb shares the benefits of active listening and also provides a list of "minimum standard" legal protections that all organizations must have.

39. CEO, Author, Speaker, Coach: Transforming the high-performing brilliant jerk into a powerful visionary. How coaching difficult leaders can make a profound difference. Apr 05, 2022

On this episode, Jeff interviews Dr. Katrina Burrus about the “brilliant jerk”. Katrina shares from her knowledge as one of the world’s leading experts on international leadership, boasting a client list that includes Nestle, Novartis, and the United Nations. She holds a Ph.D. in Human and Organizational Development, is a master's certified coach, and she facilitates a group of international CEOs. She has authored three books: Abrasive Leaders, Global Nomadic Leaders, and Managing Brilliant Jerks. Jeff and Katrina discuss ways to work with leaders who are difficult to be around, but also very smart and often high performing. Katrina shares how to address contempt, stonewalling, criticism, and defensiveness in these leaders. She shares several strategies for transforming the “brilliant jerk” into a visionary leader.

38. Speaker, Coach, Author, Professor: Becoming a "humbitious" leader people want to follow. Using ambition and humility as strengths to make a significant, positive impact. Mar 22, 2022

In this episode, Jeff interviews Dr. Amer Kaissi. Amer is an author of several books, an executive coach, keynote speaker, and is professor at Trinity University. Jeff and Amer discuss the meaning of humility in a leadership context, including knowing and reflecting on your own strengths and weaknesses. Amer shares how humility comes from a place of strength, not weakness. He shares how he arrived at combining the terms humble and ambitious in the title of his new book “Humbitious.” Jeff and Amer discuss the relationship between competency and humility and they talk about whether it's possible to learn to be humble. Amer reviews the benefits of mindfulness at work, reveals three blocks to humility in leaders, and shares how to apply this knowledge everyday.

37. President, Percipio Consulting: Develop organizations and leaders to be their best by recognizing and addressing different types of unconscious bias that show up at work. Mar 08, 2022

Jeff interviews Matthew Cahill, an expert in unconscious bias. Matthew works with business leaders to identify hidden and sometimes not so hidden biases that impact company performance, helping organizations move from bias to belonging. Matthew shares a clear definition of bias and helps listeners understand how it impacts them personally, as well as the organizations they serve. They discuss how bias is found in everyone, and what some specific examples are of unconscious bias. Matthew shares how reducing bias ultimately leads to better performance and a return on investment for the company. Matthew shares the five core types of bias, and the meaning of L.E.A.A.P. Jeff and Matthew close the episode by showing us how to measure bias and what to do with that helpful information.

36. Professor/Author, UNC Charlotte: Breaking the cycle of bad meetings. Using the science of meetings to overcome meeting dysfunction and work better together. Feb 22, 2022

Jeff is returning to the topic of meetings to provide insight and guidance to listeners about how to overcome common meeting problems and dysfunctions. Jeff and his guest Dr. Steven Rogelberg discuss Steven’s book “The Surprising Science of Meetings: How You Can Lead Your Team to Peak Performance.” Steven is an organizational psychologist who holds the esteemed title of Chancellor’s Professor at UNC Charlotte for distinguished national, international, and interdisciplinary contributions. Steven shares best practices for meeting well – before, during, and after meetings. Jeff and Steven talk about how effective meetings can be engaging, productive, build trust, and can be enjoyable. He shares tips for meeting well virtually, and why hybrid meetings don’t work. Steven talks about “social loafing” and what it looks like to be a good steward of people’s time.

35. CEO, Work It Daily: Improving executive presence. Developing an engaging executive brand, revealing strengths, and presenting expertise in an appealing way. Feb 08, 2022

Jeff hosts social media and leadership expert J.T. O’Donnell to discuss the importance of executive presence. J.T.’s credentials are impressive, with over 2.6 million followers on LinkedIn and over 1 million on TikTok. Jeff and J.T. discuss how executives and individual contributors alike demonstrate value by managing their in-person and online personas, regardless of whether they plan to change jobs. Jeff and J.T. discuss how content creation can benefit both the executive and the brand equity of the organization they serve. She shares how executives can learn how to develop an engaging executive brand, reveal their strengths, and present their expertise in a powerful and appealing way. Connect with J.T. O’Donnell: LinkedIn: TikTok: Work It Daily: Executive Program: Executive Presence Panel Discussion featuring Jeff Hunt:

34. Principal, Beth Collier Consulting: How excellent communication increases sales, builds trust, deepens relationships, solves problems, and helps everyone perform better. Jan 25, 2022

Jeff hosts communications expert Beth Collier on the show to discuss how excellent communication increases sales, builds trust, deepens relationships, solves problems, and ultimately helps everyone perform better. Beth and Jeff discuss how to overcome poor communication challenges, which can sink an organization, a relationship, or a country. Beth shares from her diverse experience in communication and leadership roles on three continents. She shares some very public examples of excellent and poor communication by leaders, and the significant positive or negative implications of these. Beth and Jeff discuss the effect of manager communication on retention and turnover, and the need for organizations to better train and equip managers. Beth unpacks a helpful acronym to guide our communication with each other, which is PACE: Purpose, Audience, Curiosity, Empathy.

33. Principal, Vision Mgmt Consultants: What it looks like to be a “Complete” Leader. Human Capital lessons from an expatriate Frenchman growing vegetables in China. Jan 11, 2022

Jeff’s guest is Xavier Naville, Author of “The Lettuce Diaries: How A Frenchman Found Gold Growing Vegetables in China.” He is the Principal at Vision Management Consultants, but was formerly the CEO of the Creative Food Group, a key supplier to major restaurant chains in China, like McDonald's, KFC, and Starbucks. Xavier grew the company to one that now has nine factories serving 6,500 restaurants a day and over $150MM in revenue. Jeff and Xavier discuss how his business experiences in China were vastly different than what is typical in most western companies. They talk about which leadership principles are universal, regardless of the country or industry. Xavier shares his personal stories about managing a Chinese team as a foreigner, trying to work with Chinese farmers to improve how they conducted agriculture, all while navigating investor demands. He and Jeff discuss the five ingredients that make up the “Complete Leader.” Xavier shares vulnerably from his leadership journey, which included some nail-biting experiences of being an expatriate in China, almost failing at his business, and his eventual successful exit.

32. Founder, Actv8: Strategies for increasing sustainability and profitability. Improving the environment and internal culture while addressing cost pressures. Dec 28, 2021

Jeff and his guest Lynn Yap discuss how the businesses we lead can actually become more sustainable and more profitable at the same time. They discuss how implementing strategies to benefit the environment can also improve company culture, customer loyalty, brand equity, sense of purpose, and ultimately profitability. Lynn Yap is the author of the book “The Altruistic Capitalist: How to Lead for Purpose and Profit.” Lynn shares how companies can create a positive impact for both people and the planet while continuing to satisfy the need to provide a return to shareholders. Lynn and Jeff discuss the difference between shareholder capitalism and stakeholder capitalism, and how to make the business case to the CFO who feels pressured to make decisions to minimize cost at the expense of sustainability. Lynn shares about what first steps leaders can take that have not implemented strategies before. Jeff and Lynn also discuss how companies can leverage their internal and external communication strategies for better differentiation and brand equity in their niche. Lynn discusses the role the B-Corporation plays in effecting change.

31. CEO, Volley: The problem with meetings and what to do about it. How remote teams can change the ways they communicate to work better together. Dec 14, 2021

In this episode, Jeff and his guest explore the challenges people face with meetings. Josh Little is the CEO of Volley and is passionate about doing meetings better. In most organizations, people spend a significant amount of time in meetings, yet they don’t have positive feelings when they think about them. Meetings don’t have to suck, and Josh helps Jeff to unpack this complicated topic. Jeff and Josh discuss the importance of communicating both via talking and written word as well as the pitfalls of platforms like Zoom and Teams when meeting virtually. He is a serial entrepreneur and has founded four tech companies – Maestro, Bloomfire, Quizzer, and his current venture. These apps have collectively been used by hundreds of millions of people and his companies have been featured in TechCrunch, Mashable, Entrepreneur, Inc, and Forbes. Josh also shares the reasons why the world may not be ready for his Volley app, including the fear of being seen.

30. CEO, Kadabra: Creating a leadership surge of positive change, the hidden flaws of meritocracy, and how to better leverage underutilized talent. Nov 30, 2021

Jeff interviews Wendy Ryan, CEO of Kadabra who shares about what it looks like to create a surge of positive change as a leader. They discuss how to change the things that hold leaders back, and the impact of mindsets in our work. Wendy shares some problems found with the commonly used model of meritocracy, and what to do about it. Wendy has been the CEO of the consulting firm Kadabra since 2014, and she is the author of the book "Learn Lead Lift." She is an equity & inclusion advocate, a speaker, advisor, and a facilitator. Her team includes an interdisciplinary group of leadership and change experts who are all on a mission to grow exceptional leaders and teams.

29. Principal, Gostick and Elton, LLC: Creating psychologically safe cultures, addressing anxiety at work, the ROI of empathy, listening, connection, and engagement. Nov 16, 2021

Jeff interviews Chester Elton, a top expert in workplace culture and employee wellbeing. Chester has over 650 thousand followers on LinkedIn, is the author of 14 books, including "Anxiety at Work" & "Leading with Gratitude", is a Member of the Marshall Goldsmith 100 Coaches, an Executive Coach, Keynote Speaker, and the Founder of the #findyourgratitude Community. Jeff and Chester unpack the nuances of anxiety in the workplace and how it affects individuals and organizations. Chester shares how the costs of unaddressed anxiety at work are very high - a staggering $40 Billion dollars a year in the U.S. He talks about key strategies that lead to work environments with the best chance of reducing workplace anxiety. Jeff and Chester discuss how the strategies companies implement either increase or decrease anxiety at work, and how to create workplace cultures that combine high productivity with psychological safety. Where to find Chester Elton: Anxiety at Work Podcast – Listen & Subscribe The Culture Works - Website WeThrive Together Community

28. Founder/CEO, Building Champions: How to create coaching and mentorship cultures. How leaders can live in current reality and the future, while closing the gap between them. Nov 02, 2021

Jeff invites longtime coach and leadership expert Daniel Harkavy on to the show to discuss how to create organizational culture that is embodied by coaching and mentorship. Daniel Harkavy and his firm have been coaching business leaders to peak levels of performance and fulfillment for over twenty-five years. He is CEO and Executive Coach at Building Champions, and his team of coaches have worked with thousands of clients and organizations to improve the way they lead and live. Daniel and Jeff discuss his most recent book, "The 7 Perspectives of Effective Leaders.” Jeff and Daniel talk about the sacrifice required to learn and grow as you become an impactful leader, and how great things can happen with the right tools, structures, and disciplines. Daniel shares how a leader’s effectiveness is determined by just two things: the decisions they make, and the influence they have. Jeff and Daniel chat about how the most visionary leaders can avoid “leaving people at the train station” on their quest to achieve organizational vision. He also talks about how the best leaders live in two worlds – current reality and future state, and how they frequently communicate to all employees where they are headed through storytelling, reward structures, and feedback.

27. President and CEO, Martinelli's: Leading a family-owned business. How to maintain the benefits of family legacy while keeping mission, vision and values relevant. Oct 19, 2021

On this week’s episode, Jeff welcomes Gunlek Ruder, the President, and CEO of S. Martinelli and Company, a 153-year-old family business. Gun has been with Martinelli’s for eight years, operating as a non-family member in various capacities including Vice-President and Chief Financial Officer. Jeff and Gun discuss the impact and importance of the 5.5 million family-owned businesses in the US including that they contribute 57% of US GDP, employ 63% of our workforce, and are responsible for 78% of all new job creation. Gun talks about how a company like Martinelli's can make it to the 5th and 6th generation and retain the positive aspects of heritage while creating innovative new products. He explains what it's like to work for a family-owned business, shares key leadership advice for non-family member managers, and talks about the ways the pandemic made the company reevaluate their mission, vision, core values, and purpose. Gun shares about his philanthropic work with his friends Andre Agassi and Steffi Graf, and how he still has a special place in his heart for philanthropy.

26. Professor of Mgmt, Wharton School: Learning from research and stories of successful leaders how to communicate persuasively, decide decisively, and think strategically. Oct 05, 2021

Jeff interviews one of the great thought leaders in the area of leadership and change management, Michael Useem, Ph.D. Mike is Professor of Management and Faculty Director of the Center for Leadership and Change Management and runs the McNulty Leadership Program at the Wharton School, at the University of Pennsylvania. Mike shares from his newest book “The Edge, How 10 CEOs Learn to Lead, and Lessons for All of Us.” Mike talks about how leaders must not only think strategically now, but also determine what technologies and skills will be needed in several years. He shares how when leaders communicating persuasively, the most important thing to convey is intent. Mike talks about his experience integrating himself into the life and work of CEOs of major companies– including Vanguard, Progressive, and WSFS Bank, and he shares how these leaders had turning points when they confronted harsh new realities and the fact that what they were doing was no longer working.

Bonus: Hayden Everett, Musician: How to increase presence in work and life: leadership lessons from camp. Using stillness as a strategy to create greater intention. Sep 21, 2021

This episode is a treat as Jeff interviews his son Hayden Everett, an accomplished singer-songwriter with over 5 million music streams and also found on the hit series Grey’s Anatomy. Jeff and Hayden discuss the importance of being present at work and life – with employees, jobs, and relationships. Hayden shares the leadership lessons he learned managing nine counselors at a summer camp in Yosemite. Jeff and Hayden translate these experiences to leadership lessons at work. They discuss pragmatic strategies for improving our presence at work, and how without strategies people can overly focus on the past, future, problems, or exaggerate the weight of the burdens they carry. During the episode, Hayden shares one of his new songs titled “Still,” which embodies the importance of taking time to be still, and the benefits of this in work and personal relationships. Hayden shares his thoughts on how high trust is critical to providing someone with constructive feedback. Hayden and Jeff discuss how employees often don’t know what we need most in their jobs (rest, training, support, tools), and how communicating these needs well helps us in very material ways. They talk about how leaders must create a safe environment for employees to communicate their needs and hold them accountable for doing so regularly. Artist Profile Apple Music: Spotify: YouTube:

25. Principal, RA Law and ADR: How to unleash the creative potential of conflict. Leveraging the most curious parts of our personalities to become better leaders. Sep 07, 2021

Jeff’s guest Steve Roof has spent a career helping people, teams, and businesses, large and small, navigate the tricky space of conflict. Steve is a trained lawyer but focuses exclusively on mediation as well as overcoming conflict, especially in family businesses. He is trained in several psychological modalities which he uses to help his clients get unstuck in the midst of conflict. Steve received his bachelor's degree from Harvard University and his Doctor of Law from Michigan Law School. Jeff and Steve discuss how unresolved conflict in family businesses spills over to family relationships, and how a third party can help with these complicated dynamics. Steve shares how to leverage curiosity to transform disagreements into solutions which improve respect, compassion, and empathy for one another. He talks about the different parts of our personalities that rise up in conflict to “run the show” even though their behavior is not productive. Steve discusses how to achieve healthy conflict, which leads to better decisions, better relationships, greater creativity, and innovation.

24. President, LFY Consulting: How to craft the job you love, reach your full potential, and lead in a way that allows employees to flourish. Aug 24, 2021

On this episode, Jeff and his guest Dr. Benjamin Ritter explore meaning and purpose at work. Ben is President of LFY Consulting, and is an executive, leadership, and career coach who runs corporate wellness workshops for LFY. He is an organizational development expert and has an MBA and master’s in public health from the University of Illinois at Chicago, and a Doctorate in Organizational Leadership and Education from Pepperdine. Ben is a TEDx speaker, and his impressive client list includes Amazon, Bloomberg, Door dash, Google, Pinterest, and Yelp. Ben and Jeff discuss how leaders need to be the ones to empower their employees, and to hold them accountable for creating careers that they can love. Ben shares how one’s job description is not fixed, and how employers will often flex the description to allow the employee to be more productive and fulfilled. They talk about why so many employees, managers, and executives today feel stuck in dead-end jobs that are not meaningful, or with companies that do not have a compelling and motivating purpose and core values. Ben shares his “TEAM” model of management which includes Trust, Environment, Actual work, and Meaning, and how nurturing these aspects can lead to greater engagement, performance, and culture.

23. Founder, Rediscover Your Play: The ROI of play, innovation, creativity, empowerment, and trust at work. How Gen Z employees are reshaping the workplace. Aug 10, 2021

Jeff’s guest Jeff Harry was named a Top 100 HR Influencer in 2020. He is an international speaker and has been featured in the New York Times, Mashable, Upworthy, Shondaland, and CNN. He has worked with Google, Microsoft, Southwest Airlines, Adobe, the NFL, Amazon, and Facebook, helping their staffs to infuse more play into the day-to-day. Jeff and Jeff discuss the benefits of empowering employees to be innovative, creative, and productive. Jeff shares how cultures of trust can lead to more playful environments and ultimately become a competitive threat. He talks about how one of the most deeply rooted aspects of our humanity at work is our need and desire to play and have fun in what we do. Jeff shares how we can do this while being highly productive, especially when we are in a state of flow. He challenges the old paradigm of the 8-hour workday and what to do instead. Jeff shares how culture is often defined by the worst behavior tolerated in the workplace and how Gen Z employees are inspiring Millennials, Gen X’ers, and Boomers not to tolerate workplace cultures that don’t prioritize employee wellbeing and experience. He talks about building trust and psychological safety by understanding each staffer’s unique language of appreciation. Jeff talks about gaining respect by no longer having bad meetings.

22. CEO, VRperspectives: Using Virtual Reality to solve the challenge of unconscious bias, microaggressions, and exclusionary behavior in the workplace. Jul 27, 2021

Jeff explores how to address unconscious bias, microaggressions, and exclusionary behavior in the workplace – specifically using virtual reality. Jeff’s guest Myra LalDin, believes in the power of stories to create empathy, shape values, change behaviors, and share experiences. Myra studied cross-cultural business management, and later, cognitive science and behavioral theory in grad school at Harvard University. Myra is the co-founder of VECTRE, a virtual reality development company that leverages the power of immersive technology and works with Fortune 500 companies. She also founded VRperspectives, which focuses on using VR storytelling to shine a light on the hidden dynamics of the social world through immersive experiences. Myra serves on the boards of Designed by Us (Amazon nonprofit), the National Small Business Association Leadership Council, and as an XR subject matter expert at MIT. Myra shares what the true costs are to leaders that don’t have inclusive cultures. She shares what an inclusive leader is and what their impact is on engagement, motivation, and turnover. Myra and Jeff discuss how virtual reality can help employees gain empathy and compassion through immersive and experiential technology. She discusses how to change culture by entering the environment in the shoes of one who has experienced negative microaggressions or exclusionary behavior in the workplace.

21. CEO Boardwise, Partner CHROs 2GO: How leaders manage the intersection of employee authenticity, social media, and corporate brand equity. The best board governance practices. Jul 13, 2021

Jeff’s guest Donna Hamlin is an executive with extensive corporate, governance, and strategy consulting experience. She is an Advisory Partner for the CHRO practice of the 2GO Advisory group and is CEO of Boardwise, which provides corporate board advisory, evaluation, certification, training, and board search services internationally. Donna is certified for governance by the National Association of Corporate Directors in the U.S. and in global governance by Harvard University. Jeff and Donna discuss how employees are the ambassadors of corporate brands. They talk about how to navigate the difficult waters of allowing employees to be authentic but doing it in a respectful way, ultimately leading to corporate change, better employee experience, and improved brand equity. Donna shares how in businesses today HR and management teams must sit down to set guardrails and establish policies that are clear and understandable. She talks about creating employee change action teams to improve problem solving. She and Jeff discuss unleashing the creativity of employees to contribute and give substance to what core values are. Donna shares research that shows boards with at least three women on them produce higher returns. They discuss how inclusion is a competency, and how when managers serve on boards, they become more effective by naturally implementing peer-based leadership styles.

20. Founder, The Unburdened Leader: Leadership burdens, boundaries, & developing your “inner team.” How curiosity and boundaries play a defining role in creating a positive culture. Jun 29, 2021

Jeff’s guest Rebecca Ching is a leadership developer, coach, psychotherapist, writer, speaker, and podcaster. Rebecca shares the concept of the “unburdened leader.” Jeff and Rebecca talk about how culture is the ultimate differentiator for organizations. Rebecca shares what it looks like to lead from the healthiest place inside each of us. She talks about how microaggressions occur in the workplace, how curiosity and boundaries play a defining role in creating positive culture. Rebecca talks about leadership-based vulnerability which is based on risk, uncertainty, and emotional exposure. She shares 6-principals that create positive culture, including creating brave and safe spaces, building trustworthiness and transparency, working with peers for support, seeing things in a circle versus hierarchical, empowerment and choice, and understanding cultural, historical, and gender issues. Rebecca reminds us that trust is built on connection, and connection is feeling seen, understood, and respected.

19. Founder, Portfoliorocket: The “other pandemic” of long-term unemployment. What employers and candidates can do to overcome this problem. Jun 15, 2021

On this episode, Jeff welcomes Loren Greiff who is the founder of Portfoliorocket, where she empowers creatives and marketers to love their work, be valued, AND be well paid. Loren speaks to business leaders and candidates about how to overcome some of the biggest challenges recruiters and job seekers face as we emerge from the pandemic. Jeff & Loren discuss how a crisis of long-term unemployment (LTU) is looming in the U.S. with more than 4 million people or 40% of the total unemployed workforce not finding work even after looking for 6-months or more. Loren shares with Jeff from her deep knowledge of LTU and ageism. Loren and Jeff talk about the growing population of employers (at least 20 out of the Fortune 50) that are committed to hiring the long-term unemployed not just because it’s the right thing to do, but because it makes business sense. Loren shares how hiring long-term candidates leads to higher retention rates and are less costly for employers to acquire. She shares how LTU job seekers should make the critical shift of applying personal responsibility to their search, which always starts with the mindset. Loren discusses why the best talent isn’t always landing the job, the critical nature of networking, and how the conversation is the relationship.

18. CEO, VidCruiter: The talent war and how to find passionate people who are great at their jobs. The strategic benefits of a structured, video-based interview process. Jun 01, 2021

Sean Fahey is the Founder and CEO of , a company specializing in video interviewing and recruiting technology. Sean and Jeff discuss specifically how employers can find passionate people who are great at their jobs. Sean shares the challenges of having too many or not enough candidates in the pool, and the need to apply consistent structure, processes, and workflows to the recruiting methodology. Sean shares how he pulled off hiring 200 people in 30-days and how this became a catalyst for starting his company. They talk about weeding out bias in recruiting and what methods can improve diversity, equity, and inclusion. Sean shares his thoughts on the lack of readiness of artificial intelligence to be embedded into recruiting technologies and associated pitfalls to be aware of.

17. VP Workplace Innovations, Colliers: Emerging from the pandemic with healthy workplace design. Understanding what employees need to be effective. May 18, 2021

Michelle talks about the emotional response to space and how the workplace setting and the story is very important. She and Jeff discuss the importance of having a deep understanding of how people inhabit space regardless of what space you’re designing. Michelle shares helpful statistics from the pandemic to show how people are working. She discusses the critical importance for companies to understand deeply what work activities each employee is engaged in, what drives and motivates them, and what they need to be successful. Michelle implores leaders not to be afraid to solicit and listen to employee feedback about what they need and want. Michelle and Jeff discuss how to use data to make workplace location decisions, and afterwards the importance of leadership modeling, investing in change management, and not underestimating how much time and effort it will take to implement your strategy. The payoff of the correct decision includes achieving your goals and helping your employees transition. Michelle shares the importance of messaging and the modeling of intended behaviors as well as tying these behaviors to business vision and objectives and ultimately the future of the company.

16. Senior Director, Glassdoor: Radical transparency, work-life balance, finding a job that fits your life. Common disciplines found among the highest-rated companies on Glassdoor. Apr 20, 2021

Jeff’s guest Brian Conner is the Senior Director for total rewards and operations at Glassdoor. He is an innovative, forward-focused, and goal-centric leader with a diverse 20-year career driving total rewards programs for international and domestic workforces. Jeff goes deep on Brian’s deep expertise in both developing and implementing key strategies to improve employee experience, benefits, compensation, operational effectiveness. Brian shares with Jeff about his path to become the leader that he is today and what key leadership disciplines are critical to becoming a company that is not only highly valued but highly rated on Glassdoor. Jeff and Brian discuss compensation and rewards, what radical transparency is, and how it benefits organizations. Brian shares how intentional core values lived out in the workplace can influence both perception and behavior. He talks about how the data on work-life balance is not what most people expect. Jeff and Brian talk about the importance of finding a job that fits your life, what the core areas are among the highest-rated companies on Glassdoor, and how small companies can effectively compete against larger wealthier organizations for talent. Brian shares some exciting data points about what employees believe is most important and he reveals the secret of why most employees leave organizations. Jeff and Brian also discuss how to improve the levels of trust within organizations and how this affects engagement and productivity.

15. CEO, Jobmofy: Benefits of leveraging global talent to enhance company culture, improve outcomes and reduce cost. Managing international workers. Apr 06, 2021

Jeff’s guest Ben Schneider is a German self-made entrepreneur who lives at the center of the rapid globalization of economies we have seen in the past decade. Ben is the founder of Jobmofy.com, which is a premium job search platform for hiring remote workers overseas. Ben reached 10 million in sales within 14 months of launching his company, has written an Amazon bestseller in Germany, and founded the print magazine titled “Jobmofy” which has over 40,000 readers worldwide. Ben hosts his own podcast, titled Business & Lifestyle LEGENDS, and was recently honored by ERFOLG Magazine as the TOP Online Marketing expert as well as one of the top 500 business influencers in Germany, Austria, and Switzerland. Ben shares about how to source international remote employees as a talent strategy. Jeff and Ben discuss how to enhance company culture and values when adding international remote employees to your workforce. They talk about how international remote workers must be managed differently than domestic employees. Ben shares the importance of establishing trust and not micro-managing remote workers. He discusses the need for consistency in the leadership approach, treating employees like colleagues while helping them remember you are their manager. Jeff and Ben discuss how to build trusting relationships and how this becomes the undergirding of the most productive workers. They talk about treating people with dignity regardless of their position and location, and caring for people personally in addition to their professional contribution. Ben shares how to address the impact on domestic workers when sourcing talent internationally, and how domestic employees performing at high levels are rarely replaced.

14. Chief Research Analyst, HRRI: Major strategic business trends, the future of AI in the world of work, and the evolution of performance management. Mar 16, 2021

Jeff’s guest is Mark Vickers who is the Chief Research Analyst and Data Wrangler at the HR Research Institute which is part of HR.com, the largest HR social networking and resource site in the U.S. Jeff and Mark discuss what major strategic business research leaders should be paying attention to, including artificial intelligence and performance management. They dive into a conversation about what AI looks like through a performance management lens. Mark shares how research indicates performance management should be used less to formulate compensation or weed out weak performers, and more to help employees learn and grow within an organization. Jeff and Mark discuss whether organizations should use numerical ratings in performance reviews, what the research says about how work processes have changed over the past year. They have an insightful conversation about AI’s effect on both automation and augmentation in the workplace.

13. CEO, Alliance of Chief Executives: How confidential, trusting, and diverse peer groups can lead to better decisions through creativity, innovation, and confronting the facts. Mar 02, 2021

Jeff’s guest Paul Witkay founded the Alliance of Chief Executives in 1996. Paul has extensive senior executive experience within the Fortune 250 space, graduated from the INSEAD Executive Management program in Fontainebleau, France, and received his MBA from Saint Mary’s College in Moraga, California. Jeff and Paul discuss how the Alliance has become the premier organization for Chief Executives in Silicon Valley and broader Northern California. They discuss how private, high-level, confidential environments for leaders help them to collaborate and make better strategic decisions. Paul discusses how charisma and level 5 leadership are not correlated. He shares the importance of focusing business decisions on things you can control, instead of what you can't. They discuss the incalculable benefits that result from being surrounded by a diverse group of peer executives in a private, confidential setting. Paul talks about his first step in starting a business decades ago; simply picking up the phone. Jeff and Paul discuss the power and importance of diversity in every form when collaborating with peer executives. Paul shares how groups with cognitive, racial, gender, and background diversity yield better and more productive outcomes. Paul shares how leadership matters more than ever during a crisis, and how the best leaders leverage this. Jeff and Paul discuss why leaders often delay making the most difficult decisions that affect people, like shutting down an unsuccessful endeavor or letting an underperforming employee go. Paul answers the questions about whether employees should return to the office, and if CEOs will ask employees to come back full time, whether it will be a hybrid, and what will things look like in the new world of work.

12. Founder & CEO, MyCORE: Creating a culture of inspiration at work. Feb 16, 2021

Jeff's guest on this episode is Nathan Bourne, Founder & CEO at MyCORE. Nathan shares how he believes his company's success is a bi-product of his belief that “service to many leads to greatness.” Jeff and Nathan discuss the analogy of archery and leadership, and how “pulling back the bow” on both good and bad life experiences propels your goals and dreams forward. Nathan shares how he overcame major adversities in his life by constantly seeking and finding wisdom, which helped him evolve into a leader worthy of being followed. Jeff and Nathan discuss the profound difference between the leadership perspective of “ing” and “ed”, and how experiencing one’s life and career as a continuous journey instead of destination becomes more fulfilling. Nathan shares how he feels companies should first define who they are, and only then define what they do. Jeff reminds listeners the most successful organizations embody vulnerability-based trust in their leadership. Nathan shares how he embraces the fact that philosophies drive your attitude, attitude determines your actions, actions determine your results, and results determine your life or your lifestyle. Lead with “who” in everything you do.

11. Managing Director, Gallagher: Demystifying compensation Feb 02, 2021

On this episode, Jeff hosts Shari Dunn who is a Managing Director and National Practice Leader at Arthur J. Gallagher & Company. Shari specializes in compensation strategy & planning, performance-based incentive programs, and effective organizational design. Jeff and Shari discuss the key attributes of a successful compensation strategy, including competitiveness, internal pay equity, cost management, legality, and correlation to performance. Shari reveals how most employers don’t correctly distinguish between employee development, and measurements/outcomes related to pay. Jeff and Shari discuss problems with numerical ratings in performance reviews and how rater subjectivity creates issues when ratings are linked to compensation. In the complicated world of gender and pay inequity, Shari talks about the false assumptions made from inaccurate industry reports on pay equity, while sharing key strategies to help organizations be part of the solution.

10. CCO, Achieve Engagement: Write it down! Improving engagement and performance through redefining manager roles. Jan 19, 2021

Jeff’s guest Jason Lauritsen is a keynote speaker, author, adviser, and leadership trainer. He is known as an employee engagement and workplace culture expert. Jason holds multiple titles including “What’s nEXt?” Webcast Host and Chief Content Officer, Advisory Board Member for the Graduate Industrial/Organizational Psychology Program at Bellevue University, and Founder and Lead Instructor at the Employee Performance Academy. Jason is the author of the books Unlocking High Performance, and Social Gravity. Jason and Jeff discuss the difference between ambiguity and clarity in light of writing down what’s most important, including goals, vision, mission, core values, performance feedback, and strategic plans. Jason shares his thoughts on how to equip human beings to be more productive and effective in their work. They also discuss how effective organizations are reshaping what it means to be a manager in a remote work environment including the importance of teaching managers how to be in relationship with employees. Jason shares how one of the most critical managerial and leadership traits is compassion. View the full transcript here:

9. President, 3D Group: Dale Rose, Ph.D discusses leveraging 360 feedback for improved leadership Jan 05, 2021

Very few people understand 360-degree feedback better than Dale Rose, PhD. In this episode, Dale shares from his 25 years of experience, research, and success stories to help listeners understand the high strategic value of intentional feedback and coaching. Dale and Jeff discuss how to help leaders understand how they are perceived, create development plans, and ultimately change behavior so it is better aligned with organizational objectives. They discuss the importance of comparing different rater group’s perceptions of a leader, and the importance of numerical ratings in 360s. Jeff and Dale discuss how 360s reveal and solicit rater bias based on respondent perceptions of the leader. They discuss how leaders who don’t engage in 360s run the risk of being unaware of the impact they have on those they work with. Dale shares the benefits and pitfalls of personality testing and how the true success of a leader is defined by how well they influence the people around them.

8. President, CEO to CEO: Developing employees to their fullest Dec 15, 2020

Rob Sher talks about being a CEO himself, and shift to consulting directly for other CEOs. Sharing wisdom from his book Mighty Midsized Companies, Rob discusses two “silent growth killers” and talks about why midsized companies are especially vulnerable to these when are not addressed. Jeff and Rob discuss the reasons that leaders delay addressing performance issues or wait too long to let underperformers go. Rob shares what he feels are some commonly misunderstood attributes of CEOs, and what CEOs look for most from the leaders that work for them; proactive people who create plans and see them through to execution. Jeff and Rob talk about how most companies simply do too little to develop their employees and how implementation of relatively simple internal processes can fix this problem. They finish their conversation with a discussion of career pathing and the complexities of transitioning all processes, but especially business development to remote.

7. President, The Table Group: The 6 Types of Working Genius Dec 01, 2020

Jeff Gibson shares his journey from Electrical Engineer to President of Consulting at the highly respected Table Group, run by best-selling author Patrick Lencioni. Jeff talks about the ideal team player and discusses the effectiveness of Pat’s new powerfully simple model called “The 6-types of working genius.” Both Jeffs discuss how we can help people be more fulfilled at work, and how leaders can get out of the unhealthy rhythm of focusing on the urgent at the expense of the important.

6. Principal, Catalytic Consulting: Self leadership in organizations with Brian Jaudon Nov 17, 2020

Jeff and Brian discuss incorporating family systems psychology and emotional intelligence into the realm of leadership. Brian shares insightful stories from his coaching work with senior leadership teams, including questions like “What part of ourselves are we leading from? Are we leading from a place of self-leadership which includes openness, curiosity, and compassion, or one of fear or anger?” Jeff and Brian discuss how a lack of self-awareness creates an adaptation of behavior that is not in the best interest of individuals or organizations. Brian shares how healthy leaders start from an unburdened place of curiosity and compassion toward themselves and others.

5. Chief Marketing Officer, DocuSign: Making the world more agreeable Nov 03, 2020

Rob Giglio, CMO at DocuSign shares his thoughts on how the world of work has changed with the pandemic. Jeff and Rob discuss best practices for calibrating talent by addressing both “how” and “what” is accomplished, and how HR can improve the value they bring the organizations they serve. Rob shares how DocuSign’s core values of being trusted, loved, and responsible translate into behaviors and actions.

4. VP of HR, Golden State Warriors: The Masks We Wear Oct 20, 2020

Erin Dangerfield, Vice President of Human Resources at the Golden State Warriors talks about what it's like to run People Operations at this successful sports franchise valued over $4.3 billion. In the spirit of Halloween they discuss how to remove the masks people wear at work which lead to low trust and performance. Jeff & Erin chat about turning disruption into growth, the connection between diversity and belonging, and Erin shares what's behind their "TEAM" Core Values of trust, empathy, accountability, and modesty.

3. CEO, The HR Manager: From Pandemic to Purpose Oct 06, 2020

Edna Nakamoto, CEO of The HR Manager and Jeff Hunt discuss engagement with remote workers, the benefits of blurring the personal/professional line, and the story of her immigrant parents starting a new business and inspiring her to do the same. Edna shares her views on discrimination and how organizations can leverage diversity of thought, philosophies, and perceptions to outperform competitors.

2. President, Ramar Foods: From School Teacher to President! Sep 15, 2020

Jeff and Susie, President of Ramar Foods, discuss her journey from school teacher to President of a multi-national food Corporation. Susie shares her self-care strategies and how their family-based core values have shaped the company, radically reduced their carbon footprint, and created a safe environment for human conversations about continuous improvement, performance, and race relations.

1. Managing Partner, Jazz BC: Achieving “Vibe” in your Workplace Sep 01, 2020

Jeff Hunt & Jody Bagno-Dill, CEO of Jazz Business Consulting discuss hosting difficult performance conversations, using virtual reality to combat racism/foster diversity, how to promote clarity, competency, and chemistry to achieve organizational vibe.

Welcome to Human Capital! Aug 19, 2020

Join GoalSpan CEO and longtime business consultant Jeff Hunt as he interviews guests who help us learn to embrace the value of human capital in new ways.

Our TOPPODCAST Picks

Follow Us

Stay Connected

Related Podcasts

Links

Stay Connected