Lead the People

Jenny Smith Moebius is the SVP and Head of Marketing at Skedda, a global workplace management platform committed to powering great hybrid workplace experiences, where she's also the host of the Heroes of Hybrid Work podcast. Jenny is a top Go-To-Market (GTM) leader in the Greater Boston area, where she has a track record of building powerful brands and categories, generating demand (for both sales- and product-led orgs), and creating energizing mission-driven cultures of belonging in the B2B tech space. Top 3 Takeaways Move on. Rather than continue to fret over the future of hybrid work, we need to shift our energy into how we can improve our business and people outcomes. Case closed. Check yourself. We always need to be mindful of unconscious bias. When it comes to hybrid work, we need to ensure we’re treating the in-group and out-group equitably. Use the tools. From sophisticated technologies to simple techniques like sharing a meal over distance, we have the opportunity to re-humanize hybrid work for the benefit of all. Subscribe to Matt’s LinkedIn Newsletter Optimal Leadership Tips: https://www.linkedin.com/build-relation/newsletter-follow?entityUrn=7218638938112933888 From Our Sponsor The Predictive Index (PI) is an award-winning talent optimization platform that aligns business strategy with people strategy for optimal business results. More than 60 years of proven science, software, and a curriculum of insightful management workshops make PI the solution for any company looking to design great teams and culture, make objective hiring decisions, foster engagement, and inspire greatness in their people anywhere in the world. More than 10,000 clients and 480+ partners use PI—including Nissan, Citizens Bank, Subway, Blue Cross Blue Shield, and Omni Hotels—across 90+ countries. Learn more at predictiveindex.com. From the Source “My stance is that the hybrid work debate is over, and people really need to start figuring out how to do it right. Instead of grappling over whether we should do it, it's about how to do it so that you continue to engage your people and have a high economic returns.” “If you want to retain your talent, keep your talent happy, and bring in more and better talent, the way to go is hybrid work.” “The energy that I get from the collaboration, the productivity that I get with my team, or just even getting to know them on a more personal level, having lunches and snacks and drinks or whatever it is you want to do… It's, it's totally worth it. And lots of data out there shows that two to three days a week doesn't decrease productivity. The benefits really outweigh the cons.” “The best practice out there is that hybrid work should be made at the team level. And when it is made at the team level, the studies have shown that the amount of talent and diverse talent that you can attract increases.” “Allstate, for instance, adopted a model of team level agreement and job applications rose 23%. But the most interesting part is that there was a 33% increase among women and people of color. So what you were referring to—women, people of color, people with disabilities—hearing that there's more flexibility in where they work, you're going to attract better and more diverse talent.” “Microsoft found that employees who met with their managers in person within the first 90 days were more likely to seek feedback, feel included and trusted by their team, build strong relationships with colleagues, and feel supported when discussing tough issues with their manager.” “Happy employees drive economic return. So this fits right into the talent optimization wheelhouse. Take care of your people, be intentional about it, listen to them, and you should have a pretty good result.” Connect with Jenny LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jennifermoebius Get Your Hybrid Work Score: http://www.skedda.com/grader Heroes of Hybrid Work (podcast): https://www.skedda.com/heroes-of-hybrid-work-podcast

Andrew is a first-generation Nigerian American from South Bend, Indiana, and the CEO & Founder of AAA Solutions; a consulting firm that provides workplace culture and Diversity, Equity & Inclusion (DEI) consulting and training services. Andrew obtained his bachelor's degree in Entrepreneurship and Corporate Innovation from the Kelley School of Business at Indiana University Bloomington. He then went on to complete his Master of Science from Michigan State University in Management, Strategy & Leadership. Lastly, Andrew received a certificate in DEI in the Workplace from The Muma College of Business at The University of South Florida. With over 10 years of executive level management experience, Andrew has helped dozens of clients improve their employee engagement and create a sense of belonging within their organizations. Andrew currently resides just outside of Indianapolis, Indiana with his wife and three children. He published his first book titled The Circle of Leadership in the Summer of 2020. The book serves as an entrepreneurial framework on how to create and leverage culture. Andrew released his second book titled The Building Blocks of Belonging in January 2024. The book explores the intersection of workplace culture and DEI. Top 3 Takeaways Stay the course. While there’s a highly visible tug-of-war happening when it comes to DEI, the worst thing we can do is shut down dialogue. Don’t stop at the headlines and miss the opportunity to reach the heart of the matter. Measure up. It’s hard to know what to believe without having access to credible data. Aggregate results are useful, but be sure to drill down to discover what the employee experience is like for every major grouping of workers. Boost the belonging. We all want to feel a sense of connection to our work and those around us. This drives our motivation and our engagement. Make sure to make time to nurture this type of connection through your people-first leadership. From Our Sponsor The Predictive Index (PI) is an award-winning talent optimization platform that aligns business strategy with people strategy for optimal business results. More than 60 years of proven science, software, and a curriculum of insightful management workshops make PI the solution for any company looking to design great teams and culture, make objective hiring decisions, foster engagement, and inspire greatness in their people anywhere in the world. More than 10,000 clients and 480+ partners use PI—including Nissan, Citizens Bank, Subway, Blue Cross Blue Shield, and Omni Hotels—across 90+ countries. Learn more at predictiveindex.com. From the Source “We do want to make sure it's fair. We do want to make sure that we have diverse organizations because that helps with innovation and attracting, retaining top talent. The problem is a lot of hiring processes are broken. There's bias that permeates all throughout workplaces, and it leads to cultures that aren't diverse, that aren't inclusive. DEI aims to level that playing field.” “The problem is people didn't take the right steps to really lay a foundation and educate their workforce on why this matters. And I think ultimately they looked back and said, ‘We're not sure we moved the needle with the work that we did.’” “Most of the clients we're working with, they're not contemplating not doing DEI. They're just trying to figure out what's the next level. And I think they're just not as vocal as the people who are against it.” “We want to make sure this work is data-driven and not just emotionally-driven, and that can come in the form of surveys or focus groups. Having a third party come in and provide a fresh perspective or town hall discussions that allow you to just get an overwhelming amount of data to be able to say, ‘All right, what insights do we see here? What themes do we see here?’ And that will help prioritize and narrow down the focus that an organization should have.” “Most organizations have data. The question is, is it good enough data to draw the type of insights we need?” “We spend so much time at work, and to have poor cultures is really just unacceptable from my perspective. That's why I'm so passionate about this work.” “People who don't feel like they belong, they're not going the extra mile. They're not showing up to the optional meetings. They're not going to the optional happy hours. They're not overly communicating in team meetings. They're withholding some of their thoughts. They may visibly look disengaged in team meetings and things like that.” Connect with Andrew Website: https://www.andrewadeniyi.com LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/andrewadeniyi/ The Circle of Leadership (book): https://amzn.to/4bWIJQq The Building Blocks of Belonging (book): https://amzn.to/4bWDCzB

Sara Murray is an advisor, consultant, and speaker working with leaders and sales teams to unlock the untapped potential in their prospecting and business development efforts. With a focus on hospitality, construction, real estate, design, and technology industries, Sara empowers professionals via her virtual and in-person workshops to enhance their communication skills, approach prospecting creatively, and effectively address business needs rather than simply push products. As the host of the popular podcast "Prospecting on Purpose", Sara provides a valuable platform for discussions on prospecting, sales, business strategies, and mindset, leaving listeners with tangible takeaways and increased confidence. Top 3 Takeaways Fear not. While selling products, services or ideas involves the possibility of rejection, we don’t have to hesitate to take on this role if we approach it with a mindset of authenticity and service. Level up. Rather than put others on a pedestal, we can bring ourselves up to meet them. By making them feel safe to be authentic with us and always creating value for them, we can engage as equals. Relationships matter. It’s easier than ever to build and maintain relationships so long as we have a genuine interest in connecting and helping. Look for clues to what others want most, and be sure to meet their needs before sharing your interests. From Our Sponsor The Predictive Index (PI) is an award-winning talent optimization platform that aligns business strategy with people strategy for optimal business results. More than 60 years of proven science, software, and a curriculum of insightful management workshops make PI the solution for any company looking to design great teams and culture, make objective hiring decisions, foster engagement, and inspire greatness in their people anywhere in the world. More than 10,000 clients and 480+ partners use PI—including Nissan, Citizens Bank, Subway, Blue Cross Blue Shield, and Omni Hotels—across 90+ countries. Learn more at predictiveindex.com. From the Source “The real problem is that one of the greatest human fears is a fear of rejection, a fear of failure.” “We're always influencing others, and so if you can be confident in where you're coming from—when you start that—it's going to make everything else more seamless.” “If you approach any type of conversation from a place of authenticity—and that's just really being your authentic self—it’s going to allow other people to be their authentic selves and you're showing you're secure enough in who you are, and that just opens the door for other people to meet you where you're at.” “When I look at values, they can be different based on your different buckets of life.” “How do you want people to feel when they work with you? What are they saying when you're not in the room?” “One of the things that we forget when we show up in a work setting sometimes is that our passions are allowed to be brought into our work.” “If you start to figure out ways you can add value and it does not have to cost money, that's when you're going to see everything shift for you because then the rest of this becomes easy.” “People are telling us how they want to work with us, how they want to be sold to. They're telling us how you communicate with them. It's our job to pay attention and add value.” Connect with Sara Website: http://www.saramurray.com Prospecting on Purpose (podcast): https://www.saramurray.com/podcast LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/saramurraysales Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/saramurraysales

Drew Fortin is a people-first, values-driven leader with nearly 20 years of growth strategy and team-building experience across retail, marketing technology, local media, and HR tech. He spent eight years at The Predictive Index, where he was Chief Growth Officer responsible for the company's strategy to build the world's first talent optimization platform. Drew is obsessed with the shift that AI, robotics, and web3 have on the employer-employee relationship and the good things it means for humans in the future of work. This led him to found Lever Talent. He is also co-creator and host of "The Lever Show with Drew Fortin." Top 3 Takeaways  Business is human. In our earliest days, commerce was intensely human. While we’ve recently learned to boost automation and scale, business remains human when we get it right. Play the long game. While splashy headlines abound, realizing the benefits of technologies like AI is going to take time. Don’t rush your strategy and implementation, but opt for steady progress. Seek leverage. I’m fascinated by Drew’s recognition that technology has the potential to help us renew our humanity by freeing us up to spend more time and energy on what matters most. Let’s lean into this. From Our Sponsor  The Predictive Index (PI) is an award-winning talent optimization platform that aligns business strategy with people strategy for optimal business results. More than 60 years of proven science, software, and a curriculum of insightful management workshops make PI the solution for any company looking to design great teams and culture, make objective hiring decisions, foster engagement, and inspire greatness in their people anywhere in the world. More than 10,000 clients and 480+ partners use PI—including Nissan, Citizens Bank, Subway, Blue Cross Blue Shield, and Omni Hotels—across 90+ countries. Learn more at predictiveindex.com. From the Source  “We rarely talk about the human element and every business has some element of a defensive moat internally. How can we actually bring that to life?” “If you think about the essence of business, it predates investor evolution, right? Two individuals sharing goods, sharing value and realizing that, ‘Hey, if I give you this and you give me that, it creates more value in my life than I could ever bring it to myself.’ And in turn, it creates more value in the world than we could ever create individually.  That is human.” “If we can continue to help businesses realize that this macro level shift is happening,  we can empower more individuals while also helping businesses succeed in this new future and in turn at a really high level,  making business more human because that is the differentiator.” “The next big platform shift, which we're on the precipice of right now, is this evolution of AI and ‘What does this mean?’” “As the proliferation of automation and AI takes off, the need for human judgment increases because we have more things that are automated and out there running on their own. So you need more checks and balances. You need humans involved.” “There are examples of tech companies, especially larger ones, saying ‘We're going to mandate that we're going to cut because we're investing in AI. So we're just not going to backfill the positions.’ They almost need to prove that AI is working.” “You have time to plan for the impact that AI is going to have in your business and to plan it in a positive way. And you don't need a strategy right now, today. You need to develop a strategy over the next two to three years so you can start to build.” “The gift of the last platform shift—which is digitization, the ability to create automation—is allowing us to implement technologies internally that can make it so that we can customize the employee experience,  tailor it not just to the individual's needs, but to the business needs.” “The imperative today really comes down to ‘What data are we actually collecting? What is our strategy and plan?’” Connect with Drew LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/andrewpfortin/ Website: https://levertalent.com

Few can match Lyn Wineman's passion for marketing or for helping change-makers do more good in the world. As the founder, president, and chief strategist of the full-service advertising agency KidGlov, she has created a space where both of these passions flourish. Lyn’s talented team is known for putting the megaphone in front of those leading positive change. KidGlov earned its Certified B-Corp status in 2021, proof of their commitment to social and environmental excellence. Lyn is also the host of the Agency for Change podcast, yet another forum to amplify the voice of changemakers everywhere. Top 3 Takeaways Find your fit. Despite having early success, Lyn grew to feel hollow and out of alignment. She plucked her courage, set out on a more intentional path, and she hasn’t looked back. Get over the guilt. So many times, we feel overwhelmed by life’s shoulds. We may not want to disappoint the people in our lives, but if we’re making a necessary and thoughtful change, we’re honoring ourselves—and this is exactly what they want most. Prove your love. Becoming a certified B Corp gave Lyn the opportunity to validate her emphasis on building an intentional business. It also put her in direct contact with like-minded holistic business builders. How can you put your intentions on full display? From Our Sponsor The Predictive Index (PI) is an award-winning talent optimization platform that aligns business strategy with people strategy for optimal business results. More than 60 years of proven science, software, and a curriculum of insightful management workshops make PI the solution for any company looking to design great teams and culture, make objective hiring decisions, foster engagement, and inspire greatness in their people anywhere in the world. More than 10,000 clients and 480+ partners use PI—including Nissan, Citizens Bank, Subway, Blue Cross Blue Shield, and Omni Hotels—across 90+ countries. Learn more at predictiveindex.com. From the Source “When I started my career, Matt, I thought I was going after money, titles, advancement. I wanted to run a company. I was very brash, bold. I worked hard. About 20 years in, I woke up one day and said, this doesn't feel right. It feels hollow.“ “People who have a purpose tend to be happier. Many of us derive our purpose from our work.” “It is, I think, very courageous work to really lean into and and have convictions related to your personal purpose. And if you're a leader or a founder or an owner, your cultural purpose as well.” “I woke up one day and just realized, ‘This isn't good. I am unhappy. I'm on a bad path.’ Like I thought this is what I wanted, but I am experiencing no joy, right? And not only am I experiencing no joy, what I am giving to my family and my friends and even the people I work with during the day is I'm sucking their joy away also, right? This is not where I want to be 20 years from now.” “I am looking for purpose-aligned work, and I'm looking for a culture that supports humans and supports doing that kind of work. That is what KidGlov is all about.” “I think back to the pandemic when the world was crazy and we were all working from home overnight and just trying to figure it out. Like for us and our team, it was so rewarding to know that. ‘Hey, the world's gone a little bit crazy here. But every day I get up, I'm helping kids. I'm helping seniors. I'm helping families. You know, I'm, I'm helping advance the arts.’ It makes coming to work that much more rewarding.” “We have chosen this space because this is the space that we love.” "As we went through the rigorous process and the certification and the verification, We became a better company because it pointed out some areas where we could improve. And now we've just recertified at even a higher score.” Connect with Lyn Website: https://www.kidglov.com LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lynwineman Agency for Change—The Podcast that Inspires: https://kidglov.com/podcasts

Nikki Lewallen Gregory is the Founder and Chief Meaningful Work Officer at PeopleForward Network, a pioneering consultancy dedicated to transforming workplaces through purpose-driven strategies. With a deep-rooted belief in the power of meaningful work, Nikki has cultivated a career centered on aligning organizational goals with individual fulfillment. Under Nikki's visionary leadership, PeopleForward Network has become a beacon for businesses seeking to enhance employee engagement and cultivate thriving workplace cultures. Her approach empowers companies to unlock their full potential by prioritizing people and workplace purpose and strength. The network has experienced fast growth and is currently impacting thousands of leaders with over 1.6 million listens across the network. Top 3 Takeaways Keep everything in focus. We’ve long been told to start with why, but are we asking this question often enough? Old habits, long standing meetings, and workplace routines can always be put to the why test. Know your code. I love how Nikki described her organization’s culture code as a “lived way of being.” This really underscores just how meaningful their intentions are to how they operate and hold one another accountable. Leaders take an oath. Leadership means being responsible for the welfare of others. This should not be taken lightly. Do the work to learn the craft and push through your own boundaries to do it well. From Our Sponsor The Predictive Index (PI) is an award-winning talent optimization platform that aligns business strategy with people strategy for optimal business results. More than 60 years of proven science, software, and a curriculum of insightful management workshops make PI the solution for any company looking to design great teams and culture, make objective hiring decisions, foster engagement, and inspire greatness in their people anywhere in the world. More than 10,000 clients and 480+ partners use PI—including Nissan, Citizens Bank, Subway, Blue Cross Blue Shield, and Omni Hotels—across 90+ countries. Learn more at predictiveindex.com. From the Source “It's like the question I ask every team member before hiring them or regular check ins: ‘What is the why now?’ because that can change over time, but we have to be rooted in the why.” “Life goes so fast. And we all can see seasons in our life where we're like, ‘How is that? Is this year already at this point?’ It just gets faster as you get older and you have to be present. You only get this one shot.” “So you’ve got your mission and vision, and then you've got your values, but then your lived way of being is what I would call a culture code.” “I love the people-first way of showing up. The mentality of ‘people first,’ I love that. It is sometimes overused. People forward is the outcome. We did the work. We are moving people forward through our mentality and the way of showing up. And that is where the name comes from.” “At the end of the day, that person is also going to benefit from you walking them not only out the door but helping them to get to their next place that's a good fit.” “You took the oath that said, ‘I'm here to lead people. I have a responsibility and therefore the first thing is self-awareness and accountability. Am I doing that? Or am I, am I sitting in the seat?’” “I am empathetic to changing 30 years in. Having to do that is hard. A tech change and all the way that we do things on the backend. It's so hard.” Connect with Nikki Website: http://www.peopleforwardnetwork.com LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nikkilewallen

Melissa Doman, MA is an Organizational Psychologist, Former Clinical Mental Health Therapist, & Author of Yes, You Can Talk About Mental Health at Work (Here’s Why And How To Do It Really Well). Melissa works with companies across industries around the globe – including clients like Google, Dow Jones, the Orlando City Soccer Club, Microsoft, Salesforce, Siemens, Estée Lauder, & Janssen. She’s spoken at SXSW and has been featured as a subject matter expert in CNN, Vogue, NPR, the BBC, CNBC, Inc., and in LinkedIn’s 2022 Top 10 Voices on Mental Health. Having lived abroad in South Korea, England, Australia and traveled to 45+ countries, Melissa calls upon her global experiences to inform how she works with companies around the world. She has one core goal: to equip companies, individuals, and leaders to have constructive conversations about mental health, team dynamics, and communication in the workplace. Her work and book aim to accomplish just that. To learn more about Melissa, her work, or the book - please visit www.melissadoman.com. Top 3 Takeaways Build the foundation. There are few workplace topics more important than mental health yet for a variety of reasons, we often shy away from having them. We can start making progress by developing a strong foundation of education and understanding. Have the conversation. Mental well-being is a dynamic and complex topic. This means we need to get comfortable engaging with others to disclose our information, discover theirs, and thoughtfully and effectively support one another. Get real. Feeling pressure to feel okay all the time is not a proper definition of wellness. It’s natural to not feel okay all the time. If we’re in too much of a rush to brush aside negativity, we may inadvertently create a bigger challenge. From Our Sponsor The Predictive Index (PI) is an award-winning talent optimization platform that aligns business strategy with people strategy for optimal business results. More than 60 years of proven science, software, and a curriculum of insightful management workshops make PI the solution for any company looking to design great teams and culture, make objective hiring decisions, foster engagement, and inspire greatness in their people anywhere in the world. More than 10,000 clients and 480+ partners use PI—including Nissan, Citizens Bank, Subway, Blue Cross Blue Shield, and Omni Hotels—across 90+ countries. Learn more at predictiveindex.com. From the Source “We're not trying to create an open playing field or an iron wall. We're trying to create a fence. You decide what you let through. You decide what you don't let through.” “I didn't see anything out there and I was like, people need a guidebook. They need a playbook on how to do this, what to do if it doesn't go well, how to develop the language, the conversational literacy just like a literacy for any, any other skill.” “It is really tough in here. It's really tough out there. And that's not going to change. I'm not trying to be negative. I'm trying to be realistic.” “When you think about intergenerational conversations about mental health at work—that's a doozy—I think that finger pointing is just so unhelpful. And that's what people tend to do really easily because it's, it's easy and it's patterned and that's what different generations do.” “Even though there are more resources than ever and more people are getting help than ever, our global mental health and rates of mental illness are worse than ever.” “When you feel like you have some semblance of control over something, or you have the ability or the self efficacy to be able to develop the skills to be able to handle that, in an uncertain and chaotic world, that should feel like a nice cozy blanket.” Connect with Melissa Website: http://www.melissadoman.com LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/melissadoman1 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thewanderingmel

Lisa is a global leader of executive development, organizational change, and strategic planning. She leads visionary work as an executive in Fortune 100 companies as well as in education, nonprofit, and startups for over 20 years. She is also the founder of Take the Risk Leadership Group, a leadership consulting firm that focuses on helping individuals, teams, and businesses thrive. Her expertise in leadership and her passion for leading change is rooted in her unwavering commitment to make this world better through the tenets of courage, curiosity, vulnerability, respect, diversity, inclusion, and belonging. Lately, she’s been thinking a lot about being middle-aged, and the vulnerability and bravery it takes to create the life of one's dreams. She loves spending time with her young family, taking them around the globe in pursuit of new adventures and to find the best chocolate chip cookie. Top 3 Takeaways Give yourself permission. If you find yourself frequently looking to others to validate your choices, why not look inward for permission? Yours is the vote that counts the most. Get still. When faced with a big work or life decision, it’s important to hit the pause button. Give yourself the time and space to quiet down and practice discernment. The answer will become that much more clear. Be a work in progress. What you want and need from your career will likely evolve over time. Match your activities to your current stage by gaining exposure early before getting picky mid-career and then thinking of your legacy much later on. From Our Sponsor The Predictive Index (PI) is an award-winning talent optimization platform that aligns business strategy with people strategy for optimal business results. More than 60 years of proven science, software, and a curriculum of insightful management workshops make PI the solution for any company looking to design great teams and culture, make objective hiring decisions, foster engagement, and inspire greatness in their people anywhere in the world. More than 10,000 clients and 480+ partners use PI—including Nissan, Citizens Bank, Subway, Blue Cross Blue Shield, and Omni Hotels—across 90+ countries. Learn more at predictiveindex.com.  From the Source “Something I've been exploring a lot is this idea of permission and this idea about whether we’re waiting for permission from others to say yes to ourselves.” “Sometimes we have such limiting beliefs that we don't even go for the thing. We don't even have that conversation. We write something off before we're even there.” “There is this situation sometimes where either we've been at a place for a long time or maybe something changes in our life or they just hit this pivotal point like it's time to make a change.” “It is hard to pause in this world. It is hard. We are expected to make all these decisions all the time, and the world is changing faster than our brains and our bodies are really meant to do this.” “There's something so powerful when we take those moments, especially those pivotal times, we get to know ourselves better. We get to know more. We get more and more in tune with what we want for our lives when we take that time.” “You're in this job where you do this work and you try to rise as fast as you can. You do the best that you can. You get there. ‘Wait a second. Am I, am I still aligned? Am I still doing, do I want to be doing this? Is this going to work for 30 more years for me?’” Connect with Lisa LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lkleinhofer Website: http://www.taketheriskleadership.com

A dynamic keynote speaker, Jason Lauritsen is a true thought leader in the world of work and employee engagement who is dedicated to revolutionizing the way we Lead With Relationship™. He fearlessly challenges traditional norms to reshape the employee experience by consistently placing authentic human connection at the heart of leadership. Jason is the author of two books, Unlocking High Performance and Social Gravity. His thought leadership has been featured in Forbes, Fast Company, Talent Management magazine, HR Executive magazine, and SHRM publications. Top 3 Takeaways Don’t look back. While we saw an uptick in managers taking a distinctly human approach during the pandemic, many have regressed to prior levels which is fueling burnout. Let’s not lose the progress we gained. We’re in a relationship. What we expect from work and what we expect from relationships are strikingly similar. Make sure you’re doing everything you can to ensure that the dynamic is as healthy as possible at all times. Be curious. As leaders, we need to ask our humans human questions. Be sure to ask questions that can’t be answered too easily. You’re after the type of conversation starters that deepen and strengthen relationships. From Our Sponsor The Predictive Index (PI) is an award-winning talent optimization platform that aligns business strategy with people strategy for optimal business results. More than 60 years of proven science, software, and a curriculum of insightful management workshops make PI the solution for any company looking to design great teams and culture, make objective hiring decisions, foster engagement, and inspire greatness in their people anywhere in the world. More than 10,000 clients and 480+ partners use PI—including Nissan, Citizens Bank, Subway, Blue Cross Blue Shield, and Omni Hotels—across 90+ countries. Learn more at predictiveindex.com. From the Source “Anyone who has friends, family, colleagues that work for someone else probably has heard a story recently about something at work that's not working—a boss that doesn't treat them well, a place that they don't feel valued, where they don't feel like their voice is heard.” “Employees want to be fully engaged, to be leaning in, to be giving their best, to be committed and loyal and all the things we want as employers. They are experiencing work as a relationship, and they need that relationship to be healthy.” “We've had a lot of people that kind of have emotionally and on some level psychologically, disengaged from the organization, but they keep showing up to work. They keep doing just enough.” “A big percentage of how the employee feels about their relationship with work has an awful lot to do with their relationship with you as their manager.” “One of the things that has shifted over the last ten or fifteen years is the importance of the peer-to-peer relationship in impacting engagement. 'How I feel about the work relationship' has actually been on the rise. 'How connected I feel to my peers' is almost as important to my overall engagement satisfaction as my relationship with my manager.” “You can't fix everything. You can't solve all the problems that they're going to be exposed to, but I think it doesn't take away our responsibility to be leaders.” Connect with Jason LinkedIn Profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasonlauritsen Website: http://www.jasonlauritsen.com Better Relationship Better Work (Podcast) Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/better-relationships-better-work-with-jason-lauritsen/id1746751396 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/1BLxdnQMAVDfAImrL3atrD

About Kristie Pappal Kristie Pappal serves as the Vice President of Human Resources with the Philadelphia Eagles where she provides comprehensive human resources leadership including developing and leading HR strategy and policy, cultivating a positive and productive work environment, engagement and inclusion, internal communications, talent acquisition, employee relations, benefits and wellness, compensation, and organizational development. About Jodie Cunningham Jodie J. Cunningham is the CEO and talent optimization expert at Optimus Talent Partners. As a Predictive Index Certified Partner, she specializes in workforce analytics, helping organizations get the right people in the right roles and grow their exceptional talent. Jodie is also a Talent Strategist and Search Consultant for Kopplin, Kuebler and Wallace, where she provides Human Resources executive placement services for luxury country clubs, golf clubs and resorts throughout the United States. Top 3 Takeaways  Every business is a people business. A sports franchise depends on its people just like every other business. Yours may not be as high-profile as an NFL team, but you need to set your people up for success. Make the case. Don’t presume that everybody is as excited about your proposal as you are. Tie your recommendation to issues in the business and demonstrate how it will deliver real results. Slow and steady. When introducing a new program or solution, resist the urge to move too quickly. Allow those you need to absorb the change so they don’t get overwhelmed. They’ll catch up to you in time. From Our Sponsor The Predictive Index (PI) is an award-winning talent optimization platform that aligns business strategy with people strategy for optimal business results. More than 60 years of proven science, software, and a curriculum of insightful management workshops make PI the solution for any company looking to design great teams and culture, make objective hiring decisions, foster engagement, and inspire greatness in their people anywhere in the world. More than 10,000 clients and 480+ partners use PI—including Nissan, Citizens Bank, Subway, Blue Cross Blue Shield, and Omni Hotels—across 90+ countries. Learn more at predictiveindex.com. From the Source(s) Kristie: “One thing every day that I remind myself is that there's 32 opportunities across the NFL. There's certain perceptions—people really do only see what's on the field—but I'm really proud when people join the team and see what a robust business that this sports organization is.” “We talked about having these quick little sessions that were virtual and, and people could sign in from their own computers on their own times to, um, you know, to build that muscle for themselves.” “You need to make sure that people are really prepared and have the tools to lead other people.” “Embracing that crawl, walk, run philosophy of people recognized the value and they started to talk about it and then it built that curiosity and from there. It's opened more departments that have been interested and it's more of a pull that our managers are coming forward and asking for this or they're curious about what this looks like.” Jodie: “HR and talent, no matter what the industry, we all have a lot of the same challenges. And so being able to share best practices from industry to industry is important.” “Managers are craving leadership development. Many times, no matter what industry, managers are promoted because they were great at doing the job, but now their job is to lead people, and they don't necessarily have those tools in their toolbox to be able to do that. Nobody really taught them, or they've never been through a class to learn how to lead. And so being able to use and learn PI as a language, as a basis, as a foundation to start really developing a leadership style to get the most out of the team to be able to achieve the business objectives.” “Half of the building is all about coaching: giving feedback in the moment, positive or constructive, making sure that players understand where they stand in terms of their performance. That happens naturally on that side of the building, but what I often I found as a wow when I joined the NFL is how that doesn't always happen on the business side of the building because those those leaders haven't gained those knowledges and skills and experience to be able to give that feedback in real time, making sure that that we're driving the game for the performance that we're looking for. And so also being able to share that knowledge across the building is an important component of kind of driving that talent optimization.” Connect with Kristie LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kristie-pappal/ Website: https://www.philadelphiaeagles.com/ Eagles Autism Challenge: https://www.eaglesautismchallenge.org/ Connect with Jodie LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/optimustalentpartners/ Website: https://www.optimustalentpartners.com/