The Modern People Leader: Forward-Thinking HR

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

Isabel Naidoo, Chief People Officer at Wise, builds global people strategy for a cross-border fintech. She describes balancing a cohesive employee experience with local identity. She outlines rituals and transparency that keep mission focus. She shares a three-pronged approach to AI in talent and practical steps for measuring impact.

Chase Warrington, Head of Operations at Doist who leads async-first systems and AI ops, breaks down Doist’s squads-based operating model. He talks about the “embarrassing V1” one-day spec trick, rituals like async standups and demos, and how async work makes AI adoption and non-engineer prototyping practical. Short, practical, and focused on scalable remote operations.

Jani Sanguino, Head of People at Viva, leads an award-winning, manager-led AI transformation and builds programs blending learning, automation, and impact. She discusses Viva’s three AI competencies, a 13-week manager-led learning path, AI use-case prioritization and ROI, ambassador programs and custom GPTs, plus practical automations that scaled people ops.

Marlene Arroyo, Founder of PeopleCraft and seasoned HR leader who advises on HR and AI adoption. Cindy Lopez, Senior Director of People & Culture at Pattern Bioscience with a strong people-focused background. They discuss MPL Live Austin’s low-pressure Innovation Hall, the rise of AI tied to workflows, bingo gamification for engagement, and programming that encouraged deeper networking and practical takeaways.

Jon Couture, Chief Human Resources Officer at Vanguard, shares his journey from Air Force firefighter to HR leader. He discusses how Vanguard balances its long-standing culture with necessary changes for the future, emphasizing the importance of CHRO-CEO alignment. Jon delves into the paradox of evolving without losing the company's soul and the role of AI in enhancing productivity for clients and staff. He advocates for an AI-first mindset and prioritizes leadership development, showcasing how HR can energize workforce capabilities.

Sarika Lamont, Chief People Officer at Vidyard, brings her non-traditional journey into HR to the forefront. She discusses how AI is redefining talent processes, particularly in onboarding and coaching. Sarika emphasizes grassroots AI adoption to alleviate fear within HR teams. With practical insights, she shares results from automated onboarding, achieving impressive completion rates. Finally, she unveils Kinley, an innovative AI coach designed to empower employees in their self-development journey.

Pete Fader, a Wharton marketing professor, and Jessica Zwaan, an HR analytics expert, delve into how customer-based audit methods can revolutionize employee management. They discuss employee lifetime value and the significance of cohort analysis versus simple averages. Fader reveals how context matters more than raw data, while Zwaan emphasizes translating customer metrics into actionable employee insights. Together, they explore the challenges and future potential of implementing audits to enhance company culture and performance.

Kirthi Mani, Chief People Officer at CliftonLarsonAllen, discusses her journey from accounting in India to leading people strategy. She explores how joy fuels performance and drives a people-first approach within organizations. Kirthi emphasizes the importance of balancing joy with financial rigor, while leveraging AI to enhance employee experiences. She paints a vivid picture of a connection center for immersive learning and advocates for upskilling beyond technical skills. Ultimately, Kirthi envisions a future where automation fosters joyful and meaningful work.

Pat Lencioni, founder of The Table Group and bestselling author behind The Five Dysfunctions of a Team and The 6 Types of Working Genius, joined us on The Modern People Leader. We talked about his origin story in organizational health, how Working Genius helps leaders prevent burnout by designing teams around strengths, and how HR leaders can build trust and stay grounded as AI reshapes work.----  Downloadable PDF with top takeaways: https://modernpeopleleader.kit.com/episode273Sponsor Links:🔗 Try Viva’s $950 one-month trial at execviva.com/mpl🔗 Try AskChartHop at ChartHop.com/AIMPL Links:🔗 Go sign up for MPL Build.---- (06:30) Pat’s origin story: why he started doing organizational health work(15:06) What Pat has changed his mind on over time (patience vs immediate confrontation)(16:24) Trust + “Five Dysfunctions” discussion (why absence of trust breaks everything)(19:54) What sparked the “6 types of Working Genius” model(24:50) Burnout comes from doing draining work too long, not just “working hard”(29:19) The “Yeti mug vs hole in the cup” analogy (genius, competency, frustration)(39:25) CEO burnout cycle: suffering for others vs martyrdom, and designing coverage for what you don’t have(42:49) Using Working Genius for teams and hiring (cover gaps; hire for needed “genius,” not title)(47:30) Pat’s take on AI: different “types” of AI + the dignity of work and the human touch(52:53) 5–10 year outlook: job disruption, and using Working Genius to stay adaptable across industries (54:09) Trust in an AI era: fear, headcount signals, and how leaders rebuild trust (57:55) Leadership style + authenticity: lead from who you are, name strengths/weaknesses openly---- 📬 Subscribe to our weekly newsletter to get episode recaps💡 Follow The Modern People Leader on LinkedIn😊 Follow Daniel Huerta on LinkedIn😊 Follow Stephen Huerta on LinkedIn---- Past guests on MPL include Brené Brown, Annie Dean (VP of Team Anywhere, Atlassian), Josh Bersin, Katie Burke (Chief People Officer, Harvey), Liz Fosslien, Helen Russell (Chief People Officer, HubSpot), Dave Scott (Chief People Officer, ADT), Melanie Rossenwasser (Chief People Officer, Dropbox), Crystal Boysen (Chief People Officer, Sprout Social), and many more.