Practical advice for leaders and ICs

In this episode of Truth Works, Jessica sits down with Anna Lundström, the CHRO of Spotify, for one of the most honest and forward-looking conversations on the show.

Anna and Jessica share a rare parallel — both grew up inside iconic companies (Netflix and Spotify), both rose into the CHRO seat, and both had to navigate the shift from being seen as “the kid who joined early” to becoming the strategic leader responsible for how the entire company operates.

Together, they unpack:

The New Reality of Leadership in the AI Era

• Why AI is not a short-lived moment but a permanent shift every employee must prepare for
• Spotify’s approach to humanizing AI rather than creating fear around it
• How they drove near-100% AI adoption by focusing on learning, tools, and experimentation
• The cross-functional AI model Anna built with Product and Platform to lead transformation
• What “future-ready” really means for employees right now

Reinventing Culture at Scale

• How Spotify evolved its operating rhythm with a true “Execution Team” (E-Team)
• Why the company’s previous values took them to this point—but new values are needed to take them forward
• The shift from startup to scale-up to global operator
• The three new cultural anchors:
  • One Team
  • Make It Happen
  • Use Human Judgment

The Reality of Being a Modern CHRO

• Carrying roles that did not formally exist before: HR strategist, de facto chief medical officer, chief diversity officer, and now “chief AI officer”
• The pressure and responsibility of being the visible face of people, culture, and transformation
• Why deep technical understanding of every HR function is now a leadership advantage
• How to operate and make decisions in a world where no one has all the answers

For Employees Asking: “How Do I Influence Culture From Below?”

Anna shares practical guidance for individual contributors who feel stuck beneath stagnant cliques, unclear values, or top-down programs that do not translate into real behavioral change. She explores how to use HR partners, leaders, feedback channels, and thoughtful communication to influence culture from the ground up.

Why This Episode Matters

Spotify touches hundreds of millions of people every day, but the real transformation is happening inside the company as it rewrites how work, leadership, and AI coexist. Anna sits at the center of that shift, and this conversation offers a rare inside view into the future of work at one of the world’s most influential tech companies.

If you are a CEO, founder, HR leader, or individual contributor wondering how to move your organization forward in the era of AI and rapid change, this episode provides a clear, grounded and actionable perspective.