The Modern People Leader: Forward-Thinking HR 274 - Kirthi Mani (Chief People Officer, CliftonLarsonAllen) on Joy Fueling Performance
Jan 5, 2026
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.
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Joy Fuels Sustainable Performance
- Joy and performance form a reinforcing cycle where each amplifies the other.
- Measuring human drivers (connection, purpose, growth) in CFO-friendly terms links culture to business outcomes.
The Power Of A Work Friend
- Kirthi shared traveling coast-to-coast and hearing the same comment: "I have a friend at work."
- She framed that authentic connection as a differentiator for CLA amid rising loneliness.
From Accountant To Chief People Officer
- Kirthi described her spiral career from accounting to building practices and leading NYC before becoming Chief People Officer.
- She said CLA created the people officer role after massive tech investment to ensure people wouldn't be left behind.
