Workplace Stories by RedThread Research Building Trust Through Vulnerability: How Zane Zumbahlen Leads Transformational Change
Jul 23, 2025
43:03
In this episode of Workplace Stories, we sit down with Zane Zumbahlen, Chief People Officer at Wedgwood Veterinary Pharmacy, to explore how vulnerability in leadership can catalyze organizational change.
With a 30-year career spanning IBM, CTCA, and global roles in Sweden and Japan, Zane shares candid stories that reveal the power of low-ego, high-confidence leadership. From active listening sessions that rebuilt trust among skeptical managers to structural programs that flipped the risk equation for women leaders, Zane's journey is a masterclass in how HR leaders can move from intention to impactful systems.
His approach blends authenticity, experimentation, and a relentless drive to make things better, one conversation at a time.
You will want to hear this episode if you are interested in...
Resources & People Mentioned:
Connect with Zane Zumbahlen:
Connect With Red Thread Research
Subscribe to WORKPLACE STORIES
With a 30-year career spanning IBM, CTCA, and global roles in Sweden and Japan, Zane shares candid stories that reveal the power of low-ego, high-confidence leadership. From active listening sessions that rebuilt trust among skeptical managers to structural programs that flipped the risk equation for women leaders, Zane's journey is a masterclass in how HR leaders can move from intention to impactful systems.
His approach blends authenticity, experimentation, and a relentless drive to make things better, one conversation at a time.
You will want to hear this episode if you are interested in...
- (00:00) Intro
- (04:21) How vulnerability accelerates trust and change.
- (12:45) The real-life risks of emotional leadership.
- (18:50) Driving systemic transformation from the HR seat.
- (22:33) A roadmap for active listening that leads to measurable action.
- (35:10) Building female leadership pipelines in risk-averse cultures.
- (47:52) Examples of HR-led innovation across global contexts.
- (56:15) Rethinking how credibility and compassion coexist in leadership.
Resources & People Mentioned:
Connect with Zane Zumbahlen:
Connect With Red Thread Research
- Website: Red Thread Research
- On LinkedIn
- On Facebook
- On Twitter
Subscribe to WORKPLACE STORIES