“HR Heretics” | How CPOs, CHROs, Founders, and Boards Build High Performing Companies "I Live Off Intensity": Steve Cadigan on Jeff Weiner's Leadership That Built LinkedIn
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Aug 21, 2025 
Steve Cadigan, LinkedIn's first CHRO, shares insights from his experience during the company's explosive growth. He tackles the cultural challenges of scaling from 400 to 4,000 employees and emphasizes the need to shift from acquiring talent to developing it internally. Cadigan discusses the unconventional leadership style of CEO Jeff Weiner and the importance of vulnerability in crisis management. He highlights lessons learned from LinkedIn's blitzscaling phase and advocates for innovative HR practices that support adaptability and work-life balance.
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Define Why People Should Join
- Ask the basic question: "Why would anyone want to work here?" to expose false assumptions about employer value.
- Use your company's core problem and unique assets to define a compelling employee value proposition.
HR's Two True Products
- HR's core products are judgment and credibility, proven by solving hard problems quickly.
- Leaders test HR by seeing whether you escalate or make decisions autonomously.
Stop Defaulting To Performance Reviews
- Avoid ritualized performance reviews and instead focus on meaningful development conversations.
- Train leaders to give candid feedback because most have never been taught how to do it well.