Lead the People

Genelle Taylor Kumpe has devoted her career to issues that transform our community, empower others and advocate for women and children. Her background in education, entrepreneurship and community service makes her uniquely qualified to serve as CEO of the San Joaquin Valley Manufacturing Alliance (SJVMA) and the CEO of the Fresno Business Council (FBC). Kumpe serves as a spokesperson for SJVMA, leveraging her extensive experience and expertise to advocate for the manufacturing sector in the region. In her role, she focuses on promoting workforce development, industry innovation, and economic growth within the San Joaquin Valley, highlighting the importance of manufacturing to the local and broader economy. Her efforts are crucial in driving collaborative initiatives that support the alliance’s mission to strengthen and expand the manufacturing industry in the area. Top 3 Takeaways Get in the game. Building a thriving community requires all of us. Government and education institutions need business leaders to come to the table and partner to develop and implement joint solutions. Leverage strengths. Business people are naturally trained to be solution-focused, goal-oriented, and long-term thinkers. We need to bring these strengths with a coalition mindset to solve the bigger problems in our communities. Create the conditions. Whatever business you’re in, you operate within your local community. Think about your local talent pool, environment, and educational institutions as an extension of your organization. From Our Sponsor The Predictive Index (PI) is an award-winning talent optimization platform that aligns business strategy with people strategy for optimal business results. More than 60 years of proven science, software, and a curriculum of insightful management workshops make PI the solution for any company looking to design great teams and culture, make objective hiring decisions, foster engagement, and inspire greatness in their people anywhere in the world. More than 10,000 clients and 480+ partners use PI—including Nissan, Citizens Bank, Subway, Blue Cross Blue Shield, and Omni Hotels—across 90+ countries. Learn more at predictiveindex.com. From the Source “We want to build a really thriving region where businesses can grow and families can flourish.” “Not one person can do everything. Not one organization can do everything, but if we all do a little bit, we can make some really big transformative changes.” “Business people, they are entrepreneurial in spirit. They're solution driven. What more can you ask than to have business people really leading initiatives and being at the table and being that voice?” “We wouldn't be able to be as successful if there weren't those individuals that are around the table that we work with every day: our members, our board members, and then the organizations that collaborate and work on these issues with us as well.” “You have to take a seat at the table, be part of the solution, think beyond your four walls and think about the future.” “Fresno is really emerging as a place where cutting edge manufacturing meets purpose-driven leadership. So through our partnerships with education institutions from community colleges, high schools, we're really building the talent through CTE programs or career technical education.” Connect with Genelle Fresno Business Council: http://www.fresnobc.org San Joaquin Valley Manufacturing Alliance: http://www.sjvma.org

Alex has 15+ years of global experience in the People/HR space. He has spent time working in different industries and for companies like Citi, NBCUniversal and WeWork, amongst others. His specific expertise has centered on creating, transforming and building out systems that foster an equitable, innovative and inclusive workplace culture. He has been a full-time Chief People Officer & Head of HR (for GHJ and Control Risks respectively) and is currently focused on start-up fractional clients as part of his own business, Alex Seiler LLC and as a founding fractional executive at Blackpoint HR. He is also a start-up advisor in the HR tech space, currently partnering with When Insurance, Kindred Minds, Klaar and ChangeEngine. Top 3 Takeaways Pile it on. An effective HR function can help an organization hire and retain talent, boost productivity, minimize risk, help the business navigate change and growth, and much more. Partner up. Model the type of relationship you want your leaders at every level to have with HR. This includes being proactive, establishing and maintaining trust, and taking a strategic approach and not just a tactical one. Get smart. You’re likely awash in people data, so be sure to read up on what’s happening. Your HR counterparts have employee experience surveys, exit interviews, and other datasets you need to absorb and consider. From Our Sponsor The Predictive Index (PI) is an award-winning talent optimization platform that aligns business strategy with people strategy for optimal business results. More than 60 years of proven science, software, and a curriculum of insightful management workshops make PI the solution for any company looking to design great teams and culture, make objective hiring decisions, foster engagement, and inspire greatness in their people anywhere in the world. More than 10,000 clients and 480+ partners use PI—including Nissan, Citizens Bank, Subway, Blue Cross Blue Shield, and Omni Hotels—across 90+ countries. Learn more at predictiveindex.com. Featured Podcast "Show Up as a Leader with Dr. Rosie Ward": https://drrosieward.com/my-podcast/ From the Source “HR is a strategic partner, so if you're just leveraging them just for administration, you're really missing out on how they can actually help you drive the business, its outcomes and overall company culture and success.” “Underfunding or under-resourcing an HR team brings you back to more of that transactional, reactive type behavior instead of driving that proactive, strategic type behavior.” “More and more, CPOs have left full-time roles and have gone fractional like myself because of things like burnout, too much on their plate, not enough support and not enough resources.” “If you haven't necessarily had the greatest experiences with the people function—or they felt more administrative—if you go to a new organization, make sure to give them a chance especially if you're hearing or seeing things done differently to what you've experienced before.” Connect with Alex LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexseiler/ Wellness event (10 Oct 2024): https://motivesmet.lpages.co/wmhd-wellbeing-workshop2/

For the past twenty years, Tammy Day has helped businesses, organizations, and individuals do more good by connecting people, ideas, and community assets. As an owner of Daycos, Inc., one of a handful of Nebraska B Corps, she knows how to balance profit with purpose and use business as a force for good. A published author in Reclaiming WE: Twenty Everyday Acts to Strengthen the Common Good and Defend Democracy (April 2021) and of Philanthropy for All: A Practical Guide to Doing More Good (November 2023), Tammy continues to share her expertise as a mentor, speaker, writer, and trainer. She lives and works in Norfolk, Nebraska, with her husband Brandon. Top 3 Takeaways Honor the itch. When Tammy and her husband had an inkling there was a next level for their business, they paused. After some deep reflection, they hit on a formula to do good and to be good. Join forces. A big benefit Tammy experienced by committing to the B Corp path was being able to connect with like-minded business owners to share ideas and inspiration. Don’t feel you’re all alone in your pursuits. Share the wealth. Rather than simply write checks, Tammy and team created a virtuous flywheel that allows all employees to get involved. Every act puts energy behind the flywheel and makes a positive impact. From Our Sponsor The Predictive Index (PI) is an award-winning talent optimization platform that aligns business strategy with people strategy for optimal business results. More than 60 years of proven science, software, and a curriculum of insightful management workshops make PI the solution for any company looking to design great teams and culture, make objective hiring decisions, foster engagement, and inspire greatness in their people anywhere in the world. More than 10,000 clients and 480+ partners use PI—including Nissan, Citizens Bank, Subway, Blue Cross Blue Shield, and Omni Hotels—across 90+ countries. Learn more at predictiveindex.com. From the Source “I'm often head down, what's next, let's keep going. And we don't often take time to pause and reflect on what has been, how far we've come, what kinds of things we can celebrate. Once we did that it kind of helped us move on to the next phase.” “When we were figuring out this new path to purpose as a company. We wanted to make sure that one of our tenants was that we put some real solid foundational frameworks around what we were doing, one to hold us accountable to help us have a peer group to learn from, and two to indicate to our stakeholders that this was more about who we are and not a program or a passing thing that we were going to try. It was going to be deeply ingrained in the business in all kinds of ways.” “You're measured in many areas of how you operate: governance, workers, community, environment, and so then you receive a score, and you have to hit a certain threshold in that scoring to be considered a B corp and receive that certification.” “We have 60 people that work for us. What could happen if those 60 people had true ownership?” “To us, this is part of your real work. So we do not ask people to do this on the weekend or in the evenings. They take time out of their day and we account for that when we're resourcing our teams… that people will be spending time on these efforts.” “We are all about this ‘rising tides raise all ships’ mentality. So we wanted to broadly share everything that we're about with the hope of inspiring others, because again I believe that's the way things get better.” Connect with Tammy Website: http://www.tammy-day.com Philanthropy for All (book): https://amzn.to/3z8kBgd Company Website: http://www.daycos.com

Mark is the CEO and Co-Founder of Mygrow. He is an Organisational Psychologist specialising in the development of Emotional Intelligence (EQ) and organisational culture. His work in neuroscience, leadership and behavioural change have made him a sought-after facilitator, coach and speaker and his methods and teachings are being used around the world through Mygrow. Theran is the Chief Humanising Officer of Mygrow. He thinks, writes, and speaks about humans— about our individual and collective potential. He’s an expert in topics and issues involving capitalism, organisational culture, behaviour, values, emotional intelligence, narrative identity, psychology and social science. His personal purpose statement in everything he does professionally is to “Realise Humanity.” Mygrow is on a mission to build an Emotionally Intelligent World by pioneering a new approach to people development and organisational well-being. Leveraging a unique blend of psychology, neuroscience, film and technology, Mygrow is delivering scalable, measureable and sustainable behaviour change causing individuals and organizations to flourish. Top 3 Takeaways Feel the burn. I really enjoyed how Mark described how emotional intelligence is a set of competences that work like muscles. They can be developed, but we have to put in the reps and the effort Root down. We may be tempted to look at short-term investments as a fast path to the fruit we want to enjoy. Better to go deeper to the root of the skills needed to make those intermediate efforts pay off. Be human. It’s a familiar refrain on this show, but our world of work has fundamentally changed. Everything is connected now, and our business results are directly tied to our ability to meet the very human needs and interests of our workers. Subscribe to Matt’s LinkedIn Newsletter Optimal Leadership Tips: https://www.linkedin.com/build-relation/newsletter-follow?entityUrn=7218638938112933888 From Our Sponsor The Predictive Index (PI) is an award-winning talent optimization platform that aligns business strategy with people strategy for optimal business results. More than 60 years of proven science, software, and a curriculum of insightful management workshops make PI the solution for any company looking to design great teams and culture, make objective hiring decisions, foster engagement, and inspire greatness in their people anywhere in the world. More than 10,000 clients and 480+ partners use PI—including Nissan, Citizens Bank, Subway, Blue Cross Blue Shield, and Omni Hotels—across 90+ countries. Learn more at predictiveindex.com. From the Source “The research seems to show quite clearly that these are competencies that can be developed. It is classified as an intelligence for a few specific reasons, one of which is that it actually can develop with with age.” (Mark) “I like to think of cognitive intelligence a little bit more like bones. It increases to a certain age and then it gets relatively set where emotional intelligence or the competencies in the domain of EQ seem to be a little bit more pliable based on implementing techniques.” (Mark) “If a system works well, it doesn't mean it will accomplish what it needs to just because the system itself works well. The people themselves can hamper that.” (Theran) “We were chatting with a partner in our network recently who said, ‘Covid wasn't the problem. Covid was just the start of the infection, and we're really beginning to see the organ failure.’ Now that's coming as the result of the infection that spread, and human nature will take the easy way out which is often the maladaptive coping mechanism which is focused on current state.“ (Theran) “Something of a mistake that's being made in the investment that companies are making is they're investing in the fruit and not investing quite as much in the root constructs that will make the fruit possible.” (Mark) “The human side of business is starting to show greater fruit than the systems and processes and bureaucracy that was part of an era that unfortunately is bygone.” (Mark) Connect with Mark and Theran Website: http://www.mygrow.me LinkedIn (Mark): https://www.linkedin.com/in/markbaker-mygrow LinkedIn (Theran): https://www.linkedin.com/in/theranknighton-fitt Human Impact Audit: https://humanimpactaudit.com Leadership Development Strategy Audit: https://meetings.hubspot.com/mark392/leadership-strategy-audit

Bonnie manages the business recruiting team at Zapier, a SaaS company in the automation space. She is also a content creator with over 500k followers across LinkedIn, TikTok and Instagram, and writes two newsletters sharing insights for jobseekers, as well as people in the HR and talent space. She enjoys travel, great food (eating more than cooking), and managing her almost 4-year old's social calendar. Top 3 Takeaways Know the score. Looking at jobs data can give you a popsicle headache. Be sure to do your homework on what your current hiring climate is like. Take a human approach. Pervasive technology and large numbers tempt us to automate candidate relationships. Use the tech, but also inject distinctly human interactions where possible. Get with the times. A new generation is pouring into the workforce. Rather than focus on what’s different about Gen Z, seek to understand their perspective and align on win-win outcomes. From Our Sponsor The Predictive Index (PI) is an award-winning talent optimization platform that aligns business strategy with people strategy for optimal business results. More than 60 years of proven science, software, and a curriculum of insightful management workshops make PI the solution for any company looking to design great teams and culture, make objective hiring decisions, foster engagement, and inspire greatness in their people anywhere in the world. More than 10,000 clients and 480+ partners use PI—including Nissan, Citizens Bank, Subway, Blue Cross Blue Shield, and Omni Hotels—across 90+ countries. Learn more at predictiveindex.com. From the Source “There's a real disconnect between the jobs that people are applying for and the jobs that are available.” “There's a disproportionate amount of people trying to get into remote work, and so those remote jobs might be like 15 percent of what's posted, but then they're getting over half the applications.” “The largest number of jobs are being created at small businesses. So, companies with fewer than 50 or under a hundred employees, that is where the greatest amount of job creation is happening.” “Two of our just like standard rules is everyone gets a response within seven days. They never go more than seven days without communication. Of course, there's someone that is going to say we missed that for them. It happens. We're human. But for the most part, I would say about 99 percent of people have that experience with us. And it's as simple as that they get a rejection email if it's a no. And we let them know at every step, like where they stand.” “[Generation Z is] pushing more for balance. They're pushing more for, um, You know, workplaces that treat them like humans.” “I think there is this common pattern where every generation kind of says, ‘They don't work as hard as we did’ or that's dealt with it as like a millennial that ‘We were entitled’ and all of that, but I think actually listening and embracing where they are in realizing they actually have a pulse on the future in a much better way than some of your mope seasoned people.” “I think the social media stuff is a really good example of that. 15 years ago, employer branding was getting yourself on one of those lists, like a best place to work list… that was like top notch employer branding. Today it's your people being on social media saying, ‘I love where I work and here's why.’” Connect with Bonnie LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bonnie-dilber Instagram: http://www.instagram.com/bonniedilber

Jenny Smith Moebius is the SVP and Head of Marketing at Skedda, a global workplace management platform committed to powering great hybrid workplace experiences, where she's also the host of the Heroes of Hybrid Work podcast. Jenny is a top Go-To-Market (GTM) leader in the Greater Boston area, where she has a track record of building powerful brands and categories, generating demand (for both sales- and product-led orgs), and creating energizing mission-driven cultures of belonging in the B2B tech space. Top 3 Takeaways Move on. Rather than continue to fret over the future of hybrid work, we need to shift our energy into how we can improve our business and people outcomes. Case closed. Check yourself. We always need to be mindful of unconscious bias. When it comes to hybrid work, we need to ensure we’re treating the in-group and out-group equitably. Use the tools. From sophisticated technologies to simple techniques like sharing a meal over distance, we have the opportunity to re-humanize hybrid work for the benefit of all. Subscribe to Matt’s LinkedIn Newsletter Optimal Leadership Tips: https://www.linkedin.com/build-relation/newsletter-follow?entityUrn=7218638938112933888 From Our Sponsor The Predictive Index (PI) is an award-winning talent optimization platform that aligns business strategy with people strategy for optimal business results. More than 60 years of proven science, software, and a curriculum of insightful management workshops make PI the solution for any company looking to design great teams and culture, make objective hiring decisions, foster engagement, and inspire greatness in their people anywhere in the world. More than 10,000 clients and 480+ partners use PI—including Nissan, Citizens Bank, Subway, Blue Cross Blue Shield, and Omni Hotels—across 90+ countries. Learn more at predictiveindex.com. From the Source “My stance is that the hybrid work debate is over, and people really need to start figuring out how to do it right. Instead of grappling over whether we should do it, it's about how to do it so that you continue to engage your people and have a high economic returns.” “If you want to retain your talent, keep your talent happy, and bring in more and better talent, the way to go is hybrid work.” “The energy that I get from the collaboration, the productivity that I get with my team, or just even getting to know them on a more personal level, having lunches and snacks and drinks or whatever it is you want to do… It's, it's totally worth it. And lots of data out there shows that two to three days a week doesn't decrease productivity. The benefits really outweigh the cons.” “The best practice out there is that hybrid work should be made at the team level. And when it is made at the team level, the studies have shown that the amount of talent and diverse talent that you can attract increases.” “Allstate, for instance, adopted a model of team level agreement and job applications rose 23%. But the most interesting part is that there was a 33% increase among women and people of color. So what you were referring to—women, people of color, people with disabilities—hearing that there's more flexibility in where they work, you're going to attract better and more diverse talent.” “Microsoft found that employees who met with their managers in person within the first 90 days were more likely to seek feedback, feel included and trusted by their team, build strong relationships with colleagues, and feel supported when discussing tough issues with their manager.” “Happy employees drive economic return. So this fits right into the talent optimization wheelhouse. Take care of your people, be intentional about it, listen to them, and you should have a pretty good result.” Connect with Jenny LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jennifermoebius Get Your Hybrid Work Score: http://www.skedda.com/grader Heroes of Hybrid Work (podcast): https://www.skedda.com/heroes-of-hybrid-work-podcast

Andrew is a first-generation Nigerian American from South Bend, Indiana, and the CEO & Founder of AAA Solutions; a consulting firm that provides workplace culture and Diversity, Equity & Inclusion (DEI) consulting and training services. Andrew obtained his bachelor's degree in Entrepreneurship and Corporate Innovation from the Kelley School of Business at Indiana University Bloomington. He then went on to complete his Master of Science from Michigan State University in Management, Strategy & Leadership. Lastly, Andrew received a certificate in DEI in the Workplace from The Muma College of Business at The University of South Florida. With over 10 years of executive level management experience, Andrew has helped dozens of clients improve their employee engagement and create a sense of belonging within their organizations. Andrew currently resides just outside of Indianapolis, Indiana with his wife and three children. He published his first book titled The Circle of Leadership in the Summer of 2020. The book serves as an entrepreneurial framework on how to create and leverage culture. Andrew released his second book titled The Building Blocks of Belonging in January 2024. The book explores the intersection of workplace culture and DEI. Top 3 Takeaways Stay the course. While there’s a highly visible tug-of-war happening when it comes to DEI, the worst thing we can do is shut down dialogue. Don’t stop at the headlines and miss the opportunity to reach the heart of the matter. Measure up. It’s hard to know what to believe without having access to credible data. Aggregate results are useful, but be sure to drill down to discover what the employee experience is like for every major grouping of workers. Boost the belonging. We all want to feel a sense of connection to our work and those around us. This drives our motivation and our engagement. Make sure to make time to nurture this type of connection through your people-first leadership. From Our Sponsor The Predictive Index (PI) is an award-winning talent optimization platform that aligns business strategy with people strategy for optimal business results. More than 60 years of proven science, software, and a curriculum of insightful management workshops make PI the solution for any company looking to design great teams and culture, make objective hiring decisions, foster engagement, and inspire greatness in their people anywhere in the world. More than 10,000 clients and 480+ partners use PI—including Nissan, Citizens Bank, Subway, Blue Cross Blue Shield, and Omni Hotels—across 90+ countries. Learn more at predictiveindex.com. From the Source “We do want to make sure it's fair. We do want to make sure that we have diverse organizations because that helps with innovation and attracting, retaining top talent. The problem is a lot of hiring processes are broken. There's bias that permeates all throughout workplaces, and it leads to cultures that aren't diverse, that aren't inclusive. DEI aims to level that playing field.” “The problem is people didn't take the right steps to really lay a foundation and educate their workforce on why this matters. And I think ultimately they looked back and said, ‘We're not sure we moved the needle with the work that we did.’” “Most of the clients we're working with, they're not contemplating not doing DEI. They're just trying to figure out what's the next level. And I think they're just not as vocal as the people who are against it.” “We want to make sure this work is data-driven and not just emotionally-driven, and that can come in the form of surveys or focus groups. Having a third party come in and provide a fresh perspective or town hall discussions that allow you to just get an overwhelming amount of data to be able to say, ‘All right, what insights do we see here? What themes do we see here?’ And that will help prioritize and narrow down the focus that an organization should have.” “Most organizations have data. The question is, is it good enough data to draw the type of insights we need?” “We spend so much time at work, and to have poor cultures is really just unacceptable from my perspective. That's why I'm so passionate about this work.” “People who don't feel like they belong, they're not going the extra mile. They're not showing up to the optional meetings. They're not going to the optional happy hours. They're not overly communicating in team meetings. They're withholding some of their thoughts. They may visibly look disengaged in team meetings and things like that.” Connect with Andrew Website: https://www.andrewadeniyi.com LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/andrewadeniyi/ The Circle of Leadership (book): https://amzn.to/4bWIJQq The Building Blocks of Belonging (book): https://amzn.to/4bWDCzB

Sara Murray is an advisor, consultant, and speaker working with leaders and sales teams to unlock the untapped potential in their prospecting and business development efforts. With a focus on hospitality, construction, real estate, design, and technology industries, Sara empowers professionals via her virtual and in-person workshops to enhance their communication skills, approach prospecting creatively, and effectively address business needs rather than simply push products. As the host of the popular podcast "Prospecting on Purpose", Sara provides a valuable platform for discussions on prospecting, sales, business strategies, and mindset, leaving listeners with tangible takeaways and increased confidence. Top 3 Takeaways Fear not. While selling products, services or ideas involves the possibility of rejection, we don’t have to hesitate to take on this role if we approach it with a mindset of authenticity and service. Level up. Rather than put others on a pedestal, we can bring ourselves up to meet them. By making them feel safe to be authentic with us and always creating value for them, we can engage as equals. Relationships matter. It’s easier than ever to build and maintain relationships so long as we have a genuine interest in connecting and helping. Look for clues to what others want most, and be sure to meet their needs before sharing your interests. From Our Sponsor The Predictive Index (PI) is an award-winning talent optimization platform that aligns business strategy with people strategy for optimal business results. More than 60 years of proven science, software, and a curriculum of insightful management workshops make PI the solution for any company looking to design great teams and culture, make objective hiring decisions, foster engagement, and inspire greatness in their people anywhere in the world. More than 10,000 clients and 480+ partners use PI—including Nissan, Citizens Bank, Subway, Blue Cross Blue Shield, and Omni Hotels—across 90+ countries. Learn more at predictiveindex.com. From the Source “The real problem is that one of the greatest human fears is a fear of rejection, a fear of failure.” “We're always influencing others, and so if you can be confident in where you're coming from—when you start that—it's going to make everything else more seamless.” “If you approach any type of conversation from a place of authenticity—and that's just really being your authentic self—it’s going to allow other people to be their authentic selves and you're showing you're secure enough in who you are, and that just opens the door for other people to meet you where you're at.” “When I look at values, they can be different based on your different buckets of life.” “How do you want people to feel when they work with you? What are they saying when you're not in the room?” “One of the things that we forget when we show up in a work setting sometimes is that our passions are allowed to be brought into our work.” “If you start to figure out ways you can add value and it does not have to cost money, that's when you're going to see everything shift for you because then the rest of this becomes easy.” “People are telling us how they want to work with us, how they want to be sold to. They're telling us how you communicate with them. It's our job to pay attention and add value.” Connect with Sara Website: http://www.saramurray.com Prospecting on Purpose (podcast): https://www.saramurray.com/podcast LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/saramurraysales Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/saramurraysales

Drew Fortin is a people-first, values-driven leader with nearly 20 years of growth strategy and team-building experience across retail, marketing technology, local media, and HR tech. He spent eight years at The Predictive Index, where he was Chief Growth Officer responsible for the company's strategy to build the world's first talent optimization platform. Drew is obsessed with the shift that AI, robotics, and web3 have on the employer-employee relationship and the good things it means for humans in the future of work. This led him to found Lever Talent. He is also co-creator and host of "The Lever Show with Drew Fortin." Top 3 Takeaways  Business is human. In our earliest days, commerce was intensely human. While we’ve recently learned to boost automation and scale, business remains human when we get it right. Play the long game. While splashy headlines abound, realizing the benefits of technologies like AI is going to take time. Don’t rush your strategy and implementation, but opt for steady progress. Seek leverage. I’m fascinated by Drew’s recognition that technology has the potential to help us renew our humanity by freeing us up to spend more time and energy on what matters most. Let’s lean into this. From Our Sponsor  The Predictive Index (PI) is an award-winning talent optimization platform that aligns business strategy with people strategy for optimal business results. More than 60 years of proven science, software, and a curriculum of insightful management workshops make PI the solution for any company looking to design great teams and culture, make objective hiring decisions, foster engagement, and inspire greatness in their people anywhere in the world. More than 10,000 clients and 480+ partners use PI—including Nissan, Citizens Bank, Subway, Blue Cross Blue Shield, and Omni Hotels—across 90+ countries. Learn more at predictiveindex.com. From the Source  “We rarely talk about the human element and every business has some element of a defensive moat internally. How can we actually bring that to life?” “If you think about the essence of business, it predates investor evolution, right? Two individuals sharing goods, sharing value and realizing that, ‘Hey, if I give you this and you give me that, it creates more value in my life than I could ever bring it to myself.’ And in turn, it creates more value in the world than we could ever create individually.  That is human.” “If we can continue to help businesses realize that this macro level shift is happening,  we can empower more individuals while also helping businesses succeed in this new future and in turn at a really high level,  making business more human because that is the differentiator.” “The next big platform shift, which we're on the precipice of right now, is this evolution of AI and ‘What does this mean?’” “As the proliferation of automation and AI takes off, the need for human judgment increases because we have more things that are automated and out there running on their own. So you need more checks and balances. You need humans involved.” “There are examples of tech companies, especially larger ones, saying ‘We're going to mandate that we're going to cut because we're investing in AI. So we're just not going to backfill the positions.’ They almost need to prove that AI is working.” “You have time to plan for the impact that AI is going to have in your business and to plan it in a positive way. And you don't need a strategy right now, today. You need to develop a strategy over the next two to three years so you can start to build.” “The gift of the last platform shift—which is digitization, the ability to create automation—is allowing us to implement technologies internally that can make it so that we can customize the employee experience,  tailor it not just to the individual's needs, but to the business needs.” “The imperative today really comes down to ‘What data are we actually collecting? What is our strategy and plan?’” Connect with Drew LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/andrewpfortin/ Website: https://levertalent.com

Few can match Lyn Wineman's passion for marketing or for helping change-makers do more good in the world. As the founder, president, and chief strategist of the full-service advertising agency KidGlov, she has created a space where both of these passions flourish. Lyn’s talented team is known for putting the megaphone in front of those leading positive change. KidGlov earned its Certified B-Corp status in 2021, proof of their commitment to social and environmental excellence. Lyn is also the host of the Agency for Change podcast, yet another forum to amplify the voice of changemakers everywhere. Top 3 Takeaways Find your fit. Despite having early success, Lyn grew to feel hollow and out of alignment. She plucked her courage, set out on a more intentional path, and she hasn’t looked back. Get over the guilt. So many times, we feel overwhelmed by life’s shoulds. We may not want to disappoint the people in our lives, but if we’re making a necessary and thoughtful change, we’re honoring ourselves—and this is exactly what they want most. Prove your love. Becoming a certified B Corp gave Lyn the opportunity to validate her emphasis on building an intentional business. It also put her in direct contact with like-minded holistic business builders. How can you put your intentions on full display? From Our Sponsor The Predictive Index (PI) is an award-winning talent optimization platform that aligns business strategy with people strategy for optimal business results. More than 60 years of proven science, software, and a curriculum of insightful management workshops make PI the solution for any company looking to design great teams and culture, make objective hiring decisions, foster engagement, and inspire greatness in their people anywhere in the world. More than 10,000 clients and 480+ partners use PI—including Nissan, Citizens Bank, Subway, Blue Cross Blue Shield, and Omni Hotels—across 90+ countries. Learn more at predictiveindex.com. From the Source “When I started my career, Matt, I thought I was going after money, titles, advancement. I wanted to run a company. I was very brash, bold. I worked hard. About 20 years in, I woke up one day and said, this doesn't feel right. It feels hollow.“ “People who have a purpose tend to be happier. Many of us derive our purpose from our work.” “It is, I think, very courageous work to really lean into and and have convictions related to your personal purpose. And if you're a leader or a founder or an owner, your cultural purpose as well.” “I woke up one day and just realized, ‘This isn't good. I am unhappy. I'm on a bad path.’ Like I thought this is what I wanted, but I am experiencing no joy, right? And not only am I experiencing no joy, what I am giving to my family and my friends and even the people I work with during the day is I'm sucking their joy away also, right? This is not where I want to be 20 years from now.” “I am looking for purpose-aligned work, and I'm looking for a culture that supports humans and supports doing that kind of work. That is what KidGlov is all about.” “I think back to the pandemic when the world was crazy and we were all working from home overnight and just trying to figure it out. Like for us and our team, it was so rewarding to know that. ‘Hey, the world's gone a little bit crazy here. But every day I get up, I'm helping kids. I'm helping seniors. I'm helping families. You know, I'm, I'm helping advance the arts.’ It makes coming to work that much more rewarding.” “We have chosen this space because this is the space that we love.” "As we went through the rigorous process and the certification and the verification, We became a better company because it pointed out some areas where we could improve. And now we've just recertified at even a higher score.” Connect with Lyn Website: https://www.kidglov.com LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lynwineman Agency for Change—The Podcast that Inspires: https://kidglov.com/podcasts