

HR Superstars
15Five
HR and People Ops can be challenging, but there’s a community of others who’ve been in your shoes. HR Superstars is the podcast from 15Five that connects you with confident and respected strategic people leaders who have conquered a myriad of challenges and now have valuable and actionable insights to share.
In each episode, our host, Adam Weber, VP of Community at 15Five, will talk to some of the world’s leading innovators in the HR/People Ops space willing to share their insights and advice to help you in your journey. We get real with topics like being a strategic business partner to the rest of the organization, how to have difficult conversations while maintaining empathy, and how to make DEI a part of your cultural DNA instead of just lip service.
15Five is here to help you do what matters most—develop your workforce, create a strong employer brand, and be respected as the strategic business partner you are. Come join thousands of your fellow HR Superstars, we’re so excited to have you.
In each episode, our host, Adam Weber, VP of Community at 15Five, will talk to some of the world’s leading innovators in the HR/People Ops space willing to share their insights and advice to help you in your journey. We get real with topics like being a strategic business partner to the rest of the organization, how to have difficult conversations while maintaining empathy, and how to make DEI a part of your cultural DNA instead of just lip service.
15Five is here to help you do what matters most—develop your workforce, create a strong employer brand, and be respected as the strategic business partner you are. Come join thousands of your fellow HR Superstars, we’re so excited to have you.
Episodes
Mentioned books

Dec 12, 2023 • 31min
Doing More with Less with George LaRocque
In the era of AI and automation, how can HR leaders continue delivering meaningful outcomes when they have fewer resources? George LaRocque, Founder and Principal Analyst of WorkTech, delves into AI use in HR, shedding light on optimizing your workforce and “doing more with less.” In this episode, he shares invaluable insights on data protection, aligning HR with business strategy, and relinquishing the status quo. Drawing from his expertise as an HR industry tech executive, George also explores how to craft a compelling business case to win over leadership. You’ll learn that embracing the future of HR includes skills-based organizations and a fresh perspective on recruitment, retention, and resource allocation. For the entire interview, subscribe to HR Superstars on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or Stitcher. Or tune in on our website. Original podcast track produced by Entheo. Want to connect with thousands of other strategic HR leaders like you, join the HR Superstars Community! Listening on a desktop & can’t see the links? Just search for HR Superstars in your favorite podcast player.* Hear Adam’s thoughts on elevating your HR career by following him on LinkedIn. Download 15Five’s HR Outcomes Playbook - Here

Dec 5, 2023 • 26min
Visions for the HR Work of Tomorrow with Neil Jensen
The here-and-now of HR work is always on your mind. But do you anticipate what the future will look like? Have you considered what role AI will play and what’s in store for frontline workers? In this episode, Neil Jensen, Future of Work Thought Leader and Strategist at Workday, explores these questions and more. Neil shares his insights on the evolving workforce and the hottest topic in HR right now: generative AI. Throughout the conversation, you’ll find how this technology ties in with the future of HR and can potentially accelerate your journey from administrative work to strategic leadership. You’ll also learn the importance of frontline workers and what their development could (and should) look like going forward. *For the entire interview, subscribe to HR Superstars on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or Stitcher. Or tune in on our website. Original podcast track produced by Entheo. Want to connect with thousands of other strategic HR leaders like you, join the HR Superstars Community! Listening on a desktop & can’t see the links? Just search for HR Superstars in your favorite podcast player.* Hear Adam’s thoughts on elevating your HR career by following him on LinkedIn. Download 15Five’s HR Outcomes Playbook - Here

Nov 28, 2023 • 25min
Learning to Grow by Letting Go with Katie Cox Branham
The HR journey is filled with lessons, inspirations, and growth. Katie Cox Branham, VP of People at Salesloft, shares her story to motivate others to elevate their game. Hers is a testament to the dedication and drive as the first HR hire at Salesloft, eventually becoming a strategic people leader. In this episode, Katie talks about her early days doing tasks she loved, from reimagining the orientation program to transitioning off old systems and implementing new software. But as she rose in HR, she reflected on the struggle of letting go and transitioning into a management role. There's much to learn from the conversation's takeaways, including how employee fulfillment and engagement make up the formula for effective work cultures. For the entire interview, subscribe to HR Superstars on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or Stitcher. Or tune in on our website. Original podcast track produced by Entheo. Want to connect with thousands of other strategic HR leaders like you, join the HR Superstars Community! Listening on a desktop & can’t see the links? Just search for HR Superstars in your favorite podcast player.* Hear Adam’s thoughts on elevating your HR career by following him on LinkedIn Download 15Five's Performance Review Playbook: https://www.15five.com/ebook/hr-outcomes-playbook-unlocking-the-true-business-value-of-hr/?utm_source=podcast&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=Q2_2023_Podcast_CTAs&utm_content=HR Outcomes Playbook

Nov 21, 2023 • 45min
HR Superstars Live From Thrive!
What does it really mean to be strategic in HR? In 2022, only 46% of HR leaders were viewed as contributing strategic value to the business by their peers in the C-suite, according to Sapient Insights Group’s 2023-2024 Annual HR Systems White Paper report. This week’s episode centers on the state of strategic HR today and as we approach 2024. Join the conversation recorded live from our recent THRIVE conference in Denver, Colorado, with Cliff Stevenson, Director of Research at Sapient Insights Group, and Jamy Conrad, VP of People at TrustRadius. Hot topics include the impact of AI on HR, the need for change management, and a remarkable decrease in regrettable turnover from 40% to 3%! For the entire interview, subscribe to HR Superstars on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or Stitcher. Or tune in on our website. Original podcast track produced by Entheo. Want to connect with thousands of other strategic HR leaders like you, join the HR Superstars Community! Listening on a desktop & can’t see the links? Just search for HR Superstars in your favorite podcast player.* Hear Adam’s thoughts on elevating your HR career by following him on LinkedIn. Click here for Adam’s webinar on gratitude and centeredness practices!

Nov 14, 2023 • 28min
Managing the Person, Not the Role with Alex Genetti
Exceptional business growth requires exceptional human growth. It’s important to give employees plenty of avenues to take agency over their own careers. Only eight years ago, Alex Genetti, Head of People at Enable, started as a people coordinator and quickly elevated to leading a people function. In that short time, she mastered several skills that support her leadership abilities, including confidence in concise and effective communication about what matters to who matters. Alex shares her insights on an employee’s responsibility to prioritize professional development resources. She emphasizes that they need to have the motivation to learn and develop themselves. The conversation continues about work cultures of transparency and trust that allow employees to voice their concerns and aspirations. Each employee experience is unique, and effective HR leaders lean into managing the person, not the role. After all, people don’t always leave companies; they leave managers. For the entire interview, subscribe to HR Superstars on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or Stitcher. Or tune in on our website. Original podcast track produced by Entheo. Want to connect with thousands of other strategic HR leaders like you, join the HR Superstars Community! Listening on a desktop & can’t see the links? Just search for HR Superstars in your favorite podcast player.* Hear Adam’s thoughts on elevating your HR career by following him on LinkedIn. Download 15Five's HR Outcomes Playbook: https://www.15five.com/ebook/hr-outcomes-playbook-unlocking-the-true-business-value-of-hr/?utm_source=podcast&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=Q2_2023_Podcast_CTAs&utm_content=HR

Nov 7, 2023 • 29min
How Technology Can Drive HR Decisions and Strategic Thinking with John Machado
Imagine getting quality HR software to handle your everyday tasks. How would your role blossom if you had more time to concentrate on the work you love to do? Join the conversation with John Machado, CTO at UKG, as he shares his insights on how technology can empower HR leaders to unlock their full potential. You’ll explore the role of AI in harnessing HR data, the challenges and opportunities it presents, and the exciting possibilities that lie ahead. Learn how leveraging technology can elevate the future of HR work and lead you to become a more strategic thinker. *For the entire interview, subscribe to HR Superstars on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or Stitcher. Or tune in on our website. Original podcast track produced by Entheo. Want to connect with thousands of other strategic HR leaders like you, join the HR Superstars Community! Listening on a desktop & can’t see the links? Just search for HR Superstars in your favorite podcast player.* Hear Adam’s thoughts on how to elevate your HR career by following him on LinkedIn. Download 15Five's Performance Review Playbook: https://www.15five.com/ebook/hr-outcomes-playbook-unlocking-the-true-business-value-of-hr/?utm_source=podcast&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=Q2_2023_Podcast_CTAs&utm_content=HR Outcomes Playbook

Oct 31, 2023 • 26min
Making the Shift from Doer to Leader with Kelli Thompson
Elevating from individual contributor to C-suite, strategic HR leader is a hard yet worthwhile journey. It requires an identity shift from doer to leader, but the mindset change doesn’t happen overnight. Leadership coach Kelli Thompson, founder of Clarity & Confidence Corporate Women’s Leadership, specializes in helping women advance to rooms where decisions are made. In this episode, she shares her personal experience of transitioning from an administrative role to a team leader. Kelli also discusses a pattern of behavior she’s seen with many clients, something she calls the “overwhelm cycle.” Anyone working toward a leadership role must learn how to be comfortable with the discomfort of delegating. When you let go of needing to be the hero who saves the day, you make room to find new answers for this new world of work. For the entire interview, subscribe to HR Superstars on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or Stitcher. Or tune in on our website. Original podcast track produced by Entheo. Want to connect with thousands of other strategic HR leaders like you, join the HR Superstars Community! Listening on a desktop & can’t see the links? Just search for HR Superstars in your favorite podcast player.* Hear Adam’s thoughts on how to elevate your HR career by following him on LinkedIn

Oct 24, 2023 • 26min
What U.S. HR Leaders Can Learn from Their European Counterparts with Even Bolstad
What if HR could be a tool to elevate careers and build productive work-life balances? Even Bolstad, President of the European Association for People Management, explains that in Europe, it’s not a choice between one or the other. In this episode, you’ll learn about the need to upskill and reskill the workforce, the potential social consequences of not adapting to the culture that is (not what it should be), and the importance of learning from diverse HR practices across Europe. *For the entire interview, subscribe to HR Superstars on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or Stitcher. Or tune in on our website. Original podcast track produced by Entheo. Want to connect with thousands of other strategic HR leaders like you, join the HR Superstars Community! Listening on a desktop & can’t see the links? Just search for HR Superstars in your favorite podcast player.* Tracking link: https://www.15five.com/ebook/hr-outcomes-playbook-unlocking-the-true-business-value-of-hr/?utm_source=podcast&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=Q2_2023_Podcast_CTAs&utm_content=HR Outcomes Playbook Ungated content (for reference): https://go.15five.com/hubfs/Content/E-Books/15Five_HR Outcomes Playbook.pdf

Oct 17, 2023 • 34min
Using Courage to Effectively Communicate with Michelle Gladieux
Why do some HR leaders struggle with courage and confidence in advocating for themselves or others in the workplace? Michelle Gladieux, founder of Gladieux Consulting and author of “Communicate with Courage,” answers this question. As it turns out, the strengths that make you a good HR leader may prevent you from effectively communicating when it matters the most. But it doesn’t have to remain that way. In this episode, Michelle shares the four challenges that hinder people from taking risks and showing courage to communicate effectively in the workplace. You’ll learn more about the factors in overcoming those challenges: the impacts of biases, the value of diverse perspectives, and the importance of understanding the operations in your organization. It takes practice and guts. But every day, you have the opportunity to do the work and get a little closer to reaching your potential as a communicator with courage. *For the entire interview, subscribe to HR Superstars on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or Stitcher. Or tune in on our website. Original podcast track produced by Entheo. For more insights and resources, sign up for Michelle’s free quarterly newsletter, “Breakdown.” Want to connect with thousands of other strategic HR leaders like you, join the HR Superstars Community! Listening on a desktop & can’t see the links? Just search for HR Superstars in your favorite podcast player.*

Oct 10, 2023 • 24min
Bringing the Five Languages of Appreciation into the Workplace with Dr. Paul White
Building a work culture of appreciation among managers and employees is an HR dream. And while turning that dream into reality isn’t necessarily a snap, it’s not the obstacle you may have thought it once was. In this episode, host Adam Weber sits down with Dr. Paul White, coauthor of “The Five Languages of Appreciation in the Workplace,” to explore why and how authentic appreciation in the workplace can transform your office atmosphere, whether it's in-person or remote. Dr. White delves into each of the five languages of appreciation: Words of affirmation Quality time Acts of service Tangible gifts Physical touch HR leaders can create appreciation resources for employers and managers to live out the work, inspiring value and motivation among each other. But the key is to not treat every employee the same. For the entire interview, subscribe to HR Superstars on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or Stitcher. Or tune in on our website. Original podcast track produced by Entheo. To access the resources Dr. White discusses in the podcast, send an email to yesdrpaul@gmail.com with “HR Superstars” in the subject line. You’ll receive: A copy of the article written about our work in the NY Times A sample report from our online assessment, the Motivating By Appreciation Inventory Information about our online Appreciation at Work “train-the-trainer” resource Want to connect with thousands of other strategic HR leaders like you, join the HR Superstars Community! Listening on a desktop & can’t see the links? Just search for HR Superstars in your favorite podcast player.*