The Talent Development Hot Seat podcast - The #1 podcast for Learning and Development (L&D), HR, Career Development, Organizational Development, and Leadership Development professionals

Andy welcomes Dr. KimArie Yowell to this week’s The Talent Development Hot Seat. KimArie is the Chief People Officer for Rocket Central, a Detroit-based professional services company. She oversees the teams responsible for creating and implementing training initiatives, talent development, and organizational effectiveness strategies. She joined Quicken Loans as a Leadership Coach with over 20 years of experience in client service, sales, and corporate education. KimArie has an intense passion for team member development and helping organizations thrive. She firmly believes that one’s ability to effectively lead a team and make an impact rests on their ability to be inclusive, build trust and create a dynamic, high-performing team.KimArie Yowell has received several awards and accolades, including being named one of Michigan Chronicle’s Women of Excellence (2020), Savoy Magazine’s “Most Influential Women in Corporate America” (2019), and “40 Under 40” by the Michigan Chronicle for her exceptional achievements and community service (2018). She serves on Siena Heights University’s Board of Trustees.In this episode, you’ll hear:Dr. KimArie Yowell’s transition from higher education into talent development and leadership at Rocket Central and why she has a passion for adult learners.Her learning and talent development philosophy and how that impacts her role at Rocket Central.What she does to help implement her learning philosophy and create opportunities for employee growth within the organization.Why Rocket Central has a Thrive Team, Thrive Coaches, how they help employees grow in their careers, and the purpose of Rock  Academy.How removing the financial burden of continuing education has helped remove another barrier to career growth and education and its impact on the Rocket Central team.What an organization can do to create a culture of retention and why demonstration is vital to creating it.Connect with Andy Storch here:WebsiteLinkedInJoin us in the Talent Development Think Tank Community!Connect with Dr. KimArie Yowell:LinkedInMentioned in this episode:Think Tank conferenceGet your tickets now for the Talent Development Think Tank Conference https://tdtt.us/conference/

Andy’s guest this week on The Talent Development Hot Seat is Jerry Dugan, Director of Organizational Effectiveness for a healthcare system in Dallas. Jerry has almost two decades of experience in the learning and development space and leads a small team that’s responsible for new hire orientation, leadership development, team building, and other instructional design duties.Jerry Dugan holds a Master of Science in Educational Technology from Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi and is a U.S. Army combat veteran. He lives in Dallas with his wife Olivia. They have two adult children, three cats, and a dog named Oreo.In this bonus episode, you’ll hear:6. Jerry Dugan’s proudest career accomplishment and what stands out about it.7. His biggest career mistake and what he learned from that failure.8. What he sees as the biggest challenge in talent development today.9. The trend he’s paying attention to and why it’s exciting.10. Why he recommends the book Fierce Conversations by Susan Scott and what you can learn from it.11. Jerry’s advice for accelerating your career.Connect with Andy Storch here:WebsiteLinkedInJoin us in the Talent Development Think Tank Community!Connect with Jerry Dugan:LinkedInEmailBeyond the Rut podcastAnalyzing Performance Problems bookFierce Conversations bookATD: How to Conduct a Needs AssessmentSHRM: How To Conduct a Needs AssessmentMentioned in this episode:Think Tank conferenceGet your tickets now for the Talent Development Think Tank Conference https://tdtt.us/conference/

Andy’s guest this week on The Talent Development Hot Seat is Jerry Dugan, Director of Organizational Effectiveness for a healthcare system in Dallas. Jerry has almost two decades of experience in the learning and development space and leads a small team that’s responsible for new hire orientation, leadership development, team building, and other instructional design duties.Jerry Dugan holds a Master of Science in Educational Technology from Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi and is a U.S. Army combat veteran. He lives in Dallas with his wife Olivia. They have two adult children, three cats, and a dog named Oreo.In this episode, you’ll hear:How Jerry Dugan landed in talent development after veering away from the medical school path and joining the Army.The problem he’s trying to solve in the corporate space, why he’s become so passionate about it, and how he applies a needs assessment to the problem.Why training often takes longer than managers believe it will and how Jerry makes the most of short, limited training sessions.What the needs assessment can show you about your organization and where your training focus should be.The resource Jerry Dugan recommends for outlining a needs assessment and what you should keep in mind as you start this process.Connect with Andy Storch here:WebsiteLinkedInJoin us in the Talent Development Think Tank Community!Connect with Jerry Dugan:LinkedInEmailBeyond the Rut podcastAnalyzing Performance Problems bookFierce Conversations bookATD: How to Conduct a Needs AssessmentSHRM: How To Conduct a Needs AssessmentMentioned in this episode:Think Tank conferenceGet your tickets now for the Talent Development Think Tank Conference https://tdtt.us/conference/

In this solo episode of The Talent Development Hot Seat, Andy shares his thoughts on career development. He was inspired by a recent conversation with a friend at a large tech company who was feeling frustrated in her career. What do your people need to be happy in their careers? As Gen Z and younger Millennials take on more roles in the workplace, the number-one thing they desire at work is career growth. Andy outlines some ideas for talking to your people about this topic.In this episode, you’ll hear:What people want from their companies and their careers and why growth and contribution matter so much to your people.Why the Great Resignation is being fueled by people who feel unfulfilled or underappreciated at their companies and Andy’s advice for addressing the problem.What “stay” conversations are and how you can use those to address the needs of your employees in their careers.How you can begin to offer development opportunities within your company and offer access to other career paths within the organization.The importance of checking in with your people about their current roles, asking about their career goals, and fully supporting their career aspirations. Connect with Andy Storch here:WebsiteLinkedInJoin us in the Talent Development Think Tank Community!Mentioned in this episode:Think Tank conferenceGet your tickets now for the Talent Development Think Tank Conference https://tdtt.us/conference/

In this episode of The Talent Development Hot Seat, Andy welcomes Orieji Iroha-Agwu to the show. As the Director of Career Development Strategy and Programs on the People team at Red Hat, she’s responsible for defining the strategic direction of careers as well as leading the implementation of career development solutions in alignment with their organizational priorities. Orieji has also led the Americas Learning Delivery and Global Learning Delivery teams for Red Hat University.Before joining Red Hat in 2018, Orieji worked at Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina for 13 years, leading the implementation of large, complex enterprise learning and development initiatives. She also designed, developed, and managed leadership and strategic talent development programs. In 2015, she was the recipient of the CEO Award, a recognition of outstanding employees who have significantly contributed to the company’s results, and embody BCBSNC’s commitment to its culture, values, ethics, and compliance.In this bonus episode, you’ll hear:6. Orieji Iroha-Agwu’s biggest career accomplishment and why it stands out.7. Why creating solutions without the customer’s voice is her biggest failure and what she’s learned to do differently.8. The biggest challenge she’s facing in talent development today and how it’s being addressed.9. The reason internal mobility is such a hot topic right now and why she’s paying attention to it.10. Orieji’s favorite TED Talk by Carla Harris about finding the person who can help you get ahead at work.11. Her career advice for those looking to get ahead in their careers.Connect with Andy Storch here:WebsiteLinkedInJoin us in the Talent Development Think Tank Community!Connect with Orieji Iroha-Agwu:LinkedInCarla Harris TED TalkMentioned in this episode:Think Tank conferenceGet your tickets now for the Talent Development Think Tank Conference https://tdtt.us/conference/

In this episode of The Talent Development Hot Seat, Andy welcomes Orieji Iroha-Agwu to the show. As the Director of Career Development Strategy and Programs on the People team at Red Hat, she’s responsible for defining the strategic direction of careers as well as leading the implementation of career development solutions in alignment with their organizational priorities. Orieji has also led the Americas Learning Delivery and Global Learning Delivery teams for Red Hat University.Before joining Red Hat in 2018, Orieji worked at Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina for 13 years, leading the implementation of large, complex enterprise learning and development initiatives. She also designed, developed, and managed leadership and strategic talent development programs. In 2015, she was the recipient of the CEO Award, a recognition of outstanding employees who have significantly contributed to the company’s results, and embody BCBSNC’s commitment to its culture, values, ethics, and compliance.In this episode, you’ll hear:How Orieji Iroha-Agwu started her career at Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina, why she found a passion for human resources and talent development, and what she does today at Red Hat.The Red Hat philosophy on career development, how she helps their employees grow in their careers, and what tangible programs and solutions for that look like.What she is doing to pass on knowledge from employees in their second half of life to the younger, less-experienced workers and why mentoring is a big part of that process.How Red Hat is increasing diversity and representation in the company, why they’ve incorporated sponsorship and coaching, and the critical role management plays.Orieji’s advice for taking ownership of your career and how that can be ingrained into the company culture.Connect with Andy Storch here:WebsiteLinkedInJoin us in the Talent Development Think Tank Community!Connect with Orieji Iroha-Agwu:LinkedInCarla Harris TED TalkMentioned in this episode:Think Tank conferenceGet your tickets now for the Talent Development Think Tank Conference https://tdtt.us/conference/

In this episode of The Talent Development Hot Seat, Andy welcomes Dr. Lisa Toppin to the show. Lisa is the Chief Diversity Officer for Illumina, a biotechnology research firm with more than 10,000 employees. She’s held leadership positions in HR with firms nationwide, including LPL where she served as Chief Diversity Officer, and Charles Schwab, where she led their diversity and inclusion and learning and development programming in addition to the executive recruiting function.Dr. Lisa Toppin has also served in HR business partner roles with Phillips Petroleum, Sherwin Williams, and Montell USA. She’s a member of the Forbes HR Council and is a world-renowned leader when it comes to engaging D&I change in a manner that makes it both meaningful and sustainable. She has a B.S. in Speech Pathology from Howard University, an M.S. in Human Resources from Rutgers University, and obtained her Ed.D. in Human Resources from The George Washington University.In this bonus interview, you’ll hear:7. Dr. Lisa Toppin’s greatest career accomplishment so far and why she’s so proud of the program she just started.8. Her biggest career failure, why it stands out to her., and the lesson she learned from it.9. The biggest challenge she sees in talent development and the work she’s doing to address it.10. What trend she’s paying the most attention to and why it intrigues her.11. Her favorite books to recommend and the importance of vulnerability.12. Why her career advice boils down to the question, what do you want?Connect with Andy Storch here:WebsiteLinkedInJoin us in the Talent Development Think Tank Community!Connect with Dr. Lisa Toppin:LinkedInWebsiteTwitterMentioned in this episode:Think Tank conferenceGet your tickets now for the Talent Development Think Tank Conference https://tdtt.us/conference/

In this episode of The Talent Development Hot Seat, Andy welcomes Dr. Lisa Toppin to the show. Lisa is the Chief Diversity Officer for Illumina, a biotechnology research firm with more than 10,000 employees. She’s held leadership positions in HR with firms nationwide, including LPL where she served as Chief Diversity Officer, and Charles Schwab, where she led their diversity and inclusion and learning and development programming in addition to the executive recruiting function.Dr. Lisa Toppin has also served in HR business partner roles with Phillips Petroleum, Sherwin Williams, and Montell USA. She’s a member of the Forbes HR Council and is a world-renowned leader when it comes to engaging D&I change in a manner that makes it both meaningful and sustainable. She has a B.S. in Speech Pathology from Howard University, an M.S. in Human Resources from Rutgers University, and obtained her Ed.D. in Human Resources from The George Washington University.In this episode, you’ll hear:How Dr. Lisa Toppin landed in the world of human resources, what brought her to diversity and inclusion in 2005 and what it looked like, and how it’s changed over the years.The disadvantages of not including DEI in a human resources department and the challenges that appear when a diversity officer reports directly to a CEO.The changes she’s seen in DEI since George Floyd’s death in 2020, why it was such a pivotal moment for DEI, and why it allowed us to begin to acknowledge social oppression.Where talent development intersects with diversity, equity, and inclusion, how it relates to talent development, and what your organization can do to get to the whole story.Dr. Lisa Toppin’s suggestions for looking at inclusion and belonging and ensuring your team is making people feel as though they belong.How people in L&D can incorporate DEI into everything they do to make sure that it’s part of their work, the importance of employee resource groups in that process, and leveraging the performance process and technology to make sure it’s woven in.Connect with Andy Storch here:WebsiteLinkedInJoin us in the Talent Development Think Tank Community!Connect with Dr. Lisa Toppin:LinkedInWebsiteTwitterMentioned in this episode:Think Tank conferenceGet your tickets now for the Talent Development Think Tank Conference https://tdtt.us/conference/

In this episode of The Talent Development Hot Seat, Andy’s guest is Dr. Mechelle Roberthon, a certified professional in talent development with a background that includes training delivery, performance improvement, managing learning programs, and interpersonal and business skills. She’s taught more than 500 corporate courses with her evaluations consistently rating above average. Her dynamic teaching style has become a favorite amongst learners.Dr. Mechelle Roberthon holds a Master’s in Education with a specialization in training and performance improvement. In May 2022, she successfully defended her dissertation, “Getting to the Room Where It Happens: A Transformative Qualitative Collective Case Study of Black Women Holding and Pursuing Senior and Executive Leadership Roles,” and earned her Doctor of Education in learning and organizational change from Baylor University. She is currently the Vice President and Director of Talent Development at Home Bank in Lafayette, Louisiana, where she leads talent development strategy and programming for the organization.In this bonus episode, you’ll hear:6. Dr. Mechelle Roberthon’s proudest career moment and what made that particular event so special.7. Her biggest career mistake and why it changed the way she approaches new initiatives.8. The biggest challenge she sees in talent development today.9. A trend she’s paying attention to in talent development and why it’s making her so happy.10. The TED Talk she often recommends by Rita Pierson.11. Dr. Mechelle Roberthon’s advice for advancing your career.Connect with Andy Storch here:WebsiteLinkedInJoin us in the Talent Development Think Tank Community!Kevin M. Yates - L&D Detective KitRita Pierson - Every Kid Needs a ChampionConnect with Dr. Mechelle Roberthon:LinkedInMentioned in this episode:Think Tank conferenceGet your tickets now for the Talent Development Think Tank Conference https://tdtt.us/conference/

In this episode of The Talent Development Hot Seat, Andy’s guest is Dr. Mechelle Roberthon, a certified professional in talent development with a background that includes training delivery, performance improvement, managing learning programs, and interpersonal and business skills. She’s taught more than 500 corporate courses with her evaluations consistently rating above average. Her dynamic teaching style has become a favorite amongst learners.Dr. Mechelle Roberthon holds a Master’s in Education with a specialization in training and performance improvement. In May 2022, she successfully defended her dissertation, “Getting to the Room Where It Happens: A Transformative Qualitative Collective Case Study of Black Women Holding and Pursuing Senior and Executive Leadership Roles,” and earned her Doctor of Education in learning and organizational change from Baylor University. She is currently the Vice President and Director of Talent Development at Home Bank in Lafayette, Louisiana, where she leads talent development strategy and programming for the organization.In this episode, you’ll hear:How Dr. Mechelle Roberthon landed in the field of talent development, what she loves about being involved in talent development, and why education is such a passion for her.Where the topic for her dissertation, “Getting to the Room Where It Happens: A Transformative Qualitative Collective Case Study of Black Women Holding and Pursuing Senior and Executive Leadership Roles,” came from, how she researched it, and why she’s so passionate about the subject.Why awareness is so important in recognizing the lack of Black women in leadership roles, the story that the data can tell us about this issue, and the pressure that Dr. Mechelle Roberthon often feels to represent her culture.What she sees as the biggest problem in promoting Black women into leadership, how that can be addressed in talent and recruitment within organizations, and why it limits your candidacy pool.How you can become an ally to Black women in your organization, why sponsorship is the best way to help them begin opening doors, and what sponsorship looks like in practice. Bonus ContentDr. Mechelle Roberthon’s proudest career moment and what made that particular event so special.Her biggest career mistake and why it changed the way she approaches new initiatives.The biggest challenge she sees in talent development today.A trend she’s paying attention to in talent development and why it’s making her so happy.The TED Talk she often recommends by Rita Pierson.Dr. Mechelle Roberthon’s advice for advancing your career.Connect with Andy Storch here:WebsiteLinkedInJoin us in the Talent Development Think Tank Community!Kevin M. Yates - L&D Detective KitRita Pierson - Every Kid Needs a ChampionConnect with Dr. Mechelle Roberthon:LinkedInMentioned in this episode:Think Tank conferenceGet your tickets now for the Talent Development Think Tank Conference https://tdtt.us/conference/