The Modern People Leader: Forward-Thinking HR

The Modern People Leader
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The Modern People Leader: Forward-Thinking HR

Listen to interviews with CHROs, Chief People Officers, and other work experts on how they're pioneering the way that we work. They share what's working, what's not, and how they've gotten to where they're at in their careers.

  1. 2D AGO

    225 - Pat Wadors (CHRO, Intuitive) on amplifying the “golden nuggets” of your culture

    Pat Wadors, CHRO at Intuitive, joined us on The Modern People Leader.  We talked about how to find and amplify the golden nuggets of your culture, the three layers of a great employee experience, why you need to “touch the elephant”, and what kids’ stories can teach us about leadership. ----  🔗 Request a demo of ChartHop. 🔗 Download the State of Teams 2025 Report from Atlassian. 🔗 Buy your ticket for MPL Live San Francisco. 🔗 Go sign up for MPL Build. ----  (05:48) Pat’s 18-Month Update: New Role, Book Launch, and Life Shift (13:55) What is Intuitive? The Da Vinci System & MedTech Innovation (18:34) How It Works: Da Vinci, AI Feedback & Remote Surgeries (21:02) Culture Work: Merging Two Cultures & The Player-Coach Model (25:20) Us vs. Them: Culture Nuance, Middleware & Global Complexity (28:51) Finding the Golden Nuggets: How to Identify Cultural Truths (31:28) Mapping Culture: From Aspirational Values to Operational Change (33:41) Origin Story & Its Role in Company Culture (35:08) Becoming an Archaeologist: Crafting a Cohesive Narrative (38:49) How to Make Culture Measurable: The CEO Buy-In (41:04) Building MPL Culture: Rigor, Humor, and Platform Principles (45:00) Touch the Elephant: Bias, Context & Emotional Intelligence (46:51) Why Pat Wrote the Book: Fables, Storytelling & Self-Awareness (51:45) Pat’s Book Picks: Mulan, Goldilocks & the Lessons Behind Them (58:16) The Bat Phone: Parenting Advice & Living Your Values ----  📬 Subscribe to our weekly newsletter to get episode recaps 💡 Follow The Modern People Leader on LinkedIn 😊 Follow Daniel Huerta on LinkedIn 😊 Follow Stephen Huerta on LinkedIn ----  Past guests on MPL include Brené Brown, Annie Dean (VP of Team Anywhere, Atlassian), Josh Bersin, Katie Burke (Chief People Officer, Harvey), Liz Fosslien, Helen Russell (Chief People Officer, HubSpot), Dave Scott (Chief People Officer, ADT), Melanie Rossenwasser (Chief People Officer, Dropbox), Crystal Boysen (Chief People Officer, Sprout Social), and many more.

    1h 9m

  2. APR 11

    224 - Jessica Zwaan: Story behind her obsession w/ People Ops as a Product

    Jessica Zwaan returned to The Modern People Leader for a deep dive on how her PeopleOps as a Product philosophy came to life. We talked about the early days of the framework, writing her book, and the launch of MPL Build — a new collaboration between MPL and Jessica to bring the methodology to more teams. ----  🔗Join the MPL Live Session on all-things leave management. 🔗Request a demo of ChartHop. 🔗Download the State of Teams 2025 Report from Atlassian. 🔗Be the first to hear when MPL Build launches. ----  (08:12) Where Jessica first discovered PeopleOps as a product in the wild (10:24) The blog post that changed everything (12:45) Why the 2020 timing was perfect for this framework (14:19) Turning the blog into a book — thanks to Lars Schmidt (18:33) Early examples of building squads and roadmaps (21:18) Launching a full apprenticeship program in just 12 weeks (22:46) Did the skeptics show up? And how have attitudes changed? (25:36) The most surprising feedback from the community (30:12) How big could this get? Is there a limit to who this works for? (32:29) Why the U.S. is catching up to Europe in adopting this framework (34:18) The original MPL mission: reaching 100M employees (36:12) Announcing MPL Build: our first expert-led program from MPL Academy (39:51) How this partnership came together and why it’s a perfect match (42:53) Why Jesse is excited about MPL Academy and Build (45:29) The power of a complementary team (47:00) What’s coming next: AMA-style episodes, two paths for learners, and tons of resources (50:43) One word close ----  📬 Subscribe to our weekly newsletter to get episode recaps 💡 Follow The Modern People Leader on LinkedIn 😊 Follow Daniel Huerta on LinkedIn 😊 Follow Stephen Huerta on LinkedIn ----  Past guests on MPL include Brené Brown, Annie Dean (VP of Team Anywhere, Atlassian), Josh Bersin, Katie Burke (Chief People Officer, Harvey), Liz Fosslien, Helen Russell (Chief People Officer, HubSpot), Dave Scott (Chief People Officer, ADT), Melanie Rossenwasser (Chief People Officer, Dropbox), Crystal Boysen (Chief People Officer, Sprout Social), and many more.

    52 min

  3. APR 4

    223 - Shane Koller (Chief People Officer, Ancestry): Running your People Team like a Product Team

    Shane Koller joined us on The Modern People Leader. We talked about adopting a product mindset in HR, how Ancestry’s people team built their “product roadmap”, and why even great HR programs fall short when they’re not connected. ----  🔗 Request a demo of ChartHop. 🔗 Buy your ticket for MPL Live San Francisco. 🔗 Be the first to hear when MPL Build launches this month. ----  (07:35) Shane’s journey from psychology to Chief People Officer (10:31) How Ancestry became the leader in family history and genomics (13:13) Powerful storytelling: Connecting people with their family histories (15:51) The moment Shane realized HR should run like a product team (22:07) Adopting a shareholder mindset within the People function (27:27) Identifying and prioritizing employee experience moments that matter (33:15) Measuring success: Key metrics for people teams (36:55) Restructuring the HR team to operate like a product organization (43:45) Why CEO alignment is crucial for transforming HR (47:06) Lessons learned from Ancestry’s "fail fast" moments  ----  📬 Subscribe to our weekly newsletter to get episode recaps 💡 Follow The Modern People Leader on LinkedIn 😊 Follow Daniel Huerta on LinkedIn 😊 Follow Stephen Huerta on LinkedIn ----  Past guests on MPL include Brené Brown, Annie Dean (VP of Team Anywhere, Atlassian), Josh Bersin, Katie Burke (Chief People Officer, Harvey), Liz Fosslien, Helen Russell (Chief People Officer, HubSpot), Dave Scott (Chief People Officer, ADT), Melanie Rossenwasser (Chief People Officer, Dropbox), Crystal Boysen (Chief People Officer, Sprout Social), and many more.

    1h 2m

  4. MAR 28

    222 - Michele Bousquet (Chief People Officer, Strava): Stop overcomplicating HR

    Michele Bousquet joined us on The Modern People Leader. We talked about her career journey, leading with heart, and why HR shouldn’t be so complicated. ----  🔗 Request a demo of ChartHop. 🔗 Buy your ticket for MPL Live San Francisco. ----  (08:41) Michele’s career journey: From temp to Chief People Officer (14:45) Lessons from navigating adversity and leading with heart (21:52) The importance of authenticity and listening in leadership (24:14) How Strava’s people team fosters human connection (29:59) Simplifying HR: Leading with common sense and empathy (35:18) Data-driven decisions: Using data with purpose and insight (39:16) Rewarding and retaining talent through human connection (43:53) Human-centered HR: Managing people teams like a product (47:54) The power of people-focused leadership at Strava (54:39) Employee Resource Groups (ERGs) and building community (58:02) Handling tough situations with honesty and compassion ----  📬 Subscribe to our weekly newsletter to get episode recaps 💡 Follow The Modern People Leader on LinkedIn 😊 Follow Daniel Huerta on LinkedIn 😊 Follow Stephen Huerta on LinkedIn ----  Past guests on MPL include Brené Brown, Annie Dean (VP of Team Anywhere, Atlassian), Josh Bersin, Katie Burke (Chief People Officer, Harvey), Liz Fosslien, Helen Russell (Chief People Officer, HubSpot), Dave Scott (Chief People Officer, ADT), Melanie Rossenwasser (Chief People Officer, Dropbox), Crystal Boysen (Chief People Officer, Sprout Social), and many more.

    1h 12m

  5. MAR 21

    221 - Caregivers are stretched thin. It’s time we paid attention: Michael Walsh (CEO, Cariloop)

    Michael Walsh, CEO of Cariloop, joined us on The Modern People Leader.  We discussed the caregiving challenges facing employees today, how companies can better support working caregivers, and the data-backed insights from Cariloop’s Top Needs Report. ----  🔗 Download Cariloop’s 2025 Employee Caregiver Top Needs Report. ----  (7:20) How Michael's personal experience with caregiving sparked the idea for Cariloop (19:37) Why employers need to rethink caregiving support (27:43) Why caregiving stigma persists at work (38:46)  The top caregiving challenges right now (55:50) Making the business case for caregiver support (01:01:22) Rapid Fire Questions (01:04:13) One Word or Phrase Close ---- 📬 Subscribe to our weekly newsletter to get episode recaps 💡 Follow The Modern People Leader on LinkedIn 😊 Follow Daniel Huerta on LinkedIn 😊 Follow Stephen Huerta on LinkedIn ----  Past guests on MPL include Brené Brown, Annie Dean (VP of Team Anywhere, Atlassian), Josh Bersin, Katie Burke (Chief People Officer, Harvey), Liz Fosslien, Helen Russell (Chief People Officer, HubSpot), Dave Scott (Chief People Officer, ADT), Melanie Rossenwasser (Chief People Officer, Dropbox), Crystal Boysen (Chief People Officer, Sprout Social), and many more.

    1h 3m

  6. MAR 14

    MPL Live Boston: Engagement scores don’t tell the full story (CPOs of DraftKings, Klaviyo, and Smartcat)

    Linda Aiello (CPO, DraftKings), Carmel Galvin (CPO, Klaviyo), and Stacey Richey (Global VP, People, Smartcat), joined us for MPL Live in Boston, Massachusetts. We talked about the current state of HR, how roles are shifting with AI, and how they’re moving beyond traditional engagement metrics. ----  🔗 Get Atlassian’s free guide to AI-powered knowledge management 🔗 Request a demo of Workleap using this link and get 10% off of your first year  🔗 Request a demo of ChartHop. Let them know we sent you. ----  (09:44) Guest introductions  (10:49) State of HR & navigating today's challenges  (16:33) How roles have shifted due to economic changes & AI (Stacey)  (21:34) Balancing AI with human factors (Linda) (25:12) Advice for HR leaders starting with AI  (25:54) Employee engagement realities (Linda)  (30:07) Linking engagement to performance outcomes (Carmel)  (32:14) Implications of productivity expectations with AI (Stacey)  (35:06) Culture and embracing AI tools (Stephen)  (46:26 ) Effective AI change management (Stacey)  (49:41) Managing stress and resilience (Linda & Stacey)  (56:23) Networking advice for job seekers (Carmel) (1:00:14) Revisiting employee engagement (Stephen)  (1:04:29) Defining employee engagement (Linda, Stacey, Carmel) ( 1:09:24) Employee listening & HR as a product team (Carmel)  (1:12:33) Key employee engagement metrics & insights (Linda) (1:17:28) Moving beyond traditional engagement surveys (Linda & Carmel)  (1:22:07) Observational methods to measure engagement (Carmel & Stacey) ----  📬 Subscribe to our weekly newsletter to get episode recaps 💡 Follow The Modern People Leader on LinkedIn 😊 Follow Daniel Huerta on LinkedIn 😊 Follow Stephen Huerta on LinkedIn ----  Past guests on MPL include Brené Brown, Annie Dean (VP of Team Anywhere, Atlassian), Josh Bersin, Katie Burke (Chief People Officer, Harvey), Liz Fosslien, Helen Russell (Chief People Officer, HubSpot), Dave Scott (Chief People Officer, ADT), Melanie Rossenwasser (Chief People Officer, Dropbox), Crystal Boysen (Chief People Officer, Sprout Social), and many more.

    1h 47m

  7. MAR 10

    219 - 4x Chief People Officer on leadership & making AI a priority: Shlomit Gruman-Navot

    Shlomit Gruman-Navot joined us on The Modern People Leader. We talked about her evolution as a people leader and how Miro is making AI learning a priority for employees.  ----  🔗Join Atlassian’s webinar on March 12th and learn how AI is transforming knowledge management 🔗Request a demo of ChartHop. Let them know we sent you. ----  5:00 - Her career journey: from IBM to SAP, Alpha Bank, OLX, and Miro 11:32 - The shift from monoculture workplaces to truly global teams 19:13 - Roadshows in Siberia, unique cultural experiences & leadership takeaways 26:47 - How HR leaders can embrace AI without fear 32:00 - The importance of adaptability & learning new skills in a fast-changing world 42:27 - Why AI is changing work—and why HR must lead the way 53:23 - What AI means for job roles, skills development & human interaction ----  📬 Subscribe to our weekly newsletter to get episode recaps 💡 Follow The Modern People Leader on LinkedIn 😊 Follow Daniel Huerta on LinkedIn 😊 Follow Stephen Huerta on LinkedIn ----  Past guests on MPL include Brené Brown, Annie Dean (VP of Team Anywhere, Atlassian), Josh Bersin, Katie Burke (Chief People Officer, Harvey), Liz Fosslien, Helen Russell (Chief People Officer, HubSpot), Dave Scott (Chief People Officer, ADT), Melanie Rossenwasser (Chief People Officer, Dropbox), Crystal Boysen (Chief People Officer, Sprout Social), and many more.

    1h 4m

  8. MAR 1

    218 - Why AI makes learning “scaled to one”: Brandon Carson (Chief Learning Officer, Docebo)

    Brandon Carson, Chief Learning Officer at Docebo, joined us on The Modern People Leader. We talked about the one thing holding companies back from adopting AI faster, why AI makes learning “scaled to one”, and why the future of work isn’t about replacing humans - it’s about amplifying them. ----  🔗 Get Atlassian’s free guide to AI-powered knowledge management 🔗 Request a demo of ChartHop. Let them know we sent you. 🔗 Last chance to buy tickets for MPL Live Boston ----  (07:49) Brandon’s career journey: From Delta, Walmart, and Starbucks to Docebo (14:30) Learning is the oxygen of the enterprise (16:10) What the next 10 years of AI in the workplace will look like (20:48) Why companies aren’t moving fast enough with AI adoption (28:04) The biggest challenge: Outdated infrastructure & data debt (30:42) AI’s impact: 40% of global working hours could be transformed (33:57) The next wave of corporate learning – embedding AI into workflows (38:37) Scaling learning from thousands to one personalized experience (44:29) Who will win and lose in this AI transformation? (50:03) Companies that prioritize humanity in work will thrive (52:38) AI literacy vs. fluency – How HR can bridge the gap (56:55) What AI tools Brandon is already using to clone himself (01:00:01) Will our AI bots be podcasting for us in the future? (01:04:20) Advice for new L&D professionals: Understand AI’s role in learning (01:05:32) Who should we have on next?  (01:07:49) One-word close: Onward, Set the Table, Catch Up ----  📬 Subscribe to our weekly newsletter to get episode recaps 💡 Follow The Modern People Leader on LinkedIn 😊 Follow Daniel Huerta on LinkedIn 😊 Follow Stephen Huerta on LinkedIn ----  Past guests on MPL include Brené Brown, Annie Dean (VP of Team Anywhere, Atlassian), Josh Bersin, Katie Burke (Chief People Officer, Harvey), Liz Fosslien, Helen Russell (Chief People Officer, HubSpot), Dave Scott (Chief People Officer, ADT), Melanie Rossenwasser (Chief People Officer, Dropbox), Crystal Boysen (Chief People Officer, Sprout Social), and many more.

    1h 11m
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    Listen to interviews with CHROs, Chief People Officers, and other work experts on how they're pioneering the way that we work. They share what's working, what's not, and how they've gotten to where they're at in their careers.

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