The People Strategy Podcast

EP 77: High Energy Networking with Joe Apfelbaum

June 23, 2022 11:00 - 22 minutes - 30.9 MB

How often do you utilize LinkedIn to really build your network? Joe Apfelbaum joins the show today to talk about putting LinkedIn to use in the most effective ways. Highly experienced in business and networking, he is the author of High Energy Networking, and he joins us today to share how to level up your LinkedIn and turn those connections into something much greater. You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: https://bit.ly/3O7hJCl

EP 76: Developing Organizational Leaders with Barbara Rea

June 16, 2022 11:00 - 13 minutes - 19.7 MB

We all want to see our organizations grow and scale, and HR professionals have a unique opportunity to affect that growth by developing the people within their organizations. Barbara Rea is the COO at Arden Logistics Parks and Founder of Rea Advisory Group, and has built and scaled several businesses, both from within and through consulting as a third party. She joins the show today to share her thoughts on how organizations can ensure their people feel fulfilled in the work that they do whi...

EP 75: The Importance of Human Connection with Jonathan Reynolds

June 09, 2022 11:00 - 30 minutes - 42.8 MB

How do we inspire our individuals to perform in our organizations? A key factor that plays into this is how we design our teams and how we ensure the culture we create is human-centered, trusting, and stimulating for our staff. To help us discuss this topic more in depth is Jonathan Reynolds, CEO of Titus Talent Strategies. You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: https://bit.ly/3Q0NazN

EP 74: Designing Our Organizations For Success

June 02, 2022 11:00 - 19 minutes - 27.5 MB

Does the design of your organization have an impact on how your leaders lead? Absolutely! How our organizations are designed has a tremendous amount of influence over the motivation of our teams, including our leaders. So, how can we ensure that there is clarity around our organization's values and motives? In this episode, I will be sharing how to create an organizational design that up-levels your people to where they are doing their best work all the time. You can find show notes and mo...

EP 73: How to Handle Stress During Transitions with Melissa Marsh

May 26, 2022 11:00 - 22 minutes - 31.6 MB

For almost everyone, the last two years have been a long roller-coaster of emotions and stress. During this time, it has become more important than ever to take care of ourselves to ensure we’re navigating these transitions and changes with a clear and healthy mindset. So, how do we approach this within our businesses? Here to help us answer this question is Melissa Marsh, HR Consultant for LP Insurance Services. You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: https://bit.ly...

EP 72: Bringing Purpose and Passion Into Our Organizations with Steve Browne

May 19, 2022 11:00 - 28 minutes - 39.2 MB

Every single person is created perfectly the way that they are. However, not every single person is created perfectly for every job or organization. That is why it is essential to ensure your staff are in the right roles where they will feel passionate about what they are doing and thrive every step of the way. To help us discuss this topic more in depth and share his knowledge about bringing passion and purpose into the workplace is Steve Browne. You can find show notes and more informati...

EP 71: Self-Care for HR Professionals with Julie Develin

May 12, 2022 11:00 - 28 minutes - 39.3 MB

Do you make the time for self-care? If you’re a busy HR professional, chances are your self-care game could use some improvement. Julie Develin is a Global Talent Management Leader, HR Speaker and Professor, and Podcast Host, and in this episode she shares how to up your self-care as an HR professional so you can continue to take care of those around you. You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: https://bit.ly/3F1zjUM

EP 70: Putting Systems in Place to Show Up as Our Best Selves with Traci Scherck

May 05, 2022 11:00 - 17 minutes - 24.2 MB

Everyone is susceptible to burnout. Our highly-engaged top-performing talent, the individuals sitting in our leadership positions and even ourselves. Regardless of how we want to show up for work, things happen and the list of tasks begins to pile up. So, how can we learn to give ourselves and our staff the breathing room needed to ensure we are all showing up as our best selves? In this episode, I will be sharing how to put the appropriate systems in place so that you are taking care of you...

EP 69: The Power of Systems and Understanding Your Team with Damon Clark

April 28, 2022 11:00 - 19 minutes - 27.4 MB

The systems that we have in place within our organizations can lead to either the success of our team—or failure. Without having the right systems in place or following them correctly, we could end up hiring the wrong people for certain roles, creating an unhappy work environment or leading to staff feeling undervalued. Here to help us discuss this topic more in-depth and share more about how to inspire your team to perform is Damon Clark, Founder and Leader at Talent Optimizers. You can f...

EP 68: Inspiring Employees to Perform with Bruce Morton

April 21, 2022 11:00 - 29 minutes - 41 MB

The needs of our employees can vary greatly from person to person. However, if we take the time to consider every individual's needs, we will likely build a company culture filled with trust and the desire to do their best. So, how do we go about this? Today we are joined by Bruce Morton, Senior Risk Control Consultant at the Marsh McLennan Agency, who will be sharing his own employee journey, specifically how he inspires his employees to perform to the best of their ability. You can find ...

EP 68: Inspiring Employees to Perform with Bruce Morten

April 21, 2022 11:00 - 29 minutes - 41 MB

The needs of our employees can vary greatly from person to person. However, if we take the time to consider every individual's needs, we will likely build a company culture filled with trust and the desire to do their best. So, how do we go about this? Today we are joined by Bruce Morton, Senior Risk Control Consultant at the Marsh McLennan Agency, who will be sharing his own employee journey, specifically how he inspires his employees to perform to the best of their ability. You can find ...

EP 67: Earning Trust with Your Employees with Dave Workman

April 14, 2022 11:00 - 21 minutes - 30.5 MB

Oftentimes we don’t create opportunities to chat with employees within our organizations about what their perspectives are. However, if we give our employees the chance to share their thoughts and speak their minds, we create a space for them to grow as individuals and for our organizations to grow as a whole. So, in this episode, we will be speaking with Dave Workman from Amwood Homes about his experience leaving the company and then returning, including what encouraged those decisions alon...

EP 66: Implementing Talent Optimization into Your Business with April Moldenhauer

April 07, 2022 11:00 - 20 minutes - 29.1 MB

We speak on the subject of talent optimization within organizations quite often on this podcast, and this is something we often help other organizations implement, as well. The use of proper talent optimization within a company can make a huge difference in its success. So, in this episode, we will be speaking with April Moldenhauer, Human Resources Director at Amwood Homes, about her experience implementing this into her organization using Elevated Talent Consulting. You can find show not...

EP 65: The Key Drivers of Employee Engagement

March 31, 2022 11:00 - 23 minutes - 32.7 MB

Why do people stay at their current job with their current employer? This is a question that has been asked so many times, especially over the last few years as we’ve seen the Great Resignation take place. So, in this episode, Traci digs into the data behind employee retention and engagement, as well as how leaders can inspire their team to perform. You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: https://bit.ly/3NkpMvO

EP 64: Fitting The Right People With The Right Roles with Michael Yinger

March 24, 2022 11:00 - 29 minutes - 40.8 MB

Recruiting is about so much more than filling a seat—it’s a unique sales process that aims to fit people with the right roles. Michael Yinger has been in talent acquisition for 20 years, providing support to organizations across a spectrum of industries, and is the COO and Co-Founder at Resume Sieve, an intuitive candidate evaluation platform that fast-tracks resume assessment. In this episode, Michael shares how to attract and retain great staff through the sales process of hiring. You ca...

EP 63: How Small Organizations Can Make A Big Impact with Sara Horein

March 17, 2022 11:00 - 17 minutes - 24.5 MB

When we are bringing new members into our organizations, it's essential to ensure that they will align well with our culture and values. One way that an organization might go about this is by having their employees support the community in some way. This could be a blood drive, community work, or some other scenario. Here to help us dive into this topic and share how even the smallest organizations can make an impact is Sara Horein, business owner and American Red Cross volunteer. You can ...

EP 62: How to Use Data to Make a Big Impact with Rashad Nelms

March 10, 2022 12:00 - 19 minutes - 26.7 MB

There is plenty of data available to help companies answer key questions about their workforce and its needs. However, many businesses are not utilizing this approach for attracting and retaining staff. Instead, many businesses are searching externally for the answers that are available to them internally. So, in this episode, Rashad Nelms, Executive-in-Residence at Indiana University, will be joining the show to discuss how to use data to make an amazing impact within our organizations. Y...

EP 61: Better Decision Making in Organizations with Traci Scherck

March 03, 2022 12:00 - 20 minutes - 28.8 MB

How do you make decisions? Do you base them on how you’re feeling, or do you base them on objective reasons? Knowing how we make decisions can help us understand how to best serve inside of our organizations, as well as how to manage that as leaders. So, in this episode, I'll be discussing how decision making impacts the culture of our organizations, including the way we attract and retain talent. You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: https://bit.ly/3pmjcuy

EP 60: Executive Coaching to Move Forward with Bobbie Sue Wolk

February 24, 2022 12:00 - 19 minutes - 27.2 MB

Bobbie Sue Wolk is the first International Coaching Federation (ICF) Certified Coach in Alaska and has coached clients on every continent except Antarctica! Also a certified executive coach, business consultant, author, and entrepreneur, Bobbie Sue joins the show today to share her approach to working with executives to maximize their potential. Listen in as she dives into how she helps people, both personally and professionally, and provides them with the knowledge to create an excellent co...

EP 59: Using Observation to Elevate Your Coaching Culture with Connie Whitman

February 17, 2022 12:00 - 31 minutes - 43.4 MB

Coaching flows through every area of our lives, and it is such a needed skill for anyone in leadership positions. By creating a coaching culture, as well as ensuring there is a level of accountability with your staff (and leadership team!), you’re able to help your employees exceed their job responsibilities. Your staff will feel confident in what they are doing, and the executives will feel confident that their teams are going above and beyond for their company. So, here to help us dive fur...

EP 58: How to Implement a Coaching Culture with Donna Star

February 10, 2022 12:00 - 29 minutes - 41.3 MB

A coaching culture is all about creating a positive place for your team to be who they are whilst also elevating each other. As a former corporate executive turned corporate coach, Donna Star knows a thing or two about implementing a coaching culture into a business. Today she joins the show to discuss how you can ensure your employees are the best employees they can be by creating an environment where they can thrive as individuals and feel secure in speaking their minds or asking for help....

EP 57: Creating A Coaching Culture with Traci Scherck

February 03, 2022 12:00 - 19 minutes - 28 MB

Creating a coaching culture within your organization can improve not only the way employees interact with each other, but also the way they communicate with customers. It can improve the way a business is run and transform the organization at its core simply by opening up the conversation on a daily basis. In this episode, I will be sharing how to start implementing a coaching culture into your organization, as well as how to ensure your employees (and coaches) feel comfortable and confident...

EP 56: Keeping Your Mentorship Program Morally and Legally Right with Bob Gregg

January 27, 2022 12:00 - 36 minutes - 51.2 MB

Mentorship programs are a wonderful way to set your team up for success and ensure everyone is on the same page within your organization. However, there are many ways that a mentorship program can be discriminatory or exclusive. So, how do we keep our programs inclusive and within the legal limits? Our guest today is Bob Gregg, co-chair of the Boardman & Clark Employment & Labor Law Practice Group, and in this episode, he will be sharing several pitfalls of mentorship programs from a legal p...

EP 55: High Potential Mentoring Programs with Traci Scherck

January 20, 2022 12:00 - 17 minutes - 24.3 MB

When we have the right processes in place, our people should be able to thrive in their positions. If your staff—whether high level or not—are not exceeding in their positions, it's so important that we are able to diagnose that problem correctly. So, in this episode, I will be discussing high potential mentoring programs, specifically how we can implement these in our organizations and the benefit of having them in the first place to avoid "people issues" down the line. You can find show ...

EP 54: Building A Successful Mentorship Program with Heather Dobson

January 13, 2022 12:00 - 18 minutes - 25.9 MB

Have you ever started a job and thought to yourself how much easier it would have been if you had someone there showing you the ropes? Mentoring is an essential part of any successful business and is an exceptional way to retain quality staff. As the Director of Business & Workforce Development at CCI, Heather Dobson works with the leadership team on project tracking, building client relationships, and ensuring the team has the right mentors in place. In this episode, she will be joining the...

EP 53: The Power of Mentorship with Traci Scherck

January 06, 2022 12:00 - 17 minutes - 24.8 MB

There are many times in our lives when we become uncertain of where we should be headed, or perhaps we require a gentle push in the right direction. The same goes for our staff within our organizations. Having someone there to guide them when they are unsure, or to teach them the right way, is essential to the growth and success of our businesses. So, in this episode, Traci will be sharing a deeper dive into the topic of mentorship, specifically explaining how having a mentoring program can ...

EP 52: Starting 2022 in the Best Way Possible with Laura Eigel

December 30, 2021 12:00 - 24 minutes - 35.6 MB

As we approach 2022, it is important to elevate ourselves, take some time to reflect, and celebrate all of the amazing things we did this year. This will allow us to finish the year off strong and will bring us momentum, intention, and focus into the New Year. In this episode, Laura Eigel, Founder of The Catch Group, will be sharing her best advice to ensure you start this year off in the best way possible, both in your organization and in your life. You can find show notes and more inform...

EP 51: The Power of Pause with Alicia Schatteman

December 23, 2021 12:00 - 22 minutes - 32.9 MB

How are you and your team approaching debriefs and planning as we near the end of 2021? Debriefing (or reflection), as we have previously discussed, is an important tool to utilize when hoping to make positive changes within an organization. So, in this episode, Dr. Alicia Schatteman, Director at Center for Nonprofit and Associate Professor at Northern Illinois University, will be joining the show to share how you can tackle appropriate debriefing and planning to ensure your organization is ...

EP 50: Implementing a Success Strategy for Your Employees and Business with Traci Scherck

December 16, 2021 12:00 - 15 minutes - 21.6 MB

What type of reflection have you done over the last year? What project plans do you currently have in progress for the year ahead? Reflection gives us a chance to see where we can improve in our business—specifically what processes we need to put in place to ensure the success of our organization moving forward. So, in this episode, I am going to be sharing how to implement a “people strategy” in your organization so that your business (and your team) can reach its full potential. You can ...

EP 49: Five Tips for 2022 Planning with Damon Clark

December 09, 2021 12:00 - 23 minutes - 32.2 MB

Planning for the future may not always seem like the most exciting task, however, this is an essential step towards business (and personal) success. Through proper planning, you can ensure your business is on the right track to meet its goals and you are taking the necessary steps to make your dreams a reality. To help us discuss this topic today is Damon Clark, Talent Optimization Consultant for Talent Optimizers. You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: https://bit....

EP 48: Making Time for Self-Reflection with Traci Scherck

December 02, 2021 12:00 - 22 minutes - 32.6 MB

Reflection is an essential part of any leadership role. It gives us an opportunity to pause and consider observations or experiences, reviewing the things we have learned and how far we have come. However, many leaders miss this important process. So, in this episode, I will be sharing the benefit of taking the time to reflect and how to implement this process into your business. You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: https://bit.ly/3lbDRzi

EP 47: Creating Space for Others with Jen Zahari

November 25, 2021 12:00 - 14 minutes - 19.9 MB

Oftentimes, organizations forget to ensure their employees feel listened to and heard. This leads to disengaged staff who feel as if their voices don’t matter and that the work they do for the company is not appreciated. So how do we express our gratitude for our employees and make sure that we understand their wants and needs? Jen Zahari will be joining the show to answer this question and more as we continue our conversation on the topic of gratitude. You can find show notes and more inf...

EP 46: Demystifying Employee Benefit Plans with Rachel Leader

November 18, 2021 12:00 - 16 minutes - 23.5 MB

There is so much involved in designing a culture within an organization where we show gratitude towards our staff day in and day out. One of the ways we can do that is through our policies and our benefit plans. Here to help us dive deep on the topic of gratitude is Rachel Leader, an employee benefits consultant at Johnson Financial Group. She works to demystify and simplify employee benefit plans so that employees and staff always feel valued, and she breaks down this topic for us today. ...

EP 45: How To Ensure Employees Of All Levels Feel Valued with Quint Studer

November 11, 2021 12:00 - 35 minutes - 49.1 MB

We’re in a period of time where people are feeling more alone, possibly experiencing withdrawals from the lives and in-person connections they were once accustomed to. If we don’t take the time required to replenish our needs and the needs of our employees, how can our organization thrive and grow? In this episode, Quint Studer will be joining the show to share how you can create a culture of gratitude within your business, including how to give needed feedback and how to ensure employees of...

EP 44: Cultivating Gratitude in the Workplace with Traci Scherck

November 04, 2021 11:00 - 21 minutes - 31.3 MB

The practice of gratitude and appreciation has started to infiltrate workplaces—and rightly so! While it might feel awkward to express gratitude to your colleagues or employees, building a culture of gratitude can impact business outcomes and lead to deeper connections with each other and to the work we’re doing. So, in this episode, I will be sharing how to cultivate more gratitude within your organization so that your team feels engaged and recognized. You can find show notes and more in...

EP 43: Understanding Employee Resource Groups with Toby Egbuna

October 28, 2021 11:00 - 22 minutes - 32.2 MB

Talent management is so important for the growth of your company, and when we’re talking about recruitment and retention, we need to think strategically and long term. So how can we create a more inclusive and diverse culture within our organization so that employees feel they are not only contributing, but also valued? To help us discuss this topic today is Toby Egbuna, Co-Founder and CEO of Chezie. You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: https://bit.ly/3BOybBG

EP 42: Mental Health and Communicating Vulnerable Topics with Amee Quiriconi

October 21, 2021 11:00 - 24 minutes - 34.3 MB

Despite the many differences in execution and strategy, a lot of organizational problems can be traced back to a few of the same things. Fortunately, there’s a simple place where you can begin to help alleviate many of the major organizational problems at once: improving your leadership’s mental health. So, in this episode, we are going to be talking about how trauma and our leadership can impact our business. Here to help break down this topic is Amee Quiriconi, an author, leadership coach,...

EP 41: Honest, Direct and Timely Leadership with Farrah Rifelj

October 14, 2021 11:00 - 24 minutes - 33.6 MB

Oftentimes, businesses are able to locate a problem, but are unsure of where to begin when it comes to solving it. Instead of attacking the issue head-on, they wait for the issue to worsen. However, through good management and appropriate solutions, it is possible to hold your team and leadership accountable so that these problems are handled and prevented. Here to break down this topic for us today is Farrah Rifelj, a partner and member of the Management Committee, as well as Co-Chair of th...

EP 40: Becoming an Advocate for Change with Brianna Goodwin

October 07, 2021 11:00 - 19 minutes - 26.7 MB

Brianna Goodwin is the President & CEO of Ver-Tex Construction, a specialty window treatment company that has been revolutionizing the industry since its inception more than 30 years ago. Throughout her career, Brianna has advocated for gender equality in the workplace, frequently being cited as an influential voice in the fight for women’s leadership across industries and her community. Today she joins the show to discuss how to identify what needs to be changed inside of your organization,...

EP 39: How to Boost Employee Engagement with Traci Scherck

September 30, 2021 11:00 - 20 minutes - 28.4 MB

Employee engagement is the extent to which employees feel passionate about their jobs, are committed to their organization, and are willing to go the extra mile within their positions. But how do we ensure individuals are engaged? In this episode, I will be diving into this topic, focusing on how engagement impacts performance and how to identify whether our teams are as engaged as possible. You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: https://bit.ly/3zQJbfH

EP 38: How to Cultivate Employees with Jason Lauritsen

September 23, 2021 11:00 - 26 minutes - 36.5 MB

Farmers are in the business of management—they manage the growth and performance of living things. However, they do things fundamentally differently because they know that their crops will grow to their fullest potential as long as they provide an environment in which they can thrive. That is the model we need in business management. So, in this episode, Jason Lauritsen will be sharing how you can cultivate great relationships with your staff and then use those relationships to impact and mo...

EP 37: Positive Performance Management with Michele Haugh

September 16, 2021 11:00 - 22 minutes - 30.7 MB

Performance management should be about having regular, open and honest conversations. It is an opportunity to learn how someone is doing, assess how they might progress to the next level in the organization and figure out how to improve a specific skillset in order to meet goals. In other words, it doesn’t have to be negative. To help us discuss this topic and dive into how to keep performance management positive is Michele Haugh, Co-Founder of EarlyHR Solutions. You can find show notes an...

EP 36: Leadership and Accountability in an Era of Distractions with Cheryl Johnson

September 09, 2021 11:00 - 24 minutes - 33.1 MB

Leaders who struggle to hold their employees accountable and improve performance in their organization are generally too harsh, too lenient, or too disconnected. So how do we ensure our leaders are not only holding their staff accountable, but also themselves in this constantly changing, distraction-filled world? To help us answer this question today is Cheryl Johnson, Chief Human Resources Officer for Paylocity. You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: https://bit.ly...

EP 35: Performance, Leadership and Accountability with Traci Scherck

September 02, 2021 11:00 - 22 minutes - 30.4 MB

Leaders within our organizations have the responsibility to hold their employees accountable for their own success. However, it is still up to the employees to decide whether they want to be successful or not. So, how do we motivate our employees to do outstanding work and meet their goals every time? In this episode, I am going to be sharing how to provide your staff with high-level support so that they feel prepared and ready to achieve any task set out for them. You can find show notes ...

EP 34: Creating Culture and Psychological Safety within Your Organization with Shelley Taylor

August 26, 2021 11:00 - 24 minutes - 33.1 MB

For organizations wanting to become more productive or successful, culture change is often the most challenging part of the transformation. A leader with authority can demand compliance, but they can’t dictate optimism, trust, or creativity—this must be earned. So how do we create great company culture within our organizations? Here to help us unpack this topic is Shelley Taylor, Executive Director of Consortium for Educational Change and a National Board Certified Teacher (NBCT). You can ...

EP 33: Building Accountability to Achieve Results with Kelly Renz

August 19, 2021 11:00 - 17 minutes - 23.8 MB

We know that leadership is a process in which an individual influences the behavior and attitudes of other people. Unfortunately, not all influence is positive. So, is there a way to ensure the leaders within our organization are setting up our employees with the right tools to succeed? In this episode, Kelly Renz, CEO of inVantage, joins the show to discuss the art and science behind running a business and how to build accountability to achieve results. You can find show notes and more in...

EP 32: Leading a Self-Managing Team with Mike Zani

August 12, 2021 11:01 - 31 minutes - 43.3 MB

To grow a business, there’s no way around delegation. If you hold all of the responsibility in your own hands, you can’t scale at a desired rate. In order to grow your business and see the success you are working towards, you need to help your employees play on their strengths and take some responsibility. No one knows this topic better than Mike Zani, CEO at The Predictive Index. Today he joins the show to help us discuss the idea of self-managing teams and how to implement this strategy in...

EP 31: Self-Managing Teams

August 12, 2021 11:00 - 19 minutes - 44.1 MB

What is a self-managing team? Where are they effective? And where are they not? These are all questions I’ll be exploring in this episode because, to be frank, self-managing teams are phenomenal in the right organization or team—but they don’t work for everyone. However, if you want team leaders to be able to focus on the ‘why’ and specific results, this may be a great route to take. You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: https://bit.ly/2VJ5FBn

EP 30: Developing Great Talent within Your Organization with Dr. Mandolen Mull

July 29, 2021 11:00 - 28 minutes - 39.6 MB

What does talent development truly mean for the managers inside of our organizations? And who has the power to change the direction and success of our business? Here to help us answer these questions is Dr. Mandolen Mull, an Organizational Development and Leadership scholar currently working at Rockford University. In this episode, she will be sharing how you can train individuals to become great leaders in day-to-day life. You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: htt...

EP 29: How to Build a Dream Team Using Trust with Tina Hallis

July 22, 2021 11:00 - 19 minutes - 26.6 MB

Have you ever looked around your own organization and wondered why some teams work so well together while others seem to struggle with every step? Poor team performance is almost always due to a lack of honest communication, commitment, reliability, or respect. So, in this episode, Tina Hallis joins the show to discuss how to successfully build a dream team by creating trust within your organization. You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: https://bit.ly/2UOo3Iw

The People Strategy Podcast

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