Cohesion

In this episode of the Cohesion Podcast, Miriam Connaughton speaks with Jim O’Gorman, Chief People Officer at Included Health, about designing belonging and connectedness in a distributed healthcare workforce. Jim shares how his team reinvested office savings into ERGs and in-person experiences, how they separate orientation from onboarding, and why psychological safety matters more than ever in a dispersed workforce. From playlists and Slack channels to leadership development and DEI strategy, this episode offers practical guidance on how to build a people-first culture—with intention. Episode Segments: 1. Getting to Know Jim 00:00: From Hulu to healthcare—Jim shares career highlights, personal stories, and a favorite show. 2. Rethinking Belonging 04:53: Why employees feel lonelier than ever—and how we’ve misunderstood engagement. 3. Leading a Remote Culture 08:09: How Included Health uses travel, ERGs, and curated moments to foster connection. 4. Generational Diversity in the Workplace 18:06: What really divides (and unites) different generations—and how to focus on what matters. 5. Onboarding with Purpose 21:31: Why onboarding and orientation should be separate—and how to create early connection. 6. Inclusion & Performance 28:04: Beyond checkboxes—how DEI connects to performance, safety, and true belonging. 7. Equipping Leaders 32:00: Why junior managers are under pressure—and how to support them in a remote world. 8. Tech That Connects 35:11: Using tools like Slack, playlists, and walk-on songs to scale human connection. “We need to stop running from connectedness. Remote work requires more—not less—humanity in how we lead.” – Jim O’Gorman 🔔 Subscribe to the Cohesion Podcast for more expert insights on employee experience, internal communications, and culture. 🌐 Learn more about Simpplr: www.simpplr.com 📎 Connect with Jim: LinkedIn #EmployeeExperience #BelongingAtWork #RemoteLeadership #HybridWorkforce #HealthcareCulture #InternalComms #PeopleStrategy #LeadershipEnablement

In this insightful episode of the Cohesion Podcast, Miriam Connaughton (Chief People Officer at Simpplr) sits down with Edie Goldberg, Ph.D., founder of E. L. Goldberg & Associates and renowned future of work thought leader. With over 30 years of experience in HR strategy, talent management, and organizational effectiveness, Edie has helped countless organizations evolve how they attract, engage, and retain talent. Edie shares why traditional performance management systems fail both employees and organizations — and offers a vision for what she calls performance enablement. Drawing on research, her own practice, and her forthcoming book, she explains why ratings don’t tell the full story, how intrinsic motivation drives better outcomes, and why it’s time to shift from managing people to enabling their best performance. From reframing feedback and recognition to embracing AI-enabled coaching and real-time insights, Edie’s perspective is both bold and practical — ideal for HR leaders, managers, and anyone ready to leave outdated practices behind. If you’re tired of the annual eye-roll that comes with performance reviews, this conversation will inspire you to reimagine what’s possible. Topics Covered: Why traditional performance management systems fail to engage or improve performanceThe unintended consequences of ratings and rankingsHow to shift focus from backward-looking reviews to forward-looking enablementWhy development, recognition, and alignment to purpose matter more than everThe role of managers in fostering culture and performance — and how to equip themHow AI, analytics, and real-time feedback are transforming the fieldEdie’s greatest hope — and fear — for the future of performance management Connect with Edie Goldberg: LinkedIn | elgoldberg.com Subscribe to get the latest conversations on employee experience, change leadership, and internal communications.

In this thought-provoking episode of the Cohesion Podcast, Miriam Connaughton (Chief People Officer at Simpplr) sits down with Gianna Driver, Chief People Officer at Lattice. A serial CPO with deep experience in the tech sector, Gianna brings a fresh perspective to one of HR’s most persistent questions: how should we really be measuring employee experience and performance? With engagement scores stagnating for decades and workforces becoming more distributed and diverse, Gianna challenges conventional wisdom on employee engagement—and explores what might come next. Drawing on data, lived experience, and her people-first philosophy, she shares what she believes leaders should be measuring, and why metrics alone can fail to capture belonging, mental health, and true organizational health. From rethinking engagement surveys to navigating the risks and opportunities of AI in the workplace, this episode is packed with strategic insights and human nuance. If you’re reimagining how to support and measure your people in a hybrid, high-change world, this conversation is for you. Topics Covered: Why employee engagement scores have flatlined for 20 yearsWhat HR teams might measure instead of—or in addition to—engagementHow hybrid and remote work reshape connection and cultureThe generational shifts redefining what employees value mostInsights from the disengaged: what outliers can tell usBalancing AI, analytics, and human empathy in employee experienceMoving from individual-level fixes to systemic, structural solutions Connect with Gianna Driver: LinkedIn Subscribe to get the latest conversations on employee experience, change leadership, and internal communications.

In this inspiring episode of the Cohesion Podcast, Carolyn Clark (VP of Employee Experience Strategy & Transformation at Simpplr) sits down with Sarah Kaplan, Director of Internal Communications at Smarsh. With a unique background in opera performance and a keen instinct for people-first storytelling, Sarah has led major internal transformation at Smarsh—starting from scratch just before a company acquisition and CEO transition. Sarah shares how she evolved the internal comms function from a team of one to a strategic partner to executive leadership. From ruthless prioritization to launching a global employee event across time zones, Sarah’s story is full of practical insights and human depth. If you’re building a comms team, navigating rapid organizational change, or just curious how opera can shape a corporate career—this one’s for you. Topics Covered: Building an internal comms function from zeroBecoming a strategic partner to leadershipBalancing trust with clarity during acquisitions and CEO changeLeading hybrid transitions and global engagement eventsHow performance arts skills translate to leadership and empathy Connect with Sarah Kaplan: LinkedIn Subscribe to get the latest conversations on employee experience, change leadership, and internal communications.

In this episode, we sit down with Kelly Clarke, a seasoned internal communications leader with experience at Cisco, Meta, and Gong, to explore how endurance and empathy power executive presence in times of transformation. With a foundation in PR and a heart for human-centered leadership, Kelly shares how she’s guided companies through crises, culture shifts, and massive change—always with transparency and trust at the core. Simpplr’s Carolyn Clark, VP of Employee Experience Strategy & Transformation, joins the conversation to uncover how internal comms can drive clarity, connection, and courage at every level of an organization. In This Episode, We Cover: 1. Leadership Lessons from Endurance Kelly draws parallels between her long-distance running journey and her leadership style—revealing how consistency, mental toughness, and recovery fuel her ability to lead through complexity. 2. Building Comms Functions in Times of Change From high-growth startups to global tech firms, Kelly shares how she’s built and scaled internal communications during reorgs, rebrands, and remote work pivots—always keeping the employee experience front and center. 3. Coaching Leaders to Show Up Authentically Great comms start with great leadership. Kelly discusses how she partners with executives to cultivate transparency, vulnerability, and intentional messaging—making leaders more relatable and impactful. 4. Life Lessons from Girls on the Run As a coach for Girls on the Run, Kelly reflects on what mentoring young girls taught her about confidence, community, and purpose—and how those same lessons show up in the workplace.

This episode features an interview with Lisa Colella, Managing Director of Strategic Communications & Leadership Advisory at CRA Admired Leadership. With more than 18 years of professional experience, Lisa has worked with clients across agency, consultancy, and in-house settings. Her portfolio spans multiple industries, including fast-moving consumer goods, financial services, healthcare, and more. Previously, she was the Founder and CEO of a boutique consultancy and Global Head of Talent Communications and Marketing at Philips. In this episode, Simpplr’s Vice President of Corporate Communications and Employee Experience Strategy, Carolyn Clark, and Lisa discuss balancing formal and informal communication for effective leadership, the challenges and benefits of integrating AI tools into leadership practices, and how behavioral science and creativity can improve communication strategies. ------------------- “ The people that excel at creating meaning, not just transmitting information, they understand that communication isn't about just town halls and emails. But, really how they show up every day and that there is science to say if they show up in a way that is credible, they're highly competent. That they're likable in one way, shape, or form, generally likable and they are consistent. That they have a frequently and predictable drumbeat of presence that people can create what we call parasocial relationships. Which is, everyone feels like they have a relationship with the CEO, even though they might see them in a town hall once a year.” – Lisa Colella ------------------- Episode Timestamps: *(02:33): Getting to know Lisa *(07:27): Lisa’s career journey *(12:42): Balancing informal and formal communication *(19:12): How psychology influences communication *(32:24): How CRA is navigating the AI space  *(38:29): Blending science and creativity for better communication strategies ------------------- Links: Connect with Lisa on LinkedIn Learn more about CRA Admired Leadership Subscribe to Admired Leadership Field Notes Newsletter Try Alex Subscribe to Confluence Newsletter Connect with Carolyn on LinkedIn Cohesion Podcast About Simpplr

This episode features an interview with Matt Rivera, Chief Marketing Officer at Day & Zimmermann and Gary Sevounts, Chief Marketing Officer at Simpplr. Matt has worked for Day & Zimmermann for 34 years, from payroll administrator to the first person in the marketing department. He leads a diverse team of marketers and communications professionals who contribute to a cohesive, professional and high-performing marketing organization. Gary is a veteran CMO with a track record of building high-growth demand and revenue engines, effective marketing teams, differentiated brands, and establishing categories. Previously, he was CMO at Malwarebytes, Socure, and Equifax’s Identity and Fraud Division. In this episode, Miriam, Matt, and Gary explore the connection between customer experience and employee experience, the importance of authenticity and transparency in storytelling, and leveraging AI to enhance communication and measurement. ------------------- “ With the automation that we have today for the employee experience, you can do that and then transfer it right over into the external marketing. You're tweaking the message. But it's the same types of messaging. It's the same campaigns. We're looking at the same analytics. All of those things really start connecting a lot. I think, in a lot of cases, the employee experience and what you're doing there, if you're doing it right, it's authentic, can really drive some of the marketing stuff too.” – Matt Rivera “ Brand starts internally.  It starts with a mission and starts with the employees believing in why. Why did we start the company? Why are we doing what we're doing all day long? Why are we passionate about it? In the companies that I worked with and I dealt with, when there is that connection and it's genuine, employees become ambassadors. In the companies where that connection doesn't exist, people don't believe it and it’s just words, then it can take a negative turn really quickly.” – Gary Sevounts ------------------- Episode Timestamps: *(02:51): Matt and Gary’s career journeys *(07:01): Getting to know Matt and Gary *(08:41): Exploring the connection between CX and EX *(12:56): The art of great storytelling  *(24:15): Marketing strategies for Internal Communications *(35:36): Leveraging technology for employee engagement ------------------- Links: Connect with Matt on LinkedIn Learn more about Day & Zimmermann Connect with Gary on LinkedIn Connect with Miriam on LinkedIn Cohesion Podcast About Simpplr

This episode features an interview with Pat Wadors, Chief Human Resources Officer at Intuitive, where she leads a global organization responsible for all aspects of the company’s employee experience. Prior to joining Intuitive, Pat was the Chief People Officer at UKG and Procore Technologies. She also held multiple leadership roles at ServiceNow, LinkedIn, and Yahoo! In this episode, Miriam sits down with Pat to discuss her book Unlock Your Leadership Story, the evolution of DEI in the workplace, and the importance of storytelling for fostering connection among employees. ------------------- “ Words may change, but the intent of creating a high-performing, healthy company that can do their thing, be it a service, a product development, innovate, requires diversity of thought. You look at the past and say, ‘If I hire from this school or from this industry, chances of failure of that candidate are reduced.’ But are you hiring the best? Maybe not. You're de-risking, you're not optimizing. If you slow your neurological roll, if you look at exactly what you need in the future, not just for today, you can create a healthier company.” – Pat Wadors ------------------- Episode Timestamps: *(03:55): Getting to know Pat *(06:31): Pat discusses her book Unlock Your Leadership Story *(19:42): Pat breaks down personal scorecards  *(24:12): The evolution of DEI in the workplace  *(28:59): The importance of storytelling in creating connection *(35:56): A lesson Pat learned in her career ------------------- Links: Connect with Pat on LinkedIn Email Pat Visit Pat’s website Order Pat’s Book Unlock Your Leadership Story Connect with Miriam on LinkedIn Cohesion Podcast About Simpplr

This episode features an interview with Keri-Lynn Pajer, Vice President of HR Business Partnerships and Change Initiatives at Agero. Keri-Lynn is a Strategy and Planning Executive with expertise in aligning organizational needs to the delivery of complex business solutions and expanded capabilities. At Agero, she previously served as the Senior Director of Internal Communications and Change Initiatives, and was the Director of Transformation Strategy at Staples.  In this episode, Miriam and Keri-Lynn discuss the importance of listening to employees, the balancing act of integrating AI while maintaining human connections, and the continuous effort to maintain a culture of trust and engagement. ------------------- “ I think the secret sauce is the employee. It's ensuring that you have a really structured, intentional employee listening program. What we like to say here is that we don't ever ask a question that we don't plan on or don't have the ability to make changes to. It's this one small act of change. Understanding what the employee needs and wants and really taking that information and trying to take one small step forward every time you hear something. Communication is a huge part of that.” – Keri-Lynn Pajer ------------------- Episode Timestamps: *(03:07): Getting to know Keri-Lynn *(07:00): Defining and enhancing employee engagement *(09:06): The secret sauce to high engagement *(16:57): Building connectivity and trust *(27:26): Adapting to hybrid and remote work *(35:35): The role of AI in connectivity ------------------- Links: Connect with Keri-Lynn on LinkedIn Learn more about Agero Connect with Miriam on LinkedIn Cohesion Podcast About Simpplr

This episode features an interview with Laura Wall Klieves, Head of People at Malwarebytes. Laura’s career began in automotive advertising before she pivoted to Learning & Development. At Malwarebytes, Laura leads L&D and drives internal communications initiatives by weaving together her knowledge of visual storytelling and learning to elevate the organization's leadership and management teams.  In this episode, Simpplr’s Chief People Officer, Miriam Connaughton and Laura discuss HR trends for 2025. They explore strategies for improving employee engagement post-pandemic, the balance between remote work and return-to-office mandates, and the responsible integration of AI in HR processes. ------------------- “ There is something intangible about being next to another human being, whether they're on your team or on a cross-functional team. There's something about being able to say to, as I call a 3D person, live and in-person, ‘Hey, how are you?’ Those spontaneous connections. We're not dictating five days a week, but we do want to encourage, at least, our managers and our senior leaders to get back into the office a little bit more. The other thing that I think we see, but also I would imagine a lot of companies are seeing, is especially for new employees, that learning about the company, making those initial connections when you first are hired doesn't happen when we're all sitting at home.” – Laura Wall Klieves ------------------- Episode Timestamps: *(04:19): Getting to know Laura *(04:27): Laura’s priorities for 2025 *(07:06): How Laura is approaching return-to-office mandates *(12:46): Strategies for enhancing employee engagement *(24:16): The role of AI in HR *(33:57): Future HR trends and predictions ------------------- Links: Connect with Laura on LinkedIn Connect with Miriam on LinkedIn Cohesion Podcast About Simpplr

This episode features an interview with Donald Knight, Venture Partner at Valor Ventures and Miriam Connaughton, Chief People and Experience Officer at Simpplr. Donald’s expertise is in creating a culture where employees thrive and has a proven track record of constructing scalable global strategies that support international expansion. Miriam utilizes her three decades of HR consulting experience to shape and deliver a great employee experience, through dynamic HR strategies and AI-powered technology. In this episode, Shawn, Donald, and Miriam discuss the concept of high-performance cultures, how fostering human connection and empathy in the workplace can combat loneliness, and the impact of AI on workplace dynamics. ------------------- “Historically, our profession has been rooted on five major time periods. It started because of being administrative in nature. Then from administration, we went into compliance. From compliance, we went into employee satisfaction. From satisfaction, you got companies that are focused on how do they engage their employees, mainly through this lens of productivity. Last, I think the best companies understand that they want people to be fulfilled. If you want people to be fulfilled, you got to recognize that there's plenty of talent at your organization that just isn't. There is a large sentiment of loneliness.” – Donald Knight “If you have lots of people with similar habits, that becomes the culture. It's habit-creating. If managers in general are good at creating psychological safety in an organization and they have a habit of practicing that, then people will generally report that's a cultural trait here. I feel really included and I feel like I can be my authentic self because it's very psychologically safe here. It doesn't just happen because you say it, it happens because people have healthy habits around that on a daily, moment-to-moment basis.” – Miriam Connaughton ------------------- Episode Timestamps: *(02:35): Getting to know Donald and Miriam *(08:46): Being an intentional leader *(17:56): High-Performance Index and the ripple effect *(27:28): Loneliness in the workplace *(46:56): Incentivizing human-centric leadership *(53:29): The role of AI in enhancing employee experience ------------------- Links: Connect with Donald on LinkedIn Follow Donald on Instagram Follow Donald on Threads Email Donald Connect with Miriam on LinkedIn Email Miriam Connect with Shawn on LinkedIn Cohesion Podcast About Simpplr

This episode features an interview with Britt Byers, Executive Vice President of Human Resources North America at Kyowa Kirin. With three decades of experience, Britt has held senior roles in Pharmaceuticals like Sanofi and Novartis, as well as in financial services at Bank of America. She has deep expertise in R&D and global functions as well as Shared Service leadership with oversight for HR Operations. In this episode, Shawn and Britt discuss the importance of authentic and inclusive leadership, strategies for easing employee anxieties, and the power of showing kindness in the workplace. ------------------- “Before you react to something in a meeting or a conversation, or if someone's upset, just be there in the moment. You might have a difference of opinion, but you're just creating a space for the conversation. But it is on leaders, I think, to create the tone that you're not numb to what's happening. You can’t not mention something. Otherwise, you just don't look genuine. You don't look like there's a leader you can trust who's just not acknowledging something that could be an awful environment.” – Britt Byers ------------------- Episode Timestamps: *(02:54): Getting to know Britt *(14:34): The shift from financial services to pharmaceuticals *(18:10): The importance of meaningful work  *(23:01): Leadership themes and enterprise leadership *(27:51): The importance of being kind in the workplace ------------------- Links: Connect with Britt on LinkedIn Learn more about Kyowa Kirin Follow Kyowa Kirin on LinkedIn Connect with Shawn on LinkedIn Cohesion Podcast About Simpplr

This episode features an interview with Ellen Maier, Human Resources Director at Zignaly. Ellen is an experienced HR leader committed to enhancing remote work settings and empowering employees. With a strong background in HR and organizational psychology, she fosters an inclusive and growth-focused culture for the Zignaly team. In this episode, Shawn and Ellen discuss creating trust within a remote team, the importance of personal connections in the workplace, and benefits and practices of being an email-free organization. ------------------- “When you say email-free, it's equal to clutter-free. When you consider you're wasting so much valuable time because, time is money and you also have an amount of energy. The crazy thing is that everyone that works with email, they start reading, checking everything in the morning. Once they finish that, they have no other energy to do anything else. You can miss important information, important updates.” – Ellen Maier ------------------- Episode Timestamps: *(02:12): Getting to know Ellen *(06:39): Building a trusting remote culture at Zignaly  *(22:14): How Zignaly manages an email-free work environment  *(28:51): Strategies for global team management *(37:11): AI in human resources *(41:47): What’s next for Zignaly and Ellen ------------------- Links: Connect with Ellen on LinkedIn Follow Ellen on X Learn more about Zignaly Follow Zignaly on X Connect with Shawn on LinkedIn Cohesion Podcast About Simpplr

This episode features an interview with Sarah Lovelace, Vice President of People at Airbase. Prior to this role, Sarah served as VP of People at Plenty, held various roles at Box, and was a Recruiting Coordinator at Google. In this episode, Shawn sits down with Sarah to discuss adapting leadership to different organizational stages, realistic and meaningful leadership development programs, and challenges and trends in global workforce management. ------------------- “You have to go through all of the seasons and you have to go through the reviews, you have to go through having a first hard conversation with an employee. Sometimes there's just not a time limit on that. I think, ultimately, those L&D programs sometimes aim to fast track that. But, I have truly found the best value is again, getting to know managers.” – Sarah Lovelace ------------------- Episode Timestamps: *(01:58): Getting to know Sarah *(07:52): Sarah’s leadership style at Airbase  *(24:17): Strategies for measuring organizational trust  *(31:23): Values that drive the People team at Airbase  *(35:56): How Airbase develops leaders  *(42:28): Future challenges for People teams ------------------- Links: Connect with Sarah on LinkedIn Connect with Shawn on LinkedIn Cohesion Podcast About Simpplr

This episode features an interview with Brady Pyle, Chief HR & Inclusion Officer at Space Center Houston. Over a 30-year federal career, Brady held various HR leadership roles at NASA, including HR Director for the Johnson Space Center and Director of HR Services, earning two NASA Outstanding Leadership Medals. In 2013, Brady created his leadership blog, OutOfThisWorldLeadership.com, which now ranks among Feedspot’s Top 100 Leadership Blogs. In this episode, Shawn and Brady discuss how space exploration's unique challenges shape forward-thinking organizational strategies, strategies for cultivating internal talent and establishing robust leadership pipelines, and utilizing AI in leadership and employee development. ------------------- “When leaders are moving from individual contributors to leadership roles, a lot of times they were selected because they're the technical expert. They're the smartest person in the room. We had to teach them as you move into that role, you've got to train yourself to use coaching skills, to ask questions. Because if you're constantly giving answers, you're not going to grow the capacity of the team. You're the team's lid. If you want to grow technical expertise in your function and in your field, those are the people we want in our management and leadership positions. You're asking questions, you're developing those creative solutions from your team. The role becomes more of coaching and facilitation and less of giving the answer.” – Brady Pyle ------------------- Episode Timestamps: *(02:56): Getting to know Brady *(16:21): Leadership development strategies  *(27:02): Implementing effective recognition programs *(32:35): Building trust in leadership  *(42:44): Differences between NASA and Space Center Houston *(45:43): The role of AI in leadership development ------------------- Links: Connect with Brady on LinkedIn Follow Brady on X Learn more about Space Center Houston Read Brady’s blog Connect with Shawn on LinkedIn Cohesion Podcast About Simpplr

This episode features an interview with Athena Aktipis, author of A Field Guide to the Apocalypse: A Mostly Serious Guide to Surviving Our Wild Times. She is also an Associate Professor in the Department of Psychology at Arizona State University, director of the Cooperation and Conflict Lab and co-director of the Human Generosity Project, the first large-scale collaborative project to investigate the interrelationship between biological and cultural influences on human generosity. Athena also created and co-hosts the Zombified Podcast. In this episode, Shawn sits down with Athena to discuss the dynamics of need-based transfers in societies, the study of zombification, and strategies for building trust in communities. ------------------- “Oftentimes in more corporate settings, it's easy to forget how important feelings of autonomy are for building anything lasting. You can make somebody do something in the short-term because you're like, ‘This is part of your job. You won't get paid if you don't do this, et cetera.’ But if you want to create trust, create a bond, create a foundation for long-term or even medium-term future productivity and innovation and all of that, people have to feel, I think, individually empowered and autonomous in how they're associating with the people who they are working with.” – Athena Aktipis ------------------- Episode Timetamps: *(02:52): Getting to know Athena *(09:21): Athena dives into cooperation *(18:36): What inspired Athena to study zombification and write A Field Guide to the Apocalypse *(32:51): How the idea of cooperation translates the workplace *(35:13): Athena’s recommendations for building trust  *(41:14): Other takeaways from Athena’s book ------------------- Links: Connect with Athena on LinkedIn Read A Field Guide to the Apocalypse Listen to Zombified podcast Learn more about The Apocalypse Roadshow Learn more about Zombified Media Learn more about the Zombie Apocalypse Medicine Meeting Visit Athena’s website Read The Cheating Cell Follow Athena on Instagram Follow The Apocalypse Roadshow on Instagram Connect with Shawn on LinkedIn Cohesion Podcast  

This episode features an interview with Shaun Randol, Founder of Mister Editorial, a mixternal communications newsletter. Shaun has spent a large portion of his career piloting communications for international companies such as Bloomberg and BlackRock. In this episode, Shawn and Shaun discuss the myth of planning in storytelling, the importance of adapting to new technologies, and maintaining a strategic perspective on the evolution of communications work. ------------------- “I think those of us who have 10 to 15 years left in their career, can't ignore [AI]. They should embrace it, learn to use it. Dial in to one or two tools or use cases and become deeply expert at it immediately. Change comms, multimedia, photography, graphics, storytelling, whatever it is. Pick one or two because there's many of them out there and just get known for it as soon as possible, because that expertise will be needed.” – Shaun Randol ------------------- Episode Timestamps: *(02:26): Getting to know Shaun *(09:12): Where Shaun stands today on AI replacing people *(14:19): How technology changes the way we communicate *(18:45): Shaun’s opinion on slowing down generative AI *(29:36): Shaun’s advice for comms professionals using AI *(35:44): Other ways comms professionals can embrace AI ------------------- Links: Connect with Shaun on LinkedIn Connect with Shawn on LinkedIn Cohesion Podcast

This episode features an interview with Stephen M.R. Covey, author of The Speed of Trust and Co-founder of FranklinCovey’s Global Trust Practice. He is a sought-after international speaker, who has taught trust and leadership to business, government, military, education, healthcare, and NGO entities. As the former President and CEO of the Covey Leadership Center, Stephen increased shareholder value by 67 times and grew the company to become the largest leadership development firm in the world.  In this episode, Shawn sits down with Stephen to discuss the foundational concepts of trust and leadership, practical strategies for enabling authenticity, and the importance of having a growth mindset. Hear more from Stephen when he participates in the World Business Forum this October! ------------------- “The style of leadership that maybe has taken us to where we are today in a different world, is not going to be where we need to go tomorrow in a new world of remote work and hybrid work and intentionally flexible work with younger generations. Gen Z have a completely different expectation of how they want to be engaged and led. With work becoming far more collaborative and interdependent and with technology changing, disrupting everything with AI, with all these things happening, we need a new way to lead in a new world of work. Maybe command and control got us to where we are today, but trust and inspire is what's going to take us to where we need to go tomorrow.” – Stephen M.R. Covey ------------------- Episode Timestamps: *(03:32): Getting to know Stephen *(13:14): The reciprocity of trust  *(26:37): Building stewardship agreements  *(31:22): Trust and inspire vs. command and control  *(41:49): Authenticity and vulnerability in leadership *(54:06): The need for a growth mindset ------------------- Links: Learn more about FranklinCovey’s Global Trust Practice Connect with Stephen on LinkedIn Follow Stephen on X Follow Stephen on Instagram Connect with Shawn on LinkedIn Cohesion Podcast

This episode features an interview with Rachel Happe, Founder and Digital Workplace, Organization, and Community Strategist at Engaged Organizations. She started Engaged Organizations to focus on helping organizations adapt to new technologies and accelerate knowledge supply chains while improving trust, transparency, and agility. She is a sought after speaker and expert on the impact of technology on engagement, relationships, and culture and has keynoted at several digital workplace conferences. In this episode, Shawn and Rachel discuss treating employees as assets rather than machines, rewarding human contributions, and valuing emotional and social aspects in the workplace. ------------------- “We still have this mechanistic system and the human system, and we're still treating humans like machines. I wrote a post a while back, because I was getting really annoyed reading about how AI could help employees. It was all like, ‘It can do these 10 tasks for you.’ And I'm like, ‘If that's all we are, we should go home.’ It's the mindset of what we think employees or people's  value is. The example I use in presentations is diamonds. Why are diamonds valuable? They're rocks. De Beers made them mean something. You know who can't make something mean something to somebody else? AI. The value of people is activating other people. And value is meaning.” – Rachel Happe ------------------- Episode Timestamps: *(02:20): Getting to know Rachel *(10:27): Rachel’s career background *(15:42): Employees are not machines *(21:50): How to calculate the value of community *(32:21): The role of AI in community  *(42:39): The current and future state of valuing humans ------------------- Links: Connect with Rachel on LinkedIn Learn more about Engaged Organizations Email Rachel Read Ed Zitron’s They’re Looting The Internet Connect with Shawn on LinkedIn Cohesion Podcast

This episode features an interview with Sandy Gould, Chief People Officer at Pinwheel. Sandy has nearly three decades of experience in human resources and talent acquisition. He has worked for companies like Disney and Yahoo where he led recruitment and diversity efforts. Sandy’s mission in life is to help people unleash their super powers and lead with authenticity.  In this episode, Shawn sits down with Sandy to discuss strategies for building company culture, insights into building trust and fostering psychological safety, and injecting humanity into HR. ------------------- “There is one mission for HR, and I can state it in three words. Amplify everything human. That's our job. If it's helping the CEO understand and have empathy with their employees, if it's helping the employees decode the CEO and executives, yes, we should do that. Helping to amplify and enhance your relationship skills, your communication skills, your connection, your problem solving, anything. How you think, training, learning, resources, strategy, you name it, we should be amplifying every part of it that's human. But, we are not there to be a substitute. There is no substitute for direct relationships and direct communication and direct feedback.” – Sandy Gould ------------------- Episode Timestamps: *(02:32): Getting to know Sandy *(09:02): Building company culture  *(14:41): Sandy’s take on superpowers *(26:55): Creating trust and authenticity *(34:10): The challenges of authenticity  *(47:23): How to scale authenticity in an organization ------------------- Links: Connect with Sandy on LinkedIn Connect with Shawn on LinkedIn Cohesion Podcast