What It Really Takes to Lead a People-First Company with Kate O’Neil
Description
How can companies truly build a people-first culture?
What happens when leadership prioritizes customers but neglects employees?
Why is bad management one of the biggest problems in tech today—and how do we fix it?
Those are the three big topics we’re covering in this episode of GTM News Desk. Kate O’Neil, CEO of Opre, joins us to discuss what it really takes to lead with a people-first mindset, the structural challenges holding companies back, and the investments in leadership that actually move the needle.
Jump into the action:
(00:00 ) Welcome to GTM News Desk
(01:15 ) What companies get wrong about people-first leadership
(05:08 ) How leadership failures impact employees and company culture
(07:16 ) AI voice technology: The next challenge in people-first business
(10:43 ) How AI-generated voices could reshape leadership training
(14:02 ) Why bad management is tech’s biggest problem
(19:01 ) The truth about building a people-first go-to-market strategy
(23:14 ) How investing in managers drives better business outcomes
(27:52 ) The long-term value of leadership training in high-growth companies
(30:50 ) Exclusive content preview and closing thoughts
To hear Kate's insights on people-first leadership, the biggest management challenges in tech, and how companies can invest in better leadership development, check out the extended conversation on TACK Insider: https://tackinsider.com/
Connect with Kate O’Neil: https://www.linkedin.com/in/oneilkate/
Our sources from today’s headlines:
Segment 1: https://gamma.app/docs/a16z-AI-Voice-Update-2025--ttkorld8iy6wfnj?mode=doc
Segment 2: https://www.cnbc.com/2025/02/06/peloton-pton-q2-2025-earnings.html
Produced in partnership with: https://shareyourgenius.com/