The People Managing People Podcast

The People Managing People Podcast: inspiring people leaders, managers, and HR Professionals.

Basic Member

Recent Guest

Carolyn Stern

Latest Episodes

Why Your AI Strategy Needs HR From Day Zero

Why Your AI Strategy Needs HR From Day Zero

If your organization still views HR as the compliance cops standing by to squash complaints about an AI mandate, this episode is going to upend that thinking. David sits down with Tim Fisher—Head of AI at Black & White Zebra and longtime observer of organizational behavior—to dissect the real challenge of AI adoption in business. What he’s learned from being an “HR outsider” is simple but staggering: most companies are treating AI like a tech rollout when the real work is massive human change at scale—the kind of transformation HR has always lived in, even if others failed to notice.

From the cavernous disconnect between what HR is being asked to do with AI and what they’re actually equipped to do, to why HR leaders must be at the table before strategy is set (not as cleanup crew), today’s conversation strips away the myth of AI as just another productivity tool. Tim and David map the human, technical, and leadership gaps that are shaping every AI effort today—and why success in 2026 will look nothing like a rushed compliance sprint.

Related Links:

Support the show

How Microcultures and Mental Fitness Are Redefining People Strategy

How Microcultures and Mental Fitness Are Redefining People Strategy

You can count system uptime down to six decimal places and predict when a machine will fail — but when it comes to your employees, you’re flying blind. You track turnover, burnout rates, engagement scores — but those are all lagging indicators, the wreckage after the crash. You’ve no real idea what’s happening beneath the surface: who’s sliding into despair, clutching exhaustion, or on the edge of burnout. If you wait until the metrics hit “bad,” it’s already too late.

Today’s guest, John Moore, pulls back the curtain: “state of mind” isn’t fuzzy, academic fluff — it’s the most predictive risk factor you've been ignoring. And if you treat your workforce like a homogeneous mass, you’ll keep missing the parts that matter: the micro‑cultures. Because what actually shapes behavior is not enterprise‑wide culture slogans, but the day‑to‑day dynamic between a manager and their team.

Related Links:

Support the show

Building Confidence and Imagination in the Age of AI

Building Confidence and Imagination in the Age of AI

Most leaders are waiting for a perfect AI strategy. Meanwhile, their teams are already experimenting — just not out in the open. Charlene Li joins me to talk about the real blockers to AI adoption inside organizations, and it’s not the tech. It’s fear, control, and a lack of imagination.

We unpack why chasing ROI misses the point, how cultural mindsets shape our fears, and what it really takes to build AI fluency across your team — starting with yourself. If you’re still stuck in “pilot mode,” this conversation is your wake-up call.

Related Links:

Support the show

The Hidden Costs of Poor AI Adoption (And Who Should Fix It)

The Hidden Costs of Poor AI Adoption (And Who Should Fix It)

Your AI tools aren’t failing because the technology is bad — they’re failing because your organisation wasn’t ready. The real issue isn’t the model. It’s the mismatch between how machines operate and how humans work. And the result? Millions sunk into tools that don’t get used, don’t earn trust, or quietly increase complexity instead of reducing it.

In this conversation with David Swanagon, founder of the Machine Leadership Journal, we unpack a three-dimensional model that finally explains what’s going wrong. We explore why traditional leadership traits don’t map to AI innovation, why your CHRO needs a seat at the AI strategy table, and how the real challenge of AI is cultural, not technical. If you’ve been treating AI adoption like a tech rollout, it’s time to rethink — fast.

Related Links:

Support the show

How to Prepare Your Workforce to Lead and Collaborate with AI

How to Prepare Your Workforce to Lead and Collaborate with AI

If you’re looking for a quick how‑to on rolling out AI in your org and actually seeing adoption—not just flashy pilots—you’ll want to stick with today’s episode. Glen Cathey joins us to get real about what it takes to move from “hey, we launched a chatbot” to a workforce that defaults to AI, and why most companies trip themselves up at the starting line.

We peel back the usual “let’s train everyone” playbook and instead ask: what happens when leadership doesn’t live what it preaches? How do you build habits, not just certifications? And how do you get everybody (yes, including your tenured folks) to think of AI as a real teammate instead of a toy? Expect a mix of hard truths, practical frameworks, and a few punches at our collective complacency.

Related Links:

Support the show

AI, Trust, and the Future of Leadership: What We’re Getting Wrong

AI, Trust, and the Future of Leadership: What We’re Getting Wrong

We’re at a tipping point. The promise of AI to amplify human judgment and creativity is here—but too many organizations are instead using it as a surveillance tool, and in doing so, they’re sending a message: “We don’t trust you.” Amy Centers walks us through what’s really at stake when leaders outsource tough decisions to algorithms, when productivity becomes presence, when brain‑states and nervous systems are treated as afterthoughts. If you’re leading people right now, this episode is your wake‑up call: you can’t just automate the work—you have to humanize it.

We dig into the trust gap between organizations and workers, the erosion of judgment when AI becomes a crutch, and what a next‑generation model of work looks like when it’s built around energy cycles, meaning and human capacity—not over‑attendance and endless context‑switching.

Related Links:

Support the show

What AI Will — and Won’t — Replace in People Analytics

What AI Will — and Won’t — Replace in People Analytics

AI won’t replace 90% of what a strong people analytics team delivers. But what exactly is in that 90%—and how long will it stay out of reach? Roxanne Laczo (Head of People Analytics at Cloudflare), Cole Napper (VP of Research, Innovation & Talent Insights at Lightcast), and Noelle London (Founder and CEO of Illoominus) join David for a grounded roundtable on what AI can and can’t do in HR today.

This isn’t a breathless tour of shiny tools. It’s a candid look at the real dynamics reshaping the people analytics function: the transactional work being automated, the strategic work that still demands human context, and the business acumen gap that could soon define who stays relevant—and who doesn’t.

Related Links:

Support the show

Surveillance, Burnout, and Pickup Lines? The Realities of AI in the Workplace

Surveillance, Burnout, and Pickup Lines? The Realities of AI in the Workplace

We’ve reached the point where “AI in HR” isn’t just a buzzword—it’s a mandate. But with every vendor promising a smarter, faster, more predictive future, it’s getting harder to tell the difference between innovation and smoke and mirrors. In this episode, Alana Fallis and I go deep on how to navigate the noise: What should you actually invest in? How do you build real AI readiness, not just compliance theater? And how do you make sure your “data-driven” decisions don’t quietly erode employee trust?

We also tackle the people-and-technology dilemmas that HR leaders are facing right now. From scaling culture without losing soul, to drawing red lines on surveillance and privacy, to the sheer absurdity of AI-generated workplace flirtation—we’re not short on material. These aren’t hypotheticals. They’re real, messy, and urgent. Let’s get into it.

Related Links:

Support the show

AI Readiness Starts with Documentation: Lessons from Remote Work

AI Readiness Starts with Documentation: Lessons from Remote Work

If you’re out there being told to slap AI tools onto everything and call it “digital transformation,” this episode is your reality check. I sat down with Darren Murph—yes, the remote‑work oracle behind GitLab’s all‑remote strategy—to pull back the curtain on what needs to exist before you ever type “chatbot” or “LLM integration” into your roadmap.

We dug into why good documentation isn’t optional anymore, why remote‑work lessons are now directly relevant to AI adoption, and how companies who rushed ahead without building infrastructure are setting themselves up for a trust disaster. In short: if your data, your knowledge systems, your culture aren’t ready for AI, this technology is not your solution—it’s your liability.

Related Links:

Support the show

Bio of The People Managing People Podcast

The People Managing People Podcast features guests with diverse backgrounds and aims to inspire people leaders, managers, and HR professionals. Covering a range of topics, including the future of work, employee engagement, retention, leadership development, workplace culture, and productivity, the podcast offers valuable insights for managing and leading teams effectively.

The podcast's guests include best-selling authors, culture innovators, and thought leaders, who share their expertise and experiences on how to create a thriving workplace culture. By exploring these topics in-depth, listeners can gain practical strategies for building amazing workplaces.

With a focus on how to lead and build great workplaces, the People Managing People Podcast offers a wealth of knowledge for professionals seeking to stay up-to-date on the latest trends and best practices in workplace management. By listening to the podcast, professionals in people management can learn from the best in the business and take their leadership skills to the next level.

Influence of The People Managing People Podcast

81 Podcast episodes

Similar Podcasts

Podcasts

United States

"Product Marketing Life" is brought to you by the Product Marketing Alliance.

Podcasts

United States

"Product Magic - Stories from everyday product makers" is a monthly podcast hosted by Ronke Majekodunmi.

Podcasts

Australia

Dental Protection Australia podcast, hosted by the Dental Protection advisory team.

"The Midlife Mentors" is a podcast hosted by a team of individuals.

Podcasts

United States

The Standout Business Show is a dynamic podcast hosted by Brad Powell.

Startup107, hosted by Sumit Patil.

''Marketplace Tech'' podcast, hosted by the Marketplace Tech staff.

Podcasts

Canada

Mindful Strength, hosted by Kathryn Bruni-Young.

Podcasts

United States

The Smart Passive Income Online Business and Blogging Podcast, hosted by Pat Flynn.

back-to-top