The Modern People Leader

I can’t believe it’s been over two weeks since our first MPL Live in Austin! So much has happened since then, including the whirlwind that is HR Tech conference (more on that soon). We are super grateful to have brought together 65+ HR practitioners and community members for such meaningful conversations, and we couldn’t be prouder of what we accomplished together. Here’s a quick recap of what we shared in Austin: ✨ 4 amazing guest speakers who set the bar high for future MPL Live events 🤝 3 ‘random’ facts that helped us connect on a deeper level 🎙️ 2 energizing podcast episodes recorded on topics that matter 🌟 1 word that captured each of our individual purposes Bottom line: the event exceeded our expectations! And now, we’re excited to announce that early bird ticket sales for MPL Live - Miami are officially open! 🎉 Our vision is for each live event to embody the spirit of the city we visit, and we can't wait to bring that energy to Miami on Tuesday, December 10. 💃🏽 In the coming weeks, we’ll be sharing details about our amazing lineup of guests, a phenomenal group of sponsors, and some really exciting discussion topics. So, if you missed out on our first event or just love the sound of Miami in December, now’s your chance! Check out the registration link in the comments below. We can’t wait to see y’all there! 🌴

How Zebra Technologies Builds Culture Want to know how to build a culture that sticks? Here’s how Zebra Technologies does it: 2014: A 2-day face-to-face cultural deep dive. Think: intense workshops, full immersion. Today: Still immersive, but a bit more manageable. Every new hire goes through "Zebra Foundations"—a few hours focused on cultural training. Everyone else? They do a "cultural reinvigoration session," designed to keep the culture alive and evolving. What makes it different? You don’t just sit and listen—you get hands-on. Here’s an example: Teams are given puzzle pieces, but they don't match up. To solve it, you’re forced to trade, collaborate, and problem-solve with others. You can’t complete it alone. It’s a simple activity with a big message: culture is built through shared experiences and working as one. The outcome: These experiences create a common thread that ties everyone together. Culture isn't just a concept you read in a handbook—it's something you live every day. ____ 📬 For more HR tips, sign up for our newsletter in the comments. #CompanyCulture #HR #Leadership #MPLPodcast #ZebraTechnologies

Here’s how Nicole Hughey thinks we need to rethink DE&I: It starts with the conversation. While DE&I is often seen as a journey, Nicole argues that real change begins with deeper discussions. She reflects: "We've made little change in many aspects of what this work is really about. DE&I, as a construct under HR conversations, is limited. We have to find new ways to connect people to what we’re really talking about." The missing piece? The human element. We’ve heard the business case for DE&I a thousand times, but Nicole points out that data alone won’t drive change. It’s the heart of the conversation that makes people think, “I never thought about it that way.” She believes organizations need to create judgment-free spaces for genuine dialogue, where people can truly understand each other’s perspectives. DE&I: A continuous effort. Nicole reminds us that the core of DE&I work remains the same, even though trends come and go. "We've been talking about this for 25 years, and we'll probably continue for another 25. Leaders and companies must recognize the value of having dedicated people and resources to drive this work forward." The challenge: How committed are you? Nicole also calls out companies that scaled back their DE&I efforts after the initial surge post-2020. She challenges employees and job seekers to dig deeper and ask tough questions: "I'm not just looking at data; I’m looking for evidence. Are people happy? Are they growing and developing?" — What’s your take? How do you keep the heart of DE&I work alive in your organization? For more insights like this, 📬 sign up for our newsletter in the comments! #DEI #HR #Leadership #MPLPodcast

HR’s Moment of Hope: Is Change on the Horizon? 🌅 Attending the The Modern People Leader Live Podcast event in Austin a couple of weeks ago was such a meaningful experience. It was more than just a gathering of HR professionals—it was a space of genuine connection and inspiration. 🌟There was a recurring sense of hope in the room. From exploring the use of AI in HR to creating more human-centered approaches to performance reviews, compensation practices and employee engagement, the conversation felt both timely and necessary. I was reminded of how essential it is to build community. Change can be daunting, but the energy in the room made it clear: we’re not in this alone. 🙌 Huge thanks to the The Modern People Leader (Stephen Huerta & Daniel Huerta) the panel speakers (David Hanrahan, Katie Burke, Gianna Driver, Jessica Z.) and all the amazing attendees (just to shout out a few (sorry to those I missed): Shelby Wolpa, Robyn Rodriguez, SPHR, Marlene A., Angela L. Shaw SHRM-SCP SPHR, Brian Vogel, John Adcock, Rebecca Lundquist, Sophie Li, CSM, CPC, SPHR, Michelle Engfer, SHRM-SCP) for fostering such an insightful dialogue. Let’s continue to lift each other up and move HR forward together! #HRLeadership #Community #HR

5 Lessons we learned from Brené Brown on MPL ⬇️ 1️⃣ Leadership Isn’t for the Faint of Heart Brené kept it real. "I have three to ten brutally difficult conversations a day as a leader," she said. Fear isn’t the issue—it's the armor we wear to shield ourselves from fear. In Dare to Lead, Brené distinguishes between daring leadership and armored leadership. She reminds us: "We're all afraid all the time," but our armor prevents courage. The challenge? Take off the armor, confront fear, and make decisions rooted in values. Brené says leadership is tough, constant work that requires resilience: it’s like “every day is leg day." 2️⃣ Metacognition = Self-Awareness Superpower Brené brought up a concept: metacognition. The ability to view yourself objectively, with humility, is foundational for meaningful conversations. She shared how metacognition plays out in the workplace—if there’s tension in a decision, it’s not just about questioning the choice but acknowledging your internal stories and biases. "The story I'm making up," Brené said, "is that you're less curious and more judgmental." Self-reflection like this is crucial for authentic, productive dialogue. 3️⃣ When Stories Clash, No One Wins Brené’s coach, Courtney Smith, taught her that arguments devolving into story vs. story—“Here’s what happened, no this is what happened”—lead nowhere. The only irrefutable fact? How someone felt. Brené learned that arguing over details doesn’t resolve anything. Validating emotions over debating facts creates a path to understanding and resolution. 4️⃣ Excellence versus Perfection Leadership, to Brené, is like packing parachutes—if you pack 100 and only 90 work, 10 people still fall. The line between excellence and perfectionism is thin, and balancing decisiveness with curiosity is a daily challenge. “Two things can be true,” she noted: You can have a great person who might not have the skillset needed. Leadership requires facing tough paradoxes and decisions, and it's often a lonely place. 5️⃣ Creating Space Between Stimulus and Response Quoting a line often misattributed to Viktor Frankl, Brené says: "Between stimulus and response, there's a space. And in that space lies the power of choice." For leaders, finding that space is everything. Slowing down, creating space, and addressing underlying issues isn’t just mentally taxing—it’s vital. If you can’t find that space, you can’t lead. 👉 Check out the full episode in the comments!

How to Create the Best Onboarding Experience Ever The last company I worked for completely nailed onboarding. Here's what they did: T-19 days: email from IT on when I should expect to receive my company swag, my computer, and other logistics T-18 days: email from my manager checking in and letting me know they were around if I had any questions T-3 days: email introducing me to my onboarding buddy (an employee that they paired me with) that helped me through my first few weeks T-2 days: email from manager with onboarding info and my schedule for Day 1 T-1 days: email from IT with info on how to login and configure my laptop All before I even started. — Day 1: * Logged into my computer and my calendar was pre-loaded with recurring team meetings, manager 1x1s, and meetups scheduled for the next 30 days * There was a company-wide welcome call where all the new hires were introduced. Each of us shared our favorite childhood movie * We had an IT setup call outlining everything we needed to complete * I had a meetup with my onboarding buddy * Someone from the HR team walked us through a “culture session” * I had my first manager 1x1 Days 2-9: a series of actually delightful meetings with important C-suite execs. The most memorable of which was with our CEO, Laszlo Bock. He said: "Your 1st 30 days here, you have nothing to prove. You've already proven that you should be here because we have a very rigorous interview process. So for these first 30 days, try to meet as many people as possible, try to learn as much as you possibly can about the business, and don't worry about proving anything. And so that was just like the start of the onboarding." Day 10: "Graduation” in front of the entire company where managers showered new hires with compliments and accomplishments you’ve made in the first couple of weeks. You also get an email from your direct team and quotes from each of them thanking you for something that you've helped them with. — That was more than 2 years ago. But it stuck with me because it genuinely made me feel welcomed, supported, and excited to be part of the company. What great onboarding experiences have you gone through? For more HR tips, sign up for our newsletter in the comments.

After selling my engagement survey startup in April 2023, I found myself at a crossroads, a bit lost and uncertain about what I wanted to do next. I didn't have many answers, but I knew one thing— my network could help me find a path forward. I'm soooo grateful for the amazing people in my life who stepped up to help me during this period. While there are too many to mention, a few key conversations stand out now, looking back: 💡Andrew Bartlow and Q Hamirani introduced me to the concept of "ikigai," which offered a guiding light. 💡Adam Ward provided a practical framework to help me identify what I'm great at and what truly excites me (ie, sifting through all my thoughts). 💡Cara Brennan Allamano challenged me to consider the non-HR related skills I had developed as an entrepreneur, e.g., growth marketing, product, etc. With half of my career spent as an HR practitioner and the other half as an entrepreneur in HR, I realized that HR is what I know well. And my passion for collaborating with product and growth teams in HR Tech was the perfect foundation to build upon. In April, I shifted my focus to growth consulting for early-stage, HR tech startups with a founder-led sales motion. My belief? That by connecting founders with the true needs of HR leaders, we will all have better products and solutions for the HR community. Fast forward to this summer - I shared the work I was doing with my initial clients and my vision with Daniel Huerta. By merging my growth consulting under The Modern People Leader, we could expand our positive impact on the HR ecosystem. Daniel loved it. So, we're thrilled to announce my new, formal role as GM of MPL Grow. We partner with HR tech startups that are interested in launching a modern growth playbook. I couldn't be more excited to join Daniel full time and help take this business to the next level! As an aside, it has also been super interesting to see my favorite Steve Job's quote apply again in my life: “You can't connect the dots looking forward; you can only connect them looking backwards. So you have to trust that the dots will somehow connect in your future” See the link in the comments below to learn more about MPL Grow. 💬 #MPLGrow #GrowthConsulting #ModernPeopleLeader #Ikigai #hrtech #worktech #hrcommunity

Catch the latest episode from MPL Live Austin featuring Katie Burke (Former CPO, HubSpot) and Gianna Driver (Chief People Officer, Lattice) We talked about the current state of HR, generational differences in the workforce, and how AI is impacting organizations. No time to listen? No worries—check out the highlights below. ⬇️

Jessica Johannson (CHRO, Canada Goose) explained how the "power law" principle shows that only 10-20% of employees drive the majority of an organization's success. However, traditional performance reviews often fail to properly recognize these critical contributors. That's why Canada Goose decided to test out organizational network analysis (ONA). Here's how it works: ONA asks all employees to fill out a survey with questions like "who inspires you?", "who do you believe is making an outstanding impact?", "who do you go to for help and advice?", and "who needs additional support?" This reveals the real workplace networks and impact of each person. As Jess explained, ONA spotlights the "quiet doers" - the unsung heroes who get shit done without tooting their own horn. And it eliminates stacked ranking and promotion caps. The result? Better alignment, empowerment, and tracking of what matters. Employees have clarity into priorities while leaders understand true performance. ____ 🔔 Get more insights like this delivered directly to your inbox. Sign up for our weekly newsletter in the comments.

Any The Modern People Leader fans out there? 🖐️ A couple of weeks ago, we sponsored the first ever MPL Live in Austin. Daniel and Stephen hosted a great event with HR leaders from all over. The first session of the event is now available on their podcast and you don't want to miss it (link in the comments). Katie Burke, Former CPO at HubSpot & Gianna Driver, CPO at Lattice discuss the current state of HR, generational differences in the workforce, and how AI is impacting organizations. Give it a listen and ket us know what you think of the ad from your favorite compensation and headcount planning software. 😎 🔗 Link in comments