REPLAY: High Performance, Low Engagement: An Overlooked Business Risk
HR Superstars
High performers are often seen as the ones you don’t have to worry about. But behind consistent output and quiet competence, there can be early signs of burnout and disengagement. In this episode, joins to challenge how companies define top talent and why performance without support leads to retention risk. Melanie, Chief People Officer at Ethena, shares a candid perspective on why high performers need more than praise. They need space to grow, permission to speak up, and help rewiring habits that no longer serve them. Together, they explore how over-reliance on top talent can backfire,...
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Breaking the Mold & Making Bold Moves in 2026 With Crystal Boysen
HR Superstars
If HR wants to evolve, doing things the same way year after year won’t cut it. Change requires bold, new strategies. In this episode of HR Superstars, is joined by , Chief People Officer at , to challenge traditional HR thinking around risk, planning, and employee value. Crystal discusses why fear-based policies and over-engineered processes create friction instead of trust. She also shares how HR leaders can design systems that help people move faster, with more clarity and confidence. She explains why strategy often fails, not because the plan is wrong, but because organizations...
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Demystifying Data: A Practical Guide for HR Leaders With Dieter Veldsman
HR Superstars
If you’re in HR, you’re already working with data, whether you realize it or not. Every time you spot a pattern, have a feedback conversation, or reflect on team dynamics, you’re using data to make decisions. In this episode, , Chief HR Scientist at , shares ways HR leaders can feel more confident using data in their everyday decisions. He explains what it means to be data-led and why it has nothing to do with being technical. You'll learn how to ask better questions, focus on what matters, and use data to bring more clarity to conversations with executives and your team. This episode is...
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Intelligent AI Starts with Quality Data With Nelson Spencer
HR Superstars
Everyone is rushing into AI, but few teams are preparing their data well enough to truly benefit from it. This episode features a recorded session from Thrive 2025. Guest host , VP of Platform and Product Marketing at 15Five, sits down with , Founder & CEO of , to discuss the data foundations HR needs before bringing AI into daily work. Nelson explains how large language models function and how centralizing data can help HR shift from reactive reporting to forward-looking insights. If you want AI to support faster decision-making and better performance outcomes, this session gives you a...
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Humanity and Productivity Aren’t Opposites With Jordan Peace
HR Superstars
Too many leaders still separate people and performance, as if caring about one cancels out the other. In this episode, CEO and co-founder joins to challenge that mindset. He explains how trust and genuine care empower people to do great work. Together, they explore what happens when organizations lose their sense of humanity, how fear and disconnection create cynicism, and why rebuilding culture starts with small acts of kindness. Jordan also shares how HR leaders can use data and storytelling to get executives to prioritize employee well-being as a key driver of an organization’s...
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Why Great HR Leaders Are Great Storytellers With Karina Young
HR Superstars
We talk a lot about strategy in HR, but not enough about the stories behind it. Too often, people-first initiatives lose their power because the “why” gets buried under data, process, and policy. In this minisode, , VP of People at and host of HR Superstars, discusses why storytelling is one of the most overlooked skills in HR leadership. She shares how storytelling makes sense of data, experience, and business decisions and how HR leaders can use stories to earn buy-in for initiatives across the organization. For anyone looking to strengthen their communication skills, this episode...
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AI That Helps HR Go From Insight to Impact With Anthony Onesto and Theresa Fesinstine
HR Superstars
AI can give HR leaders what they’ve always wanted: more time to focus on people, not paperwork. In this episode, chats with and about how people leaders can confidently adopt AI without losing the human side of leadership. They discuss what most teams get wrong about AI, how to start small without fear, and why a curious mindset matters more than being tech-savvy. Anthony and Theresa speak candidly about the pressure to move quickly, the fear of falling behind, and the importance of HR leading the AI conversation rather than reacting to it. This episode offers an honest look at how AI...
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Becoming Powerfully Likeable: How HR Leaders Build Confidence and Influence With Kate Mason
HR Superstars
HR leaders hold immense responsibility but too often lack the authority and confidence to match. In this episode, executive communications coach and world-champion debater joins to explore how leaders can use everyday conversations to earn trust and build influence. Kate is the author of Powerfully Likable and has coached executives across industries on how to communicate with confidence. Kate shares practical tools to avoid diminishing language, how to make competence visible through intentional communication, and why signposting creates calm and credibility. She and Karina also discuss the...
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The Future of HR Is Already Here with Loren Blandon
HR Superstars
The future of work is already here, so why does HR still feel stuck in the past? Despite rising expectations, many HR teams are still relying on outdated tools like annual surveys, rigid change models, and compliance-first programs. The result: employee experiences that feel transactional instead of inspiring. In this episode, joins to talk about how HR can finally catch up to the way people actually work today. Loren is a Future of Work Strategist and Fractional HR Executive with nearly two decades of experience across industries. Loren shares why HR should borrow from marketing and brand...
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Am I a Leader or a Person? Choosing Both in Modern HR with Nicole DuBois
HR Superstars
Authenticity in leadership is often encouraged, but rarely modeled at the top. And in HR, the pressure to stay polished can make vulnerability feel off-limits. In this episode, joins to reflect on what happens when people leaders stop compartmentalizing and start leading from their full selves. Nicole, CHRO at , opens up about publishing a memoir under a pseudonym, sharing her story publicly, and how that decision impacted her team and her career. Together, they talk about how HR teams can influence culture by showing up as humans first, what it looks like to embed compassion into strategic...
info_outlineAs we go into 2025, we must keep this in mind...
Empathy isn’t a personality trait.
According to Liesel Mertes, Founder of Handle with Care Consulting, it’s an essential workplace skill we need to hone.
And at the same time, people who go through disruptions and hard times have to eventually return to the office and add value to the organization. There’s a balance between having empathetic conversations and being honest about the nature of the employer/employee relationship.
In this episode replay, Liesel shares practical ways to strengthen your empathy muscle as a manager, HR leader, and friend. She explains what is and isn't effective at helping someone through hardship and offers tangible tools to care for people well.
Join us as we discuss:
[09:00] How to handle the pivotal first moments after a disruptive event
[15:30] Creating an “empathy menu”
[20:00] Managing change fatigue
[23:00] Rituals to care for yourself as an HR leader
[28:00] Metabolizing the hard stories you hold
[35:00] Balancing fortitude and empathy
Resources:
For the entire interview, subscribe to HR Superstars on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or YouTube, Or tune in on our website. Original podcast track produced by Entheo.
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