Intelligent AI Starts with Quality Data
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
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
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
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
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
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.
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...
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Creating Psychological Safety Through HR Leadership
HR Superstars
Psychological safety is often discussed but rarely understood as a performance driver. Too often, it’s treated like a value statement or one-time training session. In this episode, joins to discuss why that approach falls short and what needs to be done to make psychological safety measurable. Bill, Chief Mental Health Officer and Founder of Howatt Human Resources Consulting Inc., shares what most leaders miss about emotional well-being at work and how to equip managers with habits that stick. He and Karina also explore how conflict can strengthen teams, the problem with overcomplicated...
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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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Measuring the Impact of L&D with Kevin Yates
HR Superstars
Workplace performance isn’t just L&D’s responsibility; it belongs to the whole company. And yet, many HR and learning teams still treat training as a standalone solution. In this episode, joins to reframe how we think about impact, and why the question isn’t just “Did people complete the program?” but “Did anything change as a result?” Kevin, known across the industry as the “L&D Detective,” shares what he’s learned from nearly 30 years in the field and why measuring outcomes requires more than a survey or LMS report. He explains how to shift from...
info_outlineBurnout isn’t a sign of overwork—it’s a sign of internal misalignment.
In this replay episode, leadership coach Jim Marsden reframes burnout as a powerful signal to realign with your values and purpose. He shares advice on how to combat burnout by embracing curiosity, reconnecting with nature, and finding small but meaningful moments of perspective.
Jim also introduces his "street-of-life" metaphor, a framework for identifying stress states and shifting to a more grounded, intentional mindset.
Join us as we discuss:
(00:00) Introduction to the episode with Jim Marsden
(04:09) The deep roots of burnout
(07:57) Why it’s important to find perspective
(13:57) The street-of-life concept for navigating stress
(19:45) Supporting others during burnout
(24:07) Practical steps to regain balance
(32:05) Avoiding big decisions during stress and finding small wins
(34:42) Dare to imagine: Aligning your work with what truly brings you alive
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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Hear Karina’s thoughts on elevating your HR career by following her on LinkedIn.
Click here to download 15Five’s HR Outcomes Playbook!
And don’t forget to sign up for the HR Superstars Summit 2025 here.
For more on maximizing employee performance, engagement, and retention, click here.
Jim Marsden’s LinkedIn - click here!