Transforming People and Talent Functions into Strategic Drivers
Release Date: 01/09/2025
How Top People Leaders Pick the Right Tools
The Talent Tango
Startups can’t afford to waste time—or budget—on the wrong tools. In this episode, Amir sits down with June Lee, Global Head of People and Culture at Twelve Labs, to unpack how to choose the right people and culture tools at the right stage. From evaluating platforms to navigating AI hype, June shares battle-tested strategies for building scalable, high-impact systems that grow with your company. Key Takeaways • The best tools don’t always come from the loudest vendors—June explains why a listening-first approach trumps cold pitches. • Buying software is only step one. Success...
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Hiring Fast Without Lowering the Bar
The Talent Tango
How do you scale fast without lowering the hiring bar? In this episode, Mallory Plank, Head of Talent Acquisition at Guidewheel, joins The Talent Tango to break down how she navigates the constant push and pull between quality and speed. With a background in both agency and in-house recruiting, Mallory brings a clear, operator-level view of stakeholder alignment, prioritization, and TA strategy—especially in scrappy, fast-paced startup environments. Key Takeaways: TA leaders must shift from service center to strategic partner. That means aligning hiring plans to business outcomes—and...
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Why People Teams Need Product Rigor
The Talent Tango
What happens when you treat employee experience like a product? Neervi Shah Patel, Chief People Officer at Faire, joins the show to share how her team brings the same level of operational rigor and customer obsession to PeopleOps that product teams bring to user experience. From leveraging data to embracing transparency, Neervi breaks down how to build scalable, fair, and high-performing orgs—without losing the human side. If you lead people, run HR, or are scaling a team at a startup, this episode will shift how you think about the function. Key Takeaways – Think like a product team:...
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AI Won’t Replace HR — But It’ll Shrink Your Team
The Talent Tango
What does it really look like to run the entire People function solo — and still operate at a strategic level? In this episode, Anisha Thomas, Head of People at Inscribe, shares what it takes to be a team of one at a fast-paced AI startup. From managing headcount planning without over-hiring to leaning on tech to avoid burnout, she offers a refreshingly honest look at how she keeps her footing in the chaos. If you’ve ever worn “all the hats,” this one’s for you. 🔑 Key Takeaways Leadership Without a Team Anisha reflects on how returning to IC work after leading a team has...
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How Great Leaders Rebuild Broken Trust
The Talent Tango
In this episode of The Talent Tango, Amir sits down with Ashley Utz, Chief People Officer at Happy Money, to explore the complex task of rebuilding trust within organizations—especially during periods of change like layoffs, restructuring, or leadership transitions. Ashley offers a nuanced perspective on the differences between personal and organizational trust, shares frameworks like Covey’s “Speed of Trust” model, and emphasizes the critical role of middle managers in trust-building. With timely insights and practical strategies, this conversation is a must-listen for HR and talent...
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Why Talent Acquisition Needs a Project Manager’s Mindset
The Talent Tango
In this episode, Amir sits down with Greg Russell, VP of Talent Acquisition at CoverGenius, to unpack why talent acquisition should be treated like project management. They explore how applying frameworks like the project management triangle (scope, cost, time) can elevate recruiting conversations, drive better alignment, and ultimately improve hiring outcomes. From setting expectations with hiring managers to negotiating trade-offs, this episode reframes TA as a strategic, structured discipline—not just a reactive function. 🧠 Key Takeaways: TA is not just sales—it’s strategic...
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Redefining the Employee-Employer Contract
The Talent Tango
In this episode, Amir sits down with Suzanne McGovern, Chief People Officer and HR veteran, to explore how the employee-employer relationship has fundamentally changed. From the aftermath of COVID-19 and rise of remote work to shifting generational expectations and the role of company culture, they dig into what leaders need to do to build trust, adapt to new work models, and attract talent in a post-pandemic world. 🔑 Key Takeaways: The contract has changed: COVID-19 was a major inflection point, permanently altering what employees expect from work—especially around flexibility,...
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Startups Don’t Scale Without Real Culture
The Talent Tango
In this episode, Brittany Blumenthal, VP of People at HiddenLayer, shares how early-stage startups can intentionally define and evolve their culture. She breaks down the challenges of working with strong founder imprints, the importance of documenting culture as a living contract, and how to build feedback loops that go both ways. If you're scaling a team and want culture to grow with it, this episode offers tactical insight and hard-earned lessons. 🔑 Key Takeaways: Culture Starts With the Founder’s Imprint Founders often shape company culture unintentionally. People leaders must help...
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The Employer Branding Strategy That Worked
The Talent Tango
In this episode of The Talent Tango, Amir sits down with Caitlin Kamm, Director of People Growth at Envoy, to unpack a real-world employer branding initiative tailored specifically for engineering talent. Caitlin walks through how her team developed a laser-focused EVP to support a return-to-office mandate—balancing culture, candidate persona, and business needs. From strategy to stakeholder alignment to creative execution, it’s a playbook for anyone in talent roles grappling with attracting high-caliber candidates in a hybrid world. 💡 Key Takeaways: Start with specificity: Crafting...
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Why Is Feedback So Awkward?
The Talent Tango
In this episode of The Talent Tango, Amir Bormand is joined by Heather Cassar to unpack the nuances of giving and receiving feedback in the workplace. From real-time feedback practices to performance reviews, Heather shares practical tips on how to build trust, motivate teams, and make feedback a natural part of company culture—without making it awkward. Whether you're in HR, a people leader, or a manager navigating hybrid teams, this episode offers a human-centered approach to feedback that boosts both trust and performance. 🔑 Key Takeaways: Feedback must be real-time, detailed, and...
info_outlineIn this insightful episode, Amir Bormand interviews Jim Conti, Talent Partner at Hyde Park Venture Partners, about redefining the value of people and talent functions. Jim shares strategies for evolving the role from being process-driven to a core strategic contributor, while highlighting the importance of aligning with business goals, automating admin tasks, and building impactful employee experiences. This episode is packed with practical advice for HR professionals, talent leaders, and anyone looking to amplify the value of their talent organization.
Key Takeaways:
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Identify Your Org’s People Function Priorities: The reporting structure and allocated budget reveal how much a company values its talent function.
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Evolve from Admin to Strategic: Focus on aligning talent initiatives with broader business goals and automate routine tasks to free up time for strategy.
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Build a Business Case for Talent Investments: Use data and ROI-driven arguments to gain leadership buy-in for new tools and initiatives.
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Set Boundaries Without People-Pleasing: Clarity and transparency in career development discussions create trust and empower employees without over-promising.
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Measure Talent Impact: Post-hiring surveys and bar-raiser metrics help show the business value of talent initiatives.
Timestamped Highlights:
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[00:00:30] Introduction to the role of people and talent functions in organizations.
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[00:03:00] Key indicators of whether an organization views HR as strategic or process-driven.
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[00:05:14] Shifting the people function from admin-heavy to strategically aligned.
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[00:07:54] Building a business case for HR investments and gaining buy-in from leadership.
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[00:11:54] The importance of transparency and clarity in employee development conversations.
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[00:18:00] How talent leaders can demonstrate business value by engaging with stakeholders.
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[00:23:00] Questions to ask during the interview process to assess a company’s strategic outlook on talent.
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[00:24:55] Matching organizational challenges to your personal career goals.
If you’re looking for actionable insights to elevate your talent organization, this episode is a must-listen.
Share it with your network to inspire more strategic thinking in the HR and talent space. Don’t forget to like, comment, and subscribe to stay updated with the latest discussions in talent leadership!
Jim Conti: https://www.linkedin.com/in/contijc/