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At RedThread, we love our data, but we know that what you remember is stories. So we spend time listening to thinkers, writers, leaders, and practitioners as they tell their...
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At RedThread, we love our data, but we know that what you remember is stories. So we spend time listening to thinkers, writers, leaders, and practitioners as they tell their stories about what works in the workplace, what they’ve learned, and what they hope to see in the future. We hope you find it inspirational, motivational, and a touch irreverent.
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Workplace Stories by RedThread Research
Workplace Stories by RedThread Research
Stacia Garr & Dani Johnson
Transcribed
20 NOV 2024 · What happens when AI moves faster than the people who implement it?
Christopher Lind, executive advisor and industry expert, shares stories of organizations that got it wrong—sometimes with devastating consequences.
From replacing entire teams with AI to accelerating broken processes, the conversation reveals how quickly things can unravel when technology outpaces understanding. At the same time, there’s tremendous opportunity if AI is handled with care.
We explored what it takes to keep humans at the center of the work while letting AI handle repetitive tasks. This isn’t about avoiding AI—it’s about understanding how to use it in a way that aligns with our goals, values, and the irreplaceable need for human relationships.
You will want to hear this episode if you are interested in...
- Why AI experts are often the most skeptical [0:56]
- How generative AI can quickly magnify problems [1:30]
- Whether AI should serve us or the other way around [2:00]
- Why measuring AI’s true cost is so tricky [3:20]
- How you might unknowingly rely on AI daily [8:42]
- Preparing for the changes AI will bring to jobs [15:00]
- What happens when automation goes wrong [35:17]
- How one company’s overuse of AI caused failure [39:10]
- Whether AI’s logic is misunderstood or alien [44:00]
Resources & People Mentioned
- Podcast:https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLN4OXUu24xZ5Nn9-xeiZc8I-_PNyyIFpM
- https://radiolab.org/podcast/shell-game
Connect with Christopher Lind
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/christopherlind/
Connect With Red Thread Research
- Website: https://redthreadresearch.com/
- On https://www.linkedin.com/company/redthread-research/
- On https://www.facebook.com/redthreadresearch
- On https://twitter.com/redthreadre
Subscribe to https://pod.link/1554931884
Transcribed
6 NOV 2024 · Cole Napper, FedEx’s Global Head of People Analytics, joined us to explore the real versus ideal roles of AI in HR and people analytics, focusing on practical application and real-world impact. Cole highlighted AI’s current limitations, especially the problem of “anti-productive work,” where technology demands extra effort rather than reducing it. His perspective emphasizes the need for critical thinking in analytics to ensure AI truly serves organizational goals.
Cole also talked about the structural improvements required to enhance data quality and discussed how people analytics teams need to evolve for AI to make a meaningful difference. His pragmatic vision challenges the hype surrounding AI and reframes it as a tool to support strategic decision-making rather than an all-encompassing solution.
You will want to hear this episode if you are interested in...
- Introducing our conversation with Cole Napper of FedEx [00:22]
- Why AI should focus on productive work [02:10]
- How specialized agents could reshape HR technology and analytics workflows [03:10]
- Whether we are expecting too much from AI too soon in people analytics [07:00]
- The disconnect between vendors’ AI promises and actual user experience [08:20]
- Whether AI is driving value within organizations or merely adding costs [14:00]
- Why critical thinking is a core skill for leveraging AI in people analytics [17:10]
- The "Inquisitor and Change Agent" model and how it improves analytics impact [21:10]
- How AI can evolve from repetitive data tasks to strategic roles [22:00]
- Whether modular tools and specialized AI agents could be the future [41:30]
Resources & People Mentioned
- https://www.onemodel.co/events/directionally-correct
- https://www.amazon.ca/Alchemist-10th-Anniversary-Paulo-Coelho/dp/0061122416
- https://www.nvidia.com/en-us/
Connect with Cole Napper
- https://www.linkedin.com/in/colenapper
Connect With Red Thread Research
- Website: https://redthreadresearch.com/
- On https://www.linkedin.com/company/redthread-research/
- On https://www.facebook.com/redthreadresearch
- On https://twitter.com/redthreadre
Subscribe to https://pod.link/1554931884
Transcribed
23 OCT 2024 · Could your network be the key to your career success and organizational growth? In this episode of Workplace Stories, we chat with Greg Pryor, author of the upcoming book, “The Social Capital Imperative.”
Greg explains how social capital—our connections and relationships—drives business outcomes, sparks innovation, and boosts career growth. With the pandemic reshaping work, he argues that shifting from internal networks to open, cross-functional ones is crucial for success today.Greg shares practical strategies for making network-building accessible to individuals, teams, and organizations.
He highlights how AI and technology can help unlock the potential of networks, focusing on measurable outcomes. His passion for helping organizations harness the power of social networks makes a strong case for why networks matter in the modern workplace.
You will want to hear this episode if you are interested in...
- How focusing on people and networks—not just technology—drives workplace results [1:00]
- Nine key use cases for network analysis, ranging from career growth to cultural change [2:40]
- How Post Malone’s collaborations illustrate the power of networks in boosting success [9:00]
- How “energizing influencers” like Dolly Parton can spark organizational transformation [14:00]
- How the pandemic shifted networks from open to closed, impacting innovation [29:00]
- Building networks for career growth, even without organizational support [39:20]
- How AI can make network analysis more accessible and actionable [44:18]
Resources & People Mentioned
- https://www.linkedin.com/posts/greg-pryor-907920_i-hope-you-can-join-us-tomorrow-for-this-activity-7237120762388615169-UL83
- https://orgmapper.com/membership-material/ona-summit-2020-greg-pryor-how-ona-insights-accelerated-role-transitions/
- https://hbr.org/2023/02/what-is-psychological-safety
- https://www.robcross.org/ - network analysis expert
- https://drjohnboudreau.com/
Connect with Greg Pryor
- https://www.linkedin.com/in/greg-pryor-907920/
Connect With Red Thread Research
- Website: https://redthreadresearch.com/
- On https://www.linkedin.com/company/redthread-research/
- On https://www.facebook.com/redthreadresearch
- On https://twitter.com/redthreadre
Subscribe to https://pod.link/1554931884
Transcribed
9 OCT 2024 · What if your L&D team could shift from merely delivering training to truly driving your company’s strategic goals? In this conversation, we talk with Lisa Christensen, McKinsey’s Director of Learning and Innovation. Lisa takes a refreshingly strategic approach, asking not just how L&D can support learning but “To what end?” She shares how her focus on outcomes over output has reshaped McKinsey’s approach to everything from people analytics to building a strong feedback culture.
We also talk about why L&D should embrace experimentation, moving far beyond traditional course delivery to tackle big organizational challenges. Lisa makes the case for L&D to collaborate closely with People Analytics and Legal to ensure that learning initiatives aren’t just reactive but strategically positioned for future growth. Her “no regrets” actions offer useful, bold steps for L&D leaders, inspiring us to see the function as a driver of both human and organizational transformation.
You will want to hear this episode if you are interested in...
- Why McKinsey's L&D team always starts with the question, "To what end?" [1:00]
- The risk of L&D focusing only on short-term skill needs [15:00]
- Collaboration with People Analytics transforming L&D's impact [18:00]
- L&D teams losing their value by sticking to outdated metrics [20:00]
- What it means for L&D to have an experimental mindset [31:00]
- How L&D leaders can ensure their department's stability and credibility [37:00]
- The “no regrets” actions every L&D team should consider right now [43:00]
Resources & People Mentioned
- https://www.oliverwyman.com/our-expertise/hubs/workforce-for-the-future.html
- https://www.mckinsey.com/capabilities/operations/how-we-help-clients/innovation-and-learning-centers/overview
Connect with Lisa Christensen
- https://www.linkedin.com/in/lisachristensen/
Connect With Red Thread Research
- Website: https://redthreadresearch.com/
- On https://www.linkedin.com/company/redthread-research/
- On https://www.facebook.com/redthreadresearch
- On https://twitter.com/redthreadre
Subscribe to https://pod.link/1554931884
Transcribed
25 SEP 2024 · How do you turn a skeptical organization into a believer in the power of Learning & Development? We interviewed Mitchel MacNair, Director of Talent Development and Learning at Crown Castle to find out. Mitchel takes us on a journey from his unconventional background in nuclear engineering and the Navy to leading transformational change in L&D. He tells us how he reshaped Crown Castle’s learning function by aligning it with business strategy, building credibility through data-driven results, and elevating its impact across the organization.
You will want to hear this episode if you are interested in...
- How Mitchel’s background in the Navy prepared him for L&D leadership [4:35]
- Handling the loss of 50% of the L&D team within Mitchel’s first six months [6:20]
- How organizational chaos impacts strategic L&D changes at Crown Castle [9:29]
- Transforming L&D from "order takers" to strategic business partners [10:58]
- The role of the principal designer in Crown Castle’s L&D success [13:20]
- Collaborating with other functions to focus on outcomes [15:10]
- Why obtaining business performance data early is critical for L&D success [18:17]
- Demonstrating a 192% increase in services sold through L&D programs [23:00]
- How Crown Castle developed their AI policies [35:10]
- L&D’s role in Crown Castle's skills strategy and future talent planning [41:00]
Resources & People Mentioned
- https://www.amazon.com/Your-Genius-Work-Questions-Before/dp/0891061940
- https://www.linkedin.com/in/shackletonjones/
Connect with Mitchel MacNair
- https://www.linkedin.com/in/mitchelmacnair/
Connect With Red Thread Research
- Website: https://redthreadresearch.com/
- On https://www.linkedin.com/company/redthread-research/
- On https://www.facebook.com/redthreadresearch
- On https://twitter.com/redthreadre
Subscribe to https://pod.link/1554931884
Transcribed
11 SEP 2024 · Jeremy Shapiro, AVP of Human Resources and Workforce Analytics, and Chris Shultz, Director of HR Intelligent Automation and Gen AI at Merck join us in this forward-thinking conversation. Learn how (and why) Merck is embracing AI to streamline HR processes, support innovation, and maintain ethical considerations. This was hugely educational for us and we hope you get a glimpse into the future of HR tech.
You will want to hear this episode if you are interested in...
- What does the future of HR look like in an AI-driven world? [1:17]
- How can AI serve as a translator and guide for HR professionals? [7:47]
- How Merck ensures AI is implemented responsibly [8:51]
- How Merck leveraging AI for massive efficiency gains in HR [12:45]
- How Merck determines what AI solutions to build internally [16:54]
- Can HR keep pushing the efficiency frontier with AI, or is there a limit? [19:19]
- How organizations can support the mental well-being of AI engineers [25:16]
- How ethics play a crucial role in the development of AI [31:12]
- What key strategies should HR leaders focus on in the next six months? [37:03]
Resources & People Mentioned
- https://www.linkedin.com/posts/keith-mcnulty_ai-technology-analytics-activity-7199031246608310272-7GfJ/
- https://www.forbes.com/sites/danpontefract/2023/09/29/harvard-and-bcg-unveil-the-double-edged-sword-of-ai-in-the-workplace/
- https://community.glintinc.com/get-to-know-glint-26
- https://www.workday.com/en-us/products/human-capital-management/human-resource-management.html
Connect with our Guests
- https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeremyashapiro/
- https://www.linkedin.com/in/real-chris-shultz/
Connect With Red Thread Research
- Website: https://redthreadresearch.com/
- On https://www.linkedin.com/company/redthread-research/
- On https://www.facebook.com/redthreadresearch
- On https://twitter.com/redthreadre
Subscribe to https://pod.link/1554931884
Transcribed
28 AUG 2024 · Skills data can be used to raise the bar in talent acquisition, implement data-driven learning, make strategic workforce planning decisions, help employees reach career aspirations, and much more. Too many organizations are so glued to the idea of perfection that they won’t implement imperfect programs to gather skills data. Dan Weiss and Emily Hacker believe that this mindset is useless.Your skills data won’t be perfect—but it can still be useful and helpful to employees. They share exactly why in this episode of Workplace Stories.
You will want to hear this episode if you are interested in...
- Join the RedThread Research Community! [2:53]
- Learning more about Dan Weiss and Emily Hacker [3:35]
- Transforming culture before building infrastructure [9:07]
- How the MetLife culture championed the process [13:23]
- Their current pilot and the vision for the future [16:40]
- The lightning round [25:46]
- How to get buy-in from leadership [30:09]
- The critical role data plays in skills development [33:09]
- Their data sources and how they’re using them [36:43]
- Where does the data live? [40:43]
- The biggest thing Emily and Dan have learned [43:35]
- Why Emily and Dan do the work they do [44:26]
Resources & People Mentioned
- Join the http://members.redthreadresearch.com
- https://www.metlife.com/workforce-insights/employee-benefit-trends/
Connect with Emily Hacker and Dan Weiss
- Connect with https://www.linkedin.com/in/emilyhackernyc/
- Connect with https://www.linkedin.com/in/danweiss/
Connect With Red Thread Research
- Website: https://redthreadresearch.com/
- On https://www.linkedin.com/company/redthread-research/
- On https://www.facebook.com/redthreadresearch
- On https://twitter.com/redthreadre
Subscribe to https://pod.link/1554931884
Transcribed
14 AUG 2024 · Generative AI is taking the world by storm, and the realm of HR is no exception. The use of AI will change a business and it will impact teams. That’s why Angela Cheng-Cimini seeks to answer the question, “How do you make sure your teams are positively impacted by AI?”A lot of the conversation starts with mitigating the fear that surrounds AI. Angela believes one of the ways you can get people to run toward generative AI is to create a safe environment where they can play with it and be amazed by its capabilities. Then, they’ll want to integrate it into their work. In this conversation, Angela shares how—as the CHRO—she’s operationalizing AI experimentation at Harvard Business Publishing. Because, ultimately, “AI is not going to replace humans. But humans will be replaced by humans who use AI.”
You will want to hear this episode if you are interested in...
- Learn more about Angela Cheng-Cimini and her role [3:31]
- The issues Angela is facing in her organization [5:49]
- Using AI to help with the employee experience [9:51]
- The Gen AI experiment that Angela ran [13:27]
- The impact of Gen AI on recruiting[16:06]
- How to take advantage of AI [18:59]
- How to justify the expense of AI [22:30]
- The ethical use of AI in organizations [24:16]
- Influencing broader AI enablement strategy [26:37]
- The lightning round [28:19]
- HR’s role in integrating AI into the workforce [31:11]
- How to operationalize experimentation [34:00]
- Angela’s advice to leaders using Gen AI [36:00]
- Angela’s biggest takeaway from the AI journey [40:34]
- Why is Angela passionate about HR? [41:28]
Resources & People Mentioned
- https://www.coursera.org/learn/generative-ai-for-everyone
Connect with Angela Cheng-Cimini
- Connect on https://www.linkedin.com/in/angela-cheng-cimini/
- https://hbsp.harvard.edu/home/
Connect With Red Thread Research
- Website: https://redthreadresearch.com/
- On https://www.linkedin.com/company/redthread-research/
- On https://www.facebook.com/redthreadresearch
- On https://twitter.com/redthreadre
Subscribe to https://pod.link/1554931884
Transcribed
31 JUL 2024 · Matthew Daniel—the Senior Principal for Talent Strategy and Mobility at Guild Education—believes that, in a workplace context, skills are the things we know, can do, and the ways of thinking that help us deliver on business strategy. They are rich, deep, complex, and meaningful.Matthew believes that the “Half-life” statistic that’s been perpetuated about workplace skills is garbage. In this conversation, he details exactly why the half-life of a skill being 2 ½ to 5 years is faulty logic and how we should view skills differently. You will want to hear this episode if you are interested in...
- How to join the RedThread Research community [3:16]
- Learn more about Matthew Daniel [3:52]
- The half-life of a workplace skill [6:57]
- The history of the false statistic [13:20]
- How this statistic has influenced decisions [20:29]
- The importance of critical thinking [24:18]
- The lightning round [31:15]
- How Matthew talks about skills [34:23]
- Durable versus perishable skills [38:27]
- Skills as an equalizer in organizations [40:55]
- The big takeaway from Matthew’s research [43:28]
Resources & People Mentioned
- Join the http://members.redthreadresearch.com!
- Matthew’s article: https://www.tlnt.com/articles/lets-not-obsess-about-disappearing-skills-we-need-to-plan-for-the-ones-thatll-remain
- https://psycnet.apa.org/record/1970-19619-001
Connect with Matthew Daniel
- Connect on https://www.linkedin.com/in/matthewjdaniel/
- https://www.guild.com/
Connect With Red Thread Research
- Website: https://redthreadresearch.com/
- On https://www.linkedin.com/company/redthread-research/
- On https://www.facebook.com/redthreadresearch
- On https://twitter.com/redthreadre
Subscribe to https://pod.link/1554931884
Transcribed
17 JUL 2024 · Ashley Goodall has spent 20 years in various roles in HR, covering everything from performance management to leadership. He spent six years at Cisco as the SVP of HR. He left Cisco to write his book, “https://www.amazon.com/Problem-Change-Essential-Nature-Performance/dp/0316560278,” which was just released. In it, he addresses the problems that accompany change.
To write his book, Ashley interviewed people around the world, asking them to tell their stories of organizational change. Many people told miserable stories, stories of unending change propelled by mergers, new leadership, new strategies, and much more—much of it unnecessary. What was the result?
People were struggling to do their jobs because of the constant change. Yet organizations are rewarding leaders to do things that make it hard for their employees to do their work! That’s a problem, right? So, what should we do instead?
We have to understand the conditions of human performance to understand how we can “do” change better. Ashley begins to dissect that complicated yet fascinating topic in this episode of Workplace Stories.
You will want to hear this episode if you are interested in...
- Join the RedThread Community [1:34]
- Why you should listen to Ashley Goodall [4:49]
- What is the problem with change? [7:09]
- Why Ashley wrote another book about change [10:34]
- The problems that accompany change [12:45]
- Looking at meaning and purpose differently [18:53]
- The story of Alexander the Great [23:38]
- The connection between meaning and ritual [25:29]
- We need to stop treating humans like “SKUmans” [29:10]
- The lightning round [33:08]
- Getting good at stability management [36:38]
- What we can learn from “the pistols” [39:59]
- How to create belonging on your team [44:21]
- Focusing on your teams to create stability [45:43]
- Learning how to radicalize HR [48:53]
- Ashley’s biggest takeaway from writing a book [53:11]
The problems that accompany change
Ashley addresses five core problem areas that accompany change:
- Uncertainty
- Lack of control
- Lack of belonging
- Displacement
- Loss of meaning
The feeling of belonging is intuitive. Humans form social groups. Those groups are massively important to psychological health, sense of identity, and cognitive processes. The way we think is socially mediated. A team gives you a sense of belonging. It’s a source of massive stability.
Teammates complement each other so together they can meet a goal that couldn’t be achieved alone. When reorganization happens, all of the social groups at work are upended. In his book, Ashley also dove into the science of “place attachment.” People get attached to places. Place is a thing strongly tied to work. But there’s also a connection between ritual and place.
Our habits are a mechanism by which we grow attached to a place. Habits and rituals tied to place have people saying “It’s where I do this” or “It’s where we do this.” When offices are changed or people are moved, you disrupt the rituals attached to that place.
Those places are a source of stability. And for people to do their best work, they need stability. All of these facets of a human—certainty, control, social groups, sense of place, ritual—are the foundation of showing up at work and being useful. Everyone wants to be useful. How we design the workplace hinges on these things.
Ashley is clear: “Sooner or later you have to ask people what they want and listen to what they tell you.”
How Ashley looks at meaning differently
Ashley points out that the world around us must make sense. You can’t be uplifted by the mission of an organization if you can’t figure out what the mission is. Science tells us that the coherence of our world is so important that when it’s taken away in one place, we find it in another.
There are two ingredients to meaning:
- Things have to make sense (which is shredded when things are changed)
- You need to find your own purpose. Someone can’t tell you what your purpose is
We encounter the world and question, “Do I understand what’s going on here? Is this something that speaks to me?” If it does and someone asks if your work has meaning, you’ll say “yes.” Unfortunately, people think everyone around them has to have the same meaning. It doesn’t work like that. As much as they dislike it, employers aren’t massively important to someone’s purpose.
We need to stop treating humans like “SKUmans”
What characteristics of humans do we capture in our technology at work? How does that inform how we think about people at work? We track the “cogs in a machine” stuff. We record names, date of birth, someone’s role, their certifications and experience, etc. but we don’t record what amuses someone, what makes them smile, and the weird things they love to do. Maybe they’re always late for meetings, love to bake, or love creating spreadsheets.
If you think humans are interchangeable and emotionless beings, how would you describe them? As a “SKU” number. SKUs are stock-keeping units. They track what something costs, where it is in the store, what the margin is, etc. We’ve been doing the same to humans. And that’s massively inhuman. We can’t capture human work this way. How might we capture a human at work?
Ashley argues for getting better at understanding what people are like at work. It’s about asking questions like, “How are you offering your best to other humans? Why did you show up today?”
Now that we’ve covered the problems with change, how do we address them? Ashley shares how stability management just might be the key (and how to navigate it) in this episode.
Resources & People Mentioned
- Join the http://members.readthreadresearch.com!
Connect with Ashley Goodall
- https://www.amazon.com/Problem-Change-Essential-Nature-Performance/dp/0316560278
- Connect on https://www.linkedin.com/in/ashleygoodall/
Connect With Red Thread Research
- Website: https://redthreadresearch.com/
- On https://www.linkedin.com/company/redthread-research/
- On https://www.facebook.com/redthreadresearch
- On https://twitter.com/redthreadre
Subscribe to https://pod.link/1554931884
At RedThread, we love our data, but we know that what you remember is stories. So we spend time listening to thinkers, writers, leaders, and practitioners as they tell their...
show more
At RedThread, we love our data, but we know that what you remember is stories. So we spend time listening to thinkers, writers, leaders, and practitioners as they tell their stories about what works in the workplace, what they’ve learned, and what they hope to see in the future. We hope you find it inspirational, motivational, and a touch irreverent.
show less
Information
| Author | Stacia Garr & Dani Johnson |
| Organization | Stacia Garr |
| Categories | Management |
| Website | redthreadresearch.com |
| hello@redthreadresearch.com |
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