The Culture Impact in an Employee-owned Business with Kristi Spindler

“I thought I was coaching by prescribing solutions.”
-Kacy Wickenhauser

Have you ever felt pulled into the drama weeds with your clients - the stakeholders who rely on you as an HR or Talent professional?   Me too:)     In today’s episode, my guest shares how she has been able to shift from a prescriber of advice to a coach-like HR leader and the impact that has had.

My guest is Kacy Wickenhauser. Kacy is the Chief HR Officer at Wolverine Power Cooperative, serves as a member of the executive team setting the strategic priorities of the organization, and is responsible for oversight of multiple business divisions including HR, safety, accounting and finance, IT, and administration. 

Kacy's journey with Wolverine began in 2019 when she joined as the Director of Human Resources. Prior to her tenure at Wolverine, she spent a decade at an electric cooperative in Illinois where she held the position of Director of HR for seven years before transitioning into the role of VP of Utility Services. 

She holds a bachelor's degree in psychology, a master's degree in business administration, and is a certified Senior Professional in HR. In 2022, she expanded her skill set by becoming a certified professional coach, enabling her to guide employees at all levels in their career, leadership, and personal development.

In this episode of Talent Management Truths, you’ll discover:

• How working in the staffing industry is a great HR career jump-off point
• The positive impact created by adding intensive coaching skills to your foundational HR Leadership skill set
• A powerful example of acknowledgement in action

Links

• Kacy Wickenhauser on Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kacywickenhauser/
• On Instagram: @coach_kacy
• Website: www.coachwithkacy.com

Imagine!   

What if you and your team could engage in transformative professional development together WHILE each person simultaneously gets their most important work done.

The Talent Trust for intact HR and Talent teams is the program you need!

Book a FREE no-obligation conversation with me HERE. :)

Stay Connected

JOIN our free, value-added Community of Peers and Learning!

Lisa hosts regular FREE Talent Talks for HR and Talent Management Leaders to expand your network, spark ideas and learn with your peers. We leverage large group discussion and small group breakouts: https://www.greenappleconsulting.ca/TalentTalks

Share the Show

Like what you’ve heard? Pretty please with an apple on top - kindly leave me a 5* review so that others can find the show and elevate their impact too! Here are the simple instructions:

• Launch Apple's Podcast app on your iPhone or iPad.
• Tap the Search icon (on the botton) and search for “Talent Management Truths.” Tap the album art.
• On the podcast page, tap the Reviews tab.
• Tap Write a Review at the bottom of this page.

Follow me

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lisa-mitchell-acc-ctdp-7437636/

Instagram: @greenappleconsulting

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“We tell ourselves the story that strategy is Big!  Complex!  Hard! Time-consuming!”
-Lisa Mitchell

Do you ever just give in to a client’s demands because you don’t want to be seen as “pushing back?”

Today’s episode is a solo one about your STRATEGIC VALUE as a Talent, HR or L&D professional.  And it’s about what gets in our way of being strategic.

I’d love to hear YOUR challenges with stakeholders who like to prescribe the solutions they want you to implement.  And if you’d like some help with your Talent Management or L&D strategy, please reach out.   You can send  me an email at lisa@greenappleconsulting.ca, or a message via Linkedin. 

In this episode of Talent Management Truths, you’ll discover:

• A great way to shift into strategic thinking and partnering, using what you already know
• The story we tell ourselves when avoiding strategic work
• A real example of a leader who resisted the urge to be an order taker in the name of customer service

Enjoy!

Imagine!   

What if you and your team could engage in transformative professional development together WHILE each person simultaneously gets their most important work done.

The Talent Trust for intact HR and Talent teams is the program you need!

Book a FREE no-obligation conversation with me HERE. :)

Stay Connected

JOIN our free, value-added Community of Peers and Learning!

Lisa hosts regular FREE Talent Talks for HR and Talent Management Leaders to expand your network, spark ideas and learn with your peers. We leverage large group discussion and small group breakouts: https://www.greenappleconsulting.ca/TalentTalks

Share the Show

Like what you’ve heard? Pretty please with an apple on top - kindly leave me a 5* review so that others can find the show and elevate their impact too! Here are the simple instructions:

• Launch Apple's Podcast app on your iPhone or iPad.
• Tap the Search icon (on the botton) and search for “Talent Management Truths.” Tap the album art.
• On the podcast page, tap the Reviews tab.
• Tap Write a Review at the bottom of this page.

Follow me

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lisa-mitchell-acc-ctdp-7437636/

Instagram: @greenappleconsulting

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/greenappleconsulting.ca

“More often that not, talent acquisition is tucked into HR as a function that everyone has to tolerate vs. a strategic arm of the organization.”
-Liza Voticky

Without the right people in the right place at the right time, your organization cannot meet its objectives.   Today’s guest approaches the discipline of Talent Acquisition as a strategic and essential function vs. a necessary evil that should be done as cheaply as possible.

My guest is Liza Voticky. Liza began her career in Toronto, Canada as a Staffing Specialist for a temporary staffing service.  She successfully developed through various roles in staffing, national sales, operations, communications, and senior management.  Liza continued to grow her career through leadership roles in Recruitment Process Outsourcing, supporting teams in the USA and Canada.  After 5 years as an RPO provider, Liza kicked off her corporate leadership work with Coca-Cola Enterprises. At Coca-Cola, she built a recruiting team from the ground up, implementing a total transformation of the hiring processes across Canada.  Promoted to Vice President of TA, North America based in Atlanta, Liza was responsible for multiple re-organizations as the company transformed its North American business model.

After nine successful years with the Coca-Cola Organization, she moved to Miami, FL. where she joined Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines as the Head of Global Talent Acquisition, Shipboard & Shoreside.  During her time with RCCL, Liza was responsible for completely transforming and optimizing the global recruiting process for approximately 25,000 hires annually from 120 different countries. This included leading Talent Marketing, Talent Attraction Operations, and candidate experience.

Today, Liza is the CEO and Founding Partner of MXA Talent Solutions, an organization built to help companies review, assess and strategize for the Future of Hiring.  “I’ve left the corporate space to better live my passion for changing tactical, basic recruiting functions into strategic partners aligned with business growth objectives.”

In this episode of Talent Management Truths, you’ll discover:

Imagine!   

What if you and your team could engage in transformative professional development together WHILE each person simultaneously gets their most important work done.

The Talent Trust for intact HR and Talent teams is the program you need!

Book a FREE no-obligation conversation with me HERE. :)

Stay Connected

JOIN our free, value-added Community of Peers and Learning!

Lisa hosts regular FREE Talent Talks for HR and Talent Management Leaders to expand your network, spark ideas and learn with your peers. We leverage large group discussion and small group breakouts: https://www.greenappleconsulting.ca/TalentTalks

Share the Show

Like what you’ve heard? Pretty please with an apple on top - kindly leave me a 5* review so that others can find the show and elevate their impact too! Here are the simple instructions:

• Launch Apple's Podcast app on your iPhone or iPad.
• Tap the Search icon (on the botton) and search for “Talent Management Truths.” Tap the album art.
• On the podcast page, tap the Reviews tab.
• Tap Write a Review at the bottom of this page.

Follow me

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lisa-mitchell-acc-ctdp-7437636/

Instagram: @greenappleconsulting

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/greenappleconsulting.ca

“Culture is not owned by HR, it’s owned by every single leader.”
-Jessica Bacher

What is your organizational culture like? Who drives it?  Who sees themselves as driving it?  In some companies, people look to HR to take the lead - or the blame - on company culture.  In this episode, my guest and I explore how HR can support culture with an innovative structure and respect for people’s time.

My guest is Jessica Bacher who is the Chief People Officer at Prolink. Jessica is a proven Human Resources leader with global, multi-discipline experience in operational and executive talent acquisition, talent management, C-Suite succession building/placement, organizational design leadership, and process excellence. She has 20 years of cumulative and progressive leadership in leading complex organizations through talent branding, pipeline building, internal movement best practices, and hiring strategies using data to drive decisions and build workforce strategy. 

Jessica is an influencer in building strategy and programs that drive inclusive hiring practices and build succession plans with a priority lens for diversity, equity, and inclusion (DE&I). She holds an MBA from the University of Phoenix and earned a master’s degree in Human Resources from the University of Cincinnati; Jessica is also a certified Lean Six Sigma Master Black Belt. She and her husband are Cincinnati natives and currently live on the west side of the city with their four children.

In this episode of Talent Management Truths, you’ll discover:

• The difference between a virtual first model and a remote only one
• How empowerment and autonomy drive culture ownership
• How HR can integrate themselves into the work their clients are already doing

Links

• Jessica Bacher on Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jessica-bacher-084b10b/

Imagine!   

What if you and your team could engage in transformative professional development together WHILE each person simultaneously gets their most important work done.

The Talent Trust for intact HR and Talent teams is the program you need!

Book a FREE no-obligation conversation with me HERE. :)

Stay Connected

JOIN our free, value-added Community of Peers and Learning!

Lisa hosts regular FREE Talent Talks for HR and Talent Management Leaders to expand your network, spark ideas and learn with your peers. We leverage large group discussion and small group breakouts: https://www.greenappleconsulting.ca/TalentTalks

Share the Show

Like what you’ve heard? Pretty please with an apple on top - kindly leave me a 5* review so that others can find the show and elevate their impact too! Here are the simple instructions:

• Launch Apple's Podcast app on your iPhone or iPad.
• Tap the Search icon (on the botton) and search for “Talent Management Truths.” Tap the album art.
• On the podcast page, tap the Reviews tab.
• Tap Write a Review at the bottom of this page.

Follow me

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lisa-mitchell-acc-ctdp-7437636/

Instagram: @greenappleconsulting

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/greenappleconsulting.ca

“If you continue to always look at it like a start-up, you are always growing to be better.”
-Casey Oware

How entrepreneurial is your organization?  And what do entrepreneurial behaviours actually look like in different company cultures?  In today’s episode, we explore this theme in an organization that still thinks of itself as a start-up - by design -  10 years in.

My guest is Casey Oware who is Vice President of Human Resources of Encompass where she oversees compliance, payroll, benefits, safety, equipment, and IT. Casey is a SHRM Senior Certified Human Resources Professional with 15 years of energy industry experience on a national scale. She has been with Encompass since inception and has been pivotal to the development and implementation of systems, processes and procedures that increase business proficiency. 

Prior to Encompass, Casey was a third-party HR consultant for large EPCs in the energy industry which has enabled her to service stake holders, but also remain client focused. Casey graduated from Oklahoma State University with a B.S. in International Business and obtained her Juris Doctorate from Purdue University. 

In this episode of Talent Management Truths, you’ll discover:

• An example of how to sustain a start-up culture longer-term - by design
• Insight on how to support people who are not naturally entrepreneurial
• A discussion around approaches to hiring large cohorts at peak times

Links

• Casey Oware on Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/casey-oware-0937a814/ 

Imagine!   

What if you and your team could engage in transformative professional development together WHILE each person simultaneously gets their most important work done.

The Talent Trust for intact HR and Talent teams is the program you need!

Book a FREE no-obligation conversation with me HERE. :)

Stay Connected

JOIN our free, value-added Community of Peers and Learning!

Lisa hosts regular FREE Talent Talks for HR and Talent Management Leaders to expand your network, spark ideas and learn with your peers. We leverage large group discussion and small group breakouts: https://www.greenappleconsulting.ca/TalentTalks

Share the Show

Like what you’ve heard? Pretty please with an apple on top - kindly leave me a 5* review so that others can find the show and elevate their impact too! Here are the simple instructions:

• Launch Apple's Podcast app on your iPhone or iPad.
• Tap the Search icon (on the botton) and search for “Talent Management Truths.” Tap the album art.
• On the podcast page, tap the Reviews tab.
• Tap Write a Review at the bottom of this page.

Follow me

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lisa-mitchell-acc-ctdp-7437636/

Instagram: @greenappleconsulting

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/greenappleconsulting.ca

“Creativity doesn’t exist when you don’t have constraints.”
-Natalia Matusevscaia

Have you ever been frustrated when you were down a team member or were low on other resources or funds?  What was the gift in that situation?  Chances are, the constraint you were faced with helped you be more creative and innovative.  Today’s guest shares clear examples of this in action.

My guest is Natalia Matusevscaia. An immigrant to Canada, Natalia is a migrant to the domain of educational technology, human performance, and instructional design from the field of education. 

With the deep academic knowledge, secured by two BA degrees and an MA in Educational Technology and Instructional Design, and rich professional experience as a curriculum designer, instructional designer, a teacher, and a corporate human performance specialist, Natalia is constantly on a search to make a notable contribution into the development and professional growth of adult performers. 

Natalia has more than 7 years of professional instructional design and leadership experience and currently supports Fairstone as the Director of People Development. Throughout her career as Learning and Development Specialist, Natalia was part of instructional design groups who provided multiple learning solutions to perfect employees’ performance at Canada Post, Canadian Railway, United Nations initiatives, etc.

In this episode of Talent Management Truths, you’ll discover:

• Two things we should all make time for
• The concept of triaging priorities
• A case for NOT referring to the people in organizations as family

Links

• Natalia Matusevscaia on Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/natalia-matusevscaia-ba54a480/

Imagine!   

What if you and your team could engage in transformative professional development together WHILE each person simultaneously gets their most important work done.

The Talent Trust for intact HR and Talent teams is the program you need!

Book a FREE no-obligation conversation with me HERE. :)

Stay Connected

JOIN our free, value-added Community of Peers and Learning!

Lisa hosts regular FREE Talent Talks for HR and Talent Management Leaders to expand your network, spark ideas and learn with your peers. We leverage large group discussion and small group breakouts: https://www.greenappleconsulting.ca/TalentTalks

Share the Show

Like what you’ve heard? Pretty please with an apple on top - kindly leave me a 5* review so that others can find the show and elevate their impact too! Here are the simple instructions:

• Launch Apple's Podcast app on your iPhone or iPad.
• Tap the Search icon (on the botton) and search for “Talent Management Truths.” Tap the album art.
• On the podcast page, tap the Reviews tab.
• Tap Write a Review at the bottom of this page.

Follow me

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lisa-mitchell-acc-ctdp-7437636/

Instagram: @greenappleconsulting

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/greenappleconsulting.ca

“A lot of HR projects fail because we haven’t asked the right questions.”
-Sarem Yesus

When you come into a new organization as the lead for Talent and People, how do you decide where you should start?  In today’s episode, my guest shares why she focused on understanding engagement first, before moving on to look at other core programs and systems.

My guest is Sarem Yesus. Sarem is Executive Director of People and Engagement at Nelson Education and brings over 13 years of experience in the field. With a career spanning multiple countries, including the UK, Australia, Canada and the US, she has developed a unique perspective on HR practices and policies from around the world.

Her expertise covers a range of HR disciplines, including global mobility, payroll, and generalist HR work across industries such as consulting, real estate, retail, and, most recently, supporting a tech start-up.

Throughout her career, Sarem has been passionate about employee relations, recognizing that an engaged and satisfied workforce is key to the success of any organization. She has a proven track record of building strong relationships with employees, managers, and stakeholders and is skilled at managing complex HR issues with sensitivity and professionalism.

With her wealth of experience and commitment to employee relations, Sarem is a valuable asset to any organization looking to build a strong HR function and foster a positive and productive workplace culture.

In this episode of Talent Management Truths, you’ll discover:

• A powerful description of what engagement means and looks like in action
• Ideas for engagement survey vendor selection criteria
• A robust example of a multifaceted communication strategy

Links

Sarem Yesus on Linkedin: http://www.linkedin.com/in/sarem-yesus

Imagine!   

What if you and your team could engage in transformative professional development together WHILE each person simultaneously gets their most important work done.

The Talent Trust for intact HR and Talent teams is the program you need!

Book a FREE no-obligation conversation with me HERE. :)

Stay Connected

JOIN our free, value-added Community of Peers and Learning!

Lisa hosts regular FREE Talent Talks for HR and Talent Management Leaders to expand your network, spark ideas and learn with your peers. We leverage large group discussion and small group breakouts: https://www.greenappleconsulting.ca/TalentTalks

Share the Show

Like what you’ve heard? Pretty please with an apple on top - kindly leave me a 5* review so that others can find the show and elevate their impact too! Here are the simple instructions:

• Launch Apple's Podcast app on your iPhone or iPad.
• Tap the Search icon (on the botton) and search for “Talent Management Truths.” Tap the album art.
• On the podcast page, tap the Reviews tab.
• Tap Write a Review at the bottom of this page.

Follow me

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lisa-mitchell-acc-ctdp-7437636/

Instagram: @greenappleconsulting

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/greenappleconsulting.ca

“Are we learning as fast as the business is changing?”
- Ken Finneran

Do you see yourself as a MULTIPLIER?  As a Talent leader, you should.  Consider the impact your work has on all the people in your organization.  It’s why I produce this podcast week in and week out - to provide you with learning and inspiration so that you can be the best multiplier possible - lifting people up and helping them live into their potential!    Today’s guest gussies up the term a little and shares with us his view of all people in an organization being “force multipliers” without whom major growth and achievements simply would not happen.

My guest is Ken Finneran, who is VP of HR at eMed Digital Healthcare, a leading digital healthtech company on a mission to democratize healthcare. 

Ken is a strategic HR and talent executive, thought leader, and community builder. Prior to joining eMed, he served as VP, Global HR at Kaseya and Chief Human Resources Officer (CHRO) at National Beverage Corp. (Nasdaq: FIZZ), driving their respective hyper-growth talent & HR strategies as both organizations developed into multi-billion dollar enterprises (400%+ growth at each company).  He is also a proud father of two and champion for the HR function.   

In this episode of Talent Management Truths, you’ll discover:

• A philosophy around how HR must deliver at the pace of business
• An example of rapidly adjusting to big changes in your team size
• Insights into the importance of people as a force multiplier in an organization that has experienced 500% growth

Links

• Ken Finneran on Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ken-finneran/

Imagine!   

What if you and your team could engage in transformative professional development together WHILE each person simultaneously gets their most important work done.

The Talent Trust for intact HR and Talent teams is the program you need!

Book a FREE no-obligation conversation with me HERE. :)

Stay Connected

JOIN our free, value-added Community of Peers and Learning!

Lisa hosts regular FREE Talent Talks for HR and Talent Management Leaders to expand your network, spark ideas and learn with your peers. We leverage large group discussion and small group breakouts: https://www.greenappleconsulting.ca/TalentTalks

Share the Show

Like what you’ve heard? Pretty please with an apple on top - kindly leave me a 5* review so that others can find the show and elevate their impact too! Here are the simple instructions:

• Launch Apple's Podcast app on your iPhone or iPad.
• Tap the Search icon (on the botton) and search for “Talent Management Truths.” Tap the album art.
• On the podcast page, tap the Reviews tab.
• Tap Write a Review at the bottom of this page.

Follow me

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lisa-mitchell-acc-ctdp-7437636/

Instagram: @greenappleconsulting

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/greenappleconsulting.ca

“There’s something really magical about the building of something .”

- Susan Ways

Have you ever been drawn to a high-risk opportunity because you loved the idea of getting to pioneer something completely new?  I know I have - and so has today’s guest!  Together we discuss her experience of working for several start-ups, some of which didn’t end up surviving long-term.  We also dig into ways to build a culture of transparency.

My guest is Susan Ways.  Susan is the Head of HR, Administration and Compliance at Nobel Pharma where she focuses on continuous improvement and organizational excellence. She is also a blogger, author, podcaster and speaker focused on teaching people to embrace their authentic self and understanding how to weave that into their life to show up as their best self. 

After experiencing the death of her husband, Susan became interested in the concept of resilience and hope as necessary components for all aspects of life. She is compelled by the belief that when we are self-aware, we can extract the lessons from our life experiences and use them to guide ourselves and inspire others. 

Susan holds a bachelor of science in psychology and a Masters of Arts in Organizational Communications both from Bowie State University.  She is also a Certified Life/Executive Coach with expertise in utilizing a holistic coaching method that shows people how to lead more fulfilled lives both in all facets of their lives. Along with her full-time HR position, Susan hosts a podcast - Tendrils of Grief to help others navigate the confusing journey of grief. 

In this episode of Talent Management Truths, you’ll discover:

• The benefits of taking higher-risk, high-reward jobs with start-ups where there is no guarantee the company will ultimately be viable 
• Ideas for building a culture of transparency
• An example of how to leverage a flexible Paid Time Off policy for engagement

Links

• Susan Ways on Linkedin: https://Linkedin.com/in/susanways
• Instagram - @sueways
• Twitter @inspiredsusan
• F

Imagine!   

What if you and your team could engage in transformative professional development together WHILE each person simultaneously gets their most important work done.

The Talent Trust for intact HR and Talent teams is the program you need!

Book a FREE no-obligation conversation with me HERE. :)

Stay Connected

JOIN our free, value-added Community of Peers and Learning!

Lisa hosts regular FREE Talent Talks for HR and Talent Management Leaders to expand your network, spark ideas and learn with your peers. We leverage large group discussion and small group breakouts: https://www.greenappleconsulting.ca/TalentTalks

Share the Show

Like what you’ve heard? Pretty please with an apple on top - kindly leave me a 5* review so that others can find the show and elevate their impact too! Here are the simple instructions:

• Launch Apple's Podcast app on your iPhone or iPad.
• Tap the Search icon (on the botton) and search for “Talent Management Truths.” Tap the album art.
• On the podcast page, tap the Reviews tab.
• Tap Write a Review at the bottom of this page.

Follow me

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lisa-mitchell-acc-ctdp-7437636/

Instagram: @greenappleconsulting

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/greenappleconsulting.ca

“Given Talent Leaders are stuck in the sticky organizational middle, EVERYONE is a stakeholder.”

- Lisa Mitchell

How can we make the buy-in part of the process EASIER and more ELEGANT?    

Today’s episode is a solo one.  The need for stakeholder buy-in is constant for all Talent leaders.   Yet there are common pitfalls and mistakes made that make some initiatives more difficult or worse, fail.  That’s why I decided it was time to talk about the challenges and how to avoid them, and give you some questions you can take away to think about that will help you be more successful at getting buy-in.

I’d love to hear YOUR thoughts on getting stakeholder buy-in.  Seriously!   How do you do this?  What trips you up sometimes?    Send me an email at lisa@greenappleconsulting.ca, or a message via Linkedin.   

In this episode of Talent Management Truths, you’ll discover:

Some key challenges with getting buy-in

• Questions to ask yourself to help you work through a situation with a stakeholder who has resisted buying into a solution you have proposed:
  • What is NOT within your control?
  • What IS within your control?  
  • If you couldn’t fail and there was no fear of the response you might get, what new approach would you try?
• Mistakes Talent Leaders make when trying to get buy-in - and how to avoid these

Enjoy!

Imagine!   

What if you and your team could engage in transformative professional development together WHILE each person simultaneously gets their most important work done.

The Talent Trust for intact HR and Talent teams is the program you need!

Book a FREE no-obligation conversation with me HERE. :)

Stay Connected

JOIN our free, value-added Community of Peers and Learning!

Lisa hosts regular FREE Talent Talks for HR and Talent Management Leaders to expand your network, spark ideas and learn with your peers. We leverage large group discussion and small group breakouts: https://www.greenappleconsulting.ca/TalentTalks

Share the Show

Like what you’ve heard? Pretty please with an apple on top - kindly leave me a 5* review so that others can find the show and elevate their impact too! Here are the simple instructions:

• Launch Apple's Podcast app on your iPhone or iPad.
• Tap the Search icon (on the botton) and search for “Talent Management Truths.” Tap the album art.
• On the podcast page, tap the Reviews tab.
• Tap Write a Review at the bottom of this page.

Follow me

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lisa-mitchell-acc-ctdp-7437636/

Instagram: @greenappleconsulting

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/greenappleconsulting.ca