Future of HR

Hosted by JP Elliott

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Episodes

215

Latest episode

Oct 2026

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About the show

The Future of HR is the only podcast whose mission is to inspire the next generation of HR Leaders. In each episode, JP Elliott interviews successful HR executives and thought leaders who share their career journeys, lessons learned, and advice on how to take our field and your career to the next level. If you are a next-gen HR leader looking to fast-track your career, this is the podcast for you.

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60 recent

October 20, 202642 min

“How to Lead People Through AI Without Losing the Plot” Kelly Monahan, Future of Work and AI Advisor and Bestselling author of “Reclaim the Plot”

How can leaders redesign work to be more meaningful, not just more efficient? Why should HR, not IT, own your organization’s AI transformation? My guest on this episode is Kelly Monahan, Future of Work and AI Advisor and Bestselling author of “Reclaim the Plot” During our conversation Kelly and I discuss: Why people vs. business is a false choice for HR How leaders end up rewarding the behaviors they don’t want Why power erodes empathy, and how to design against it How sharing decision rights helps organizations move faster Why HR, not IT, should own AI transformation Connecting with Kelly Monahan Connect with Kelly Monahan on LinkedIn Learn more about and work with Kelly Monahan Learn more about or buy Reclaim the Plot

October 13, 202646 min

“The Organization Design Practitioner: How to Build Operating Models That Deliver” Greg Kesler and Amy Kates, org design experts, authors, practitioners.

How can HR lead organizational design, not just support it? Why does AI make org design more critical, not less? My guest on this episode is Greg Kesler and Amy Kates, org design experts, authors, and practitioners. During our conversation Greg, Amy, and I discuss: The difference between operating models and organization design. The four traits that distinguish great organization designers What CEOs really mean when they say the operating model isn't working. Why redesigning jobs for AI isn't enough to redesign the organization. How AI is changing where and how decisions get made. Connecting with Greg and Amy Connect with Greg Kesler on LinkedIn Connect with Amy Kates on LinkedIn Learn more about and buy The Organization Design Practitioner

October 6, 202612 min

“Removing Work Doesn't Make HR Strategic: The Missing Step in HR Transformation” JP Elliott, Founder, Future of HR

In this solo episode, released on the fourth anniversary of the Future of HR podcast, I make the case that removing transactional work doesn't automatically make HR more strategic. I share the story of two HR business partners who got the same time back after a transformation, why one rose to the moment and the other didn't, and what CHROs and HR leaders must do to turn time back into real business impact. Here are a few key takeaways from the episode: Why removing transactional work exposes HR's capability gap instead of solving it. How AI and transformation raise the bar for HR business partners, shifting the value from assembling information to judgment, influence, and courage. Why 30 years of building HR to execute has left many HR business partners unprepared for a more strategic role. Why the step most transformations miss is being clear about what's changing in the role, and what's not. How to test whether your transformation plan is as specific about new capabilities as it is about the work that's going away.

September 29, 202632 min

“How Guild Builds Talent Instead of Buying It” Alana Brandes, Chief People Officer, Guild

How does investing in people make an organization more agile and resilient? Why is building talent a better bet than buying it, especially in the age of AI? My guest on this episode is Alana Brandes, Chief People Officer at Guild. During our conversation Alana and I discuss: Why "follow your passion" is a trap, and why should follow your energy instead. Why the employee journey should run "to, through, and beyond." How treating people well on the way out builds trust, your brand and increases boomerang hires in the future. Why build-versus-buy is a false choice How upskilling insiders beats buying AI talent from outside. Connecting with Alana Brandes Connect with Alana Brandes on LinkedIn Learn more about Guild and their programs. Episode Sponsor: Next-Gen HR Accelerator - Learn more about this best-in-class leadership development program for next-gen HR leaders HR Leader’s Blueprint - 18 pages of real-world advice from 100+ HR thought leaders. Simple, actionable, and proven strategies to advance your career. Succession Planning Playbook: In this focused 1-page resource, I cut through the noise to give you the vital elements that define what “great” succession planning looks like.

September 22, 202637 min

“Leadership Intelligence: Science-Backed Tools for HR Leaders” Caroline Webb, Leadership coach, bestselling author of Leadership Intelligence and How to Have a Good Day

How can you apply proven frameworks to increase your impact as a HR leader? Why does understanding the human mind matter more, not less, as AI becomes more capable? My guest on this episode is Caroline Webb, Leadership coach, bestselling author of Leadership Intelligence and How to Have a Good Day. During our conversation Caroline and I discuss: How HR leaders can influence executive decisions without owning the decision. Why leaders should coach for capability, not just solve the immediate problem. How to create certainty when you don't have all the answers. How to give feedback people can actually act on How leaders can stay effective when the pressure builds Connecting with Caroline Webb Connect with Caroline Webb on LinkedIn Learn more about Leadership Intelligence and Caroline’s work Episode Sponsor: Next-Gen HR Accelerator - Learn more about this best-in-class leadership development program for next-gen HR leaders HR Leader’s Blueprint - 18 pages of real-world advice from 100+ HR thought leaders. Simple, actionable, and proven strategies to advance your career. Succession Planning Playbook: In this focused 1-page resource, I cut through the noise to give you the vital elements that define what “great” succession planning looks like.

September 15, 202640 min

“Why Execution Is More Scarce Than Strategy” Andy De Marco, CHRO, Fujitsu, Americas Region

How can you drive a high performance culture with four simple questions? Why is great execution more valuable than strategy? My guest on this episode is Andy De Marco, CHRO, Fujitsu, Americas Region During our conversation Andy and I discuss: Why the best HR leaders focus on adding value in every interaction. How Fujitsu drives a high performance culture with four simple questions. Why execution is scarcer and more valuable than strategy. Why a stable strategy frees the capacity execution requires. What capabilities and skills best position HR leaders for the future. Connecting with Andy De Marco Connect with Andy De Marco on LinkedIn Episode Sponsor: Next-Gen HR Accelerator - Learn more about this best-in-class leadership development program for next-gen HR leaders HR Leader’s Blueprint - 18 pages of real-world advice from 100+ HR thought leaders. Simple, actionable, and proven strategies to advance your career. Succession Planning Playbook: In this focused 1-page resource, I cut through the noise to give you the vital elements that define what “great” succession planning looks like.

September 8, 20261 hr 4 min

“Chase the Butterflies and Other Unwritten Rules of a Successful HR Career” Allan Church & Janine Waclawski, Co-Founders and Managing Partners, Maestro Consulting LLC

How can you “chase the butterflies” and take the stretch assignment that scares you? Why do the best HR leaders learn to “porpoise” and flex between strategy and execution? My guest on this episode is Allan Church & Janine Waclawski, Co-Founders and Managing Partners, Maestro Consulting LLC During our conversation Allan, Janine, and I discuss: Why you should never say no to a job you haven’t been offered. How “meeting the client where they are” is the foundation of every HR relationship. What it means to “porpoise” flexing between strategy and execution. How “chasing the butterflies” unlocks your biggest growth. How you can learn from every boss, even the ones you don’t like. Connecting with Allan Church & Janine Waclawski Connect with Allan Church & Janine Waclawski on LinkedIn Episode Sponsor: Next-Gen HR Accelerator - Learn more about this best-in-class leadership development program for next-gen HR leaders HR Leader’s Blueprint - 18 pages of real-world advice from 100+ HR thought leaders. Simple, actionable, and proven strategies to advance your career. Succession Planning Playbook: In this focused 1-page resource, I cut through the noise to give you the vital elements that define what “great” succession planning looks like.

September 1, 202637 min

“Collective Confidence: Why Belief Separates Good Teams From Great Ones” André Martin, Chief Experience Officer at LEAD3R, author of Wrong Fit, Right Fit and Collective Confidence

How can you build teams that have collective confidence? Why does belief matter when it comes to building high performance teams? My guest on this episode is André Martin, Chief Experience Officer at LEAD3R, author of Wrong Fit, Right Fit and Collective Confidence During our conversation André and I discuss: Why capable executive teams play small, even when they should be playing big. How collective confidence drives performance, especially as complexity rises. How the best leaders make belief-building a daily practice. How early, low-stakes wins create confidence and contribution from day one. How high-performing teams surface problems and turn failure into learning. Connecting with André Martin Connect with André Martin on LinkedIn Learn more about André, his books and how to work with him Episode Sponsor: Next-Gen HR Accelerator - Learn more about this best-in-class leadership development program for next-gen HR leaders HR Leader’s Blueprint - 18 pages of real-world advice from 100+ HR thought leaders. Simple, actionable, and proven strategies to advance your career. Succession Planning Playbook : In this focused 1-page resource, I cut through the noise to give you the vital elements that define what “great” succession planning looks like.

August 25, 202647 min

“How HR and Finance Build the Business Together” Christian Wattig, Director of the Wharton FP&A Program and Founder of Inside FP&A

How can HR and Finance build the business together? Why can't finance achieve true value creation without HR's knowledge and expertise? My guest on this episode is Christian Wattig, Director of the Wharton FP&A Program and Founder of Inside FP&A During our conversation Christian and I discuss: Why the scorekeeper mindset keeps finance and HR stuck in the back office How challenging assumptions helps leaders think rather than just slowing them down The four stages of finance maturity, from data to proactive value creation, and how the same model maps onto HR How to forecast humans, agents, and gig workers together, and why tokens are only about a third of AI's true cost Why ROI is the wrong tool for many HR programs and what to do instead Connecting with Christian Wattig Connect with Christian Wattig on LinkedIn Learn more about Christian’s programs at Inside FP&A Episode Sponsor: Next-Gen HR Accelerator - Learn more about this best-in-class leadership development program for next-gen HR leaders HR Leader’s Blueprint - 18 pages of real-world advice from 100+ HR thought leaders. Simple, actionable, and proven strategies to advance your career. Succession Planning Playbook : In this focused 1-page resource, I cut through the noise to give you the vital elements that define what “great” succession planning looks like.

August 18, 202631 min

“Why Business Acumen is the Capability You Control” Rose Velez-Smith, CHRO, DoubleVerify

How can you build business acumen without owning a P&L? Why is developing your business acumen within your control? My guest on this episode is Rose Velez-Smith, CHRO, DoubleVerify During our conversation Rose and I discuss: Why stepping out of HR to be in the business can be the single best thing you do for your career. How to start every executive conversation with business priorities first, then ask what talent outcomes are needed to enable them. Why talent doesn't exist separate from business strategy. How to choose your next role by evaluating who you'll become because of it. Why AI reshapes work rather than replacing it, and why in the future we will design jobs around judgment, creativity, and relationships. Connecting with Rose Velez-Smith Connect with Rose Velez-Smith on LinkedIn Episode Sponsor: Next-Gen HR Accelerator - Learn more about this best-in-class leadership development program for next-gen HR leaders HR Leader’s Blueprint - 18 pages of real-world advice from 100+ HR thought leaders. Simple, actionable, and proven strategies to advance your career. Succession Planning Playbook : In this focused 1-page resource, I cut through the noise to give you the vital elements that define what “great” succession planning looks like.