HR Superstars

Hosted by 15Five

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212

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Oct 2026

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About the show

HR and People Ops can be challenging, but there's a community of others who've been in your shoes. HR Superstars is the podcast from 15Five that connects you with confident and respected strategic people leaders who have conquered a myriad of challenges and now have valuable and actionable insights to share. In each episode, our host, Karina Young, VP of People at 15Five, will talk to some of the world's leading innovators in the HR/People Ops space willing to share their insights and advice to help you in your journey. We get real with topics like being a strategic business partner to the rest of the organization, how to have difficult conversations while maintaining empathy, and how to make DEI a part of your cultural DNA instead of just lip service. 15Five is here to help you do what matters most—develop your workforce, create a strong employer brand, and be respected as the strategic business partner you are. Come join thousands of your fellow HR Superstars. We're so excited to have you.

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60 recent

October 20, 202632 min

How to Get Your CEO to See HR as a Strategic Partner with Elles Skony

Does it feel like HR is excluded from strategic conversations? Elles Skony says it's time to stop waiting for permission to lead. In this episode, she joins Karina Young to talk about how HR leaders can earn trust, build influence, and show up as true business partners. As the founder of Fractional People People, Elles shares what moving into fractional work taught her about setting boundaries, creating value quickly, and knowing when a company may no longer be the right fit. Together, they discuss how adopting a business mindset changes how executives see you, and what it's like to focus on what you can control when leadership support is lacking. You'll learn: Why a victim mindset is HR's biggest blocker to influence Concrete ways to build trust with your CEO How going fractional changes stakeholder relationships Join us as we discuss: (00:00) Meet HR Superstar: Elles Skony (02:36) Becoming a fractional people leader (08:56) How understanding the business changes your influence (11:02) The victim mindset in HR (17:25) What changes when you go from in-house to fractional (22:55) One move to change how your CEO sees you (28:12) The one question to ask before going fractional 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. Listening on a desktop & can't see the links? Just search for HR Superstars in your favorite podcast player. Hear Karina's thoughts on elevating your HR career by following her on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/karinayoung11/ Download 15Five's HR Outcomes Playbook: https://www.15five.com/ebook/hr-outcomes-playbook-unlocking-the-true-business-value-of-hr/?utm_source=podcast&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=Q2_2023_Podcast_CTAs&utm_content=HR For more on maximizing employee performance, engagement, and retention, click here: https://www.15five.com/demo?utm_source=podcast&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=Q2-Podcast-Ads&utm_content=Schedule-a-demo Elles Skony's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ellesskony/ Fractional People People: https://www.fractionalpeoplepeople.com/

October 6, 202630 min

What Curiosity Unlocks in Leadership with Dr. Debra Clary

There's a misconception that great leadership means having it all figured out. But slowing down to ask questions and bring people into the conversation is what helps teams move faster. In this episode of HR Superstars, Karina Young sits down with Dr. Debra Clary, founder and leadership advisor of The Clary Group, to discuss why curiosity is a measurable driver of performance, not just a nice-to-have trait. Debra shares the research behind her four-factor curiosity diagnostic, why certainty gets in the way of good leadership, and how HR can build psychological safety that invites questions. You'll learn: Why certainty is a blocker to good leadership The four factors used to measure and build curiosity in a team How to reward and reinforce curiosity so people keep speaking up Join us as we discuss: (00:00) Meet HR Superstar: Dr. Debra Clary (03:26) Why curiosity is missing from leadership frameworks (06:11) Curiosity as a strategic advantage (08:17) Certainty kills curiosity (12:51) The four factors to measure curiosity (19:43) Using curiosity data in hiring and development (23:30) What happens when curiosity isn't protected (27:15) How leaders can start being more curious 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. Listening on a desktop & can't see the links? Just search for HR Superstars in your favorite podcast player. Hear Karina's thoughts on elevating your HR career by following her on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/karinayoung11/ Download 15Five's Performance Review Playbook: https://www.15five.com/ebook/review-process-playbook?utm_source=podcast&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=Q2_2023_Podcast_CTAs&utm_content=Performance For more on maximizing employee performance, engagement, and retention, click here: https://www.15five.com/demo?utm_source=podcast&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=Q2-Podcast-Ads&utm_content=Schedule-a-demo Dr. Debra Clary's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/drdebraclary/ The Curiosity Curve: A Leader's Guide to Growth and Transformation Through Bold Questions: https://www.amazon.com/Curiosity-Curve-Leaders-Transformation-Questions/dp/1639081380

September 22, 202643 min

Mental Health Beyond Wellness Programs with Melissa Doman

Mental health is a priority for many organizations, but knowing how to talk about it is still one of leadership's biggest challenges. In this episode of HR Superstars, Karina Young sits down with Melissa Doman, organizational psychologist and author of the "Cornered Office: Why We Need to Talk About Leadership Mental Health". They discuss what it takes to make mental health a true leadership competency. Melissa shares practical frameworks for having better workplace conversations, navigating mental health with confidence and care, and helping leaders build healthier, higher-performing teams. You'll learn: Why mental health should be treated as a leadership competency How managers can support employees without crossing professional boundaries How HR can make the business case for investing in workplace mental health Join us as we discuss: (00:00) Meet HR Superstar: Melissa Doman (05:44) Why leaders avoid mental health conversations (09:40) Mental health vs. mental illness at work (18:53) The business case for workplace mental health (26:10) What great mental health leadership looks like (31:03) How managers can support without becoming therapists (37:36) Building an evergreen culture of mental health (40:30) Starting the mental health conversation with a self-audit 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. Listening on a desktop & can't see the links? Just search for HR Superstars in your favorite podcast player. Hear Karina's thoughts on elevating your HR career by following her on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/karinayoung11/ Download 15Five's Manager Enablement Playbook: https://www.15five.com/resources/ebook/15fives-manager-enablement-playbook-for-hr-leaders?hsLang=en?utm_source=podcast&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=2026_Podcast&utm_content=ebook For more on maximizing employee performance, engagement, and retention, click here: https://www.15five.com/demo?utm_source=podcast&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=Q2-Podcast-Ads&utm_content=Schedule-a-demo Melissa Doman's LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/melissadoman1 Cornered Office: Why We Need to Talk About Leadership Mental Health: https://www.amazon.com/Cornered-Office-Leadership-Mental-Health/dp/139435035X Yes, You Can Talk About Mental Health at Work: Here's Why… and How to Do it Really Well: https://www.amazon.com/Talk-About-Mental-Health-Work/dp/1789563038 Mental Health at Work Conversational Literacy: https://www.melissadoman.com/blog/conversational-literacy-for-mental-health-at-work

September 8, 202640 min

Why Your Culture Reset Isn't Sticking and How To Fix It with Paula Brockwell

Introducing new values doesn't change culture. New conditions do. In this episode of HR Superstars, Karina Young speaks with Paula Brockwell, founder and lead psychologist of The Employee Experience Project. They discuss why culture is something you design, not declare, and why so many culture initiatives stall six months after the big announcement. There's no single definition of a good culture, only the one that's right for your business. To find it, Paula shares how HR teams should build change around what the business needs right now, not an aspirational version years away. From there, she breaks down why getting specific about non-negotiables matters and how organizations can shape the conditions that actually drive behavior. You'll learn: Why building the conditions for change matters more than the change itself How to get your leaders to model what you're asking for Why slowing down on AI transformation can be the fastest path forward Join us as we discuss: (00:00) Meet HR Superstar: Paula Brockwell (03:17) Aspirational culture goals set leaders up to fail (10:26) Why unwanted behaviors flourish (14:47) Change fails without fixing the system first (16:46) Turning leaders into true enablers (23:33) The psychological contract between employer and employee (31:13) Why AI transformation needs a pause before scaling (33:41) How to pick the right cultural mode for your business 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. Listening on a desktop & can't see the links? Just search for HR Superstars in your favorite podcast player. Hear Karina's thoughts on elevating your HR career by following her on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/karinayoung11/ Download 15Five's HR Leader's Guide to Reducing Regrettable Turnover: https://www.15five.com/resources/ebook/guide-to-reducing-regrettable-turnover?hsLang=en?utm_source=podcast&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=Q4_2025_CTA&utm_content=turnover For more on maximizing employee performance, engagement, and retention, click here: https://www.15five.com/demo?utm_source=podcast&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=Q2-Podcast-Ads&utm_content=Schedule-a-demo Paula Brockwell's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/paulabrockwell/ The Employee Experience Project: https://theexproject.com/

August 25, 202633 min

How to Talk to Employees About Career Growth with Brittany Storie

We've been taught to picture career growth as a straight line upward. That's not how careers actually unfold. In this episode of HR Superstars, Karina Young speaks with Brittany Storie, Product Advisor and Sales Leader at AllVoices. They discuss how HR leaders can build a more flexible approach to career growth in a workforce where linear paths are no longer the norm. Brittany shares why companies should be honest about the fact that employees may eventually leave—and how that honesty can build trust, strengthen performance, and create lasting alumni relationships. She also explains how employees can take ownership of their growth and what HR leaders can do to create more human workplaces. You'll learn: How to talk openly with employees about their growth at the company How HR leaders can think beyond the org chart for employee development Why hiring needs to recognize nonlinear resumes and nontraditional career paths Join us as we discuss: (00:00) Meet HR Superstar: Brittany Storie (02:58) The traditional career ladder is outdated (06:19) How to build trust with new hires about career growth (11:24) The value of a strong alumni network (13:28) Going beyond traditional paths for employee development (17:22) Psychological safety and trust with employees (22:06) Hiring for nonlinear, nontraditional career paths (27:42) The need for internal champions to drive culture change 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. Listening on a desktop & can't see the links? Just search for HR Superstars in your favorite podcast player. Hear Karina's thoughts on elevating your HR career by following her on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/karinayoung11/ Download 15Five's Employee Engagement Playbook: https://www.15five.com/ebook/engage-to-excel-15fives-employee-engagement-playbook/?utm_source=podcast&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=Q2_2023_Podcast_CTAs&utm_content=Employee For more on maximizing employee performance, engagement, and retention, click here: https://www.15five.com/demo?utm_source=podcast&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=Q2-Podcast-Ads&utm_content=Schedule-a-demo Brittany Storie's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brittanystorie/

August 11, 202637 min

How To Change Difficult Behavior Before It Costs You Your Culture with Diana Lowe

What do you do when your highest-performing employee is also creating tension across the team? HR leaders often face the difficult choice of tolerating harmful behavior because of someone's results or taking action and risking the loss of valuable expertise. In this episode of HR Superstars, Karina Young sits down with Diana Lowe, executive coach, author, and founder of Blue Light Leadership. They discuss why changing workplace behavior is so difficult and how leaders can create the conditions for meaningful growth. Diana shares why difficult behavior is often more complex than it appears and how HR leaders can use curiosity, accountability, and empathy to help leaders grow and teams thrive. You'll learn: How to find the root cause of difficult behavior How to hold high performers accountable with empathy, not punishment How to drive change through internal motivation Join us as we discuss: (00:00) Meet HR Superstar: Diana Lowe (04:22) Difficult behavior is a system problem (15:15) The "iceberg" of behavior: what we don't see (19:51) How to coach and provide feedback to leaders (24:34) Holding the line between empathy and accountability (34:20) The next step for HR leaders 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. Listening on a desktop & can't see the links? Just search for HR Superstars in your favorite podcast player. Hear Karina's thoughts on elevating your HR career by following her on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/karinayoung11/ Download 15Five's Performance Review Playbook: https://www.15five.com/ebook/review-process-playbook?utm_source=podcast&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=Q2_2023_Podcast_CTAs&utm_content=Performance For more on maximizing employee performance, engagement, and retention, click here: https://www.15five.com/demo?utm_source=podcast&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=Q2-Podcast-Ads&utm_content=Schedule-a-demo Diana Lowe's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dianaelowe/

July 28, 202628 min

Rethinking Performance in the AI Era with Chris Walker

High performance has traditionally been measured by individual output, but that definition is starting to change. In this episode of HR Superstars, Karina Young continues her conversation with Chris Walker, entrepreneur and author of The Frequency Era. They discuss why companies need to move beyond measuring individual output, how hiring practices can better identify potential, and how HR leaders can recognize the people who elevate the performance of those around them. Listen as Chris shares his perspective on building organizations where people continue to grow, evolve, and create meaningful impact in a rapidly changing workplace. You'll learn: Why traditional performance metrics are becoming outdated How HR can move beyond training programs to shape culture, behavior, and leadership effectiveness How to create a hiring process that better reflects the realities of modern work Join us as we discuss: (00:00) Meet HR Superstar: Chris Walker (00:38) Why leaders should trace every problem back to the top (04:17) The quality of your people is your biggest strategic advantage (06:53) How to treat skills as trainable capacities (11:29) Measuring the ROI of your people (14:58) How HR business partners can help unlock unique capabilities (18:35) Why resumes are ineffective as a primary way to filter candidates (22:50) Trial-based hiring models to assess talent 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. Listening on a desktop & can't see the links? Just search for HR Superstars in your favorite podcast player. Hear Karina's thoughts on elevating your HR career by following her on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/karinayoung11/ Download 15Five's Manager Enablement Playbook: https://www.15five.com/resources/ebook/15fives-manager-enablement-playbook-for-hr-leaders?hsLang=en?utm_source=podcast&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=2026_Podcast&utm_content=ebook For more on maximizing employee performance, engagement, and retention, click here: https://www.15five.com/demo?utm_source=podcast&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=Q2-Podcast-Ads&utm_content=Schedule-a-demo Chris Walker's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chriswalker171/ The Frequency Era: https://www.amazon.com/Frequency-Era-Chris-Walker-ebook/dp/B0GXGBWSWQ

July 14, 202634 min

How Great Leaders Will Thrive Alongside AI with Chris Walker

As routine tasks become increasingly automated, organizations need to rethink how they develop leaders and teams. Judgment, creativity, and adaptability become increasingly more important than knowledge or technical skills. In this episode of HR Superstars, Karina Young sits down with Chris Walker, entrepreneur and author of The Frequency Era, to discuss how AI is reshaping the role of HR. He explains why traditional approaches to learning and leadership development are no longer enough, how workplace cultures often suppress creativity, and what HR leaders can do to help their organizations thrive in this new era of work. You'll learn: Why AI is increasing the value of uniquely human capabilities How HR can shift from building knowledge to building human capacity What leaders can do to foster clarity, creativity, and better decisions Join us as we discuss: (00:00) Meet HR Superstar: Chris Walker (05:58) Why AI is creating a new era of human potential (11:33) Creativity is the ultimate competitive advantage (13:34) Rethinking how HR develops people (19:49) Why "soft skills" are now business-critical skills (26:05) Why personal and professional development must converge (29:21) What organizations need to do differently to thrive 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. Listening on a desktop & can't see the links? Just search for HR Superstars in your favorite podcast player. Hear Karina's thoughts on elevating your HR career by following her on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/karinayoung11/ Download 15Five's HR Outcomes Playbook: https://www.15five.com/ebook/hr-outcomes-playbook-unlocking-the-true-business-value-of-hr/?utm_source=podcast&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=Q2_2023_Podcast_CTAs&utm_content=HR For more on maximizing employee performance, engagement, and retention, click here: https://www.15five.com/demo?utm_source=podcast&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=Q2-Podcast-Ads&utm_content=Schedule-a-demo Chris Walker's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chriswalker171/ The Frequency Era: https://www.amazon.com/Frequency-Era-Chris-Walker-ebook/dp/B0GXGBWSWQ

June 30, 2026Episode 20536 min

How AI Agents Can Multiply HR's Impact with Nelson Spencer

HR and people leaders often feel pulled in a hundred directions, leaving little time for strategy or growth. What if you could reclaim that time and make a bigger impact without working longer hours? In this episode, Karina Young sits down with Nelson Spencer, founder of Augie Ventures. They discuss how AI and intelligent agents can help you offload repetitive tasks, streamline workflows, and amplify your impact. Learn practical strategies for using AI to handle the operational side of HR while freeing yourself to focus on leadership, culture, and employee development. You'll learn: How to leverage AI to multiply HR impact Practical steps for AI adoption in HR Translating existing HR skills to AI work Join us as we discuss: (00:00) Meet HR Superstar: Nelson Spencer (04:01) Navigating anxiety around AI adoption (05:15) Using AI to multiply human talent (07:27) Moving beyond basic AI tasks (18:06) Applying leadership skills to AI (21:22) Building trust and psychological safety (27:45) Improving quantity & quality of work through AI (33:57) Maintaining the human lens of HR 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. Listening on a desktop & can't see the links? Just search for HR Superstars in your favorite podcast player. Hear Karina's thoughts on elevating your HR career by following her on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/karinayoung11/ Download 15Five's HR Outcomes Playbook: https://www.15five.com/ebook/hr-outcomes-playbook-unlocking-the-true-business-value-of-hr/?utm_source=podcast&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=Q2_2023_Podcast_CTAs&utm_content=HR For more on maximizing employee performance, engagement, and retention, click here: https://www.15five.com/demo?utm_source=podcast&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=Q2-Podcast-Ads&utm_content=Schedule-a-demo Nelson Spencer's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nelsonspencer/

June 16, 2026Episode 20437 min

Why Manager Support Needs to Move Beyond Training with Sara Canaday

Managers are being asked to do more than ever. They're expected to coach, support well-being, drive performance, and navigate uncertainty, often without the necessary systems or tools to do it effectively. In this episode of HR Superstars, Karina Young sits down with Sara Canaday, leadership strategist and award-winning author, to explore how HR can better support managers. Sara explains why manager overload is often a systemic issue, not a skill issue, and discusses how HR can transition from one-time training to real-time enablement. She also discusses how AI can help managers reduce cognitive overload while still leading with discernment and authenticity. You'll learn: Why manager overload is a system issue, not a skill gap How HR can shift from training to real-time support How AI reduces overload, supports tough conversations, and improves decisions Join us as we discuss: (00:00) Meet HR Superstar: Sara Canaday (04:58) Manager struggles are a systems issue (06:35) Why HR needs to shift from training to enablement (14:03) Misconceptions about managers & coaching (20:26) How AI can help leaders move from overload to clarity 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. Listening on a desktop & can't see the links? Just search for HR Superstars in your favorite podcast player. Hear Karina's thoughts on elevating your HR career by following her on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/karinayoung11/ Download 15Five's Manager Enablement Playbook: https://www.15five.com/resources/ebook/15fives-manager-enablement-playbook-for-hr-leaders?hsLang=en?utm_source=podcast&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=2026_Podcast&utm_content=ebook For more on maximizing employee performance, engagement, and retention, click here: https://www.15five.com/demo?utm_source=podcast&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=Q2-Podcast-Ads&utm_content=Schedule-a-demo Sara Canaday's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/saracanaday/