People Solutions

Hosted by Strategic Talent Management

Business

Website RSS feed

Episodes

Latest episode

Jun 2026

Language

About the show

People are the most important ingredient for your business or organization’s success. We believe the way to take your organization to the next level begins with knowing your people and yourself. When leaders and managers are spending fewer hours addressing the fallout of disengagement, mediocre performance, and unclear communications, they have the time and energy to achieve organizational goals. https://strategictalentmgmt.com Music: Geovane Bruno, Hello World - pixabay.com

Listen to episodes

60 recent

June 11, 202615 min

Episode 90: Your employee may not be the problem

Not every performance issue is an employee problem.Sometimes it’s a selection issue.Sometimes it’s unclear expectations.Sometimes it’s the environment around them.In this episode, we introduce the SCORE Framework—a leadership tool designed to help organizations pause before assigning blame and instead diagnose what’s really going on.It walks through five areas: Selection, Communication, Obstacles, Resources, and Expectations.Because better diagnosis leads to better performance management decisions.

May 14, 202619 min

Episode 89: Only 39% of Employees Feel 'Cared For' at Work

Only 39% of employees say someone at work genuinely cares about them. Yet 90% of leaders agree that when employees feel cared for, they're more loyal. So...what's the disconnect? This week on People Solutions, we sit down with Jamie Shibley, CEO of The Expressory, to explore what it really means to build a culture where people feel seen, valued, and remembered. Jamie shares practical, actionable ways leaders can move beyond surface-level recognition and create sustainable systems of gratitude that actually drive retention. We cover:The connection between employee experience and long-term retentionSubtle signs your team may not feel valuedWhere small businesses unintentionally miss the markHow to create a culture of acknowledgement without relying on constant giftingEngagement isn't about doing more. It's about being more intentional with what already matters.

April 9, 202615 min

Episode 88: Hiring For What Doesn't Expire

Everyone is rushing to hire for AI skills, but most many organizations are asking the wrong questions.In this episode, Sue MacArthur and Alyssa Curit unpack why hiring for today’s technical expertise may actually increase your risk in a rapidly changing environment. As tools evolve and roles shift in real time, the most valuable employees aren’t just the ones who know the latest platforms—they’re the ones who can learn, adapt, and stay effective through change.Sue and Alyssa explore:Why hard skills are becoming less reliable predictors of success The real drivers of long-term performance (learning agility, adaptability, resilience, and curiosity)Where hiring processes often go wrong How to shift to a more future-focused hiring approach If your organization is trying to keep up with AI, this conversation will help you rethink what—and who—you should actually be looking for.

March 12, 202612 min

Episode 87: Are You Accidentally Creating Confusion?

Managers rarely intend to create confusion. In fact, most leaders care deeply about communicating well with their teams. But even experienced managers can fall into subtle communication habits that lead to misalignment, frustration, and missed expectations.In this solo episode, Sue walks through five common communication mistakes managers make without realizing it, including:• Assuming people understand more than they do• Being vague in an effort to be polite• Communicating in only one way• Talking more than listening• Assuming silence means agreementThese mistakes usually don’t come from poor leadership; they come from busy schedules, pressure to move quickly, and relying on our natural communication style. The good news: small adjustments can make a significant difference.Sue also shares practical ways managers can improve clarity, strengthen alignment, and create more productive conversations with their teams. If you manage people and want to become a better leader, this episode will help you recognize communication patterns that may be holding your team back.Effective leadership communication isn’t about talking more, it’s about creating shared understanding. If you or someone on your team needs help refining their communication skills, let's talk about it. Schedule a complimentary consultation.

February 12, 202626 min

Episode 86: Small Business, Strong Leaders: Coaching That Sticks

Many small business owners rely on workshops and online courses to develop leaders, yet they often find that very little actually changes afterward. In this episode of our People Solutions podcast, Sue and Chris explore why that happens and what does work.The answer isn’t more training. It’s coaching — simple, practical, day-to-day coaching that happens in real time as leaders navigate the work.We talk about:Why courses alone rarely shift leadership behaviorWhat coaching actually looks like in real life (not theory)How to coach effectively in just 10–15 minutes a weekHow to identify emerging leaders, even if they don’t have formal titlesThe common leadership gaps coaching helps closeHow coaching improves engagement, retention, and ownershipCoaching doesn’t have to be a big investment of time or money. It’s about using meaningful moments to guide thinking, solve preventable problems, and help people take ownership over their work. If you’re a business owner who wants stronger leaders without adding more to your already full plate, this conversation will give you practical ways to start. Need more help? Schedule a complimentary consultation to talk about how STM can support your leadership development efforts: https://letsmeet.io/suemacarthur/complimentary-consultation

January 15, 202633 min

Episode 85: Culture is the Strategy: How Values Show Up at Work

Company culture is often talked about, but rarely defined, measured, or intentionally shaped. In this episode of STM's People Solutions podcast, Sue talked with Dean Mathews, Founder and CEO of OnTheClock, about what company culture really is, how it shows up in day-to-day behaviors, and why leaders - not policies or perks - are the most powerful drivers of culture.Why culture forms whether you manage it or notHow leadership behavior shapes trust, engagement, and accountabilityThe connection between culture, performance, and retentionPractical ways leaders can influence culture starting todayCulture isn't an HR initiative; it's a leadership responsibility and one of the strongest predictors of long-term success.If you're ready to take a more intentional approach to culture, leadership, and the employee experience, explore our tools and resources at Resources - Strategic Talent Management or reach out to schedule a complimentary consultation.

December 11, 202525 min

Episode 84: From Day One to Departure

In this latest episode of STM’s People Solutions Podcast, Sue and Alyssa explore the book ends of the full talent lifecycle. Drawing on our Onboarding Essentials and Offboarding Essentials guides, they unpack practical frameworks that help organizations strengthen culture, accelerate productivity, and protect the employer brand at every stage.The first and last impressions an employee experiences aren’t just administrative checkpoints, they’re culture statements. When onboarding and offboarding are strategic, consistent, and human-centered, organizations benefit from:Faster time-to-productivityHigher retentionStronger engagementReduced turnover falloutBetter internal communicationA healthier, more resilient cultureIf you haven’t reviewed your onboarding or offboarding processes recently, now is the perfect time. Set up a consultation with STM to evaluate your talent lifecycle, reduce risk, and align your processes with the culture you want to build. Simply reply to this email with TELL ME MORE and we’ll be in touch to schedule a complimentary consultation.STM Resources:Onboarding EssentialsOffboarding Essentials

October 16, 202528 min

Episode 83: Good Exit Strategy is Good Business Strategy

In the latest episode of STM's People Solutions podcast, Sue welcomes Kiley Peters. Kiley is an international award-winning serial entrepreneur, speaker, and small business strategist with over 20 years of entrepreneurial experience. She currently leads RAYNE IX, her strategic consultancy, and has helped hundreds of women launch, scale, and exit their businesses in pursuit of greater autonomy and financial freedom. Like it or not, every business owner will exit their business at some point. Listen in for some tips on how to do so with clarity, purpose, intention, and grace.Often the most difficult part of preparing for an exit is not the how, it's the who. STM can help sort that out with our succession planning services. Contact us for a complimentary consultation.

September 11, 202516 min

Episode 82: Safety as a Conscious Head and Heart Coaching Activity

In the latest episode of STM's People Solutions podcast, Art and Sue are joined by Dr. Shayne Tracy, president of The International Institute of Coaching Practice (IICP) and IICP's Vice President of Safety Coaching, Marcel Van der Wal. In many organizations safety is seen as something managed by HR and enforced by supervisors. But in a strong safety culture, that ownership shifts to everyone. Listen in to hear how they coach leaders in transforming their safety policies into a safety culture.Transition from having your employees follow the rules because they feel they have to into doing so because it's the right thing to do for themselves and their teammates.Build safety into strategic planning, decision-making, daily routines, and conversations.Spend your time living safety rather than just enforcing it.To learn more about IICP's safety coaching, you can contact Shayne at drtracy@rogers.com or Marcel at marcelthecoach@gmail.comAssessments play a significant role in measuring the safety mindset in a similar way to how we routinely measure for a leadership, sales, or customer service mindset. If you'd like more information, contact us for a complimentary consultation.

August 14, 20257 min

Episode 81: Your Next Hire is Already Judging You

In this episode of STM’s People Solutions podcast, Sue goes solo and dives into the candidate experience—why it matters, where companies go wrong, and how to get it right. In today’s job market, the experience you offer candidates isn’t just a courtesy, it’s a business strategy.Listen now and discover:Why a great candidate experience is a competitive advantageHow to stop ghosting and start communicatingWhat bad interviewers are really costing youHow structured, respectful interviews lead to better hiring outcomesThis is more than an HR issue, it’s your employer brand in action. Hiring is marketing and every touchpoint matters.Do you want to get a handle on your candidate experience? Contact us for more information about our Candidate Experience Audit https://strategictalentmgmt.com/candidate-experience-audit/