The Modern People Leader: Forward-Thinking HR

• 265 - The 4 Pillars of a Distributed Operating Model: Darren Murph (Future of Work Consultant)

  Darren Murph, a leading voice on distributed work and former leader at GitLab, Zillow, and Andela returned to the show.We dug into the remote first maturity scale, the four-pillar operating model (knowledge, project, self, performance), and how to build an “org brain.”---- Sponsor Links:🔗 Learn more about TopicFlow.MPL Links:🔗 Buy your ticket for MPL Live Austin.🔗 Go sign up for MPL Build.---- (04:42) Darren’s new chapter: going independent and why the timing was right(08:46) What’s changed since 2–3 years ago in remote/distributed work(09:13) Identity crisis in companies and the RTO narrative(11:09) The “operating system” of a company: where communication breaks(12:45) What ELTs are really discussing now(14:07) Under-the-radar topic: performance management as “fix the car, not just the driver”(16:40) AI readiness requires distributed-friendly systems (recording, documentation)(18:01) Remote-first maturity scale: where firms think they are vs. where they land(19:44) Knowledge management as the first pillar and the “org brain” concept(21:50) The four-pillar framework: knowledge → project → self → performance(24:13) “Gold in, gold out”: documentation and meeting capture fuel AI(26:00) Exemplars and ownership: Atlassian, GitLab, Doist; treating knowledge like a product(28:18) Tools and handbooks: Notion, public handbooks, getting started fast(30:13) MVP of an org brain and how functions build it out(34:34) Project management done right vs. 47 one-on-ones; insurance/IT ticketing analogies(37:47) Why this matters: time as compensation; segue to self-management(39:59) Team agreements and operating with flexibility(42:16) Measuring performance better: meetings, survey data, retention(46:19) Legacy reviews vs. modern, continuous performance practices (Juro example)(47:10) Organizational psychology: complexity theory and the pull back to “coherence”(54:03) Rapid-fire questions(58:43) Where to find Darren and work with him---- 📬 Subscribe to our weekly newsletter to get episode recaps💡 Follow The Modern People Leader on LinkedIn😊 Follow Daniel Huerta on LinkedIn😊 Follow Stephen Huerta on LinkedIn---- Past guests on MPL include Brené Brown, Annie Dean (VP of Team Anywhere, Atlassian), Josh Bersin, Katie Burke (Chief People Officer, Harvey), Liz Fosslien, Helen Russell (Chief People Officer, HubSpot), Dave Scott (Chief People Officer, ADT), Melanie Rossenwasser (Chief People Officer, Dropbox), Crystal Boysen (Chief People Officer, Sprout Social), and many more.

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• 264 - HR buys healthcare for half of America, but the system’s broken — here’s how to “moneyball” it

  Brandon Weber, Co-founder & CEO of Nava Benefits, joined us on The Modern People Leader.We talked about why benefits have become the second-largest company expense — and how HR can “moneyball” their healthcare spend, cut down on benefits-related admin work, and deliver better employee outcomes through the emerging “alt marketplace.”---- Nava Links:🔗 Learn more about Nava.MPL Links:🔗 Buy your ticket for MPL Live Austin.🔗 Go sign up for MPL Build.---- (07:07) Brandon’s Founder Journey and 10-Month Sabbatical Spark(14:06) The Broker as Market Maker: Distribution Problem in Employer Healthcare(16:27) Why Benefits Are Strategic: From Cost Center to Business Lever(18:28) Benefits Jumped to #2 Company Expense and a Talent Magnet(20:53) HR Holds the Healthcare Purse Strings for Half of America(21:15) Being Strategic with a Small People Team(21:39) Explosion of Benefits Complexity (from ~6 to ~20 offerings)(26:47) Status-Quo “Stockholm Syndrome” and Breaking the Cycle(28:51) 2025 Renewal Pain Driving Change(31:02) Automating Benefits Admin(33:11) The “Alt Marketplace” of Health Plans, PBMs, and Point Solutions(33:39) Examples of "Alt Marketplace": Garner Health Network Design; Sidecar Health Price Transparency(40:58) Agentic Future: Auditing Carrier Bills and Auto-Remediation(42:18) Renewal Season AI: From Spreadsheet Chaos to Real-Time Scenario Modeling(43:16) Zapier Example: Benefits Help Desk and the Real Cost of Repeated Questions(45:06) Nava’s AI Strategy for HR: Support, Admin Automation, Smarter Spend(47:35) “Moneyball” Your Benefits Spend with Data Science(48:06) Why Brokers’ 20-Year Spreadsheets Fail HR and CFOs(51:05) Rapid Fire Questions---- 📬 Subscribe to our weekly newsletter to get episode recaps💡 Follow The Modern People Leader on LinkedIn😊 Follow Daniel Huerta on LinkedIn😊 Follow Stephen Huerta on LinkedIn---- Past guests on MPL include Brené Brown, Annie Dean (VP of Team Anywhere, Atlassian), Josh Bersin, Katie Burke (Chief People Officer, Harvey), Liz Fosslien, Helen Russell (Chief People Officer, HubSpot), Dave Scott (Chief People Officer, ADT), Melanie Rossenwasser (Chief People Officer, Dropbox), Crystal Boysen (Chief People Officer, Sprout Social), and many more.

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• 263 - This Chief People Officer Redesigned HR Around Workflows: Andrew Golden (Chief People Officer, RetailNext)

  Andrew Golden, Chief People Officer at RetailNext, joined us on The Modern People Leader.We talked about how he’s driving transformation, why HR and IT must partner more closely, the power of building lightweight AI solutions in-house, and why he’s optimistic about the future of people teams.---- Sponsor Links:🔗 Request a demo of ChartHop.🔗 Talk to the team at Ethena.MPL Links:🔗 Go sign up for MPL Build.---- (10:15) Burnout, Leaving RetailNext & Working in Family Accounting Firm(11:49) Explaining RetailNext’s Business: Hardware + data insights for retail stores(13:30) Why Andrew Returned to RetailNext & Rejoining After Private Equity Acquisition(16:35) Restarting PeopleOps as a Product at RetailNext(17:59) Partnering with PX Sapiens & Lean PX Design Principles(20:16) Portugal Trip Lightbulb Moment: Rethinking HRBP model(22:21) Moving Away from Traditional Org Charts → Workflow Alignment(24:16) Practical Application: Embedding People Team into Business Workflows(26:36) The Three Workflows: Pre-Customer, Post-Customer, and Transitions(28:08) EOS (Entrepreneurial Operating System) & Core Processes in HR(29:50) How EOS + PeopleOps as a Product Fit Together(32:18) Redefining “Strategic HR” as Operationally Relevant HR(35:20) Advice for Skeptics: Why Agile PX Matters(36:57) Building HR Tools with AI: Andrew’s Employee Engagement Platform(40:33) The SaaS vs. Build Trade-Off: Flexibility with AI Tools(42:58) Why Now Is the Time: Optimism in HR’s Future(59:36) How HR and IT Partner Together at RetailNext---- 📬 Subscribe to our weekly newsletter to get episode recaps💡 Follow The Modern People Leader on LinkedIn😊 Follow Daniel Huerta on LinkedIn😊 Follow Stephen Huerta on LinkedIn---- Past guests on MPL include Brené Brown, Annie Dean (VP of Team Anywhere, Atlassian), Josh Bersin, Katie Burke (Chief People Officer, Harvey), Liz Fosslien, Helen Russell (Chief People Officer, HubSpot), Dave Scott (Chief People Officer, ADT), Melanie Rossenwasser (Chief People Officer, Dropbox), Crystal Boysen (Chief People Officer, Sprout Social), and many more.

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• 262 - LVMH CHRO on Culture & AI: Gena Smith (CHRO, LVMH North America)

  Gena Smith, CHRO at LVMH North America, joined us on The Modern People Leader. We talked about how she sparked an AI transformation across 75 LVMH brands, why HR should lead AI change management, and how to reframe AI adoption as a cultural and creative advantage.---- Sponsor Links:🔗 Talk to the team at Ethena.🔗 Request a demo of Workleap.MPL Links:🔗Go sign up for MPL Build.---- (05:07) Gena’s Career Journey: From Texas to Global HR Leader(10:34) Passion for People & Culture Sparked Abroad(11:01) Serving on the Board of Parsons School of Design(13:26) What’s in the LVMH Portfolio (and What People Don’t Know)(16:55) The Culture at LVMH: Pride, Legacy, and Humility(18:53) Managing People & Culture Across 75 Brands(19:57) LVMH’s Decentralized Structure & Core Values(22:48) How HR Anchors Culture Across the Group(24:11) The WSJ Conference that Sparked Her AI Learning Journey(26:34) Building the HR AI Task Force & Their First Discoveries(30:02) The “It Feels Like Cheating” Employee Mindset Around AI(31:29) Why Marketing the AI Message Internally is Key(32:33) Using AI in Creative Studios & Operational Areas(36:28) Tackling Fear of AI & Job Security Concerns(37:18) Why Upskilling is the Real Future-Proofing Strategy(39:31) Normalizing AI Adoption & Creating Comfort(42:21) Hot Take: HR Will Write the Blueprint for AI in Business(43:49) Why HR Must Be on Every AI Governance Board(45:14) Scaling Change Management Through Internal Campaigns(46:29) Building LVMH’s AI Marketing Campaign from Scratch(48:43) Advice for HR Leaders: Start Your Learning Journey Now(50:54) Why Human Skills Will Become the Ultimate Currency---- 📬 Subscribe to our weekly newsletter to get episode recaps💡 Follow The Modern People Leader on LinkedIn😊 Follow Daniel Huerta on LinkedIn😊 Follow Stephen Huerta on LinkedIn---- Past guests on MPL include Brené Brown, Annie Dean (VP of Team Anywhere, Atlassian), Josh Bersin, Katie Burke (Chief People Officer, Harvey), Liz Fosslien, Helen Russell (Chief People Officer, HubSpot), Dave Scott (Chief People Officer, ADT), Melanie Rossenwasser (Chief People Officer, Dropbox), Crystal Boysen (Chief People Officer, Sprout Social), and many more.

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• 261 - AI Confessions: What HR Leaders Really Think (Recorded Live at HR Tech)

  What happens when you put a mic in front of HR leaders and ask them for their unfiltered takes on AI?In this episode, Daniel and Stephen recap their trip to HR Tech — where they recorded 12 quick-hit “AI Confessions” from folks they met on the conference room floor. From agentic workflows and custom GPT chaos to the real blockers slowing down AI adoption, this one’s packed with candid insights from the front lines.You’ll hear what HR leaders from companies like Lumen, Articulate, and Airbnb.---- Sponsor Links:🔗 Talk to the team at Ethena.🔗 Request a demo of ChartHop.MPL Links:🔗 Go sign up for MPL Build.---- (06:00) HR Tech debrief setup and the “non-Expo Expo” vision(08:26) Vendor noise: everyone promises everything; how to curate for quality(10:13) Trend: agentic workflows vs. true autonomous agents(13:16) “One UI to rule them all” and platforms trying to do it all(16:18) The HR “sandbox” idea and customization/vibe-coding future(18:02) Governance should come first, not last(19:24) New format intro: “AI Confessions” clip series(20:10) Articulate: hype vs. reality, custom GPT maintenance tax(24:36) Snapshot pain: stale docs and refresh gaps in tools(25:04) Why an org brain/source of truth matters(26:58) Biggest blockers called out: connectivity across the stack, tech limits(30:57) Magic wand from Clip 1: payroll automation and smarter resume parsing(34:43) Lumen: “AI diffusion,” empathy-first change and upskilling(36:32) Creating safe spaces to experiment; role-by-role reskilling(45:35) Myths and multi-agent maturity: where we really are(48:20) Senior vs. junior agents; linking SMEs to AI via the org brain(55:05) Airbnb: scouting the recruiting tech stack(57:33) Is HR behind on tech adoption compared to other functions(1:00:49) Biggest blocker: skills and resourcing gap in HR/TA teams(1:03:32) Upskilling in practice: stipends, bootcamps, internal rhythms(1:05:27) TA automation targets: scheduling, intake, JD drafts, calibration slates(1:06:09) Change management is the hard part---- 📬 Subscribe to our weekly newsletter to get episode recaps💡 Follow The Modern People Leader on LinkedIn😊 Follow Daniel Huerta on LinkedIn😊 Follow Stephen Huerta on LinkedIn---- Past guests on MPL include Brené Brown, Annie Dean (VP of Team Anywhere, Atlassian), Josh Bersin, Katie Burke (Chief People Officer, Harvey), Liz Fosslien, Helen Russell (Chief People Officer, HubSpot), Dave Scott (Chief People Officer, ADT), Melanie Rossenwasser (Chief People Officer, Dropbox), Crystal Boysen (Chief People Officer, Sprout Social), and many more.

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