Future of HR

Over the past 180 episodes, I've only been the one getting interviewed twice. I continue to get requests and questions from you saying, "JP, we'd love for you to answer more questions. We want to get to know you better. We've got some questions we would love you to answer." So, that is what I am doing today. This is a special Ask Me Anything episode.
I am joined by my brilliant friend, Anne Gotte, who's the Senior Vice President, Global Talent and Organizational Effectiveness for Mondelēz International. Anne was kind enough to say, "Hey, JP, I want to interview you. I think this will be a lot of fun." And she was right.
All the questions today were submitted by you — through the newsletter, on LinkedIn, and across the Future of HR community. I saw some of the questions as they came in, but Anne and I made a deliberate choice: no scripts, no prep, just a candid conversation. So what you're going to hear is Anne and I working through your questions in real time.
I'm going to do my best to answer questions around:
How I got my first big break
Where I think AI will shape HR careers
What I would do differently if I could go back in time and give myself the advice I give many next-gen HR leaders today

How can organizations make employee well-being a leadership responsibility, not just an employee responsibility?

Why is belonging the number one driver of employee well-being?

My guest on this episode is Mark C. Crowley, a pioneer in workplace leadership, speaker, and bestselling author of Lead from the Heart and The Power of Employee Well-Being.

During our conversation, Mark and I discuss the following:

Why leading with the heart is often misunderstood as being "soft" in business settings.
How pulse surveys, when paired with real accountability systems, can transform manager behavior and team performance.
Why belonging is the number one driver of employee well-being
Why employee well-being is the leader’s responsibility, not the employee’s and the research that proves it.
Why HR leaders need to challenge decisions that prioritize short-term financial metrics over long-term culture and people.

Connecting with Mark:
Connect with Mark on LinkedIn

Learn more about Mark’s books and podcast

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.

How can organizations use coaching to build leadership capability?

Why should every organization have a clear executive coaching strategy?

My guest on this episode is Brian Underhill, Founder and CEO of CoachSource

During our conversation, Brian and I discuss the following:

How the executive coaching industry evolved and matured over the past few decades.
How organizations can design disciplined, scalable coaching systems that drive measurable behavior change.
Why coaching works best when it is aligned to the talent strategy.
How team coaching can improve trust and effectiveness when designed intentionally.
Where AI can support coaching at scale and where it can’t.

Connecting with Brian:
Connect with Brian on LinkedIn
Learn more about CoachSource

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.

How can HR lead with courage?

How can organizations be both high performing and healthy?

My guest on this episode is Pat Wadors, CHRO, Intuitive and author of “Unlock Your Leadership Story.”

During our conversation, Pat and I discuss the following:

Why HR leaders must have the courage to challenge decisions that compromise the organization’s or their own values, even when it puts their role at risk.
What it truly means to build a healthy company, not just a high-performing one.
How can you partner with the business, so they own the initiatives and not HR
Why HR needs to adopt a product mindset when designing employee experiences and strategic initiatives.
Why should you have a “personal scorecard” that helps you navigate your career and personal life.

Connecting with Pat:
Connect with Pat on LinkedIn
Learn more about Pat’s book Unlock Your Leadership Story.

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.

How do leaders develop cultural agility?

Why is cultural agility an essential skill in the age of AI?

My guest on this episode is Paula Caligiuri, Distinguished Professor at Northeastern University, Co-Founder of Skiilify, and Best-Selling Author.

During our conversation, Paula and I discuss the following:

Why cultural agility is becoming a critical leadership capability
How leaders actually develop effectiveness across cultures
Why vulnerability, curiosity, and perspective-taking build trust and adaptability.
How individual behavior shapes team dynamics more than formal authority.
How organizations can intentionally design experiences to develop global leaders.

Connecting with Paula:
Connect with Paula on LinkedIn
Learn more about Paula’s company, Skillify
Check out my conversation with Paula on International Business Today podcast where we discuss The Future of HR

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.