Transformational Leadership

Leading Transformation Before Crisis Hits | Richard Finger | EP 107

Welcome to the Transformational Leadership Podcast, where senior leaders share real-world experiences building high-performance organizations in complex, high-pressure environments.
In this episode, host Jeff Harnois is joined by Richard Finger, Vice President of Human Resources at Broadmead Inc. Richard brings deep experience from leading large-scale HR transformations, including his work at Bristol-Myers Squibb, where he played a critical role during the years leading up to the loss of patent protection for Plavix — the company’s flagship pharmaceutical product at the time.
The conversation explores how organizations prepare for major inflection points, including large-scale restructuring, business spin-offs, and reinvention at global scale. Richard shares lessons from leading workforce transformation across tens of thousands of employees, navigating uncertainty, and aligning people strategy with long-term business outcomes.
This episode offers a candid look at leadership during disruption, the role of HR in enterprise transformation, and what it takes to guide organizations through change while maintaining performance, culture, and trust.
⏱️ Timestamps
00:00 – Welcome to the Transformational Leadership Podcast00:27 – Podcast mission and focus on real leadership stories00:42 – Introduction of host Jeff Harnois01:15 – Introducing Richard Finger and his leadership background01:53 – Setting the context: Bristol-Myers Squibb and Plavix02:34 – The market impact of patent expiration03:15 – Scale and complexity of a global organization04:12 – Preparing for transformation years in advance06:08 – Workforce implications of large-scale change09:42 – Leading HR transformation in complex environments13:55 – Spin-offs, restructuring, and organizational redesign18:30 – Leadership lessons from enterprise transformation23:44 – Balancing execution, culture, and performance28:16 – The evolving role of HR as a strategic function33:05 – Applying transformation lessons across industries38:12 – Final reflections on leadership and change
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The Dirty Dozen: Frontline Change Management | Billy Parsons | Transformational Leadership | EP 106

How do you transform HR in a 9,000-employee, multi-billion dollar healthcare organization while reducing turnover by 11% and increasing engagement by 24%? Billy Parsons, a transformational CHRO with 65+ M&A integrations under his belt, shares the playbook.Timestamps: 00:00 - Introduction to Billy Parsons 02:24 - The Challenge: 9,000 Employees, 725 Locations 03:26 - Current State: Built for Call Centers, Not Clinical Enterprise 05:25 - Deep Evidence-Based Review: Finding the Hotspots 06:15 - Resistance: The "Second Job" Problem 08:34 - Cultural Friction Post-M&A 11:11 - Structural Barriers: Google to Microsoft Transition 13:18 - Managing Change Fatigue with 135-Question Survey 15:13 - The "Dirty Dozen": Frontline Manager Advisory Group 19:12 - Employee Experience Council: 30 Frontline Voices 21:23 - Decentralizing HR: From Black Hole to Business Partners 24:21 - Manager Enablement vs. Care Provider Empowerment 27:30 - Foundational Changes: 900 Job Titles to Less Than Half 29:12 - On-Demand Pay System: 50% of Completed Work Every Friday 30:43 - Results: 11% Turnover Reduction in Year One 31:12 - 24% Engagement Increase in One Year 32:17 - Organizational Upskilling: First Large-Scale L&D Program 34:45 - Position Management System for Better Forecasting 35:16 - Recognition Platform: The Game Changer 38:11 - Points System: Patients & Doctors Worth 5X More 39:35 - Results: From 100 to 2,000+ Recognitions in Month One 41:15 - Creating Unified Company Culture Across Regions 42:35 - Gamification: Regional Competition & Pride Building 44:20 - Advice for HR Professionals: Jump In, Even If You're Not "Ready" 46:12 - Best Advice Not Taken: Join Organizations That Appreciate YouTransformation Results: 📉 11% reduction in turnover (Year 1) 📈 24% increase in engagement (Year 1) 🎯 10,000+ recognitions in first quarter (vs. 100/month baseline) 👥 1,500 patient recognitions in first 90 days 💰 Improved Net Promoter Scores despite starting at saturation 🏗️ 900 job titles reduced to 450 💵 On-demand pay system serving hourly workforce#HRTransformation #HealthcareHR #ChangeManagement #EmployeeEngagement #McKinsey #RecognitionPlatform #TurnoverReduction #OrganizationalEffectiveness #CHRO #PeopleOperations #EmployeeExperience #CultureTransformation🔔 SUBSCRIBE for transformational leadership insights! 👍 LIKE if you're leading organizational change! 💬 COMMENT What's your biggest HR transformation challenge? 📤 SHARE with CHROs and HR leaders!#TransformationalLeadership #HRLeadership #OrganizationalChange #ExecutiveLeadership

Leadership Blind Spots and the Power of Human-Centered Transformation | Jennifer Kozel | EP 105

In this episode of Transformational Leadership, host Jeff Haar Noyes is joined by Jennifer Kozel, Founder and CEO of The Guevarra Group, for a powerful conversation on leadership, blind spots, and human-centered transformation.Jennifer shares her unconventional yet deeply impactful approach to executive development — including the use of equine-assisted learning to surface leadership blind spots in ways traditional workshops never could. Through vivid real-world stories, she explains how awareness, presence, and relationship-building can unlock transformation at both the individual and organizational level.The episode also dives into Jennifer’s experience addressing complex employee relations challenges, where shifting perspective — not policy — created lasting change. From navigating conflict with empathy to leading large-scale HR transformation inside a 100-year-old, high-growth organization, Jennifer offers a grounded and deeply human perspective on what it truly means to lead.This conversation is essential for leaders navigating change, culture, and growth — especially those willing to look inward first.⏱️ TIMESTAMPS00:00 – Welcome to Transformational Leadership00:28 – Introducing Jennifer Kozel01:32 – Why experiential learning matters in leadership02:04 – Using horses in executive development03:05 – A real-world equine leadership story04:12 – Leadership blind spots revealed05:11 – Frustration, control, and awareness06:24 – The “blind spot” moment07:13 – Applying insights back at work08:20 – Transforming how leaders assign work09:13 – Experiential learning vs classroom learning09:46 – Managing difficult employees10:50 – When conflict escalates12:06 – Leadership stress and physical toll13:15 – A transformative personal experience14:24 – Shifting perspective and energy15:00 – Rebuilding trust through curiosity16:11 – Seeing employees as people17:37 – Leadership transformation starts within18:29 – Ripple effects across teams19:34 – Psychometrics and human behavior20:55 – “When the student is ready…”22:08 – Expanding leadership capacity23:36 – Unlocking hidden potential24:26 – Transforming HR in a 100-year-old company26:13 – Building HR foundations from scratch27:19 – Culture, recognition, and growth28:12 – Leader development as retention strategy29:41 – Overcoming resistance to HR32:37 – Trust, credibility, and relationships35:23 – Vision, alignment, and execution38:03 – Coaching as a catalyst39:51 – Best advice Jennifer ignored41:10 – Self-care and leadership sustainability42:27 – From Navy service to HR leadership44:18 – Advice for the next generation46:03 – Talking to yourself kindly47:00 – How to connect with Jennifer48:13 – Final thoughts & closing🎧 CALL TO ACTION👉 Subscribe to Transformational Leadership for real-world stories from leaders driving meaningful change.👍 Like the episode and share it with a leader navigating growth or transformation.🔔 Turn on notifications so you never miss an episode.💬 Join the conversation in the comments below.

How PlayStation Enables Leaders to Thrive | Theresa Hilsen | Transformational Leadership | EP 104

In this episode of Transformational Leadership, host Jeff Harnois sits down with Theresa Hilsen, Director of Leadership Enablement & Communications at Sony Interactive Entertainment — the company behind PlayStation.Theresa has spent her career inside highly matrixed, technical organizations, acting as a trusted partner to senior executives through transformation, culture shifts, leadership development, and organizational change.From enabling leaders to become “multipliers,” to aligning culture with lived values, to elevating technical teams beyond linear thinking — this episode goes deep into the realities of transformation inside complex environments.⏱️ TIMESTAMPS00:00 – Welcome to Transformational Leadership 00:28 – No fluff: frameworks, stories, results 00:58 – Meet Theresa Hilsen, Director at PlayStation 01:27 – Transformation, technical leaders & failing fast 01:53 – Espoused vs. lived values 02:21 – Leadership enablement in a matrixed business 02:47 – Evolving from HR to embedded business partner 03:12 – Understanding what keeps leaders up at night 03:37 – Changing leadership behavior and culture 04:18 – Working inside highly technical environments 04:51 – The HR seat at the table & shifting the model 05:17 – Becoming a true partner to senior executives 05:45 – Leadership whisperer role explained 06:20 – Translating engineering thinking to people impact 07:00 – Humanizing transformation 07:35 – New leader sessions: structure & purpose 08:29 – What keeps the leader up at night? 09:34 – Giving teams a voice & building agreements 10:30 – Simplicity & alignment accelerate transformation 11:17 – Current state vs desired state 12:11 – Failing fast: are you rewarding it? 12:47 – Culture, reactions, and psychological safety 13:11 – Divergence between what we say and what we do 13:59 – Trust, alignment and accountability 14:46 – The coaching mirror 15:33 – Wins: alignment, pace & transformation success 16:23 – Organizational shifts and technology change 17:00 – Back row to front: pushing and cheering 17:59 – People-first leadership at Sony 18:29 – Working for leaders who believe in people 19:17 – Senior VP Paul Walsh and lived values 19:46 – Up-leveling technical leaders 20:14 – Beyond training: how to stretch teams 20:50 – Liz Wiseman’s multipliers & the rubber band 21:37 – Stretching beyond perceived limits 22:16 – The reality of what’s possible 22:43 – Psychology, energy & startups 23:05 – Leaders who think technically & humanizing it 24:24 – Navy SEAL mindset: seven more reps 25:16 – Career foundation & path to Sony 26:14 – Technical leaders + human perspective 27:02 – Best advice she didn’t take 27:50 – Impact is greater than making the boss look good 28:42 – Prioritizing business needs 29:22 – Connect with Theresa on LinkedIn 29:40 – Closing & invitation to subscribe 30:06 – Like, subscribe, review & share🎧 CALL TO ACTION👉 If this episode resonated, subscribe for more leadership conversations. 👍 Leave a comment and join the discussion. 🔔 Turn on notifications so you don’t miss upcoming episodes. 📩 Share this with someone leading transformation today.

Employee Engagement Improvements | Myriam Del Angel | Transformational Leadership | EP 103

In this powerful episode of Transformational Leadership, host Jeff Harnois sits down with Miriam Del Angel, former VP of Human Resources at Ronstad Enterprises and current founder of LML People Consulting. With executive leadership experience at Arthur Andersen, Microsoft, Accenture, Deloitte, EY, PWC, and Grant Thornton, Miriam shares battle-tested strategies for transforming employee engagement in complex, global organizations.TIMESTAMPS:00:00 - Introduction: Meet Miriam Del Angel 02:15 - The Ronstad Challenge: Monthly to Quarterly Engagement Surveys 04:30 - Creating an Employee-Led Engagement Committee 07:45 - Why Recognition Was the Global Common Theme 10:20 - Formalizing the Initiative with Governance and Accountability 13:40 - Results: Significant Improvement in One Quarter 16:00 - Wellbeing Champions and Communication Gaps 19:15 - The Surprising Discovery: Benefits Already Existed 22:30 - The PWC Southwest Story: Lowest Scores for 3-5 Years 25:45 - Why Traditional Focus Groups Were Failing 28:00 - The Radical Approach: Interviewing Every Employee 31:20 - Three Months, 300+ Conversations 34:40 - Presenting Difficult Feedback to Defensive Leadership38:15 - First Time Moving Out of the Red Zone 41:00 - The Importance of Leadership Modeling Behavior 44:30 - Working Across Global Cultures: Trust-Based vs Task-Based 47:45 - Miriam's Origin Story: How She Got Into HR 51:20 - Working Remote Before It Was Cool 53:40 - Book: "Latinas in Corporate" 56:30 - Key Takeaways and Final ThoughtsKey Frameworks Discussed:• Building trust through 1-on-1 engagement vs. traditional focus groups• Creating diversity in committees by level, geography, and function• The importance of governance and regular check-ins for transformation initiatives• Setting expectations with documentation and contingency plans• Leadership modeling as essential to behavioral change• About Miriam: Author of "Latinas in Corporate: Overcoming Cultural• Obstacles While Juggling a Career and Family" and co-author of the• Latinas Rising Up in HR series. Miriam has dedicated her career to people-first leadership and creating meaningful organizational change.Resources:Website: latinasincorporate.comBook: Available on Amazon and Barnes & NobleLinkedIn: Miriam Del AngelPerfect for: HR Leaders, Change Management Professionals, Executives, People Managers, Organizational Development Practitioners#employeeengagement #TransformationalLeadership #HRLeadership #ChangeManagement #OrganizationalCulture #GlobalLeadership #PeopleStrategy #ExecutiveInsights #CultureTransformation #LeadershipDevelopment

Financial Services Transformation | Christie Hall | Transformational Leadership | EP 102

Next-generation talent, AI-powered coaching, remote-first cultures that actually work, and an HR leader who refuses to accept “we’ve always done it this way.” This episode with Christie Hall turns old-school HR on its head and lays down a roadmap for building organizations that move fast, scale smart, and retain people who could work anywhere—but choose to stay.Key Discussion Points00:00 – Why HR transformation fails—and how to avoid it03:21 – The real motivators of Gen Z talent09:56 – Rotation programs: building depth without burnout14:33 – When stretch assignments aren’t enough20:17 – What creates boomerang employees26:02 – The reality of career mobility done right31:45 – The remote-work debate: data over dogma39:58 – The hidden link between performance metrics and trust45:50 – Automation that supports people instead of replacing them55:11 – A president who challenges the status quo1:03:47 – AI coaching: the next frontier1:13:22 – Culture, awards, and the ROI of loving your people1:22:09 – From D to A: how leadership really transforms an organization1:28:30 – Christie’s personal philosophy on leadership1:34:50 – Final message: start by startingLeaders who want to evolve, not erode, their workforce will find a playbook here.Before you go, invest a minute in your own leadership growth:👍 Tap Like to support conversations that reshape the future of work🔔 Subscribe to stay ahead of the next wave of people-centric innovation💬 Share your biggest leadership insight from this episode🔗 Pass this to a leader who’s ready to challenge “how it’s always been done”#TransformationalLeadership #FutureOfWork #NextGenTalent #HRInnovation #LeadershipDevelopment #PeopleFirst #AutomationStrategy #WorkplaceCulture #RemoteWork #CareerMobility #TalentDevelopment #HumanCapitalStrategy

What Transformational Leadership Really Means | Transformational Leadership | Ep 101

Welcome to the very first episode of Transformational Leadership! In this debut conversation, producer Nick Uresin flips the script and interviews host Jeff Harnois about the podcast's mission, his leadership philosophy, and the real-world strategies that drive organizational change.Jeff shares his journey from working at Apple during the Steve Jobs era to leading Fortune 50 sales teams and founding iBridge. Discover how he increased average deal sizes from $600K to $4.2 million, the power of psychometric assessments in understanding people, and why aligning compensation with behavior is one of the fastest ways to transform performance.Nick also reveals his own breakthrough moment—implementing a productivity tracking system that turned remote team competition into collaboration, resulting in massive gains in output and engagement.You will learn:Who this podcast is for (HR leaders, executives, and aspiring leaders)The difference between transforming individuals vs. entire organizationsWhy most leaders get promoted without the skills they actually needHow to bridge the gap between the current state and the desired stateReal frameworks for trust, accountability, and cultural changeWhy headcount is your biggest P&L item—and how to maximize ROI on peopleNo fluff. Just frameworks, lessons, and stories from leaders who have done the work.#TransformationalLeadership #Leadership #HRLeadership #OrganizationalChange #RemoteWork

Transformational Leadership Podcast

The Transformational Leadership podcast is for executives and leaders to share their war stories and "wins" in developing and managing high performing teams. Focused on driving high impact and performance through people. Each episode features CHROs, CEOs, and operational leaders sharing tested frameworks and real outcomes tied to transformation, leadership, culture, and execution. The show delivers practical tools for decision-makers building great teams for great organizations!