Culture Conversations

Craig Forman

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Culture Conversations with Craig Forman: Real Discussions with The People Leading the Way to Make Work 'Work' for Everyone

09/12/2025

Designing Listening Strategies That Work: A Conversation with Anna Binder (Special Webinar Edition)

This special edition of Culture Conversations brings you highlights from a recent live webinar with Anna Binder, Head of People at Asana and one of the most thoughtful leaders in the HR space. In this episode, Anna and Craig dive deep into: Why listening strategies matter more than ever in times of disruption. How to connect listening programs directly to business goals. The biggest pitfalls organizations fall into — and how to avoid them. What it looks like to design sustainable, organization-wide listening systems. Where the future of listening is headed as active and passive data converge. You’ll hear Craig’s reflections alongside Anna’s candid insights, creating a practical guide for HR leaders and practitioners who want to strengthen culture and drive performance through employee listening. 👉 This conversation was adapted from a recent CultureC Consulting webinar. If you’d like to stay informed about upcoming webinars, events, and resources, head to culturec.com and sign up for our newsletter.

26 min
08/28/2025

The Human Side of Data: Building Culture Through People Analytics with Al Adamsen

The Human Side of Data: Building Culture Through People Analytics In this episode of Culture Conversations, Craig Forman sits down with longtime friend and industry pioneer Al Adamsen—a name synonymous with the evolution of people analytics. From his early work at Gap Inc. to executive leadership at Perceptyx and his current role as founding partner of Future of Work Advisors, Al has been at the epicenter of how organizations use data to understand and transform the employee experience. Together, Craig and Al explore: The origin story of people analytics—and why the term “employee insights” still matters. How culture, leadership, and data intersect to drive both performance and human well-being. The challenges of continuous disruption—AI, globalization, organizational change—and what this means for the next generation of workers. Why too many leaders treat listening as a checkbox exercise—and how to move from data collection to sustainable action. Practical advice for HR practitioners: how to contextualize insights, craft stories that resonate with executives, and influence change even in smaller organizations. Al leaves us with a powerful reminder: employees everywhere want three things—to be seen, to be heard, and to be empowered. When organizations get this right, they unlock not just productivity, but purpose and performance that lasts. 📌 Resources & Mentions • Nexus by Yuval Noah Harari • I, Human by Tomas Chamorro-Premuzic • Al’s website: https://aladamsen.com/ • Connect with Al on LinkedIn

41 min
08/14/2025

What Global Culture Can Teach Us About How We Work: Insights from 151 Cultures with Dr. Hilary Curry

What Global Culture Can Teach Us About How We Work: Insights from 151 Cultures with Dr. Hilary Curry In this episode of Culture Conversations, Craig Forman welcomes Dr. Hilary Curry—an organizational development consultant with a PhD and two decades of experience—to explore what working across 151 cultures reveals about the way we work. Hilary shares reflections from global consulting roles, from the UAE to Canada, shedding light on how national culture and workplace dynamics intersect in surprising ways. What You’ll Learn: Why leaders need a “professional retrospective” – take real steps to pause, reflect, and reset your career direction. The art of listening beyond words – how spotting what’s unsaid can be more telling than what’s spoken, especially across cultural lines. Balancing structure and spontaneity – why process matters and facilitation must flex to be human-centered. • Cross-cultural lessons you can apply anywhere – insights from her work across 151 cultures that enhance collaboration and leadership. The cost of disregarding cultural context – understanding “where people come from” in national terms is just as important as organizational culture. Why It Matters: Whether you’re leading locally or globally, Hilary’s perspectives will help you rethink how culture shapes your workplace—and how being culture-aware makes you a better leader. Connect with Dr. Hilary Curry: LinkedIn: Hilary Curry Website: Halston Consulting

34 min
07/22/2025

Thriving vs. Surviving: A Leadership Lens for Building Teams That Last

In today’s fast-moving, post-pandemic world of work, the difference between thriving and surviving isn’t just a mindset — it’s a leadership lens that shapes how people show up, make decisions, and work together. When we’re thriving, we’re expansive, collaborative, and strategic. When we’re surviving, we’re reactive, guarded, and often running on fumes. In this episode of Culture Conversations, Craig is joined by Megan Galloway — executive coach, leadership development expert, and founder of Everleader Consulting — for a deeply human conversation about what it takes to build resilient teams in the face of constant change. Together, they explore: • Why so many leaders are stuck in survival mode (and how to break out of it) • The neuroscience of stress and its impact on executive thinking and decision-making • How strong relationships and proactive communication give teams a competitive edge • The lost art of healthy conflict and how executive teams can re-learn it • What it really means to “hold on to culture” during growth, reorgs, and transitions • Why every team needs to define how they want to relate before crisis hits Megan shares stories from her coaching work with executive teams across industries, offering practical tools for leaders who want to show up with more clarity, alignment, and capacity. Whether you’re leading a high-growth company, navigating uncertainty, or simply trying to keep your team connected — this episode offers perspective, grounding, and plenty of “oh wow” moments.

37 min
07/02/2025

Culture Is What Happens When It’s Hard: A Conversation with David Hanrahan

Join Craig Forman in conversation with David Hanrahan, Chief People Officer at SolarWinds and former people leader at Twitter, Eventbrite, Zendesk, and Niantic. Together, they unpack how culture truly shows up in moments of upheaval, growth, and transformation—and what that means for people teams and executives navigating complexity today. What We Cover: • Why HR often acts as the mirror for organizational culture, especially when values are put to the test • How inflection points—growth, downsizing, disruption—can become intentional culture resets • The future of engagement and performance management: how AI could make feedback more real, relational, and continuous • Why storytelling and lived values matter more than policy when shaping culture • How David is approaching inclusion and belonging in today’s fast-shifting environment Why Listen: If you’re leading people or shaping culture, this episode offers clarity, reflection, and forward-thinking ideas on how to stay grounded when everything around you shifts.

39 min
05/08/2025

The Leadership Listening Playbook with Penny Farinha

Episode Summary: In this episode of Culture Conversations, Craig Forman talks with Penny Farinha — a people and culture leader who helped scale Ecobee from 60 employees to more than 600 while keeping the company’s values and mission at the center. Together, they explore what it really takes to earn executive buy-in for employee listening programs, why timing and expectation-setting are crucial, and how leaders can move from data to action without losing sight of the people at the heart of their organizations. Penny shares practical lessons from leading through high growth, building authentic connection at scale, and living your culture through everyday decisions — not just headlines. Whether you’re an executive, HR leader, or people practitioner, this conversation will leave you with a clearer playbook for building trust, taking meaningful action, and shaping culture intentionally as you grow. ⸻ Key Topics Covered: • How to earn authentic leadership buy-in for employee listening • Why timing is crucial for listening and action • How to set realistic expectations during listening programs • Scaling connection without losing your culture • Leadership’s role in translating values into everyday actions • Lessons from scaling a tech company while protecting its culture ⸻ Resources and Links: Learn more about CultureC Consulting: www.culturecraig.com Follow Craig Forman on LinkedIn: Craig Forman Follow CultureC Consulting Here About Culture Conversations: Culture Conversations is hosted by Craig Forman, founder of CultureC Consulting. Each episode explores how leaders and organizations can listen more deeply, act more meaningfully, and build cultures where people and business thrive. Learn more about how CultureC helps organizations design better listening, leadership, and action strategies at www.culturecraig.com.

37 min
03/05/2025

Gearing Up for Transform 2025: A Preview of the Voices & Themes Shaping This Year’s Event

Episode Description: Transform 2025 is almost here! As thousands of HR leaders, executives, and workplace innovators prepare to gather in Las Vegas, this episode of Culture Conversations gives you an exclusive preview of some of the key voices and themes shaping this year’s event. We kick things off with Torin Ellis, the event’s MC, setting the tone for what’s ahead and challenging us to wrestle with what it truly means to be human in the workplace. From there, we highlight some of the brilliant speakers taking the stage—each of whom has been a guest on this podcast—covering topics like leadership, culture, data, AI, and more. Featured Speakers & Topics: 🔹 Anna Binder (Asana) – Culture as a Business Driver – How top HR leaders shape strategy and drive meaningful business results. 🔹 David Hanrahan (SolarWinds, ex-Twitter, Zendesk, Niantic, Eventbrite) – Getting Buy-in for People Initiatives – How to secure executive support and prove the ROI of HR investments. 🔹 Gianna Driver (Former-Exabeam, Lattice) – The Evolution of DEI – Why DEI isn’t disappearing—it’s evolving, and here’s how to keep it embedded in your organization. 🔹 Steven Huang (ex-Culture Amp, DEI strategist) – Belonging as a Form of Activism – How joy and inclusion create thriving workplaces. 🔹 Tushar Pandit (SPINS, Rebuilt) – From Data to Direction – Turning HR analytics into strategy that informs real business decisions. 🔹 Lars Schmidt (Amplify Talent, HR thought leader) – AI & Talent Acquisition – Why AI won’t replace HR—but leaders using AI will have the edge. And One Final Speaker – You’ll Hear From Me! I’m closing out Transform 2025 with the final session: 🔹 “From Conference Insights to Real-World Action: Turning Ideas into Impact.” We all know the feeling—after days of learning, networking, and inspiration, the question becomes: Now what? Instead of leaving overwhelmed, this session is designed to help you prioritize, connect, and take action on what matters most. I’ll be joined by: ✅ Jessie Jacob (Culture First Global Community Leader, Culture Amp) – Helping turn insights into real engagement. ✅ Dr. Bobbi Wegner (CEO of Groops, Harvard Professor) – Bringing real-world applications to help make lasting change. Whether you’re attending Transform this year or looking to stay ahead of where HR, leadership, and culture are headed, this episode is packed with big ideas and practical takeaways you can use to shape the future of work. Connect with Me: 📩 Attending Transform? Let’s connect in Vegas! 🌐 Website: www.culturecraig.com 📅 More on Transform & Speaker Lineup: Transform 2025 Agenda 🎧 Listen now & get ready for the biggest conversations shaping the future of work!

26 min
02/20/2025

Measure What You Treasure – Data, Culture, and the Future of HR with Tushar Pandit

Episode Summary In this episode of Culture Conversations, I sit down with Tushar Pandit, an HR leader with deep expertise in data-driven decision-making and culture transformation. We dive into why organizations must move beyond intuition and start measuring what truly matters—people and culture. Tushar shares powerful insights on how HR leaders can think more like business leaders, why culture and strategy must be integrated, and how AI is reshaping the future of work. Whether you're a Chief People Officer, HR leader, or executive looking to create a thriving workplace, this conversation will give you practical strategies to turn insights into action. What We Cover in This Episode: ✅ **Measure What You Treasure** – Why people and culture deserve the same rigor as financial metrics. ✅ **Culture Beyond Perks** – How true culture is shaped by values and behaviors, not kombucha and foosball tables. ✅ **Listening at Scale** – How organizations can truly hear and act on employee feedback. ✅ **HR as a Business Function** – Why people leaders must be fluent in data and business outcomes. ✅ **AI and the Future of Work** – The opportunities and challenges of AI in HR and talent strategy. ✅ **HR’s Moment to Lead** – Why CPOs must take the driver’s seat in shaping transformation. Memorable Quotes from the Episode: 📢 "Measure what you treasure—what we track determines where we improve." 📢 "Culture isn't about perks; it's about behaviors that align with values." 📢 "Listening isn’t just about one survey—it’s about building a culture of feedback." 📢 "HR leaders must think like business leaders—culture is not separate from strategy." 📢 "AI won’t replace jobs, but it will redefine them—HR must lead the adaptation." Books & Resources Mentioned in This Episode:** 📚 *On Tyranny: Twenty Lessons from the Twentieth Century* – Timothy Snyder Connect with Tushar Pandit: 🔹 LinkedIn: Tushar's LinkedIn 🔹 Twitter: @TusharPandit 🔹 Email: tpendit@spins.com Resources & Next Steps: 👉 Subscribe & Review – If you enjoyed this episode, please leave a review and share it with your network! 👉 Follow Culture Conversations – Stay updated with new episodes and insights:(https://www.culturecraig.com/) 👉 Let’s connect on LinkedIn: 👉 **Meet Us at Transform 2025** – Join us in Las Vegas for next year’s event: Transform 2025

38 min

TRAILER

Culture Conversations Trailer

Dive into 'Culture Conversations,' where host Craig Forman, an Organizational Psychologist, explores the essence of thriving workspaces. This podcast uncovers the crucial role of culture in organizational success and employee engagement through insightful, unscripted discussions. 'Culture Conversations' sheds light on creating effective, human-centered workplaces, touching on organizational design, people analytics, and inclusivity. Ideal for leaders, HR professionals, and culture enthusiasts, this series is a beacon for anyone eager to contribute to a more engaging workplace. Join 'Culture Conversations' to be part of the journey toward work that truly works for everyone. Let’s redefine the future of work together.

02/29/2024

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2 min

5

out of 5

3 Ratings

Culture Conversations with Craig Forman: Real Discussions with The People Leading the Way to Make Work 'Work' for Everyone

Creator

Craig Forman
Years Active

2024 - 2025
Episodes

24
Rating

Clean
Copyright

© 2026 CultureC Consulting 2025
Show Website

Culture Conversations