The People Dividend Podcast Mike Horne, Ph.D

“If you have a great idea with software like IdeaScale, it can get in front of the decision makers of your organization very, very quickly,” says Nick Jain, CEO of IdeaScale, as he discusses the role of human capital in driving organizational success. With a background as a Harvard Business School valedictorian and experience leading companies in various sectors, Nick shares his journey from Wall Street to heading IdeaScale and how the company is transforming the management of innovation in businesses.
 
Nick explains that IdeaScale’s innovation management software functions similarly to a CRM system but for ideas. It democratizes idea-sharing across all levels of a company, giving even entry-level employees a platform to communicate with top decision-makers. This approach harnesses the collective intelligence of the entire workforce, boosting employee engagement and loyalty by ensuring everyone feels valued and heard.
 
The discussion delves into the broader effects of such systems on organizational culture and leadership. Nick advocates for inclusive, data-driven decision-making to foster a healthy, innovative work environment. Drawing from his scientific and financial background, he emphasizes the importance of using data to drive results while maintaining effective communication.
 
Nick also reflects on the ethical dimensions of leadership, acknowledging the weight of decisions on employees and their families. He underscores the significance of trust, empathy, and decisiveness in leadership roles.
 
Offering advice to aspiring leaders, Nick stresses the importance of continuous learning, staying updated on technological advancements like AI, and honing strong quantitative skills.
 
Quotes
“Today, it doesn’t matter if you’re the junior most employee sitting in a far off office. If you have a great idea with software like IdeaScale, it can get in front of the decision makers of your organization very, very quickly.” (03:54 | Nick Jain)
“The first benefit is you’re able to tap into the brains and intellectual capital of your entire organization rather than just the four, five, six people who sit at the top. The second is from an inclusion and emotional impact perspective. If your employees feel like their ideas are being heard, they feel more attached to the organization, they’re more loyal, turnover is less, and they are more productive as employees too. There’s an emotional impact to having a more democratic organization.” (04:19 | Nick Jain) 
“Part of being a leader requires being self-aware of what your strengths and weaknesses are. I’m a competitive individual. I like to go out there, define a goal, and win, particularly in a competitive space where there’s other people trying to achieve the same thing. That has certainly been a defining characteristic... By the way, I don’t have to win. Obviously, winning feels nice, but just the act of competing is really motivating and emotionally rewarding for me.” (10:25 | Nick Jain)
“One should aspire to a C-level job, whether that be in government or nonprofit or the private sector. But I do think you have to be aware, assuming you are a reasonably moral and diligent person, you have to be aware of the moral weight and the emotional impact of having that job.” (14:58 | Nick Jain) 
“As we continue to scale, how do we maintain that same culture of making good decisions as we grow from a hundred person organization to a thousand person organization?” (32:04 | Nick Jain)
 
Links:
Learn more about Mike Horne on Linkedin
Email Mike at mike@mike-horne.com
Learn More About Executive and Organization Development with Mike Horne
Twitter: https://twitter.com/mikehorneauthor 
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mikehorneauthor/, 
LinkedIn Mike’s Newsletter: https://www.linkedin.com/newsletters/6867258581922799617/, 
Schedule a Discovery Call with Mike: https://calendly.com/mikehorne/15-minute-disc

There’s no doubt - our personal and professional lives are becoming more integrated. How well and to what extent leaders understand their people both in and out of the office can predict their workplace happiness and success. In this episode, Mike Horne sits down with Alice Inoue, founder of Happiness U, to discuss workplace well-being.
 
Alice recounts her shift from aspiring to attend medical school to founding Happiness U—a venture that  offers corporate wellness programs and personal development courses. She shares experiences from her collaborations with major brands such as McDonald's and Gap, emphasizing the importance of a positive mindset for both personal and professional growth.
 
The discussion challenges the traditional notion of work-life balance, proposing instead the concept of work-life integration. This approach encourages making choices based on benefits at any given moment, alleviating the guilt often associated with balancing personal and professional life.
 
Introducing her personality assessment system based on the five elements, Alice explains how this framework helps individuals and teams gain deeper self-awareness and improve interpersonal dynamics. This system has been particularly effective in enhancing corporate team-building and communication.
 
Alice's advice to organizational leaders is to recognize their current position as the right place and to focus on moving forward without dwelling on past mistakes. She notes the importance of acceptance and being present to make progress.
 
Alice Inoue's insights provide a roadmap for leaders and HR professionals to create environments where freedom, peace, love, and joy can flourish, ultimately contributing to the overall success of their organizations.
 
Quotes:
“When we talk about work-life integration, it's making choices every day in what you perceive to be the best benefit. So it seems ridiculous to feel guilty about it. It's a choice that you make.” (05:04 | Alice Inoue)
“I thought, what if I could create a space where people could come to learn the things they never learned in school about how to actually live life? Because the bottomline is, after working with thousands of people, people really just want to feel good and have ease in their life and not have these emotional swings. And I just thought it would be a perfect component that it didn't start out as a corporate thing. It started out as a little community.” (06:36 | Alice Inoue)
“There's always something we can do to move towards a better place. Do we ever get there? Does anyone ever live in a life of pure bliss? I don't think so. I recognize that life is polar. There's so much polarity that we do our best to find that center and have a little variation within that center. But I think it's impossible to be like, ‘Yes, I'm working this high-power job and I'm just at bliss and happy all the time.’ We're looking for these moments, we're constantly needing to find them amidst the chaos.” (20:21 | Alice Inoue) 
“We are in a place where people want whatever tools they can get to be more understanding about themselves and others so that we can live a life that's as filled with freedom, joy, love, and peace. Those are the four things that I feel we're all looking for. And I try to guide people towards that or see where they're not measuring up.” (23:33 | Alice Inoue) 
 
Links:
Learn more about Mike Horne on Linkedin
Email Mike at mike@mike-horne.com
Learn More About Executive and Organization Development with Mike Horne
Twitter: https://twitter.com/mikehorneauthor 
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mikehorneauthor/, 
LinkedIn Mike’s Newsletter: https://www.linkedin.com/newsletters/6867258581922799617/, 
Schedule a Discovery Call with Mike: https://calendly.com/mikehorne/15-minute-discovery-call-with-mike  



Learn more about Alice Inoue:
Website: https://yourhappinessu.com/
 
Podcast production and show no

Compassion and Business - do these two things go together? Dr. Bruno Cignacco, an international business consultant and TEDx speaker, says that compassionate business practices are pivotal for enhancing performance and stakeholder relationships. He advocates for a business approach that goes beyond mere profitability and rather where companies genuinely care for and support employees, customers, suppliers, and community members.
 
Dr. Cignacco discusses the benefits of this approach for businesses striving to boost productivity and expand their market share, arguing that businesses should not exploit or deceive but instead focus on human-oriented practices that lead to mutual growth and success. He identifies a lack of compassion in many organizations, attributing this to a self-centered focus and a failure to invest time to build compassionate relationships.
 
This episode also highlights the concept of humanistic love in business settings, which involves connecting with others and supporting them. Dr. Cignacco suggests that compassion has the power to create a healthier, more productive workplace and offers practical advice for cultivating compassion, including embracing generosity, gratitude, and respect.
 
Dr. Cignacco calls on businesses to prioritize people over profits and encourages employees at all levels to practice compassion, which can initiate for a broad, positive organizational change. He stresses the importance of balancing the qualitative aspects with quantitative business metrics, arguing that a commitment to service and human values can significantly benefit businesses and create a positive impact.
 
Quotes:
“Business is about interdependence. You cannot succeed on your own. You need suppliers, customers, employees, managers, the community, business partners. And by caring for them, supporting them, being compassionate with them, especially when they face difficulties, you are taking care of your relationship with them. And relationships are the most important factor for business success.” (06:31 | Dr. Bruno Cignacco) 
“The only way to be profitable from the long-term perspective is to be compassionate. Many people think that funds are the most important resource in a company. But in practice, the human being is the most important resource in business.” (07:52 | Dr. Bruno Cignacco)
“By being human-oriented, you don't only contribute to positive indicators like profitability, productivity, and market share, but also, you have a better brand image. According to research, you attract more talented employees.” (10:15 | Dr. Bruno Cignacco)
“Success is not the result of the fittest, but the kindest.” (15:51 | Dr. Bruno Cignacco) 
“Treat customers as human beings, not as a number that contributes to the company's profit. And how do you do this? Well, you change your attitude. The attitude shouldn't be the attitude of selling products or services. It should be the attitude of service, a serving attitude. Serving customers doesn't mean servitude; it means that you want the best for them. You try not only to satisfy their needs.” (24:19 | Dr. Bruno Cignacco)
 
Links
Learn more about Mike Horne on Linkedin
Email Mike at mike@mike-horne.com
Learn More About Executive and Organization Development with Mike Horne
Twitter: https://twitter.com/mikehorneauthor 
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mikehorneauthor/, 
LinkedIn Mike’s Newsletter: https://www.linkedin.com/newsletters/6867258581922799617/, 
Schedule a Discovery Call with Mike: https://calendly.com/mikehorne/15-minute-discovery-call-with-mike  
 
Learn more about Bruno Cignacco:
Website: http://www.brunocignacco.com 
 
Podcast production and show notes provided by HiveCast.fm

In today's corporate and academic environments, success hinges on exploring complexities to uncover opportunities for simplification and innovation. In this episode, host Mike Horne welcomes Nicole Jackson, the Associate Dean of the Agino School of Business at Golden Gate University. With her extensive experience spanning both the corporate sector and academia, Nicole offers invaluable insights, especially in organizational change, strategy, and the concept of organizational ambidexterity.
 
Nicole introduces the concept of “organizational breathing,” drawing a parallel to the need for individuals to occasionally step back and reassess. She suggests that organizations, too, can benefit from periods of reflection to foster growth and adaptability amid constant change and information overload. The discussion emphasizes the importance of integrating humanistic values and creating a workplace that values appreciation over mere acceptance. Nicole highlights the importance of psychological safety and providing opportunities for individuals to explore their identities within the organizational framework.
 
The episode also covers the impact of AI on human resources, with Nicole proposing a shift in perspective from AI as a displacer of jobs to a tool that can enhance humanistic management practices. She emphasizes the potential of AI to aid in learning and development, and the importance of developing connoisseurship in the workplace.
 
Nicole offers guidance for individuals considering advanced business studies, stressing the significance of selecting a path that aligns with both personal passion and current industry trends.
 
Quotes:
"We're bombarded with so much information. The time to let our souls and our identities and even our organizations breathe from all this change has been completely upended." (04:52 | Nicole Jackson) 
"We live in such a data-driven world. We need to let the data breathe, take a step back. We don't necessarily need to make the decisions right away. Everything is now a critical event. I think we've thrown ourselves into this mentality of crisis management on an ongoing basis, or looking at how upending and disruption is the latest paradigm, but we really should be looking at continuity building." (07:19 | Nicole Jackson) 
"When we talk about living more simply and being more meaningful, it's really allowing people to really examine, go back to the core of who they are." (12:00 | Nicole Jackson)
"Let your soul breathe and let your organization breathe. Develop some connoisseurship and create a bouquet of different qualities. I think that's important. We now have the capacity. Think about the tremendous capacity that AI now has for people who normally are oftentimes stigmatized or discriminated against in the workforce. There's been a lot done about the prejudicial AI algorithms. That's a huge concern and it continues to be a concern and it does need to be addressed." (31:24 | Nicole Jackson) 
"We have to teach people how to develop connoisseurship. Most people are not taught to be connoisseurs. They're taught to follow in a line, not necessarily to become an expert on a metacognitive level. Traditionally, organizations don't have most of their workers develop those skills. And I think that's going to be critical moving forward." (33:51 | Nicole Jackson) 
 
Links
Learn more about Mike Horne on Linkedin
Email Mike at mike@mike-horne.com
Learn More About Executive and Organization Development with Mike Horne
Twitter: https://twitter.com/mikehorneauthor 
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mikehorneauthor/, 
LinkedIn Mike’s Newsletter: https://www.linkedin.com/newsletters/6867258581922799617/, 
Schedule a Discovery Call with Mike: https://calendly.com/mikehorne/15-minute-discovery-call-with-mike  



Learn more about Nicole C. Jackson
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nicole-c-jackson-mba-ms-and-phd-0217aab/
 
Podcast production and show no

Organizational success hinges more on its people and the development of its leaders than the strategies they follow. Al Watts, an independent HR and talent development consultant with over three decades of experience, shares insights from his book "Navigating Integrity: Transforming Business as Usual into Business at its Best." He stresses that integrity is not just an ethical requirement but a strategic asset essential for sustainable growth and effective leadership. Through tools like the Leadership and Organizational Integrity Surveys, Al aims to cultivate and gauge integrity within leadership circles and throughout entire organizations.
 
Al explains the concept of authenticity in leadership, examining it from both inside-out and outside-in perspectives. He emphasizes the need for honesty, transparency, and genuine leadership, highlighting how these qualities contribute to the executive development of individuals within an organization. Moreover, he discusses the importance of aligning an organization's structure, staff, systems, and strategy with its goals. Al stresses accountability and the significance of meaningful metrics in tracking progress and ensuring alignment with these goals.
 
In facing today's dynamic business environment, Al advises on keeping teams engaged and communication open to navigate rapid changes effectively. This episode guides leaders to match their personal values with their organization's, emphasizing integrity as a key to effective leadership and organizational success.
 
Quotes:
“Organization development seemed to be a discipline with a focus on the people factor, but it took a more holistic perspective on business and on organizations and on how to make them work and be sustainable.” (07:32 | Al Watts) 
“People are happy when they feel like they're working for a purpose or with a purpose that is meaningful to them.” (14:02 | Al Watts)
“Organizations and leaders cannot keep doing exactly the same thing they've been doing as the world changes. And so there need to be mechanisms in place to constantly readjust things like structure or skill mixes.” (16:44  | Al Watts) 
“We need to know our own minds, and we need to have the capacity to understand why we're doing what we're doing.” (29:48 | Al Watts)
 
Links:
Learn More About Mike Horne:
Email Mike at mike@mike-horne.com
Learn More About Executive and Organization Development with Mike Horne
Twitter: https://twitter.com/mikehorneauthor
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mikehorneauthor/, LinkedIn Mike’s Newsletter: https://www.linkedin.com/newsletters/6867258581922799617/, 
Schedule a Discovery Call with Mike: https://calendly.com/mikehorne/15-minute-discovery-call-with-mike  
 
Learn more about Al Watts:
Website: integro-inc.com
 
Podcast production and show notes provided by HiveCast.fm

Why do some people thrive at work while others just go through the motions? Mike Horne sits down with acclaimed speaker, trainer, and coach, Martin Lespérance, to delve into the role of human capital in shaping the future of work. Sharing his professional journey, Martin highlights his lifelong commitment to inspiring individuals to find joy, engagement, and motivation in their careers. His global impact, with keynotes across continents, emphasizes leadership, teamwork, communication, innovation, and resilience.
 
The conversation revolves around Martin’s "Inspire philosophy," which consists of four foundational principles critical to fostering a fulfilling life and cultivating a positive workplace culture. These principles—living with purpose, staying present, expressing gratitude, and embracing fun—form the core of Martin's message. Each aspect provides a pathway to improved employee engagement and enhanced organizational vitality.
 
Mike and Martin discuss how applying these principles can transform the workplace, sharing examples and advice on fostering a supportive and healthy work environment. They tackle the challenge of maintaining these principles in difficult situations and their impact on personal and professional life. Martin offers actionable advice for listeners, emphasizing the importance of personal choice in shaping attitudes and actions. 
 
Quotes:
"I find organizations might have their purpose, might have a ‘why.’ But as soon as the pressure comes in, as soon as you get the headwinds, the why takes a side." (17:26 | Martin Lespérance) 
"Presence is such an important aspect of leadership and executive work and I think all too often presence gets neglected because we're thinking about the next point we're going to make or we're thinking about then and there." (21:51 | Mike Horne)
"What attitude are you going to choose? That's something that you can choose on a daily basis. It's how you're going to face the events that are being thrown at you." (30:31 | Martin Lespérance) 
"Why do people leave organizations? It's not because of the lack of purpose and lack of ‘why.’ It's because of the toxic environment. And how can you get rid of that toxic environment? Use the not so surprising secret that we just talked about. Apply that inside your culture. You'll see how people will not only stick around, but bring more people to join in to become advocates and ambassadors." (35:55 | Martin Lespérance) 
 
Links:
Learn more about Mike Horne on Linkedin
Email Mike at mike@mike-horne.com
Learn More About Executive and Organization Development with Mike Horne
Twitter: https://twitter.com/mikehorneauthor 
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mikehorneauthor/, 
LinkedIn Mike’s Newsletter: https://www.linkedin.com/newsletters/6867258581922799617/, 
Schedule a Discovery Call with Mike: https://calendly.com/mikehorne/15-minute-discovery-call-with-mike  
  
Learn more about Martin Lesperance:
Website:  martinlesperance.ca
 
Podcast production and show notes provided by HiveCast.fm