Built By People

Madeline Safsten + Kimball Payne
  • 4.7 (14)
  • Business
  • Updated Weekly

Built By People is an executive podcast that elevates the stories and insights of America's top executive leaders. We interview CEOs and HR executives to uncover insights on topics ranging from employee engagement, retention, talent acquisition, to wellness. Each episode provides actionable advice to elevate your impact as an executive in the c-suite. Join our community of 50k+ executives and discover fresh strategies to drive real change in your organization.

  1. 1d ago

    Structure Has to Follow the Problem | Lindsey Wendland

    Lindsey Wendland started her career at the Detroit Symphony Orchestra, working on partnerships for its music series and on patron loyalty. She moved into business operations, picked up HR work when a colleague went on maternity leave, and never left. She's now Head of People. She and Maddie talk about why patron loyalty turned out to be a lot like employee loyalty, what she learned watching the orchestra come back from a musician strike, and why she'd rather write a policy after the same problem shows up three times than write one for a problem that might never happen. Takeaways Patron loyalty and employee loyalty come down to the same question: are you getting what you expected out of this exchange? For an employee, that means being paid fairly, being respected as a person, and having your skills put to good use.Most people problems start pretty small. If you get the small things right and don't dodge uncomfortable conversations, some of the really big stuff never happens, and you build trust along the way.To understand what a team is up against, she sometimes sits in on a meeting that has little to do with her, just to listen."Structure has to follow the problem." If you get the same question three times, it's probably time to send something out about it. Every process you add is something people have to work around, so it has to earn its place.Eat the frog: do the hardest thing on your list first. The conversation you're dreading doesn't get easier when you wait.Early in your career, get comfortable with failure. Do things before you feel ready. You probably won't make the same mistake twice.Bring problems to HR early. They tend to be smaller, and there are better options. Connect with Lindsey on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lindsey-wendland-52024020

    Structure Has to Follow the Problem | Lindsey Wendland

  2. 4d ago

    HR Is Not the Party of No | Brian Baines

    Brian Baines has worked in HR for more than 20 years. After college he was managing a shoe store when he took a part-time payroll job, and he's stayed in HR ever since, including five years recruiting at Bon Secours, a stint at Newport News Shipbuilding, and a senior HR business partner role at William & Mary's business school. He's now Associate Vice President for Human Resources. He and Kimball talk about why he used to wait until Fridays to offer people jobs, why so many people still see HR as "the party of no," and how he gets ready for a hard conversation, including why he never has one in his own office. Takeaways Lean on your HR people. They can help with career progression and your resume, whether you want to grow where you are or go somewhere else.When a resume says someone "led a battalion," find out what that means. It can mean leading 200 or more soldiers at 25 years old, in high-stress situations.Call the candidates you don't hire. At William & Mary he phoned everyone who interviewed instead of sending a system email, thanked them for their time, and sometimes asked if he could reach out about future roles. Word of mouth is how you attract talent.Before a hard conversation, write out the points you need to make. Have it somewhere neutral, not across your desk, have it in the morning so you're not dreading it all day, and make sure there are tissues in the room."It's not about how much work it is for us. It's about how easy we can make it for the end user."Don't turn down opportunities. If your boss hands you something outside what you know, take it on. They probably see something in you. Connect with Brian on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brianbaineshrprofessional

    HR Is Not the Party of No | Brian Baines

  3. 6d ago

    HR Happened to Me by Chance | Anju Choudhary

    Anju Choudhary has spent 20 years in HR. She was at IBM for more than a decade, led global talent and organizational development at NextRoll, spent a few years as a product leader at Skillsoft, and is now CHRO at Xoxoday, a rewards and engagement platform. She and Kimball talk about the folder where she put every HR email while she was in a revenue role (she never got through it) and what that taught her about how HR communicates. They also cover the IBM program that paired every new hire with an ambassador for their first 90 days, and why she asks people what they need instead of treating them the way she'd want to be treated. Takeaways You're never over-communicating. Her IBM boss's version: "tell them what you're gonna tell them, tell them what you came here to tell them, and tell them what you just told them," then do it again.In a once-a-year review, people mostly remember what just happened. Even your top performers, when they get a top rating, often don't know what they did right, so they can't repeat it. That's why she pushes for a constant coaching culture instead.Onboarding needs more than clarity and compliance. At IBM, a Royal Blue Ambassador walked each new hire through their first 90 days, which helped reduce early attrition.New to HR? Get in front of people early. Do listening tours, don't make commitments yet, and always follow through.Before handing work to AI, sort each role's workflows into people only, AI only, and both. Don't outsource the human part, like coaching and performance reviews. Connect with Anju on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/anju-choudhary1

    HR Happened to Me by Chance | Anju Choudhary

  4. Oct 9

    Communication Is So Underestimated | Sophia Okeke

    Sophia Okeke is Executive Vice President and Chief People & Culture Officer at The Center for Family Support. She worked in news before moving into HR, then spent seven years building HR for country offices in Sub-Saharan Africa, including a first town hall in Togo before she could speak French. She and Maddie talk about why communication is the skill leaders underestimate, how she measures whether a training program worked, and what she's focused on now: hiring for hard-to-fill care roles and using technology so her team can spend more time with managers and staff. She also talks about her first book, God, Me, and Coffee, and how it started with a devotional she wrote for her church. Takeaways Communication is probably the most underestimated skill a leader has. Sophia writes her emails as herself first, then uses AI to tighten them up.Before you build a training program, figure out the problem it's meant to solve and look at the data. Then you can measure it two ways: how it changed the person, and how it impacted the organization.Bring the people you're training into the design, and ask peers in your HR network what's worked for them. You don't have to start from scratch.For hard-to-fill roles, don't rely on job boards alone. Build connections in the communities your candidates come from. For Sophia's care roles, that's hospitals, churches, and community centers.Keep performance reviews simple. In Sophia's words, "people like easy," especially managers with a lot of direct reports.Use technology to take paperwork off HR's plate, so the team has time to go out, meet managers, and sit with staff.Sophia's book, God, Me, and Coffee: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0GRWW5FYX Connect with Sophia on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sophia-okeke-a0b0b211

    Communication Is So Underestimated | Sophia Okeke

  5. Oct 7

    Don't Police, Partner | Nicole Buck

    Summary Nicole Buck is Head of People & Culture at Black Rifle Coffee Company. She started her career as a graphic designer, found her way into recruiting at a staffing firm, and joined Black Rifle as a recruiter in 2019. She and Kimball talk about why she tells her team "don't police, partner," what she's learned moving off Workday, and how she got started with AI by asking the AI what it could help her with. She also tells the story of hiring her own boss, who became her first mentor. Takeaways Build relationships across the business, not just with executives or the people you think will get you promoted. And be vocal about wanting to grow: ask for stretch projects.Don't police, partner. When HR gets stuck on "don't do this, don't do that," people stop wanting you in the room.If you're replacing an HR system, start early. Nicole started a year and a half before her Workday contract ended and still doesn't feel it was enough time. Ask about the modules, the money, and the manpower the features take.Not sure where to start with AI? Ask the AI what it can help you with.Learn the business. Listen to the earnings calls and understand what a P&L is.Early in your career, your direct manager is the easiest place to find a mentor.Connect with Nicole on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nicole-buck-b740b357

    Don't Police, Partner | Nicole Buck

  6. Sep 30

    You Don't Have to Be the Expert | Oscar Perez

    SummaryOscar Perez spent 8 years building DEI recruiting at Meta, then became the first people hire at Equilibrium Energy, a startup. Before HR, he taught 10th grade English with Teach For America. He and Maddie talk about the executive who walked out of a pitch Oscar's team spent weeks preparing, then approved all of it over email a few days later. They also cover what the classroom taught him about people who show up with really big feelings, and why he thinks failure should be something you leave space for, especially now with AI.Takeaways The moment you build up in your head might turn out to be something that could have been an email.At a startup, everything is on your plate. You don't have to be the expert on every topic, but you do have to learn enough to come back with thoughtful recommendations, like three options to choose from.Recruiting results come from the top of the funnel. At UCLA, Oscar's team built referrals in the spring, months before fall deadlines.Leave room to fail. Practice a skill on the side where no one has to see it.Oscar now helps early-stage founders build their people operations: https://www.oscarperezconsulting.com

    You Don't Have to Be the Expert | Oscar Perez

  7. May 6

    Dr. Jennifer Tabiza, Business Coach/Optometrist/Co Founder

    Summary In this episode, Dr. Jennifer L. Tabiza shares her entrepreneurial journey from optometry to coaching, emphasizing the importance of resilience, communication, and personal branding in building lasting businesses. Discover practical strategies for scaling, team building, and maintaining momentum in your ventures. Key Topics Entrepreneurial journey from optometry to coachingBuilding resilient and scalable businessesThe importance of communication and team buildingPersonal branding in the digital ageLeadership behaviors for business success

    Dr. Jennifer Tabiza, Business Coach/Optometrist/Co Founder

  8. May 6

    Ken Sobaski, Retired CEO

    Summary Ken Sobaski shares his extensive leadership journey, key lessons learned from mentors, and innovative initiatives that transformed businesses. Discover how focusing on people, redefining markets, and maintaining customer-centricity can drive growth and success. Key Topics Leadership lessons from mentors like Bob Eckert and Mike the ButcherThe importance of building people to build businessInnovative market redefinition strategies at Pillsbury and America’s ThriftCustomer-centric approach and trust in leadershipScaling businesses through talent development and process improvements

    Ken Sobaski, Retired CEO
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Ratings & Reviews

4.7
out of 5
14 Ratings

About

Built By People is an executive podcast that elevates the stories and insights of America's top executive leaders. We interview CEOs and HR executives to uncover insights on topics ranging from employee engagement, retention, talent acquisition, to wellness. Each episode provides actionable advice to elevate your impact as an executive in the c-suite. Join our community of 50k+ executives and discover fresh strategies to drive real change in your organization.

Information

  • Creator
    Madeline Safsten + Kimball Payne
  • Years Active
    2024 - 2026
  • Episodes
    416
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Madeline Safsten + Kimball Payne
  • Show Website
    Built By People

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