Jennifer McClure`

Helping Leaders Leverage Influence & Create Maximum Impact.

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Leading With a People First Approach with Steve Browne

photo of Steve Browne

Are HR leaders the only leaders in an organization who can (or should) lead with a people first approach?

My guest in today’s episode – Steve Browne – doesn’t think so!

Steve has been my friend and mentor for over 20 years now, and he’s also a constant source of encouragement, wise counsel, connections and smiles for leaders around the world through his work as an HR executive, a board member of the largest HR association in the world, his popular blog (Everyday People), and his best-selling books (HR on Purpose !! and HR Rising !!).

Topics Discussed In This Episode:​​

Steve is well-known for his high-energy and positive approach to people leadership, and in this episode, we chat about:

  • What it’s been like to be an HR leader at an organization during a global pandemic, and the key approach all leaders must take in times of crisis.
  • The importance of building meaningful relationships to be able to lead effectively.
  • The shifts that are still to come in the workplace, and what leaders should be doing now to prepare themselves and their organizations.
  • Why Steve wrote his first best-selling book HR on Purpose !! and what compelled him to write his latest book HR Rising !!
  • How telling stories helps leaders to get their ideas and messages heard.
  • Why a people-first approach is key for all types of leaders, not just those who work in human resources.
  • And so much more!

IMPACT MAKERS PODCAST – EPISODE 40

(Email subscribers – click HERE to listen to the podcast.)

People & Resources Mentioned in this episode:

Impact Makers Episode 003 – The Heart of Human Resources with Steve Browne

Steve Browne’s blog

Steve Browne LinkedIn

Steve Browne Twitter

HR On Purpose !! Developing Deliberate People Passion by Steve Browne

HR Rising !! From Ownership to Leadership by Steve Browne

Bob Goff

Lars Schmidt

Exclamation Mark by Amy Krouse Rosenthal Tom Lichtenheld

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Four Strategies to Meet Business Challenges in the Future and Deliver Maximum Impact on Results

I’m very fortunate that my dream job is also my day job, and through my work as a professional speaker, I have the opportunity to speak at conferences and events around the world to leaders in a variety of organizations.

Typically, I’m speaking about topics related to making an impact through people strategies, effective leadership, and personal branding, and one of my favorite audiences to speak to includes human resources leaders.

As a former HR leader and executive, I’ll always have a special place in my heart for HR and People leaders, and I’ve got tons of stories that I can share from my own personal experiences to connect with them.

While reviewing various audio and video files from past speaking events recently as I prepare for a website update, I came across the audio from my 2016 Mega Session at the SHRM Annual Conference, which was held in Washington DC. SHRM is the largest HR association in the world, with over 350,000 members, and every year, their annual conference draws 20,000 people or more. I’ve had the pleasure of speaking at the conference every year since 2012, and leading MEGA sessions – which can sometimes include over 2,000 people.

I decided to share the full audio from my MEGA session at the conference with my podcast listeners, because even though I’m speaking to a room full of HR leaders and many of the stories are HR-related, the core message is about how to make the most impact at work, and the strategies and advice shared can be applied by any leader who wants to make a difference.

Also, this particular program is my most popular keynote speech, which I’ve been giving in some form since 2014. If you’re interested in what makes an effective keynote that’s received countless positive testimonials, has takeaways for audience members at all levels of an organization, and has earned multiple 6-figures in income for me, pay attention to the structure of this program. You’ll hear numerous stories, learn four key points, and also get some great takeaways that can be applied immediately.

Although I’ve thought about retiring this program for the last couple of years, it continues to be requested – and I love delivering it. It’s updated regularly to keep the data current, and I’ve since made the stories shared in this version sharper to meet the shorter keynote slot times that are becoming more common, but the bones are still good bones.

I hope you enjoy listening to my signature keynote – The Future of HR: 4 Strategies to Meet Business Challenges in the Future and Deliver Maximum Impact on Results!

IMPACT MAKERS PODCAST – EPISODE 39

(Email subscribers – click HERE to listen to the podcast.)

Show Highlights:

  • The top challenge global CEOs predict for their organizations in the future
  • How to make the most impact in your business, through analyzing data to make decisions
  • The difference between “being strategic” and thinking strategically
  • How to identify the most important problems that your business is facing, and take the lead in developing solutions
  • Why the ability to influence others is a super power, and is key to creating impact at work and in life

More Info and Resources:

King University
SHRM Annual Conference & Exhibition
Jennifer McClure / Keynote Speaker

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Thanks to King University, who’s support makes this podcast possible! King is proud to offer sixteen online degrees with accelerated programs and affordable tuition so you can start a new career faster than ever. You can choose from programs in technology, communication, and business – like an online MBA with six concentrations including human resource management. And because the program is offered fully online, you can earn your degree on your own schedule in as little as 16 months. Visit https://online.king.edu/impactmakers to learn more about the King Difference today.

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Flipping The Script: Conflict Isn’t Bad, It’s Good

It’s probably safe to say that nobody likes conflict.

But, it’s also true that conflict can be helpful – maybe even necessary – if you want your ideas to become the best that they can be, and for disruption and/or innovation to occur.

Conflict Produces More And Better Ideas

In fact, studies performed in both the United States and France examined the role that conflict played in generating and producing creative ideas. The researchers assembled participants into three separate experimental conditions (minimal, brainstorming, and debate) and formed them into teams within those conditions.

Each team was tasked with generating ideas for the same challenge: how to reduce traffic congestion in the San Francisco Bay Area. Teams in the “minimal condition” were given no further instructions and told to develop as many ideas as possible. Teams in the “brainstorming condition” were given the traditional set of brainstorming rules; paramount among those rules being the notion that all judgment should be suspended and no idea criticized or debated. Teams in the final, “debate condition” were given a set of rules similar to brainstorming with one important difference: they were told to debate and criticize others’ ideas as they were generated.

When the results were calculated, the winners were clear. While teams in the “brainstorming condition” did generate more ideas than the teams given “minimal” instructions, it was the teams in the “debate condition” that outperformed the rest. Teams that debated their ideas produced an average of 25% more ideas than the other teams in the same period of time.

— Why Fighting For Our Ideas Makes Them Better

If conflict and debate can help us produce better work, and come up with more creative ideas, then why do we do we tend to avoid it like the plague?

Because we often do it wrong.

The good news is that we can fix that. The best leaders seek out conflict, and also establish ground rules and cultures where healthy conflict can occur.

Leaders Should Own Conflict

I recently watched a DisruptHR Talk given by Amanda Ono – VP People & Culture at Resolver – at the December 2017 DisruptHR Toronto event about the importance of embracing conflict in the workplace. In her Talk, Amanda makes some great points about conflict, including:

Conflict isn’t bad. It’s when it gets wrapped in ego and blame that it’s bad. Otherwise, it’s about peeling the onion to understand why incompatibility exists, and airing genuine fears and concerns.

As the Chief Excitement Officer of DisruptHR, I’ve watched hundreds of DisruptHR Talks (there are currently over 1,700 online), and this one ranks right up there as one of my favorites.

Amanda takes a traditionally held belief (conflict is bad – avoid it), and flips it (conflict is good – seek it out). She makes the case that it’s time for us to embrace conflict in the workplace, so people can create their very best work.

Teams Need Conflict

I love Amanda’s message, and encourage you to take 5 minutes to watch her Talk.

Then, go out and encourage some conflict in your workplace. 🙂

Surviving The Kool-Aid Hangover: Your Team Needs Conflict & How HR Can Make It Happen | Amanda Ono | DisruptHR Talks from DisruptHR on Vimeo.

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The Greatest Story Ever Told, And What It Says About Leadership And Culture

I’m on a plane today, traveling to speak to Human Resources leaders at a conference about The Future of HR.

This is what I love to do, and I’m blessed to be able to have a career where my primary purpose is to encourage, equip, and inspire  business leaders of all kinds – not just HR – to embrace the future of work, and leverage their influence to create positive, lasting change.

I fully believe leaders have a tremendous opportunity to positively impact the lives of those that they lead and serve on a daily basis – not just through their actions, but also through establishing a culture where people can thrive, and use their gifts and talents in ways that move our businesses forward.

Company cultures are complex, multi-faceted, and ever evolving, but I’m a firm believer that you can learn a lot about a company’s culture, and their leadership, through the stories that employees tell. I agree with New York Times best-selling author, and marketing and customer service expert Jay Baer, when he says:

Everything great in marketing starts with great inside-out storytelling that values employees, because that is the hallmark of a strong organizational culture.

That’s why, when I came across this video today from the “HR Storytellers” series produced by the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM), I had to share it. It features my good friend and mentor Steve Browne, Executive Director of Human Resources at LaRosas, Inc., – a regional, family-owned pizzeria chain, and one of Cincinnati’s iconic and beloved brands.

I love this story.

I love that it’s representative of the leadership and culture at a company carrying the beliefs and actions of its iconic Founder into the future of work – and never losing sight of what makes their businesses unique and successful – their people, and their stories.

Your company’s stories can be a powerful tool in your recruiting and retention efforts, and they can radically affect employee engagement.

Please take 9 minutes to watch this video, and really listen to the story Steve tells. Then, think about your own company.

What stories can you tell?

Want to get more great stories from Steve, and learn how you can increase your effectiveness as a leader by focusing on the humans in your workplace? Get a copy of his first book HR on Purpose: Developing Deliberate People Passion. It’s available for order online through the SHRM Book Store. 

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2017 Ohio HR Conference – Influential Leadership

I’m looking forward to speaking at the upcoming 2017 Ohio HR Conference in Sandusky, Ohio, which will be held September 13 – 14, 2017!

This will be my fourth time speaking at the annual HR conference in my adopted home state, and it’s always an honor to be invited to do so. This year’s event looks to be full of great learning opportunities – and fun – with a conference theme of “Peace, Love & HR”!

I’ll be speaking in a General Session on Wednesday, September 13, 2017, and delivering a new keynote: “Influential Leadership: Mastering The Art Of Influence To Achieve Extraordinary Results At Work And In Life”, which has been approved for 1.25 Business/Strategy credits by HRCI, and also for SHRM Professional Development Credit.

If you’re in Ohio, or can get here for the conference, it’s not too late to register to attend!

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