Hi there, and welcome, welcome, welcome to the very first episode of the People-Forward Leadership™ podcast. This podcast has been in the making for over a year, and I’m so thrilled it’s finally here. More importantly, I’m thrilled that you’ve decided to join me on this new adventure.
The conversations we’ll have on this podcast, I believe, are more vital than ever, especially in this current fast-paced, technologically driven, and often unpredictable world we live in. In this premier episode, I lay the foundation for what this podcast will be about. I want to share the vision behind this podcast, why I believe people and human capital management have never been more critical, and how People-Forward Leadership™ can serve as a guiding philosophy for you and every leader at every level.
I know leaders are feeling the pressure of constant change. It feels like since the pandemic, there’s been one thing after another. And just when you think you’ve caught up, something new emerges on the horizon. Perhaps you’re seeing how AI, automation, and other digital tools are rapidly altering how we communicate, collaborate, and innovate. With so much transformation happening, it’s easy to lose sight of the people side of the organization. But that’s precisely why I’m launching this podcast—to provide a space to refocus our attention on the human side of leadership and to provide a platform for sharing the strategies, insights, and real-world experiences that will help leaders excel in these uncertain times and well into the future.
If you’re new to me, I’m a former employment and labor attorney turned executive coach, leadership development and organizational consulting, and as a polymath, transformational leadership and human development expert running a coaching, training, and consulting firm, my team and I have seen firsthand the struggle leaders are facing with generational changes in the workforce, hybrid work models, managing remote teams spread across different time zones, engagement and retention issues, and leading a workforce that’s increasingly demanding purpose, inclusion, and flexibility. Leaders today are being called to excel in those irreplaceable human skills such as empathy, communication, and emotional intelligence. Company expectations around supporting employees' career development, their well-being, and the need to feel valued are rising, but most leaders aren’t prepared to meet them. In fact, according to DDI’s Global Leadership Forecast, 60% of leaders feel worn out each day, and 32% of leaders plan to leave their organizations. And on average, leaders spend about two and a half hours dealing with employee drama and emotional waste costing organizations over $1.8M dollars annually. It’s no wonder over 59% of CEOs say their greatest challenge is building and retaining winning teams. Why? It’s because leaders don’t realize that their top job is not to be high-performers, but to cultivate their people's talent, expertise, and potential.
People-Forward Leadership™is about centering your leadership philosophy on the human element, even as you embrace new technologies, adapt to emerging trends, and manage in uncertain times. It doesn’t mean you ignore metrics or delivering results. It’s knowing that when your people thrive, organizational success is inevitable. It’s about remembering that organizations are ecosystems of individuals with distinct perspectives, motivations, and needs who deliver on your metrics and drive results. When you lead with people in mind, you create a space where employees can flourish, drive innovation, build relationships, and inspire loyalty. The leaders who understand this and intentionally develop a people-centered culture unlock a powerful form of productivity that technology alone can’t achieve and are the ones who will not only survive but thrive in these uncertain times.
So you may be thinking, this is great, Carol, but why another leadership podcast? Why now, and why this one?
Listen, I get it. I know there’s no shortage of content out there. You can turn on your phone and instantly get leadership tips, read articles about talent retention, or watch keynote speeches on team building. In fact, I’ve written several articles and given several keynotes on these topics. However, I also know that the very abundance of all of this information can be paralyzing. Leaders have consistently asked me for resources or Where should they start? Which ideas are actually worth trying? How do they make time to take in all of this new data and information?
That’s where this podcast comes in. I know your time is precious and I know we’re all overstimulated and inundated with information from endless social media feeds, webinars, and, yes, even a lot of podcasts. That’s why I’m committed to ensuring that each episode of this show will be laser-focused on delivering actionable insights in 20 minutes or less. My goal is that every time you listen, you’ll walk away with tangible steps you can put into practice right away, whether you’re managing a small team or overseeing an entire organization.
The episodes will be concise enough to fit into your busy schedule, whether you’re commuting, taking a short lunch break, or winding down at the end of the day.
In addition to delivering concise, practical content, we’ll bring you stories and frameworks from experts I call catalysts. These are professionals and leaders who value human-centered leadership development. They’ll share the challenges they’ve faced, the breakthroughs they’ve experienced, and the strategies they’ve implemented to build high-performing teams. Hopefully, their stories will spark new ideas, encourage you to think differently and help you envision the future of leadership in an inspiring and attainable way.
Now, so far, you’ve heard me use the term People-Forward Leadership™ and may be wondering what that means. After all, it is the name of the podcast. It’s a term I created, grounded in research and backed by proven strategies, to describe a way of leadership. But what does People-Forward Leadership™ look like in practice, you may ask? It’s one thing to proclaim that you value your people; it’s another to put that value into action. Over the course of this podcast, we’ll go deep into these practices, but let me give you a few highlights now.
First and foremost, People-Forward Leadership™ combines empathy with cutting-edge practices to develop leaders, empower teams, and build cultures that flourish.
People-Forward Leadership™sees:
People – As your most vital resource and the catalyst behind organizational success.
It looks:
Forward – With a commitment to addressing today’s challenges while positioning your organization and its people for tomorrow’s opportunities.
It centers on:
Leadership – Helping leaders develop a holistic practice that begins with self-leadership, extends to uplifting others, and ultimately shapes a resilient, high-performing culture.
This framework transforms leadership from a mere role into a powerful force for positive impact. Through structured development, People-Forward Leaders™ master the three pillars of developing self and cultivating self-awareness, developing and guiding others to empower and elevate potential, and creating environments where people can fully engage, contribute, and grow.
Practically, among other things, that means:
First, Developing Active Listening Skills and Authentic Communication
There’s a verse in James 1:19 that says we should be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to anger. Whether you believe in the Bible or not, this is fundamentally what it means to listen actively. People-Forward Leaders™ ask open-ended questions, pause to absorb what’s being said, and mirror back what they’ve heard to show they understand what’s being communicated. They consistently work to solicit input, clarify misunderstandings, and communicate decisions with transparency. When there’s a culture of active listening and authentic communication, there’s trust and psychological safety, two must-haves for any high-performing team.
Second, Honing Empathy and Compassion
This goes hand in hand with active listening. True empathy involves connecting with your team on a human level—recognizing their emotions, while managing your own, understanding and mitigating their stressors, and celebrating their achievements. A People-Forward Leader™ doesn’t see empathy as an idea, but as an essential tool for motivating teams, resolving conflicts, and retaining top talent.
Third, Foster Empowerment and Autonomy
Rather than micromanaging, People-Forward Leaders™ empower their teams with the resources, authority, and support to make decisions. They know how to use delegation as a growth opportunity and establish clear expectations while giving their teams the room needed to explore possible solutions. By trusting your team members, a foundation of delegation, you’ll cultivate a sense of ownership and accountability that elevates performance and sparks continuous innovation.
Fourth, Prioritize Continuous Development and Learning
People-Forward organizations are learning organizations. Their leaders invest in training, mentorship, and ongoing development. It’s not just about offering employees a class or a workshop here and there—it’s about embedding learning into the daily fabric of work. For instance, pairing up senior and junior team members for knowledge sharing, creating safe-to-fail spaces for experimentation, creating teach-back rounds, and providing constant feedback loops. By emphasizing learning and development, you’ll help retain talent and ensure that your teams are agile enough to adapt to whatever changes might come.
Fifth, Set a Strategic Vision with a Human Lens
People-Forward Leadership™ isn’t being nice or avoiding conflict. It’s about driving organizational success by weaving together a compelling vision that resonates with the people who will carry it out. People-Forward Leaders™ know how to articulate a future that inspires and aligns each person’s role and growth opportunities with the larger organizational vision and mission. They measure success not only in terms of numbers and KPIs but also in their team members' well-being, productivity, and engagement.
Of course, there are tools and resources that can be used to support this work, and throughout this podcast, I’ll delve deeper into these components and more, and our guests will share how they’ve integrated these principles into their teams and workplaces.
And if you're wondering where to start after listening to this inaugural episode, just remember that People-Forward Leadership™ is a practice. It’s not a destination, it’s a journey of continuous improvement and reflection. Why? Because the future of work isn’t predetermined. Technology will continue to evolve, and new challenges will undoubtedly arise, whether it’s economic upheavals, global crises, or unforeseen disruptions. However, how we respond to these changes is entirely within our control. We’re constantly evolving, but People-Forward Leadership™ is about learning to anticipate and address current challenges while positioning your people for future success in this dynamic world.
It empowers leaders to shape these changes in a way that puts their people at the center of decision-making. It will challenge you to question old assumptions about hierarchy, accountability, and productivity and invite you to experiment with new ways of organizing teams, evaluating performance, and developing new and emerging leaders from within.
My hope is that by listening to each episode, you’ll find at least one idea or technique to implement, test, or refine that will help you champion your greatest assets even in these uncertain times and lead with authenticity and vision.
Because when you lead with people in mind, you create an environment where they feel valued, safe, and motivated to give their best. You improve engagement, reduce turnover, and nurture a culture where innovation can thrive. In short, you don’t just adapt to the future of work—you create it.
Well, that’s it for today’s episode. I hope you’re walking away with a new perspective and way of thinking about yourself, your teams, and the future of work.
Thanks for joining me and letting me be a part of your leadership journey. I hope you continue on this journey with me.
Until next time.