In this episode, we unpack how trust, purpose, and people-first leadership power real culture change, and how AI can scale feedback, belonging, and performance without losing the human edge.

Gena Pirtle, founder of The People Equation and former global HR leader at Cisco, shares practical insights on redesigning HR, strengthening retention, and building cross-sector talent ecosystems for the future of work.

In this conversation, we explore:

• redefining strategic HR as a true business engine
• culture as lived behavior, not policy
• trust as the foundation for transformation
• AI’s role in continuous performance and feedback
• why human skills rise in value alongside automation
• scaling personalization with tools like Belonging Intelligence
• retention through safe experimentation and ERG-led pilots
• veteran talent pipelines and workforce ecosystems
• what leaders get wrong about culture and how to fix it
• current initiatives with Great Place to Work and 4Block

Connect with Gena Pirtle on LinkedIn or visit PeopleEquationConsulting.com to learn more.

Most leadership breakdowns are not failures of intelligence or strategy. They are emotional failures.

In this episode of the Leadership AI Podcast, Maggie Sass, Ph.D., Executive Vice President of Product, Research, and Professional Services at TalentSmart EQ, explores how emotional intelligence functions as the operating system beneath strategy, coaching, and decision-making.

Together, we unpack what it really means to treat leadership as daily emotional behavior, especially in high-pressure environments like healthcare.

In this conversation, we discuss:

• why leadership is fundamentally emotional, not just technical
• how limbic “hijacks” happen under pressure and how to recover
• the four core EQ skills and how they build on each other
• delivering feedback that creates learning, not defensiveness
• building habits through tiny experiments and simple cues
• scaling EQ through assessments, onboarding, and certifications
• navigating generational differences around emotions at work
• a simple five-minute morning and evening practice to strengthen EQ

If you care about leadership performance that holds under pressure, this episode is for you.

Be sure to follow Maggie Sass, Ph.D. on LinkedIn for practical insights on emotional intelligence and organizational performance.

Do you want to discover the secret recipe to align company and employee needs and create a harmonious and profitable work environment?

Pull up a chair because today's guest, Paul ter Wal, author and president of the Virtual Speakers Association International, is here to share his transformational journey and insights on just that.

Whether you're a CEO of a Fortune 500 company or a small start-up, Paul's principles are key to cultivating a culture of employee happiness and company profitability.

To connect with Paul ter Wal, visit:

Website: https://paulterwal.com/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/paulterwal/

Are you ready to revolutionize your leadership style?

Join us as we host Tiffany Houser, a seasoned leadership and team culture expert.

Tiffany will unpack the concept of human-centric leadership that champions people and relationships.

Discover how empowering our sense of self-worth and nurturing honesty, authenticity, and vulnerability can transform your leadership style and team performance.

To connect and learn more with Tiffany Houser online, please visit:

Website: https://evolveeq.com/

Course: https://www.selfworthadvantage.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tiffanyhouser/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tiffanyhouser/

Ever felt the weight of leadership loneliness?

Fret not, as we bring you an enlightening conversation with Jonathan Bennett, an executive coach and trusted advisor who unpacks how executive coaching is a potent remedy for this isolation.

Jonathan shares his journey through the worlds of business and social purpose, offering insights into how organizations can align their values with their employees for a happier, more productive workplace.

You can connect with Jonathan Bennett online here:

Website: https://clearlythen.com/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bennettjonathan/

What if the key to a highly profitable business lies in the engagement and happiness of its employees?

This question is at the heart of our enlightening conversation with our esteemed guest, international author, speaker, and award-winning coach, Kon Apostolopoulos.

Throughout our discussion, we dive headfirst into the seas of engagement, using Coach Kon's decade-long experience with a construction company as the compass to navigate these often turbulent waters.

The episode is ripe with practical examples and strategies shared by Coach Kon to tackle the evergreen challenge of disengagement.

He illuminates the four essential drivers for engagement and how leaders can foster them in the workplace, from transparent communication to aligning people and business plans.

Join us for this insightful exploration, and you'll walk away equipped with tools to create an environment where employees are not just engaged but thriving.

To learn more about Coach Kon and his work, visit:

Website: https://www.freshbizsolutions.com/

Assessment Tool: https://www.freshbizsolutions.com/assessment-tool

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/coachkon/

Ever wonder why communication breakdowns seem to be a perpetual cycle in organizations?

Join me as I get to the heart of this issue with the dynamic Marsha Acker, CEO and principal at Team Catapult.

With her unique expertise, Marsha highlights how we can initiate the solution from within ourselves just by 'reading the room' and identifying when we're stuck in an endless loop of redundant conversations.

She underscores the pivotal role of our choice of words in framing a conversation – how a simple shift in vocabulary can flip problems into opportunities.

Listen in as Marsha walks us through her remarkable journey to the leader she is today.

To connect with Marsha Acker online, visit:

Website: https://teamcatapult.com/

Booksite: https://buildyourmodel.com/

Boon on Amazon: https://amzn.to/45zphGc

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/marsha-acker-3486a72/

What if you could tap into the ancient philosophy of eudaimonic happiness to create a thriving, engaged and productive work culture?

That's exactly what we're discussing with Dr. Alise Cortez interviewing Dr. Pelè, in this eye-opening episode.

Drawing on the lessons of resilience, joy, and determination from his war-torn African upbringing, Dr. Pelè shares his belief that happiness is not a result of success but the precursor to it.

As we navigate through the episode, we uncover Dr. Pelè's unique "H.A.P.P.Y." strategy - a remarkable model that leverages software to foster happiness, appreciation, pride, purpose, and a 'yes' mentality within teams.

Don't miss this enlightening conversation - it might just hold the keys to transforming your work culture!

Connect with Dr. Pelè online here:

website: https://drpele.com

Software: https://profitablehappiness.com

Book: https://amzn.to/3HGSsy3

Music: https://drpele.com/music

LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/drpele