Fame Host (https://fame.so) Voice Activated: Tuning Employee Insights At Work https://podcasts.fame.so/voice-activated https://feeds.fame.so/voice-activated Great leadership starts with truly listening to your people. Join Sean Fitzpatrick, founder and CEO of TalentMap, to hear insights and strategies that can help you do just that. In each episode of Voice Activated: Tuning Employee Insights At Work, we’ll dive into real stories of how leaders have transformed their employee experience. Explore topics like: innovative ways to build leadership skills by focusing how to ask the right questions of your people, learning how to listen and understand what they are really saying and, most importantly, strategies to involve them in change you want to make. TalentMap en Fri, 21 Mar 2025 17:23:53 +0000 Wed, 15 Apr 2026 11:41:20 +0000 https://content.fameapp.so/uploads/761l2p81/256ce000-e638-11f0-bca7-bd7d88113fb9/256ce100-e638-11f0-a0fd-432012fcf438.jpg Voice Activated: Tuning Employee Insights At Work https://podcasts.fame.so/voice-activated Great leadership starts with truly listening to your people. Join Sean Fitzpatrick, founder and CEO of TalentMap, to hear insights and strategies that can help you do just that. In each episode of Voice Activated: Tuning Employee Insights At Work, we’ll dive into real stories of how leaders have transformed their employee experience. Explore topics like: innovative ways to build leadership skills by focusing how to ask the right questions of your people, learning how to listen and understand what they are really saying and, most importantly, strategies to involve them in change you want to make. Sean Fitzpatrick Great leadership starts with truly listening to your people. Join Sean Fitzpatrick, founder and CEO of TalentMap, to hear insights and strategies that can help you do just that. In each episode of Voice Activated: Tuning Employee Insights At Work, we’ll dive into real stories of how leaders have transformed their employee experience. Explore topics like: innovative ways to build leadership skills by focusing how to ask the right questions of your people, learning how to listen and understand what they are really saying and, most importantly, strategies to involve them in change you want to make. No No episodic Sean Fitzpatrick Great leadership starts with truly listening to your people. Join Sean Fitzpatrick, founder and CEO of TalentMap, to hear insights and strategies that can help you do just that. In each episode of Voice Activated: Tuning Employee Insights At Work, we’ll dive into real stories of how leaders have transformed their employee experience. Explore topics like: innovative ways to build leadership skills by focusing how to ask the right questions of your people, learning how to listen and understand what they are really saying and, most importantly, strategies to involve them in change you want to make. Great leadership starts with truly listening to your people. Join Sean Fitzpatrick, founder and CEO of TalentMap, to hear insights and strategies that can help you do just that. In each episode of Voice Activated: Tuning Employee Insights At Work, we’ll dive into real stories of how leaders have transformed their employee experience. Explore topics like: innovative ways to build leadership skills by focusing how to ask the right questions of your people, learning how to listen and understand what they are really saying and, most importantly, strategies to involve them in change you want to make. employee feedback, workplace insights, voice of the employee, employee engagement, organizational culture, workplace communication, employee experience, HR strategies, internal communications, workplace improvement TalentMap team-tal@fame.so No No No 2025 Episode Replay: How Port Moody Turns Employee Feedback Into Real Culture Change - with Marta Taylor https://podcasts.fame.so/e/mn4lk67n 2025 Episode Replay: How Port Moody Turns Employee Feedback Into Real Culture Change - with Marta Taylor 18 No No x06rwkj0 For our end-of-year special episode of Voice Activated: Tuning Employee Insights At Work, we’re bringing back a fantastic conversation with Marta Taylor, Manager of Strategic Initiatives at the City of Port Moody, where she explores successful employee feedback programs in municipal organizations and how to turn survey results into actionable improvements. Marta shares how a small city launched a ground-up cultural transformation using employee voice as the catalyst. From candid focus groups to executive-level engagement, Marta walks us through a practical, replicable model that puts staff feedback at the center of organizational change. For our end-of-year special episode of Voice Activated: Tuning Employee Insights At Work, we’re bringing back a fantastic conversation with Marta Taylor, Manager of Strategic Initiatives at the City of Port Moody, where she explores successful employee feedback programs in municipal organizations and how to turn survey results into actionable improvements. 

What You’ll Learn:

  • How to structure employee focus groups for maximum impact
  • The "Champion Strategy" for gaining leadership buy-in
  • How to use benchmarking data to prioritize actions and contextualize survey results
  • Why simple communication initiatives can dramatically improve employee engagement
  • The "Two-to-Three Action Rule" for helping department managers implement targeted improvements
  • How to balance comprehensive organizational development plans with department-specific initiatives

Marta Taylor is the Manager of Strategic Initiatives at the City of Port Moody, where she leads corporate planning, diversity and equity initiatives, indigenous relations, and accessibility programs. With vast experience in employee engagement and organizational development, she has successfully transformed employee feedback into meaningful operational changes. Her innovative approach to employee surveys and focus groups has helped create a more responsive and inclusive workplace culture within the municipality.

If you enjoyed this episode, make sure to subscribe, rate, and review it on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and YouTube Podcasts. Instructions on how to do so are here: https://www.fame.so/follow-rate-review

Highlights and YouTube Chapters:

  • [00:00] Introduction
  • [01:46] Marta’s Role and Journey
  • [03:31] Why Employee Voice Matters
  • [06:24] Survey Planning Essentials
  • [07:45] COVID and the Cost of Delay
  • [09:34] Alternative Feedback Channels
  • [12:05] Securing Leadership Support
  • [14:32] Customizing Survey Questions
  • [17:32] Using Benchmark Strategically
  • [22:40] Closing the Feedback Loop
  • [24:34] Focus Group Designs That Works
  • [32:33] A Simple Email, A Big Impact
  • [35:18] Practical Tips for Municipal Leaders

Quotes:
  • “I think planning out the timing is important, and obviously the survey structure, the questions, thinking through the why of why you're asking those questions, what you hope to get out of it, and being really clear on what your action plan is.”

  • “I act as a connector between big picture goals and on-the-ground realities.”

  • “Having good conversations with your leadership team from the outset is really important to ensure that for those who are leaned in, they understand why the survey is happening.”

  • “I really want to hear people's true thoughts and opinions. I don't like to sugarcoat things myself, and I think that sometimes we get caught in the perception of how things are going, and unless we really hear from staff at all levels of the organization, we don't really know.”

Episode Resources:


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Voice Activated: Tuning Employee Insights At Work is handcrafted by our friends over at: fame.so
]]> Wed, 31 Dec 2025 10:00:00 +0000 Sean Fitzpatrick Sean Fitzpatrick 2437 For our end-of-year special episode of Voice Activated: Tuning Employee Insights At Work, we’re bringing back a fantastic conversation with Marta Taylor, Manager of Strategic Initiatives at the City of Port Moody, where she explores successful employee feedback programs in municipal organizations and how to turn survey results into actionable improvements. Marta shares how a small city launched a ground-up cultural transformation using employee voice as the catalyst. From candid focus groups to executive-level engagement, Marta walks us through a practical, replicable model that puts staff feedback at the center of organizational change. For our end-of-year special episode of Voice Activated: Tuning Employee Insights At Work, we’re bringing back a fantastic conversation with Marta Taylor, Manager of Strategic Initiatives at the City of Port Moody, where she explores successful employee feedback programs in municipal organizations and how to turn survey results into actionable improvements. Marta shares how a small city launched a ground-up cultural transformation using employee voice as the catalyst. From candid focus groups to executive-level engagement, Marta walks us through a practical, replicable model that puts staff feedback at the center of organizational change. employee feedback programs, employee engagement strategies, municipal leadership insights, employee surveys best practices, public sector HR, organizational development strategies, leadership buy in techniques, employee voice at work, survey results action planning, workplace culture improvement, No No The Survey After Three Years: How IDX Reset Employee Trust and Transparency https://podcasts.fame.so/e/x8y70yy8 The Survey After Three Years: How IDX Reset Employee Trust and Transparency 17 No No l04rp440 Welcome to a brand new episode of Voice Activated: Tuning Employee Insights At Work. Our host Sean Fitzpatrick, CEO of TalentMap, is joined by Veronique Robinson, Chief People Officer at IDX, to discuss how she launched a global baseline people survey to rebuild trust, surface regional realities, and reset leadership communication. Welcome to a brand new episode of Voice Activated: Tuning Employee Insights At Work. Our host Sean Fitzpatrick, CEO of TalentMap, is joined by Veronique Robinson, Chief People Officer at IDX, to discuss how she launched a global baseline people survey to rebuild trust, surface regional realities, and reset leadership communication.

What You’ll Learn:

  • How to build executive alignment before launching your first survey

  • Why involving your regional teams in question design yields richer, more culturally relevant insights

  • The difference between quick wins and long-term trust-building initiatives

  • How to sustain communication momentum after the initial survey push

  • Why removing physical barriers between leadership and employees matters more than any survey question

Veronique Robinson is Chief People Officer at IDX, a digital-first communications company specializing in website development and hosting for publicly traded organizations. With a background leading HR transformations across global teams in Europe, North America, and Asia, she brings expertise in employee engagement, organizational change management, and building psychologically safe workplace cultures.

If you enjoyed this episode, make sure to subscribe, rate, and review it on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and YouTube Podcasts. Instructions on how to do so are here: https://www.fame.so/follow-rate-review 


Highlights and YouTube Chapters:


  • [00:00] Introduction

  • [04:07] Start with a Baseline

  • [05:12] Securing Executive Buy-In Without Resistance

  • [07:06] Using a Survey as a Baseline

  • [11:20] Interpreting Global Survey by Region

  • [14:17] What Leadership Turnover Revealed About Visibility and Communication Gaps

  • [15:43] Sharing Results Through the CEO for Credibility

  • [18:10] Turning Feedback Into Immediate, Visible Actions

  • [21:26] Building Accountability Into Communication Cadence

  • [27:51] Lessons Learned From Running the Survey Manually

  • [30:00] Leadership Visibility as a Trust-Building Tool

  • [31:34] Investing in Team Events to Strengthen Culture


Quotes:

  • “Remove your offices. Sit amongst your teams. The value added in people being able to relate to the Chief People Officer, see the CEO, not sequestered away in a big corner office, but actually sitting at the desk, helping himself to a cup of coffee in the kitchen, that is invaluable. People have to see us as humans and people that are also impacted by business decisions.”

  • “When I became the chief people officer, one of the first things I wanted to do was actually understand how the employees felt about being at IDX.”

  • “We became a lot more transparent on business performance. We have the CFO stand up and do that so people actually know how the business is performing.”


Episode Resources:


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Voice Activated: Tuning Employee Insights At Work is handcrafted by our friends over at: fame.so
]]> Wed, 17 Dec 2025 14:00:00 +0000 Sean Fitzpatrick Sean Fitzpatrick 2173 Welcome to a brand new episode of Voice Activated: Tuning Employee Insights At Work. Our host Sean Fitzpatrick, CEO of TalentMap, is joined by Veronique Robinson, Chief People Officer at IDX, to discuss how she launched a global baseline people survey to rebuild trust, surface regional realities, and reset leadership communication. Welcome to a brand new episode of Voice Activated: Tuning Employee Insights At Work. Our host Sean Fitzpatrick, CEO of TalentMap, is joined by Veronique Robinson, Chief People Officer at IDX, to discuss how she launched a global baseline people survey to rebuild trust, surface regional realities, and reset leadership communication. No No Why True Intentional Listening Drives Measurable Business Outcomes https://podcasts.fame.so/e/xn1203q8 Why True Intentional Listening Drives Measurable Business Outcomes 16 No No 703r2961 Welcome to a brand new episode of Voice Activated: Tuning Employee Insights At Work. Our host Sean Fitzpatrick, CEO of TalentMap, is joined by Ken Finneran about why intentional listening is the most underestimated leadership skill in an AI-accelerated world. Ken shares tactical frameworks, such as the 90-second rule, demonstrating how curiosity-driven leadership, people-centered AI transformation, and unlocking employee voice can enhance trust, performance, and organizational impact. Welcome to a brand new episode of Voice Activated: Tuning Employee Insights At Work. Our host Sean Fitzpatrick, CEO of TalentMap, is joined by Ken Finneran about why intentional listening is the most underestimated leadership skill in an AI-accelerated world. Ken shares tactical frameworks, such as the 90-second rule, demonstrating how curiosity-driven leadership, people-centered AI transformation, and unlocking employee voice can enhance trust, performance, and organizational impact.

What You’ll Learn:

  • How to reframe "soft skills" as "power skills" that directly drive profitability, people retention, and productivity metrics. 
  • The 90-second rule for accelerated decision-making: Give employees 90 seconds of undivided attention without distractions. 
  • Why ego and internal narrative are the biggest barriers to effective listening. 
  • How to shift from directive to curiosity-based questions that unlock insight instead of compliance. 
  • The three-part framework for successful AI transformation: Technology alone fails; you need technical implementation, process redesign, AND people/change management. 
  • How AI is fundamentally reinventing the HR function, from one-time annual surveys to real-time engagement tracking embedded in actual work. 
  • The counterintuitive truth about speed in high-growth environments: Slowing down to listen now prevents costly rework later
  • How to adopt mass personalization in learning and development, using AI to customize training examples to individual interests. 
  • The one habit that transforms leadership during change:

Ken Finneran is a Global HR Executive and Talent Partner at Brightstar AI with 15+ years of experience transforming high-velocity organizations, including eMed and Kaseya. He specializes in organizational development, change management, and AI-driven talent strategy. Renowned for championing a shift from answer-focused to curiosity-led leadership, Ken helps companies bridge technology, process, and people, equipping organizations to thrive through complex, AI-enabled transformation.

If you enjoyed this episode, make sure to subscribe, rate, and review it on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and YouTube Podcasts. Instructions on how to do so are here: https://www.fame.so/follow-rate-review 

Highlights and YouTube Chapters:


  • [00:00] Intro
  • [00:33] Welcome to Voice Activated
  • [00:03:14] Reframe "Soft Skills" as "Power Skills" to Drive Business Metrics
  • [00:06:18] Bridge Strategy and Frontline Insight Through Leader Coaches
  • [00:09:39] Build Trust Through Consistent Human Action and Coaching Culture
  • [00:13:26] Replace Directive Questions with Curiosity-Based Questions
  • [00:16:51] Overcome Ego and Internal Narrative to Listen With Intent
  • [00:21:20] AI Implementation Requires Technology, Process, and People Alignment
  • [00:27:57] HR's Opportunity to Reinvent Work Through AI Transformation
  • [00:35:30] Real-Time Engagement Intelligence and Mass Personalization Examples
  • [00:39:50] Prioritize Listening Over Speed to Accelerate Performance
  • [00:43:33] The 90-Second Rule: Undivided Attention Accelerates Decisions
  • [00:46:52] Shift From Answer Mode to Curiosity and Inquiry Mode
  • [00:47:30] Key Takeaways: Listen, Lead, and Transform

Quotes:

  1. "The real power in leadership isn't around knowing the answers. It's really around learning how to ask better questions and really listen with intent and purpose to the people you're asking those questions of."
  2. "The best way that I know of how to bridge the gap between strategy and frontline insights is by training, teaching, and encouraging leaders within the organization to become leader coaches."
  3. "Trust is built over time through repeated observance of human actions. So leaders just need to remember to be human first."
  4. "Slowing down to listen now prevents you from slowing down later to fix and rework what you missed earlier."

Episode Resources:



💬 Comment below your favorite part!


Voice Activated: Tuning Employee Insights At Work is handcrafted by our friends over at: fame.so
]]> Wed, 26 Nov 2025 14:00:00 +0000 Sean Fitzpatrick Sean Fitzpatrick 2867 Welcome to a brand new episode of Voice Activated: Tuning Employee Insights At Work. Our host Sean Fitzpatrick, CEO of TalentMap, is joined by Ken Finneran about why intentional listening is the most underestimated leadership skill in an AI-accelerated world. Ken shares tactical frameworks, such as the 90-second rule, demonstrating how curiosity-driven leadership, people-centered AI transformation, and unlocking employee voice can enhance trust, performance, and organizational impact. Welcome to a brand new episode of Voice Activated: Tuning Employee Insights At Work. Our host Sean Fitzpatrick, CEO of TalentMap, is joined by Ken Finneran about why intentional listening is the most underestimated leadership skill in an AI-accelerated world. Ken shares tactical frameworks, such as the 90-second rule, demonstrating how curiosity-driven leadership, people-centered AI transformation, and unlocking employee voice can enhance trust, performance, and organizational impact. No No How to Retain Top Talent with Just 15 Minutes a Week https://podcasts.fame.so/e/pnm7322n How to Retain Top Talent with Just 15 Minutes a Week 15 No No 71v5kxx0 Welcome to a brand new episode of Voice Activated: Tuning Employee Insights At Work. Our host Sean Fitzpatrick, CEO of TalentMap, is joined by Joe Quinn, Chief Operating Officer at Covenant HR, to share transformative leadership and employee engagement through intentional listening practices, strategic retention initiatives, and the power of regular check-ins. Welcome to a brand new episode of Voice Activated: Tuning Employee Insights At Work. Our host Sean Fitzpatrick, CEO of TalentMap, is joined by Joe Quinn, Chief Operating Officer at Covenant HR, to share transformative leadership and employee engagement through intentional listening practices, strategic retention initiatives, and the power of regular check-ins.

What You’ll Learn:

  • How to implement the "15-Minute Weekly Check-in" framework that boosts engagement by 13%
  • Why asking "What did you love working on?" creates more authentic conversations than annual reviews
  • The retention measurement system that holds managers accountable through bonus structures
  • How to use exit interviews strategically to identify leadership effectiveness
  • Why transparent communication of survey results drives higher response rates
  • How AI can transform HR processes while maintaining the human touch in recruitment and engagement

Joe Quinn is the Chief Operating Officer at Covenant HR, bringing vast experience as a seasoned HR professional across Fortune 500 and mid-sized technology firms. With a distinguished career spanning leadership roles, mergers and acquisitions, and cultural transformation initiatives, Joe has established himself as an expert in employee engagement and organizational development. Previously serving in CHRO positions at various organizations, including Medco Health Solutions (now Express Scripts), he has achieved notable success in improving retention rates and implementing effective listening strategies that saved companies millions in turnover costs.

If you enjoyed this episode, make sure to subscribe, rate, and review it on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and YouTube Podcasts. Instructions on how to do so are here: https://www.fame.so/follow-rate-review 

Highlights and YouTube Chapters:


  • [00:00] Introduction
  • [01:50] The Marcus Buckingham Influence
  • [05:22] Follow-Up Builds Trust
  • [08:59] Retention Metrics by Manager
  • [13:25] Onboarding Woes and Cultural Red Flags
  • [17:57] The Middle Manager Squeeze
  • [21:37] Celebrating Success at 90 Days
  • [24:32] From Feedback to Follow-Through
  • [30:14] HR Skills in Sales Role
  • [35:24] How AI Supercharged Recruiting
  • [41:29] Real-Time Feedback on Sales Calls with AI
  • [45:15] Want Loyal Employees? Start by Actually Listening

Quotes:


  • “Whether it's in your professional life or your personal life, think of yourself as the chief listening officer.”
  • “The biggest failure of leadership is not acting on what they've learned, following up, and following through.”
  • “If you listen to what they tell you and if they give you a couple of things that they need you to do to help them, it's all about follow-up and follow.”

Episode Resources:



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Voice Activated: Tuning Employee Insights At Work is handcrafted by our friends over at: fame.so
]]> Wed, 22 Oct 2025 13:00:00 +0000 Sean Fitzpatrick Sean Fitzpatrick 2932 Welcome to a brand new episode of Voice Activated: Tuning Employee Insights At Work. Our host Sean Fitzpatrick, CEO of TalentMap, is joined by Joe Quinn, Chief Operating Officer at Covenant HR, to share transformative leadership and employee engagement through intentional listening practices, strategic retention initiatives, and the power of regular check-ins. Welcome to a brand new episode of Voice Activated: Tuning Employee Insights At Work. Our host Sean Fitzpatrick, CEO of TalentMap, is joined by Joe Quinn, Chief Operating Officer at Covenant HR, to share transformative leadership and employee engagement through intentional listening practices, strategic retention initiatives, and the power of regular check-ins. employee engagement, intentional listening, leadership, retention initiatives, 15-Minute Weekly Check-in, authentic conversations, exit interviews, AI in HR, organizational development, feedback follow-through No No Rethinking Performance Management for 2025 and Beyond https://podcasts.fame.so/e/0njyvpj8 Rethinking Performance Management for 2025 and Beyond 14 No No 40pqy6n1 Welcome to a brand new episode of Voice Activated: Tuning Employee Insights At Work. Our host Sean Fitzpatrick, CEO of TalentMap, is joined by Christopher D. Lee, Managing Director at Storbeck Search, to discuss how leaders can build genuine listening cultures through structured, regular dialogue. You’ll learn how to implement the Performance Conversations Method for regular, structured check-ins, and use the Three Essential Questions framework to make employee discussions more productive. Welcome to a brand new episode of Voice Activated: Tuning Employee Insights At Work. Our host Sean Fitzpatrick, CEO of TalentMap, is joined by Christopher D. Lee, Managing Director at Storbeck Search, to discuss how leaders can build genuine listening cultures through structured, regular dialogue.

What You’ll Learn:

  • How to implement the "Performance Conversations Method" for regular, structured employee check-ins
  • The Three Essential Questions framework for productive employee discussions
  • Why separating performance improvement from compensation discussions leads to better outcomes
  • How to prepare both managers and employees for meaningful feedback conversations
  • Why treating employees as individuals, not just performers, unlocks human potential

Dr. Christopher D. Lee is the Managing Director of Storbeck Search and a seasoned HR professional who has served as CHRO for five institutions, including William & Mary and Virginia's Community College System. With over two decades of experience in higher education leadership and human resources, he is also a Marine Corps Lieutenant Colonel and acclaimed author of "Performance Conversations," pioneering a revolutionary approach to employee feedback and development. Dr. Lee is known for his groundbreaking work in transforming traditional performance management systems into dynamic, conversation-based approaches that build trust and drive results.

If you enjoyed this episode, make sure to subscribe, rate, and review it on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and YouTube Podcasts. Instructions on how to do so are here: https://www.fame.so/follow-rate-review 

Highlights and YouTube Chapters:


  • [00:00] Introduction
  • [01:38] A Better Way to Listen
  • [05:14] Goodbye Ratings, Hello Conversations
  • [09:34] The Speed of Trust
  • [13:49] The Three Magical Questions
  • [20:32] The Magnificent Seven
  • [27:51] Customize by Culture
  • [29:59] Prepping Employees, Too
  • [36:05] Anonymous Feedback and One-On-One Talks
  • [39:55] Why Star Leaders Don’t Need Scripts

Quotes:

  • “The performance conversations method is a series of brief, structured conversations about things that matter the most; a planned series of conversation at some interval. And those intervals, I would recommend, are between four and sixteen weeks, depending upon two factors.”

  • “The Performance Conversation Method manages both the person and the professional because you cannot manage me if you don't know me. Giving this feedback to Chris yields different results than providing the same feedback to Sean, due to the people involved and the relationship.”

  • “Great leaders create great employees. So it's a series of plain conversations.”

  • “You cannot manage me if you don't know me. That's what relationship and rapport is important.”

Episode Resources:



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Voice Activated: Tuning Employee Insights At Work is handcrafted by our friends over at: fame.so
]]> Wed, 15 Oct 2025 13:00:00 +0000 Sean Fitzpatrick Sean Fitzpatrick 2848 Welcome to a brand new episode of Voice Activated: Tuning Employee Insights At Work. Our host Sean Fitzpatrick, CEO of TalentMap, is joined by Christopher D. Lee, Managing Director at Storbeck Search, to discuss how leaders can build genuine listening cultures through structured, regular dialogue. You’ll learn how to implement the Performance Conversations Method for regular, structured check-ins, and use the Three Essential Questions framework to make employee discussions more productive. Welcome to a brand new episode of Voice Activated: Tuning Employee Insights At Work. Our host Sean Fitzpatrick, CEO of TalentMap, is joined by Christopher D. Lee, Managing Director at Storbeck Search, to discuss how leaders can build genuine listening cultures through structured, regular dialogue. You’ll learn how to implement the Performance Conversations Method for regular, structured check-ins, and use the Three Essential Questions framework to make employee discussions more productive. employee engagement, leadership development, performance conversations, workplace communication, HR strategy, employee feedback, organizational culture, talent management, leadership coaching, workplace trust, No No Cutting Admin by 60%: How Greg Waechter Scaled Culture Through Simplicity https://podcasts.fame.so/e/rnklq6x8 Cutting Admin by 60%: How Greg Waechter Scaled Culture Through Simplicity 13 No No 70wjqmy1 Welcome to a brand new episode of Voice Activated: Tuning Employee Insights At Work. Our host Sean Fitzpatrick, CEO of TalentMap, is joined by Greg Waechter, Managing Partner at Super Simple HR, to unpack how to build scalable, human-centered HR practices that actually work, reduce administrative burden by 60%, and boost employee engagement by 40%. Welcome to a brand new episode of Voice Activated: Tuning Employee Insights At Work. Our host Sean Fitzpatrick, CEO of TalentMap, is joined by Greg Waechter, Managing Partner at Super Simple HR, to unpack how to build scalable, human-centered HR practices that actually work, reduce administrative burden by 60%, and boost employee engagement by 40%.

What You’ll Learn:

  • How to implement a continuous feedback system that replaces outdated annual reviews
  • The three core pillars of employee satisfaction
  • Why simplicity beats complexity when scaling HR systems and culture
  • How to support middle managers through tools, training, and practical frameworks
  • Why treating HR as a product strategy can lead to better employee outcomes
  • How to align HR systems with company values while maintaining authenticity

Greg Waechter is the Managing Partner at Super Simple HR, where he specializes in helping high-growth startups build lean, human-centered people operations. With over 20 years of HR experience, including leading organizations through three IPOs and four exits, Greg has demonstrated expertise in scaling companies from 50 to 500+ employees while reducing administrative burden by 60% and increasing employee engagement by 40%. His approach focuses on three core pillars: fair compensation, growth opportunities, and meaningful recognition.

If you enjoyed this episode, make sure to subscribe, rate, and review it on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and YouTube Podcasts. Instructions on how to do so are here: https://www.fame.so/follow-rate-review 

Highlights and YouTube Chapters:


  • [00:00] Introduction
  • [02:14] From IPOs to Independency
  • [04:23] Seeing Around Corners
  • [07:44] The 3 Pillars of Employee Satisfaction
  • [10:09] Job Architecture and Clarity
  • [14:28] The Danger of Inaction
  • [18:56] Culture Isn’t a Poster
  • [22:08] Rethinking Performance Management
  • [27:45] Coaching the Uncoached
  • [30:42] The Middle Manager Crunch
  • [37:12] Gen Z, Screens, and Soft Skills
  • [38:38] Building Trust as an HR Consultant
  • [46:00] Mindset Shift for HR

Quotes:


  • “From an HR perspective, what are the programs, processes, philosophies of tenants? So, it's typically going to be some sort of performance management system. And I don't mean annual reviews. I'm really talking about feedback mechanisms.”

  • “Think about HR in people stuff as a product role, a product strategy, where your product is your people.”

  • “If you truly wanna make an impact on the business, you gotta focus on your employees and make sure you're giving them what they want.”

  • “I tell founders when they're trying to keep their culture strong through growth, you have to talk about something about culture every single meeting, every single communication point, to the point that you're gonna be so sick of talking that you're gonna wanna beat your head against the wall.”


Episode Resources:


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Voice Activated: Tuning Employee Insights At Work is handcrafted by our friends over at: fame.so
]]> Wed, 24 Sep 2025 13:00:00 +0000 Sean Fitzpatrick Sean Fitzpatrick 3009 Welcome to a brand new episode of Voice Activated: Tuning Employee Insights At Work. Our host Sean Fitzpatrick, CEO of TalentMap, is joined by Greg Waechter, Managing Partner at Super Simple HR, to unpack how to build scalable, human-centered HR practices that actually work, reduce administrative burden by 60%, and boost employee engagement by 40%. Welcome to a brand new episode of Voice Activated: Tuning Employee Insights At Work. Our host Sean Fitzpatrick, CEO of TalentMap, is joined by Greg Waechter, Managing Partner at Super Simple HR, to unpack how to build scalable, human-centered HR practices that actually work, reduce administrative burden by 60%, and boost employee engagement by 40%. Voice Activated podcast, employee engagement strategies, scalable HR practices, human centered HR, continuous feedback systems, simplifying HR processes, supporting middle managers, HR as product strategy, improving workplace culture, boosting employee satisfaction, No No Rethinking Healthcare Retention with Priyanki Amroliwala https://podcasts.fame.so/e/p8m79w98 Rethinking Healthcare Retention with Priyanki Amroliwala 12 No No 70v5w9w1 Welcome to a brand new episode of Voice Activated: Tuning Employee Insights At Work. Our host Sean Fitzpatrick, CEO of TalentMap, is joined by Priyanki Amroliwala, Senior Manager of Talent Acquisition for 42 North Dental, to explore why culture matters more than perks in healthcare recruitment, how to effectively navigate rural hiring challenges, and the importance of slowing down the hiring process to ensure better long-term fits. Welcome to a brand new episode of Voice Activated: Tuning Employee Insights At Work. Our host Sean Fitzpatrick, CEO of TalentMap, is joined by Priyanki Amroliwala, Senior Manager of Talent Acquisition for 42 North Dental, to explore why culture matters more than perks in healthcare recruitment, how to effectively navigate rural hiring challenges, and the importance of slowing down the hiring process to ensure better long-term fits.

What You’ll Learn:

  • How to shift from transactional recruiting to relationship-based hiring that drives long-term retention
  • Why slowing down the hiring process leads to better matches and reduced turnover
  • How to effectively sell rural healthcare opportunities by focusing on lifestyle benefits and earning potential
  • Why culture fit matters more than perks, and how to assess it during interviews
  • How to maintain recruiter wellbeing through mindfulness and work-life balance strategies

Priyanki Amroliwala is the Senior Manager of Talent Acquisition for 42 North Dental, where she leads recruitment strategy for over 100 dental practices across the Northeast. With more than a decade of healthcare recruiting expertise, she has established herself as a thought leader in dental talent acquisition through her consulting work at Healthcare Talent Solutions and role on the editorial board of Group Dentistry Now. Since 2015, Priyanki has been instrumental in developing innovative recruitment approaches that emphasize culture, trust, and team dynamics over traditional transactional hiring methods.

If you enjoyed this episode, make sure to subscribe, rate, and review it on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and YouTube Podcasts. Instructions on how to do so are here: https://www.fame.so/follow-rate-review 


Highlights and YouTube Chapters:


  • [00:00] Introduction
  • [02:40] It’s Not About the Party, It’s About the Hard Days
  • [06:36] Slow Down to Speed Up
  • [10:50] Interviewing Beyond the Resume
  • [14:28] Culture Is in the Details
  • [18:35] The Employer Brand vs. Reality Gap
  • [24:25] Reframing Rural Hiring
  • [34:44] Staying Grounded in a High-Pressure Field
  • [39:36] The #1 Mindset Shift for Hiring

Quotes:


  • “Gone are the days when it's the candidate that needs the job. In the dental industry, we're in need of that candidate.”
  • “Take your time to interview. Don't just quickly meet a candidate for five or ten minutes. Spend a full hour, sit down with someone and get to know them.”
  • “Most hiring teams have communication gaps during the interview process. If you can just bridge that communication gap and really make sure that you set the expectations and the tone from the beginning, they'll know what they're getting into.”
  • “Don't hire out of desperation. Get to know the candidate. Any position it is, they are all important positions.”

Episode Resources:



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Voice Activated: Tuning Employee Insights At Work is handcrafted by our friends over at: fame.so
]]> Wed, 10 Sep 2025 13:00:00 +0000 Sean Fitzpatrick Sean Fitzpatrick 2537 Welcome to a brand new episode of Voice Activated: Tuning Employee Insights At Work. Our host Sean Fitzpatrick, CEO of TalentMap, is joined by Priyanki Amroliwala, Senior Manager of Talent Acquisition for 42 North Dental, to explore why culture matters more than perks in healthcare recruitment, how to effectively navigate rural hiring challenges, and the importance of slowing down the hiring process to ensure better long-term fits. Welcome to a brand new episode of Voice Activated: Tuning Employee Insights At Work. Our host Sean Fitzpatrick, CEO of TalentMap, is joined by Priyanki Amroliwala, Senior Manager of Talent Acquisition for 42 North Dental, to explore why culture matters more than perks in healthcare recruitment, how to effectively navigate rural hiring challenges, and the importance of slowing down the hiring process to ensure better long-term fits. healthcare recruitment, dental talent acquisition, culture fit hiring, rural healthcare hiring, relationship based recruiting, slow hiring process benefits, recruiter mindfulness, long term employee retention, healthcare hiring strategies, No No Closing the Power Gap: How Approachable Leaders Build Stronger Teams with Phillip Wilson https://podcasts.fame.so/e/1np7w6r8 Closing the Power Gap: How Approachable Leaders Build Stronger Teams with Phillip Wilson 11 No No z0r42kl0 Welcome to a brand new episode of Voice Activated: Tuning Employee Insights At Work. Our host Sean Fitzpatrick is joined by Phillip Wilson, CEO of LRI Consulting and founder of Approachable Leadership, to explore why approachability is the true foundation of leadership. They dive into the three essential habits of approachable leaders, the transformative “Hero Assumption” mindset, and practical tools to prevent workplace conflict. Discover how closing the power gap between leaders and teams creates stronger relationships, a better culture, and lasting organizational success. Welcome to a brand new episode of Voice Activated: Tuning Employee Insights At Work. Our host Sean Fitzpatrick is joined by Phillip Wilson, CEO of LRI Consulting and founder of Approachable Leadership, to explore why approachability is the true foundation of leadership. They dive into the three essential habits of approachable leaders, the transformative “Hero Assumption” mindset, and practical tools to prevent workplace conflict. Discover how closing the power gap between leaders and teams creates stronger relationships, a better culture, and lasting organizational success.

What You’ll Learn:

  • How approachability serves as the foundational component of strong leadership

  • Three essential habits of approachable leaders: openness, understanding, and support

  • Why the "Hero Assumption" mindset transforms leader-team relationships

  • How to use the "Stop, Listen, Confirm" technique to demonstrate active listening

  • How to recognize signs that you may not be as approachable as you think

  • The connection between approachability and preventing workplace conflicts

  • Why seeking and accepting feedback is crucial for leadership development

  • The importance of believing in your team's potential to create positive outcomes

Phillip B. Wilson is CEO and General Counsel of LRI Consulting Services, Inc. (LRICS) and Approachable Leadership, organisations dedicated to building extraordinary workplaces that boost engagement and reduce turnover. Author of seven books, including Left of Boom, The Approachability Playbook, and his upcoming The Leader-Shift Playbook (April 2025)—Phil is a sought-after keynote speaker on leadership, employee retention, and labour relations. Featured in outlets such as Fox Business, The New York Times, and Forbes, he also brings expertise as a former congressional expert witness.

If you enjoyed this episode, make sure to subscribe, rate, and review it on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and YouTube Podcasts. Instructions on how to do so are here: https://www.fame.so/follow-rate-review 

Highlights & YouTube Chapters:

  • 00:00 Stop, Listen, Confirm: A Powerful Leadership Tool
  • 02:40 What Makes a Leader Truly Approachable?
  • 09:31 Three Essential Habits of Approachable Leaders
  • 12:36 The Stop-Listen-Confirm Framework for Better Listening
  • 17:18 Why Frontline Supervisors Face the Toughest Leadership Challenge
  • 20:08 The Hero Assumption: A Revolutionary Leadership Mindset
  • 30:51 Preventing Labor Issues Through Better Leadership
  • 36:28 Three Signs You're Not as Approachable as You Think
  • 39:14 Key Takeaways: Making the Hero Assumption Work

Quotes:
  1. "Being approachable means your teammates feel safe and comfortable coming to you if they've got a suggestion, if they've got a concern, they feel comfortable coming to you, their leader."
  2. "If you are approachable, you have vastly different outcomes than if they say you're not, and you get a little bit of a pass for the rest of the stuff that leaders are supposed to do."

  3. "The people who are willing to give you that tough feedback, those are gifts in your life, and how do you get more of those gifts? You have to ask for them."

Episode Resources:


💬 Comment below your favorite part!
Voice Activated: Tuning Employee Insights At Work is handcrafted by our friends over at: fame.so
]]> Wed, 27 Aug 2025 09:00:00 +0000 Sean Fitzpatrick Sean Fitzpatrick 2539 Welcome to a brand new episode of Voice Activated: Tuning Employee Insights At Work. Our host Sean Fitzpatrick is joined by Phillip Wilson, CEO of LRI Consulting and founder of Approachable Leadership, to explore why approachability is the true foundation of leadership. They dive into the three essential habits of approachable leaders, the transformative “Hero Assumption” mindset, and practical tools to prevent workplace conflict. Discover how closing the power gap between leaders and teams creates stronger relationships, a better culture, and lasting organizational success. Welcome to a brand new episode of Voice Activated: Tuning Employee Insights At Work. Our host Sean Fitzpatrick is joined by Phillip Wilson, CEO of LRI Consulting and founder of Approachable Leadership, to explore why approachability is the true foundation of leadership. They dive into the three essential habits of approachable leaders, the transformative “Hero Assumption” mindset, and practical tools to prevent workplace conflict. Discover how closing the power gap between leaders and teams creates stronger relationships, a better culture, and lasting organizational success. approachable leadership, leadership habits, workplace culture, conflict prevention at work, employee engagement, leadership development, power gap in leadership, building strong teams, organizational success, No No The Human Side of Retention: Why Compensation Alone Won’t Make People Stay with Greg Roche https://podcasts.fame.so/e/x8vly3q8 The Human Side of Retention: Why Compensation Alone Won’t Make People Stay with Greg Roche 10 No No 70yp4n71 Welcome to a brand new episode of Voice Activated: Tuning Employee Insights At Work. Our host Sean Fitzpatrick, CEO of TalentMap, is joined by Greg Roche, founder of Retention Rewards and longtime Total Rewards leader, to explore why people leave long before they resign, why counteroffers rarely work, and how simple, intentional conversations across the organization can create the kind of culture people don’t want to leave. Welcome to a brand new episode of Voice Activated: Tuning Employee Insights At Work. Our host Sean Fitzpatrick, CEO of TalentMap, is joined by Greg Roche, founder of Retention Rewards and longtime Total Rewards leader. Today, we explore why people leave long before they resign, why counteroffers rarely work, and how simple, intentional conversations across the organization can create the kind of culture people don’t want to leave. 

What You’ll Learn:

  • Why do people leave months before they resign

  • How internal networking boosts retention and mobility

  • Why counteroffers fail and what to do instead

  • The five-step playbook for building a relationship-first culture

  • How listening (not surveys) becomes a core leadership skill

  • Why retention is a systems problem, not a one-time fix

Greg Roche is the founder of Retention Rewards and creator of The Introverted Networker, a coaching platform helping people build authentic connections at work. With more than 20 years of experience leading Total Rewards strategies through mergers, transformations, and growth phases, Greg has served in roles across compensation, benefits, and HR analytics. He now teaches organizations how to build cultures of connection, where trust, not transactions, drives employee engagement.

If you enjoyed this episode, make sure to subscribe, rate, and review it on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and YouTube Podcasts. Instructions on how to do so are here: https://www.fame.so/follow-rate-review 

Highlights & YouTube Chapters:

  • [00:00] Introduction
  • [03:21] From SAP to HR: Greg’s Unlikely Career Path
  • [07:02] What Total Rewards Really Means
  • [11:26] Why Counteroffers Don’t Work
  • [13:10] Crossing the Line: The Real Moment People Decide to Leave
  • [16:38] Internal Networking and Talent Visibility
  • [23:18] Building Connection in a Hybrid World
  • [29:05] The Leadership Habit That Builds Trust
  • [33:08] Why Mentorship Should Be Employee-Led
  • [38:28] Turning Surveys into Dialogue
  • [45:55] Greg’s 5-Step Playbook for a Relationship-First Culture
  • [47:48] Listening as a Core Value
  • [48:54] How to Reach Greg

Quotes:

  • “By the time someone hands in their resignation, they have already left two or three months ago.”

  • “It doesn't matter how much you pay them. If they feel disconnected from the organization... nothing you pay them is gonna keep them.”

  • “Listening is our core value. That it is one of the most important things we can do.”

Episode Resources:


💬 Comment below your favorite part!



Voice Activated: Tuning Employee Insights At Work is handcrafted by our friends over at: fame.so
]]> Wed, 13 Aug 2025 09:00:00 +0000 Sean Fitzpatrick Sean Fitzpatrick 3154 Welcome to a brand new episode of Voice Activated: Tuning Employee Insights At Work. Our host Sean Fitzpatrick, CEO of TalentMap, is joined by Greg Roche, founder of Retention Rewards and longtime Total Rewards leader, to explore why people leave long before they resign, why counteroffers rarely work, and how simple, intentional conversations across the organization can create the kind of culture people don’t want to leave. Welcome to a brand new episode of Voice Activated: Tuning Employee Insights At Work. Our host Sean Fitzpatrick, CEO of TalentMap, is joined by Greg Roche, founder of Retention Rewards and longtime Total Rewards leader, to explore why people leave long before they resign, why counteroffers rarely work, and how simple, intentional conversations across the organization can create the kind of culture people don’t want to leave. employee retention strategies, why employees leave, counteroffer effectiveness, workplace culture improvement, retention through conversations, Greg Roche interview, Voice Activated podcast, TalentMap insights, building employee loyalty, human side of retention No No Why Listening, Not Leverage, Is the Future of Labor Strategy with Michael VanDervort https://podcasts.fame.so/e/pnll2y2n Why Listening, Not Leverage, Is the Future of Labor Strategy with Michael VanDervort 9 No No x0l6jrj0 Welcome to a brand new episode of Voice Activated: Tuning Employee Insights At Work. Our host Sean Fitzpatrick, CEO of TalentMap, is joined by Michael VanDervort, a seasoned labor relations strategist and trusted voice in the employee experience space, to discuss how organizations can build extraordinary workplaces through better employee relations, whether unionized or not. Welcome to a brand new episode of Voice Activated: Tuning Employee Insights At Work. Our host Sean Fitzpatrick, CEO of TalentMap, is joined by Michael VanDervort, a seasoned labor relations strategist and trusted voice in the employee experience space, to discuss how organizations can build extraordinary workplaces through better employee relations, whether unionized or not.

What You’ll Learn:

  • How to transform labor relations from risk management to relationship building

  • Why approachability is the key leadership trait for preventing union organizing

  • How to create effective listening systems beyond annual surveys

  • Why responding to feedback matters more than collecting it

  • The critical role of middle managers in building employee trust and engagement

  • Why organizational culture change must start with executive commitment and modeling

Michael VanDervort is a seasoned labor relations strategist and trusted voice in the employee experience space. He’s also a key voice behind LRI Consulting Services and HR Acuity, where he leads communications, content, and events focused on building extraordinary workplaces. With over 35 years of experience in labor and employee relations, including roles at the United States Postal Service and various private sector organizations, he brings a unique perspective from both union and management positions. Michael is also Co-Host of The Left of Boom Show and Drive Thru HR.

If you enjoyed this episode, make sure to subscribe, rate, and review it on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and YouTube Podcasts. Instructions on how to do so are here: https://www.fame.so/follow-rate-review 

Highlights and YouTube Chapters:


  • [00:00] Introduction

  • [02:53] From Law School to Labor Relations

  • [05:18] Is Labor Relations More Collaborative Today?

  • [10:49] What Makes a Workplace Extraordinary

  • [13:47] The Approachable Leadership Training Philosophy

  • [17:31] Union vs. Non-Union Listening Cultures

  • [28:01] When Surveys Fail and How to Fix Them

  • [31:03] Why Leaders Don’t Close the Loop

  • [36:39] If I Were a CEO…

  • [39:36] The Hero Assumptions

Quotes:

  • “Trust your people, know your people, assume the best. That doesn't mean everybody's great or everybody's perfect, but don't manage your business because of the bad apples.”

  • “If leaders are approachable, that's like one of the biggest, best starting points.”

  • “Unionized companies do not necessarily have bad labor relations. Unions and companies don't necessarily have to hate each other.”

Episode Resources:



💬 Comment below your favorite part!



Voice Activated: Tuning Employee Insights At Work is handcrafted by our friends over at: fame.so
]]> Wed, 30 Jul 2025 11:00:00 +0000 Sean Fitzpatrick Sean Fitzpatrick 2498 Welcome to a brand new episode of Voice Activated: Tuning Employee Insights At Work. Our host Sean Fitzpatrick, CEO of TalentMap, is joined by Michael VanDervort, a seasoned labor relations strategist and trusted voice in the employee experience space, to discuss how organizations can build extraordinary workplaces through better employee relations, whether unionized or not. Welcome to a brand new episode of Voice Activated: Tuning Employee Insights At Work. Our host Sean Fitzpatrick, CEO of TalentMap, is joined by Michael VanDervort, a seasoned labor relations strategist and trusted voice in the employee experience space, to discuss how organizations can build extraordinary workplaces through better employee relations, whether unionized or not. employee relations strategies, Michael VanDervort interview, TalentMap podcast, Voice Activated podcast, improving workplace culture, labor relations expert, union and non-union workplaces, employee experience insights, Sean Fitzpatrick TalentMap, building extraordinary workplaces, No No How PMC's Michael Trevino Transforms Military Leadership Into HR Success https://podcasts.fame.so/e/2nxzxl7n How PMC's Michael Trevino Transforms Military Leadership Into HR Success 8 No No 61mkjyn1 Welcome to a brand new episode of Voice Activated: Tuning Employee Insights At Work. Our host Sean Fitzpatrick, CEO of TalentMap is joined by Michael Trevino, a Human Resources Manager for Parking Management Company (PMC), to discuss what really happens when you trade your uniform for a suit. Welcome to a brand new episode of Voice Activated: Tuning Employee Insights At Work. Our host Sean Fitzpatrick, CEO of TalentMap is joined by Michael Trevino, a Human Resources Manager for Parking Management Company (PMC), to discuss what really happens when you trade your uniform for a suit.

What You’ll Learn:

  • How to effectively translate military leadership experience into private-sector success
  • Why providing specific feedback during hiring processes can transform veteran recruitment
  • The critical differences between military and private sector organizational cultures
  • How to build trust and credibility when transitioning between leadership environments
  • Why customer experience and employee care are intrinsically linked in service industries
  • How to create effective feedback mechanisms that drive performance and engagement

Michael Trevino is a Human Resources Manager for Parking Management Company (PMC)'s Savannah Region, where he leads people strategy across multiple hospitality-based parking operations. With over eight years of experience as a trainer, mentor, and leader in the US Marine Corps, Michael brings unique insights into leadership transitions from military to private sector environments. His expertise spans rebuilding underperforming units, developing training programs, and managing large-scale operations across the Southeast US.

If you enjoyed this episode, make sure to subscribe, rate, and review it on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and YouTube Podcasts. Instructions on how to do so are here: https://www.fame.so/follow-rate-review 

Highlights and YouTube Chapters:


  • [00:00] Introduction
  • [03:03] Why Michael Joined the Military
  • [07:07] The Toughest Test of Resilience
  • [12:14] Getting the Key to the City and Serving the Community
  • [15:08] No Chain of Command in Civilian Life
  • [28:43] What is PMC?
  • [35:32] Hustle, Respect, and Little Details Matter
  • [43:21] One Thing CEOs Should Change for Veterans
  • [48:34] Why PMC Cares Is More Than a Tagline

Episode Resources:

Voice Activated: Tuning Employee Insights At Work is handcrafted by our friends over at: fame.so
]]> Wed, 16 Jul 2025 11:00:00 +0000 Sean Fitzpatrick Sean Fitzpatrick 3013 Welcome to a brand new episode of Voice Activated: Tuning Employee Insights At Work. Our host Sean Fitzpatrick, CEO of TalentMap is joined by Michael Trevino, a Human Resources Manager for Parking Management Company (PMC), to discuss what really happens when you trade your uniform for a suit. Welcome to a brand new episode of Voice Activated: Tuning Employee Insights At Work. Our host Sean Fitzpatrick, CEO of TalentMap is joined by Michael Trevino, a Human Resources Manager for Parking Management Company (PMC), to discuss what really happens when you trade your uniform for a suit. veteran career transition, military to civilian leadership, Michael Trevino, Voice Activated podcast, PMC leadership insights, employee engagement strategies, service industry HR, veteran recruitment tips, workplace culture shift, TalentMap podcast No No Why the Godfather of CX Says Employees Matter More Than Customers with Bruce Temkin https://podcasts.fame.so/e/286qyjrn Why the Godfather of CX Says Employees Matter More Than Customers with Bruce Temkin 7 No No j12rw4v1 Welcome to a brand new episode of Voice Activated: Tuning Employee Insights At Work. Our host Sean Fitzpatrick, CEO of TalentMap is joined by Bruce Temkin, Chief Humanity Catalyst at Temkinsight and the host of the Humanity at Scale podcast, to discuss how organizations can create more meaningful employee experiences through better leadership practices and systematic listening. Welcome to a brand new episode of Voice Activated: Tuning Employee Insights At Work. Our host Sean Fitzpatrick, CEO of TalentMap is joined by Bruce Temkin, Chief Humanity Catalyst at Temkinsight and the host of the Humanity at Scale podcast, to discuss how organizations can create more meaningful employee experiences through better leadership practices and systematic listening.

What You’ll Learn:

  • How to transform HR from an administrative function to a strategic driver of employee potential
  • Why middle managers are crucial for scaling human experience management across organizations
  • The "Catch and Redirect" technique for leaders to build more collaborative, empowering conversations
  • Why vulnerability in leadership matters and how to balance it with executive presence
  • The "Measure, Incentivize, Celebrate" framework for driving lasting behavioral change in organizations

Bruce Temkin is the Chief Humanity Catalyst at Temkinsight and the host of the Humanity at Scale podcast Known as the "Godfather of Customer Experience," he is a pioneer in experience management with an extensive background in strategy and operations. As founder of the Temkin Group and former leader of the  XM Institute at Qualtrics, Bruce has shaped how organizations approach both customer and employee experience management. His work has revolutionized how companies measure and manage stakeholder experiences, developing foundational frameworks including competency models for customer experience and voice-of-customer programs.

If you enjoyed this episode, make sure to subscribe, rate, and review it on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and YouTube Podcasts. Instructions on how to do so are here: https://www.fame.so/follow-rate-review 

Highlights and YouTube Chapters:

  • [00:00] Introduction
  • [02:10] Becoming the Godfather of CX
  • [04:20] The Hidden Link Between EX and CX
  • [07:22] Why HR Change Lags
  • [09:36] How to Actually Start Listening
  • [13:03] Measure, Incent, Celebrate
  • [17:58] Small Rituals, Big Shifts
  • [22:16] The Delta Airlines Story
  • [32:38] The AI-Integrated Employee
  • [41:03] Bruce’s Simple Listening Tour
  • [42:05] Bruce’s Secret Leadership Habit
  • [42:53] One Thing to Take Back to Your Team

Episode Resources:


Voice Activated: Tuning Employee Insights At Work is handcrafted by our friends over at: fame.so
]]> Wed, 02 Jul 2025 11:00:00 +0000 Sean Fitzpatrick Sean Fitzpatrick 2682 Welcome to a brand new episode of Voice Activated: Tuning Employee Insights At Work. Our host Sean Fitzpatrick, CEO of TalentMap is joined by Bruce Temkin, Chief Humanity Catalyst at Temkinsight and the host of the Humanity at Scale podcast, to discuss how organizations can create more meaningful employee experiences through better leadership practices and systematic listening. Welcome to a brand new episode of Voice Activated: Tuning Employee Insights At Work. Our host Sean Fitzpatrick, CEO of TalentMap is joined by Bruce Temkin, Chief Humanity Catalyst at Temkinsight and the host of the Humanity at Scale podcast, to discuss how organizations can create more meaningful employee experiences through better leadership practices and systematic listening. employee experience strategy, Bruce Temkin, Voice Activated podcast, leadership development, HR transformation, workplace culture, employee engagement, customer experience pioneer, Humanity at Scale, organizational leadership No No The $10M Insight That Came From a Coffee Break with Sean Fitzpatrick https://podcasts.fame.so/e/r874z6jn The $10M Insight That Came From a Coffee Break with Sean Fitzpatrick 6 No No k08yv261 Welcome to a brand new episode of Voice Activated: Tuning Employee Insights At Work. Our host Sean Fitzpatrick, CEO of TalentMap, goes solo to share a powerful leadership lesson from his early consulting days in the Alberta oil sands, revealing how this experience shaped his understanding of organizational listening and led to the founding of TalentMap. Welcome to a brand new episode of Voice Activated: Tuning Employee Insights At Work. Our host Sean Fitzpatrick, CEO of TalentMap, goes solo to share a powerful leadership lesson from his early consulting days in the Alberta oil sands, revealing how this experience shaped his understanding of organizational listening and led to the founding of TalentMap.

What You’ll Learn:

  • How frontline employees often hold the most valuable insights for operational improvements
  • Why executive leaders care more about sustainable culture change than individual improvement ideas
  • The "FAIR Framework" for effective employee listening
  • How to transform maintenance operations by treating them like Formula 1 pit stops
  • Why small to mid-sized businesses require unique approaches to employee engagement
  • The critical difference between treating employee listening as a checkbox versus a leadership skill

Sean Fitzpatrick is the host of the Voice Activated podcast and Founder of TalentMap, bringing over 30 years of experience in organizational culture and employee feedback. With a background in implementation consulting at RLG International and extensive work in the oil sands industry, Sean specializes in helping organizations unlock employee potential through effective listening strategies. His unique approach combines hands-on operational experience with strategic cultural transformation, particularly focused on organizations with 100-5000 employees.

If you enjoyed this episode, make sure to subscribe, rate, and review it on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and YouTube Podcasts. Instructions on how to do so are here - https://www.fame.so/follow-rate-review 

Highlights and YouTube Chapters:

  • [00:00] Introduction
  • [02:24] From MBA to Mud Boots
  • [05:40] The FAIR Framework for Listening
  • [11:40] Pit Stops for Haulers
  • [12:32] Rethinking Coffee Breaks
  • [15:37] Why TalentMap Was Born

Quotes:

  • “The real lesson that I learned is that those closest to the work really do have some of the best ideas on how to improve it. The true work of leadership is to listen and learn how to release all that potential.”
  • “Employee listening is really a leadership skill. It's a muscle that you need to work - it's not a checkbox, it's not just a survey, it's a skill.”
  • “You don't need to have all the answers. You just need to ask the right people.”

Episode Resources:

TalentMap Website - https://talentmap.com/ 

Voice Activated: Tuning Employee Insights At Work is handcrafted by our friends over at: fame.so
]]> Wed, 18 Jun 2025 11:00:00 +0000 Sean Fitzpatrick Sean Fitzpatrick 1219 Welcome to a brand new episode of Voice Activated: Tuning Employee Insights At Work. Our host Sean Fitzpatrick, CEO of TalentMap, goes solo to share a powerful leadership lesson from his early consulting days in the Alberta oil sands, revealing how this experience shaped his understanding of organizational listening and led to the founding of TalentMap. Welcome to a brand new episode of Voice Activated: Tuning Employee Insights At Work. Our host Sean Fitzpatrick, CEO of TalentMap, goes solo to share a powerful leadership lesson from his early consulting days in the Alberta oil sands, revealing how this experience shaped his understanding of organizational listening and led to the founding of TalentMap. employee engagement, organizational listening, leadership insights, FAIR framework, Sean Fitzpatrick, TalentMap podcast, culture transformation, oil sands consulting, operational improvement, employee feedback strategy, No No How Port Moody Turns Employee Feedback Into Real Culture Change - with Marta Taylor https://podcasts.fame.so/e/rn74pvl8 How Port Moody Turns Employee Feedback Into Real Culture Change - with Marta Taylor 5 No No k18y5nj0 Welcome to a brand new episode of Voice Activated: Tuning Employee Insights At Work. Our host Sean Fitzpatrick is joined by Marta Taylor, Manager of Strategic Initiatives at the City of Port Moody, to explore successful employee feedback programs in municipal organizations and how to turn survey results into actionable improvements. Marta shares how a small city launched a ground-up cultural transformation using employee voice as the catalyst. From candid focus groups to executive-level engagement, Marta walks us through a practical, replicable model that puts staff feedback at the center of organizational change. Welcome to a brand new episode of Voice Activated: Tuning Employee Insights At Work. Our host Sean Fitzpatrick, CEO of TalentMap is joined by Marta Taylor, Manager of Strategic Initiatives at the City of Port Moody, to explore successful employee feedback programs in municipal organizations and how to turn survey results into actionable improvements. 

What You’ll Learn:

  • How to structure employee focus groups for maximum impact
  • The "Champion Strategy" for gaining leadership buy-in
  • How to use benchmarking data to prioritize actions and contextualize survey results
  • Why simple communication initiatives can dramatically improve employee engagement
  • The "Two-to-Three Action Rule" for helping department managers implement targeted improvements
  • How to balance comprehensive organizational development plans with department-specific initiatives

Marta Taylor is the Manager of Strategic Initiatives at the City of Port Moody, where she leads corporate planning, diversity, and equity initiatives, indigenous relations, and accessibility programs. With vast experience in employee engagement and organizational development, she has successfully transformed employee feedback into meaningful operational changes. Her innovative approach to employee surveys and focus groups has helped create a more responsive and inclusive workplace culture within the municipality.

If you enjoyed this episode, make sure to subscribe, rate, and review it on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and YouTube Podcasts. Instructions on how to do so are here.

Episode Resources:


Voice Activated: Tuning Employee Insights At Work is handcrafted by our friends over at: fame.so
]]> Mon, 02 Jun 2025 13:00:00 +0000 Sean Fitzpatrick Sean Fitzpatrick 2437 Welcome to a brand new episode of Voice Activated: Tuning Employee Insights At Work. Our host Sean Fitzpatrick is joined by Marta Taylor, Manager of Strategic Initiatives at the City of Port Moody, to explore successful employee feedback programs in municipal organizations and how to turn survey results into actionable improvements. Marta shares how a small city launched a ground-up cultural transformation using employee voice as the catalyst. From candid focus groups to executive-level engagement, Marta walks us through a practical, replicable model that puts staff feedback at the center of organizational change. Welcome to a brand new episode of Voice Activated: Tuning Employee Insights At Work. Our host Sean Fitzpatrick is joined by Marta Taylor, Manager of Strategic Initiatives at the City of Port Moody, to explore successful employee feedback programs in municipal organizations and how to turn survey results into actionable improvements. Marta shares how a small city launched a ground-up cultural transformation using employee voice as the catalyst. From candid focus groups to executive-level engagement, Marta walks us through a practical, replicable model that puts staff feedback at the center of organizational change. Port Moody, employee feedback, culture change, workplace transformation, organizational culture, Marta Taylor, employee engagement, leadership strategy, team development, workplace improvement No No Voice Activated: Tuning Into Employee Insights Trailer https://podcasts.fame.so/e/mn4lzqyn Voice Activated: Tuning Into Employee Insights Trailer 4 No No x06rx2n0 Great leadership starts with truly listening to your people. Join Sean Fitzpatrick, founder and CEO of TalentMap, to hear insights and strategies that can help you do just that. In each episode of Voice Activated: Tuning Employee Insights At Work, we’ll dive into real stories of how leaders have transformed their employee experience. Explore topics like: innovative ways to build leadership skills by focusing how to ask the right questions of your people, learning how to listen and understand what they are really saying and, most importantly, strategies to involve them in change you want to make. Great leadership starts with truly listening to your people. Join Sean Fitzpatrick, founder and CEO of TalentMap, to hear insights and strategies that can help you do just that. In each episode of Voice Activated: Tuning Employee Insights At Work, we’ll dive into real stories of how leaders have transformed their employee experience. Explore topics like: innovative ways to build leadership skills by focusing how to ask the right questions of your people, learning how to listen and understand what they are really saying and, most importantly, strategies to involve them in change you want to make.
Voice Activated: Tuning Employee Insights At Work is handcrafted by our friends over at: fame.so
]]> Thu, 29 May 2025 15:00:00 +0000 Sean Fitzpatrick Sean Fitzpatrick 42 Great leadership starts with truly listening to your people. Join Sean Fitzpatrick, founder and CEO of TalentMap, to hear insights and strategies that can help you do just that. In each episode of Voice Activated: Tuning Employee Insights At Work, we’ll dive into real stories of how leaders have transformed their employee experience. Explore topics like: innovative ways to build leadership skills by focusing how to ask the right questions of your people, learning how to listen and understand what they are really saying and, most importantly, strategies to involve them in change you want to make. Great leadership starts with truly listening to your people. Join Sean Fitzpatrick, founder and CEO of TalentMap, to hear insights and strategies that can help you do just that. In each episode of Voice Activated: Tuning Employee Insights At Work, we’ll dive into real stories of how leaders have transformed their employee experience. Explore topics like: innovative ways to build leadership skills by focusing how to ask the right questions of your people, learning how to listen and understand what they are really saying and, most importantly, strategies to involve them in change you want to make. employee insights, workplace feedback, employee voice, organizational culture, workplace communication, leadership listening, team engagement, employee experience, company culture, workplace strategy, No No Adopting Engagement as a Mindset With Ashley Ridgeway-Washington https://podcasts.fame.so/e/vn55yypn Adopting Engagement as a Mindset With Ashley Ridgeway-Washington 3 No No 80qq44p0 On this episode of Leading Through Listening, I’m joined by Ashley Ridgeway-Washington, SVP and CHRO at JPS Health Network, to explore how engagement as a mindset can transform workplace culture. In this conversation, Ashley shares actionable... On this episode of Leading Through Listening, I’m joined by Ashley Ridgeway-Washington, SVP and CHRO at JPS Health Network, to explore how engagement as a mindset can transform workplace culture. In this conversation, Ashley shares actionable insights on creating leadership accountability, building active listening into everyday practices and driving meaningful change through data and culture. Listen in as we explore the intersection of engagement, accountability and impact.

Voice Activated: Tuning Employee Insights At Work is handcrafted by our friends over at: fame.so
]]> Tue, 26 Nov 2024 10:00:00 +0000 109740 On this episode of Leading Through Listening, I’m joined by Ashley Ridgeway-Washington, SVP and CHRO at JPS Health Network, to explore how engagement as a mindset can transform workplace culture. In this conversation, Ashley shares actionable... On this episode of Leading Through Listening, I’m joined by Ashley Ridgeway-Washington, SVP and CHRO at JPS Health Network, to explore how engagement as a mindset can transform workplace culture. In this conversation, Ashley shares actionable... No No Self-Leadership and Betting on You with Laurie Ruettimann https://podcasts.fame.so/e/x814mmyn Self-Leadership and Betting on You with Laurie Ruettimann 2 No No 713pkkq0 On this episode of Leading Through Listening, I’m joined by Laurie Ruettimann, a speaker, author of Betting on You and an outspoken advocate for personal accountability at work. Laurie’s candid insights challenge conventional workplace thinking,... On this episode of Leading Through Listening, I’m joined by Laurie Ruettimann, a speaker, author of Betting on You and an outspoken advocate for personal accountability at work. Laurie’s candid insights challenge conventional workplace thinking, especially around leadership and engagement. Laurie explores how the changing nature of work requires both leaders and employees to embrace a more holistic, self-directed approach. Listen in to begin rethinking your relationship with work.

Voice Activated: Tuning Employee Insights At Work is handcrafted by our friends over at: fame.so
]]> Fri, 04 Oct 2024 09:00:00 +0000 117780 On this episode of Leading Through Listening, I’m joined by Laurie Ruettimann, a speaker, author of Betting on You and an outspoken advocate for personal accountability at work. Laurie’s candid insights challenge conventional workplace thinking,... On this episode of Leading Through Listening, I’m joined by Laurie Ruettimann, a speaker, author of Betting on You and an outspoken advocate for personal accountability at work. Laurie’s candid insights challenge conventional workplace thinking,... No No How Leaders Who Listen Can Transform Organizations With Paul Mastrangelo https://podcasts.fame.so/e/xnymjj1n How Leaders Who Listen Can Transform Organizations With Paul Mastrangelo 2 No No l14nvvl1 In this debut episode of Leading Through Listening, host Sean Fitzpatrick sits down with Paul Mastrangelo, president and owner of First Domino Consulting, to explore the transformative power of humble inquiry in leadership. Paul shares his expertise... In this debut episode of Leading Through Listening, host Sean Fitzpatrick sits down with Paul Mastrangelo, president and owner of First Domino Consulting, to explore the transformative power of humble inquiry in leadership. Paul shares his expertise as an organizational psychologist, diving into how asking the right questions and truly listening can foster psychological safety, empower employees, and lead to sustainable change within organizations.

Voice Activated: Tuning Employee Insights At Work is handcrafted by our friends over at: fame.so
]]> Thu, 05 Sep 2024 14:03:00 +0000 121080 In this debut episode of Leading Through Listening, host Sean Fitzpatrick sits down with Paul Mastrangelo, president and owner of First Domino Consulting, to explore the transformative power of humble inquiry in leadership. Paul shares his expertise... In this debut episode of Leading Through Listening, host Sean Fitzpatrick sits down with Paul Mastrangelo, president and owner of First Domino Consulting, to explore the transformative power of humble inquiry in leadership. Paul shares his expertise... No No Introducing the Leading Through Listening Podcast https://podcasts.fame.so/e/r8kmxxq8 Introducing the Leading Through Listening Podcast 0 No No 71w7yyq1 Join Sean Fitzpatrick, founder and CEO of TalentMap, as he launches his new podcast, Leading Through Listening. In each episode, Sean delves into the real-life stories of leaders who have transformed their employee experience by mastering the art of... Join Sean Fitzpatrick, founder and CEO of TalentMap, as he launches his new podcast, Leading Through Listening. In each episode, Sean delves into the real-life stories of leaders who have transformed their employee experience by mastering the art of listening. Discover innovative approaches to building leadership skills by asking the right questions, truly understanding your people, and involving them in meaningful change.

Leading Through Listening launches on Wednesday, Sept 4. Be sure to subscribe so that you don't miss an episode!

Voice Activated: Tuning Employee Insights At Work is handcrafted by our friends over at: fame.so
]]> Wed, 28 Aug 2024 08:13:00 +0000 6960 Join Sean Fitzpatrick, founder and CEO of TalentMap, as he launches his new podcast, Leading Through Listening. In each episode, Sean delves into the real-life stories of leaders who have transformed their employee experience by mastering the art of... Join Sean Fitzpatrick, founder and CEO of TalentMap, as he launches his new podcast, Leading Through Listening. In each episode, Sean delves into the real-life stories of leaders who have transformed their employee experience by mastering the art of... No No