Join us in an engaging episode of the Leaders in Talent podcast as host Adriaan Kolff interviews Annie Wickman, the Head of People at Character.AI. Annie details her career journey from Google to Character.AI, sharing operational and people-focused challenges she faced during a significant transaction with Google and the transition to an employee-owned company. Discover strategies for onboarding, retaining, and motivating employees in a rapidly growing AI startup, and learn about the importance of building trust and efficient onboarding processes.

Gain leadership insights on transparency, remote work culture, and handling company downsizing. Finally, Annie shares her personal career advice on motivation, trust in gut instincts, and overcoming professional challenges. Tune in for a comprehensive look at navigating rapid growth in the AI industry!

Timecodes:

01:07 Annie Wickman's Career Journey

02:08 Character.ai's Recent Developments

03:15 Navigating Market Volatility with Matcher

03:55 Google's Involvement with Character.ai

04:38 Building a Successful Product Company

05:29 Onboarding and Retention Strategies

10:55 Competing in the AI Space 13:10 Building Trust in Leadership

16:00 Real-Life Examples of Managing Change

18:12 The Importance of Transparency in Leadership

20:01 Trends in Workplace Dynamics

24:03 Exciting Opportunities at Character.ai

24:45 Advice for Younger Selves and Overcoming Insecurities

27:42 Concluding Thoughts and Farewell

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Connect with us on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/matchr/

Get in touch with us: https://www.matchr.io/who-we-are/contact/

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Connect with Annie Wickman: https://www.linkedin.com/in/annie-wickman-3332731/

Connect with Adriaan Kolff: https://www.linkedin.com/in/adriaankolff/

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RSS feed: https://media.rss.com/leaders-in-talent/feed.xml

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Need an External Recruitment Support?

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In this episode of the Leaders in Talent podcast, we welcome Anne Brandt, co-founder of Invested and a veteran in senior leadership roles at companies like Uber, TomTom, Mollie, and more. Anne discusses the pivotal differences between evidence-based solutions and personal convictions in organizational leadership.

Anna shares insights into the foundational aspects of successful onboarding processes and the essential blend of strategy, leadership, cultural assimilation, and stakeholder management. She also delves into the importance of combining data insights with a human-centric approach, highlighting her work with TechWolf and her observations on the future of the recruitment and talent landscape amidst market volatility.

Timecodes

01:35 Anna Brandt's Journey and Invested

02:16 Invested's Mission and Approach

03:05 Matcher: Your Recruitment Partner

04:23 Challenges in Building High-Performing Teams

07:09 Balancing Evidence-Based Hiring and Personal Conviction

08:50 Effective Leadership Onboarding

09:57 Strategic Integration and Leadership Roles

12:11 The Importance of Structured Onboarding

21:29 Future of People and Organizations

24:48 Economic Outlook and Recruitment Trends

26:41 Conclusion and Contact Information

___________________________

Connect with us on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/matchr/

Get in touch with us: https://www.matchr.io/who-we-are/contact/

____________

Connect with Anna Brandt: https://www.linkedin.com/in/annabrandt/

Connect with Adriaan Kolff: https://www.linkedin.com/in/adriaankolff/

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RSS feed: https://media.rss.com/leaders-in-talent/feed.xml

___________________________

Need an External Recruitment Support?

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In this episode of the Leaders in Talent podcast, Lucy O'Brien, Head of Talent and Ecosystem at Eight Roads, joins us to share her extensive experience in executive search and her current role driving value in a global venture fund. Lucy offers insights into the importance of network building, the challenges of scaling organizations, and the strategies she employs to advise founders on talent acquisition and people strategies.

With a career spanning companies like Nestle, Vodafone, Korn Ferry, and Facebook, Lucy explains the nuances of her roles and how she's adapted to continuously provide value. Tune in to learn about building a successful network, understanding market dynamics, and fostering a culture of trust and agility in leadership.

Timecodes:

00:44 Welcome to the Podcast: Meet Lucy O'Brien

01:27 Lucy's Career Journey: From Executive Search to Eight Roads

02:10 The Importance of Networking in Executive Search

07:46 Transition to Eight Roads: Embracing the Startup Ecosystem

09:53 Role at Eight Roads: Supporting Portfolio Companies

17:44 Challenges and Strategies in Talent Acquisition

23:49 Personal Inspirations and Career Advice

25:38 Current Projects and Future Goals

27:08 Conclusion: Connecting with Lucy O'Brien

___________________________

Connect with us on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/matchr/

Get in touch with us: https://www.matchr.io/who-we-are/contact/

___________________________

Connect with Lucy O'Brien: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lucyobrien1/

Connect with Adriaan Kolff: https://www.linkedin.com/in/adriaankolff/

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Books recommended by Lucy:

• "Lean In" by Sheryl Sandberg
• "Drive" by Daniel Pink

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RSS feed: https://media.rss.com/leaders-in-talent/feed.xml

___________________________

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In this episode, join the insightful discussion with Kat Steinmetz as she delves into fostering human connection, leadership transformation, and organizational growth. Kat shares her experiences from her tenure at Burning Man in an HR and people leadership role, discussing the unique philosophy and structure that makes the event transformative. Learn about her lessons on how vulnerability and empowerment play crucial roles in leadership.

Kat also reveals how she transitioned these learnings into rapidly growing companies like Stitch Fix and Box, and finally to her unexpected yet impactful journey into venture capitalism with Initialized Capital. Gain insights on building a resilient, open, and human-centric corporate culture and discover how companies can serve a greater purpose in society beyond profits.

Timecodes:

01:01 Welcome Kat: A Journey into Burning Man

01:11 Burning Man Explained: A Unique Cultural Phenomenon

01:37 Behind the Scenes: HR Leadership at Burning Man

06:30 The Transition to Non-Profit: Challenges and Triumphs

09:54 Growth and Legacy: Lessons from Burning Man

11:43 Applying Burning Man Lessons to Corporate Culture

17:02 Innovative Leadership Programs

19:41 Creating a Feedback Culture

20:17 Balancing Structure and Freedom

21:02 The Power of Simplicity and Principles

22:41 Leadership and Human Skills

25:01 Transition to Investment

31:35 The Role of Companies in Society

35:14 Final Thoughts and Reflections

___________________________

Connect with us on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/matchr/

Get in touch with us: https://www.matchr.io/who-we-are/contact/

____________

Connect with Kat Steinmetz: https://www.linkedin.com/in/katsteinmetz/

Connect with Adriaan Kolff: https://www.linkedin.com/in/adriaankolff/

___________________________

RSS feed: https://media.rss.com/leaders-in-talent/feed.xml

___________________________

Need an External Recruitment Support?

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In this episode of the Leaders in Talent podcast, host Adriaan Kolff interviews Samantha Gadd, founder and CEO of Excellent and Humankind, about the significance of employee experience (EX) and how it intersects with organizational culture and strategy. Samantha shares her journey from HR consulting to leading the field of EX design, emphasizing the importance of understanding employees deeply to create better workplaces. She introduces the PREP model, which focuses on Purpose, Relationship, Enabling, and Performance experiences as key areas of EX.

Samantha also discusses the EX manifesto, co-written with industry leaders, that advocates for putting employees at the center as a strategy for organizational success. The episode provides actionable insights for leaders and HR professionals on how to enhance employee experience by listening to and co-designing with their employees.

Timecodes

00:00 Introduction to Employee Experience

00:39 Guest Introduction: Samantha Gadd

01:59 The Importance of Employee Experience

02:47 Samantha’s Journey and Humankind

06:02 Building Excellent and the EX Manifesto

07:49 The PREP Model for Employee Experience

11:16 Measuring and Improving Employee Experience

14:43 The Future of Employee Experience

19:04 The EX Manifesto Project

22:15 Challenges and Opportunities in EX

26:43 Conclusion and Final Thoughts

___________________________

Connect with us on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/matchr/

Get in touch with us: https://www.matchr.io/who-we-are/contact/

___________________________

Connect with Samantha Gadd: https://www.linkedin.com/in/samanthagadd/

Connect with Adriaan Kolff: https://www.linkedin.com/in/adriaankolff/

___________________________

RSS feed: https://media.rss.com/leaders-in-talent/feed.xml

___________________________

Need an External Recruitment Support?

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In this episode of the Leaders in Talent podcast, Adriaan Kolff hosts Katie Evans Reber, a distinguished leader in HR, currently serving as Chief People Officer at Gladly. Katie shares her journey from working in financial services during the 2008 crisis to influential roles in startups like Gusto and Winolo.

She emphasizes the importance of employee experience and performance review systems, recounting both successes and lessons learned, such as the implementation of the 'Align' framework at Winolo. Katie also discusses her leadership philosophy, the challenges of moving between industries, managing imposter syndrome, and the role of companies in influencing policy. She advocates for leveraging AI tools in HR and concludes with a call for companies to consider their broader responsibilities.

Timecodes

[00:01:04] Katie's Career Highlights and Personal Background

[00:01:59] Pivotal Moments in Katie's Career

[00:03:56] Personal Connection to Work and Its Meaning

[00:05:18] Transitioning into Leadership Roles

[00:09:19] Advice to Younger Self and Early Career Mistakes

[00:10:25] Dealing with Imposter Syndrome and Professional Growth

[00:13:11] Career Transitions Between Industries and Roles

[00:17:15] Role as a Chief People Officer and Business Strategy

[00:19:31] Career Accomplishments and Policy Changes

[00:20:03] Learning from Mistakes in Performance Management

[00:24:32] Developing the ALIGN Framework for Performance Management

[00:26:58] Details of the ALIGN Framework: Accountability, Leadership, Intellect, Growth, and Norms

[00:30:01] Establishing Company Norms and Culture

[00:31:06] Importance of a Growth Mindset and Feedback

[00:33:12] Challenges and Alternatives to Traditional Rating Systems

[00:37:12] Calibration and Compensation Linked to Performance

[00:40:07] Integrating AI Tools to Enhance Productivity

[00:44:13] Katie's Question for the Next Guest About Company Roles in Policy and Change

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Connect with us on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/matchr/

Get in touch with us: https://www.matchr.io/who-we-are/contact/

___________________________

Connect with Katies Evans-Reber: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kevansreber/

Connect with Adriaan Kolff: https://www.linkedin.com/in/adriaankolff/

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RSS feed: https://media.rss.com/leaders-in-talent/feed.xml

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Searching for Recruitment & Sourcing Experts? Embed Matchr's seasoned recruiters and sourcers into your team for a results-driven hiring approach. Learn more: https://www.matchr.io/

In this episode of the Leaders in Talent podcast, the guest, Alan, the Global Head of Talent Acquisition at Deel, shares his journey from being part of the founding team of a micro-mobility company to leading talent acquisition at one of the fastest-growing companies.

Operating in over 100 countries and hiring 2000 new employees annually, Alan discusses the strategies and challenges of recruiting in four main areas: revenue teams, operations, G&A functions, and R&D teams. He delves into the importance of TA function maturity, the use of technology in recruitment, and developing a company's employee value proposition and branding.

Alan also sheds light on Deel's hyper-growth journey, the transition to a fully remote work environment, and the metrics and strategies that drive their success in talent acquisition. Additionally, Alan shares valuable leadership lessons learned throughout his career, emphasizing the importance of values, consistency, and being curious.

What is covered:

00:00 Introduction to the Leaders in Talent Podcast

00:25 Alan's Journey to Becoming Head of Talent at Deal

00:34 Exploring Deal's Global Operations and Recruitment Strategy

02:24 Challenges and Strategies in Talent Acquisition at Deal

05:15 The Evolution of Deal: From EOR to a Comprehensive HR Platform

08:03 Adapting to a Fully Remote Recruitment Process

14:05 Lessons Learned from Leadership and Management Roles

17:29 Key Metrics and Challenges in Talent Acquisition

26:45 Final Thoughts and Advice for Aspiring Leaders

___________________________

Connect with us on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/matchr/

Get in touch with us: https://www.matchr.io/who-we-are/contact/

___________________________

Connect with Alan Price: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alanprice/

Connect with Adriaan Kolff: https://www.linkedin.com/in/adriaankolff/

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RSS feed: https://media.rss.com/leaders-in-talent/feed.xml

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Do you need flexible recruitment and sourcing support for your company? Let's talk to see how Matchr can help you: https://www.matchr.io