Ep. 9 – Why Human Change Is the Hardest Part of the AI Transformation – with Ryan Simmons

Ep. 10 - Why Culture Fails Until Leaders Are Held Accountable for It - with Quinn Slaughter

If culture isn’t measured, it isn’t managed... and leaders know it. Quinn Slaughter [https://www.linkedin.com/in/quinnslaughter/], Owner of Total Solutions First, explains why culture breaks down when it’s treated as a value statement instead of a leadership system. Most companies can describe their culture, but struggle to enforce it. The impact shows up in places leaders often misread: early talent leaving just as they become valuable, inconsistent leadership behavior, and performance gaps that don’t trace back to strategy. Quinn breaks down how culture actually operates inside a business: through what leaders tolerate, what gets measured, and what gets rewarded. From leadership scorecards to tying incentives to people outcomes, she outlines how to make culture measurable, enforceable, and owned by leadership, not just by HR alone. You’ll learn: 1. Why culture defaults to tolerated behavior if leaders aren’t held accountable 2. How to measure culture through business outcomes 3. What a leadership scorecard reveals about culture in practice 4. How incentives reshape leadership behavior and decision-making 5. Why lack of leadership capacity becomes a barrier to culture change ___________ Quinn is open to connecting about operationalizing culture and leadership accountability. Reach out to her on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/quinnslaughter/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/quinnslaughter/] ___________ Quinn’s recommendations: Eleven Rings: The Soul of Success | https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00AEBEVTQ [https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00AEBEVTQ] Servant Leadership: A Journey Into the Nature of Legitimate Power and Greatness | https://www.amazon.com/dp/0809105543 [https://www.amazon.com/dp/0809105543] ___________ About the host James Weier: James is Director, US at EGYM Wellpass and President of the Denver chapter of the Level Up HR Community. With 10 years of experience and a degree from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, James brings a collaborative, community-focused approach to his work. When he’s not elevating employee experience or strengthening HR leadership, James enjoys spending time with his wife and their two young boys in Colorado’s great outdoors. Get in touch with James Weier on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jamesweier/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/jamesweier/] More episodes and insights: https://www.level-up-hr.com/en [https://www.level-up-hr.com/en]

Ep. 9 – Why Human Change Is the Hardest Part of the AI Transformation – with Ryan Simmons

AI can give you answers instantly. But what if your people lose the ability to question them? Host James Weier [https://www.linkedin.com/in/jamesweier/] speaks to Ryan Simmons [https://www.linkedin.com/in/ryan-l-simmons/], Vice President of Human Resources at Colorado College, about why AI transformation is less about technology and more about how work is designed. As organizations rush to automate tasks and increase productivity, a deeper risk emerges: the erosion of critical thinking, judgment, and capability development. Ryan shares how AI is reshaping skill development, why removing “learning steps” weakens future expertise, and how HR leaders can redesign work so automation strengthens human decision-making, instead of replacing it. From higher education to enterprise environments, this conversation reframes AI adoption as a human systems challenge with long-term implications for workforce capability. You’ll learn: 1. Why faster output from AI can weaken critical thinking over time 2. How removing early-career tasks impacts long-term skill development 3. Why AI forces leaders to redesign roles, not just optimize tasks 4. Why AI should be treated as a tool instead of a source of truth 5. How to design workflows that strengthen judgment, not replace it ___________ Ryan Simmons is open to connecting about AI, work design, and HR leadership. Reach out to him on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ryan-l-simmons/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/ryan-l-simmons/] ___________ About the host James Weier [https://www.linkedin.com/in/jamesweier/]: James is Director, US at EGYM Wellpass and President of the Denver chapter of the Level Up HR Community. With 10 years of experience and a degree from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, James brings a collaborative, community-focused approach to his work. When he’s not elevating employee experience or strengthening HR leadership, James enjoys spending time with his wife and their two young boys in Colorado’s great outdoors. Get in touch with James Weier on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jamesweier/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/jamesweier/]

Ep. 8 – Redefining Play at Work Without the Forced Fun – with Acey Holmes

If “fun at work” makes you roll your eyes, you’re just using the wrong definition. Host James Weier [https://www.linkedin.com/in/jamesweier/] speaks with Acey Holmes [https://www.linkedin.com/in/aceym/], Founder and CEO of BoredLess and an expert in Playful Work Design, about why play has become one of the most misunderstood ideas in today’s workplaces. Acey challenges the assumption that play is about games or team events. Instead, she reframes it as a way of working that changes how people engage with serious, demanding work. She breaks down the four pillars of playful work design and explains why playfulness shows up not in activities, but in how work is designed, led, and experienced day to day. Grounded in neuroscience and real organizational examples, the conversation connects play to cognitive function, creativity, and sustained productivity, and explores why getting play wrong often leads to burnout and surface-level culture initiatives. You’ll learn: 1. Why play at work fails when it’s treated as forced fun 2. The four pillars of playful work design and what they unlock 3. How play supports focus, creativity, and brain health 4. Why culture doesn’t change through events, but through behavior 5. What signals show that play is working inside an organization ___________ Get in touch with Acey Holmes on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/aceym/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/aceym/] Acey's book recommendations: Chief Joy Officer by Richard Sheridan | https://www.amazon.com/dp/0735218226 [https://www.amazon.com/dp/0735218226] Creativity, Inc. by Ed Catmull | https://www.amazon.com/dp/0812993012 [https://www.amazon.com/dp/0812993012] Feel-Good Productivity by Ali Abdaal | https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0CBNDFMJJ [https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0CBNDFMJJ] Flow: The Psychology of Optimal Experience by Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi | https://www.amazon.com/dp/0061339202 [https://www.amazon.com/dp/0061339202] Playful Rebellion: by Gary Ware | https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0B4K1BXJW [https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0B4K1BXJW] Playful: How Play Shifts Our Thinking, Inspires Connection, and Sparks Creativity by Cas Holman | https://www.amazon.com/dp/0593713400 [https://www.amazon.com/dp/0593713400] The Fun Habit by Mike Rucker | https://www.amazon.com/dp/1982159065 [https://www.amazon.com/dp/1982159065] ___________ About the host James Weier: James is Director, US at EGYM Wellpass and President of the Denver chapter of the Level Up HR Community. With 10 years of experience and a degree from the University of Illinois Urbana‑Champaign, James brings a collaborative, community‑focused approach to his work. When he’s not elevating employee experience or strengthening HR leadership, James enjoys spending time with his wife and their two young boys in Colorado’s great outdoors. Get in touch with James Weier on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jamesweier/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/jamesweier/]

Ep. 7 - How Intentional Leadership Sparks Real Transformation - with Katie Biancalana

Every question you ask as an HR leader is a chance to earn trust and shape real transformation. In this episode, host James Weier [https://www.linkedin.com/in/jamesweier/] sits down with Katie Biancalana [https://www.linkedin.com/in/shortsleeve/], an HR thought leader with over 20 years of experience, for a compelling conversation on leading through change with creativity and empathy. Having worked in HR across various industries and through major organizational shifts, Katie shares how true leadership begins when you turn pressure into purpose. From transforming a high-stakes acquisition into an energizing off-site “work camp” to guiding a school district through a first-of-its-kind Workday rollout, she reveals how HR can make even the hardest transitions human and memorable. Katie also reflects on how AI is redefining the HR landscape and how to stay relevant in a data-driven world. Her message is clear: credibility doesn’t come from having all the answers but from asking better questions. In a future shaped by technology, curiosity, collaboration, and human understanding remain HR’s greatest strengths. You'll learn: 1. How to transform large-scale change into a shared experience, instead of a top-down directive 2. What it takes to balance empathy with execution during intense transitions 3. Why listening with intent earns credibility and shapes better outcomes 4. How to approach AI adoption with innovation and integrity 5. The mindset every HR leader needs to stay adaptable and future-ready ___________ Get in touch with Katie Biancalana on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/shortsleeve/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/shortsleeve/] ___________ About the host James Weier: James is Director, US at EGYM Wellpass and President of the Denver chapter of the Level Up HR Community. With 10 years of experience and a degree from the University of Illinois Urbana‑Champaign, James brings a collaborative, community‑focused approach to his work. When he’s not elevating employee experience or strengthening HR leadership, James enjoys spending time with his wife and their two young boys in Colorado’s great outdoors. Get in touch with James Weier on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jamesweier/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/jamesweier/]

Ep. 6 - Keeping HR Human in the Age of AI - with Annie Korenjak

What if adopting AI was the key to keeping your organization truly human? In this episode, host James Weier [https://www.linkedin.com/in/jamesweier/] sits down with Annie Korenjak [https://www.linkedin.com/in/anniekorenjak/], Human Resources Director at CCIG, to talk about what happens when HR meets AI and why the future of people leadership depends on how we use it. Annie shares how embracing AI with intention can take the busywork off HR’s plate and make room for what really matters: trust, connection, and meaningful work. She explains how clear values, not quick wins, guide responsible adoption, and why adaptability and curiosity now matter more than technical expertise. From creating smart guardrails to treating AI as a genuine thought partner, Annie offers a refreshingly human take on technology. You’ll learn: 1. Why clarity and trust are the foundation for responsible AI use 2. How AI can amplify human connection instead of replacing it 3. Ways to set practical guardrails for ethical AI integration 4. How curiosity fuels innovation and better decision-making 5. Why adaptability defines the future of HR leadership ___________ Get in touch with Annie Korenjak on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/anniekorenjak/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/anniekorenjak/] Annie's book recommendation: The Four Agreements by Don Miguel Ruiz | https://www.amazon.com/dp/B004NT7J7Q [https://www.amazon.com/dp/B004NT7J7Q] ___________ About the host James Weier: James is Director, US at EGYM Wellpass and President of the Denver chapter of the Level Up HR Community. With 10 years of experience and a degree from the University of Illinois Urbana‑Champaign, James brings a collaborative, community‑focused approach to his work. When he’s not elevating employee experience or strengthening HR leadership, James enjoys spending time with his wife and their two young boys in Colorado’s great outdoors. Get in touch with James Weier on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jamesweier/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/jamesweier/]