Talent Development Hot Seat

In this solo episode of The Talent Development Hot Seat, Andy shares his thoughts on career development. He was inspired by a recent conversation with a friend at a large tech company who was feeling frustrated in her career. What do your people need to be happy in their careers? As Gen Z and younger Millennials take on more roles in the workplace, the number-one thing they desire at work is career growth. Andy outlines some ideas for talking to your people about this topic. In this episode, you’ll hear: What people want from their companies and their careers and why growth and contribution matter so much to your people. Why the Great Resignation is being fueled by people who feel unfulfilled or underappreciated at their companies and Andy’s advice for addressing the problem. What “stay” conversations are and how you can use those to address the needs of your employees in their careers. How you can begin to offer development opportunities within your company and offer access to other career paths within the organization. The importance of checking in with your people about their current roles, asking about their career goals, and fully supporting their career aspirations.   Connect with Andy Storch here: https://andystorch.com/ (Website) https://www.linkedin.com/in/andystorch/ (LinkedIn) https://tdtt.us/ (Join us in the Talent Development Think Tank Community)!

In this episode of The Talent Development Hot Seat, Andy welcomes Orieji Iroha-Agwu to the show. As the Director of Career Development Strategy and Programs on the People team at Red Hat, she’s responsible for defining the strategic direction of careers as well as leading the implementation of career development solutions in alignment with their organizational priorities. Orieji has also led the Americas Learning Delivery and Global Learning Delivery teams for Red Hat University. Before joining Red Hat in 2018, Orieji worked at Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina for 13 years, leading the implementation of large, complex enterprise learning and development initiatives. She also designed, developed, and managed leadership and strategic talent development programs. In 2015, she was the recipient of the CEO Award, a recognition of outstanding employees who have significantly contributed to the company’s results, and embody BCBSNC’s commitment to its culture, values, ethics, and compliance. In this bonus episode, you’ll hear: 6. Orieji Iroha-Agwu’s biggest career accomplishment and why it stands out. 7. Why creating solutions without the customer’s voice is her biggest failure and what she’s learned to do differently. 8. The biggest challenge she’s facing in talent development today and how it’s being addressed. 9. The reason internal mobility is such a hot topic right now and why she’s paying attention to it. 10. Orieji’s favorite TED Talk by Carla Harris about finding the person who can help you get ahead at work. 11. Her career advice for those looking to get ahead in their careers. Connect with Andy Storch here: https://andystorch.com/ (Website) https://www.linkedin.com/in/andystorch/ (LinkedIn) https://tdtt.us/ (Join us in the Talent Development Think Tank Community)! Connect with Orieji Iroha-Agwu: https://www.linkedin.com/in/oriejiirohaagwu/ (LinkedIn) https://www.ted.com/talks/carla_harris_how_to_find_the_person_who_can_help_you_get_ahead_at_work?utm_campaign=tedspread&utm_medium=referral&utm_source=tedcomshare (Carla Harris TED Talk)

In this episode of The Talent Development Hot Seat, Andy welcomes Orieji Iroha-Agwu to the show. As the Director of Career Development Strategy and Programs on the People team at Red Hat, she’s responsible for defining the strategic direction of careers as well as leading the implementation of career development solutions in alignment with their organizational priorities. Orieji has also led the Americas Learning Delivery and Global Learning Delivery teams for Red Hat University. Before joining Red Hat in 2018, Orieji worked at Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina for 13 years, leading the implementation of large, complex enterprise learning and development initiatives. She also designed, developed, and managed leadership and strategic talent development programs. In 2015, she was the recipient of the CEO Award, a recognition of outstanding employees who have significantly contributed to the company’s results, and embody BCBSNC’s commitment to its culture, values, ethics, and compliance. In this episode, you’ll hear: How Orieji Iroha-Agwu started her career at Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina, why she found a passion for human resources and talent development, and what she does today at Red Hat. The Red Hat philosophy on career development, how she helps their employees grow in their careers, and what tangible programs and solutions for that look like. What she is doing to pass on knowledge from employees in their second half of life to the younger, less-experienced workers and why mentoring is a big part of that process. How Red Hat is increasing diversity and representation in the company, why they’ve incorporated sponsorship and coaching, and the critical role management plays. Orieji’s advice for taking ownership of your career and how that can be ingrained into the company culture. Connect with Andy Storch here: https://andystorch.com/ (Website) https://www.linkedin.com/in/andystorch/ (LinkedIn) https://tdtt.us/ (Join us in the Talent Development Think Tank Community)! Connect with Orieji Iroha-Agwu: https://www.linkedin.com/in/oriejiirohaagwu/ (LinkedIn) https://www.ted.com/talks/carla_harris_how_to_find_the_person_who_can_help_you_get_ahead_at_work?utm_campaign=tedspread&utm_medium=referral&utm_source=tedcomshare (Carla Harris TED Talk)

In this episode of The Talent Development Hot Seat, Andy welcomes Dr. Lisa Toppin to the show. Lisa is the Chief Diversity Officer for Illumina, a biotechnology research firm with more than 10,000 employees. She’s held leadership positions in HR with firms nationwide, including LPL where she served as Chief Diversity Officer, and Charles Schwab, where she led their diversity and inclusion and learning and development programming in addition to the executive recruiting function. Dr. Lisa Toppin has also served in HR business partner roles with Phillips Petroleum, Sherwin Williams, and Montell USA. She’s a member of the Forbes HR Council and is a world-renowned leader when it comes to engaging D&I change in a manner that makes it both meaningful and sustainable. She has a B.S. in Speech Pathology from Howard University, an M.S. in Human Resources from Rutgers University, and obtained her Ed.D. in Human Resources from The George Washington University. In this bonus interview, you’ll hear: 7. Dr. Lisa Toppin’s greatest career accomplishment so far and why she’s so proud of the program she just started. 8. Her biggest career failure, why it stands out to her., and the lesson she learned from it. 9. The biggest challenge she sees in talent development and the work she’s doing to address it. 10. What trend she’s paying the most attention to and why it intrigues her. 11. Her favorite books to recommend and the importance of vulnerability. 12. Why her career advice boils down to the question, what do you want? Connect with Andy Storch here: https://andystorch.com/ (Website) https://www.linkedin.com/in/andystorch/ (LinkedIn) https://tdtt.us/ (Join us in the Talent Development Think Tank Community)! Connect with Dr. Lisa Toppin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/drlisatoppin/ (LinkedIn) https://www.drlisatoppin.com/ (Website) https://twitter.com/DrLisaToppin (Twitter)

In this episode of The Talent Development Hot Seat, Andy welcomes Dr. Lisa Toppin to the show. Lisa is the Chief Diversity Officer for Illumina, a biotechnology research firm with more than 10,000 employees. She’s held leadership positions in HR with firms nationwide, including LPL where she served as Chief Diversity Officer, and Charles Schwab, where she led their diversity and inclusion and learning and development programming in addition to the executive recruiting function. Dr. Lisa Toppin has also served in HR business partner roles with Phillips Petroleum, Sherwin Williams, and Montell USA. She’s a member of the Forbes HR Council and is a world-renowned leader when it comes to engaging D&I change in a manner that makes it both meaningful and sustainable. She has a B.S. in Speech Pathology from Howard University, an M.S. in Human Resources from Rutgers University, and obtained her Ed.D. in Human Resources from The George Washington University. In this episode, you’ll hear: How Dr. Lisa Toppin landed in the world of human resources, what brought her to diversity and inclusion in 2005 and what it looked like, and how it’s changed over the years. The disadvantages of not including DEI in a human resources department and the challenges that appear when a diversity officer reports directly to a CEO. The changes she’s seen in DEI since George Floyd’s death in 2020, why it was such a pivotal moment for DEI, and why it allowed us to begin to acknowledge social oppression. Where talent development intersects with diversity, equity, and inclusion, how it relates to talent development, and what your organization can do to get to the whole story. Dr. Lisa Toppin’s suggestions for looking at inclusion and belonging and ensuring your team is making people feel as though they belong. How people in L&D can incorporate DEI into everything they do to make sure that it’s part of their work, the importance of employee resource groups in that process, and leveraging the performance process and technology to make sure it’s woven in. Connect with Andy Storch here: https://andystorch.com/ (Website) https://www.linkedin.com/in/andystorch/ (LinkedIn) https://tdtt.us/ (Join us in the Talent Development Think Tank Community)! Connect with Dr. Lisa Toppin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/drlisatoppin/ (LinkedIn) https://www.drlisatoppin.com/ (Website) https://twitter.com/DrLisaToppin (Twitter)

In this episode of The Talent Development Hot Seat, Andy’s guest is Dr. Mechelle Roberthon, a certified professional in talent development with a background that includes training delivery, performance improvement, managing learning programs, and interpersonal and business skills. She’s taught more than 500 corporate courses with her evaluations consistently rating above average. Her dynamic teaching style has become a favorite amongst learners. Dr. Mechelle Roberthon holds a Master’s in Education with a specialization in training and performance improvement. In May 2022, she successfully defended her dissertation, “Getting to the Room Where It Happens: A Transformative Qualitative Collective Case Study of Black Women Holding and Pursuing Senior and Executive Leadership Roles,” and earned her Doctor of Education in learning and organizational change from Baylor University. She is currently the Vice President and Director of Talent Development at Home Bank in Lafayette, Louisiana, where she leads talent development strategy and programming for the organization. In this bonus episode, you’ll hear: 6. Dr. Mechelle Roberthon’s proudest career moment and what made that particular event so special. 7. Her biggest career mistake and why it changed the way she approaches new initiatives. 8. The biggest challenge she sees in talent development today. 9. A trend she’s paying attention to in talent development and why it’s making her so happy. 10. The TED Talk she often recommends by Rita Pierson. 11. Dr. Mechelle Roberthon’s advice for advancing your career. Connect with Andy Storch here: https://andystorch.com/ (Website) https://www.linkedin.com/in/andystorch/ (LinkedIn) https://tdtt.us/ (Join us in the Talent Development Think Tank Community)! https://kevinmyates.com/l%26d-detective-kit (Kevin M. Yates - L&D Detective Kit) https://www.ted.com/talks/rita_pierson_every_kid_needs_a_champion (Rita Pierson - Every Kid Needs a Champion) Connect with Dr. Mechelle Roberthon: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mechelleroberthon/ (LinkedIn)

In this episode of The Talent Development Hot Seat, Andy’s guest is Dr. Mechelle Roberthon, a certified professional in talent development with a background that includes training delivery, performance improvement, managing learning programs, and interpersonal and business skills. She’s taught more than 500 corporate courses with her evaluations consistently rating above average. Her dynamic teaching style has become a favorite amongst learners. Dr. Mechelle Roberthon holds a Master’s in Education with a specialization in training and performance improvement. In May 2022, she successfully defended her dissertation, “Getting to the Room Where It Happens: A Transformative Qualitative Collective Case Study of Black Women Holding and Pursuing Senior and Executive Leadership Roles,” and earned her Doctor of Education in learning and organizational change from Baylor University. She is currently the Vice President and Director of Talent Development at Home Bank in Lafayette, Louisiana, where she leads talent development strategy and programming for the organization. In this episode, you’ll hear: How Dr. Mechelle Roberthon landed in the field of talent development, what she loves about being involved in talent development, and why education is such a passion for her. Where the topic for her dissertation, “Getting to the Room Where It Happens: A Transformative Qualitative Collective Case Study of Black Women Holding and Pursuing Senior and Executive Leadership Roles,” came from, how she researched it, and why she’s so passionate about the subject. Why awareness is so important in recognizing the lack of Black women in leadership roles, the story that the data can tell us about this issue, and the pressure that Dr. Mechelle Roberthon often feels to represent her culture. What she sees as the biggest problem in promoting Black women into leadership, how that can be addressed in talent and recruitment within organizations, and why it limits your candidacy pool. How you can become an ally to Black women in your organization, why sponsorship is the best way to help them begin opening doors, and what sponsorship looks like in practice.   Bonus Content Dr. Mechelle Roberthon’s proudest career moment and what made that particular event so special. Her biggest career mistake and why it changed the way she approaches new initiatives. The biggest challenge she sees in talent development today. A trend she’s paying attention to in talent development and why it’s making her so happy. The TED Talk she often recommends by Rita Pierson. Dr. Mechelle Roberthon’s advice for advancing your career. Connect with Andy Storch here: https://andystorch.com/ (Website) https://www.linkedin.com/in/andystorch/ (LinkedIn) https://tdtt.us/ (Join us in the Talent Development Think Tank Community)! https://kevinmyates.com/l%26d-detective-kit (Kevin M. Yates - L&D Detective Kit) https://www.ted.com/talks/rita_pierson_every_kid_needs_a_champion (Rita Pierson - Every Kid Needs a Champion) Connect with Dr. Mechelle Roberthon: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mechelleroberthon/ (LinkedIn)

In this episode of The Talent Development Hot Seat, Andy’s guest is Professor Sarah Townsend. This interview is part of a series Andy did for the USC Marshall School of Business Executive Education Program called The Lifelong Learning Series. Sarah Townsend is an associate professor of Management and Organization and interim Assistant Vice Dean of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion at USC Marshall School of Business. In this episode, you’ll hear: What Sarah Townsend’s research has revealed about some of the biggest challenges we have in the workplace today surrounding diversity, equity, and inclusion. How she defines DEI and why it means more than just doing what is best for the company. Why inclusion is so important for innovation and what it means to have an inclusive company culture. The reason your organization needs to be aware of unconscious bias, how we can help solve the problem as individuals, and how you can recognize it when it occurs. The role leaders play in achieving better diversity, equity, and inclusion in their organizations and what employees in non-leadership roles can do to contribute to DEI in their company culture. What humanistic leadership means, the importance of lifelong learning in the success of business professionals, and why these conversations are so important. Connect with Andy Storch here: https://andystorch.com/ (Website) https://www.linkedin.com/in/andystorch/ (LinkedIn) https://tdtt.us/ (Join us in the Talent Development Think Tank Community)! https://execed.marshall.usc.edu/ (USC Marshall Executive Education) Connect with Sarah Townsend: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sarah-townsend-7752a62/ (LinkedIn)

In this solo episode of The Talent Development Hot Seat, Andy is sharing the three pillars that he believes are essential for successful career development and growth in your organization. As the author of the book Own Your Career, Own Your Life, Andy’s work has shifted into the career development space. His book is highly rated on Amazon, and he wants you to know the three pillars you should be focused on as you develop and grow your career. In this episode, you’ll hear: The two biggest factors affecting organizations today and how you can begin to address those in your workplace. Why people are looking for growth and what that can mean for your career. How growth and feeling like your work matters can affect your career trajectory. Andy’s three pillars of successful career development and growth. What implementing these three pillars can do for both your employees and your company. I also mentioned https://www.linkedin.com/posts/andystorch_careerdevelopment-ownyourcareer-ownyourcareerownyourlife-activity-6935980114115514368-FdQ-?utm_source=linkedin_share&utm_medium=member_desktop_web (my LinkedIn post) about the three pillars of career growth  Connect with Andy Storch here: https://andystorch.com/ (Website) https://www.linkedin.com/in/andystorch/ (LinkedIn) https://tdtt.us/ (Join us in the Talent Development Think Tank Community)! https://www.amazon.com/Promotions-Are-Yesterday-Development-Employees-ebook/dp/B09JL4B5QQ/ (Julie Winkle Giulioni’s book)

In this episode of The Talent Development Hot Seat, Andy welcomes guest Aarti Talwar to the show. Aarti Talwar is a collaborative, adaptive, and passionate talent development professional with 10+ years of experience launching strategic corporate learning initiatives for global employee and manager development. She is the senior program manager for learning and development at Enjoy Technology, which is a technology company that’s reinventing commerce at home by partnering with consumer brands to provide personalized, high-touch retail experiences at home. In this bonus episode, you’ll hear: 6. Aarti Talwar’s biggest career accomplishment and why it stands out. 7. Her biggest failure and the lesson she learned from that misstep. 8. The biggest challenge she sees in talent development right now and how it could be addressed. 9. A trend she’s following in talent development and why it has her attention. 10. Why Brene Brown is an author she continues to recommend. 11. How retaining your curiosity can help accelerate your career. Connect with Andy Storch here: https://andystorch.com/ (Website) https://www.linkedin.com/in/andystorch/ (LinkedIn) https://tdtt.us/ (Join us in the Talent Development Think Tank Community)! Connect with Aarti Talwar: https://www.linkedin.com/in/aartitalwar27/ (LinkedIn)