People Strategy Forum

From HR Leader to Trusted Partner: How to Gain C-Suite Influence in the Era of AIHaving a seat at the table is no longer enough.The real question is whether the executive team trusts HR enough to shape the decisions that matter most.In this episode of the People/AI Strategy Forum, Sam Reeve, CEO of CompTeam, speaks with Tom Emery, Founder and CEO of Hex and author of People: Reach Your Full Potential as a CHRO, about what separates a capable HR leader from a truly trusted executive partner.Tom brings experience from senior HR and Chief People Officer roles across complex organizations, and his perspective is clear: influence is not built through policy ownership or functional expertise alone. It is built through commercial understanding, credibility, judgment, curiosity, and trust.The conversation explores how HR leaders can move beyond being seen primarily as the “people person” and become strategic partners to CEOs, boards, and executive teams.Sam and Tom discuss:• Why commercial curiosity is essential for HR leaders seeking greater C-suite influence• How to clarify expectations and strengthen relationships with CEOs and executive peers• Why trust is built over time through challenge, reflection, and productive disagreement• How Tom’s OI3C framework can help leaders navigate feedback and difficult conversations• What the CHRO IMPACT framework reveals about moving from functional expertise to enterprise leadership• Why AI transformation should be approached as a human change challenge, not simply a technology initiativeThe central idea is simple: executive influence is earned through trust, business understanding, and the ability to improve the quality of decisions around the table.The strongest people leaders understand the business, ask better questions, observe what others miss, and build enough credibility to challenge the organization when the stakes are high.As AI reshapes work, capabilities, and organizational priorities, that role becomes even more important.For CHROs, Chief People Officers, HR leaders, CEOs, and other executives, this episode offers a practical perspective on building credibility, strengthening executive relationships, and creating greater impact at the top of the organization.About Tom EmeryTom Emery is Founder and CEO of Hex, where he works with CEOs, executive teams, and people leaders on leadership effectiveness, organizational performance, and executive development. He is also the author of People: Reach Your Full Potential as a CHRO.Learn more about Tom and Hex: https://www.hex-development.comAbout the People/AI Strategy ForumThe People/AI Strategy Forum, hosted by Sam Reeve, CEO of CompTeam, brings together executives, practitioners, and experts to explore how leadership, people strategy, and artificial intelligence are reshaping the future of work.CompTeam helps organizations strengthen the people systems behind business performance, from compensation and career architecture to workforce strategy and organizational effectiveness.Learn more at: https://compteam.netIf you enjoyed this episode, follow the People/AI Strategy Forum on your preferred podcast platform and share it with a leader who would benefit from the conversation.If you enjoyed this episode, follow the People/AI Strategy Forum on your preferred podcast platform and join the conversation! About the People/AI Strategy Forum The People/AI Strategy Forum explores how leaders navigate the intersection of people strategy, leadership, and artificial intelligence. Hosted by Sam Reeve, Founder & CEO of CompTeam, the Forum features conversations with executives, practitioners, and experts shaping the future of work.Learn more about CompTeam and the People/AI Strategy Forum at compteam.net.

Beyond the Fixed Job: How AI and Flexible Talent Are Reshaping the WorkforceAI is changing more than how people perform their jobs.It is changing how organizations define work, deploy talent, and move capability to where the business needs it most.In this episode of the People/AI Strategy Forum, Sam Reeve, CEO of CompTeam, speaks with James Terry, Head of US Revenue at Indeed Flex, about how AI, workforce technology, and flexible staffing are reshaping the way organizations find, evaluate, and deploy talent.The conversation explores a broader shift in workforce strategy: from managing fixed positions toward managing skills, availability, performance, and business demand.Sam and James discuss:• Why verified skills and performance data may become more valuable than traditional resumes• How AI can improve talent matching and reduce uncertainty in hiring• Why flexible labor can help organizations respond to changing demand without overbuilding permanent headcount• How turnover, recruiting friction, and rigid hiring requirements can create significant hidden costs• Why worker choice and scheduling flexibility increasingly influence talent quality and retention• How workforce data can help HR leaders shape operational decisions and improve productivity• Why stronger workforce models will combine permanent talent, flexible capacity, and better visibility into skillsThe key question for leaders is becoming less about:“How many people do we need?”And more about:“What capabilities does the business need, when do we need them, and what is the best way to access them?”For CEOs, CHROs, operations leaders, and workforce strategists, that shift has implications far beyond staffing. It affects workforce planning, job design, career architecture, scheduling, rewards, and how organizations create value through talent.If your organization is rethinking how work is structured or how workforce strategy connects to business performance, CompTeam can help.Learn more at:https://compteam.netIf you enjoyed this episode, follow the People/AI Strategy Forum on your preferred podcast platform and join the conversation! About the People/AI Strategy Forum The People/AI Strategy Forum explores how leaders navigate the intersection of people strategy, leadership, and artificial intelligence. Hosted by Sam Reeve, Founder & CEO of CompTeam, the Forum features conversations with executives, practitioners, and experts shaping the future of work.Learn more about CompTeam and the People/AI Strategy Forum at compteam.net.

The Hidden Cost of Offboarding: Why the Employee Exit Matters More Than Most Leaders ThinkMost organizations obsess over the employee experience while people are inside the business.Then someone leaves, and the strategy often disappears.That disconnect can create more than a poor final impression. It can expose the organization to unnecessary cost, risk, and reputational damage.In this episode of the People/AI Strategy Forum, Sam Reeve, CEO of CompTeam, speaks with Andrew Hamilton, CEO and Co-Founder of When, about why offboarding should be treated as a strategic business issue rather than an administrative afterthought.Andrew explains how traditional COBRA practices can leave former employees navigating complex healthcare decisions with limited support, while employers may continue carrying significant claims exposure after those employees have left the organization.The conversation explores how organizations can rethink benefits transitions, severance support, and the end of the employee lifecycle to create better outcomes for both employees and the business.Sam and Andrew discuss:• Why the employee experience should extend beyond the final day of employment• How COBRA can create unexpected financial exposure for employers• Why traditional COBRA subsidies may not always be the most effective way to support departing employees• How AI can help individuals compare healthcare options and make more informed decisions• Why human guidance remains important in complex benefits decisions• How portable benefits may become more important as careers shift between traditional employment, independent work, and the gig economy• Why HR, finance, and benefits leaders should view offboarding as part of broader workforce and risk strategyThe core message is simple: the employment relationship may end, but the financial, cultural, and reputational impact of that exit can continue.For CEOs, CFOs, CHROs, and benefits leaders, improving the exit experience is not only about supporting people. It is also about making smarter business decisions.Learn more about When:https://forwhen.comIf your organization is rethinking employee experience, benefits strategy, workforce costs, or how to better align people decisions with business performance, CompTeam can help.Learn more about CompTeam and schedule a conversation with Sam Reeve:https://compteam.netIf you enjoyed this episode, follow the People/AI Strategy Forum on your preferred podcast platform and join the conversation! About the People/AI Strategy Forum The People/AI Strategy Forum explores how leaders navigate the intersection of people strategy, leadership, and artificial intelligence. Hosted by Sam Reeve, Founder & CEO of CompTeam, the Forum features conversations with executives, practitioners, and experts shaping the future of work.Learn more about CompTeam and the People/AI Strategy Forum at compteam.net.

Recognition in the Age of AI: How Leaders Cut Through the Noise and Make Appreciation MatterAI has made workplace communication easier to produce, but not necessarily easier to trust.In this episode of the People/AI Strategy Forum, Sam Reeve, CEO of CompTeam, speaks with Alex Grande, CEO and Founder of Recognize, about how leaders can make recognition more meaningful as employees face more updates, alerts, automated messages, and AI-generated content.Alex brings together psychology, technology, and human behavior to explain why recognition works best when it is specific, connected to company values, and grounded in authentic human judgment.The conversation explores how managers can build stronger cultures of appreciation without overwhelming employees with more communication.In this episode, you will learn:• Why more communication does not always create more clarity• How generic AI-generated messages can weaken trust• Why recognition should be specific and tied to meaningful contributions• How recognition can reinforce company values and desired behaviors• Why managers are central to building a sustainable recognition culture• How peer-to-peer recognition can strengthen workplace connection• Why recognition works better when it is integrated into existing workflows• How meaningful experiences and development opportunities can strengthen traditional rewards• How AI can summarize recognition data, identify patterns, and support better performance conversations• How recognition data may help leaders identify early signs of disengagementThe core message is simple: AI should help leaders notice and communicate what matters. It should not replace the authenticity that makes recognition meaningful.About Alex GrandeAlex Grande is the CEO and Founder of Recognize, an employee recognition and rewards platform that helps organizations reinforce company values, improve employee engagement, and build stronger cultures of appreciation.Learn more:https://recognizeapp.comAbout the People/AI Strategy ForumThe People/AI Strategy Forum, hosted by Sam Reeve, CEO of CompTeam, brings together executives, advisors, researchers, and business leaders to examine how AI, leadership, compensation, workforce strategy, and organizational systems are reshaping business performance.If you enjoyed this episode, follow the People/AI Strategy Forum on your preferred podcast platform and join the conversation! About the People/AI Strategy Forum The People/AI Strategy Forum explores how leaders navigate the intersection of people strategy, leadership, and artificial intelligence. Hosted by Sam Reeve, Founder & CEO of CompTeam, the Forum features conversations with executives, practitioners, and experts shaping the future of work.Learn more about CompTeam and the People/AI Strategy Forum at compteam.net.

The Most Expensive CEO Mistake: Why Boards Must Define What the Business Needs Before the Search BeginsThe most expensive CEO mistake often happens before the search starts.Boards begin discussing who they want before aligning on what the business actually needs from its next leader.In this episode of the People/AI Strategy Forum, Sam Reeve, CEO of CompTeam, speaks with Tom Verboven, Human Capital Leader at Mercer, about how boards can approach CEO succession with greater strategic clarity, rigor, and discipline.Tom explains why succession should begin with the future of the business, not a list of candidates. Before assessing who is right for the role, boards need to define the capabilities, behaviors, experiences, cultural alignment, and leadership relationships the next stage of growth will require.In this episode, you will learn:• Why CEO succession is a business design decision, not simply a hiring decision• How boards can build a clear CEO success profile before beginning the search• Why poor succession planning increases financial and organizational risk• How strategy, culture, and leadership behavior should shape candidate criteria• Why executive assessment should use multiple evidence points rather than intuition alone• How interviews, psychometrics, cognitive tools, simulations, and business cases can strengthen selection• When internal succession may be stronger than an external hire• Why external CEOs need more intentional onboarding and relationship-building• How the first 90 to 100 days can shape long-term CEO effectiveness• Why succession planning should be treated as an ongoing leadership processThe central message is simple:Boards should define what the business needs before deciding who should lead it.A strong succession process starts with strategy, translates that strategy into a clear leadership profile, assesses candidates against that profile, and continues through onboarding, coaching, and board alignment after the hire.About Tom VerbovenTom Verboven is a Human Capital Leader at Mercer, where he advises clients on creating business value through effective human capital strategies.His work spans executive assessment, succession planning, high-potential programs, talent selection, executive coaching, organization structure, change management, and culture realignment.Tom has lived and worked across Belgium, the UAE, Lebanon, the United Kingdom, and the United States, bringing a global perspective to leadership, talent, and organizational effectiveness.About the People/AI Strategy ForumThe People/AI Strategy Forum, hosted by Sam Reeve, CEO of CompTeam, brings together executives, advisors, researchers, and business leaders to examine how leadership, workforce strategy, AI, compensation, and organizational systems are shaping business performance.Each episode delivers practical insights for leaders navigating growth, transformation, succession, talent decisions, and the future of work.If you enjoyed this episode, follow the People/AI Strategy Forum on your preferred podcast platform and join the conversation! About the People/AI Strategy Forum The People/AI Strategy Forum explores how leaders navigate the intersection of people strategy, leadership, and artificial intelligence. Hosted by Sam Reeve, Founder & CEO of CompTeam, the Forum features conversations with executives, practitioners, and experts shaping the future of work.Learn more about CompTeam and the People/AI Strategy Forum at compteam.net.

 AI Is Already Inside Your Business: What Leaders Need to Understand About How Work Really Gets DoneAI is already changing how work happens inside organizations, but much of that change is taking place outside formal processes.In this episode of the People/AI Strategy Forum, Sam Reeve, CEO of CompTeam, speaks with the author of The Inbox Between Us about a critical challenge for business leaders: understanding the gap between how work is documented and how work actually gets done.Most organizations have a formal operating system. It lives in policies, workflows, approval structures, process maps, and standard procedures.But there is also an informal operating system.It lives in inboxes, chat messages, meeting transcripts, workarounds, informal handoffs, and the day-to-day decisions employees make to keep work moving.That hidden layer matters because AI can only improve work effectively when leaders understand the system people are actually operating inside.In this episode, you will learn:• Why formal workflows rarely capture the full reality of how work gets done• How emails, chats, meetings, and informal workarounds reveal hidden organizational behavior• Why AI adoption should begin with discovery before automation• How approval delays can expose deeper workload, communication, and process problems• Why informal AI use can signal unmet business needs• How leaders can use AI to identify bottlenecks, friction, and communication breakdowns• Why human judgment, accountability, and lived experience remain essential in an AI-enabled workplace• How AI can help leaders better understand communication patterns and organizational behavior• Why shared definitions and context are critical when applying AI to human workflowsThe central message is simple:Before investing in another AI platform or automating another process, leaders need to understand how the work actually happens today.Sometimes the answer is automation.Sometimes it is process redesign.Sometimes it is clearer accountability.And sometimes the most valuable solution is a better conversation between people.This episode offers a practical, human-centered perspective on AI adoption and the future of work, focused on helping leaders make better decisions about where technology can create real business value.About the People/AI Strategy ForumThe People/AI Strategy Forum, hosted by Sam Reeve, CEO of CompTeam, brings together executives, advisors, researchers, and business leaders to examine how AI, leadership, workforce strategy, and organizational systems are reshaping business performance.Each episode provides practical insights for leaders navigating transformation, improving organizational effectiveness, and building workplaces prepared for the future of work.If you enjoyed this episode, follow the People/AI Strategy Forum on your preferred podcast platform and join the conversation! About the People/AI Strategy Forum The People/AI Strategy Forum explores how leaders navigate the intersection of people strategy, leadership, and artificial intelligence. Hosted by Sam Reeve, Founder & CEO of CompTeam, the Forum features conversations with executives, practitioners, and experts shaping the future of work.Learn more about CompTeam and the People/AI Strategy Forum at compteam.net.

Your Strategy Is Moving Faster Than Your Leaders: How to Build a Culture That Grows at the Speed of ChangeMost transformations do not stall because the strategy is weak.They stall because the leaders responsible for executing that strategy are still operating with the habits, assumptions, and decision-making patterns that belonged to the business before the change.In this episode of the People/AI Strategy Forum, Sam Reeve, CEO of CompTeam, speaks with Andy Fleming, Co-Founder and CEO of The Developmental Edge, about how organizations can build leadership capabilities at the same speed their strategy is evolving.Andy introduces the Align, Sprint, Scale framework, a practical approach for helping leadership teams identify the mindset and behavior shifts their strategy requires, develop those capabilities through real business challenges, and then scale those new ways of working across the organization.The conversation explores why leadership development can no longer be treated as a separate activity. In periods of rapid change, leaders need to learn, adapt, collaborate, and deliver results at the same time.In this episode, you will learn:• Why strong strategies still fail during execution• How outdated leadership assumptions can slow transformation• Why collaboration is becoming increasingly important in complex organizations• How to identify the critical "from-to" shifts a leadership team needs to make• What happens during a developmental sprint• How peer accountability and real-world experimentation accelerate behavior change• Why trust, transparency, and vulnerability matter at the executive level• How leadership development can happen inside the work rather than outside it• What organizations can do to scale new leadership behaviors across the businessAndy also explains how organizations can sustain change by building a shared language, integrating new practices into meetings and decision-making, and developing internal leaders who can continue the process over time.About Andy FlemingAndy Fleming is the Co-Founder and CEO of The Developmental Edge, where he helps organizations build the leadership capabilities required to execute strategy and navigate transformation.His work spans more than three decades in leadership and organizational development, including experience connected to Harvard Business School, Emory University's Center for Ethics, and senior leadership teams across large, complex global organizations.Learn more at:https://developmentaledge.comIf you enjoyed this episode, follow the People/AI Strategy Forum on your preferred podcast platform and join the conversation! About the People/AI Strategy Forum The People/AI Strategy Forum explores how leaders navigate the intersection of people strategy, leadership, and artificial intelligence. Hosted by Sam Reeve, Founder & CEO of CompTeam, the Forum features conversations with executives, practitioners, and experts shaping the future of work.Learn more about CompTeam and the People/AI Strategy Forum at compteam.net.

Stop Losing Top Talent: How Retention & Rewards Decisions Build or Break Trust | Greg RocheGrowing companies often assume that employee turnover is primarily a pay problem.In reality, people are more likely to leave when compensation decisions, manager relationships, career opportunities, communication, and workplace expectations become inconsistent as the organization grows.In this episode of the People/AI Strategy Forum, Sam Reeve, CEO of CompTeam, speaks with Greg Roche, Founder of Retention and Rewards Partners, about how retention and rewards decisions influence employee trust, workforce stability, and long-term business performance.Greg explains why retention should be treated as a business strategy, not simply an HR responsibility. He shares practical guidance for identifying the real causes of turnover, evaluating compensation against the market, improving manager effectiveness, and building stronger connections across the organization.In this episode, you will learn:• Why compensation alone is rarely enough to retain top performers• How early turnover can reveal a disconnect between recruitment promises and the actual employee experience• Why counteroffers often delay turnover instead of solving it• When growing organizations need more advanced compensation expertise• Why market median pay may not always be the right target• How targeted compensation investments can support stronger business results• What leaders should consider when designing sales incentive plans• Why manager engagement and workplace connection are critical retention drivers• How internal networking can improve collaboration, mobility, and organizational performanceGreg also outlines a practical 90-day approach for leaders who want to strengthen retention. His recommendation begins with executive teams modeling stronger connection, encouraging cross-functional relationships, and treating collaboration as a meaningful business activity.These actions can help organizations improve communication, identify internal talent, strengthen mobility, and create a workplace where employees feel connected to both the people and the purpose of the business.About Greg RocheGreg Roche is the Founder of Retention and Rewards Partners, where he helps growing organizations strengthen compensation strategy, improve employee retention, and develop total rewards programs that support sustainable growth.He is also the author of The Fast and Easy Guide to Networking for Introverts and a frequent speaker on compensation, employee engagement, workplace connection, and leadership.Learn more at:https://retentionandrewards.comIf you enjoyed this episode, follow the People/AI Strategy Forum on your preferred podcast platform and join the conversation! About the People/AI Strategy Forum The People/AI Strategy Forum explores how leaders navigate the intersection of people strategy, leadership, and artificial intelligence. Hosted by Sam Reeve, Founder & CEO of CompTeam, the Forum features conversations with executives, practitioners, and experts shaping the future of work.Learn more about CompTeam and the People/AI Strategy Forum at compteam.net.

Leadership Operating Systems: Turning AI Strategy into Execution with Betsy KauffmanAI is transforming every industry, but technology is not what determines success.Leadership is.In this episode of the People Strategy Forum, Sam Reeve sits down with Betsy Kauffman, Founder & CEO of Cross Impact and author of The Fix, to explore why executive alignment has become the defining competitive advantage in the age of AI.While many organizations focus on implementing new technologies, Betsy argues that the greatest obstacle to AI adoption is not the technology itself. It is leadership teams that lack shared priorities, clear decision-making, effective communication, and disciplined execution. As AI accelerates the pace of business, these leadership gaps become increasingly costly. Together, Sam and Betsy discuss the Leadership Operating System, a practical framework for helping executive teams align around strategy, improve collaboration, strengthen accountability, and execute with confidence during periods of rapid change.In this episode, you'll learn: Why AI initiatives fail when leadership teams lack alignment  The Leadership Operating System every executive team needs  How to improve executive decision-making and accountability  Why healthy conflict creates stronger leadership teams  Practical approaches to AI governance and responsible adoption  How to avoid "shiny object syndrome" during rapid technological change  The first steps leaders can take to strengthen alignment and execution over the next 90 days Whether you're a CEO, CHRO, HR executive, or business leader, this conversation provides practical insights for leading organizational change, navigating AI transformation, and building leadership teams that consistently turn strategy into results.About Betsy KauffmanBetsy Kauffman is the Founder & CEO of Cross Impact, where she helps executive teams improve leadership alignment, organizational effectiveness, and strategic execution. She is also the author of The Fix, a business fable that demonstrates why organizations achieve better results by strengthening their systems rather than simply focusing on individual performance. If you enjoyed this episode, follow the People/AI Strategy Forum on your preferred podcast platform and join the conversation! About the People/AI Strategy Forum The People/AI Strategy Forum explores how leaders navigate the intersection of people strategy, leadership, and artificial intelligence. Hosted by Sam Reeve, Founder & CEO of CompTeam, the Forum features conversations with executives, practitioners, and experts shaping the future of work.Learn more about CompTeam and the People/AI Strategy Forum at compteam.net.

Lifetime Loyalty in the Age of AI: How Leaders Keep Top Talent During ChangeAs AI continues to reshape the workplace, leaders face a growing challenge: helping employees navigate uncertainty while maintaining trust, engagement, and long-term loyalty.In this episode of the People/AI Strategy Forum, Sam Reeve is joined by Lee Caraher, founder of Double Forte and author of The Boomerang Principle, to explore how organizations can build lasting employee relationships during one of the fastest periods of technological change in history.Lee explains why communication—not certainty—is becoming one of leadership's greatest competitive advantages. Together, Sam and Lee discuss how organizations can build trust through transparency, invest in continuous learning, prepare employees for AI adoption, and create cultures that people are excited to return to—even after they've left.In this conversation, you'll discover: Why trust is replacing perks as the foundation of employee loyalty  How leaders should communicate during AI-driven change  Why continuous AI training is essential for retention  The business value of "boomerang employees"  Internal communication as a strategic advantage  Crisis communication lessons every leader should know  Practical ways to lead through uncertainty without pretending to have every answer If you're an executive, HR leader, founder, or manager navigating AI transformation, this episode offers practical leadership insights you can implement immediately.Guest: Lee Caraher CEO & Founder, Double Forte Author of The Boomerang PrincipleLearn more: https://leecaraher.comIf you enjoyed this episode, follow the People/AI Strategy Forum on your preferred podcast platform and join the conversation! About the People/AI Strategy Forum The People/AI Strategy Forum explores how leaders navigate the intersection of people strategy, leadership, and artificial intelligence. Hosted by Sam Reeve, Founder & CEO of CompTeam, the Forum features conversations with executives, practitioners, and experts shaping the future of work.Learn more about CompTeam and the People/AI Strategy Forum at compteam.net.