D'Mar Phillips
VP, People & Culture
RS Americas
Episode 224
Transcending Tradition: The New Playbook for Resilient, Inclusive People Leadership
Current chapter: Built by People podcast features insights from world's top HR leaders
Built By PeopleApril 21, 2025 · 16:39
Thesis
“Effective people leadership transcends traditional standards, prioritizing continuous learning, individualized support, and a commitment to genuine inclusivity to build resilient and adaptable workforces.”
Show notes
What happens when a people leader holds their team to their own standard of excellence rather than the individual's? D'Mar Phillips, VP of People & Culture at RS Americas, has a direct answer: that's not fair. And fairness, she argues, is the foundation of truly effective leadership — not the kind that treats everyone identically, but the kind that sees each person clearly and adapts accordingly.
D'Mar's career began in technology, where she quickly discovered she cared more about the people operating the systems than the systems themselves. That instinct has guided her ever since — through consulting firms that demanded 80-hour weeks, into corporate HR roles where she could design the human experiences she wished had existed earlier. Her "Listen, Look, Learn, and Apply" approach to new leadership contexts reflects a discipline she's practiced and refined: slow down enough to actually understand the environment before trying to change it. Build rapport. Find the flaws in the plan by seeking out people who'll tell you the truth. She's been known to deliberately recruit "contrarians" into key decision-making processes because the person who sees what's wrong with a plan is as valuable as the one who builds it.
She's also one of the more direct voices in the conversation around neurodiversity and psychological safety. Organizations often say they want diversity but design workplaces that are deeply inhospitable to people who learn or process differently. D'Mar's challenge to HR leaders is simple: if your policies and practices don't work for people on the autism spectrum or with different learning profiles, you don't actually have a diversity strategy. You have a diversity statement.
- Individualized leadership standards — why holding people to your personal benchmark creates unfairness, not excellence
- Visible leadership during crises — why being present on-site when it matters builds trust that policy cannot
- The "Listen, Look, Learn, Apply" framework — how D'Mar enters new environments and earns lasting impact
- Recruiting contrarians for better decisions — how deliberate dissent identifies plan flaws before they become organizational failures
- Genuine neurodiversity inclusion — moving beyond statements to practices that actually work for people who learn differently
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What you'll take away
- 1Embrace continuous learning and flexibility in your career journey, understanding that a varied path can provide broader knowledge and perspective.
- 2Adapt your leadership style to individual employee needs, recognizing that not everyone operates by the same standards of excellence, to foster fairness and optimal performance.
- 3Practice authentic leadership by being present and visible, especially during crises, to build trust and demonstrate genuine care for employees' safety and well-being.
- 4Actively champion psychological safety and neurodiversity in the workplace, challenging organizational norms to truly meet employees where they are and leverage their unique strengths.
- 5Seek out and value contrarian opinions in decision-making to identify potential flaws, foster constructive friction, and achieve stronger, more widely accepted plans.
- 6Adopt a 'Listen, Look, Learn, and Apply' approach in new roles or during periods of change to build rapport, identify opportunities, and drive lasting organizational impact.
What most organizations get wrong
- •Most people prefer agreement, but genuine growth and robust plans come from constructive friction and challenging dissenting opinions, rather than avoiding them.
- •Holding others to your own personal standards of excellence can lead to unfairness; instead, leaders should adapt their expectations based on individual circumstances and communication.
- •Leaders should actively seek out individuals who will hold them accountable, rather than surrounding themselves with 'yes-men', to ensure better decision-making.
In D'Mar's words
“Very quickly discovered that I love people more so than technology at that time.”
Highlights the pivotal moment in his career transition from accounting-related tech to HR.
“If I hold you to my standard for me that works for Damara Phillips, that's not being fair to you.”
Emphasizes the importance of individualized leadership and empathy over universal expectations.
“It's to practice what you preach, right? I felt like it was important for me to be on site because I had to be there to help keep people safe and to demonstrate that leadership hasn't vacated the building.”
Illustrates authentic leadership and dedication during a significant crisis like COVID-19.
“We have people who learn differently within the workplace. Are we treating them fairly? We have people who are on the autism spectrum. Are, are we doing enough to challenge ourselves as an organization to be able to truly meet our employee where they're at in order to get the most out of them?”
Poses a critical question about the true extent of inclusivity and support for diverse needs in the workplace.
“Because if there's a flaw in the plan, they're gonna see it. And if I can convince that person that we're doing the right things for the right reason and they buy it, that means I'll be able to sell it wholesale to the organization.”
Explains the strategic value of incorporating critical perspectives to strengthen plans and achieve broader buy-in.
“Listen to learn, not listen to respond. Listen to hear, not listen to be able to provide someone with some feedback.”
Provides a fundamental principle for effective communication, emphasizing true understanding over immediate reaction.
The problems this episode addresses
- •Employees' number one concern is covering monthly expenses, highlighting a need for financial well-being support.
- •Traditional corporate environments often demand unsustainable work hours (e.g., 80-100 billable hours) leading to burnout and an inability to maintain work-life balance.
- •Lack of genuine leader presence and empathy during crises can erode employee trust and make on-site workers feel unsupported.
- •Organizations often state a desire for diversity but fail to adapt policies and practices to genuinely accommodate neurodiversity and varied learning styles.
- •The tendency of leaders to surround themselves with agreeable individuals stifles constructive criticism, leading to less robust decision-making and missed opportunities for innovation.
In this episode
Built by People podcast features insights from world's top HR leaders
Built by People
You've worked for some pretty impressive companies over the last 20 years
Describing Your Career Journey
Damari transitioned from accounting to HR after realizing true passion was working with people
What Made You Turn From Accounting to HR
How has your diverse educational background influenced your approach to people leadership
DeMar, How Has Diversity Influenced Your People Leadership
DeVar talks about learning not to hold others to your own standards of excellence
DeVar Alcorn on Holding Others to His Own Standards
DeMar was one of few leaders who stayed on site during COVID
In the Elevator of Authentic Leadership
Damar: HR has had to evolve to meet changing workforce expectations
The future of HR mental health coverage
Damar, what parting advice would you like to share with our audience
Damar on Leaving The Company
Topics covered
Organizations and entities mentioned
Full transcript
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