Jennifer C. Roth
Adjunct Professor, MSHRM at UConn School of Business and Leadership Coach
UConn School of Business
Episode 136
Transforming HR: Lifelong Learning Powers Strategic Business Partnership
Current chapter: Built by People podcast features insights from world's top HR leaders
Built By PeopleJune 20, 2025 · 9:08
Thesis
“Organizations and individuals thrive through a commitment to continuous lifelong learning, which empowers HR leaders to become strategic business partners, foster resilient cultures, and effectively guide people through change.”
Show notes
Jennifer Roth spent her career at the intersection of learning and leadership — from developing talent at a Wall Street firm to leading culture transformation at the Federal Reserve Bank of New York, and now coaching and teaching the next generation of HR leaders at UConn. Her throughline isn't a job function. It's a belief: that lifelong learning is not a personal preference, it's a strategic imperative for anyone who wants to lead.
That belief shaped how she operated as an HR professional long before it became pedagogical theory. At the Federal Reserve, she built a case for herself as a trusted business advisor not through title or hierarchy, but through knowledge — specifically, by understanding the organization well enough to advise which skills were most critical and where talent searches should be prioritized. "I demonstrated how to be proactive, business-driven, and a trusted partner." The sequence matters: knowledge first, credibility second, influence third.
Her coaching work focuses on the post-pandemic leadership environment, where agility and resilience have moved from aspirational qualities to survival requirements. Her observation that "everybody should feel seen and heard" isn't sentiment — it's a leadership tenet she operationalizes through courageous questioning and disciplined listening, with the conviction that the best leaders ask more than they assert.
- Lifelong learning as a strategic imperative — what it means to build a career around curiosity rather than credentials
- Becoming a trusted business advisor — the proactive steps that earn influence beyond your formal role
- Courageous questioning as a leadership skill — why asking is more powerful than telling
- Post-pandemic leadership requirements — building agility, resilience, trust, and transparency in people managers
- Teaching HR's next generation — what the UConn MSHRM classroom reveals about where the profession is headed
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What you'll take away
- 1Lifelong learning is a strategic imperative for HR leaders, driving both personal growth and organizational success.
- 2Transitioning to a trusted business advisor requires deep business understanding, proactivity, and demonstrating tangible value in areas like talent sourcing.
- 3Effective leadership fosters an environment where everyone feels seen and heard, achieved through courageous questioning and active listening.
- 4To navigate complex post-pandemic challenges, people managers must cultivate agility, resilience, trust, and transparency.
- 5Overcommunication, even without new information, is critical for managers to maintain engagement and trust with their teams during uncertain times.
What most organizations get wrong
In Jennifer's words
“So my career has really been shaped by a deep belief in the power of lifelong learning. It's not only been a personal value, but it's really been a strategic imperative for HR leaders.”
This quote highlights the foundational principle guiding her entire career philosophy and advice.
“So based on what I learned, I advised business leaders what skills are most critical, and then in turn, where we should prioritize our talent searches. So through that, I demonstrated how to be proactive, business-driven, and a trusted partner.”
She illustrates the concrete actions taken to evolve from an HR professional to a strategic business advisor.
“So one of my leadership tenets is that everybody should feel seen and heard. So by asking questions and truly listening, people will feel that way.”
This offers a clear and actionable leadership principle for fostering connection and psychological safety.
“I also encourage them to overcommunicate. Even if they had no new information. Especially in challenging times, people managers need to remain engaged and accessible to their teams.”
This provides practical advice for maintaining trust and stability through transparent and consistent communication.
“So I'd say be curious, push yourself outside of your comfort zone, Raise your hand to do new and different things. And to cap it all off, in terms of learning, like, learning is a lifelong journey, and every day you have a chance to grow and learn.”
This succinct quote encapsulates her core message about continuous personal and professional development as a life philosophy.
The problems this episode addresses
- •HR professionals often struggle to transition from administrative roles to trusted strategic business advisors, necessitating a deeper understanding of core business operations.
- •People managers face significant challenges navigating the constant 'roller coaster of ups and downs' in today's dynamic work environment, exacerbated by recent global events.
- •Maintaining employee trust and engagement, particularly during times of uncertainty, is difficult for managers who may not have new information to share or whose actions don't align with their words.
- •Employees are deeply concerned about covering monthly expenses, highlighting a critical need for financial wellbeing support programs.
In this episode
Built by People podcast features insights from world's top HR leaders
Built by People
Your career has been shaped by a belief in the power of lifelong learning
What Makes an HR Leader So Successful?
Jennifer successfully transformed from being HR professional to becoming a trusted business advisor
How to Transform from HR Professional to Strategic Business Advisor
Your recent coaching program and experience teaching have shaped your leadership approach
The Power of Continuous Learning in HR
Jennifer has helped people managers navigate complex challenges faced since the pandemic
How HR professionals helped people managers during the pandemic
Jennifer, what parting advice would you like to share with our community
Jennifer Lee on Built by People
Topics covered
Organizations and entities mentioned
Full transcript
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