Lisseth Zouhbi
Chief Human Resources Officer
Child Care Resource Center
Episode 205
HR Leaders: Thrive in Constant Change with AI-Driven Adaptability & Strategic Vision.
Current chapter: Built by People podcast features insights from world's top HR leaders
Built By PeopleMay 5, 2025 · 13:57
Thesis
“In an environment of constant change, particularly with advancing technology like AI, successful HR leadership hinges on adaptability, resilience, continuous learning, and strategic alignment of people and business goals.”
Show notes
Navigating Change: Insights from Lisseth Zouhbi on Organizational HR Transformation
In this episode of the Built by People Podcast, host Dave welcomes Lisseth, the Chief Human Resources Officer for Childcare Resource Center.
Lisseth shares her extensive career journey in human resources, which spans almost 25 years, including her transition from hospitality to the nonprofit sector.
She discusses major organizational changes she has helped navigate, such as the implementation of Workday using the ADKAR model.
Lisseth also delves into learning and development initiatives, emphasizing the use of AI tools for microlearning and leadership training tracks.
Additionally, she explores aligning a company's business strategy with its people strategy through HR governance surveys, and recounts how she turns skeptics into advocates for change.
Lisseth concludes with parting advice on adapting to constant change and staying curious, particularly with the rise of AI.
This episode provides valuable insights into effective HR leadership and change management.
00:00 Introduction and Career Journey
01:38 Navigating Major Organizational Change
04:06 Learning and Development Initiatives
07:24 Aligning Business and People Strategy
09:09 Turning Skeptics into Advocates
12:01 Case Study: Microsoft’s Cultural Transformation
12:42 Parting Advice and Conclusion
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What you'll take away
- 1Prioritize explaining the 'why' behind major organizational changes to build awareness, reduce resistance, and foster buy-in across all stakeholders.
- 2Implement a comprehensive learning and development strategy that combines training needs analysis, AI-powered microlearnings, classroom sessions, and external platforms like LinkedIn Learning.
- 3Utilize diagnostic tools, such as the McLane HR Governance Survey, to gather feedback from both HR and senior leadership, ensuring a clear alignment between people strategy and business objectives.
- 4Approach significant technology implementations (e.g., Workday) with meticulous preparation, phased rollout, continuous check-ins, and a commitment to adapting based on user feedback.
- 5Cultivate a mindset of adaptability, resilience, and curiosity towards new technologies and evolving business landscapes to enable continuous growth and successful pivoting.
What most organizations get wrong
In Lisseth's words
“Change is constant, and I think we live in that type of world nowadays.”
This quote sets the foundational philosophy for the entire discussion, emphasizing the perpetual nature of change in modern organizations.
“The big success was that everybody got paid. That was the most important.”
This highlights a critical, often overlooked, but fundamental success metric for any HR technology implementation, especially systems impacting payroll.
“Aligning the people and the business strategy. You know, this is one of the areas that I'm the most passionate about.”
This statement underscores her belief in HR's strategic role beyond administrative functions, emphasizing its direct impact on business outcomes.
“We shouldn't be afraid of it. We should be curious about it, learn about it, and pivot because that's the only way that we can succeed in the world nowadays.”
This provides actionable advice on approaching new technologies like AI with an open, learning-oriented mindset rather than fear, promoting adaptation.
“Having a communication plan is critical because the more communication that we have on updates in terms of What is changing? Why it's changing? Understanding the why is really important. What's in it for me to be able to adapt to these changes?”
This quote provides specific, actionable advice on effective communication during change, focusing on transparency and individual impact.
The problems this episode addresses
- •Organizations struggle with complex HRIS implementations (e.g., Workday), requiring extensive preparation, communication, training, and ongoing adaptation to ensure critical functions like payroll are uninterrupted.
- •Companies face challenges in developing robust leadership and soft skills beyond basic compliance, needing specialized training tracks for senior and middle managers in areas like strategic thinking and difficult conversations.
- •HR leaders need effective tools and methodologies to bridge the perception gap between HR teams and senior leadership, ensuring people strategies are tightly aligned with and contribute to overarching business objectives.
- •Managing employee resistance to organizational changes (e.g., reorganizations, policy shifts) demands strong communication plans, stakeholder identification, clear timelines, and flexible execution strategies.
- •Companies can experience stagnant internal cultures and slow innovation, necessitating strategic change management and learning & development initiatives to cultivate a growth and innovation-driven mindset.
In this episode
Built by People podcast features insights from world's top HR leaders
Built by People
And as a starting question, I always love to ask about your career journey
How to Get Out There in the Workforce
CCRC recently implemented Workday across Human Resources and Finance
How to navigate a major organizational change?
CCRC led a learning and development initiative that transformed leadership and team dynamics
How Learning and Development (L&D) transformed CCRC's
You align the people and the business strategy through a series of surveys
How to Align the People Strategy with Business Strategy
Resistance to change is common. How do you turn skeptics into advocates
The Process of Change Management
Luceth: Change is constant and we have to be adaptable to change
Luceth on Change Management & L&D
Topics covered
Organizations and entities mentioned
Full transcript
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