Tenia Davis
CHRO at NORC at the University of Chicago
NORC at the University of Chicago
Episode 297
Beyond Algorithms: Why Human-Centered HR Wins in the AI Era
Current chapter: Built by People podcast features insights from world's top HR leaders
Built By PeopleFebruary 17, 2025 · 11:10
Thesis
“Effective HR leadership necessitates a deep commitment to humanity, empathy, and continuous relationship-building, especially in feedback processes, while strategically embracing advanced tools like AI and people analytics to navigate the evolving workforce landscape.”
Show notes
The Power of Servant Leadership and Constructive Feedback in HR In this episode of the Built by People podcast sponsored by Previ, host Dave D'Angelo welcomes Tenia, an accomplished HR executive. Tenia shares her career journey from tech to HR and discusses the evolution of HR into a strategic business role. She elaborates on her inspiration for writing about servant leadership and constructive feedback, emphasizing the importance of empathy, emotional intelligence, and continuous dialogue in effective leadership. Tenia also reviews key competencies for today's HR leaders, the importance of maintaining humanity while using HR tools, and offers practical advice on managing future challenges in the HR landscape. Her parting advice stresses the necessity of kindness and human connection in the workplace. 00:00 Introduction to the Built by People Podcast 00:16 Sponsorship Message from Previ 00:44 Guest Introduction: Tenia's Career Journey 01:46 Exploring Servant Leadership 03:43 Key Competencies for HR Success 04:31 Balancing Humanity and Tools in HR 05:54 Framework for Constructive Insights 08:44 Future Challenges for HR Leaders 10:02 Parting Advice and Conclusion
What you'll take away
- 1Cultivate agility, emotional intelligence, and self-awareness as critical competencies for success in modern HR, enabling effective problem-solving, decision-making, and coaching.
- 2Prioritize humanity in HR by maintaining empathy, active listening, and authenticity to connect with diverse workforces and manage complex workplace dynamics effectively.
- 3Reframe feedback as an ongoing dialogue built on trust and relationship, expanding traditional models to include self-awareness and reflection for truly constructive insights.
- 4Prepare for the future by understanding the impact of AI, leveraging people analytics for strategic decision-making, and actively retooling organizations to meet evolving workforce needs.
- 5Champion collective kindness and positive contributions within the community, fostering human connection amidst a complex global climate.
What most organizations get wrong
- •Tenia challenges conventional feedback frameworks by asserting that self-awareness and reflection are not optional but 'must be present' components, building confidence and trust for constructive conversations, thereby expanding the traditional Situation, Behavior, Impact model.
In Tenia's words
“I never said this is not my job, and I never said I don't wanna do it. I just embraced it, willing to learn, and thankful for the people that had confidence in me to continue evolving me and growing me into where I am today.”
Highlights a growth mindset and adaptability as crucial for career progression in HR.
“Organizations that are led by servant leaders, are they able to sustain it? Are they able to thrive? And how does that really influence the leadership in, within that ecosystem?”
Reveals her core curiosity about the long-term impact of servant leadership on organizational culture and success.
“Being able to have self-awareness, which I think is very key. Problem solving, the ability to make decision-making, change management, I think is key as well. I mentioned emotional intelligence and the ability to coach and direct in a meaningful way using all the competencies I just listed.”
Outlines the essential competencies she believes are critical for success in today's HR landscape.
“Everyone wants to be heard and seen. I always say people come from different parts of the city and then they converge in the workplace, and they're all coming in with their different perspectives, backgrounds, mindsets. And so that doesn't go away when they walk into the, the workplace.”
Emphasizes the ongoing need for empathy and understanding of diverse individual experiences within the workplace.
“From when I started my career to now, this is the number one thing that leaders hate to do and employees hate to hear, right?”
Pinpoints a universal challenge in HR regarding feedback and sets the stage for her framework solution.
“What's important, I think, is to really understand the impact and influence of AI. You know, people analytics, I think, is going to be extremely critical. And understanding how to retool organizations, I think, is going to be key.”
Provides forward-looking advice on the critical areas HR leaders must focus on to prepare for future challenges.
The problems this episode addresses
- •Leaders struggle with delivering feedback and employees resist hearing it, leading to ineffective communication and stalled professional growth.
- •Traditional feedback models are incomplete, lacking the critical elements of self-awareness and reflection necessary to build trust and confidence for genuine constructive dialogue.
- •Navigating the complexities of a diverse workforce with varied backgrounds and mindsets requires an 'artful' approach to coaching and empathy that many leaders find challenging.
- •HR leaders face the strategic challenge of understanding, integrating, and leveraging AI and people analytics while simultaneously retooling organizations to stay relevant in a rapidly changing work environment.
In this episode
Built by People podcast features insights from world's top HR leaders
Built by People
As a starting question, I always love to ask if you share a little bit more about your career journey
What's Your Career Journey?
Tanya has written two books on servant leadership and feedback
Tanya Lawson on Servant Leadership
Tania, in your experience mentoring HR leaders, what are key competencies
Mentoring HR Leaders: The Process of Feedback
What should HR leaders focus on to prepare for future challenges
The Evolving Role of HR Leaders
Tania, what parting advice would you like to share with our community
A message from Tania on kindness
Topics covered
Organizations and entities mentioned
Full transcript
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