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
Tenia Davis wrote a book on servant leadership and constructive feedback — not because they're fashionable topics, but because she's seen what happens when leaders skip them. The technical skills in HR aren't what fail organizations. It's the human ones.
As CHRO at NORC at the University of Chicago, Tenia leads HR for one of the nation's most respected independent research institutions. Her career began in tech, which gave her an analytical foundation she never abandoned — but over time, she's come to see emotional intelligence and self-awareness as the competencies that actually determine HR effectiveness. "I never said this is not my job, and I never said I don't want to do it. I just embraced it, willing to learn." That posture — willingness over expertise — is the thread she traces through every career transition and every organizational challenge she's navigated.
Her reframe on feedback is particularly valuable: most organizations treat feedback as an event — a performance review, a 360 survey, an annual conversation. Tenia argues it's a relationship. Effective feedback requires trust built over time, genuine self-awareness on both sides, and a model that includes the employee's own assessment, not just the manager's. She also has a sharp view on maintaining humanity in an AI-enabled HR environment: as tools scale the administrative work, the human moments — the empathy, the listening, the presence — become the differentiator, not the default.
- Servant leadership as an HR operating philosophy — why putting others first is a competitive advantage, not just a values statement
- Feedback as ongoing relationship, not periodic event — the trust-based model that makes feedback actually change behavior
- Agility and emotional intelligence as core HR competencies — the skills that matter most in today's rapidly evolving landscape
- Self-awareness as a leadership prerequisite — why understanding yourself is the foundation of understanding your organization
- Humanity in an AI-augmented HR environment — as tools scale the administrative, human presence becomes the irreplaceable differentiator
- Kindness as professional practice — why genuine human connection in the workplace is both an ethical and performance imperative
Built by People is sponsored by Previ, the private pricing network that saves employees an average of $2,200/year on essentials like cell phone and auto insurance — free for companies to launch and maintain.
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
Expand transcript (0 words)
Transcript is not available yet.