Rebel HR Podcast: Life and Work on Your Terms

Episode 255: Leading Yourself Before You Lead Others

Send us a textWhat if the biggest leadership opportunity you have… is you?In this powerful Rebel HR Podcast replay, host Kyle Roed sits down with Doug Lennick and Chuck Wachendorfer, co-authors of Don’t Wait for Someone Else to Fix It, to explore how true leadership begins with self-leadership. Together, they unpack what it means to take ownership, make wiser decisions, and empower others to do the same — without waiting for permission.In this episode, you’ll learn:🧭 The 8 Essentials of Self-Leadership: From knowing your real self to empowering others, Doug and Chuck share a blueprint for leading with purpose and integrity.💭 The Four-Step Decision Framework: Recognize, Reflect, Reframe, and Respond — a practical guide to overcoming emotional landmines, overconfidence, and bias.⚡ The Power of Awareness: How tools like the freeze exercise can help you slow down, reflect, and align your actions with your values.❤️ Human-Centered HR: Why HR’s greatest impact comes from focusing on people, not processes — and how stress, when reframed, can become a tool for growth.🔥 Empowerment in Action: Why waiting for someone else to fix things is the enemy of progress — and how to become the kind of leader who inspires action in others.Featured Guests: 👤 Doug Lennick — CEO of Think2Perform, thought leader in leadership and behavioral finance. 👤 Chuck Wachendorfer — President of Think2Perform, executive coach, and expert on values-based leadership.Resources Mentioned: 📘 Don’t Wait for Someone Else to Fix It: 8 Essentials to Enhance Your Leadership Impact at Work, Home, and Anywhere Else That Needs You 🌐 Think2Perform.comAudio Intro Support the showRebel HR is a podcast for HR professionals and leaders of people who are ready to make some disruption in the world of work. Please connect to continue the conversation! https://twitter.com/rebelhrguyhttps://www.facebook.com/rebelhrpodcasthttp://www.kyleroed.comhttps://www.linkedin.com/in/kyle-roed/

Rethinking Work in the Age of AI with Steve Cadigan

Send us a textIn this episode of The Rebel HR Podcast, host Kyle Roed reconnects with Steve Cadigan, LinkedIn’s first CHRO and author of Workquake, for a conversation that feels more relevant than ever. Four years after their first interview, Kyle and Steve dive deep into how work, technology, and humanity continue to collide — and what HR leaders must do to adapt.Together they explore:💡 AI’s Impact on Work: How fear, misunderstanding, and missed opportunities are shaping the AI conversation — and what great leaders are doing differently.🧩 Building Teams in a Short-Tenure World: Why traditional models of loyalty and retention are dead, and how to build winning teams when no one stays long.🏗️ The New Architecture of Work: From upskilling to experimentation, how forward-thinking companies (like Walmart!) are reimagining their cultures for agility and innovation.🧠 AI Philosophy for Organizations: Why every HR leader should define their stance on AI now — before someone else defines it for them.❤️ Reclaiming Our Relationship with Technology: How reflection, creativity, and human connection can coexist with digital transformation.Steve’s insights cut through the hype and offer practical wisdom for anyone navigating this unprecedented shift in work.📚 Mentioned in this episode:Workquake by Steve Cadigan — available wherever books are soldWalmart’s AI experimentHilti’s “AI for people” strategyBrene Brown on leadership and vulnerabilityConnect with Steve: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cadigan/https://stevecadigan.com/https://stevecadigan.com/workquake/Audio Intro Support the showRebel HR is a podcast for HR professionals and leaders of people who are ready to make some disruption in the world of work. Please connect to continue the conversation! https://twitter.com/rebelhrguyhttps://www.facebook.com/rebelhrpodcasthttp://www.kyleroed.comhttps://www.linkedin.com/in/kyle-roed/

The Mindset HR Needs to Thrive Today with Alden Mills

Send us a textOne of my favorite guests, Alden Mills talks about how to become UNSTOPPABLE!  Unlock the power of self-leadership with the wisdom of Alden Mills, former Navy SEAL and celebrated author, in our latest Rebel HR podcast. Alden brings the firepower of his new book "Unstoppable Mindset" to the fore, providing invaluable insights on the impact of leading oneself to lead others effectively. As we explore this concept together, expect to discover how to harness an unstoppable mindset, vital for thriving in HR roles and beyond. Our conversation dives into the potent ripples self-leadership creates within team dynamics and the broader organizational culture, emphasizing the profound effect our thoughts, focus, and beliefs have on our capacity to shape not only our futures but also those of the companies we serve.Perfection is a pursuit that can paralyze, and Alden Mills knows this all too well. With a fresh perspective that challenges the traditional approach to perfectionism, he guides us through the labyrinth of leadership beyond the boundaries of titles. Throughout this episode, we share strategies for those struggling with the pursuit of perfection, advocating progress over an unattainable ideal, and granting you the permission to embrace imperfection. By redefining perfectionism and emphasizing the need for prioritizing tasks, Alden helps lift the weight of unrealistic expectations, freeing leaders to act decisively and improve continuously.Lastly, we tackle the transformative power of positive focus, equating the need for multiple positive affirmations to neutralize a single negative thought. This positively charged discussion underscores the importance of HR professionals as organizational leaders and the revolutionary role they play in cultivating successful mindsets and challenging outdated practices. By aligning our gut, heart, and head, Alden Mills propels us towards congruent decision-making, encouraging a leadership stance that is as bold as it is effective. Tune in for a thought-provoking session that invites you to rebel against the conventional, and instead, become an unstoppable force within your domain.Audio Intro Support the showRebel HR is a podcast for HR professionals and leaders of people who are ready to make some disruption in the world of work. Please connect to continue the conversation! https://twitter.com/rebelhrguyhttps://www.facebook.com/rebelhrpodcasthttp://www.kyleroed.comhttps://www.linkedin.com/in/kyle-roed/

Why I Built the HR Strategy Toolkit

Send us a textIn this special solo episode, Kyle pulls back the curtain on the chaos of HR process management — the constant firefighting, last-minute audits, and onboarding headaches that every HR practitioner, founder, and small business leader knows all too well. Drawing on 20 years as a HR Practicioner and CHRO and over 250 conversations on the Rebel HR Podcast, Kyle shares why systemizing HR is no longer optional and how building repeatable, flexible processes can save hours of wasted time and stress.Kyle introduces the HR Strategy Toolkit, a Notion-based system packed with proven templates for compliance, onboarding, employee experience, and strategy — all built from real-world best practices. Available as individual modules or a discounted bundle, this toolkit is designed to help HR leaders and small business owners run HR with the confidence and clarity of a Fortune 500 company.👉 Explore the toolkit and launch pricing here: hrtoolkits.kyleroed.comAudio IntroSupport the showRebel HR is a podcast for HR professionals and leaders of people who are ready to make some disruption in the world of work. Please connect to continue the conversation! https://twitter.com/rebelhrguyhttps://www.facebook.com/rebelhrpodcasthttp://www.kyleroed.comhttps://www.linkedin.com/in/kyle-roed/

Stupid Rules and the HR Who Loves Them.

Send us a textEpisode Summary: In this episode, we break down how to write and implement workplace policies that are fair, clear, and actually useful—no fluff, no meaningless jargon. Whether you’re an HR pro, a manager, or running your own business, we’ll walk you through the principles of good policy design, common pitfalls to avoid, and tools you can use to make your policies work for real people.What You’ll LearnThe difference between good policies and “because we said so” policiesHow to write policy language that’s clear, enforceable, and fairCommon mistakes that make policies useless or even harmfulHow to roll out policies so employees understand and respect themChecking for bias, avoiding legal issues, and aligning with company cultureKey TakeawaysClarity Above All – Simple, plain language beats fancy HR speak every time.Consistency + Flexibility – You need a baseline of rules, but also allowance for reasonable judgment.Transparency – Let people see why policies exist and how they apply; it builds trust.Feedback Loops Matter – Policies should evolve. Solicit input and update them when needed.Don’t Be Overly Punitive – Discipline should be fair and predictable; punishments that seem arbitrary or extreme erode morale.Piece to Check OutIf you want a ready-to-use guide to writing good policies, check this out:Policies that aren’t stupid – a resource for creating HR policies that make sense.Who This Episode Is ForHR professionals looking to refresh or build policy frameworksManagers who are enforcing policies and want them to feel fairSmall business owners who need to write policies from scratchAnyone interested in workplace culture, fairness, and good leadershipQuotes / Highlights (Optional)“A policy that everyone loves isn’t necessarily better than one everyone respects.”“If people can’t understand your policy, they’ll assume the worst.”Next Steps & ResourcesReview your current policies. Identify anything that’s vague, punitive, or doesn’t relate directly to business needs.Ask for feedback from employees about how policies are perceived or enforced.Use the “Policies that aren’t stupid” guide to audit your policies or draft new ones.Stay up-to-date with legal requirements in your state or country so your policies stay compliant.Audio IntroSupport the showRebel HR is a podcast for HR professionals and leaders of people who are ready to make some disruption in the world of work. Please connect to continue the conversation! https://twitter.com/rebelhrguyhttps://www.facebook.com/rebelhrpodcasthttp://www.kyleroed.comhttps://www.linkedin.com/in/kyle-roed/