"𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘤𝘩𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘦𝘯𝘨𝘦 𝘪𝘴 𝘵𝘰 𝘮𝘢𝘬𝘦 𝘱𝘦𝘰𝘱𝘭𝘦 𝘯𝘰𝘵 𝘫𝘶𝘴𝘵 𝘧𝘦𝘦𝘭 𝘭𝘪𝘬𝘦 𝘢 𝘯𝘶𝘮𝘣𝘦𝘳, 𝘣𝘶𝘵 𝘵𝘰 𝘮𝘢𝘬𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘮 𝘧𝘦𝘦𝘭 𝘭𝘪𝘬𝘦 𝘢 𝘩𝘶𝘮𝘢𝘯." - Joe Dicianno

**

Join Jason for a compelling conversation with Joe Dicianno, Director of Talent Management and Organizational Development at UPMC and a Professor of HR People Analytics at the University of Pittsburgh. Joe shared how leaders can create more human-connected, engaging workplaces by demonstrating genuine care for their employees. His frontline work in healthcare (one of the most challenging leadership arenas) and his book, A Busy Leader’s Guide to Caring Leadership, uniquely position him to break down what it means to lead with care in every context.

Together, they explore what it really takes to build human-centered workplaces where people feel recognized, appreciated, and genuinely supported. They break down both the day-to-day challenges and the powerful impact of leading with care.

Key lessons highlighted in our conversation include:

👉 Caring leadership is about helping people become the best version of themselves, for themselves, not just for the organization.

👉 Trust, psychological safety, and performance all rest on a foundation of care. If people feel cared for, engagement and retention soar.

👉 Caring leadership is accessible to everyone; it costs nothing and isn’t limited by your boss or your org chart. It starts with your daily choices.

👉 Managers can operationalize care through consistent small habits: knowing team members’ names, asking about their lives, and making time for true human connection, not just ticking boxes.

***

Connect with Joe:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/joseph-dicianno-ph-d-mba-ab822668/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/joedicianno/

***

JOIN THOUSANDS OF LEADERS WHO ARE HARNESSING THE POWER OF RELATIONSHIPS AT WORK.

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***

Connect with Jason:

Website: https://jasonlauritsen.com/

YouTube: / @jasonlauritsenvideo

LinkedIn: / jasonlauritsen

Instagram: / jasonlauritsen

"𝘉𝘶𝘵 𝘪𝘧 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘥𝘰𝘯'𝘵 𝘶𝘯𝘥𝘦𝘳𝘴𝘵𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘱𝘰𝘵𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘪𝘢𝘭 𝘪𝘮𝘱𝘢𝘤𝘵𝘴 𝘰𝘧 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘪𝘯𝘱𝘶𝘵, 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘢𝘥𝘷𝘪𝘤𝘦, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘥𝘺𝘯𝘢𝘮𝘪𝘤𝘴 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘯𝘢𝘵𝘶𝘳𝘦, 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘤𝘰𝘶𝘭𝘥 𝘦𝘯𝘥 𝘶𝘱 𝘩𝘢𝘳𝘮𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘳𝘦𝘭𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘴𝘩𝘪𝘱 𝘥𝘺𝘯𝘢𝘮𝘪𝘤." - Ross Hecox

***

Join Jason Lauritsen for a compelling episode as he welcomes Ross Hecox, Chief People Officer at Synergy ECP. Ross discussed innovative approaches to building people-centric workplaces and shared practical strategies for creating connection and a great employee experience even in highly constrained environments.

Jason and Ross explored the evolution of recruiting into a more human-centered role through the idea of People Partners. Together, they unpacked how this approach challenges traditional HR models and could reshape employee experience, leadership effectiveness, and the future of work.

Key lessons highlighted in our conversation include:

👉 People Partners extend their care well beyond the offer letter, acting as a bridge between employees and managers to foster understanding and trust.

👉By knowing employees’ stories, needs, and motivators, people partners can deliver resources and encouragement that matter most, fueling both growth and retention.

👉 An innovative perspective is shared on navigating the complexities of federal contracting—such as highly restricted work environments and fragmented cultures—while still delivering a strong employee experience.

👉 Unique challenges of supporting employees working remotely across diverse client sites with limited communication, as well as creative strategies to close those gaps.

👉 How investing in deep, ongoing relationships with employees boosts retention, psychological safety, and referrals.

***

Ross Hecox has built a reputation as a people‑centric leader who blends HR expertise, innovative founder drive, and people-focused leadership to create workplaces that thrive. At Synergy ECP and beyond, he’s recognized for turning empathy and purpose into measurable growth and engagement, always with an eye on the long game.

Connect with Ross:

Website: www.synergyecp.com

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rosshecox/

***

Jason Lauritsen is a dynamic keynote speaker and true thought leader in the world of work and employee engagement. He is dedicated to revolutionizing the way we Lead With Relationship™. He fearlessly challenges traditional norms to reshape the employee experience by consistently placing authentic human connection at the heart of leadership. Jason is the author of two books, Unlocking High Performance and Social Gravity.

***

JOIN THOUSANDS OF LEADERS WHO ARE HARNESSING THE POWER OF RELATIONSHIPS AT WORK.

📌 Subscribe to our newsletter: https://jasonlauritsen.ck.page/950d3c...

***

Connect with Jason:

Website: https://jasonlauritsen.com/

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@JasonLauritsenVideo

LinkedIn:

“Oftentimes in HR, we are looking at and supporting others. We don’t pay attention to kind of what we need for ourselves... So I would say ask for what you want.” - Kathy Claytor

***

In this episode, Kathy Claytor, a long time CHRO at multiple organizations, opens up about her career journey from her “origin story” as an accidental HR pro to leading global HR transformations. She reveals why she believes now is a pivotal time for HR’s impact.

Together, Jason and Kathy unpack the changing demands of the CHRO role, mentorship, and how technology and AI are reshaping the work of people leaders everywhere.

Key lessons highlighted in our conversation include:

👉 Be intentional about mentorship, identify and invite those you admire to share their wisdom (and don’t be afraid to start with a simple coffee ask).

👉 Modern CHROs need financial savvy, business strategy awareness, and a commitment to becoming voracious learners, beyond the traditional HR practices.

👉 Data proficiency and tech skills are table stakes, but the real value-add? Learning to influence across the enterprise, especially when helping steer AI and digital adoption beyond the HR function.

👉 Advocate for yourself as fiercely as you advocate for others. Don’t assume leaders know your ambitions. Raise your hand!

***

Kathy Claytor has built a career defined by leadership, innovation, and a deep commitment to advancing the human resources profession. As an accomplished Chief Human Resources Officer and the current Board Chair at HRCI, she has become a trusted voice in shaping the future of HR. Her professional journey spans influential roles at organizations such as Delta Dental, Northwinds Technology, and One Mind Health India.

Connect with Kathy:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kathyclaytor/

***

Jason Lauritsen is a dynamic keynote speaker and true thought leader in the world of work and employee engagement. He is dedicated to revolutionizing the way we Lead With Relationship™. He fearlessly challenges traditional norms to reshape the employee experience by consistently placing authentic human connection at the heart of leadership. Jason is the author of two books, Unlocking High Performance and Social Gravity

***

JOIN THOUSANDS OF LEADERS WHO ARE HARNESSING THE POWER OF RELATIONSHIPS AT WORK.

📌 Subscribe to our newsletter: https://jasonlauritsen.ck.page/950d3cff1f

***

Connect with Jason:

Website: https://jasonlauritsen.com/

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@JasonLauritsenVideo

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasonlauritsen/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jasonlauritsen/