We’ve all seen the leadership slide decks packed with bold claims, aspirational values, and zero follow-through.

In this episode, Caitlin Quarrington and I tear into the disconnect between corporate strategy and culture reality, and explore how today’s most effective leaders are shifting from performative noise to systemic, people-centered impact.

This is a deep dive into what it really takes to move from vision statements to lasting behavioral change. We’ll talk about how skilled facilitation, emotional intelligence, and transparent systems design are replacing outdated models of leadership.

This episode covers:
– Why traditional top-down leadership models are breaking down
– How to embed employee voice into organizational strategy
– Why facilitation is an underrated leadership superpower
– What it looks like to lead with context instead of control
– Practical advice for new leaders who want to create impact and legacy

Why this episode matters:
If you're leading people, managing change, or trying to build culture that actually works, you need this conversation in your ears.

Keywords: Leadership, Culture Strategy, Organizational Change, Emotional Intelligence, Systemic Thinking, Transparency, Facilitation, Inclusion

Guest Bio:
Caitlin Quarrington is a people-and-culture expert currently leading global culture strategy at Autodesk—where she helps build adaptive, human-first organizations through cross-functional collaboration and systemic design.

She’s also the founder of Bursty, a platform dedicated to challenging outdated leadership norms and helping teams translate good intentions into real organizational impact.

Caitlin brings a rare blend of warmth, systems thinking, and practical leadership strategy to every conversation. She’s spent her career pushing past the optics and into the operational core—where real change lives.

Why she matters to you: Caitlin helps leaders evolve from top-down managers into architects of trust, alignment, and collective success. Her lens on leadership is sharp, strategic, and deeply human.

Learn More About Caitlin:Connect on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/quarrington/Learn More About Bursty: www.bursty.ca

Host Bio:

Kate Ball is an international talent strategist, bestselling author, and unapologetic Bullshit Exorcist on a mission to torch performative HR and take down corporate nonsense with a smile. With 20+ years spent shaking up culture, leadership, and talent strategy at giants like Amazon, Expedia, and Cision, she now runs Sparkle & Sass Consulting—helping brave companies and bolder leaders stop playing nice and start doing better.

On The Culture Chronicles, Kate calls it like it is: no jargon, no fluff, and definitely no beige. Just sharp minds, spicy takes, and real talk about what’s broken at work—and who’s bold enough to fix it.

This isn’t your HR department’s podcast. It’s the one they hope you never find.

Learn More About Kate:

www.sparkleandsassconsulting.com

Connect on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kateball1/

https://www.instagram.com/the_culturechronicles/

The Culture Chronicles Book Series: https://www.amazon.com/author/kateball

If your HR systems are powered by AI but built on outdated assumptions, you’ve got a problem, and it’s probably already causing harm.

In this episode, I sit down with Dr. Tiffany Bowden for a brutally honest conversation about what it really takes to build equity, cultural intelligence, and accountability into today’s AI-driven HR systems.

We unpack why most companies aren’t ready for full AI integration, where the real risks to diversity and inclusion hide, and why starting with education, not ethics theater, is the only path forward. This isn’t about checking boxes. This is about safeguarding equity before the damage is done.

You’ll hear:
– How cultural intelligence shows up as a core leadership competency, not just a buzzword
– The most common equity blind spots in hiring tech, engagement tools, and performance systems
– Why “AI-first” often means bias gets baked in, and how to fix that
– The role of diverse governance teams in protecting marginalized communities
– How generative AI can help, or hurt, representation

Why this episode matters:
If you’re building people systems, leading organizational change, or trying to keep pace with innovation—this conversation will sharpen your lens and expand your toolkit.

Guest Bio:
Dr. Tiffany Bowden, Ph.D. is a powerhouse of equity-driven change: a TEDx speaker, anti-racism educator, and former Responsible AI strategist at Google Gemini. With a doctorate in Communications (specializing in Diversity & Inclusion), she’s built a career helping Fortune 500s—and now emerging tech platforms—operationalize inclusion in everything from AI-driven hiring tools to leadership development.

She’s also the founder of the Minority Cannabis Business Association, a sought-after consultant, and an unapologetic advocate for systems-level change that doesn’t just look good on paper.

Why she matters to you: Tiffany helps leaders spot blind spots, design for inclusion from the start, and demand more from the systems shaping our workplaces—and our futures.

Learn More about Dr Bowden:

www.tiffanybowden.comConnect on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tiffanybowden/

Host Bio:

Kate Ball is an international talent strategist, bestselling author, and unapologetic Bullshit Exorcist on a mission to torch performative HR and take down corporate nonsense with a smile. With 20+ years spent shaking up culture, leadership, and talent strategy at giants like Amazon, Expedia, and Cision, she now runs Sparkle & Sass Consulting—helping brave companies and bolder leaders stop playing nice and start doing better.

On The Culture Chronicles, Kate calls it like it is: no jargon, no fluff, and definitely no beige. Just sharp minds, spicy takes, and real talk about what’s broken at work—and who’s bold enough to fix it.

This isn’t your HR department’s podcast. It’s the one they hope you never find.

Learn More About Kate:

www.sparkleandsassconsulting.com

Connect on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kateball1/

https://www.instagram.com/the_culturechronicles/

The Culture Chronicles Book Series: https://www.amazon.com/author/kateball