Dan Moore, Olympic high-performance coach for the GB men's rowing team, takes us behind the scenes of his recent success at the Paris Olympics, where he guided the men's four and men's pair to bronze and silver medals. Having started coaching at just 16 years old, Moore brings over half a lifetime of coaching wisdom to this conversation about team dynamics and leadership. The discussion reveals a fascinating paradox at the heart of high-performance teams: "People tend to want to be right more th...
Jun 26, 2025•21 min•Season 1Ep. 8
Today we are joined by Karl Dickson, a globally acclaimed figure in the realm of rugby, celebrated for his dual roles as a professional Rugby Union referee and a former England and Harlequins player. His illustrious refereeing career reached new heights during the 2023 Rugby World Cup, where he officiated the quarter-final between Wales and Argentina and served as the assistant referee in the final between South Africa and New Zealand. Karl’s story offers a unique perspective on decision-making ...
Jun 04, 2025•19 min•Season 1Ep. 7
In the latest edition of this sports and business focused season, Chris and Bill are joined by Corey Samuels, Corey Samuels, a professional basketball player on the Bristol Flyers Men's Basketball team with a keen interest in business, HR, and inspiring others to perform at a high level. Corey’s experiences on and off the court provide a great lens into teamwork, adaptability, and the drive to achieve excellence. His thoughts on maintaining focus and balance will resonate with anyone striving fo...
May 16, 2025•14 min•Season 14Ep. 6
Our guest this time is Felicia Rickards, an executive coach and leadership development consultant. Felicia has worked with both sports stars and corporate C-suite leaders, making her uniquely positioned to bridge the gap between these two worlds. She’ll unpack how coaching strategies in elite sports can empower corporate leaders to unlock their full potential. Felicia is also co-organizer of events for HR and leaders including Disrupt Bermuda and Disrupt Milton Keynes. ---------- Talking About W...
Apr 30, 2025•14 min•Season 14Ep. 5
In this episode, Chris and Bill chat with Steve Mellor , a high-performance Coach at GrowthReady and Host of The GrowthReady Podcast. Steve is a former top 50 globally-ranked swimmer and swim coach to olympic champions, All-Americans, and SEC medalists. Steve founded his company to serve executives, business owners, athletes and emerging leaders looking to attain optimal performance within their respective careers. In 2022, Steve became a published author with his debut book SHOCK THE WORLD; A C...
Apr 10, 2025•14 min•Season 14Ep. 4
Our guest this time is Zoe Thompson, who was once Britain’s second-strongest woman. After dealing with personal tragedy, Zoe Thompson embarked on a mission to change her life for the better. Zoe’s story is one of grit, determination, and relentless pursuit of goals. Her perspective on building mental and physical strength and how these traits can translate into professional resilience will leave you inspired. ---------- Talking About Ways To Improve Company Culture and People Performance The Peo...
Apr 02, 2025•17 min•Season 14Ep. 3
In this episode, Chris and Bill talk with Emma Ross, a trailblazing leader in sports science, a staunch advocate for women's empowerment in sport, and Co-Founder and Chief Scientific Officer at The Well HQ. Emma was formerly the Head of Physiology at the English Institute of Sport, where her mandate included nurturing Team GB talent across the hugely successful Rio and Tokyo Olympics. Emma brings a wealth of knowledge on how science and data can empower teams to perform at their peak, whether th...
Mar 20, 2025•17 min•Season 14Ep. 2
Welcome to a very special preview episode of the People and Performance Podcast! Bill and Chris are thrilled to share a sneak peek into our upcoming Season 14. We’ve got an incredible lineup that’s going to take us in a slightly different, but super exciting, direction this season. Usually, we bring you insights into the strategic competencies, behaviors, and results needed to boost workforce performance—from attraction and recruitment to onboarding, measurement, and succession planning. But for...
Feb 26, 2025•9 min•Season 14Ep. 1
In the first People and Performance episode of 2025, we consider company culture and high achievement in the hospitality sector. Our guest today is James Ferguson , speaker, employee engagement expert, and Corporate Director of Culture at The Wurzak Hotel Group, a Philadelphia-based, vertically integrated owner, developer, and operator of premium branded full-service, extended stay, and lifestyle hotels. James is also the Bestselling Author of The Confetti Culture Playbook and award recipient at...
Jan 02, 2025•15 min•Season 13Ep. 7
In this episode of the People and Performance show, Dani Saadu, Head of People and Culture at Wavemaker, joins Bill and Chris to share some key strategies behind transformative workplace learning. Dani is co-author of The CAPEX Formula for Learning and Performance: Mega-Trends Driving the New World of Work, Learning, Skills, and HR . With over 15 years of experience as a people and culture, talent management, and organisational development professional, Dani is an expert in developing practical ...
Dec 19, 2024•11 min•Season 13Ep. 6
In this episode of the People and Performance show, we consider systems thinking, ways to define strategic capabilities, and we review UNLEASH 2024 in Paris. Chris and Bill are joined this time by Mary Glowacka , Global Head of Learning & Leadership Development at Rolls Royce, the aerospace and defense company. With 15+ years of strategic practitioner experience and an unusual journey from operations into HR, Mary is also a member of Josh Bersin’s Senior Faculty, a regular speaker at HR indu...
Dec 05, 2024•21 min•Season 13Ep. 5
In this People and Performance episode, we hear from Enrique Rubio, Top 100 Global HR Influencer and speaker. Enrique is the founder & CEO of Hacking HR, a global learning community at the intersection of the future of work technology and business with thousands of members from all over the world. In addition, he is Head of Global Community at Transform. Questions for Enrique include: You did not start in HR. You were an engineer for many years. Why move into HR? How is AI impacting the work...
Nov 21, 2024•19 min•Season 13Ep. 4
Our guest today is Angela Cheng-Cimini, SVP, Talent & CHRO at Harvard Business Publishing. Angela is a global executive Human Resources leader with over 30 years of comprehensive experience in both Generalist and Specialist competencies, partnering with C-suite leaders. Tune in to hear Angela's thoughts on ways new managers can get over imposter syndrome. Angela also shares tips for how mid-level managers can better communicate the needs of their employees to senior leaders. ---------- Talki...
Nov 14, 2024•13 min•Season 13Ep. 3
Today’s leaders must navigate uncertainty and act with clarity. What worked yesterday may not work tomorrow, and future success requires innovation, decisive action, and the ability to influence change. Bill is joined by Judith Germain , a multi-award-winning leadership catalyst and speaker at next week's Disrupt London event in partnership with HR Zone's Culture Pioneers Leadership Forum . The Forum is a gathering for HR leaders and professionals who are passionate about transforming workplace ...
Nov 07, 2024•13 min•Season 13Ep. 2
Welcome to a brand new season of the People and Performance Podcast! In this episode, we consider some of the greatest challenges facing leaders today when it comes to attracting and keeping high-performing talent. Joining Chris and Bill on the show is Dr. Patrick Simon , Senior Partner at McKinsey and Company , the global management consulting firm. Patrick advises clients in Europe, the U.S., and Asia on a broad array of topics ranging from organizational design to strategy and operations. His...
Oct 31, 2024•18 min•Season 13Ep. 1
Welcome to another episode of the People and Performance Podcast. Our guest today is Dr Dieter Veldsman , Chief Scientist: HR and OD at AIHR (Academy to Innovate HR). Listen as we discuss ways to improve the credibility of HR pros plus we ask " What does it mean to be a T-shaped HR professional? " Questions for Dieter include: Let's talk about " HR Competencies for 2030: A Future Standard " - What does it mean to be a T-shaped HR professional? In a recent article called " HR Has a Bad Reputation...
Oct 03, 2024•11 min•Season 12Ep. 8
In this episode, we welcome Tara Furiani to the show. Combining a razor-sharp wit with over two decades of expertise in the people business, Tara fuses scholarly depth with battle-tested experience, making her a tour de force in HR, executive team-building, DEI, and corporate culture. Outside the professional sphere, Tara doesn’t just talk work-life balance; she lives it. A loving parent to five kids, Tara also hosts the popular podcast "Not the HR Lady," - offering fresh perspectives on the sta...
Sep 26, 2024•12 min•Season 12Ep. 7
In this episode, we focus on employee motivation and its connection with performance levels. Our guest today is Paul Yoachum , co-founder & Managing Partner at FindMojo , the creators of the Motivators Assessment, the workplace motivation assessment. As a cofounder, managing partner, and CMO Paul is responsible for overseeing the company’s growth, customer acquisition, content, and product strategy. Paul is a frequent speaker at training and leadership events throughout North America where h...
Sep 19, 2024•13 min•Season 12Ep. 6
Welcome to another People and Performance episode. Our guest today is Natalie Massey , Operations Manager at The Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory and former Area Executive Assistant to the NASA Deputy Administrator at NASA. Questions for Natalie include: What challenges can admin and HR staff better tackle together? Given ChatGPT etc, what does the admin professional role and job description look like in the new workplace? What is the single biggest change you think will happe...
Sep 12, 2024•9 min•Season 12Ep. 5
In this episode, we discuss ways to maximize performance in the security sector. Our guest today is Sarah Hayes , HR Director at Securitas UK and Co-founder and Director at Running on Empty. With over 25 years of HR experience, Sarah is an award-winning fellow of the CIPD. Having worked in senior roles in various sectors including retail, financial services, and railway. Sarah has worked at Securitas for 8 years and has been the HR Director for the UK for the last 4 years. Sarah has led through ...
Sep 05, 2024•15 min•Season 12Ep. 4
In an era where burnout, ‘quiet quitting’ and work-life balance have permeated the conversation around employment, how can employers stand out? The implementation of a shorter work week, says today's guest, is the most equitable way to strive towards this universal goal of balance and happiness. Our guest this time is Joe O’Connor , a globally recognized expert in shorter working weeks. Joe leads the Toronto-based Work Time Reduction Centre of Excellence that's focused on how a four-day week mig...
Aug 29, 2024•14 min•Season 12Ep. 3
In this episode, Bill Banham and Chris Bjorling are joined by Tim Whitley , Director of HR Technology at Oklahoma State University. Tim is passionate about harnessing technology's transformative potential; seeing HR not as a functional necessity but as a strategic powerhouse. Listen as we explore the crossroads of technology and HR and consider the impact of the AI revolution on the tools we use at work. Questions for Tim include: What impact do you see the AI revolution having on HR and, specif...
Aug 22, 2024•12 min•Season 12Ep. 2
In this episode, we preview seasons 12 to 14 of the People and Performance Podcast plus we talk about the ATD Conference in New Orleans. Listen and Chris and Bill discuss: The new seasons of the podcast and some of the new amazing guests listeners will hear from One of the new seasons is focused on high performance in elite sports and the connections with output in a commercial setting. Listen to get the lowdown Bill and Chris discuss their experienes at the DisruptHR Buffalo relaunch in April. ...
May 20, 2024•11 min•Season 12Ep. 1
In this episode, we talk about flexible working, remote employees and Obstacles to building a company culture based on high-performance. The guest is Bryan Adams , CEO & Founder of employer brand agency Ph.Creative , Employer Brand Strategist, Best-Selling Author, and Speaker. Questions for Bryan include: Tell us about your HR World session on "Crafting an Employee Value Proposition with the Give and Get Methodology". Why embrace flexible work? What challenges does having a remote workforce ...
Apr 24, 2024•17 min•Season 11Ep. 8
In this episode, we discuss gender equality, the living wage and more. Our guest today is Deborah Borg , Chief Human Resources and D&I Officer at International Flavors & Fragrances, a world leader in food and beverage, home and personal care, and health. Deb is a seasoned HR and Business executive who has enabled business success through people for over 20 years. Her record of success can be attributed to an unusual breadth of experience having held key leadership roles in both general m...
Apr 04, 2024•12 min•Season 11Ep. 7
Happy International Women's Day! Today is dedicated to celebrating accomplishments of women, and marks a call to action for accelerating gender parity. Around the world, groups unite to celebrate women's achievements or advocate for gender equality. As a nod to this special day, Chris Bjorling and Bill Banham thought it would be great to share answers from ten awesome women who've been guests on the show. The responses offered tackle this question: " In one minute or less, can you share one piec...
Mar 08, 2024•14 min•Season 11Ep. 6
Today is Employee Appreciation Day! The holiday started to appear in workplace calendars around 1995 and has since grown into a well-loved tradition. Its creation is credited to Dr. Bob Nelson in collaboration with his company, Workman Publishing. Now, almost 30 years later, more and more companies are celebrating this semi-official holiday in one fashion or another all around the world! To celebrate employee appreciation day 2024, hosts Chris Bjorling and Bill Banham couldn't think of a better ...
Mar 01, 2024•17 min•Season 11Ep. 5
Our guest this time is Joshua Siegal a multi-time Head of People for some of Canada’s most successful scale-up tech companies. He’s currently operating as a Fractional Chief People Officer, Advisor, Investor, and Speaker, empowering organizations to build sustainable, high-performance cultures. Josh will also be a speaker at DisruptHR Buffalo on April 11 . Listen as we discuss ways to navigate a 'polycrisis' and keep employees energized during difficult times Questions for Josh Include: Can you ...
Feb 22, 2024•20 min•Season 11Ep. 4
In this episode, we consider how to source and hire high-performers. Our guest today is Shally Steckerl , Principal Consultant and Founderat The Sourcing Institute. Shally is a globally recognized recruiting leader who has helped build sourcing organizations for companies such as Microsoft, Google, Coca-Cola, Cisco, and Motorola. He is a writer, a public speaker, and an adjunct professor at Temple University in Philadelphia. Shally is known as the "Godfather of Sourcing" and has dedicated much o...
Feb 15, 2024•18 min•Season 11Ep. 3
The numbers consistently show that a diverse workforce, supported by rigorous DEI policies, can unleash a myriad of benefits. It has the power to revolutionize an organization's performance, drive innovation, enhance decision-making, and ultimately, create a thriving culture of excellence. In this episode of the People and Performance Podcast, we delve deep into some practical strategies, insights, and success stories from an industry leader who champions diversity ways to leverage DEI initiativ...
Feb 01, 2024•21 min•Season 11Ep. 2
