Advertise on podcast: Bring Out the Talent: A Learning and Development Podcast

For our 100th episode of Bring Out the Talent, we’re thrilled to welcome back Bruce Tulgan, our very first guest in 2021. Bruce is a highly respected voice in leadership and management, a bestselling author of 21 books, and a sought-after keynote speaker who has taken the stage at some of the largest and most influential conferences in our industry. As founder and CEO of RainmakerThinking, he brings more than 30 years of research and experience helping organizations develop stronger leaders and more effective managers. His workplace research has involved more than half a million participants across more than 400 organizations. He has worked with leaders at American Express, Deloitte, IBM, ESPN, Target, and the U.S. Armed Forces, among many others. His books include It’s Okay to Be the Boss and The Art of Being Indispensable at Work. Bruce also draws on more than 50 years of studying and teaching classical Okinawan karate, a lifelong pursuit explored in his forthcoming memoir, The Karate Master and Me. In this milestone episode, we explore how the practice of karate connects to being a good leader: responding thoughtfully under pressure, building discipline, and helping others grow. We also discuss what has changed since our first conversation and which leadership fundamentals still hold true. It’s an honor to celebrate our 100th episode with Bruce, whose knowledge, humor, and practical insights made him such a memorable first guest.

Organizations are moving fast on AI, but not always with direction. Many business leaders know AI matters, but they are still trying to understand where it fits, how to prioritize use cases, and how to move from experimentation to real business impact. That gap between curiosity and execution is where many teams are getting stuck. Today’s guest brings a unique perspective to that challenge. Sergiu Simmel is an AI Business Growth Coach who helps companies navigate the AI economy and become AI-emergent organizations. His background spans computer science, artificial intelligence, software startups, SaaS leadership, eLearning, business growth strategy, and executive coaching. Sergiu co-founded multiple software companies, served as a fractional CPO for seven SaaS companies, and became the first EOS Implementer in New England. Since then, he has coached more than 75 businesses and earned over 10 certifications across EOS, Pinnacle, Scaling Up, and other growth frameworks. In this conversation, we’re getting into where to begin with AI in the workplace, how leaders can avoid jumping into tools without a clear strategy, and what it takes to turn early AI interest into practical, meaningful momentum.

Research shows that 90% of top performers score high in emotional intelligence, a number that stands out even more as AI reshapes how work gets done. As technology takes on more of the tactical workload, the skills that set people and organizations apart are becoming more human, not less. The ability to read a room, stay grounded under pressure, build real trust, navigate difficult conversations, and give honest feedback has become a genuine competitive advantage. In this episode of Bring Out the Talent, we are joined by Coach Monique DeMonaco, an internationally trained, multi-certified Life, Leadership, Executive, and Career Coach with over 20 years of experience helping individuals and organizations unlock their full potential. As a Change Management Expert and Emotional Intelligence Coach, Monique brings a science-backed, practical approach to self-awareness, resilience, communication, and emotional regulation. Together, we discuss why emotional intelligence is fast becoming leadership's most strategic skill, how it shapes teams and culture in an AI-driven workplace, and what leaders can do to build it in themselves and others.

Research from Gallup shows that only about 23% of employees are engaged at work globally, a number that has remained stubbornly low despite years of investment in culture, leadership, and development. In reality, what drives behavior at work is often much less visible - it’s the systems behind the scenes. The way meetings are structured, how success is measured, what gets rewarded, and what gets overlooked. These are the forces that shape how work actually gets done. In this episode of Bring Out the Talent, we are joined by Justin Robbins, Founder and Principal Analyst at Metric Sherpa. Justin has spent over two decades helping organizations strengthen customer experience, optimize operations, and turn insight into execution. His work has been featured by NBC Nightly News, The New York Times, and Forbes, and he’s known for bringing a practical, operator-driven perspective to complex organizational challenges. Together, we discuss what really drives performance, why so many transformation efforts fall short, and how leaders can start rethinking the systems that shape engagement, burnout, and results.

Every team is made up of people who think differently, communicate differently, solve problems differently, and contribute in very different ways. Yet in many workplaces, there is still an unspoken expectation that everyone should operate the same way. That is why strengths-based development has become such an important conversation for organizations and leaders. Gallup research has consistently found that employees who have the opportunity to use their strengths every day are significantly more engaged, more productive, and more likely to thrive at work. Understanding how people naturally work, collaborate, respond under pressure, and contribute to a team can completely change the way teams communicate, partner, and perform together. In this episode of Bring Out the Talent, we explore how CliftonStrengths can help individuals and teams better understand working styles, improve collaboration, and recognize both the advantages and potential blind spots that can come with our greatest strengths.  We’re joined by Chris Soucy, a Certified CliftonStrengths trainer and career development specialist. Chris spent nearly a decade at Harvard University’s Center for Workplace Development as a Program Manager for Leader and Manager Development, where he served as Lead Instructor for foundational leadership programs and designed courses to strengthen management practices across the university. Chris recently facilitated an in-person strengths workshop for our TTA team. The conversations that came out of that session sparked so much reflection around communication, contribution styles, and team dynamics that we wanted to continue the discussion here on Bring Out the Talent and share those insights with our audience as well.

AI is changing the way organizations think about performance, coaching, and day-to-day work. Yet for many teams, the challenge is not simply adopting new technology. It’s understanding how to use AI in a way that feels practical and genuinely useful for the people doing the work.  In this episode of Bring Out the Talent, we’re joined by Tim Harrison, executive coach, founder of the Coaching Innovation Lab, and one of eight experts selected for the International Coaching Federation’s Global Task Force on AI. Tim works with organizations to help leaders and teams integrate AI into their workflows in ways that support growth, strengthen capability, and keep humans at the center of the process.  We discuss how organizations can build confidence with AI, where leaders often get adoption wrong, and why the people closest to the work are often best positioned to discover meaningful use cases. Tim also shares his “Do GOOD DEEDS” framework, a practical approach to experimenting with AI in ways that create measurable value without overwhelming teams.  Throughout the episode, we discuss how AI can amplify human strengths rather than replace them, why access and experimentation matter more than perfection, and how organizations can move from fear and hesitation to curiosity and momentum. From executive coaching and leadership development to productivity, workflow design, and organizational change, this conversation focuses on what AI adoption actually looks like in practice today.  To learn more about Tim and his expertise in AI, explore more here. https://coachinginnovationlab.com/bringoutthetalent

In this episode of Bring Out the Talent, we explore The AI Learning Revolution and what it takes to move beyond participation to true proficiency. This conversation introduces a model built on accountability, where AI and human expertise work together to elevate performance and reshape how organizations develop talent in real time. Joining us is Ed Lance, an expert AI trainer and practitioner with over 25 years of experience designing talent systems for high-stakes environments, including NASA and the U.S. Army. Ed brings a rare combination of strategic insight and technical depth, staying actively engaged in the code while helping organizations rethink how learning drives performance. Together, we unpack the “80% rule” for mastery, what it looks like to embed learning directly into the flow of work, and how AI-generated data is giving L&D and HR leaders a new level of visibility into skill development. The result is a clearer, more measurable path to proving readiness and impact at the executive level. Tune in and discover how AI is redefining what effective learning really looks like.

In this episode of Bring Out the Talent, we’re talking about something that quietly drives almost everything at work but rarely gets measured in a meaningful way: emotion. Most leadership tools focus on what people think, what they do, or how they perform. Very few look at what people actually feel, even though emotions drive motivation, trust, engagement, and culture. In this episode, we discuss the 12 Emotional Gifts of Leadership and the AgileBrain framework, which uses neuroscience and emotional data to reveal what individuals, teams, and organizations really need in order to thrive. Joining us is a certified AgileBrain trainer and a returning Bring Out the Talent favorite, Lynn Turner. Lynn works with leaders and organizations using this approach, helping them better understand what is really happening beneath the surface and how to lead in ways that truly resonate with people. We’re going to explore how emotional needs like Safety, Autonomy, Inclusion, and Justice show up in real workplaces, what happens when they go unmet, and how leaders can start creating cultures where people genuinely want to do their best work.

In this episode, we sit down with TTA leaders John Laverdure, Michael Aguirre, Jocelyn Allen, and Maria Melfa to explore how organizations are redefining the way they discover and engage talent, and why that shift led to the creation of TTA Connect. Today’s decision makers want greater control over how they evaluate options. Many prefer to research independently, compare choices, and build confidence before ever entering a sales conversation. At the same time, expert guidance still matters when decisions become complex or high stakes. The modern buying journey is no longer purely sales driven or purely digital, it is a hybrid experience shaped by flexibility and trust. We discuss how TTA Connect was built for this new reality. By combining AI powered technology with more than 30 years of TTA’s vetting expertise and relationships, it delivers a faster, more transparent way to explore learning and development talent while maintaining the quality and partnership organizations expect. This conversation unpacks the data behind changing decision behavior, what it means for organizations navigating skills gaps and AI transformation, and how TTA Connect brings together self-directed discovery and trusted human insight.

Organizations invest heavily in recruiting top talent, but without effective onboarding, much of that investment is at risk. In fact, companies with strong onboarding programs improve new hire retention by up to 82% and boost productivity by over 70%. The good news? With the right approach, onboarding can become one of the most powerful drivers of culture and performance. In this episode of Bring Out the Talent, we’re joined by Shauna Bona, a learning strategist and organizational development leader who has helped companies transform low-energy onboarding into programs that truly deliver results. With deep expertise in designing experiences that blend strategy, adaptability, and creativity, Shauna brings practical insights into how organizations can energize new hires from day one. This conversation is all about how agile thinking can revitalize onboarding programs that feel stale or uninspired. From spotting the warning signs of a program that’s lost momentum, to building in continuous feedback loops, to balancing consistency with adaptability, Shauna shares actionable strategies leaders can use to turn onboarding into a long-term engine for engagement, productivity, and success. Tune in for an insightful discussion that will leave you rethinking the role of onboarding in shaping employee experience and organizational outcomes.

What do stalled initiatives, employee resistance, and missed business outcomes all have in common? They’re often signs that change management has gone wrong. In this episode of Bring Out the Talent, we’re joined by Carrie Quick, a senior human capital, operations, and business development leader with over 23 years of multi-industry experience. Throughout her career, Carrie has guided organizations through complex transformations, helping leaders align people, process, and strategy when the stakes are high and the path forward isn’t always clear. This conversation is all about what happens when change doesn’t go as planned. From recognizing the early warning signs to turning setbacks into opportunities for growth, Carrie offers real-world insights that leaders can apply when facing their toughest change challenges. Tune in for a candid, practical discussion that will reshape how you think about failure, resilience, and leading people through uncertainty.

Starting a new job should feel energizing, not overwhelming. Yet research shows that nearly 30% of new hires leave within their first 90 days, a costly miss that often traces back to ineffective onboarding and orientation. Even more telling, only 12% of employees believe their company provides a great onboarding experience, which means most people feel the system fails them at exactly the moment they need it most. And considering that organizations with a strong onboarding process improve new hire retention by 82% and productivity by over 70%, the stakes for getting it right are high.  In this episode of Bring Out the Talent, we’re joined by Dr. Mechelle Roberthon, a nationally recognized HR and organizational development leader, keynote speaker, and consultant. With over 15 years of experience helping organizations strengthen culture and elevate employee experience, Dr. Rob is known for her practical, people-first approach that turns talent strategies into measurable business impact.   This conversation is about shifting onboarding and orientation from administrative necessity into strategic advantage. From blending compliance with culture to designing orientation that truly resonates, Dr. Rob shares strategies leaders can use to set employees up for long-term success. Get ready for a future-focused discussion that will reshape how you think about onboarding, orientation, and those critical first chapters of the employee journey.

What do higher productivity, stronger trust, and healthier cultures all have in common? They’re all fueled by one thing: positive leadership.  In this episode of Bring Out the Talent, we’re joined by Jason Murphy, President and Chief Consultant of JRM Human Capital, keynote speaker, executive coach, and master facilitator. For over 25 years, Jason has helped Fortune 500 companies, mid-sized firms, and mission-driven organizations unlock the full potential of their people by making leadership a lived experience. Known for his energy, authenticity, and #EveryDayGreatDay mantra, he’s inspired leaders around the globe to transform how they lead, connect, and grow. This conversation is all about what it really takes to drive positive leadership in today’s workplace. From closing the gaps in clarity, connection, commitment, and care to shutting out negativity and fueling teams with purpose, Jason offers practical steps that leaders can put into action right away. Get ready for an engaging, energizing discussion that will leave you rethinking how positivity can transform performance, culture, and leadership at every level.

What do billion-dollar innovation, a global marketplace, and bold leadership have in common? They were all driven by one thing: strategic leadership.  In this episode of Bring Out the Talent, we’re joined by John Rossman, former Amazon executive and author of Big Bet Leadership: Your Transformation Playbook for Winning in the Hyper-Digital Era. John led the launch of Amazon Marketplace, now responsible for over half of Amazon’s global sales, and has since guided high-impact transformation at organizations like T-Mobile, the Gates Foundation, and Walmart. This conversation is all about what it really takes to drive innovation and transformation at scale. From identifying strategic opportunities to breaking through organizational inertia, John offers a behind-the-scenes look at how leaders can make bold moves without losing alignment, culture, or control. Tune in for a sharp, energizing conversation that’ll challenge the way you think about leadership.

A toxic workplace culture can drive out great employees faster than low pay, and nearly 70% of workers say culture directly impacts productivity. So, what’s quietly undermining your organization? In this episode of Bring Out the Talent, Brett Hoogeveen, Co-Founder of BetterCulture, shares how to spot and stop the behaviors that erode trust, lower morale, and sabotage performance. Brett offers a unique lens on what makes organizations thrive and what tears them apart. From gossip and negativity to leadership blind spots, Brett reveals early warning signs of culture erosion and practical ways to course-correct. You’ll also hear about BetterCulture’s “20 Tenets of Culture” a blueprint for building workplaces people genuinely want to join. This episode offers actionable insights for leaders who want to build a higher-performing culture. Here is your link to a free resource mentioned in the episode:https://betterculture.com/bringoutthetalent/.