Most teams don't have a collaboration problem because they lack talented people.

They have a collaboration problem because they've never really talked about how they work together.

We invest in Slack, Teams, Miro, Notion and countless other tools designed to make collaboration easier. But more tools haven't necessarily made teams better at collaborating. In some cases, they've simply created the illusion that collaboration is happening.

In this episode of foHRsight, Naomi sits down with Alison Coward to explore why great teamwork rarely happens by accident and what it means to intentionally design the way people work together.

They discuss why talented people don't automatically create high-performing teams, why workshops so often fail to create lasting change, and why small, consistent shifts in how teams communicate, align and make decisions can be far more powerful than sweeping culture initiatives.

For HR leaders, there's an important challenge here: stop treating collaboration as something that should happen naturally. Start creating the conditions for it.

About Our guest

Alison Coward is a team culture strategist, workshop facilitator, trainer, and keynote speaker based in London. As founder of Bracket, she partners with ambitious, forward-thinking companies to help them build high-performing team cultures. Her book, Workshop Culture, lays out a practical framework for taking the energy and effectiveness of great workshops and embedding them into how teams work every day.

Connect with Alison

• Website & newsletter: bracketcreative.co.uk | bracketcreative.co.uk/newsletter
• LinkedIn: Alison Coward
• Book: Workshop Culture — available wherever books are sold

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We spend so much time helping people perform that we often forget to help them recover.

Today's employees are balancing demanding workloads alongside constant notifications, endless comparison, economic uncertainty and personal pressures that don't disappear when the workday begins. By the time someone reaches a breaking point, the signs have often been there for much longer.

In this episode, Mark Edgar sits down with life and wellness coach Ashish Singh to explore what it really means to build resilience before it's needed. Together, they unpack why calm isn't something we discover after everything settles down, but something we cultivate in the middle of everyday life.

Ashish shares the deeply personal experience that led him from corporate life into coaching after a serious injury forced him to confront anxiety, uncertainty and his own internal dialogue. That journey became the foundation for his work helping others reconnect with what he calls "the steadiness within."

Throughout the conversation, they explore why we can only truly control our thoughts and our actions, how social media has amplified stress through constant comparison, why mindfulness doesn't have to mean lengthy meditation sessions, and what practical tools can help people reset throughout an ordinary workday.

For HR leaders, this conversation offers an important shift in perspective. Rather than waiting until employees are overwhelmed, organizations have an opportunity to normalize simple wellbeing practices that support people every day. Creating healthier workplaces isn't only about responding well during difficult moments. It's about making steadiness part of how work happens in the first place.

Resources

• Website: thecalmmind.co
• Instagram: singashish3
• LinkedIn: Available (handle mentioned in conversation)

About Our Guest

Ashish Singh is a life and wellness coach, author and founder of The Calm Mind. Drawing from his own experience navigating anxiety, injury and major life transitions, he helps individuals and organizations develop practical tools for building emotional resilience, mindfulness and lasting inner steadiness.

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If you are looking for more foHRsight, sign up for our monthly foHRsight newsletter. It’s free and includes access to our quarterly white paper. This quarter’s white paper is about Rethinking Entry-Level work in the Age of AI, produced with Dr. Miranda Rodak from Indiana University’s Kelley school of business - an important topic for HR, Leadership and parents, students and society as a whole! https://www.futurefohrward.com/subscribe

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We often think resilience is something we discover in the hardest moments. But what if it's actually something we build long before we need it?

As work becomes more complex, change accelerates, and cognitive demands continue to rise, many leaders find themselves relying on the same habits that helped them succeed in the past—only to realize they no longer have the capacity they once did. The challenge isn't a lack of capability. It's that resilience is too often treated as an individual trait instead of something we can intentionally strengthen.

In this episode of foHRsight, Naomi Titleman Colla sits down with leadership psychologist and executive coach Dr. Marie-Hélène (MH) Pelletier to explore why resilience isn't about pushing harder or simply "bouncing back." Instead, it's a strategic practice that can be developed by individuals, teams, and organizations alike.

Together, they discuss why high performers often underestimate the demands they're carrying, how cognitive patterns quietly erode decision-making, why resilience should be treated as leadership infrastructure rather than a wellness initiative, and the practical habits leaders can build today to protect their performance before they reach their breaking point.

Whether you're leading an HR function, supporting organizational change, or simply feeling the weight of today's pace of work, this conversation offers a practical and refreshingly human approach to sustaining performance without sacrificing wellbeing.

About Our Guest

Dr. Marie-Hélène (MH) Pelletier is a leadership psychologist, executive coach, keynote speaker, and author of The Resilience Plan: A Strategic Approach to Optimizing Your Work Performance and Mental Health. With more than 20 years of experience working with leaders across industries, she helps organizations build resilience as a strategic capability that strengthens decision-making, leadership, and long-term performance.

Connect with MH:

• Website & book: theresilienceplan.com
• LinkedIn: search Dr. Marie-Hélène Pelletier
• Link for free resources: https://drmarie-helene.com/free-resources-sign-up/

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If you are looking for more foHRsight, sign up for our monthly foHRsight newsletter. It’s free and includes access to our quarterly white paper. This quarter’s white paper is about Rethinking Entry-Level work in the Age of AI, produced with Dr. Miranda Rodak from Indiana University’s Kelley school of business - an important topic for HR, Leadership and parents, students and society as a whole! https://www.futurefohrward.com/subscribe

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For many leaders, retirement isn't about leaving work. It's about leaving behind an identity.

After decades of building careers, leading teams, and carrying enormous responsibility, the biggest question isn't "What's next?" It's "Who am I without the title?"

In this episode of foHRsight, Naomi Titleman Colla sits down with Zabeen Hirji, former Chief Human Resources Officer at RBC, to explore what she calls the Purposeful Third Act—a new way of thinking about life after executive leadership.

Together, they unpack the emotional transition that comes with stepping away from a long career, why purpose is something we rediscover rather than reinvent, and how organizations are missing an opportunity to better engage experienced leaders. They also discuss the growing importance of intergenerational workplaces, lifelong learning, and why judgment, wisdom, and human connection will become even more valuable in the age of AI.

Whether retirement feels years away or is already on the horizon, this conversation is a thoughtful reminder that your greatest contribution may not be behind you—it may simply take a different shape.

About Our Guest

Zabeen Hirji is a founder, retirement disruptor, executive advisor, and board director. She served as CHRO at Royal Bank of Canada and is now the driving force behind the Purposeful Third Act movement, which helps senior leaders navigate life and work after corporate careers with intention and impact.

• 🔗 LinkedIn: Zabeen Hirji (follow + subscribe to her newsletter)
• 🌐 Website: zabeenhirji.com (resources, role models, and P3A tools)

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If you are looking for more foHRsight, sign up for our monthly foHRsight newsletter. It’s free and includes access to our quarterly white paper. This quarter’s white paper is about Rethinking Entry-Level work in the Age of AI, produced with Dr. Miranda Rodak from Indiana University’s Kelley school of business - an important topic for HR, Leadership and parents, students and society as a whole! https://www.futurefohrward.com/subscribe

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Learning and development has spent decades creating courses, launching platforms, and chasing the next technology trend. But what if the problem isn't the technology at all?

As AI reshapes how people access information, many traditional assumptions about workplace learning are being challenged. Employees no longer need to sit through generic training to find answers. They expect learning to be personalized, contextual, and available exactly when they need it.

In this episode, Lori Niles-Hofmann joins Naomi Titleman Colla to explore why L&D is facing an existential moment, what organizations are getting wrong about skills development, and how AI could fundamentally change the way learning happens at work. Together, they discuss the shift from course creation to intelligent learning ecosystems, why skills management should be treated with the same precision as a supply chain, and how HR leaders can move from order-taking to strategic enablement.

If you're responsible for developing people in an environment where business priorities, technology, and skills requirements are changing faster than ever, this conversation offers a practical and thought-provoking look at what comes next.

Resources & References Mentioned

• 📘 The Eight Levers of EdTech Transformation by Lori Niles-Hofmann
• 🌐 8Levers: 8levers.com (note: the "8" is the number, not a "B"!)
• 🇨🇦 Valence — AI coaching platform, featuring Nadia
• 🇨🇦 Disco.co — community learning platform (also used by foHRsight+)
• 📊 Red Thread Research — State of EdTech presentation by Dani Johnson (Learning Technologies, London)
• 🔬 LearnLM / DeepMind research on human + AI learning outcomes

About Our Guest

Lori Niles-Hofmann is an EdTech strategist, consultant, and author of The Eight Levers of EdTech Transformation. With a career spanning global LMS implementations, instructional design, and organizational learning strategy, Lori brings a rare combination of technical fluency and business acumen to the L&D space. She is the founder of 8Levers and a frequent speaker and writer on the intersection of AI, skills, and workplace learning.

Connect with Lori

• LinkedIn: search Lori Niles-Hofmann
• Website: 8levers.com

Stay Connected with foHRsight
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• Mark Edgar
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If you are looking for more foHRsight, sign up for our monthly foHRsight newsletter. It’s free and includes access to our quarterly white paper. This quarter’s white paper is about Rethinking Entry-Level work in the Age of AI, produced with Dr. Miranda Rodak from Indiana University’s Kelley school of business - an important topic for HR, Leadership and parents, students and society as a whole! https://www.futurefohrward.com/subscribe

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Most presentations fail long before the speaker gets to the “important” part.

Not because the content is wrong.
Because the audience never felt connected in the first place.

In this episode of foHRsight, Naomi Titleman Colla sits down with presentation coach and communication strategist Anthony Lee to explore what makes communication actually land — whether you are moderating a conference panel, leading a board meeting, facilitating a town hall, or simply trying to run a better team meeting.

Together, they unpack:

• why audience connection matters more than information dumping
• the communication mistakes most moderators and panelists make
• how storytelling and emotional connection build trust
• what high-performing teams do differently in meetings
• how leaders can think more intentionally about the “voice” they are using
• and why rehearsal and feedback matter far more than most organizations realize

The conversation goes far beyond public speaking.

At its core, this episode is about conversational leadership — how leaders create clarity, trust, engagement, and momentum through the way they communicate with others.

About Our Guest

Anthony Lee is the founder of Heroic Voice Academy and a communication coach who works with executives, conference speakers, HR leaders, and teams to strengthen audience connection, storytelling, and presentation effectiveness. With a background in engineering and executive leadership coaching, Anthony brings a uniquely practical and human-centered approach to communication.

Connect with him on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/heroicvoice/

Resources Mentioned

Heroic Voice Academy

Presentation, communication, and speaker coaching for leaders, teams, conference speakers, and executives.

• Website: https://heroicvoice.com

Open Gym Thursdays

Anthony hosts weekly “Open Gym” sessions where participants can practice presentations, receive coaching, and learn communication techniques.

• Thursdays at 12:00 PM PT
• Learn more via Anthony’s LinkedIn profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/heroicvoice/

TEDx Salt Lake City

Anthony credits coaching speakers at TEDx Salt Lake City as a pivotal moment in his journey from engineering leader to presentation coach.

• https://www.ted.com/tedx/events/12806

Miles Davis – Someday My Prince Will Come

Referenced as an example of how great moderators function like jazz band leaders—setting the tone, creating space for others to shine, and guiding the overall audience experience.

• https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=Miles+Davis+Someday+My+Prince+Will+Come

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If you are looking for more foHRsight, sign up for our monthly foHRsight newsletter. It’s free and includes access to our quarterly white paper. This quarter’s white paper is about Rethinking Entry-Level work in the Age of AI, produced with Dr. Miranda Rodak from Indiana University’s Kelley school of business - an important topic for HR, Leadership and parents, students and society as a whole! https://www.futurefohrward.com/subscribe

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Most leaders today feel stuck in a constant tug-of-war. Push harder for results and risk burnout or focus too much on engagement and worry performance will suffer.

But what if that tension exists because we are solving the wrong problem?

In this episode of foHRsight, Naomi Titleman Colla sits down with leadership consultant Rachel Cooke to explore a different approach to leadership and work design, one where development, connection, wellbeing, and performance are not competing priorities, but built into the fabric of how work happens every day.

Together, they unpack:

• why traditional leadership models are breaking down under uncertainty
• the difference between certainty and clarity
• how leaders can better harness frontline insight and intelligence
• why work design matters more than another leadership program
• how small experiments inside the flow of work can create meaningful cultural change
• and the opportunity HR has to stop separating “people stuff” from business results

This is a thoughtful and deeply practical conversation for leaders trying to create healthier, more adaptive workplaces without adding more complexity, meetings, or programs.

About Our Guest

Rachel Cooke is the founder of Lead Above Noise, host of the Modern Mentor Podcast, and author of the newsletter Making Work Work Better. With a background spanning organizational psychology, operations leadership, and HR, Rachel helps organizations rethink leadership and work design in ways that strengthen both business performance and human experience.

Stay connected with foHRsight
To sign up for our monthly newsletter, foHRsight, click HERE

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• Mark Edgar
• Naomi Titleman Colla
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If you are looking for more foHRsight, sign up for our monthly foHRsight newsletter. It’s free and includes access to our quarterly white paper. This quarter’s white paper is about Rethinking Entry-Level work in the Age of AI, produced with Dr. Miranda Rodak from Indiana University’s Kelley school of business - an important topic for HR, Leadership and parents, students and society as a whole! https://www.futurefohrward.com/subscribe

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Everyone is trying to move faster right now. Faster outputs. Faster decisions. Faster adoption of AI.

But somewhere inside that acceleration, many leaders are starting to feel something else too: cognitive overload, constant mental switching, and a growing sense that work is becoming noisier instead of clearer.

In this episode, Mark and Naomi unpack two emerging ideas gaining traction in the AI conversation: “AI brain fry” and “cognitive surrender.” Together, they explore what happens when efficiency becomes the default goal, how over-reliance on AI can quietly erode critical thinking, and why HR leaders need to be paying closer attention to the human experience underneath AI adoption.

This conversation isn’t anti-AI. It’s about intentional AI use.

The discussion explores:

• Why productivity pressure may be pushing teams toward unhealthy AI habits
• The difference between learning moments and efficiency moments
• How AI-generated volume can actually increase cognitive fatigue
• Why HR professionals may be especially vulnerable to “brain fry”
• What organizations risk losing when human judgment disappears from the process
• How leaders can create healthier norms around AI use before bad habits calcify

Most importantly, this episode is a reminder that AI should augment human capability, not replace thoughtful human participation in work.

Stay connected with foHRsight
To sign up for our monthly newsletter, foHRsight, click HERE

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• Mark Edgar
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If you are looking for more foHRsight, sign up for our monthly foHRsight newsletter. It’s free and includes access to our quarterly white paper. This quarter’s white paper is about Rethinking Entry-Level work in the Age of AI, produced with Dr. Miranda Rodak from Indiana University’s Kelley school of business - an important topic for HR, Leadership and parents, students and society as a whole! https://www.futurefohrward.com/subscribe

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