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What is the key to thriving in the 21st-century workplace?
Catherine Allen
In this transformative episode, host Nicole Jansen sits down with Catherine Allen, co-founder and chief impact officer of AO People Partners and co-author of Conscious, Capable, and Ready to Contribute. Catherine brings a profound understanding of the pivotal role people skills play in the workplace in the age of technological growth. Together, Nicole and Catherine delve into the essential nature of human skills, the intrinsic value of people, and the overarching impact on business imperatives and contribution to society.
Through their insightful conversation, they shed light on developing people’s skills within business settings, emphasizing the necessity of emotional intelligence, self-awareness, and active listening. This episode is a call to action for leaders to prioritize and model these skills to create a harmonious, productive, and sustainable work environment, underscoring the connection between individual growth and societal benefit.
What We Discuss in this Episode
- How has the pace of business elevated the importance of human skills?
- What are the core people skills crucial for 21st-century business success?
- Why do emotional intelligence and self-awareness play a pivotal role in leadership?
- How can developing people skills impact an organization’s culture and performance?
- What strategies can leaders employ to foster a thriving, engaged workforce?
- Why is starting with leadership in skill development essential for organizational success?
- How can organizational environments influence personal and professional growth?
- What is the societal impact of investing in people development?
- How does the balance between business strategy and culture point to people development?
Podcast Highlights
0:00 – Emphasizing the importance of people development for leaders.
4:47 – How the marketplace impacts everyone.
8:08 – Leadership development transforms individuals and organizational culture.
10:03 – Developing people skills that are crucial for success.
16:08 – Commitment yields workplace success.
19:11 – Success in leadership development is tied to senior leaders.
21:27 – Leadership example and model for change.
27:02 – Investing in human capabilities is crucial today.
29:08 – Assess team’s skills, focus on core habits.
Favorite Quotes
“Developing human capabilities is not just a business imperative but a higher purpose in the 21st century.”
“Scaling a business is fundamentally about people working well together and developing the capacity to handle higher volumes.”
“The biggest difference in whether a leadership development program will be effective and actually sustainable or sticky is really one thing. It boils down to one thing in my experience, the level of engagement and commitment of the senior most leaders.”
Episode Resources 
- Book: Conscious, Capable and Ready to Contribute: How Employee Development Can Become the Highest Form of Social Contribution
- Articles: aopeoplepartners.com
Connect with Catherine Allen
- Website: aopeoplepartners.com
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/catherineallenao/
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