Directionally Correct, A People Analytics Podcast

Check out this episode of the #1 people analytics podcast with special guest, JR Keller, Associate Professor & Faculty Director of the Executive Master of Human Resource Management Program at Cornell!

In this wide-ranging and deeply practical conversation, JR joins the show to unpack what actually works when organizations try to build internal talent marketplaces, rethink career mobility, and align people strategy with real business outcomes. Drawing on his academic research, teaching experience, and extensive work with practitioners, JR challenges common assumptions about skills-based organizations, career paths, and the role of managers in enabling growth at scale.

Throughout the episode, JR and the hosts explore why so many internal mobility efforts fail despite good intentions, and what separates meaningful progress from surface-level adoption. JR explains how organizations can move beyond buzzwords to create systems that truly connect employees to opportunities, while also meeting leaders where they are. The discussion digs into the tension between central talent strategies and frontline realities, and why ignoring that gap often derails even the most sophisticated people analytics initiatives.

Listeners will hear thoughtful insights on how data, transparency, and trust intersect in talent systems, as well as the cultural and structural barriers that slow momentum. JR shares examples from both research and practice that illustrate how internal marketplaces can reshape careers when designed with clarity and empathy, and why incentives, governance, and leadership capability matter just as much as technology. The episode also touches on the evolving expectations of workers, how organizations should think about skills versus jobs, and the implications for HR leaders trying to future-proof their workforce.

This conversation goes beyond theory, offering grounded guidance for HR, people analytics, and talent leaders who are wrestling with real-world constraints. JR’s perspective brings nuance to debates around AI, skills taxonomies, and internal opportunity platforms, emphasizing that sustainable change comes from aligning systems, behaviors, and values over time. Whether you are just beginning to explore internal mobility or trying to course-correct an existing program, this episode delivers practical takeaways and strategic framing you can apply immediately. Listenin challenge your assumptions. If you like this episode, you’d also love exploring prior episodes—visit colenapper.com for the full archive and show links.

Check out this episode of the #1 people analytics podcast with special guest, Cole Nussbaumer Knaflic, CEO of Storytelling with Data!

In this wide-ranging and thoughtful conversation, host Cole Napper (CN) sits down with Cole Nussbaumer Knaflic (CNK), one of the most influential voices in data visualization, to reflect on a decade of impact, evolution, and hard-earned lessons from the world of analytics, storytelling, and communication. CNK revisits her seminal book Storytelling with Data on the occasion of its 10th anniversary edition, sharing what has stood the test of time, what she feared breaking by revisiting it, and why simplicity, audience-first thinking, and intentional focus matter even more today amid rapid advances in technology and AI. She explains how her teaching has evolved from basic story frameworks to the richer narrative arc, introducing tension that matters to the audience and resolving it through clear action, a structure that maps naturally to real business problems and decision-making.

The conversation also dives deep into CNK’s newest book, Before and After, a visually striking, case-based guide inspired by real client work that reveals not just the final polished output, but the thinking, tradeoffs, and transformation that occur between a messy starting point and an effective data story. CNK explains why seeing that process is so powerful, how anonymized client examples help people move past “our data is different,” and why makeovers resonate across industries. Along the way, she reflects on the human side of communicating data, emphasizing that charts alone are never enough and that confidence, clarity, and delivery play an equally critical role in whether insights lead to impact.

Listeners also hear CNK’s reflections on her early career as part of Google’s foundational people analytics team, a period she describes as genuinely magical. She shares stories of discovering insights in data no one had ever examined before, blending statistical rigor with HR partners’ contextual knowledge, and learning firsthand that data without context is incomplete. That experience, she explains, shaped her belief in collaboration, data literacy, and the ethical responsibility that comes with influence. The episode explores her entrepreneurial journey, including why she tested demand before leaving Google, how focus and ruthless prioritization helped her grow Storytelling with Data while starting a family, and why saying no was just as important as saying yes.

The discussion touches on her full portfolio of work, from practitioner workbooks and presentation-focused guides to Daphne Draws Data, her children’s book aimed at building early data literacy through curiosity and problem solving. CNK’s passion for helping people think more clearly, ask better questions, and communicate with integrity shines throughout, as does her commitment to using storytelling not to manipulate, but to make data understandable, honest, and actionable. This episode is packed with insights for people analytics professionals, data practitioners, leaders, and anyone who wants their work to land, resonate, and drive real change.

If you like this episode, you’d also love exploring prior episodes—visit colenapper.com for the full archive and show links.

Check out this episode of the #1 people analytics podcast with special guest, George LaRocque, Founder of WorkTech!

In this wide-ranging and deeply analytical conversation, Cole sits down with George to unpack the evolution from “HR tech” to “work tech,” why that distinction matters, and how shifting investments are redefining who technology is really being built for. George explains how early HR systems were designed primarily for back-office users, but how modern work tech increasingly serves employees, candidates, and the broader enterprise, driven by advances in data, AI, and platform thinking.

The discussion takes a forward-looking turn as Cole and George follow the money to understand what innovation will actually mature over the next several years. George shares detailed insights into venture funding trends, why innovation is never uniform, and how the post-2021 investment bubble reshaped the startup landscape. They explore why so many early-stage vendors now feel stuck, how lower barriers to entry created a flood of new solutions, and why owning durable, non-transient data has become the single most important strategic advantage in the age of AI. George also breaks down which domains are seeing real adoption versus hype, including high-volume recruiting, HR service delivery, payroll and compensation, benefits, learning, performance management, and the emerging influence of the office of the CFO on workforce strategy.

A central theme of the episode is adoption and ROI. George explains why AI succeeds where transaction volume is high, pain is obvious, and value can be clearly measured, and why many organizations are still far earlier in AI maturity than headlines suggest. The conversation also dives into people analytics, strategic workforce planning, and talent intelligence, with a candid assessment of why these areas require massive, long-term data investments and why platforms and true data owners are positioned to win. Along the way, George shares perspectives from his work running the HR Tech Pitchfest, investing in early-stage companies, hosting the WorkTech Podcast, and advising founders, buyers, and investors across the ecosystem.

The episode wraps with a rapid-fire Cole’s Corner segment touching on AI use cases no one is talking about, the future of workforce management, dashboards versus data storytelling, and the human implications of agentic workflows and automation. This is a must-listen episode for anyone who wants a clear-eyed, data-driven view of where work tech is actually headed, what will matter in 2026 and beyond, and how leaders can cut through the noise to focus on what truly drives impact.

If you like this episode, you’d also love exploring prior episodes—visit colenapper.com for the full archive and show links.

Check out this episode of the #1 people analytics podcast with special guest & host, Cole Napper, with an AMA Episode along with guest host, Chayce Kowalski!

In this ask-me-anything style session, Cole and Chayce dive into audience-driven questions covering the realities of modern people analytics, the evolution of careers in the field, and how practitioners should think about AI, leadership, and delivering impact across the business.

Cole kicks things off by sharing why this episode format matters and how the show’s cadence has shifted to maintain passion and energy for the work. He also reveals why some stories about HR, employers, and internal analytics wins can’t always make it onto the podcast—sometimes NDAs and job security come first.

From there, Chayce takes over and asks fan-submitted questions from LinkedIn. Cole discusses the unpredictable relationship between data effort and business impact—sometimes a napkin sketch drives more progress than months of analysis. He describes this as a powerful lesson for every early-career analyst.

The conversation moves through themes around career growth, influence, and surviving the biggest hurdle in analytics work: the ongoing struggle to build data fluency in HR teams. Cole shares candid insights about being “over” the same old barriers to business adoption and why HR’s evolution is overdue.

Listeners also get personal glimpses into Cole’s shift from studying emotions to focusing more on labor economics and the broader world of talent intelligence, workforce planning, and behavioral science—all still rooted in understanding people, but through a fresh lens.

One highlight: Cole reveals he is building a People Analytics Data Academy, designed around three pillars—strategy, leadership, and analytics—to better prepare both HR professionals and data practitioners to thrive in a generative-AI world.

Cole also opens up about the realities behind running a successful podcast: ghosting from potential guests, selecting only truly compelling voices, and the sponsorship dynamics that determine who can join the show—even when many vendor-side practitioners have fascinating stories to tell.

Throughout, the AMA hits both fun and meaningful territory—from zombie-apocalypse hypotheticals about emotional vulnerability to the deep purpose-finding journey of someone who has spent nearly two decades helping organizations make smarter people decisions.

If you enjoy honest conversations about the real future of people analytics, AI in HR, and building a career that truly influences the business—this one’s for you.

If you like this episode, you’d also love exploring prior episodes—visit colenapper.com for the full archive and show links.

Check out this episode of the #1 people analytics podcast with special guest, Joey Price, CEO of Jumpstart HR & Industry Analyst at Aspect43!

In this wide-ranging and insightful conversation, Joey and Cole dive deep into the evolving world of HR technology, the impact of AI on HR teams, and how HR professionals can build meaningful, future-proof careers. Joey shares the backstory behind his new book The Power of HR, written to elevate the modern HR professional’s confidence, strategy, and leadership capabilities. He discusses how the book has been received, the challenges of writing it while running a business and being a parent, and the growing community of HR authors and leaders who support each other’s work.

Joey opens up about his unconventional path into HR—from playing and managing in a band to discovering the strategic side of business and eventually becoming an industry analyst. He explains how understanding creativity, discipline, and team dynamics in music shaped his views on leadership and employee experience. He also talks about Jumpstart HR’s acquisition of Aspect43 and why buyer sentiment research is becoming essential in HR technology as organizations navigate rapid digital transformation.

A major thread throughout the episode is the disruptive force of AI. Joey shares research showing that 40% of HR teams have no clear plan for AI integration, even as CEOs and CFOs increasingly influence HR technology buying decisions. He breaks down how AI is reshaping people analytics, workforce planning, and talent intelligence—and why HR must shift from focusing only on soft skills to developing stronger technological and strategic expertise. Cole and Joey also explore the tension employees are feeling as white-collar workers face uncertainty, shifting expectations, and rapid changes created by new tools.

The conversation turns to geopolitics, global labor trends, and what HR leaders should expect in 2026—from employer-driven labor markets to major advances in HR tech product roadmaps. Joey shares emerging insights on compliance technology, wellness tools, and the evolving expectations of employees across industries. He also introduces his new project, Joey’s HR Lounge, a podcast and community designed to generate more honest dialogue and strengthen the collective intelligence of HR professionals.

In Cole’s Corner, the two dig into research on birth order, workplace behavior, societal trust, and how technology—especially generative AI—is influencing communication, decision-making, and accuracy. They grapple with recent studies showing AI doesn’t simply hallucinate, it bluffs, and discuss how reinforcement learning and user behavior reinforce this pattern. The episode ends with Joey’s personal mission: helping more people become excited about Monday than Friday, and the real meaning of making an impact in HR through trust, strategic clarity, and thoughtful leadership.

If you like this episode, you’d also love exploring prior episodes—visit colenapper.com for the full archive and show links.