Across industries from children’s apparel to enterprise AI to modern energy supply, HR leaders are redefining how organizations think about culture, connection, and performance. According to three senior people executives, Davida Lindsay-Bell, Chief People Officer at Hanna Andersson; Laurie Shakur, Chief People Officer at Session AI; and Peter Collyer, Fractional Chief People Officer at SQE today’s workplace reality demands a new kind of leadership: empathetic, AI-literate, data-grounded, and unafraid to have hard conversations.
Their insights not only expose how rapidly the HR landscape is shifting, they also reflect why organizations are increasingly investing in more immersive, human-centered leadership development experiences to support the managers who carry the culture every day.
Davida Lindsay-Bell — Chief People Officer, Hanna Andersson
Elevating Culture and Performance Inside a Beloved Children’s Brand
Hanna Andersson, a premium children’s retail brand with nearly 300 employees and a leading position in the U.S. children’s market that builds its culture around the purpose of being “champions of childhood.made to last” According to Davida Lindsay-Bell, thriving in today’s evolving work environment means understanding the whole person, not just the role.
“You can’t focus on performance without understanding the lived experiences of the people doing the work,” she shared.
Under her leadership, the company increased employee engagement by 8 points in under a year, by centering purpose and values, applying a framework of listen → absorb → respond → act, and designing experiences that strengthen connection and community across a dispersed, hybrid workforce.
But the most complex challenge? Navigating cultural and generational divides in a polarized world.
“We have to guide conversations thoughtfully,” Davida said. “In today’s climate, people need both honesty and psychological safety in equal measure.”
To help managers do that effectively, she is exploring frameworks like Radical Candor, ensuring leadership conversations remain direct, real, and human.
Laurie Shakur — Chief People Officer, Session AI
Psychological Safety, AI Enablement & Unapologetic HR Leadership
Session AI, a leader in real-time behavioral intelligence and enterprise AI technology, depends on both technical excellence and human-centered leadership. According to Laurie Shakur, HR is overdue for a deeper conversation about trust, transparency, and courage.
“HR has always been seen as serving two masters,” she said. “But people deserve honesty, consistency, and humanity, no matter the situation.”
Laurie’s book, The HR Green Book, draws parallels between the Great Migration and the employee lifecycle, using history to illuminate what employees are seeking today: dignity, safety, mobility, and belonging.
Her leadership model is rooted in compassion, optimism, resilience, and engagement, and she insists that performance management cannot be seasonal, it must be continuous.
“Daily check-ins aren’t micromanagement, they’re clarity,” she emphasized.
And on AI?
“AI, “applied technology”, isn’t replacing HR; it’s removing the noise so we can focus on the work only humans can do.”
Her transparency, courage, and refusal to dilute humanity in HR align with the kind of leadership development many organizations are now seeking.
Peter Collyer — Fractional Chief People Officer, SQE
Humanity, Courage & Connection Inside a Modern Energy Marketplace
SQE, a marketplace-driven I&C energy supplier advancing the UK’s modern energy landscape, is navigating rapid growth and workforce evolution. According to Peter Collyer, who transitioned into HR after years as a chef, the future of people leadership is rooted in both humanity and commercial clarity.
“HR finally has influence, but that influence comes with responsibility,” he said. “We must define what great work looks like instead of waiting for someone else to do it.”
Peter supports organizations through transformation and cultural alignment. He emphasizes the importance of relationship-building, even in remote environments.
“Remote work makes people efficient, but sometimes at the cost of the relationships that drive real problem-solving.”
He sees intergenerational collaboration as a massive opportunity, sharing a story about ASOS hackathons that blended age groups:
“When generations learn from each other, innovation explodes. You can’t replicate that in a slide deck.”
Peter’s leadership philosophy; courage, connection, and treating everyone as equals, informs the modern expectations of HR.
A New Reality for HR and the Leaders Who Carry It
Though these leaders come from different sectors, their insights align powerfully:
- HR must cultivate transparency and trust.
- AI literacy and adaptability are now core competencies.
- Managers, not policies, shape the employee experience.
- Psychological safety is foundational to performance.
- Human connection can’t be replaced by technology.
And woven through each conversation was one truth:
Managers are being asked to navigate challenges they were never trained for.
This is where HIC Consulting naturally enters the conversation, not as a vendor, but as a partner to HR.
According to the leaders above, the future of work demands environments where managers think strategically, communicate clearly, lead with empathy, and problem-solve in real time. HIC’s immersive simulations, real-world scenarios, and emotionally intelligent training experiences help managers build the muscle memory needed to thrive in the situations Davida, Laurie, and Peter described.
About the Author
From securing an $8M breakthrough inside a global fintech to being named CEO of the very platform she built, Netta Jenkins has mastered the art of turning bold ideas into lasting business transformation. With a LinkedIn community of over 200,000, she’s the CEO redefining how organizations drive employee engagement and performance through AI. A two-time Wiley author, Netta’s work has been amplified by Arianna Huffington to more than 10 million people. Her latest book, Supercharged Teams: How Every Manager Can Create a Culture of Excellence, gives leaders the playbook to transform everyday teams into high-performing powerhouses.
As founder of HIC, a workplace consulting firm and creator of HIC HR Hub, a private community for senior HR leaders to share and gain new insights. She also hosts Beyond Management™, a viral LinkedIn leadership series with over 50 million impressions, where she sparks street-level conversations that elevate employer brands, attract top talent, and inspire customers. A seasoned TEDx and international keynote speaker, Netta has energized audiences across the U.S., Ghana, the Netherlands, and Turkey with bold insights and measurable takeaways. With 15+ years of global advisory experience, she shares weekly video tips that empower managers at every level. Her work has been featured in The Washington Post, McKinsey, Forbes, Fortune, and more. Named one of CIO Views’ Top 10 Most Influential Black Women in Business to Follow.
Netta helps organizations connect workplace culture, technology, and performance to deliver measurable, lasting impact. Previously serving as VP of Global Inclusive Strategy at IAC, Netta partnered with brands like Match.com, Vimeo, and Daily Beast. She advises Betterment, consults executives via the Intro app, and is pursuing a doctorate in quality systems. Currently, she collaborates with Marc Lore (former CEO of Walmart) and Preet Bharara (former U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York) to build Telosa, a visionary new city in America. Residing on the East Coast with her family, Netta continues to make a transformative impact in both the corporate and startup landscapes.
