The H.I.T. Podcast

Great workplace culture doesn't happen by accident—it requires intention, accountability, and consistent leadership. In Part 2 of Toby Kennedy's conversation with Lauren Sweeney, they dive into why company values should be more than words on a wall, how leaders can use shared values to improve communication and accountability, and why investing in culture has a measurable impact on employee engage...

Not every workplace complaint requires a formal investigation—but ignoring the small ones can have big consequences. In this episode of The H.I.T. Podcast, Toby Kennedy sits down with Lauren Sweeney, Chief Growth & Impact Officer at Riviera Group Consulting, to discuss the "soft complaints" that HR professionals encounter every day—and how to address them before they damage culture and retenti...

Are your employees truly getting value from their benefits — or are they forgetting about them until open enrollment rolls around? In this episode of The H.I.T. Podcast, Toby Kennedy sits down with Cindy Washburn from TruHu to discuss why consistent, intentional communication may be the missing ingredient in maximizing employee benefits. Too often, employees are overwhelmed with information during...

Change is inevitable. The question is: how do great leaders respond to it? In this episode of The H.I.T. Podcast, Toby Kennedy sits down with returning guest Magalie René, speaker, consultant, and expert in compassionate leadership and change management. Together, they explore how leaders can become more adaptable, communicate more effectively, and guide their teams through uncertainty without sac...

What if the skills your organization needs are already sitting inside your company? In Part 2 of this conversation, Angela Finlay joins The H.I.T. Podcast to discuss skill stacking, talent architecture, and how organizations can better identify, develop, and leverage the talent they already have. As job roles continue to evolve and technology reshapes the workplace, leaders must rethink how they e...

What if your greatest career advantage isn't your job title—but the unique combination of skills you've built throughout your life? In this episode of The H.I.T. Podcast, Toby Kennedy sits down with Angela Blum-Finlay, senior HR executive, author, and "CHRO on demand," to discuss her book Skill Stacking and why career success is often built at the intersection of seemingly unrelated experiences. A...

What happens when employees stop trusting leadership? In Part 2 of this conversation on The H.I.T. Podcast, Dr. Rob McKenna returns to discuss the real-world impact of trust on culture, leadership, performance, and retention. Drawing from his research and book Whole Leaders, Wild Trust, Dr. McKenna explains why trust is one of the most powerful—and overlooked—drivers inside organizations. What We...

What does trust actually look like inside an organization — and can it be measured? In this episode of The H.I.T. Podcast, Toby Kennedy sits down with Dr. Rob McKenna, founder of Wild Leaders and author of the USA Today bestselling book Whole Leaders, Wild Trust. Dr. McKenna explains why trust is one of the most important—and most misunderstood—drivers of organizational success. More importantly,...

In this episode of The H.I.T. Podcast, we sit down with Scott Walker, former Scotland Yard detective, kidnap-for-ransom negotiator, bestselling author, and negotiation expert. After handling more than 300 high-stakes cases around the world, Scott shares practical communication strategies that apply just as powerfully in business, leadership, sales, and personal relationships. What We Cover: Why th...

What can a Scotland Yard hostage negotiator teach us about business, leadership, and everyday conversations? In this episode of The H.I.T. Podcast, we sit down with Scott Walker, a former Scotland Yard detective and kidnap-for-ransom negotiator who spent nearly 20 years handling over 300 high-stakes cases around the world. Now a bestselling author of Order Out of Chaos and a global negotiation exp...

In Part 2 of this conversation on The H.I.T. Podcast, Joe Van Brussel returns to go deeper on the real implications of AI in the workplace—and what leaders need to get right moving forward. This episode moves beyond hype and into the human side of AI adoption. We explore: Why companies are rushing into AI—and the confusion it’s creating The responsibility leaders have to slow down and set intentio...

What is AI actually doing to the way we think and work? In this episode of The H.I.T. Podcast, host Toby Kennedy sits down with Joe Van Brussel—creative director, writer, and philosopher—to explore how artificial intelligence is reshaping creativity, decision-making, and professional work. With experience at The New York Times and The Huffington Post, Joe brings a unique lens to the conversation—b...

Back at it again, with Joshua Barrows interviewing Toby Kennedy! Here's the HOT question: What does it take to keep a great client? In this episode of The H.I.T. Podcast, Joshua Barrows shares a memorable analogy—comparing a valuable client to a “beautiful wife.” The idea is simple: when something (or someone) is valuable, there will always be other options. In today’s marketplace, top clients are...

We flipped the show completely on its head for this one… Joshua Barrows—payroll and HRIS guru—steps in as HOST… and I’m in the guest chair. That’s right—roles reversed. (Yes… there may or may not be some jiu jitsu references) In this special “backwards day” episode of The H.I.T. Podcast, we dive into the current state of the insurance industry, how things are evolving, and what makes Montage Insur...

Welcome back to the HIT (Human Resources, Insurance, and Technology) podcast! This week, host Toby Kennedy is joined by world-renowned business consultant and author Kevin Lawrence for a deep dive into the strategies that separate stagnant companies from high-growth organizations. With over 30 years of experience helping executive teams scale 5x to 10x, Kevin shares why the "people piece" is the u...

In this episode of The H.I.T. Podcast, host Toby Kennedy sits down with Kim Bohr, CEO of Spark Effect, to break down the latest research on organizational trust—and why it may be one of the most important (and overlooked) drivers of performance. This conversation moves beyond theory and into practical frameworks leaders can use right now. Key Insights on Organizational Trust Trust as a KPI: Trust...

What does it actually take to build and lead companies that scale? In this episode of The H.I.T. Podcast, entrepreneur, executive, and author Glenn Poulos joins the show to share lessons from nearly four decades of building, leading, and selling successful businesses. Glenn discusses how moving away from “seat-of-the-pants” management toward a structured leadership system—specifically the Entrepre...

What does it actually take to build and lead companies that scale? In this episode of The H.I.T. Podcast, entrepreneur, executive, and author Glenn Poulos joins the show to share lessons from nearly four decades of building, leading, and selling successful businesses. Glenn discusses how moving away from “seat-of-the-pants” management toward a structured leadership system—specifically the Entrepre...

What are we actually chasing? Likes? Applause? Recognition? Or real impact? In this episode of The H.I.T. Podcast, Dr. Brandi Stankovic, Ed. D. joins us fresh off her recent TED talk to challenge the modern definition of “success” — especially the kind fueled by online praise and performative wins. We explore: • Why fake happiness and surface-level validation are so easy to chase • How leaders uni...

What do rules and expectations have in common? You shouldn’t set them if you’re not willing to enforce them. Unenforced standards make bad performers worse—and they quietly drain the motivation of your best people when they see inconsistency. In this episode, I had the absolute pleasure of sitting down with Tommie Jo Brode for a powerful conversation about leadership, culture, team-building, and w...

What exactly is a TPA (Third-Party Administrator)—and why does it matter in the world of health insurance? In this episode, Nick Buratti from Allied Benefit Systems joins me for a clear, practical conversation about how TPAs operate, what they’re responsible for, and where they fit into the broader health insurance ecosystem. If you’re involved in employee benefits, self-funded health plans, or ju...

What does it really take to build a high-performing, low-drama team? In this episode, we break down the real-world strategies behind employee management, intentional turnover, and aligning teams with mission, vision, and values—including practical lessons from the Entrepreneurial Operating System (EOS). We cover: Managing People & Turnover The real cost of keeping the wrong person in the role...

That advice we all know we need to hear—delivered in a no-nonsense, get-it-done way. In this episode, we’re joined in studio by Chris Hallberg, aka The Business Sergeant—one of Inc. Magazine’s Top 50 Leadership and Management Experts, published author, and personally trained by Gino Wickman, creator of EOS and author of Traction. Chris breaks down his world-renowned leadership principles that help...

We’re excited to welcome Mark Dunahoo, President & COO of TruHu, into the studio for a thoughtful conversation on employee engagement and feedback. In this episode, we dive into TruHu’s mission, how organizations can better listen to their people, and what HR leaders should be thinking about as they look to strengthen culture, communication, and trust across their teams. We cover: Practical ap...

Following up on our 2026 employment law update, employment attorney Brian Koegle is back with a highly practical breakdown of the top three legal compliance issues that continue to trip up HR teams—even experienced ones. In this episode, we cover: Recordkeeping do’s, don’ts, and common pitfalls Key compliance beats around leave laws Pro tips for avoiding wage & hour mistakes This isn’t theory—...