Evolving to Exceptional with Jessica Tietjen
Are you a current or aspiring leader or in HR/talent management? Many workplaces have challenges with employee engagement, performance, & well-being leading to turnover, quiet quitting, & decreased productivity/performance. Many are struggling with these challenges leading to higher stress/burnout. Join Jessica as we address the challenges & solutions for evolving our workplace cultures, people, and ourselves to create exceptional results & experiences. If you want to reach peak performance to create exceptional results in your life and business, don’t miss an episode!
Episodes
In the conclusion of our conversation, Jessica Tietjen and Nikki Thompson dive deeper into the how of building resilient, empowered teams. Building on the leadership mindset shifts discussed in Part 1, Nikki shares practical strategies for creating environments where trust, collaboration, and shared responsibility thrive.
We discuss:
•How leaders can create psychological safety that allows teams to take risks and grow.
•Practical ...
In this first part of our conversation, host Jessica Tietjen welcomes Nikki Thompson, Director of Training and Development at Code Consultants, Inc., to share her powerful story of growth through adversity. Nikki opens up about the challenges that shaped her leadership journey and the moments that tested her capacity to lead with resilience.
We explore:
The life and career experiences that taught Nikki the value of resilience...
In Part 2 of this powerful conversation, Jessica and Kelly explore what it really means to lead through regulation, repair, and real connection. They dive into how nervous system states affect leadership communication, why emotional regulation is the key to productivity, and how leaders can repair trust after a rupture. Plus, Jessica shares personal stories and practical examples (including parenting!) that highlight how presence a...
In this episode of Evolving to Exceptional, Jessica sits down with Chief People Officer Kelly Bosak for a deep conversation about how leaders can shift from being task-driven bosses to transformational coaches. Together, they explore how active listening, emotional insight, and coaching-style questions can create truly human-centric leadership. Discover why burnout might really be boredom, how to develop embodied presence, and why ...
In Part 2 of this powerful conversation, Keri Smith returns to explore the deeper layers of building a feedback culture rooted in emotional intelligence, psychological safety, and human connection. Jessica and Keri dive into the neuroscience behind performance conversations, the role of leadership capacity, and how horizontal, partnership-based dialogues are reshaping their workplace. Learn what makes feedback coherent and transfor...
In this episode of Evolving to Exceptional, host Jessica Tietjen talks with Keri Smith, SVP of HR at HHHunt, about how her organization boldly moved away from traditional performance reviews and created a people-centered approach to feedback and development. Discover how they replaced annual evaluations with “CME” conversations and introduced a unique tool for aligning values with growth. Keri shares how their process prioritizes e...
In Part 2 of this insightful conversation, Evolving to Exceptional host Jessica Tietjen and guest Sarah Jamison go even deeper—exploring how self-awareness, nervous system regulation, and emotional intelligence are essential tools for preventing conflict and fostering connection at work.
Sarah also shares her powerful personal story of resilience, overcoming a brain tumor and MS diagnosis, and how believing beyond possibility can un...
Description:
In this episode of Evolving to Exceptional, host Jessica Tietjen welcomes Sarah Jamison, Vice President of Human Resources at a local St. Louis nonprofit and international bestselling author. Together, they explore the growing mental health challenges impacting workplaces and why cultivating a true culture of care is no longer optional—it's essential.
Sarah shares her insights from decades in HR across industries...
Description: In this second part of a powerful two-part conversation, Jessica Tietjen sits down with Jeff Ilko, VP of People + Performance at Switch, go beyond the numbers to explore how compensation, culture, and flexibility are reshaping the modern workplace.
It’s no longer just about salaries and benefits—today's workforce is demanding meaningful work, autonomy, and alignment with personal values.
In this episode, we explore:
<...Description: In this first part of a powerful two-part conversation, Jessica Tietjen sits down with Jeff Ilko, VP of People + Performance at Switch, to explore the evolving landscape of compensation and benefits in today’s workplace.
They dive into the real-world challenges HR leaders face in staying competitive while honoring employee needs, including:
Why market studies matter—and how often to do them
How to align compensation s...
In this inspiring episode of Evolving to Exceptional, host Jessica Tietjen sits down with Melissa Paulitsch, Human Resources Director at Kennelwood Pet Resorts, to explore the unexpected connections between pet care and people leadership.
Melissa shares her unique journey into the pet industry and how her passion for animals has shaped her approach to building a supportive, high-performing workplace culture.
Together, they dive ...
In this week’s episode of Evolving to Exceptional, host Jessica Tietjen welcomes back Ryan McCrea for a deep dive into one of the most pressing workplace topics of 2025: revolutionizing performance management.
Referencing the latest findings from the Deloitte Global Human Capital Trends Report, Jessica and Ryan explore:
Why traditional annual performance reviews are failing today's workforce
Shifting toward continuous, hu...
In this episode of Evolving to Exceptional, host Jessica Tietjen sits down with Dr. Debbie Regnaud, Vice President of Human Resources at Unleashing Potential, to explore the real-world challenges of leading in the nonprofit sector during times of uncertainty.
Drawing from decades of HR experience, Dr. Regnaud shares:
How financial instability uniquely impacts nonprofit organizations
Why self-awareness is essential for resilien...
In this powerful continuation of our conversation, Evolving to Exceptional host Jessica Tietjen welcomes back Rhoda Banks—culture and inclusion executive and author of Daughter of an Assassin—to dive deeper into the intersection of trauma, leadership, and workplace dynamics.
Rhoda bravely shares how her past trauma showed up in her professional life—through fawn, flight, freeze, and fight responses—and how she’s learned to navig...
In this powerful episode of the Evolving to Exceptional Podcast, host Jessica Tietjen sits down with Rhoda Banks—culture and inclusion executive, speaker, and author of the new memoir Daughter of an Assassin.
Rhoda shares her remarkable life story, growing up in St. Louis in a household shaped by trauma and contradiction. Through vulnerability and insight, she unpacks how her early experiences shaped her relationships, leadershi...
Feeling overwhelmed, stretched too thin, or running on empty at work? You're not alone — and it's not just personal. It's systemic.
In this powerful episode of the Evolving to Exceptional Podcast, host Jessica Tietjen unpacks the concept of “capacity collapse”—a hidden epidemic quietly draining the energy, engagement, and effectiveness of today’s workforce.
We explore why so many people feel maxed out despite thei...
Description: In today's world of constant change and uncertainty, clarity isn’t just helpful—it’s essential. In this episode, we dive into why our brains crave clarity, how chaos and confusion impact our decision-making, and how overwhelm disrupts our head, heart, and gut intelligences.
You’ll learn how our brains fill in the gaps with biases and past experiences, leading to cognitive dissonance—and how to overcome it. I’ll ...
In this episode of the Evolving to Exceptional podcast, we explore why it’s time to evolve from the outdated “right people in the right roles” mindset to a more agile and effective strategy: “right people, right goals.”
As roles become harder to define in today’s dynamic work environment, organizations must focus on individual strengths, personalized outcomes, and clearly defined goals to drive engagement, productivity, and succ...
In this powerful and personal episode, Jessica unpacks the subconscious survival patterns that activate during times of stress, crisis, and emotional overwhelm. Rooted in our earliest life experiences, these patterns often run automatically—guiding how we respond, react, and cope without conscious awareness.
Through the lens of a recent family medical emergency, Jessica shares how these ingrained responses—like self-sacrifice, emoti...
Are you feeling overwhelmed by chaos and confusion? Wondering how to stay grounded and make wise, conscious decisions amidst it all?
In this episode of the Evolving to Exceptional podcast, Jessica Tietjen delivers a powerful call to action for conscious leaders, growth-minded individuals, and anyone craving clarity and connection in today’s unpredictable world.
Jessica explores how chronic stress and survival instincts hijack...
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