91: Why Most Leaders Get HR Wrong and How To Fix It With Celeste Warren

What role should HR truly play inside organizations? Compliance police? Culture architects? Or trusted business partners? In this episode, Celeste Warren — Global HR and DEI leader, consultant, and author of The Truth About Equity — joins Sean to answer that question with 40 years of hard-won experience. 

Celeste shares her journey from leading HR and DEI at Merck to launching her own consultancy, and explains why equity is not a “nice-to-have” but a core business strategy. We dig into how HR can become a force multiplier, what inclusive leadership looks like in practice, and why today’s leaders must learn to facilitate hard conversations in an increasingly polarized world. 

If you’re leading people and shaping culture, this conversation gives you actionable strategies and a long-term playbook for equity that drives business results.

Main Topics & Timestamps

• [00:39] Celeste’s career journey — from Merck to launching her own practice
• [04:50] Why HR isn’t compliance police — it’s a strategic partner
• [09:29] The CEO–CHRO partnership and how culture flows from the top
• [14:23] Building influence as an HR leader — business acumen and persuasion
• [23:35] Why Celeste wrote The Truth About Equity — and why DEI is under attack
• [27:36] The pendulum swings: social activism, backlash, and the speed of change
• [35:58] HR’s role in building inclusive policies and guiding hard conversations
• [43:24] Why facilitating productive dialogue is now a core leadership skill
• [44:49] Where to find Celeste’s book, consulting, and YouTube channel

Links

• Celeste's website: crwdiversity.com
• Book: The Truth About Equity — Amazon link
• Celeste’s YouTube: Celeste Warren Equity
• Connect on LinkedIn: Celeste Warren
• Subscribe to Sean’s newsletter: www.nolimitleaders.com/growth

No Limit Leadership is the go-to podcast for growth-minded executives, middle managers, and team leaders who want more than surface-level leadership advice. Hosted by executive coach and former Special Forces commander Sean Patton, this show dives deep into modern leadership, self-leadership, and the real-world strategies that build high-performing teams. Whether you're focused on leadership development, building a coaching culture, improving leadership communication, or strengthening team accountability, each episode equips you with actionable insights to unlock leadership potential across your organization. From designing onboarding systems that retain talent to asking better questions that drive clarity and impact, No Limit Leadership helps you lead yourself first so you can lead others better. If you're ready to create a culture of ownership, resilience, and results, this leadership podcast is for you.