January 3, 2024 • 36 mins
Description:
In this episode, join us for an insightful conversation with Susan Fronk, President and CEO of MRA. Get ready to kick-start your new year, as we explore trends, strategies, and expert insights that will define success in 2024. Whether you're a professional, entrepreneur, or anyone seeking to thrive in the fast-paced future, Susan shares invaluable advice for making 2024 your best year yet.
Resources:
2024 National Business Trends Survey
Let's Connect:
Guest LinkedIn Profile - Susan Fronk
Host LinkedIn Profile - Sophie Boler
Transcript:
Transcripts are computer generated -- not 100% accurate word-for-word.
00:00:00:00 - 00:00:21:04 Unknown Hello everybody and welcome to 30 minute Thrive, your go to podcast for anything and everything HR, powered by MRA, the Management Association. Looking to stay on top of the ever changing world of HR? MRA has got you covered. We'll be the first to tell you what's hot and what's not. I'm your host, Sophie Boler, and we are so glad you're here.
00:00:21:05 - 00:00:41:11 Unknown Now it's time to thrive. Well, hello, everybody, and thank you for joining us and happy New Year. And welcome back, Susan. Hey. Well, Susan, since your New Year podcast from last year is actually in our top ten podcasts of all time, we thought it would be great to really bring you back this year and share your insights for the coming year of 2024.
00:00:41:12 - 00:01:04:09 Unknown Yeah, I saw that, that it was in the top ten, but you know, sort of thing too much credit because I was one of the first podcasts. So it's top ten for a still call me season, right? Okay. But for those of you who may not know, Susan Fronk is MRA's president and CEO. And you're really here today to help you get your new year off to a great start, really help you and your business thrive.
00:01:04:11 - 00:01:31:17 Unknown So speaking of where to start, Susan, let's take a look at a recent national Business Trends survey from the Employers Association of America, the EAA. I know, Susan, you always talk about using data THRIVEn decisions and using those for results. So let's take a look at the results that we're seeing from the 2024 National Business Trends Survey. We know that the economy impacts everything every day, life in work.
00:01:31:19 - 00:01:58:05 Unknown So let's talk about the numbers for this year specifically. According to the survey, 67% of organizations say the economy will improve or stay the same. And that's an 18% increase from last year's report. So we're really seeing greater confidence in this year's economy. So my first question to you is, with business leaders feeling more confident, how will that impact employers for this year?
00:01:58:11 - 00:02:28:12 Unknown Sure. Well, first, a word about the National Business Trends survey and how relevant it is for our members. The EAA, the Employer Associatio
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
(00:04):
Hello everybody and welcome to 30 minuteThrive, your go to podcast for anything
and everything HR, powered by MRA,the Management Association.
Looking to stay on top of the everchanging world of HR?
MRA has got you covered.
We'll be the first to tell you what's hotand what's not.
I'm your host, Sophie Boler,and we are so glad you're here.
(00:25):
Now it's time to thrive.
Well, hello, everybody, and thank youfor joining us and happy New Year.
And welcome back, Susan. Hey.
Well, Susan,since your New Year podcast from last year
is actually in our topten podcasts of all time,
we thought it would be greatto really bring you back this year
and share your insightsfor the coming year of 2024.
(00:45):
Yeah, I saw that,that it was in the top ten, but you know,
sort of thing too much creditbecause I was one of the first podcasts.
So it's top ten for astill call me season, right?
Okay.
But for those of you who may not know,Susan
Fronk is MRA's president and CEO.
And you're really here today to helpyou get your new year off
to a great start,really help you and your business thrive.
(01:08):
So speaking of where to start, Susan,let's take a look at a recent national
Business Trends survey from the EmployersAssociation of America, the EAA.
I know, Susan,you always talk about using data
THRIVEn decisionsand using those for results.
So let's take a look at the resultsthat we're seeing from the 2024
(01:28):
National Business Trends Survey.
We know that the
economy impacts everythingevery day, life in work.
So let's talk about the numbersfor this year specifically.
According to the survey,67% of organizations
say the economy will improveor stay the same.
And that's an 18%increase from last year's report.
(01:50):
So we're really seeing greater confidence in this year's economy.
So my first question to you is,with business leaders
feeling more confident, how will thatimpact employers for this year?
Sure.
Well,first, a word about the National Business
Trends surveyand how relevant it is for our members.
(02:11):
The EAA,the Employer Associations of America.
Organizations like us across the country.
So employers of all sizesin all industries
and tens of thousands of employers.
So this survey is really reflective
of kind of coast to coast thinkingin how they're planning for the next year.
(02:32):
And you're right,there is a greater confidence
that business will at least stay the same
or improve in the year ahead.
And that's greatbecause where confidence goes,
usually productionfollows, sales follow and hiring follows.
So I knowwe're going to get into that, but
(02:53):
that's kind of a mixed blessing.
So hiring is still really tough.
When you look at the comfortindex in production and sales
and where companies are going, that meansthere will be investments, investments
made in their companies, in mergersand acquisitions, plant expansions,
maybe more experimentation and innovation
(03:15):
as well as additional hiring.
Yeah, absolutely.
And according to the businessTrends survey, 52% of employers
here in the Midwestare looking to hire permanent staff.
So when it comes to hiringand recruiting for 2024,
what suggestions do you have for employersout there?
Really? Sure.
Generally, when I'm talking with members,whether those are
(03:39):
our constituents or the C-suite,
they are still having great difficulty
finding qualified experience hires.
So if you think of hiringas filling positions
and not just hiring somebodyfrom outside the organization
and bringing them in,it may make a little more sense.
And that's some of the creative Dthat I see.
(04:02):
Employers are not necessarilylooking for that needle in a haystack.
Well, they certainly are,but they're also saying,
who in my organization
may have the ambitionand the skills and characteristics
to move up and what kind of development
most training and professional experienceswould I need to give them
(04:24):
to grow them into that position?
If you can't buy it, meaning hire,
you've got to make it and that'll develop.
Yeah, absolutely.
And we'll talk a little bit more later, especially on emerging leaders and
from a CEO perspective,what qualities and characteristics
do you specifically look forin those emerging leaders?
(04:46):
We'll talk more later.
But Susan Talent acquisition TAhas been a serious challenge
for employer employers in the past yearand this year looking ahead.
So let's talk about whatexecutives identified as some other top
challenges of this year.
Talent acquisition was top at 50 to 2%,
but also making the top five listwas cybersecurity at 44%.
(05:10):
Talent retention also at 44%,
inflation coming in at 41%.
And then developing future leaders,as you've mentioned, at 34%.
Looking at that, cybersecurity is new on this list for this year
and really an issuetop of mind for executives And,
you know, all employers.
(05:30):
What are you hearing fromother organizations
in business leaders overall on how
what they are doing to increasecybersecurity?
Sure.
And it's coming up in many businessconversations.
Before we move to thatwith your commission,
Sophie, could I circle back to the talent,get perhaps a lesson?
Because the survey did highlightsome things
(05:52):
that I think are worth underscoringin this conversation.
One is that compensation,as a starting wage went up.
No surprise there,but also that the ranges of the jobs
themselves have been adjusted upward
in the majority of organizations.
And again, no surprise with inflation
(06:15):
being kind of break away in 2022
and maybe moderating a bit in 2023,
just that those are table stakes.
Right.
We all know that compensation alone
isn't a satisfying necessarily,but it's a dissatisfying.
So what I mean by that is if you don'tget it right, people will leave.
(06:37):
But even if you have it right,meaning that you pay competitively
and you know what the market pay isand your benefits are appropriate,
the right amount of paid time off,
just the fact that you get that right,those are table stakes.
That doesn't mean people won't leave.
You have to have culture and environmentand professional growth
and development opportunities as well.
The innovation is just the doubling downon the fact that it is a total package
(07:01):
and human resources is rightat the center of that and leadership
conversation to say, here's
here'show we have to touch all those bases.
So pay alone will get you there.
But you do have to knowhow your jobs stack up to off.
And I think business leaders may say
(07:22):
this job titleand what does this job title pay?
That almost doesn't matterbecause titles are just that.
You have to really look
at the responsibilitiesand the role itself and the job duties
to make sure that you'recomparing apples to.
Absolutely. Thank you for circling back.
Sure. Yeah.
I think that was an important point,and I neglected to say that originally.
(07:44):
Absolutely.
If you asked me about cybersecurity. Yes.
Well,
I think it is a big question.
It's like describing theyou and I am no cybersecurity expert,
but I do have the catbird seat,I guess I would say, and I always feel
honored to have those conversationswith so many business leaders.
(08:06):
But our members do shareconfidential information with us,
and cybersecurityis keeping people up at night.
It can ruin a businessin the blink of an eye.
Before I get to a coupleof recommendations that I would make
as a layperson,not as a cybersecurity expert,
but as a business leader, that that doeshave this advantage
(08:27):
of talking with a lot of othersmart business leaders.
Anecdotally, I happen to be
in Las Vegaslast fall for my husband's birthday,
and it was during the MGM
data breach and Hurd worldwide,everybody was talking about it
because they decided not to play ballwith the threat actors.
(08:50):
And there are a thousand decisionsthat businesses need
to make about cybersecurity.
But one of them isam I going to capitulate,
potentially pay ransom, tryto secure my data and hope and pray that
that the bad right.
You're going to honor their word,which is interesting all by itself mean
(09:11):
you trust in criminalsto do what they say.
That makes no sense.
But then the other branch is to say,forget it.
I'm going to take what comes right.
And what was so unique about the MGM?
Brett breach is that just prior to that,the whole Caesars
Entertainment family worldwide was in it.
(09:32):
They paid a seven figure ransom.
Whether that was there's two huge
hospitality, gaming,entertainment, playing in the same space,
trying to attract the same customersin the same industry.
And they went in it very different ways.
So I guess an umbrella isyou have to know your own company,
(09:54):
your own culture,your appetite for risk, and
that the
subject matter expertsyou've got on hand and higher
tech to move you through any threat,hopefully to prevent a threat.
And then what's the fallout?
Can your company with stand whatever it is
(10:15):
from your employees, from your customers,from your vendors who say,
maybe I don't trust you as much anymore,
So now two organizations, very similar,
could have been brought to their knees,
and I witnessed itstaying at an MGM property.
My husbandand I saw it was basically shut down.
(10:38):
They must have lost millionsand millions every day.
So just having that kind of ringside seat
and talking to who I could.
Dealers and Uber THRIVErs.
Yeah, customer service people,
they highlighted the factthat it was really only one employee
(10:59):
who unintentionally who
did a very bad and reckless thingagainst the training that he'd had,
which brought the company to its knees,
and that because they were networkedso thoroughly
at all of their propertiesworldwide for economy and efficiencies,
a scalability, knowledgeand interest locking this out.
(11:22):
It also was once somebodygot in their room, they got in every.
So how does that relate to our members
here in the Midwest,wherever you happen to be?
It's that employee training is an absolute
again, just
(11:43):
ticket to the show.
If you're going to be in business today,you have to realize
the threat really is everywhereand your employees,
advertently or inadvertentlyare likely going to be the access point.
So train your employees and keep training
(12:03):
and keep trainingand can don't take no for an answer.
You just have to have that level of
knowledge of what the risk is out there
and and how they could jeopardizeyour organization.
It's one thing. The second thing is
I would really
advocate for an independent outside
(12:26):
audit of all of your systems.
Yes, it takes time and yes,it costs money,
but they will highlight
areas of opportunity, areas of risk.
Can I give you a report cardand a game plan to say
if this is your report card,where you're strong and where you're weak,
(12:49):
here are some gaps.
Here are some systems or practices
that make you vulnerable.
The devil you knowis better than the devil you don't.
And then you can address those gapsthat an outside third party,
nothing in the game has identified to helpmake your company stronger.
(13:10):
And it isn't a one and done sort of thing.
I undertook one in 2020 and againin 2022.
We plan to do it again next year.
So that's just like
maintenance review.
You do what you can and that doesn't
that, that doesn't ensureyou're not going to have a problem, right?
(13:30):
It just maybe reduces the likelihood.
So those two things extensive of ongoing
kind of black and whiteemployee training must do it.
And secondand a regular practice of outside
objective audits of your systemsso that you can
(13:52):
become stronger and less vulnerable.
Absolutely.Those are great takeaways, Suzanne.
And I appreciate the examples, too,that came with it
was very interestingto watch in real time.
Cybersecurity has beenone of our was highly requested
topics coming from our 30 minuteThrive listeners.
So I'm glad we can address that today.
(14:12):
Well, I'm not a cybersecurity expert.
I would suggestwe get some for future podcasts.
We will really dig into it. Absolutely.
Another topicthat's been very highly requested is I
we have a couple episodes out thereif you'd like to go in depth about A.I..
But Suzanne, I guess I'm curious from yourperspective how you feel about a A.I.
(14:36):
in HR overall,
MRA's first stepsto kind of incorporate air in our company.
I'm sure just kind of brieflytouch on that.
I will.
I wouldn't say thatwe're ahead of the game.
I would say we're writing this tsunamiwith most of the organizations
out there and learning as best as we canso we understand not only do
(15:00):
we need to get it rightand become more knowledgeable
about our own servicesand how we're going to offer,
connect with produce what we do,
and that our members are 4000
strong, are turning to us to say,What should I be concerned about?
And specifically,I guess as it pertains to human resources.
(15:23):
So my thought is there is no
there is no value in saying aAI is bad, more A.I.
is dangerous.
It can be in the wrong hands.
And without a plan.
But I just is it is coming on strong.
So it's not it'snot an argument to be debated.
(15:46):
It's a fact to be managed
and wrestled with and resolved.
And as best as each company can. So
what do I think the impact on
each I would be,I think is going to be huge.
I'm making this big universal statementwithout a lot of detail under it.
(16:07):
But we're learning,as I said, as fast as we can.
This practice might workfor our members too.
We have developed last yearwe developed an AI task force
so people internal, aided
by some external experts
that would just make us smarter,that would take a look at it
(16:28):
and study it regularly and carved outa bit in their time and their goals
to be help us elevate our skillswith regard to artificial intelligence,
not necessarilydeciding what our projects would be
because it's a small group of people,but elevating the knowledge
of our leader team, our employeesin general, our senior leaders,
(16:50):
and to say, here's what we're learningand to keep that in front of us
so that we can make good decisionsabout both internal and external
offerings, program services and expertisewe may do, I will say, one thing.
I strongly recommend that every companywho is trying to get their arms around
AI and who isn't, thatthey start with something that sounds like
(17:13):
you're putting on the brakesbefore you even get in the car, which is
data governance policy,
because every
company has employees,whether you know it or not,
who are already working with A.I.,It could be in a side hustle.
It could be that they're using itfor what they do for your organization
(17:35):
and you just don't know it.
Or it could be that innocently.
They're just one of those early adoptersthat are saying,
Well, I'm just going to experiment throughhaving listened to some outside experts
and some people in the legal realmwho talk about copyright and
many other legal issues,I guess I would just say
(17:57):
help your employees be the bestthey can be
by having a data policy and guidelines
that give them the parameters.
So you want to make sure you knowwhat's going on in your organization
so you can make sureyou don't get in trouble.
But also you want
(18:18):
to make sure that it's a conversationdaily, weekly, ongoing,
so that you can harness whoeveris an early adopter and excited about it
and use that to help furtherwhatever you're trying to do.
So it's really going to impactand this is just fundamental,
you know, the basic knowledge of of things
I've seen, it's really goingto impact the employment world,
(18:40):
how you hire and attract source,bring on board employees.
Absolutely.
So HR needs to get its arms around that
second thought.
When you think about marketing productionand content production
communications, it'sreally going to impact that as well.
(19:01):
I would never put something out there
written by a guy who.
What is that and who is that?
You know, the the very old adage garbagein, garbage out applies might
be more garbage, might be digital garbage,but it could still be art.
So that
I almost think
artificial intelligence,I'm never going to change the title.
(19:24):
That is what it is universally,
but it's almost like it should be calledaugmented in time.
Just plainly put a computer brainis helping humans do their job better.
So you augment how you do your jobwith artificial intelligence.
So artificialalways kind of gives me the creeps,
but neither it's real or it's not rightand it's real.
(19:47):
So I wouldI would say you want to use augmented
and I like the do your job from the heardit here first.
All right.We're changing artificial intelligence.
Right.
It's just you know, it's not even 9 a.m..
We're getting things done.
Get things that I would just addto that, too, from the conversations
that I've had with some subjectmatter experts
(20:10):
specifically on AIand how it will affect the workforce.
And each are specifically
I feel like they're seeing that A.I.
is going to help with operationaland more routine tasks.
And that's going to leave HR Professionalsand professionals in general
more roomto focus on the strategic planning tasks
(20:31):
that maybe they don't have enough time onright now.
That's well said.
And i think HRPeople should be excited about that.
But first, it's scary.
Before you get excited about saidyou first have to get your arms around it
and know how i'm going to harness itand you don't left behind and and and and
though I do think it could help
(20:53):
HR People focus onthe more strategic conceptual things
and getting more routinetasks out of the way.
It won't stop there, though.
I think that's a bridge to to somethingeven bigger.
Yeah, absolutely. Well,thank you for those recommendations.
In fact,we have a hot topic survey coming out
very soon on ai in the workplace,so stay tuned for that.
(21:18):
And if you want to learn moreabout how I will affect
your workplace in HR specifically,
that hot topic surveyis going to be coming out
next week, actually,so the week of January 7th.
And we will also have a podcast covering
those results of survey results.
But so, Susan, let's talkmore about some other business
(21:41):
trends, survey results here toour attention was among the top business
challenges for 2023 and heading into 2024.
So what are organizations doing nowto really retain top talent once hired?
There's very little like earth shakingand VR and tremendously different.
(22:01):
But I can say again with the confidence
of thousands of employers weighing in,
that some fundamentals that again
put it, are right in the middleof that business conversation session.
You need to be an employer of choice.
You need to be an employer that competesnot just on
being in the top of the range
(22:23):
you need to pay competitively,as we've determined.
But there are so many other things.
And one of those other thingsthat is trending more strongly
isn't new, but trending much more alongstrongly is learning in growth.
How how are you goingto take a new employee,
an existing employee,a long service employee, and continue
(22:46):
to give them opportunities to learnand to grow in your organization,
that that deserves
more time and attentionon a regular basis?
Then then most of us either
devote to because you'rethere's a crush of other things to do,
or maybe we don't realizejust how important it has become and
(23:13):
the talent shortage
and the fact that employers are looking
to hire more in a stronger economy
and those people just don't always exist.
And so for self-preservationas well as for growth,
you really need to keenly focus on career
(23:35):
paths and opportunitiesto develop your current team.
That doesn't meanyou all have to create a university.
That doesn't mean you need to havea ladder, a and a ladder being a ladder.
I guess it would be the other wayaround. Let's see.
Matter be ladder.
But in some organizationsthat makes sense.
Maybe more of a manufacturingorganization, but it does mean the quality
(24:00):
of supervision and management,the quality of those conversations
are really importantso that that employee knows.
All right.
The job to which I aspire
or the pay that I'd like to earn someday
is achievable with these steps.
(24:20):
My employer is going to do thesethree things and I'm going to do these
five things and we're going to arriveat this happy destination together.
So spending more time
and thoughtfulconsideration of each employee's
career path, no matterthe job, is really trending strongly.
(24:41):
And that's not going to changeas the talent
market stays really challenging,
challenging in that there just aren't
enough experienced,qualified candidates out there.
And even at the very entry level
or new to the job market
(25:02):
range, I'm not letting
those great employeesget away and happy somewhere else.
Absolutely.
And I have a follow up question for that.
Then,
in addition to,
like you said, table stakes,the competitive wages we've seen variable
pay has also come into playto overcome these
(25:23):
recruiting and retention challenges.
Are you seeing
any incentives
used by our membersor other organizations, employers
with variable pay to kind of overcomethe retention challenge?
Sure.
I'll give you whatwe've learned from our survey
(25:44):
and then I'll give youa little Susan Twist, because, well,
my opinion doesn't always carry the day,but we want to hear it.
Well, it is what it is.
What I think would work if you had anorganization that you started from scratch
with people that you were able to select
(26:05):
carefully and grow the way you wanted to.
You would treat everybodyin a very custom way.
Your best employees would get 10% raises
and you, your average steady,
at ease would get far less than that,and you wouldn't have
(26:26):
poor quality employees.
And in real world that doesn't exist.
But I do see to sell them
that employers usewhatever matrix they have for
pay and benefits, they use it to
too much the same year.
(26:46):
At the end of the day,what is the difference
to you or to me or to anyone?
You know the differencebetween a 2.7 raise and a 3% raise.
It just isn't meaningful.
So if you really want to keep that betteremployee,
what is meaningful for great performance.
(27:08):
So again,that's the real trend with my twist using
HR Being very nimble
and able to
layer on its policies and practices
not as consistentlymaybe as a lifetime has taught us.
You need to treat everybody the same.
(27:29):
Not necessarily.
You need to have businessjustified reasons for doing that.
You need to make sureit's tied to documented
perform means but achievement of goals.
Those employees who truly are headand shoulders above, they're going
to go elsewhere in this marketunless you do treat them differently.
Ways that you can do that.
(27:50):
Variable variable pay tied to performance,
not universal bonuses, but those that say
if the company achieves this,then we all get that.
That means gain sharing,Whatever you call it, it's gain sharing.
Second would be if you in this roleachieve this, you're going to get this.
(28:11):
Those things benefit the organizationand they will lift all boats instead of
variable pay that
isn't as tightly tiedfor goal achievement.
And again,that brings the spotlight right down
on the quality of managementin supervision.
Are your managers and supervisors
(28:32):
savvy, trained and strong enough to say,
Sophie,
here's where you hit your goals.
Here's where you missed your goal.
Here'swhat that earned in our variable pay plan
and here's what you going to do next year.
That should be a dialog.
Usually saying that's achievablemight be a stretch goal, but I can do it.
(28:54):
Not pie in the sky.
What are you talking about?I could never do that.
So it should feel like a partnership,
but it should also feel like a stretch
and your manager has to be able
anyone's manager has to be able to say,Great job or here's the gap.
(29:15):
And that's saying a lot.
If you're not going to use thingsvery consistently
which can water down performanceif you treat everybody the same,
the great performers say, What the heck?
Why should I tie on my son Jr's every dayand run at 100 miles an hour
when he is and she isand they are running at 50 miles an hour?
(29:37):
No, you know, why would I do that?
It tends to it tends to breed mediocrityinstead of excellence.
So the key to that
is high quality management and supervisionand the ability to have conversations
in a partnership wayso that people understand,
here's how I can excel, here'show I can earn that variable pay,
(30:01):
and here's, you know, what caringwhat I do to improve.
If that was Susan's twist,that makes sense.
Yeah,
but it doesn't exist.
It doesn't reflect.
Well, Susan kind of rounding out the topfive challenges
from this year'ssurvey is developing future leaders.
So I know we touched on this briefly,but what recommendations do you have
(30:24):
for developing an organization's upand coming leaders or emerging leaders?
I would say, well, one of them,I think, is what I just touched on
with regard to variable pay.
People workfor intrinsic feeling of accomplishment.
That's true.
I think if you hire good employees,they want they come in saying,
I want to do a good jobbecause that's just how I'm wound.
(30:46):
That's my theory.
But let's not make the mistake that
an achievement is an importantand compensation isn't important.
And recognitionand rewards are an important and
I'm probably wound a little differentlythat way.
I'm not saying intergenerational,but it tends to be in that
(31:11):
newer workers in the workplace
just need more care and developmentand to feel a part of the team.
And I think sometimes longerservice workers missed that.
By missed that,I mean don't recognize that enough.
Don't think about it often enough.
Not out of bad intention, butbecause that's not what they experienced.
(31:33):
So so you don't want to allowthat disconnect to become pervasive
in your company.
You want to make sure it's fluidand organic is a word I like to use there,
meaning it's growing and changingall the time and it's an in an into flow
of information going back and forth,people communicating about what they need
and what they want and what they haveand they like and what they don't like.
(31:57):
I mean, then you can respond to itback to the career passing.
Just make sure that's partof your performance system.
Whatever your performance system is,it isn't just about goals, it's
about what's next and where you want to goand what you want to achieve
and and help with how you get there.
(32:17):
So if any employee is willing to say,I want to grow my job
and I'm willingto put in these things, room
managers should want to workwith them all day long.
It's great advice.
Well, common sense, right?
Well, Susan, unfortunately,we're running out of time here.
But I know we asked this questiona lot to our members,
(32:40):
but now I'm curious to knowwhat keeps you up at night, Susan,
looking forward into the future, 2024for business?
Well, thanks, Sophia.
You you actually gave me some nightmares
during this conversationbecause most things.
Yeah, this is what I'm you.
You you touched on two of them
(33:00):
because they're so externalto an organization.
I think many leadersand I like to feel that I really know
how to run this businessand that I communicate with this team
really well that youthat you know where we are financially.
You know what our goals are.
(33:20):
Our strategic placementis tucked up in your cubicle, whatever,
you know, where we're going.
But cybersecurityand artificial intelligence
that aretiger by the tail, both of those things,
you can do everything right
and not see the train coming on the track.
(33:41):
So again, businesspeople are paid to square their shoulders
and say, how do I how do I capitalizeon those opportunities?
Not how do I run afraid from them?
What your question was,what keeps me up at night?
I would say it's those two things,among others,
because they are so externalto minimization.
(34:02):
They are so foreign and fast
moving and in the hands of other people
and things and technology that today
a few of us are expert in.
So so that's what keeps me up at night.
And that's why through our conversationI highlighted
(34:23):
just the fundamentals of policy governancepractice.
Outside audits, you do what you canand then hopefully you can just
put your head down on the pillow and sleepbecause you've done what you can.
That doesn't meanit will protect or be perfect
or optimize artificial intelligencethe impact on your business.
But you can't be an ostrich eitherand stick your head in the sand
(34:47):
and just say, I hope it doesn't impact mefor two years or five years.
It will come in my CEO roundtable.
We talked about cybersecurityand there were 14 really smart
business leaders, owners in the room,
and four of them had had data incidents,
let's call it threat actors
(35:09):
attack their business.
So four out of 14 just in the last year,
it's not if, but when.
So make yourself as bulletproofas possible.
Absolutely.
And we have resourceslinked in the charts below.
You can also find them at MRA Talk.
(35:31):
But Susan, we wrap up here.
Any last thoughts,any words of inspiration for the new year,
your mike drop moment here?
I'll tell you what I told my employeesand my partner over the holidays.
Bring it on, We’re Ready! I love it.I need to.
I'm excited. Perfect. Well,thank you, Susan.
I really appreciate you coming on.
And I appreciate your leadershiphere, too.
(35:53):
Like I mentioned,we have resources in the show
notes below,so make sure to refer back to those.
They are also foundon our website, mranet.org.
And thank you so much for listeningand tuning in today.
We hope you have a great New Yearin a successful New Year
and we are always here to help.
So thank you again, Susan. Happy New Year.
(36:14):
And that wraps up our contentfor this episode.
Be sure to reference the show noteswhere you can sign them to connect.
For more podcast updates,
check out other Amari episodeson your favorite podcast platform.
And as always, make sure to follow MRA's30 minutes THRIVE
so you don't miss out.Thanks for tuning in
and we'll see you next Wednesdayto carry on the conversation.
Hello everybody and welcome to 30 minuteThrive, your go to podcast for anything
and everything HR, powered by MRA,the Management Association.
Looking to stay on top of the everchanging world of HR?
MRA has got you covered.
We'll be the first to tell you what's hotand what's not.
I'm your host, Sophie Boler,and we are so glad you're here.
(00:25):
Now it's time to thrive.
Well, hello, everybody, and thank youfor joining us and happy New Year.
And welcome back, Susan. Hey.
Well, Susan,since your New Year podcast from last year
is actually in our topten podcasts of all time,
we thought it would be greatto really bring you back this year
and share your insightsfor the coming year of 2024.
(00:45):
Yeah, I saw that,that it was in the top ten, but you know,
sort of thing too much creditbecause I was one of the first podcasts.
So it's top ten for astill call me season, right?
Okay.
But for those of you who may not know,Susan
Fronk is MRA's president and CEO.
And you're really here today to helpyou get your new year off
to a great start,really help you and your business thrive.
(01:08):
So speaking of where to start, Susan,let's take a look at a recent national
Business Trends survey from the EmployersAssociation of America, the EAA.
I know, Susan,you always talk about using data
THRIVEn decisionsand using those for results.
So let's take a look at the resultsthat we're seeing from the 2024
(01:28):
National Business Trends Survey.
We know that the
economy impacts everythingevery day, life in work.
So let's talk about the numbersfor this year specifically.
According to the survey,67% of organizations
say the economy will improveor stay the same.
And that's an 18%increase from last year's report.
(01:50):
So we're really seeing greater confidence in this year's economy.
So my first question to you is,with business leaders
feeling more confident, how will thatimpact employers for this year?
Sure.
Well,first, a word about the National Business
Trends surveyand how relevant it is for our members.
(02:11):
The EAA,the Employer Associations of America.
Organizations like us across the country.
So employers of all sizesin all industries
and tens of thousands of employers.
So this survey is really reflective
of kind of coast to coast thinkingin how they're planning for the next year.
(02:32):
And you're right,there is a greater confidence
that business will at least stay the same
or improve in the year ahead.
And that's greatbecause where confidence goes,
usually productionfollows, sales follow and hiring follows.
So I knowwe're going to get into that, but
(02:53):
that's kind of a mixed blessing.
So hiring is still really tough.
When you look at the comfortindex in production and sales
and where companies are going, that meansthere will be investments, investments
made in their companies, in mergersand acquisitions, plant expansions,
maybe more experimentation and innovation
(03:15):
as well as additional hiring.
Yeah, absolutely.
And according to the businessTrends survey, 52% of employers
here in the Midwestare looking to hire permanent staff.
So when it comes to hiringand recruiting for 2024,
what suggestions do you have for employersout there?
Really? Sure.
Generally, when I'm talking with members,whether those are
(03:39):
our constituents or the C-suite,
they are still having great difficulty
finding qualified experience hires.
So if you think of hiringas filling positions
and not just hiring somebodyfrom outside the organization
and bringing them in,it may make a little more sense.
And that's some of the creative Dthat I see.
(04:02):
Employers are not necessarilylooking for that needle in a haystack.
Well, they certainly are,but they're also saying,
who in my organization
may have the ambitionand the skills and characteristics
to move up and what kind of development
most training and professional experienceswould I need to give them
(04:24):
to grow them into that position?
If you can't buy it, meaning hire,
you've got to make it and that'll develop.
Yeah, absolutely.
And we'll talk a little bit more later, especially on emerging leaders and
from a CEO perspective,what qualities and characteristics
do you specifically look forin those emerging leaders?
(04:46):
We'll talk more later.
But Susan Talent acquisition TAhas been a serious challenge
for employer employers in the past yearand this year looking ahead.
So let's talk about whatexecutives identified as some other top
challenges of this year.
Talent acquisition was top at 50 to 2%,
but also making the top five listwas cybersecurity at 44%.
(05:10):
Talent retention also at 44%,
inflation coming in at 41%.
And then developing future leaders,as you've mentioned, at 34%.
Looking at that, cybersecurity is new on this list for this year
and really an issuetop of mind for executives And,
you know, all employers.
(05:30):
What are you hearing fromother organizations
in business leaders overall on how
what they are doing to increasecybersecurity?
Sure.
And it's coming up in many businessconversations.
Before we move to thatwith your commission,
Sophie, could I circle back to the talent,get perhaps a lesson?
Because the survey did highlightsome things
(05:52):
that I think are worth underscoringin this conversation.
One is that compensation,as a starting wage went up.
No surprise there,but also that the ranges of the jobs
themselves have been adjusted upward
in the majority of organizations.
And again, no surprise with inflation
(06:15):
being kind of break away in 2022
and maybe moderating a bit in 2023,
just that those are table stakes.
Right.
We all know that compensation alone
isn't a satisfying necessarily,but it's a dissatisfying.
So what I mean by that is if you don'tget it right, people will leave.
(06:37):
But even if you have it right,meaning that you pay competitively
and you know what the market pay isand your benefits are appropriate,
the right amount of paid time off,
just the fact that you get that right,those are table stakes.
That doesn't mean people won't leave.
You have to have culture and environmentand professional growth
and development opportunities as well.
The innovation is just the doubling downon the fact that it is a total package
(07:01):
and human resources is rightat the center of that and leadership
conversation to say, here's
here'show we have to touch all those bases.
So pay alone will get you there.
But you do have to knowhow your jobs stack up to off.
And I think business leaders may say
(07:22):
this job titleand what does this job title pay?
That almost doesn't matterbecause titles are just that.
You have to really look
at the responsibilitiesand the role itself and the job duties
to make sure that you'recomparing apples to.
Absolutely. Thank you for circling back.
Sure. Yeah.
I think that was an important point,and I neglected to say that originally.
(07:44):
Absolutely.
If you asked me about cybersecurity. Yes.
Well,
I think it is a big question.
It's like describing theyou and I am no cybersecurity expert,
but I do have the catbird seat,I guess I would say, and I always feel
honored to have those conversationswith so many business leaders.
(08:06):
But our members do shareconfidential information with us,
and cybersecurityis keeping people up at night.
It can ruin a businessin the blink of an eye.
Before I get to a coupleof recommendations that I would make
as a layperson,not as a cybersecurity expert,
but as a business leader, that that doeshave this advantage
(08:27):
of talking with a lot of othersmart business leaders.
Anecdotally, I happen to be
in Las Vegaslast fall for my husband's birthday,
and it was during the MGM
data breach and Hurd worldwide,everybody was talking about it
because they decided not to play ballwith the threat actors.
(08:50):
And there are a thousand decisionsthat businesses need
to make about cybersecurity.
But one of them isam I going to capitulate,
potentially pay ransom, tryto secure my data and hope and pray that
that the bad right.
You're going to honor their word,which is interesting all by itself mean
(09:11):
you trust in criminalsto do what they say.
That makes no sense.
But then the other branch is to say,forget it.
I'm going to take what comes right.
And what was so unique about the MGM?
Brett breach is that just prior to that,the whole Caesars
Entertainment family worldwide was in it.
(09:32):
They paid a seven figure ransom.
Whether that was there's two huge
hospitality, gaming,entertainment, playing in the same space,
trying to attract the same customersin the same industry.
And they went in it very different ways.
So I guess an umbrella isyou have to know your own company,
(09:54):
your own culture,your appetite for risk, and
that the
subject matter expertsyou've got on hand and higher
tech to move you through any threat,hopefully to prevent a threat.
And then what's the fallout?
Can your company with stand whatever it is
(10:15):
from your employees, from your customers,from your vendors who say,
maybe I don't trust you as much anymore,
So now two organizations, very similar,
could have been brought to their knees,
and I witnessed itstaying at an MGM property.
My husbandand I saw it was basically shut down.
(10:38):
They must have lost millionsand millions every day.
So just having that kind of ringside seat
and talking to who I could.
Dealers and Uber THRIVErs.
Yeah, customer service people,
they highlighted the factthat it was really only one employee
(10:59):
who unintentionally who
did a very bad and reckless thingagainst the training that he'd had,
which brought the company to its knees,
and that because they were networkedso thoroughly
at all of their propertiesworldwide for economy and efficiencies,
a scalability, knowledgeand interest locking this out.
(11:22):
It also was once somebodygot in their room, they got in every.
So how does that relate to our members
here in the Midwest,wherever you happen to be?
It's that employee training is an absolute
again, just
(11:43):
ticket to the show.
If you're going to be in business today,you have to realize
the threat really is everywhereand your employees,
advertently or inadvertentlyare likely going to be the access point.
So train your employees and keep training
(12:03):
and keep trainingand can don't take no for an answer.
You just have to have that level of
knowledge of what the risk is out there
and and how they could jeopardizeyour organization.
It's one thing. The second thing is
I would really
advocate for an independent outside
(12:26):
audit of all of your systems.
Yes, it takes time and yes,it costs money,
but they will highlight
areas of opportunity, areas of risk.
Can I give you a report cardand a game plan to say
if this is your report card,where you're strong and where you're weak,
(12:49):
here are some gaps.
Here are some systems or practices
that make you vulnerable.
The devil you knowis better than the devil you don't.
And then you can address those gapsthat an outside third party,
nothing in the game has identified to helpmake your company stronger.
(13:10):
And it isn't a one and done sort of thing.
I undertook one in 2020 and againin 2022.
We plan to do it again next year.
So that's just like
maintenance review.
You do what you can and that doesn't
that, that doesn't ensureyou're not going to have a problem, right?
(13:30):
It just maybe reduces the likelihood.
So those two things extensive of ongoing
kind of black and whiteemployee training must do it.
And secondand a regular practice of outside
objective audits of your systemsso that you can
(13:52):
become stronger and less vulnerable.
Absolutely.Those are great takeaways, Suzanne.
And I appreciate the examples, too,that came with it
was very interestingto watch in real time.
Cybersecurity has beenone of our was highly requested
topics coming from our 30 minuteThrive listeners.
So I'm glad we can address that today.
(14:12):
Well, I'm not a cybersecurity expert.
I would suggestwe get some for future podcasts.
We will really dig into it. Absolutely.
Another topicthat's been very highly requested is I
we have a couple episodes out thereif you'd like to go in depth about A.I..
But Suzanne, I guess I'm curious from yourperspective how you feel about a A.I.
(14:36):
in HR overall,
MRA's first stepsto kind of incorporate air in our company.
I'm sure just kind of brieflytouch on that.
I will.
I wouldn't say thatwe're ahead of the game.
I would say we're writing this tsunamiwith most of the organizations
out there and learning as best as we canso we understand not only do
(15:00):
we need to get it rightand become more knowledgeable
about our own servicesand how we're going to offer,
connect with produce what we do,
and that our members are 4000
strong, are turning to us to say,What should I be concerned about?
And specifically,I guess as it pertains to human resources.
(15:23):
So my thought is there is no
there is no value in saying aAI is bad, more A.I.
is dangerous.
It can be in the wrong hands.
And without a plan.
But I just is it is coming on strong.
So it's not it'snot an argument to be debated.
(15:46):
It's a fact to be managed
and wrestled with and resolved.
And as best as each company can. So
what do I think the impact on
each I would be,I think is going to be huge.
I'm making this big universal statementwithout a lot of detail under it.
(16:07):
But we're learning,as I said, as fast as we can.
This practice might workfor our members too.
We have developed last yearwe developed an AI task force
so people internal, aided
by some external experts
that would just make us smarter,that would take a look at it
(16:28):
and study it regularly and carved outa bit in their time and their goals
to be help us elevate our skillswith regard to artificial intelligence,
not necessarilydeciding what our projects would be
because it's a small group of people,but elevating the knowledge
of our leader team, our employeesin general, our senior leaders,
(16:50):
and to say, here's what we're learningand to keep that in front of us
so that we can make good decisionsabout both internal and external
offerings, program services and expertisewe may do, I will say, one thing.
I strongly recommend that every companywho is trying to get their arms around
AI and who isn't, thatthey start with something that sounds like
(17:13):
you're putting on the brakesbefore you even get in the car, which is
data governance policy,
because every
company has employees,whether you know it or not,
who are already working with A.I.,It could be in a side hustle.
It could be that they're using itfor what they do for your organization
(17:35):
and you just don't know it.
Or it could be that innocently.
They're just one of those early adoptersthat are saying,
Well, I'm just going to experiment throughhaving listened to some outside experts
and some people in the legal realmwho talk about copyright and
many other legal issues,I guess I would just say
(17:57):
help your employees be the bestthey can be
by having a data policy and guidelines
that give them the parameters.
So you want to make sure you knowwhat's going on in your organization
so you can make sureyou don't get in trouble.
But also you want
(18:18):
to make sure that it's a conversationdaily, weekly, ongoing,
so that you can harness whoeveris an early adopter and excited about it
and use that to help furtherwhatever you're trying to do.
So it's really going to impactand this is just fundamental,
you know, the basic knowledge of of things
I've seen, it's really goingto impact the employment world,
(18:40):
how you hire and attract source,bring on board employees.
Absolutely.
So HR needs to get its arms around that
second thought.
When you think about marketing productionand content production
communications, it'sreally going to impact that as well.
(19:01):
I would never put something out there
written by a guy who.
What is that and who is that?
You know, the the very old adage garbagein, garbage out applies might
be more garbage, might be digital garbage,but it could still be art.
So that
I almost think
artificial intelligence,I'm never going to change the title.
(19:24):
That is what it is universally,
but it's almost like it should be calledaugmented in time.
Just plainly put a computer brainis helping humans do their job better.
So you augment how you do your jobwith artificial intelligence.
So artificialalways kind of gives me the creeps,
but neither it's real or it's not rightand it's real.
(19:47):
So I wouldI would say you want to use augmented
and I like the do your job from the heardit here first.
All right.We're changing artificial intelligence.
Right.
It's just you know, it's not even 9 a.m..
We're getting things done.
Get things that I would just addto that, too, from the conversations
that I've had with some subjectmatter experts
(20:10):
specifically on AIand how it will affect the workforce.
And each are specifically
I feel like they're seeing that A.I.
is going to help with operationaland more routine tasks.
And that's going to leave HR Professionalsand professionals in general
more roomto focus on the strategic planning tasks
(20:31):
that maybe they don't have enough time onright now.
That's well said.
And i think HRPeople should be excited about that.
But first, it's scary.
Before you get excited about saidyou first have to get your arms around it
and know how i'm going to harness itand you don't left behind and and and and
though I do think it could help
(20:53):
HR People focus onthe more strategic conceptual things
and getting more routinetasks out of the way.
It won't stop there, though.
I think that's a bridge to to somethingeven bigger.
Yeah, absolutely. Well,thank you for those recommendations.
In fact,we have a hot topic survey coming out
very soon on ai in the workplace,so stay tuned for that.
(21:18):
And if you want to learn moreabout how I will affect
your workplace in HR specifically,
that hot topic surveyis going to be coming out
next week, actually,so the week of January 7th.
And we will also have a podcast covering
those results of survey results.
But so, Susan, let's talkmore about some other business
(21:41):
trends, survey results here toour attention was among the top business
challenges for 2023 and heading into 2024.
So what are organizations doing nowto really retain top talent once hired?
There's very little like earth shakingand VR and tremendously different.
(22:01):
But I can say again with the confidence
of thousands of employers weighing in,
that some fundamentals that again
put it, are right in the middleof that business conversation session.
You need to be an employer of choice.
You need to be an employer that competesnot just on
being in the top of the range
(22:23):
you need to pay competitively,as we've determined.
But there are so many other things.
And one of those other thingsthat is trending more strongly
isn't new, but trending much more alongstrongly is learning in growth.
How how are you goingto take a new employee,
an existing employee,a long service employee, and continue
(22:46):
to give them opportunities to learnand to grow in your organization,
that that deserves
more time and attentionon a regular basis?
Then then most of us either
devote to because you'rethere's a crush of other things to do,
or maybe we don't realizejust how important it has become and
(23:13):
the talent shortage
and the fact that employers are looking
to hire more in a stronger economy
and those people just don't always exist.
And so for self-preservationas well as for growth,
you really need to keenly focus on career
(23:35):
paths and opportunitiesto develop your current team.
That doesn't meanyou all have to create a university.
That doesn't mean you need to havea ladder, a and a ladder being a ladder.
I guess it would be the other wayaround. Let's see.
Matter be ladder.
But in some organizationsthat makes sense.
Maybe more of a manufacturingorganization, but it does mean the quality
(24:00):
of supervision and management,the quality of those conversations
are really importantso that that employee knows.
All right.
The job to which I aspire
or the pay that I'd like to earn someday
is achievable with these steps.
(24:20):
My employer is going to do thesethree things and I'm going to do these
five things and we're going to arriveat this happy destination together.
So spending more time
and thoughtfulconsideration of each employee's
career path, no matterthe job, is really trending strongly.
(24:41):
And that's not going to changeas the talent
market stays really challenging,
challenging in that there just aren't
enough experienced,qualified candidates out there.
And even at the very entry level
or new to the job market
(25:02):
range, I'm not letting
those great employeesget away and happy somewhere else.
Absolutely.
And I have a follow up question for that.
Then,
in addition to,
like you said, table stakes,the competitive wages we've seen variable
pay has also come into playto overcome these
(25:23):
recruiting and retention challenges.
Are you seeing
any incentives
used by our membersor other organizations, employers
with variable pay to kind of overcomethe retention challenge?
Sure.
I'll give you whatwe've learned from our survey
(25:44):
and then I'll give youa little Susan Twist, because, well,
my opinion doesn't always carry the day,but we want to hear it.
Well, it is what it is.
What I think would work if you had anorganization that you started from scratch
with people that you were able to select
(26:05):
carefully and grow the way you wanted to.
You would treat everybodyin a very custom way.
Your best employees would get 10% raises
and you, your average steady,
at ease would get far less than that,and you wouldn't have
(26:26):
poor quality employees.
And in real world that doesn't exist.
But I do see to sell them
that employers usewhatever matrix they have for
pay and benefits, they use it to
too much the same year.
(26:46):
At the end of the day,what is the difference
to you or to me or to anyone?
You know the differencebetween a 2.7 raise and a 3% raise.
It just isn't meaningful.
So if you really want to keep that betteremployee,
what is meaningful for great performance.
(27:08):
So again,that's the real trend with my twist using
HR Being very nimble
and able to
layer on its policies and practices
not as consistentlymaybe as a lifetime has taught us.
You need to treat everybody the same.
(27:29):
Not necessarily.
You need to have businessjustified reasons for doing that.
You need to make sureit's tied to documented
perform means but achievement of goals.
Those employees who truly are headand shoulders above, they're going
to go elsewhere in this marketunless you do treat them differently.
Ways that you can do that.
(27:50):
Variable variable pay tied to performance,
not universal bonuses, but those that say
if the company achieves this,then we all get that.
That means gain sharing,Whatever you call it, it's gain sharing.
Second would be if you in this roleachieve this, you're going to get this.
(28:11):
Those things benefit the organizationand they will lift all boats instead of
variable pay that
isn't as tightly tiedfor goal achievement.
And again,that brings the spotlight right down
on the quality of managementin supervision.
Are your managers and supervisors
(28:32):
savvy, trained and strong enough to say,
Sophie,
here's where you hit your goals.
Here's where you missed your goal.
Here'swhat that earned in our variable pay plan
and here's what you going to do next year.
That should be a dialog.
Usually saying that's achievablemight be a stretch goal, but I can do it.
(28:54):
Not pie in the sky.
What are you talking about?I could never do that.
So it should feel like a partnership,
but it should also feel like a stretch
and your manager has to be able
anyone's manager has to be able to say,Great job or here's the gap.
(29:15):
And that's saying a lot.
If you're not going to use thingsvery consistently
which can water down performanceif you treat everybody the same,
the great performers say, What the heck?
Why should I tie on my son Jr's every dayand run at 100 miles an hour
when he is and she isand they are running at 50 miles an hour?
(29:37):
No, you know, why would I do that?
It tends to it tends to breed mediocrityinstead of excellence.
So the key to that
is high quality management and supervisionand the ability to have conversations
in a partnership wayso that people understand,
here's how I can excel, here'show I can earn that variable pay,
(30:01):
and here's, you know, what caringwhat I do to improve.
If that was Susan's twist,that makes sense.
Yeah,
but it doesn't exist.
It doesn't reflect.
Well, Susan kind of rounding out the topfive challenges
from this year'ssurvey is developing future leaders.
So I know we touched on this briefly,but what recommendations do you have
(30:24):
for developing an organization's upand coming leaders or emerging leaders?
I would say, well, one of them,I think, is what I just touched on
with regard to variable pay.
People workfor intrinsic feeling of accomplishment.
That's true.
I think if you hire good employees,they want they come in saying,
I want to do a good jobbecause that's just how I'm wound.
(30:46):
That's my theory.
But let's not make the mistake that
an achievement is an importantand compensation isn't important.
And recognitionand rewards are an important and
I'm probably wound a little differentlythat way.
I'm not saying intergenerational,but it tends to be in that
(31:11):
newer workers in the workplace
just need more care and developmentand to feel a part of the team.
And I think sometimes longerservice workers missed that.
By missed that,I mean don't recognize that enough.
Don't think about it often enough.
Not out of bad intention, butbecause that's not what they experienced.
(31:33):
So so you don't want to allowthat disconnect to become pervasive
in your company.
You want to make sure it's fluidand organic is a word I like to use there,
meaning it's growing and changingall the time and it's an in an into flow
of information going back and forth,people communicating about what they need
and what they want and what they haveand they like and what they don't like.
(31:57):
I mean, then you can respond to itback to the career passing.
Just make sure that's partof your performance system.
Whatever your performance system is,it isn't just about goals, it's
about what's next and where you want to goand what you want to achieve
and and help with how you get there.
(32:17):
So if any employee is willing to say,I want to grow my job
and I'm willingto put in these things, room
managers should want to workwith them all day long.
It's great advice.
Well, common sense, right?
Well, Susan, unfortunately,we're running out of time here.
But I know we asked this questiona lot to our members,
(32:40):
but now I'm curious to knowwhat keeps you up at night, Susan,
looking forward into the future, 2024for business?
Well, thanks, Sophia.
You you actually gave me some nightmares
during this conversationbecause most things.
Yeah, this is what I'm you.
You you touched on two of them
(33:00):
because they're so externalto an organization.
I think many leadersand I like to feel that I really know
how to run this businessand that I communicate with this team
really well that youthat you know where we are financially.
You know what our goals are.
(33:20):
Our strategic placementis tucked up in your cubicle, whatever,
you know, where we're going.
But cybersecurityand artificial intelligence
that aretiger by the tail, both of those things,
you can do everything right
and not see the train coming on the track.
(33:41):
So again, businesspeople are paid to square their shoulders
and say, how do I how do I capitalizeon those opportunities?
Not how do I run afraid from them?
What your question was,what keeps me up at night?
I would say it's those two things,among others,
because they are so externalto minimization.
(34:02):
They are so foreign and fast
moving and in the hands of other people
and things and technology that today
a few of us are expert in.
So so that's what keeps me up at night.
And that's why through our conversationI highlighted
(34:23):
just the fundamentals of policy governancepractice.
Outside audits, you do what you canand then hopefully you can just
put your head down on the pillow and sleepbecause you've done what you can.
That doesn't meanit will protect or be perfect
or optimize artificial intelligencethe impact on your business.
But you can't be an ostrich eitherand stick your head in the sand
(34:47):
and just say, I hope it doesn't impact mefor two years or five years.
It will come in my CEO roundtable.
We talked about cybersecurityand there were 14 really smart
business leaders, owners in the room,
and four of them had had data incidents,
let's call it threat actors
(35:09):
attack their business.
So four out of 14 just in the last year,
it's not if, but when.
So make yourself as bulletproofas possible.
Absolutely.
And we have resourceslinked in the charts below.
You can also find them at MRA Talk.
(35:31):
But Susan, we wrap up here.
Any last thoughts,any words of inspiration for the new year,
your mike drop moment here?
I'll tell you what I told my employeesand my partner over the holidays.
Bring it on, We’re Ready! I love it.I need to.
I'm excited. Perfect. Well,thank you, Susan.
I really appreciate you coming on.
And I appreciate your leadershiphere, too.
(35:53):
Like I mentioned,we have resources in the show
notes below,so make sure to refer back to those.
They are also foundon our website, mranet.org.
And thank you so much for listeningand tuning in today.
We hope you have a great New Yearin a successful New Year
and we are always here to help.
So thank you again, Susan. Happy New Year.
(36:14):
And that wraps up our contentfor this episode.
Be sure to reference the show noteswhere you can sign them to connect.
For more podcast updates,
check out other Amari episodeson your favorite podcast platform.
And as always, make sure to follow MRA's30 minutes THRIVE
so you don't miss out.Thanks for tuning in
and we'll see you next Wednesdayto carry on the conversation.
Popular Podcasts
On Purpose with Jay Shetty
I’m Jay Shetty host of On Purpose the worlds #1 Mental Health podcast and I’m so grateful you found us. I started this podcast 5 years ago to invite you into conversations and workshops that are designed to help make you happier, healthier and more healed. I believe that when you (yes you) feel seen, heard and understood you’re able to deal with relationship struggles, work challenges and life’s ups and downs with more ease and grace. I interview experts, celebrities, thought leaders and athletes so that we can grow our mindset, build better habits and uncover a side of them we’ve never seen before. New episodes every Monday and Friday. Your support means the world to me and I don’t take it for granted — click the follow button and leave a review to help us spread the love with On Purpose. I can’t wait for you to listen to your first or 500th episode!
Crime Junkie
Does hearing about a true crime case always leave you scouring the internet for the truth behind the story? Dive into your next mystery with Crime Junkie. Every Monday, join your host Ashley Flowers as she unravels all the details of infamous and underreported true crime cases with her best friend Brit Prawat. From cold cases to missing persons and heroes in our community who seek justice, Crime Junkie is your destination for theories and stories you won’t hear anywhere else. Whether you're a seasoned true crime enthusiast or new to the genre, you'll find yourself on the edge of your seat awaiting a new episode every Monday. If you can never get enough true crime... Congratulations, you’ve found your people. Follow to join a community of Crime Junkies! Crime Junkie is presented by audiochuck Media Company.
Ridiculous History
History is beautiful, brutal and, often, ridiculous. Join Ben Bowlin and Noel Brown as they dive into some of the weirdest stories from across the span of human civilization in Ridiculous History, a podcast by iHeartRadio.