A Conversation With April Whitson, Global VP of HR, ABB
In this episode of The Failure Gap, Julie Williamson, Ph.D. speaks with April Whitson, VP of HR for ABB and author of The Stay Challenge. They discuss the critical role of leadership in shaping workplace culture, the challenges of employee retention, and the importance of effective one-on-one meetings. April emphasizes that culture is built at the team level and that leaders must prioritize engagement and alignment to create an irresistible workplace. They also explore the concept of regrettable retention and how it affects team dynamics, urging leaders to reflect on their purpose and the impact of their decisions on both individuals and the organization as a whole.
Takeaways
Takeaways
- Culture happens at a team level, not just top-down.
- Regrettable retention can be a bigger issue than unwanted turnover.
- Leaders often use time as an excuse for not prioritizing culture.
- Employee engagement is a shared responsibility between leaders and employees.
- Effective one-on-ones are crucial for understanding team dynamics.
- Leaders may hold onto underperforming employees out of hope.
- Regrettable retention negatively impacts overall team morale.
- Leaders need to articulate their purpose and values clearly.
- Building a culture that retains talent requires inspiration from leaders.
- Reflection on leadership purpose is essential for alignment.
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If you would like to connect with April Whitson outside of this episode, connect with her on LinkedIn here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/aprilwhitson/
If you would like to connect with April Whitson outside of this episode, connect with her on LinkedIn here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/aprilwhitson/
Creators and Guests
Host
Julie Williamson, PhD
Julie Williamson, PhD is the CEO and a Managing Partner at Karrikins Group, a Denver-based, global-serving business consultancy. Author, Keynote Speaker, and Host of The Failure Gap Podcast, Julie is a leading voice in how alignment can transform leaders and organizations.
Guest
April Whitson
April Whitson is a globally recognized expert on Workplace Culture with over two decades of leadership and HR ex-perience in large, global organizations such as Amazon.com, Textron Corporation and currently ABB Inc. She is a published author of the book The Stay Challenge: a leader’s guide to managing unwanted turnover & regrettable re-tention which quickly became a trusted resource for people managers eager to create great places to work. She is a thought leader on all things culture, employee engagement, and leadership. April has developed cutting-edge programs to help leaders improve their profitability through decreased employee turnover costs, saving millions! Her approach to culture and employee experience through enhancing leadership performance is direct and simple, put-ting the leader in the driver’s seat to intentionally create impactful and positive employee experiences along the jour-ney from hire to retire. Along with her husband, April resides in Kansas where they raised three children and now enjoy the empty nest. She is an avid reader, scuba diving enthusiast, and continues to live her purpose to bring positive work experiences to everyone she encounters.
