Episode Description:
In this episode of the Wake Up Eager Workforce podcast, Suzie Price sits down with Neil Smith, former general manager of the New York Rangers, and Allan Hamernick, founder of CoreFive Analytics, to discuss how TriMetrix and Axiology assessments are being used in NHL scouting and player development. Whether you're in sports or business, this episode offers fascinating insights into selecting top talent and reducing risk in decision-making.

Overview of Episode #121 ---

• Embracing New Approaches in Talent Scouting: The Application of Assessments in NHL Player Selection
• Analyzing Risk Attributes and Decision Making with the Axiology and Acumen Assessment to Make Better Decisions
• Reviewing Real-Life Case Studies and the Impact on the Sport, the Team, and Each Individual

In this episode:

[00:04:51 Suzie Price]: "Al uses this inventory of tools to help leaders understand who they’re hiring, who they’re scouting, and which draft picks to make by analyzing information you can’t get just by watching them play."

[00:06:17 Allan Hamernick]: "The core five tools we use are DISC, Motivators, Competencies, Axiology, and EQ. They give us a comprehensive picture of a person, from how they communicate to how they manage themselves emotionally."

[00:18:40 Neil Smith]: "It’s an unbelievably valuable tool for scouting in athletics. It adds a layer of insight that you just can’t get from watching players or hearing their stories."

[00:21:51 Neil Smith]: "In the 1989 draft, we took five players, two of whom became Hockey Hall of Famers, and it set Detroit up for ten to twelve years as a team."

[00:25:29 Neil Smith]: "The more information I can get about a person, the better chance I have of making the right decision. That goes for employment in business as well as athletics."

[00:29:45 Allan Hamernick]: "One team asked us, can you tell us what this player will be like if we give him $3 million two years from now? What’s he going to be like? And we were able to build an index for that."

[00:32:03 Allan Hamernick]: "We approach draft selection as risk management. You can't eliminate risk, but we help teams know what a player will need to work on and where they could potentially struggle."

[00:54:33 Suzie Price]: "We use these tools to reduce the risk in hiring and team decisions, but there’s always a risk because humans are complex beings."

[01:02:35 Neil Smith]: "Leadership on a team, in a company, or anywhere is critical. If you have an idiot for a leader, your company is going to fail."

[01:03:31 Suzie Price]: "The fish rots from the head down. That’s why the work you guys are doing is so important. It gives you such a competitive advantage."

Episode Description:
In Episode 120 of the Wake Up Eager Workforce podcast, Suzie Price interviews Tamara McLemore, a seasoned PMP instructor and executive consultant. Tamara shares how the PMP certification can empower professionals across industries, offering practical tools for project management and career advancement. She highlights the versatility of project management skills, emphasizing that everyone—from corporate professionals to homemakers—can benefit from them.

Tamara’s signature two-week PMP boot camp accelerates the learning process, helping participants pass the exam in 30 to 60 days. The episode also covers essential strategies for retaining information under pressure, such as creating a study schedule, embracing failure as part of learning, and leveraging community support. Tamara stresses the importance of balance and self-care, as well as finding the right community to support personal and professional growth.

This conversation will inspire anyone looking to elevate their project management skills and career trajectory.

Overview of Episode #120 ---

• How Project Management skills will enhance every area of your life.
• Learning strategies for individual and organizational success.
• Two actions and one focus area that can lead to Wake Up Eager work and a Wake Up Eager Life.

In this episode:

[00:06:16] Tamara McLemore: So the PMP is the project management professional certification and it is historically a certification for IT, government, military. HOWEVER, I have to say that with all caps, however, project management is for everybody. I mean healthcare, executive admins, education, you name it. Every industry is requiring project managers. Now you don't have to all get the certification if you don't want to. But my belief is that everybody is a project manager. The end. Period.

[00:07:52] Suzie Price: If you can't organize your day and your time, you're not waking up eager, which is my whole driver in life is to, you know, enjoy every day. And if everything is pure chaos, you're not going to enjoy every day and anything.

[00:09:25] Tamara McLemore: But what we found is project managers suck at managing people.

[00:18:32] Tamara McLemore: It is not about passing an exam. Yes, you're going to pass exam, but it is about showing up different. It is about utilizing your time. It is about working in your strengths. I'm a huge component of strength finders.

[00:21:25] Tamara McLemore: The first one is create a study schedule. Like we're scheduling everything. We're scheduling our vacations. We schedule what we're going to do on the weekends our kids, our nieces and nephews, our fur babies. We're scheduling everything. But for professional development, you're just going to wing it?

[00:22:05] Tamara McLemore: The second thing is, which is a project management methodology that I didn't realize I was doing until recently, is fail fast.

[00:30:16] Suzie Price: It becomes a part of the culture. And for executives and HR leaders thinking about this, make project management a part of the skill set for everybody.

[00:31:31] Tamara McLemore: So just doing things different, it's not a switch. You know how you flip a switch to turn a light off and on? It's a knob that we have to turn, and gradually, gradually, you know, change the way we're doing business.

[00:41:08] Tamara McLemore: I did know it. I just didn't know how to apply it. So I knew I could verbalize it, but the application, there was a disconnect and answering the questions.

[00:42:24] Tamara McLemore: I haven't had the Sunday night scaries in years and my people don't. Because with the PMP certification, the number one thing they have is options.

[00:51:51] Suzie Price: And your whole approach to PMP is outside the box. You know, that's a forward-looking approach that's working.

In this episode of the Wake Up Eager Workforce podcast, Suzie Price sits down with Rene Critelli, Employee Success Manager at HUB International, to explore the leadership strategies that drive employee engagement and retention. Rene shares her journey, leadership tips, and how HUB International fosters a thriving, entrepreneurial culture even as it grows into a global powerhouse.

Overview of Episode #119 ---

• The Journey to Becoming an Employee Success Manager at HUB International
• Five Leadership Actions that Lead to Employee Success
• How and Why They Use TriMetrix in Hiring, Coaching and Team Building
• The One Thing Leaders Can Do That Makes the Biggest Difference in Employee Success

Episode 119 of the Wake Up Eager Workforce podcast, Suzie Price interviews Rene Critelli, an Employee Success Manager at HUB International, who offers insightful advice on leadership and employee engagement. Rene discusses her unique role, emphasizing the importance of leadership development and how HUB International uses tools like Trimetrix to enhance hiring, coaching, and team building.

She highlights key leadership actions that contribute to employee success, including the significance of personalized communication, creating a feedback-rich environment, and maintaining an entrepreneurial spirit within a large organization.

Rene also shares how HUB's decentralized approach and commitment to integrity and growth have fostered a culture that supports continuous learning and community involvement. The episode provides practical takeaways for leaders looking to improve employee retention and engagement.

In this episode:

[00:04:52] Suzie on the job title of Employee Success Manager

[00:05:32] Rene shares what led her to this role and more on her career journey to HUB International.

[00:08:25] Rene on her top focus of leadership development, because that's really where she feels that most of that employee experience and retention trickles down from.

[00:12:31] Suzie shares outsiders perspective on HUB International's entrepreneurial, high energy workplace.

[00:16:42] Rene on appreciating HUB's decentralized approach, where each region can operate autonomously.

[00:20:43] Rene on importance of talking to your employees and really getting to know them on a personal level.

[00:24:59] Suzie and Rene discuss the ideal meeting cadence and how this differs among employees.

[00:26:26] Rene speaks on HUB International's employee recognition program.

[00:35:40] Rene on using the side-by-side reporting during onboarding, particularly with the producer and account manager relationship,

[00:45:14] Rene chats about her non-profit and volunteer passions.

[00:52:11] Susie asks Rene who has been the most influential individuals in her career progression.