Lessons Learned: Dina Barazza on Leadership & Culture
Dina Barazza has a controversial take on HR: she fundamentally disagrees with having an HR person inside your organization — because who pays them determines who they protect. After 35 years in HR consulting, she has spent her career on the outside of organizations for exactly that reason, and the results she has driven from that position are hard to argue with. This episode is a masterclass in what leadership actually requires right now — and most leaders, she says, are getting it wrong.
In This Episode, host Sarah Jeanneault and Dina unpack:
- Why Dina believes having an internal HR person is structurally compromised from day one — and what the alternative looks like when you bring in someone whose loyalty isn't already pre-determined by a paycheck from the company
- The four levels of psychological safety developed by Dr. Timothy Clark — inclusion safety, learner safety, contributor safety, and challenger safety — and why most organizations fail at level four, which is exactly where innovation lives
- The transformation story of an international food industry company with angry employees, high turnover, and widespread burnout: how Dina's team used a learning needs analysis, a layered leadership program, and simple stay interviews to reduce turnover and increase productivity within 18 months
- Why the adult learner needs to hear or see something seven times before they can retain it — and what that means for leaders who think sending one email counts as communication
- The 30-60-90 day framework every new leader should walk in with — including why the first conversation should be asking "what are my measures of success?" before assuming you know what you're there to fix
- Why cutting the training budget in hard economic times is exactly backwards — and why Dina is seeing organizations flood back to coaching and training post-COVID after years of cutting training budgets.
Timestamps:
00:00 - Why HR Gets Distrusted
00:16 - Podcast Setup
01:13 - Meet Dina HR Consultant
02:12 - Hiring Strategic HR
03:14 - Anxiety Talking to HR
04:03 - Independent HR and Trust
05:28 - Leader Reality Check Metrics
06:54 - New Leader 30 60 90 Day Plan
08:36 - Empathy and Modern Workforce
10:37 - Leading Across Teams and Culture
14:31 - When Leaders Resist Feedback
18:32 - New Leader Pressure and Success
20:29 - Transformation Story Training ROI
24:23 - Building a Leadership Legacy
26:50 - Handling Toxic Teams
28:28 - Hiring for Skills And Culture Fit
29:20 - Building High Performing Teams
31:07 - Training And EQ Skills
33:00 - Strengths Based Development
34:56 - Where To Find Dina - The Talent Consortium
36:29 - Gut Check On HR
41:03 - Balancing Results And People
46:09 - DISC And Adapting Styles
48:38 - Wrap Up And Call To Action
Resources Mentioned:
- Now, Discover Your Strengths — book by Marcus Buckingham; includes an online assessment that identifies top five strengths and provides a development report
- Dr. Timothy Clark — researcher behind the four levels of psychological safety framework
- The Talent Consortium — Dina's consulting practice; thetalentconsortium.com
- DISC — psychometric assessment tool Dina uses as a baseline in leadership coaching; referenced in the episode for understanding motivational styles and team dynamics
Dina Barazza is the President and Chief Learning Officer of The Talent Consortium, a consulting practice specializing in human resources, leadership development, and organizational effectiveness. With over 30 years of experience working with organizations ranging from startups to Fortune 500s, she is known for her work in building high-performing cultures, leadership coaching, and custom training design. She is also a professional speaker on leadership, learning, and organizational culture.
Connect with Dina Barazza:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/dinabarazza/
https://www.thetalentconsortium.com/
Connect with Us!
whytotheway@gmail.com
This show is produced by Twisted Spur Media Ltd.
Disclaimer: The views, information, or opinions expressed by guests during Why To The Way Podcast are solely those of the individuals involved and do not necessarily represent those of Sarah Jeanneault, Twisted Spur Media Ltd. and/or her affiliates. Sarah Jeanneault, Why To The Way Podcast, and Twisted Spur Media Ltd. are not responsible for and do not verify the accuracy of any of the information contained in the podcast series. The primary purpose of this podcast is to educate and inform. Listeners are advised to consult with a qualified professional or specialist before making any decisions based on the content of this podcast.
