#104 - Bradford Williams - People Analytics & Workforce Planning @ Northwestern Mutual, People Analytics World NYC 2024

Directionally Correct podcast has a NEW sponsor One Model! Check them out here: https://www.onemodel.co/directionallycorrect Help support the podcast Your support will help the podcast cover the costs of producing and distributing our podcast, while getting special premium access to the hosts. Please become a patron of Directionally Correct by going here: https://patron.podbean.com/directionallycorrect Thank you for your support! Join us for an engaging episode of Directionally Correct, where host Cole & Scott sits down with Bradford Williams, the head of People Analytics, Insights, and Workforce Planning at Northwestern Mutual. Sponsored by OneModel, this episode dives into the intricacies of people analytics and the evolving role of leadership within organizations. The conversation begins with a light-hearted exchange about the time Bradford played basketball with LeBron James, setting the stage for a deeper discussion on the importance of relationships and community within the field of people analytics. Cole and Bradford reflect on their experiences at the People Analytics World Conference, highlighting key themes such as the impact of storytelling and the necessity of aligning analytics with business objectives. The episode also explores the concept of leadership, debating whether leaders are born or made, and how personality traits influence one's effectiveness as a leader. The discussion is enriched by insights from recent studies and articles, including the controversial idea of 'Founder Mode' in leadership and the potential role of AI in decision-making processes. As the episode wraps up, Bradford shares his perspectives on corporate jargon and his favorite analytics metrics, bringing humor and personal anecdotes to the forefront. This episode is a must-listen for anyone interested in the intersection of people analytics, leadership, and the future of work. AI can now outperform most CEOs: https://hbr.org/2024/09/ai-can-mostly-outperform-human-ceos?ab=HP-hero-latest-image-1&tpcc=paidsearch.google.dsacontent&gad_source=1&gbraid=0AAAAAD9b3uSTIe7N1L4DazonrQzZU3BLS Are leaders born or made: https://www.linkedin.com/posts/activity-7240059596608843777-lIm7/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=member_desktop Paul Graham's Founder Mode article: https://paulgraham.com/foundermode.html Tailgate vs holiday season: https://uk.news.yahoo.com/tailgate-more-important-game-072712173.html?guccounter=1&guce_referrer=aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuZ29vZ2xlLmNvbS8&guce_referrer_sig=AQAAAK8b2NNHyJCwZDPUDFLCTXxkC1jew3549CQOZe7rYIu4oaek1sOeOHXdUsbl68HbwjNMAVXk0jsnSjtL1OIa7t8B0Oa4oNRYJlvjUgZUYsTQTDVncWaYeNbhjrmG7_nJPD1PNe4LUKzzZ49M0MsoQjoqUjsm4iXZIcg0hUcaIPME Everyone gets paid the same: https://directionallycorrectnews.substack.com/p/everyone-gets-paid-the-same-a-theory?r=ybtwi What is happening to people analytics in the last 15 years? Part One: https://directionallycorrectnews.substack.com/p/what-is-happening-to-people-analytics?r=ybtwi Part Two: https://directionallycorrectnews.substack.com/p/what-is-happening-to-people-analytics-6af?r=ybtwi