This episode was recorded live at SHRM 2025 in San Diego. William Tincup sat down with D’Mar Phillips, Bill Chval, and Franz Schreiner. Each guest brought a unique lens to the idea of people leadership. They spoke with clarity. They answered without polish. They showed what real influence looks like inside a company.

D'Mar explained why strong relationships matter more than surface-level connection. Bill revealed how motivation depends on knowing what others need before they ask. Franz shared how product success starts with diagnosing the right problem. They did not try to impress. They told stories. They reflected on turning points. They spoke about feedback that hurt but helped. They showed how leadership means staying grounded even when you want to retreat. They made it clear that legacy begins with how you show up every day.

Timestamps

00:00 — Why they start with HR superpowers instead of job titles

01:10 — William explains how motivation fails without personalization

02:00 — “What did you hear?” creates clarity through reflection

03:10 — Franz explains the gap between customer asks and real problems

04:20 — Bill defines a people hero as someone who makes a difference

05:40 — Bill uses a kitchen whiteboard to reinforce what matters

06:30 — Franz explains why Bill leads the same way at home and work

07:40 — D'Mar reframes heroism as the courage to be authentic

08:30 — William embraces blunt honesty but checks for permission

09:20 — Franz explains how inspiration helped shape his leadership

11:00 — Franz reveals why transparency matters more than pretending

12:20 — A project failure at Uber taught Franz to lead with honesty

13:10 — Feedback without sugarcoating builds long-term trust

14:10 — Bill recalls when a stranger wanted to work for him

16:20 — D'Mar shares what Feeding America’s CEO taught him about feedback

17:50 — He explains why you should never leave just to escape something

This episode was recorded live with isolved at the SHRM Annual Conference in San Diego.

The Heroes of HR podcast is a limited series sponsored by isolved. isolved is an HCM platform that modernizes HR, benefits, and payroll across Healthcare, Hospitality, Manufacturing, and more.

Learn more about isolved: ⁠https://www.isolvedhcm.com/⁠

Connect with Us:

William Tincup LinkedIn: ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/tincup/⁠
Ryan Leary LinkedIn: ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/ryanleary/⁠

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Site: ⁠http://www.wrkdefined.com⁠
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Facebook: ⁠https://www.facebook.com/WRKdefined/⁠
Twitter (X): ⁠https://twitter.com/WRKdefined⁠
Substack: ⁠https://wrkdefined.substack.com/

Authenticity and impact shape how these HR leaders define success and leadership

Authenticity and impact shape how these HR leaders define success and leadership

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