Hiten Sheth

Enterprise operating model change sounds clean on a slide. In reality, it is messy, political, and deeply behavioral. Over the past year at Kelly I’ve been honored to lead work to align Enterprise IT around a unified model. One intake path. One hierarchy. Shared prioritization. Clear governance. What I’ve learned: If work enters ten different ways, you don’t have strategy. You have noise. If leaders can’t see capacity in real time, prioritization is just opinion. If teams don’t feel safe challenging assumptions, your dashboards are fiction. The real shift is not structural. It’s leadership behavior. We’re moving from approving more work to protecting focus. From managing projects to managing flow. From debating in side channels to making tradeoffs in the open. We’re rolling it out in waves, not a big launch. Clear definitions of ready and done. Named sponsors. Capacity buffers during adoption. Executive visibility from day one. It’s not perfect. No transformation is. But predictable delivery starts when leaders treat operating model design as a strategic responsibility, not a PMO exercise. Scaling an enterprise requires discipline. Sustaining it requires courage. Curious how others are approaching operating model change at scale.

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Leading Across Generations: A Modern Leadership Imperative 🤝 The modern workplace is a vibrant tapestry woven with the threads of multiple generations – Baby Boomers, Gen X, Millennials, and Gen Z – each bringing unique perspectives, values, and expectations. Effective leadership in this diverse landscape requires understanding and adapting to these generational dynamics. Consider the contrasting communication styles: Baby Boomers and Gen X often value direct, formal communication, while Millennials and Gen Z are comfortable with digital, instant interactions. Leadership must bridge this gap, fostering inclusive communication channels that cater to everyone. This might involve leveraging a mix of email, instant messaging, text messages (iMessage of course) and face-to-face meetings. Approaches to work-life balance and career progression differ significantly. While earlier generations may prioritize long tenure and hierarchical advancement, younger generations often seek flexibility, purpose-driven work, and continuous learning opportunities. I feel that leaders who recognize and address these varying needs through flexible work arrangements, mentorship programs, and clear pathways for growth can cultivate a more engaged and motivated workforce. So, how can leaders effectively navigate these generational nuances? * Foster Inclusive Communication: Create environments where all voices are heard and valued, regardless of communication preference. * Embrace Flexibility: Offer adaptable work arrangements that cater to diverse needs and promote work-life integration. * Provide Tailored Development: Recognize that different generations have distinct learning styles and career aspirations, offering personalized growth opportunities. * Lead with Empathy: Understand the values and motivations of each generation to build stronger relationships and foster mutual respect. This isn't about treating everyone the same; it's about equitable leadership that acknowledges and leverages the strengths of each generation. Not everyone is motivated the same way (money is not always the motivating factor, especially among younger generations). Think: impact and purpose! Further Reading: * Harvard Business Review: Unlocking the Benefits of the Multigenerational Workplace - https://lnkd.in/ezvU_hAR * Gallup: How to Bridge the Generational Gap in Recognition - https://lnkd.in/eU3tWXZB * SHRM (Society for Human Resource Management): Leading Across Generations in a Changing Workplace - https://lnkd.in/eyrv4dvv Let's continue the conversation! What strategies have you found effective in leading across generations? #Leadership #GenerationalDiversity #Workplace #Inclusion #HR

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It's worth taking a look at PageUp's overview on Gen Z candidate expectations when job hunting! This recent article provides some key strategies to attracting this specific cohort. If your process doesn't match your promises, the candidates won't get on board. Read the full breakdown

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Accenture (NYSE: ACN) has agreed to acquire NeuraFlash, a leading Salesforce and gen AI consulting company that specializes in agentic solutions for sales, service, and field service operations. The acquisition will further strengthen Accenture's Salesforce gen AI and managed services capabilities and also extend its footprint to mid-market industries globally.

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Oracle just let go of thousands. Everyone is talking about the layoff. Nobody is talking about what actually happened. This was not a market correction. This was not a bad economy. This was a structural correction — years in the making. The professionals who exited had one thing in common. 10 years of experience. That was really Year 1. Repeated 10 times. And the market finally settled that bill. But here is what worries me more than the Oracle news. The consulting and professional services world is next. The vendor ecosystem — implementation partners, system integrators, managed service providers — is already feeling it. Quietly. One contract at a time. The roles being eliminated are not the incompetent ones. They are the ones built around: → Managing the process instead of owning the outcome → Coordinating between functions instead of driving them → Being the negotiator in the room instead of the decision-maker → Knowing how things work here instead of changing how they work When AI absorbs that layer — and it is absorbing it — the role disappears. Not gradually. Overnight. Three types of senior leaders emerge every time this happens. The Victim. 400 likes. Same role. Lower salary. The Poached. Fast offer. No infrastructure. Six months later — where is the revenue? The Strategist. Quiet. Deliberate. Positioned to win. The difference between The Poached and The Strategist is not talent. It is the 3 weeks they take — or don't take — to ask the right question before saying yes. I have written the full breakdown in my latest LinkedIn article — "Oracle Is Just the Beginning. Are You Positioned for What's Coming?" It covers exactly what is happening inside the Oracle ecosystem, why the consulting and vendor world is next in line, and what the right Directors, VPs, and CXOs are doing in the next 60 days. Full article here 👇 https://lnkd.in/gPsk9bNK   If you are a Director, VP, SVP, or CXO — the window to position correctly is open right now. It will not stay open. Balaji Govindarajan Founder, Scripting Resumes® Executive Career Strategy | Director · VP · SVP · CXO India · GCC · Singapore · Europe · US #OracleLayoffs #ExecutiveCareer #CareerStrategy #Restructuring #CXO #SeniorLeadership #DirectorLevel #GCCJobs #SingaporeJobs #IndiaJobs #ExecutiveSearch #ScriptingResumes

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🤯 Salesforce CEO Marc Benioff just dropped a bombshell! AI is already handling 30-50% of the work at Salesforce, and he wants to increase it. Even more striking, he mentioned a complete hiring freeze for coders! This isn't about replacing humans, but empowering them to focus on higher-value work by letting AI handle tasks previously done by people. What are your thoughts on this massive shift towards AI-powered development? Is this the future of coding? #AI #Salesforce #FutureOfWork #vibecoding #ArtificialIntelligence #TechTrends Watch the full statement here: https://lnkd.in/dxbDH5_y

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Another bookmarked article from my midnight reading :) AI is reshaping how decisions are made, how teams work, and what success looks like but it’s not just a tech shift. Something like this always happens every few years when an innovation creates hype, potential, opportunities and uncertainity. AI is just at a different level this time and speed of change and capability maturity is totally unprecedented. Leaders cannot afford to just sit back and see how this plays out. This is a moment to lead with vision irrespective of where the hype takes us. Some universal things leaders must do: - Champion continuous learning and experimentation - Set a clear vision that blends human purpose with AI potential - Stay human first, with empathy & judgment - Guide organization through risk, uncertainty, change management & not just blindly automate tasks #leadership #ai #transformation #genai #empathy #human

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I previously posted a point of view on the evolution of C-suite roles with the introduction of AI and Agentic AI agents into the workforce. This post is the first in a series, taking a deeper look at individual roles. We begin with the CHRO, a title that is evolving to reflect the changing nature of human resources, with a new focus on technology and organizational change. The role of the Chief Human Resources Officer (CHRO) is rapidly evolving, moving from a traditional administrative and operational function to a central strategic position in the C-suite. This transformation is driven by a convergence of factors, including rapid technological advancements like AI and the need for agile organizational change. Research from firms like Korn Ferry and Mercer highlights that today's CHROs are increasingly focused on growth, AI adoption, and culture change as top priorities, reflecting a broader shift in their responsibilities. The modern CHRO is becoming the Chief Human-AI Integration Officer, tasked with the complex challenge of orchestrating a workforce composed of both people and intelligent agents. This involves not only understanding how to leverage new technologies but also defining their place within the organizational structure. The CHRO must address critical questions: Who manages the AI agents? What are their reporting lines, who are their colleagues, and what are they called? By proactively defining these new roles and relationships, the CHRO ensures that technology is a strategic asset rather than a source of confusion or fear. Furthermore, the CHRO is now the Chief Transformation Leader, leading the charge in reskilling the human workforce to adapt to a world where AI handles repetitive tasks. This isn't just about training; it's about leading a cultural evolution that embraces continuous learning and resilience. A Deloitte study emphasizes that CHROs are at the center of strategic board issues, influencing decisions on digital transformation and organizational agility. They are increasingly seen as key partners to CEOs and CFOs, and their role is becoming so vital that some analysts suggest the CHRO is on a similar trajectory to become a potential CEO candidate, much like the CFO in previous decades. This expansion of responsibilities solidifies the CHRO's importance as an indispensable leader driving the future of work.

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Had a great discussion today during the DMV Workday Solution Exchange – Monthly Community Forum with practitioners across higher education, consulting, and enterprise organizations. A big thank you to Balraj Balagurunathan from Georgetown University for sharing a very practical and technically strong session on solving Workday composite report performance challenges using Boomerang Integration, My Reports API, Studio, and Custom Objects. One of the interesting takeaways: What started as a reporting performance problem ultimately became an operational analytics challenge. The session explored: Composite reporting limitations in research administration Real-time dashboard challenges in Workday REST API and Studio integration patterns Custom object strategy for improving reporting usability and performance Tradeoffs between performance and data freshness I also shared an overview of Workday Hubs and recent enhancements in Manager Insight Hub (MIH), along with some observations around where Workday’s manager experience strategy appears to be evolving. A few interesting community pulse survey insights from today’s session: Most participating organizations reported active adoption of multiple Workday Hubs Manager Insight Hub generated the strongest interest for future adoption and enhancement discussions Adoption/training and navigation complexity continue to be bigger challenges than platform capability itself AI adoption in Workday appears to be progressing cautiously, with many organizations still in exploration mode One trend that continues to stand out: Workday is steadily moving from isolated transactional experiences toward more consolidated, AI-assisted manager workspaces. Thank you again to everyone who joined the discussion and contributed insights. Upcoming sessions: 📅 June 10 — DMV Workday Solution Exchange (Virtual Community Forum) 📅 June 30 — DMV Workday Developers Meetup at Georgetown University (Extend, Integrations & AI Focus) #Workday #EnterpriseArchitecture #SaaS #AI #WorkdayCommunity #HRTech #Cloud #Integrations #WorkdayExtend #DigitalTransformation #DMVTech #EnterpriseSystems

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This really made me pause and reflect. Like many, I’ve always believed that if you’re doing your job well, things will continue as they are. But the reality we’re seeing today is a reminder that a lot of factors are outside our control. What is in our control, though, is how we prepare ourselves. Over time, I’ve started thinking more consciously about staying relevant, being open to change, and not getting too comfortable in one space. It’s not always easy—especially when day-to-day work already feels full—but it does feel necessary. The point about energy, mindset, and financial readiness really resonates. It’s less about living in fear and more about building quiet confidence that you can navigate change if it comes. Definitely a good nudge to reflect and recalibrate. Curious to hear how others are approaching this as well.

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One point from Michael C. Bush, CEO of Great Place To Work, on Meredith Bell’s Grow Strong Leaders podcast really landed. The way leaders shape culture has a direct impact on business performance. Leadership creates experience and experience shapes culture. And culture shows up in outcomes leaders care about: • Free cash flow • Market share • Customer satisfaction A good reminder that employee experience is part of how a business actually runs. Worth a watch if you’re thinking about culture through a business lens. https://ukg.inc/47sWyGC #EBITDA #BusinessStrategy #CFO #Leadership

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This morning on CNBC, Richard Dickson, CEO of Gap Inc. talked about working from a known Playbook, and how it's not a secret, but the competitive advantage comes from how you execute. This is my point around artificial intelligence. Companies are expecting AI to give them answers, and eliminate workforce but forgetting that simply knowing answers won't translate to bottom line performance. Companies will still have to EXECUTE on the results. It's like health/fitness. We've mostly cracked the code on this, for the majority of humans, excluding outliers, but it hasn't translated in a completely healthy human population. Additionally, once AI becomes fully available - that won't be your competitive advantage. You won't have an edge over other companies with the same baseline technology. The humans you employ will still be the edge, in a technological landscape of companies all harnessing the same baseline AI technology. Sharing the mention of his playbook for reference: https://lnkd.in/gSq2iv38

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What I'm Telling Every Oracle Engineer Who Calls This Week Our phones started ringing Tuesday morning and haven't stopped. Oracle cut up to 30,000 people on March 31, roughly 18% of the workforce, with a 6 AM termination email signed by "Oracle Leadership." No call from a manager. No meeting with HR. I've had the same conversation 20 times since then. Here's what I'm telling everyone. This Wasn't About Your Performance Oracle posted record revenue last quarter. $17.2 billion, up 22%. Their AI contract backlog hit $553 billion. They didn't fire 30,000 people because those people weren't delivering. They fired them because the $50 billion data center buildout needs cash, and headcount was the line item they could cut fastest. If you got that email, it says nothing about your work. Read Your Severance Agreement Before You Sign The package is 4 weeks base plus 1 week per year of tenure, capped at 26 weeks. Not terrible. But the separation agreement likely includes non-compete language. In California, that's mostly unenforceable. In Texas, Florida, and most other states, it could restrict where you work for up to 2 years. Non-solicitation clauses are separate and enforceable almost everywhere. You've got 21 days minimum to sign. Use them. If you're senior enough that the clause matters, spend $300 on an employment attorney consult. That's the cheapest insurance you'll buy this year. Your Market Depends on Your Division Not every specialty is landing at the same speed. Cloud infrastructure (OCI, AWS, Azure) is in strong demand. BLS projects 15% job growth through 2034. NetSuite and ERP consultants have more open reqs than candidates right now. NetSuite hit $1 billion in quarterly revenue and has 43,000 customers. Healthcare IT is more complicated. Oracle Health took a 30% cut and there's divestiture talk around Cerner. But the EHR market is $34 billion and growing. Your skills transfer. Cybersecurity is the sleeper. 4.8 million unfilled positions globally. If you worked on Oracle's security stack, you're in a seller's market today. The 3 Things to Do This Week Save your project documentation before your access expires. File for unemployment today, not after severance runs out. And get your resume in front of a recruiter who knows your vertical. Generalist job boards won't get you there. A specialized recruiter can tell you what your market rate is right now and connect you to roles that aren't posted yet. Full breakdown of severance, WARN Act rights, and job market data by division: https://lnkd.in/g-pm3WwH #OracleLayoffs #TechJobs #CloudEngineering

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Hiring transformation is not about speed alone. It is the discipline of structured assessments, capability forecasting, and transparent dashboards that elevates TA from a support function to a business partner. Over the years, simplifying complexity has consistently improved hiring velocity across teams I’ve led.

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The news of all these layoffs at LinkedIn, Oracle, Meta, and on and on is just brutal. So many people impacted and my heart goes out to all of them. Personally, I’ve been laid off a few times, and it’s been a tough experience. When you’re laid off, you start questioning your worth, skills, and contributions, and it’s heartbreaking 💔 I’ve also had to lay off people, and it can be devastating, too. The feeling that you could have done more or changed strategy eats away at you. If the company is in a fight for survival, I get it. Sometimes layoffs are needed. If the company is sitting on boatloads of cash, then it's more of a failure of leadership, if you ask me, and I hope all the leaders there seriously question the why behind it all. Business can be tough, but it doesn't have to be inhuman. Kindness, compassion, courage goes a long way. #kindness #business #resilience 

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25 years ago I had my first software sales enablement program with Peoplesoft. In it we learned one big thing that I think very much still applies now but is missing from most GTM strategies. 𝗘𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘆𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘀𝗵𝗼𝘂𝗹𝗱 𝗮𝗹𝗶𝗴𝗻 𝘁𝗼 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗖𝗘𝗢𝘀 𝘀𝘁𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗴𝗶𝗰 𝗼𝗯𝗷𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲𝘀. To illustrate the point, lets see what happens when you ask ChatGPT how Accounts Payable impacts a companies ability to compete. "Accounts Payable (AP) isn’t just a back-office function—it directly affects a company’s ability to compete. Here’s how: 𝟏. 𝗦𝘁𝗿𝗼𝗻𝗴𝗲𝗿 𝗦𝘂𝗽𝗽𝗹𝗶𝗲𝗿 𝗥𝗲𝗹𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀𝗵𝗶𝗽𝘀 Paying vendors accurately and on time builds trust. Preferred customers often get better pricing, access to scarce inventory, and more flexible payment terms—𝗮𝗱𝘃𝗮𝗻𝘁𝗮𝗴𝗲𝘀 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗽𝗲𝘁𝗶𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘀 𝗺𝗮𝘆 𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝗵𝗮𝘃𝗲. 𝟐. 𝗖𝗮𝘀𝗵 𝗙𝗹𝗼𝘄 𝗢𝗽𝘁𝗶𝗺𝗶𝘇𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 AP controls when and how payments are made. Strategic use of payment terms frees up working capital for growth, investment, or innovation. 𝗖𝗼𝗺𝗽𝗮𝗻𝗶𝗲𝘀 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝘁𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝗔𝗣 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗿𝗼𝗹 𝗰𝗮𝗻 𝗿𝗲𝗶𝗻𝘃𝗲𝘀𝘁 𝗰𝗮𝘀𝗵 𝗳𝗮𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝗻 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗽𝗲𝘁𝗶𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘀. 𝟑. 𝗢𝗽𝗲𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝗘𝗳𝗳𝗶𝗰𝗶𝗲𝗻𝗰𝘆 & 𝗖𝗼𝘀𝘁 𝗔𝗱𝘃𝗮𝗻𝘁𝗮𝗴𝗲 Automating AP reduces manual work, invoice errors, and late fees. Lower overhead means more resources to allocate toward R&D, marketing, or pricing strategy. 𝗖𝗼𝗺𝗽𝗲𝘁𝗶𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘀 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗶𝗻𝗲𝗳𝗳𝗶𝗰𝗶𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗔𝗣 𝗵𝗮𝘃𝗲 𝗵𝗶𝗴𝗵𝗲𝗿 𝗰𝗼𝘀𝘁𝘀 𝗯𝗮𝗸𝗲𝗱 𝗶𝗻𝘁𝗼 𝗼𝗽𝗲𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀. 𝟒. 𝗔𝗴𝗶𝗹𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗶𝗻 𝗦𝗰𝗮𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗴 An efficient AP process allows quick onboarding of new suppliers during expansion or disruption. 𝗖𝗼𝗺𝗽𝗮𝗻𝗶𝗲𝘀 𝗰𝗮𝗻 𝗽𝗶𝘃𝗼𝘁 𝘀𝘂𝗽𝗽𝗹𝘆 𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗶𝗻𝘀 𝗳𝗮𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝘄𝗵𝗲𝗻 𝗺𝗮𝗿𝗸𝗲𝘁𝘀 𝘀𝗵𝗶𝗳𝘁, 𝘄𝗵𝗶𝗹𝗲 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗽𝗲𝘁𝗶𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘀 𝗺𝗮𝘆 𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗹𝗹. 𝟓. 𝗥𝗶𝘀𝗸 𝗠𝗮𝗻𝗮𝗴𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 & 𝗖𝗼𝗺𝗽𝗹𝗶𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲 A controlled AP process prevents fraud, duplicate payments, and compliance fines. 𝗣𝗿𝗼𝘁𝗲𝗰𝘁𝘀 𝗿𝗲𝗽𝘂𝘁𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗿𝗲𝗴𝘂𝗹𝗮𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘀, 𝗶𝗻𝘃𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘀, 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗽𝗮𝗿𝘁𝗻𝗲𝗿𝘀—𝗸𝗲𝘆 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝘀𝘂𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗶𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗹𝗼𝗻𝗴-𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗺 𝗮𝗱𝘃𝗮𝗻𝘁𝗮𝗴𝗲. 𝟔. 𝗗𝗮𝘁𝗮-𝗗𝗿𝗶𝘃𝗲𝗻 𝗜𝗻𝘀𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁𝘀 AP holds valuable data on spending, supplier performance, and cost trends. 𝗜𝗻𝘀𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁𝘀 𝗰𝗮𝗻 𝗯𝗲 𝘂𝘀𝗲𝗱 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗯𝗲𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝗻𝗲𝗴𝗼𝘁𝗶𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀, 𝗱𝗲𝗺𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗲𝗰𝗮𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴, 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘀𝘁𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗴𝗶𝗰 𝘀𝗼𝘂𝗿𝗰𝗶𝗻𝗴—𝗴𝗶𝘃𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗮 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗽𝗲𝘁𝗶𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗲𝗱𝗴𝗲. 👉 𝗜𝗻 𝘀𝗵𝗼𝗿𝘁: 𝗔 𝘄𝗲𝗹𝗹-𝗿𝘂𝗻 𝗔𝗣 𝗳𝘂𝗻𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗸𝗲𝗲𝗽𝘀 𝗰𝗼𝘀𝘁𝘀 𝗹𝗼𝘄, 𝗰𝗮𝘀𝗵 𝗳𝗹𝗼𝘄𝗶𝗻𝗴, 𝘀𝘂𝗽𝗽𝗹𝗶𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝗹𝗼𝘆𝗮𝗹, 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗿𝗶𝘀𝗸𝘀 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗮𝗶𝗻𝗲𝗱—𝗮𝗹𝗹𝗼𝘄𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗽𝗮𝗻𝘆 𝘁𝗼 𝗺𝗼𝘃𝗲 𝗳𝗮𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗿, 𝗽𝗿𝗶𝗰𝗲 𝘀𝗵𝗮𝗿𝗽𝗲𝗿, 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗶𝗻𝘃𝗲𝘀𝘁 𝗺𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝗳𝗶𝗱𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗹𝘆 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝗻 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗽𝗲𝘁𝗶𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘀. Are your GTM teams aligned to the CEO of your buyer?

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Great conversation yesterday with #ABFO’s Florida chapter @ the beautiful University Club of Tampa on latest trends, risks and thought leadership around AI in health & life sciences sector. Great questions and engagement all around! (Special thanks to Slava and Andrew for the invite!)

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