Nickle LaMoreaux

This morning in Davos I joined a CHRO, CIO and CTO roundtable hosted by Cisco at the World Economic Forum. What stood out was not the sophistication of the technology, but how intentionally the conversation stayed anchored in human choice. The first theme that really stayed with me was the need to be deliberate about how our agents represent our culture and values in the work they undertake. Agents do not operate in a vacuum. They reflect the outcomes we optimize for, the signals we reinforce, and the trade offs we quietly accept. They simply scale the intent we have built into them, which means humans remain responsible and accountable for the outcomes they produce. The second was how much we are already learning from the agents we have deployed in our own organisations. Not just about efficiency, but about our processes, our biases, and where human judgement still really matters. It also raised a practical question about ownership. Who continues to own and steward agents as they scale, evolve, and become embedded in everyday work. Finally, the conversation kept circling back to questions we do not yet have clear answers to, but need to start addressing now. 1. What does good management look like when people are increasingly managing agents rather than tasks? 2. If agents take on more execution, how do humans continue to develop judgement in context? 3. Who decides what should and should not be automated? 4. As judgement becomes more important than execution, how do we develop it, assess it, and reward it meaningfully? 5. If we expect judgement from humans, what is the equivalent standard we should expect from agents? None of these are technical questions. They are leadership questions. And the answers will shape how effective, trusted, and human our use of AI ultimately becomes. My thanks to Francine Katsoudas and Keith Ferrazzi for organising.

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The role of the CHRO has never been more complex or more critical. At the Gartner CHRO Inner Circle in New York this week, my colleague Catie Brand and I had the privilege of spending time with over 75 CHROs. The conversations were candid, and the patterns were hard to miss. Here’s some highlights that surfaced again and again: - AI’s real opportunity is long-term The focus should be on unlocking AI’s long-term potential. Coaching and recruitment stood out as the areas where AI can have the biggest impact, scaling access and insight, but only if it remains human-led and tech-enabled. - Change fatigue is hitting harder than ever LHH research shows 56% of leaders are burned out, and 75% want more support. I heard similar observations from the CHROs at this event: nonstop transformation is draining trust and energy. At LHH we see that the organizations that get change right prioritize investing in their leaders. They give them the development support to build the hard and human skills to manage change with confidence. And they create a coaching culture within the organization that makes it safe to talk honestly, learn quickly, and keep energy through disruption. - Reinvention is the new normal We spoke about how forces like AI, economic shifts, and demographics are reshaping careers, not just jobs. LHH research shows 58% of people in transition moved into completely new occupations in the last year. What we see making a big difference in talent management is companies adopting skills-based hiring, investing in upskilling on the job, and providing mobility or outplacement programs that help people spot transferable skills and step into new careers with confidence. The conversations at Gartner confirmed what our data shows daily: the future of work won’t be solved by one-off fixes. It will be built by CHROs who design systems that are adaptable by design and where talent strategies turn disruption into opportunity. A sincere thank you to the CHROs I met during this session. Your candor and insight were invaluable and a reminder of the depth of expertise driving this profession forward.   #FutureOfWork #CHRO #Leadership #AI

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If you couldn’t make it to the HR Tech conference in Las Vegas this year, you missed an exciting event. But Jen Colletta did a phenomenal job of covering the main tent sessions, including my opening keynote, “HR Agents: Myths, Mayhem and Monumental Moments.” She captured all the highlights such as the IBM HR AI transformation journey and our five lessons learned. She also included the common AI myths that I think as HR leaders, we must bust. The first? Domain expertise is no longer critical. Yes, AI will handle the rote, mundane tasks, but when it comes to real expertise– technology is not going to take that away. Domain expertise is more important than ever as AI becomes increasingly prevalent in our companies. What do you think is a common AI myth that should be busted? #AI #GenAI #transformation   https://lnkd.in/e23mVDD2

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By 2030, skills shortages will result in over $8 trillion in unrealized revenue. What can forward-looking TA and HR leaders do to retain talent and drive productivity? Experts from AMS, Bank of America, and Bernard Marr, share their insights on the art of skills-based hiring: https://lnkd.in/ejdViJdH #Hiring #Recruitment #TalentAcquisition #Skills #FutureOfWork

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We’re standing at a turning point, AI could make white-collar work the next assembly line, unless we reshape it carefully. Excited to have joined the latest episode of the #TechWolfPodcast, recorded live at Workday Rising. Over the years, I’ve seen firsthand how AI and skills-based workforce intelligence can redefine how organizations hire, train, and grow people but I’m also convinced this is no time for passive optimism. In the conversation we explored how: AI-driven skills inference transforms workforce mobility and internal opportunity, just as we did at IBM White-collar work risks losing mastery, agency and context as tasks get fragmented and standardized. HR (and organizations more broadly) must lead in redesigning work: preserving human judgment, skills growth, and meaningful career pathways. If you care about building future-ready organizations, whether you’re in HR, engineering, product, or leadership, this episode offers both a realistic warning and a path forward. 🎧 Listen to my conversation with @julius schelstraete here on Spotify or Apple Podcasts: https://lnkd.in/gPXppU_Y #FutureOfWork #HR #WorkforceIntelligence #Skills #AI #Leadership #WorkdayRising #TechWolfPodcast

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The skills CHROs need in 2026 are different from what they needed a decade ago. Bill Brewer, Iris Drayton-Spann, and Christian Ehl explain what sets exceptional HR leaders apart. Read "Four Core CHRO Skills That Drive Business Performance in 2026" ➡️ https://lnkd.in/dqxRcSNQ #ExecutiveSearch #CHRO #Leadership

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What’s the value of building a culture of fairness in your organization? https://bit.ly/3VzAdks Gord Frost sits down with Carsten Gebhardt, Head of Rewards Strategic Projects at EU Novartis, to discuss how to make your organization attractive to top talent. Discover effective strategies for attracting and retaining the best by watching the full video. #FutureofWork #innovation #HumanResources #EmployeeExperience

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I finished a live conversation with Patricia Frost, Chief of People and Places at Seagate Technology at HR Executive #hrtech and I couldn't stop thinking about it. She spent 32 years in the U.S. Army before taking on one of the toughest challenges in corporate leadership: helping 30,000 people redefine how they work in the age of AI. When she said, “My philosophy is leave no one behind,” I expected a leadership cliché. But she meant it literally. She’s making sure every employee, not just a pilot group, has access to GenAI tools. She even gave up headcount to fund software licenses so everyone could learn and experiment together. That’s what real transformation looks like. It’s not adoption. It’s embodiment. It’s a leader saying, “I will not let my people get left behind while the world moves forward.” Patricia also said something that I wont forget. “AI won’t build your culture. AI won’t build trust. That’s on us.” She’s right. The technology isn’t the hard part. The hard part is helping people redefine their roles, rebuild trust, and lead with curiosity instead of fear. If you care about where HR is headed and how leaders can truly prepare their people for what’s next, listen to this conversation. It’s one of the most honest and energizing ones I’ve had all year. Find links in comments...

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Imagine L&D so critical to a Fortune 10 company, its leader co-chairs meetings with the CEO. Martha Soehren made that a reality at Comcast. Most L&D leaders dream of truly influencing top-tier strategy. Martha Soehren, PhD, former Chief Talent Development Officer at Comcast, didn't just get a seat at that table; she co-chaired the Executive Learning Council alongside the CEO. This isn't merely about taking orders and delivering impactful learning; it's about redefining L&D's strategic importance and embedding it directly into the highest levels of business decision-making. In the latest episode of The Learning & Development Podcast presented by 360Learning, Martha unveils the audacious steps she took to transform a fragmented learning operation (with 79 different reporting relationships!) into a centralised powerhouse. Her story is a masterclass in governance, influence and proving value that delivered millions of dollars in documented ROI. Dive into this episode to discover how Martha: - Orchestrated a massive L&D centralisation by building a robust business case, using external benchmarks and compelling storytelling; - Secured consistent executive buy-in by mastering "over-communication" and proactive alignment, ensuring L&D was always positioned for success; - Navigated complex organisational politics and turned tough feedback into significant wins; - Connected learning outcomes directly to business success, saving millions and elevating L&D's credibility across the organisation. If you're an L&D leader ready to elevate your function from order-taker to strategic partner and genuinely influence your organisation's trajectory, you need to hear Martha's story. This is how you truly control the L&D narrative. Listen to the full episode via the link in the comments…

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Cisco’s FY25 Purpose Report is now live, highlighting how environmental sustainability is embedded across our business and how it shows up for our people, customers, partners, and communities. Energy and sustainability remain central to our strategy. In FY25, we delivered meaningful progress across our operations, products, and value chain, reaching several important multi-year milestones that support energy efficiency, resilience, and long-term value creation, including: ✔️ 100% of new Cisco products and packaging incorporating Circular Design principles. ✔️ Achieving our 90% Scope 1 and 2 greenhouse gas emissions reduction goal compared to our FY19 baseline. ✔️ Matching 100% of global annual electricity needs at our owned and leased facilities with renewable energy. As data center demand and AI adoption continue to accelerate, this work is increasingly tied to business performance and customer outcomes. We continue to evolve our approach to meet these realities and to support durable growth for Cisco and the customers and communities we serve. I’m proud of the teams and partners behind this progress, and the consistency and collaboration it takes to deliver results at scale. As we look ahead, we’ll continue focusing on solutions that help our customers operate more efficiently, build resilience, and grow responsibly in an increasingly digital and AI-driven world. Learn more in Cisco’s FY25 Purpose Report: http://cs.co/purpose 

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Across my week in London, there was a common thread in my conversations. It was the importance of leadership and culture inside of a company. I heard fascinating perspectives from different vantage points in and outside of Cisco focusing on how leadership, culture, and purpose are foundational to long-term growth. According to Gallup's 2025 Leadership Report, the number one thing people want from their leader is hope. I believe when we pair hope with clarity and execution, we turn ideas into reality. This is just one of the many learnings I will take from the week. Check out the video to hear them all. 

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The CHRO as Storyteller The most effective CHROs don’t just share data, they tell a story. They connect the dots between people, purpose, and performance so everyone, from employees to shareholders, sees their role in the big picture. Storytelling isn’t fluff. It’s alignment in action. #LeadershipCommunication #CHRO #CultureAndPurpose #Storytelling

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Inclusion isn’t just a concept, it’s a commitment. It starts with intention and moves forward with action. That’s exactly what came alive in the powerful session led by Dedeepya (Dedu) Ajith John, SHRM-SCP, SHRM-PMQ, Senior Director – South & Advisory Services, SHRM India & APAC, at 'MAARGAM' – our exclusive monthly Master Class for the HR&A team at Amara Raja Group. Titled “Intent to Action: Inclusion at Work,” the session sparked critical conversations on psychological safety, challenging biases, and fostering allyship. More than just theory, it was a deep dive into what it truly takes to make inclusion a lived reality in our workplaces. One of the standout moments? The Three Bs framework – ‘Behaviour, Bias, and Belief’. It gave us a practical lens to navigate the dilemmas of allyship with both sensitivity and courage. She also emphasised the importance of regular team conversations about unconscious biases, because the more we talk about them, the better we become at recognising and addressing them. The session also introduced the Will-Skill Matrix, helping us reflect on where we stand in our inclusion journey and how we can grow. And it didn’t stop at awareness, it led to action! The ‘Allyship Signature’ format gave us a structured way to commit to tangible steps toward inclusion, making it a personal and collective responsibility. From recognising microaggressions to creating psychologically safe spaces, the session left us with one key takeaway: Inclusion isn’t about what we say; it’s about what we do every day. A huge thank you to Dedeepya Ajith John for these invaluable insights! Looking forward to embedding these learnings into our journey toward a more inclusive and empowered workplace! #TheAmaraRajaWay #MAARGAM #MasterClass #LearningAndDevelopment #LeadershipDevelopment #InclusionAtWork #InclusionStartsWithI #AllyshipInAction #ChangeManagement #OrganizationDevelopment #DiversityandInclusion #CapabilityBuilding #CultureAtAmaraRaja #LearningAtAmaraRaja #PeopleFirst #GrowTogether #StrongerTogether 

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