Episode 372: How Great Leaders Build Their Inner Circle with Shona Kamath

What actually makes a people strategy work?

It’s not just having the right talent in the right seats. It’s building a workplace where people feel trusted, included, challenged, and connected to something bigger than their job description.

For HR and people leaders, that can feel HUGE. You’re balancing employee engagement, leadership development, retention, performance, culture, and business results...all while trying to make work feel a little more human.

In this episode of Workday Playdate, Erin talks with Shona Kamath, Head of Human Capital and Human Resources at MegaMex Foods, about what it really takes to build a strong people strategy and a culture where talent can thrive. They dig into trust, belonging, empathy, high-potential talent, leadership development, and why employees are more likely to stay when they can see how their work connects to the bigger picture.

Inside This Episode:

Invest in People, Not Just Output: What a successful people strategy really requires—from the right talent and capabilities to strong leadership, a supportive environment, and a clear connection between individual work and business impact. Build a Culture of Trust, Accountability & Inclusion: How belonging influences employee engagement, retention, and culture, and why real-time feedback and meaningful workplace relationships matter just as much as survey scores. Develop the Leaders of Tomorrow: The leadership qualities that matter most in high-potential talent, including emotional intelligence, empathy, communication, business acumen, strategic thinking, and integrity. Build a Talent Pipeline Before You Need One: How to identify potential early, create stretch opportunities, build supportive networks, and help employees reflect on what they’re learning so they’re less likely to disengage and leave. Take Creative Risks With Your Career & Your Team: Why raising your hand, creating “heat,” and embracing experiences like improv can help people learn faster, take ownership, and make work more playful and memorable. What to Do Now:

Connect the Dots: Help someone on your team see how their day-to-day work connects to the bigger picture. Clear line of sight can turn a task into a purpose. Create Some Career Heat: Raise your hand for an opportunity that stretches you, or someone on your team. Growth usually starts right outside the comfort zone. Invest in the Human: Ask what someone actually needs to feel supported, challenged, and included at work. Then make space for tru