The Workforce Therapy Files team attended the 2025 Kentucky SHRM Conference, in Louisville. We took the opportunity to interview over 20 professionals who stopped by our booth.
Jamie Swaim and Molley Rickets sat down with Donald Woolridge, Sr., and Paul Bolton from the Leadership Louisville Center to discuss their training and development arm, Leading Better, which takes leadership insights traditionally reserved for small cohorts and brings them to the “many”. Donald shared how leadership is fundamentally universal and timeless, centered on interpersonal connectivity, empathy, and influence regardless of how global or virtual a team becomes. Paul added that leaders must bridge the gap between remote and in-person workers through transparency and dedicated one-on-one time, noting that this investment is far more efficient than the cost of replacing a person. The group also stressed the importance of updating “dusty” job descriptions to ensure companies are hiring for the roles they actually need today.
Paul compared a leader’s role to that of a coach, whose job is simply to bring out the greatness that is already inside an individual. To improve employees’ quality of life, Donald suggested that leaders must “pour into” their people and create environments where they have “skin in the game” and can speak freely. The group also discussed the concept that organizations aren’t just hiring a headcount; they are hiring and coaching families, meaning every workplace decision has a ripple effect on an employee’s life at home. This holistic view of the employee can drive a powerful cultural movement and significantly boost retention.
To learn more, visit leadershiplouisville.org
Donald and Paul, thanks for stopping by to speak with us!