The Pulse - November 2025 Newsletter

To Build A Talent-Centric Culture, Values And Consistency Are Key

When my employer, CenTrak, was recognized with a Talent Excellence Award from our parent company, the leadership team viewed it as more than an honor. It was a time to check in and ask, "What choices made this achievement possible?" and, more importantly, "Could we turn a single moment of success into a foundation for continuous growth?"

For organizational leaders, these questions help bring clarity to what makes your talent and workplace culture succeed. This is a crucial reflection because talent-centric cultures don't evolve by chance. They're intentionally designed with consistent reinforcement.

Define Values As Action

A key part of talent-centric cultures is actively translating company values into daily behaviors. But while many organizations articulate shared values like integrity, accountability, and innovation, few actually define what those qualities look like in daily work. During performance reviews at CenTrak, one director's experience with rating her team versus being rated by her manager helped us realize that our values can mean something very different to a frontline engineer than they do to a senior director. 

That discrepancy sparked an organization-wide initiative to define core behaviors tailored to every level. First, we looked at each role to determine the "what" and "how" of embodying different values. For example, what does proper communication look like as an analyst versus a team leader? For an analyst, it might mean proactively sharing learnings with peers; for a team leader, it could be creating the environment for others to succeed. This helped establish a clear framework that outlined expectations, growth pathways, and actionable examples that connected directly to business outcomes. It also emphasizes a simple, motivating principle: Perform for the job you want, not the job you have.

Once leadership behaviors were defined, our focus shifted to identifying and developing people who consistently lived them. We identified three to five leadership traits commonly demonstrated by those who achieved strong results and inspired others. Then, emerging leaders are assessed as “emerging,” “proficient,” or “advanced.” This clear scale created a shared language across departments. Calibration sessions ensured balance and fairness as leaders discussed their assessments, compared evidence, and based feedback on observable behavior. The goal was not to label talent but to spotlight opportunities for growth. By framing advancement discussions around concrete examples, we strengthened trust and transparency in our process.

Make Leadership Assessment Strategic

A talent strategy has real impact only when leaders are committed to seeing results. One method we used was conducting quarterly talent reviews that were dedicated exclusively to development. These discussions focused on progress, readiness, risk, and opportunity for our high-potential employees. They also served as a cross-functional forum where leaders identified retention risks early and shared best practices for growth and mobility.

This cadence helped move talent management from an HR-owned function to a leadership responsibility. When senior leaders consistently examine who's growing, who needs support, and where opportunities exist, culture naturally shifts from reactive to proactive. As a result, the connection between strong talent practices and business outcomes quickly became clear across the organization. Employee engagement surged, product quality improved, and customer satisfaction hit record levels.

Investing in people showed measurable business returns at every level, from the front line to the executive suite. We also saw the multiplier effect of developing talent in a way that moved beyond organizational boundaries. Several employees advanced into new roles within our parent company's global portfolio, while former employees, now richer in perspective and skills, return to CenTrak with renewed commitment to our mission.

Tips For Building A Talent-Centric Culture

As our CEO often reminds us, “Talent equals growth.” The strength of that equation lies in discipline. When organizations define what success looks like, deliberately develop it and hold leaders accountable for nurturing it, recognition and results follow.

Here are some practical ways to ensure your organization is prioritizing growth:

• Use recognition as a moment to learn and build on strengths.
• Make core values clear and connect them to performance at every level.
• Keep values alive through regular conversations and real examples.
• Use fair, behavior-based criteria to guide talent decisions.
• Make development a focus in talent reviews.
• Measure how talent investments improve engagement, quality, and retention.
• Welcome returning talent and the new perspectives that they may bring.

For CHROs and CEOs alike, the lesson is clear. Talent strategy is business strategy. With clarity, consistency, and commitment, recognition becomes renewal, and progress becomes the habit that fuels long-term growth.

Gratefully,

Nancy Adams, CPC

Please feel free to reach out with questions or feedback.

Thank You for Joining Us at the PSPS Leadership Forum!

PSPS extends a heartfelt thank-you to everyone who attended this year’s Leadership Forum. Your energy, insights, and engagement made the event a powerful gathering of leaders committed to elevating people, culture, and organizational effectiveness.

We’re grateful to our speakers, partners, and the broader PSPS community for contributing to meaningful conversations and inspiring ideas that will carry us into the year ahead.

Thank you for being part of what makes PSPS such a strong and vibrant network. We look forward to seeing you at future events!

Here is a link to a recap post and video: Leadership Forum Recap.

Join Us for the PSPS Winter Social This December! ❄️

PSPS is excited to welcome our community to one of our favorite traditions of the year—the Winter Social! As we close out 2025, this event offers a festive and meaningful opportunity for HR, talent, and people-focused professionals to come together, reconnect, and celebrate the collective achievements of our vibrant community.

The Winter Social is more than a year-end gathering—it’s a chance to strengthen relationships, share insights, and enjoy a relaxed evening with peers who are passionate about developing people and shaping the future of work.

We look forward to celebrating with long-time members, new faces, and everyone who contributes to the strength and impact of PSPS throughout the year. Here are the details:

• Date: Wednesday, December 3rd
• Time: 5:30 - 7:30 pm
• Location: Farmhouse at People's Light and Theatre Co. 39 Conestoga Road Malvern, PA 19355
• Cost: Members: $45, Guests: $55
• We will have appetizers and a cash bar for drinks

We are supporting Philabundance at our Winter Social. Philabundance will have a table and materials at the Social so you can find out more about this wonderful organization. We will be providing a special PSPS QR code shortly for donations.

✨ Let’s wrap up the year with connection, conversation, and community. See you in December!

PSPS is Looking for Volunteers!

PSPS is seeking passionate and engaged professionals who want to contribute to our community and help shape the future of our programs, events, and member experience.

If you’re interested in expanding your network, strengthening your leadership skills, and giving back to the HR and people-focused community, we’d love to have you join us.

Opportunities are available across several committees and initiatives. To learn more or express interest, please reach out—we’d be excited to connect with you!

https://www.peopleandstrategy.org/page/VolunteerInterest

Please note, you must be signed into the PSPS site in order to access the form.

Sponsor Spotlight: DoubleStar

We would like to highlight one of our fantastic sponsors DoubleStar, Inc. this month. DoubleStar is a specialized recruiting organization serving over 370 clients across over 1,300 projects, with expertise in life sciences, healthcare, financial services, information technology, consumer products, digital media/communications, energy, and engineering.

Check out these interesting articles available on our site:

AI Think Piece

Energy Service Rapid Expansion

Healthcare Sourcing Strategy

Thank you DoubleStar for your support of PSPS!

Member In Transition Highlight

At PSPS, we have a forum for members in a career transition looking for support in best positioning themselves in the market. This informal “advisory board” provides collaborative support during the transition process along with regular lead sharing. For more information, check out the Career Transition Group section of our website.

This month, we want to highlight one of our members who is actively looking for her next adventure! This month's featured member: Colleen K.

I’m a senior HR leader with more than 20 years of experience helping organizations align people strategies with business growth. Throughout my career, I’ve focused on growing Best Places to Work cultures where people feel connected, valued, and inspired to do their best work. My experience includes senior leadership roles where I’ve partnered with executives to strengthen workforce planning, culture, and performance across complex, technical, and matrix environments. I believe work should be both purposeful and enjoyable along the way.

My superpower is empathy and connection. I naturally “connect the dots” between people, culture, and business strategy, building trust quickly and bringing clarity to complex situations. I love helping leaders translate vision into people-driven action and adding a friendly smile to the process.

I’m targeting HR leadership roles within the Philly market focused on business transformation, talent strategy, and organizational effectiveness within purpose-driven organizations.

What value do you get from PSPS? The PSPS network has been incredible for connection, learning, and perspective. It’s a space where real dialogue happens.  Leaders show up with honesty, curiosity, and a genuine desire to help one another grow. Through PSPS, I’ve built lasting and meaningful relationships that continue to enrich both my personal and professional journey.

What do you enjoy most about the Transition Group? The openness and sense of belonging. I appreciate how willing everyone is to share ideas, offer candid feedback, and remind you that you’re not navigating this journey alone. It’s such an engaging and uplifting group to be part of.

Fun fact: I’m an empty-nester boy mom living in West Chester with my husband and three rescue dogs who keep life full of joy, muddy paws, and adventure.

Upcoming Events

We have a lot of great events coming up over the next few months! Check out the Events section of our website for more information. Here are a few highlights for you to consider with links to register:

HR/TA Consultants Roundtable 11/25/2025

Winter Social 12/3/2025

PSPS Transition Group 12/9/2025

Leadership/Talent Development Roundtable 12/12/2025

HR Business Partner Roundtable 12/17/2025

Head of HR Roundtable 12/19/2025

JEDI Forum 1/28/2026

Did You Know?

For our PSPS members only...

Have you joined our LinkedIn Group? Here’s the link to join. Join us today!

Our website provides additional information about joining PSPS or becoming a sponsor.

Thank you to all of our annual sponsors.