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The Power of Listening at Scale: Building Cultures of Trust and Action with Gianna Driver

Episode Summary:

In this episode of Culture Conversations, host Craig Forman sits down with Gianna Driver, Chief People Officer and expert in building human-centered workplace cultures. Gianna brings a unique perspective from her experience leading people teams and working at organizations that design tools to support employee engagement and listening at scale. Together, they explore the evolving role of HR leaders in fostering psychological safety, navigating difficult conversations, and balancing empathy with performance. Gianna shares actionable insights on creating inclusive environments where employees feel seen, heard, and valued—even amid today’s divided world.

Key Topics Discussed:

  • The Role of Leaders in Divided Times: How HR leaders can create space for deep listening and foster unity, even when personal beliefs differ across teams.
  • Moving Beyond the Surface: The importance of naming emotions and fears to demystify them and build stronger connections within organizations.
  • Balancing Engagement and Performance: Why having an engaged workforce doesn’t automatically mean a high-performing one—and how leaders can achieve both.
  • Listening at Scale: The power of leveraging data from engagement surveys and pulse checks while ensuring it leads to meaningful action and trust-building.
  • The Future of DEIB: How diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging need to be intentionally woven into all aspects of organizational culture to drive long-term success.

Books and Resources Mentioned:

Relevant Links:

- Connect with Gianna Driver on [LinkedIn]

Culture Conversations Host:

Craig Forman is an organizational psychologist and founder of CultureC Consulting, dedicated to helping companies create better workplace cultures through strategic employee listening and performance management programs.

- Connect with Craig on LinkedIn

- Website