This episode was recorded live at SHRM 2025 in San Diego. William Tincup sat down with D’Mar Phillips, Bill Chval, and Franz Schreiner. Each guest brought a unique lens to the idea of people leadership. They spoke with clarity. They answered without polish. They showed what real influence looks like inside a company.
D'Mar explained why strong relationships matter more than surface-level connection. Bill revealed how motivation depends on knowing what others need before they ask. Franz shared how product success starts with diagnosing the right problem. They did not try to impress. They told stories. They reflected on turning points. They spoke about feedback that hurt but helped. They showed how leadership means staying grounded even when you want to retreat. They made it clear that legacy begins with how you show up every day.
Timestamps
00:00 — Why they start with HR superpowers instead of job titles
01:10 — William explains how motivation fails without personalization
02:00 — “What did you hear?” creates clarity through reflection
03:10 — Franz explains the gap between customer asks and real problems
04:20 — Bill defines a people hero as someone who makes a difference
05:40 — Bill uses a kitchen whiteboard to reinforce what matters
06:30 — Franz explains why Bill leads the same way at home and work
07:40 — D'Mar reframes heroism as the courage to be authentic
08:30 — William embraces blunt honesty but checks for permission
09:20 — Franz explains how inspiration helped shape his leadership
11:00 — Franz reveals why transparency matters more than pretending
12:20 — A project failure at Uber taught Franz to lead with honesty
13:10 — Feedback without sugarcoating builds long-term trust
14:10 — Bill recalls when a stranger wanted to work for him
16:20 — D'Mar shares what Feeding America’s CEO taught him about feedback
17:50 — He explains why you should never leave just to escape something
This episode was recorded live with isolved at the SHRM Annual Conference in San Diego.
The Heroes of HR podcast is a limited series sponsored by isolved. isolved is an HCM platform that modernizes HR, benefits, and payroll across Healthcare, Hospitality, Manufacturing, and more.
Learn more about isolved: https://www.isolvedhcm.com/
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William Tincup LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tincup/
Ryan Leary LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ryanleary/
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