#301 Jo Harley Co-Founder at Korero - The Power of Value-Led Business and Feedback

·1 hr 13 min·5 clips

Jo Harley reveals how a simple pub job led to building tech that solves hospitality's biggest people problem.

The episode begins with host Michael Tingsater introducing the Hospitality Mavericks podcast's mission and sponsor Sona. He sets up guest Jo Harley as a maverick leader focused on purpose, culture, and feedback. Jo recounts her accidental start in hospitality, working in a pub after a job centre visit, and her early career frustrations with lack of personal development conversations at companies like Allied Domecq and Bacardi. This led her to partner with Jane Sunley at Learn Purple, focusing on employee experience for 20 years. Post-pandemic, Jo co-founded Korero, a tech platform for career conversations, and Hendrick and Hyde, a consultancy. She explains Korero's purpose is 'better conversations, better careers, better lives' with values of credibility, care, and positivity. Jo details five research-backed factors for retention: adult communication, individualized development, clear career pathways, inspirational leadership, and aligned values. She addresses common barriers like leaders being 'too busy' and shares data from the Best Places to Work survey, highlighting that employees prioritize positive environments and care over perks. Jo uses a boat-rowing analogy to stress the importance of aligned purpose. The conversation covers the Entrepreneurial Operating System (EOS) and defining organizational behaviors. They discuss AI's role in HR tech, with Jo advocating for its use to free up time for human conversations but cautioning about ethical and environmental impacts. Jo shares personal learnings on using LinkedIn to build confidence and network. She reveals insights from the latest Best Places to Work survey, noting areas for improvement like pay and career pathways. The episode concludes with Jo's fondest food memory of shortbread and hot chocolate in college, the meaning of Korero (Māori for conversations), and how to connect with her.

As heard by us

A practical conversation about using purpose and values to guide culture, decisions, and better workplace conversations.

The episode frames value-led business through a simple image: boats colliding when the people steering them are not aiming for the same destination.

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Why you'd press play

You want your teams rowing toward the same destination, with values that make hard conversations less personal.

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