Fast Company Executive Board

As a member of the Fast Company Executive Board, I am going to start doing some writing which will appear on FastCompany.com.

2025 Board Member

iCIMS

At iCIMS, I sit at the intersection of talent intelligence, strategic storytelling, and market influence. As Head of TA Insights & Analyst Relations, my role is to champion the voice of the labor market and position iCIMS as the trusted authority in hiring trends, candidate behavior, and talent acquisition innovation.

This role is equal parts thought leadership, data storytelling, and influence-building ➡️ and I’m here for ALL of it.

What’s a normal day for me?

➡️ Workforce Intelligence & Trends
I serve as the face and voice of the iCIMS Insights program, uncovering what’s really happening in the talent market and translating it into narratives that matter to our customers, the media, and the broader TA community.

➡️ Public Speaking & Industry Influence
I represent iCIMS across global stages—panels, podcasts, webinars, and media interviews—bringing data and practical insight to every conversation on hiring, retention, and the future of work.

➡️ Content & Brand Evangelism
I lead the development of executive-ready research content, social posts, and videos that amplify iCIMS’ voice. You’ll find my fingerprints on monthly LinkedIn and YouTube content that brings our data to life and builds trust with our audience.

➡️ Analyst Relations Strategy
I run point on how iCIMS shows up in key analyst reports and research. That includes cultivating relationships with firms like Gartner, Forrester, and IDC, and owning our strategy for briefings, evaluations, and hosted analyst events.

What makes this role especially exciting? It’s not just about sharing what’s happening in TA—it’s about shaping what happens next.

Let’s connect if you want to talk talent market trends, employer brand positioning, or how to turn workforce data into a competitive edge. 📧 me!

Head of Talent Acquisition Insights & Analyst Relations

Hacking HR

Guest lecturer on HR, Analytics, AI and others.

Faculty Lecturer

The Human Capitalist

Thought Leader

NearshoreWorks

As the Vice President of Talent and Culture for NearshoreWorks, I lead initiatives that bridge the gap between top-tier Latin American talent and US-based companies, ensuring seamless integration into your teams. My role encompasses the People Functions, including recruiting, performance management, strategy, and workforce development. 

At NearshoreWorks, we specialize in helping organizations tap into the top 1% of Latin America’s tech talent, saving up to 60% on hiring costs without compromising quality. Our commitment to fostering a culture of innovation, community, and mentorship has driven a remarkable 98.5% retention rate. With timezone alignment and a US-based leadership team, we ensure smooth, real-time collaboration for high-impact projects.

If you are interested in learning more, be sure to DM me so we can book an initial call.

Vice President of Talent and Culture

HatchWorks AI

As Vice President of Talent and Culture at HatchWorks, I’ve had the privilege of overseeing the entire employee journey—from attracting top talent to creating an environment where our people can thrive. At HatchWorks, our people aren’t just part of the business; they are the business.

My role spans several critical areas:
➡️ Talent Acquisition – I lead the strategy and execution behind how we attract talent that aligns with our skills needs and culture.
➡️ Talent Retention – I’ve built targeted retention strategies by identifying and addressing drivers of turnover to keep our team engaged and committed.
➡️ Learning & Development – I oversee our L&D programs to ensure ongoing growth and career development, creating a culture where learning is part of our DNA.
➡️ Employee Advocacy – I serve as the voice of our people, collaborating cross-functionally to ensure our decisions reflect employee needs and promote well-being.
➡️ Internal Communications – I partner with leaders to drive a clear, consistent communication strategy across email, video, and other channels, ensuring every Hatcher feels informed and connected.
➡️ HR Analytics – I own the HR analytics function end-to-end—from strategy to execution—using internal and external labor market data to uncover insights that drive smarter, faster people decisions.
➡️ Leadership Development & Performance Coaching – I’m deeply invested in developing current and future leaders, equipping them with the tools and coaching to lead with impact and drive performance.

A key part of our success is my partnership with Kathleen Wood, our Senior Director of People Operations. Together, we’ve elevated the employee experience and made HatchWorks a place where talent sticks and grows.

If you’re looking to connect with a strategic HR leader passionate about tech, data, and AI—let’s talk.

Bureau Veritas Group

●	Engage with the business leaders for workforce planning, forecasting and building the a pipeline of talent
●	Responsible for innovation within the Talent Acquisition and Development initiatives for North America -create and execute a talent acquisition strategy for North America to support a diverse workforce of top talent to help the firm achieve its growth strategies.
●	Lead virtual and cross-functional teams to perform against strategic business goals
●	Analyze, assess, and report on progress against talent strategies and key business initiatives
●	Build and manage a team of high-performer recruiters in an extremely fast-paced, highly technical and competitive environment
●	Innovate and update the talent acquisition model, including being an integrated/optimized model with strategic workforce planning, pipelining talent with a CRM, employment branding, successful social media campaigns, candidate relationship management, and a focus on robust talent acquisition programs such as Diversity, Alumni, Employee Referral, Professional Networks, etc.
●	Create the HR Analytics function to provide in-depth analytics for leaders on their talent including attrition, trend analysis, diversity and FTE to percentage capacity based on pending work orders.

VP Talent, Retention & Analytics, Culture

BBVA in the USA

I have the privilege to lead an amazing team of 48 recruiters! We are responsible for leading and executing the Talent Acquisition Mission for BBVA in the USA.  We are treasure hunters, corporate spies, and talent advisors for the US footprint.

Key Accomplishments:
●	Led a team of talent acquisition leaders, full-life cycle recruiters, coordinators, program, and operations managers ensuring that all members are supported in managing change as the company scaled operations. 
●	Served as the full life-cycle recruiter for senior-level positions and managed the succession plan for executive leadership roles or high-valued roles within the organization.
●	Created a thoughtful, clear metrics-driven approach to TA that tracks, monitors, and evaluates the impact and effectiveness of the recruiting team, initiatives, recruiting strategies and practices.
●	Helped to facilitate the AGILE Transformation of the HR Department and applied SCRUM to the recruiting process

Director of Talent Acquisition and Culture United States

Manage the recruiting team for all non-branch positions in the US, including our start-up ventures for BBVA global.

Recruiting Manager

Manage a team of Talent Agents supporting the IT, Fraud & Cyber Security, Marketing, Business Intelligence, Tech Architecture, Visual Design, Engineering and Venture Capital groups for BBVA and BBVA Compass. My role is to manage the talent acquisition strategy, lead our team, and recruit senior-level executives to our firm.

Talent Manager- FinTech Divisions

-2014-2015: Leader for the social media and video job description project for Recruiting to include scope, design, video directing/editing and implementation 
-2016-2017: Led an international project team to define, research and select a new Applicant Tracking System.  
-2017-2018: Helped to create and implement new design thinking and AGILE processes within the Talent Acquisition discipline
-2018: Currently leading projects designed to boost efficiencies and brand awareness for the clients I support.

Project Leader

Vice President
Senior Talent Consultant Professional/Executive Recruiting
Corporate and Commercial Banking
-Led a team of four recruiters supporting Business Banking, Corporate Banking, and Wealth Management 
-Successfully recruited two lift outs of competitor teams

Vice President/Strategic Talent Consultant for the Commercial & Corporate Banking Divisions

Self Employed

Worked with an HR Outsource provider offering full suite HR services.  
-Served as a business development officer and project consultant for clients.
-Helped design and implement benefit plans and payroll services 
-Worked on a variety of HR related projects for clients
-Led HR transformation projects for mid-sized companies
-Served as fractional HR leader for some clients.

Human Resources Consultant

SunGard Inc.

Senior Executive Recruiter 

    Serve as a recruiter and human resource consultant for two executive divisions of SunGard Inc.
    Primarily responsible for full-cycle recruiting for a multitude of mid-executive positions
    Provide coaching on management skills, techniques, and development for management team I supported

Senior Recruiter

🚀 Who is Trent Cotton? Buckle up, because here are the Top 10 things you should know about me!

1. Not your Normal HR Executive: 20 years in HR. I'm on a transformational journey from an HR professional into a Talent, Learning and Development maestro, and High Performance Coach, attempting to reshape the future of HR.

2. Author and Thought Leader: I've penned not ☝️, but two✌️ essential reads in the HR world—Sprint Recruiting and High Performance Recruiting. I hope those who read the books describe them as blueprints to revolutionizing HR strategies.

3. Champion of HR Analytics: I’m a loud and proud nerd!🤓 I trust numbers more than people. In my current role, I am in the data every day. Harnessing the power of HR analytics, I like to transform data into strategic goldmines, driving unprecedented organizational growth. (I talk a lot about analytics on my blog and on the speaking circuit.)

4. AI in HR Evangelist: From algorithms to automation, I believe in leveraging AI to enhance human capabilities, not replace them. My discussions cut through the hype, delivering practical insights into AI’s transformative role in HR.

5. Builder of High-Performance Cultures: Creating environments where talent thrives and businesses boom is my kind of game.

6. HR Tech Early Adopter: Tech isn’t just for the IT people. I enjoy spearheading cutting-edge HR technology implementations that streamline processes and enhance employee interactions.

7. Master Strategist: Whether it’s talent acquisition or workforce planning, my strategies are designed to change the game. I strive to craft innovative approaches that attract, develop, and retain top talent.

8. Community Leader: I’m deeply rooted in giving back, serving on boards and committees that champion education, workforce development, and diversity. It’s about lifting while climbing.

9. Engagement Guru: Engagement is at the core of everything I do. My leadership style ensures every team member is heard, valued, and motivated. I also enjoy training other leaders to do the same. 

10. Innovative Networker: Follow my journey on my blog at www.sprintrecruiting.com. I share my world where creativity meets execution, and every interaction is an opportunity to learn, grow, and connect.

🌟 If you are a fellow maverick and rebel, let’s make magic happen. Connect with me, and let’s drive the future of HR together. 
🌟 If you are looking for a speaker on any of the topics above, DM me. 
🌟 Follow my other channels by checking them out here: https://linktr.ee/humancapitalist

Trent Cotton

My grandmother told me something years ago that I finally understand now. If your voice gets ignored, downplayed, or challenged just because of who you are then you're in the wrong room.


I didn't listen.

I stayed in rooms where my ideas were shot down because they were different. Where groupthink was the price of admission. Where being critical was treated like disloyalty.

I fought to stay. I thought proving myself mattered more than protecting myself. I was wrong. 

Then I landed somewhere that challenged me differently. For five years, every idea I had got picked apart. But not to silence me. To sharpen me. That's when I learned the difference between friction that builds you and friction that breaks you.

Now I do something that ticks people off: I survey the room before I commit. If my energy isn't valued, I don't spend it there or simply occupy space but do not invest.

People call it arrogant. I call it clarity.

This simple truth has helped me identify the jobs I would be successful in, the teams i would work best with, and the brands I could truthfully represent. 

Since I started honoring that boundary, my work got better. My peace got stronger. My confidence became steel. 

And I finally paid my grandmother back for the lesson she gave me decades ago.

You don't owe anyone your presence in a room who doesn't respect it. Respect yourself and find another room.

Head of Talent Acquisition Insights & Analyst Relations @iCIMS | The Human Capitalist | FastCo Executive Board Member | Turning Recruiting and Workforce Data into Success Strategies | LinkedIn Top Voice

The Transform Atlanta Chapter got together for  some holiday fun.

No alternative text description for this image

I've hired the wrong people more times than I care to admit. And the worst part? They weren't always obviously bad.


Some worked incredibly hard. Some everyone loved. Some said all the right things in meetings.

But they still broke the team.

Patrick Lencioni's framework helped me see what I'd been missing. It's not about finding people who are just good at their job. It's about three things that have to exist together: Humble, Hungry, and Smart.

Miss one, and you get a specific kind of problem.

The Skillful Politician has two out of three. They work hard. They read the room. But everything they do is for themselves. They fake humility long enough to climb, then leave wreckage behind them. I've watched these people get promoted while others quietly quit.

The Lovable Slacker also has two. Everyone likes them. They don't cause drama. But they coast. They do just enough to not get fired, and because they're pleasant, you let it slide longer than you should. Meanwhile, your top performers are picking up the slack and starting to resent it.

The Accidental Mess-Maker means well and works their tail off. But they don't pick up on social cues. They say the wrong thing at the wrong time. They create friction without meaning to. The good news? These people are usually coachable if you're willing to invest the time.

I learned to screen for all three traits.

Because a brilliant jerk will tank morale. A likable slacker will drag down standards. And someone who works hard but lacks awareness will create chaos.

The people who last on great teams aren't perfect. But they show up humble, hungry, and emotionally smart.

I spent years trying to be the MVP but it turns out I was just making everyone else's job harder.


Learning where you actually fit on a team is uncomfortable, challenging, like being in the corner of a sauna filled with people.

It requires the kind of self-reflection most of us avoid because it means admitting we're not always the hero of the story.

For a long time, I thought being valuable meant being the person with the answers. The one who solved the problem. The one everyone looked to when things got messy. The fixer. The general and the consoler. 

Honestly, it has been exhausting.

But that's not how high-performing teams actually work, especially now as AI levels out the IQ on teams. I picked up Jon Levy's Team Intelligence a few months ago and one idea stuck with me harder than I expected.

The best teams aren't built around stars. They're built around glue.

"Glue people", as he calls them, are the ones who connect the dots between departments. They ask the question that changes the direction of a meeting. They remember what was said three weeks ago and bring it back when it matters.

They don't get the credit. But without them, nothing holds together.

I've been on teams where I was the glue and didn't realize it. I've also been on teams where I tried to be the celebrated performer and made everything worse because I wasn't paying attention to what the team actually needed. 

The shift happened when I stopped asking "How do I stand out?" and start asking "What does this team need that no one else is doing?"

That's harder. It takes humility. It takes letting go of the need to be recognized for every contribution. This is especially hard when for most of your career, you've been hard wired to think differently. Even harder when you're on this self discovery journey alone because it is counter cultural. 

But it also makes you more valuable than any individual performance ever could... or at least that's what I have been learning over the last year.

Rachel Bourne doesn't buy the AI panic seeming to drive the latest movements in the job markets. I tend to agree with her. 


After two decades leading HR strategy at Fortune 500 companies, she's watched economic cycles destroy careers while everyone pointed at the wrong villain.

Yes, 1.1 million layoffs happened. No, automation isn't the full story.

In this week's Human Capitalist Podcast, Bourne explains what's really behind the disruption — and why your career strategy probably won't survive it.

Her framework: stop climbing ladders. Start playing checkers.

"Each move, even backwards or sideways, can create options and momentum. It's up to you to design the board, not just play the game." - Rachel 

We go deep on why companies can't seem to fix their talent problems, what actually drives layoffs, and how to build career resilience when the rules keep changing.

Newsletter includes the full episode breakdown and link. Let's dig in!

When headlines scream about 1.1 million layoffs, it's easy to blame the usual suspects: automation, artificial intelligence, corporate cost-cutting. B

Open article: The Layoff Paradox: Rachel Bourne’s Take on the Future of Work by Trent Cotton • 2 min read

The Layoff Paradox: Rachel Bourne’s Take on the Future of Work

1.1 million jobs cut this year. 42% of AI projects abandoned by late 2024.


That's what's being reported in the news. 

Here's a thought for you: If you cut staff betting on AI, how does your organization recover when the AI fails?

I get into this topic in this week's Human Capitalist. The YouTube episode has the playbook and I included the video in the newsletter.

I'm anxious to see what you think about this news and what your company is doing about it.

This year alone, over 1.1 million U.S. jobs have been cut. October saw the highest monthly layoff total in 22 years. UPS eliminated 48,000 workers. Am

Open article: The Workforce Cliff: How betting on AI is affecting the workforce by Trent Cotton • 8 min read

The Workforce Cliff: How betting on AI is affecting the workforce

I've been watching the AI panic for two years now, and I finally figured out why people are actually afraid.


It's not the technology.

It's the silence.

Ben Eubanks dropped something worth reading this morning from Lighthouse Research & Advisory. He's been tracking how organizations actually respond to AI, not how LinkedIn (and "influencers") thinks they should respond.

The data's telling a different story than the headlines.

Here's what jumped out at me:
When companies actually talk about their AI strategy clearly, directly, no corporate word salad, employees get optimistic. Seriously. Optimism rises. Anxiety drops. It's that simple.

But when leadership goes quiet?

Employees fill the gap with Reddit threads and Twitter doom scrolls. And we all know how that ends. (Lord knows I've been there myself.) 

The other piece that stuck with me: 
AI isn't here to make HR and learning teams redundant. It's here to kill the admin work that's been suffocating you for years. Imagine your learning team not spending 40% of their time on manual tagging and sorting. Imagine what they'd actually build with that time back.

That's the unlock nobody talks about. Not "faster output." Deeper human impact.
This is worth 10 minutes of your morning if you're trying to build an AI strategy or get people unstuck on adoption.

Ben's written about this stuff for a while. He knows what he's looking at and I trust his POV emphatically. If you're not following him, take 30 seconds and go follow, hit the bell, and select "All". Thanks for always leading the conversation Ben! 

🔗 Link to the source: https://lnkd.in/eCscEinY

If you are wondering what's really going on in the job market, I have some data for you. 


Based on our data iCIMS, our November Workforce Report breaks down exactly what you need to know to create a recruiting strategy that will succeed. 

This month we looked at the manufacturing sector to determine what's moving and what's slowing down. 

Here's a 5 minute overview of the insights that jumped out the most to me from this month's report. If you would like your own FREE copy of the report, you can get yours here: https://lnkd.in/eBEdps8a

#BLS #Workforcedata #Jobdata #Jobs #Hiring

I've spent years building teams of top performers and I was completely wrong about what makes them work.


I used to believe the formula was simple. Hire the best people. Stack talent. Watch them dominate.

Netflix's series Boots and Jon Levy's book "Talent Intelligence" hit me at the same time. 

Both say the same thing in different ways: a room full of superstars doesn't create a superstar team. It creates competition, ego clashes, and knowledge hoarding.

What actually works? Glue players.

I wrote about this in this week's Human Capitalist Newsletter. It's uncomfortable to admit I had this backwards for years, but the data is clear.

If you've been building teams the same way I did, it might be time to rethink what high performance actually means in the future of work. 

#futureofwork #jobs #recruitment #leadership #highperformance

I have learned that a core belief of mine is wrong: a room full of top performers doesn’t automatically create a team that thinks and performs well to

Open article: Why All-Star Teams Fail in the AI Era: Executive Guide by Trent Cotton • 9 min read

Why All-Star Teams Fail in the AI Era: Executive Guide

McKinsey froze entry-level salaries for the third year running. Is this a compensation trend we'll see more of in 2026? Is it AI's fault? Well...

Their explanation? AI is doing the work now.

But that's not the full story.

Most organizations are using "AI transformation" as cover for compensation decisions they were going to make anyway. The real question isn't whether AI replaces work. It's whether your pay strategy can survive what's coming in 2026.

Cynthia Abbott Kerr runs Wellpay.ai and spends her days fixing compensation strategies. In our latest conversation, she walked me through what actually matters: transparency that builds trust, equity structures that create stakes, and governance policies that keep AI from making your bias problem worse.

The days of the discussion only being about matching market rates are sunsetting. She says it's about designing pay structures that show progression before your competitors start hiring again.

If your CHRO isn't thinking about this now, they'll be fixing it under pressure later.

#HR #Compensation #AIinHR #Humancapitalist

McKinsey froze entry-level salaries for the third straight year. Starting pay sits at $135,000 for college grads and $270,000 for MBAs. The official e

Open article: Compensation in 2026: Why Transparency Beats Complexity by Trent Cotton • 4 min read

Compensation in 2026: Why Transparency Beats Complexity

I enjoy knowing my network gets me. When an Economist article declared that HR has taken over corporate life and that AI might now come for its headcount, I was tagged or forwarded the article no less than fifteen times. 

It seems many thought I would have an opinion on the matter. 

Look, it’s easy to picture a faceless department of policy enforcers about to be replaced by software. That version of HR does exist.

But it’s not the only one. And it’s not the future.

I breakdown my thoughts on the The Economist article in this week's Human Capitalist Newsletter. 

But if you're looking for the bottom line only: HR is not going away. Maybe it is, finally, being asked to grow up? Asking for a friend.

I enjoy knowing my network gets me. When an Economist article declared that HR has taken over corporate life and that AI might now come for its headco

Open article: Don’t Carve Up HR Just Yet by Trent Cotton • 7 min read

Many content strategist say don't show the mess ups in your video. I chose not to listen and just be me. Stutter and all. 

Don't believe me, watch the clip! 

What's in the clip? I often get asked about the new role of HR in the era of AI. I think my answer surprises people. 

When done properly, HR becomes the board’s AI translator.

Just as audit committees ensure directors understand the numbers, HR ensures directors understand how AI will shape people, culture, and trust.

Here's a clip from my most recent episode on the topic of AI in the Boardroom and HR's critical role. 

Link to the episode is in the comments.

Is AI really transforming the workforce or is it just a cover for something else? 

My guest Cynthia Abott Kerr says there's more to the story. She breaks it down for us on the latest episode of the Human Capitalist Podcast. 

We also get into what she thinks 2026 compensation strategies will look like. 

Be sure to check out the full episode on YouTube 👉 Human_Capitalist! 
 
#HR #Jobs #Compensation

Here's a quick PSA: I am no longer in or managing recruiting! 


This is the fifth or sixth message I have gotten about someone impersonating me as a recruiter. Couple of things: 
1. I am no longer in recruiting. 
2. There can be only one of me. 

If you get a message from me about a job, please report the individual.

A strong economic indicator many of us watch is holiday hiring and spending. For 2025, it's telling quite the story. 


Big companies such as Macy's and UPS that usually add help for the holiday rush are retrenching in the face of economic headwinds, The New York Times reports. I found this interesting but not surprising. 

Searches for holiday jobs are skyrocketing, rising 10x faster than the number of openings. Retail hiring is projected to shrink by up to 175,000 roles this season. Companies like Target are boosting hours for existing staff, but that’s cold comfort for the 9 million Americans juggling multiple jobs and hoping for extra seasonal income. This is in the midst of Verizon's layoff announcement today. 

If you are hiring for seasonal frontline workers, iCIMS released its annual State of Frontline Hiring Report that has a ton of great data around what's really going on in the space. We get into the data and share some key insights you might need in developing your hiring strategy. 

It's free so check it out here: https://lnkd.in/e9PHh4qx

#Hiring 
#Recruitment 
#SeasonalWorkers

Every week I break down the most important research, shifts, and “oh-this-is-about-to-get-real” moments in AI and HR. This week’s edition might be the most important one yet.

Here’s what you’ll miss if you’re not subscribed:
⚠️ 66% of enterprises are cutting entry-level roles
A new IDC/Deel study shows junior roles are disappearing, leaving no place for early-career workers to learn. Degrees are basically irrelevant now (only 5% still require one).

😬 SHL just uncovered a serious AI trust gap
 74% of workers change their opinion of a company if interviewed by an AI agent.
 Only 27% trust their employer to use AI responsibly.

🌍 PwC’s 50,000-worker survey shows the “AI optimism vs. reality” gap
 People feel positive about AI, but daily adoption is still low.

🧪 The World Quality Report says scaling AI is stalling
 Skill gaps (50%), integration challenges, and data-risk concerns are slowing real adoption.
 
🤖 Microsoft drops Agent 365
 A platform designed to manage hybrid “human + agent” teams.
 
If you’re in HR, TA, recruiting, L&D, or the C-suite, you can’t afford to guess your way through this shift. I break the noise down every week so you walk into Monday ahead of everyone else.

👉 Subscribe to the weekly AI in HR newsletter
 No fluff… just the data, the trends, and what it actually means for your workforce.

(Links inside the newsletter to every source)

Every week I break down the most important research, shifts, and “oh-this-is-about-to-get-real” moments in AI and HR. This week’s edition might be the

Open article: Week Ending November 21, 2025 by Trent Cotton • 3 min read

Is your board gambling with AI, or governing it? What is HR's role on the board when it comes to AI? 


There's a troubling gap forming in boardrooms right now.

AI budgets are skyrocketing. Nearly nine in ten large organizations are using AI in at least one core function. But most boards are signing off on investments they can't actually interrogate.

They approve the spend. They don't understand the risk.

I think HR is the best-positioned function to fix this. You already sit between the tech hype and the human consequences. You know where AI in hiring, performance management, or workforce planning could quietly violate trust or create legal exposure.

AI governance and adoption isn't a tech problem. It's a people problem. And that makes it HR's problem.

This week's Human Capitalist Newsletter digs into why boards are approving AI they don't understand and how HR can step into the gap before it's too late. 

Two options for you: 
1. Read the recap in the newsletter below. 
2. Watch the video version here: https://lnkd.in/e3ndwhic

There is a troubling trend I am seeing in the data. AI budgets are exploding, but most boards still treat AI like a new money printer with little to n

Open article: The 4-Question AI Compass Every Board Needs by Trent Cotton • 4 min read

The 4-Question AI Compass Every Board Needs

By 2026, the HR director role might not exist.


At least that's what Fast Company is predicting. The replacement: a Chief Productivity Officer who merges HR and IT to drive people and technology outcomes together. 

Moderna's already there.

But here's what I think: most organizations are years away from being ready for this. Why? 

I get into the topic in this week's Human Capitalist Newsletter. The real question is: how long until most HR organizations are actually going to focus on what the business has wanted from it for so long...people productivity? 

According to Fast Company, we shall see soon. 

#FutureofHR #HR #humanresources #Humancapitalist

The prediction caught my attention immediately. Fast Company forecasts that by 2026, the traditional HR director will be replaced by a new C-suite rol

Open article: HR’s Rebranding or Redefinition? The Chief Productivity Officer  by Trent Cotton • 8 min read

HR’s Rebranding or Redefinition? The Chief Productivity Officer

Is AI the ultimate answer to all workforce problems? 

I've been digging in the data for the last year and I can't say that it is. Unfortunately, I am seeing a lot of companies make the bet that it is and cutting staff. Cutting staff as in: we are approaching 1.1M jobs lost this year. 

I break down all that I have learned in my recent podcast episode. I'll give you two options: 
1. If you like video, check out my 8 minute video here: https://lnkd.in/evxwBjQi 
2. Or if you prefer to read the data and my take on it, check it out here: https://bit.ly/49qguMo

If you are in the C-Suite and most especially in charge of the people function, you need to take the time to understand what's really driving market behavior.   

#HR #JobData #BLS #Workforcedata

Enterprises just committed $1.6M per year to AI in HR for 2026.

That's 10x what they spent in 2023.

But here's what matters more than the number: AI moved from "pilot project" to "strategic capability."

Companies treating it like a portfolio report twice the impact. The era of "let's test AI and see what happens" is over.

This week's newsletter breaks down what's actually getting funded, where early adopters are winning, and what it means for your hiring strategy.

#AIinHR #HR #REcruitment #HRTech 
Read the full breakdown in this week's Human Capitalist Newsletter.

This week I chose to bring you some of the insights from the analysts community. In case you missed it... Is your board ready for AI? Do they know the

Open article: Week Ending December 5th by Trent Cotton • 2 min read

Avant Executive Search & Talent Advisory

Sonia Prais, Laurie Ryan, and I co-founded Avant Executive Search in 2020, and let's face it, if you were going to just dive in and try to shake things up, that was a great year to do it! It's been an absolute blast and I love my team, what we do, and who we do it for. The growth we've achieved has been phenomenal and we cannot thank all the early clients and advisors that believed in us and played a huge role in getting us launched. A big thank you also goes to our employees and partners that took a leap of faith and trusted us with the next stage of their career journey, we couldn't have delivered for the 30+ global clients we've partnered with without each of you!

Here's the official skinny:

Avant is a female-owned, retained executive search firm and talent consultancy servicing private equity, fashion, retail, technology, and hospitality brands in the U.S., Europe, and Asia-Pacific.

One of the fastest growing firms in the search industry, we were born from one simple philosophy: Ego is the enemy of great work.

Reach out to me anytime to learn more about how we can help your firm acquire executive talent, diversify the team, gain real-time insight into compensation trends and plan for future growth.

President

Korn Ferry

After consulting on strategy and partnerships for 4 years I joined Korn Ferry in 2017 in a shift to executive search and organizational consulting. I had gotten to know KF as a candidate back in 2010 when Clearwire was a hot name that they wanted to recruit leadership talent out of. I kept in touch over the next few years and ended up joining the firm when an opening to lead the technology sector for the Professional Search business came up in 2017. We achieved almost 40% growth in the 18 months after I came on and I hired some fantastic people who are still doing well there. 

Korn Ferry was a great transitional learning experience and I discovered that my years of operating experience were invaluable in terms of relating to clients, candidates and unique business challenges in a way that you just can't if you haven't managed at scale on the client side.

Sector Leader, North American Technology Market

ChannelPeak

Having worked with big brands and customer acquisition agencies for 15 years I decided to leverage the knowledge and relationships I'd acquired to found ChannelPeak. 

Our primary focus was helping companies expand distribution through new partnerships but we got to do some interesting stuff that was pretty far out of my wheelhouse at the time such as help develop a cosmeceutical line and source an entire catalog of home products for a foreign multi-level marketing firm. We also helped create new multi-channel platforms for customer acquisition firms and assist in M&A analysis between them.

Founder and Principal

Clearwire

This is pretty amazing in retrospect. I inherited a team of about 50 people in 4 markets that we grew to over 600 people in 53 markets in about 18 months for what's still one of the most the most heavily funded startups in US history. In 2009-10 I did hundreds of phone and in-person interviews from Boston to Austin and everywhere in between to staff up from zero and get each market to a successful launch. That experience was one that helped me transition quickly into talent acquisition.

Having all-channel responsibility across so many markets would still rank as the toughest but most valuable executive experience I've ever had. You definitely learn to prioritize quickly or risk getting too far behind to be able implement and execute strategy in time to be effective. 

My team was even able to create and execute a plan to pivot the retail business from post-paid to pre-paid in 2011 which improved cash-flow by over $100M annually and ended up being a major factor in our final purchase price improving by almost 50% from Sprint's initial offer to acquire us. But by far the coolest, most rewarding thing from this experience is seeing all the amazing success that people on my teams have had the last 7 years. These were some LONG, crazy hard days but ones I'll always remember as some of the most fun in my career.

Senior Vice President of Sales (now part of T-Mobile)

AT&T

Such a great place to start my career, I still appreciate the effort and investment that BellSouth put into developing me. Nowhere since then has close to matching that. Uber-conservative, plodding culture, but diplomatically navigating old bell-co bureaucracy to create wildly successful new channels here was what landed me my next gig. 

Promoted 5 times in 8 years, winning Pinnacle Club Awards 4 times and being selected for executive leadership development in 2004.

Regional Sales Manager, Lead Staff Manager, Distribution Channel Manager

My career successes, even before I pivoted into Executive Search & Human Capital Advisory, were all enabled by trying to better understand people and what excites them, scares them, and inspires them, to ultimately do my best to help them get where they want to go. It's been a lifelong passion for me and it is something I keep front and center in everything I do. No matter the business relationship, it all starts with building enough trust to get people to open up about what their most ambitious dreams are, and then working back to how achieving our common, near-term business objectives can support their journey towards those dreams. And sometimes there's not much of a path to connect those things, but the foundation to us all getting on the track we want to be on is that process of honest discovery. 

So it seems only natural that I would find my way into helping clients attract, develop, and retain great people. Getting to do that while having the opportunity to also do those things for my own people inside my own firm is the most rewarding thing I have experienced in my career.

David  Gray Barnette

If most CMOs looked at the job specs their companies put out, they'd lose it. These documents create millions of brand impressions a year, yet they look like they were stitched together by ChatGPT-1 and an unpaid intern.

We see it every day:

-Responsibilities mistaken for requirements
-Requirements mistaken for responsibilities
-Typos galore
-Stale, generic employer-brand copy
-Low-res logos that look like they need a shave
-Layouts that scream “designed by someone who normally lives in Excel”

Job specs should pull talent in. Most push talent away.

And the fascinating part? The dysfunction varies by company type so here's some advice for each: 

#Startups / #VC
Founders are brilliant at many things, but let’s be honest - they’re not HR pros or brand storytellers. So candidates end up reading job specs that unintentionally telegraph chaos, risk, and “we’re making this up as we go.”

A few hours with a fractional leader or a real employer-brand expert can change the entire narrative of your company before you’ve even had your first call with a candidate.

#PrivateEquity
Here’s the uncomfortable truth: you say talent drives value creation, but you invest 99% of your attention in metrics dashboards instead of the optics that attract actual talent. Synergy targets, EBITDA bridges, working capital optimization—yes, essential. 

But none of it matters if the leaders you want take one look at your job specs and think, “Yeah…this feels like a churn-and-burn kind of deal.”  Senior candidates scrutinize PE-backed companies harder than anyone. Your employer brand should calm nerves, not spike them.

#Publics
The problem is structural: silos, approvals, layers. The people who could fix your job specs can’t even see them, and the people who can see them often don’t have the context or skill to make them compelling. One small process change - actual brand oversight - would transform how talent perceives you.

At Avant Executive Search & Talent Advisory, we’re borderline obsessive about this stuff. Published authors, creative agency veterans, and search pros who refuse to let bad optics slide (Laurie Ryan and Kristin Fry, I’m talking about you two in particular) are always casting a critical eye towards the little details. Everything we send - reports, decks, job specs - gets treated like a brand-defining asset. Because it is.

If your job specs (or any part of your #talentacquisition experience) are sending the wrong signals, we can fix that fast - and the impact on candidate quality is immediate.

We deliver top global talent to clients in Private Equity & Venture Capital, Retail, Fashion, Hospitality, & Technology

Private equity wants 2026 results with 2006 hiring filters. Growth is the engine, but we’re still hiring for cost cops.
 
So many of the leadership searches we see are still built around the same old questions....SG&A reduction...expanded margins...cost out playbooks...

Then there's the cognitive assessments that rule out the most creative GTM talent over how fast they can solve math problems.  And the prestige bias that seems to forever haunt the sector where Ivy league degrees and early career blue chip consulting stints get added as talent filters where no one can attribute any tangible benefit to them that justifies ruling out a proven rainmaker or brand building wizard that went to North Dakota State and started their career selling from an end cap inside of a WalMart. 

So real growth operators — the ones who can redesign GTM, rebuild pricing, launch adjacencies, and accelerate revenue velocity — too often get filtered out.

And value creation stalls because the system keeps producing “cost cutters” when the thesis requires a “growth architect.”

Let’s call it what it is:

A lot of PE firms have a 2026 investment thesis and a 2006 hiring model.

If you want real upside:
 
-Start hiring builders, not just “fixers.”
-Start assessing growth intuition, not just operational track records.
-Start valuing commercial creativity as much as spreadsheet discipline.

The firms that evolve their talent lens fastest are going to own the next decade of returns.

#PrivateEquity #ValueCreation #ExecutiveHiring #Leadership #GrowthOperators #CommercialExcellence #PEPortfolioLeadership

taplio

The Battle

Trent Cotton

David Gray Barnette

Followers

Posts

Engagements

Likes

Performance ScoreTrent Cotton's LinkedIn Performance

Performance ScoreDavid Gray Barnette's LinkedIn Performance

Ready to grow your LinkedIn presence?

taplio

The Battle

Trent Cotton

David Gray Barnette

Followers

Posts

Engagements

Likes

Performance Score.css-goub6s{font-size:var(--chakra-fontSizes-md);font-weight:500;color:var(--chakra-colors-gray-600);display:block;margin-top:var(--chakra-space-1);}Trent Cotton's LinkedIn Performance

Performance ScoreDavid Gray Barnette's LinkedIn Performance

Ready to grow your LinkedIn presence?

Performance ScoreTrent Cotton's LinkedIn Performance