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Nicole: Hi, everyone. Uh, thank you for joining us. So I've gotta say, this individual I had never talked to prior to last week, and I thought about her all weekend. Um, she gave me homework, which I am one that likes to do my homework on time, so we'll get to that in just a bit. So she is a bold, [00:01:00] unapologetic, and culture-shifting presence in the world of human resources. She is an out-of-the-box thinker, I can attest to that, and people-centered leader who has made it her life's work to transform dysfunctional workplace cultures into rewarding places to work. She is deeply passionate about employees being treated fairly, believing that without people, a business is just a name, and she has built an entire movement, and I love this word, movement, around this belief. She is a widely respected keynote speaker and the creator of the Unplug Experience, a conference born during COVID-19 pandemic to give HR professionals the support, the community, and the space to prioritize their own wellbeing. Founder and chief culture strategist at HR Plug, LaShawn Davis. Welcome, LaShawn.
LaShawn: Thank you so much for having me. What an introduction, man.
Nicole: I know, I love these. I'm like, "Build, build, beautiful, beautiful. You're amazing. You're amazing. You're amazing," and here [00:02:00] you
LaShawn: But thank you so much for having me and inviting me to be a part of the show today.
Nicole: Oh, I am really excited about this one, um, only because I think not even people in the HR space, but just anyone out there in the world can relate to what you are going to share, and hopefully take this simple exercise home, um, even like you had me do with my family. So, um, let's get right into it because I don't wanna
LaShawn: Do it
Nicole: waiting on this amazing topic. Um, you're amazing, and I want you to share just a moment where you humble yourself and you have your hiring happy hour
LaShawn: Wow. Well, thank you again, um, for allowing me to just be in your presence and engage with your audience. I am LaShawn Davis, and I am a catalyst of greatness and success, and I believe my calling is to remind you and everyone that I come in contact with who they are and that greatness is infused in their DNA.
It's not something that you chase, but [00:03:00] it's who you become. And a part of that is just starting with getting curious about you. Um, and so for me, that's who I am. I am the person that's going to push you to acknowledge and realize and comprehend just how great you are and how that can show up powerfully in what you do in and out of work.
So I'm just excited to be here today.
Nicole: And just the self-reflection that you provide to me and others, but it also comes with, on the flip side, a total motivation and confidence that I think we all need more of, right? So
LaShawn: Yeah.
Nicole: with us how this came about. Share with us what this mantra, philosophy, this movement is that you've established.
LaShawn: You know, I realized that, um, I was doing an event, and it was a simple ask. I just said, "Hey, you know, come to the microphone, introduce yourself, let us know who you are." And you wouldn't believe what a struggle that was for so many people because they started with, "Hi, you know, I am [00:04:00] LaShawn Davis. I'm an HR manager.
I'm a mom of two." And I'm like, "Wait, wait, wait, wait, wait. That's not who you are. That's what you do. Tell me who you are." And it was such an eye-opening reminder for me that we get so lost in the day-to-day function of work, function of life, function of the things that we're responsible or obligated to do as parents or as professionals, that we forget who we are.
And that reminder in that moment made me believe that there is a movement because there's an identity crisis that is happening in the world of work Where we've forgotten who we are. And if we don't remember who we are, then we can't show up in the unique niche and the unique void that we were designed and designated to fill.
And that's why so many people are burnt out because they are tired of pretending, tired of conforming, and have just completely lost sight of what they were created to do. So this movement is really just about recentering your [00:05:00] why and connecting it to not making a business profitable, but making you purposeful.
And when you get centered on that, life just becomes just so different. Your outlook becomes so much clearer, and you have clarity behind the movement of why you do what you do, and things start attracting to you because you're showing up as you. And that's where this all started from, just a simple question of people being unable to answer, "Tell me who you are."
Nicole: And this is fascinating to me, and yes to everything you just said because it's so true. But as you started to explain this to me last week, I have to admit, and I'm sure our audience is doing this right now, okay, not a mom, not your job title, like
LaShawn: Nope.
Nicole: Get beyond that of who you are. And we went through the exercise
LaShawn: Yeah.
Nicole: Of, okay, I'm solution-oriented, I'm a builder, I like to build things.
And then you went on this beautiful [00:06:00] description of who I was. So I think there is also an element of this, of problem-solving, right? Like
LaShawn: Yeah.
Nicole: The words, working through things that define you or what you are proud of to
LaShawn: Yeah. Yep.
Nicole: Who you are.
LaShawn: Yes. Yes. And it's-- And it comes out naturally, but we overlook it because it comes so easy to us. And I remember the one thing I challenged you where you remembered you were a builder is I asked you, and I'm gonna ask the audience, here's your homework. Here's the same activity that I want you to do.
If you are curious, just to make sure that there's an alignment between who you are and how you show up day to day, ask yourself this question: What do people come and ask you most advice about? everyone who comes to you asks you something. What are they asking you? Because those things, if you think about it, the last time someone asked you something, review your text messages or even go ask your friends, ask your coworkers, ask your family, [00:07:00] "What is the one thing that I do well that you appreciate and you wouldn't do it without me unless I was on your team?"
ask these questions and look at the themes and the answers that come back. And you said I'm a problem solver, I'm a fixer, I build things. So there's something centered in those responses that's attached to who you are. But until you take the time to get curious about it, you'll be forever fulfilling other people's obligations without even understanding what you're offering.
And that is critical in identifying who you are, what is it that you offer. So go ask, "What am I good at? What are people always asking me advice about?" Or what would you do or what would you not do unless I was a part of it because I'm just that good at it, and it makes it that much easier for you. Ask those questions and see what responses you get.
That's going to start you in the direction and guide you into understanding exactly who you are.
Nicole: And this homework is awesome. It takes a few minutes.
LaShawn: Yeah.
Nicole: It with my family. I'm gonna do it with my team. [00:08:00] But I'll tell you, writing it down is even therapeutic, right? And then after the fact, I just got a call before we joined today With what you exactly said, right? Like, they came to me to solve something, I solutioned it, now we're gonna go execute.
And it's just validation, right? It's validation that you have these beautiful things that, that describe you, define you. But then to your point, it's niche, right? Like, no one else in the world is like you, and no one else can bring this to the table. But I think there is an element of confidence and, and not being, you know, cocky or critical, but more just being okay with being proud of who you are.
LaShawn: Right. Right. You are a solution is how you have to see about it. You, you have to see that your creation isn't about you. You were not created to self-gratify or self-satisfy. You were created because the things that you've overcome in life, the things that [00:09:00] people come to you to resolve, are things that other people need in you so that they can overcome whatever their struggle is because you were strong enough to do it.
And so as long as you remember that I am here not for me, but for someone else, it becomes less selfless feeling, it becomes less cocky feeling, and you gain confidence because you know you're impacting someone's life.
Nicole: Yep. And there's room for everybody, right? Like, that is the
LaShawn: Everybody.
Nicole: Then you get to see how these different unique beings and their, you know, s- strengths work together. And so that's what broadens this.
LaShawn: Yes.
Nicole: about our audience listening, whether they're a candidate or whether they're an organization that's recruiting. Um, what, what can they do, right? Like, let's take the candidate first. I
LaShawn: Yeah.
Nicole: A lot of people looking for jobs, and the reality is, is I think I read, you know, 53% of job seekers are ghosted. That is a lot, and that can
LaShawn: Yeah.
Nicole: Down your confidence, right?[00:10:00]
LaShawn: Yeah.
Nicole: Can make you insecure. That can make you think, "Oh, what am I doing wrong?"
LaShawn: Yeah.
Nicole: What part of LaShawn's secret sauce do they need?
LaShawn: I think as a candidate There's a couple of things you should be doing, okay? Number one, become acclimated to yourself. Don't be a stranger to yourself. All right? And so as you are applying for jobs, when you give your responses, make sure that they're describing the impact you make because you're you,
Nicole: Hmm.
LaShawn: Just what you do.
So let me give you an example, if that's okay.
Nicole: Of
LaShawn: If someone says, "LaShawn, why should we hire you?" And I'm applying for a marketing role, I'm not going to say, "Because I'm really good at marketing, and I attained a bachelor's degree in it, and I have experience, and I did this internship." I'm not gonna say those things because I'm not the only person who's accomplished those things.
I'm not the only person who's achieved those things. So what I will say is, "Because I'm LaShawn [00:11:00] Davis, and when it comes to marketing, there's no one else that has the eye that I have because I know how to sell. Let me tell you some things that I've done that have caused sales, not just to happen, but to expand beyond even my expectations and my clients' limitations."
And boom, I'm gonna talk about the things that I've done, not the things that I've learned. And I think that's what we have to become comfortable. And in order to prepare for that, write them down. Write down your win sheet. Write down your successes. And the success is not about what you've accomplished.
So I don't want you to write about how you've increased. I know our resumes tell us to put that on there, so it's already on your resume, so you don't have to talk about what they're already going to read, right? I want you to write about success in what did you do that aligned to what you're applying for, that someone came back honored, acknowledged, recognized, or thanked you for.
Because [00:12:00] that's going to talk about your specific impact. "Wow, the way that you did X, Y, and Z allowed me to achieve X, Y, and Z." Those are the examples that you're gonna wanna talk about because that's what the company's gonna want you to do for them, and other people aren't gonna say it the way you said it because you actually did it.
Nicole: Honored, acknowledged, recognized, thankful.
LaShawn: Yes.
Nicole: I
LaShawn: Yes.
Nicole: I love this because that is the feeling, the sentiment that you want them to leave with,
LaShawn: Exactly. You, you want the-- You need the job, yes. But you need to walk out of that experience with them, with them saying I need them on my team. I don't care what it takes because I've not heard that, I've not experienced that, and I need that. Make sure your answers are centered around the need because of what you offer, not the experience because of what you encountered.
And I think that's where people get it mixed up. They're quick to say, "I've achieved, I've accomplished," but my [00:13:00] question isn't those things. What I need is your impact, what you changed, what you resolved, what you've solved. And I think if we can, as a candidate, center your responses around what only you can say because you've done in a way that only you can do it versus generic responses that any ChatGPT or Claude will tell your competitor to say as well, that's how you distinguish yourself in an interview and make you the obvious choice when you're engaging with that employer.
Nicole: I mean, if you, the candidate out there, don't feel inspired and haven't ran to get a pen and paper or a notes page on your phone and have started this exercise, um, what are you waiting for,
LaShawn: What are you waiting for?
Nicole: simple. So simple, but
LaShawn: Yeah.
Nicole: Beautiful and so effective. And I, I think, hey, we challenge you, right?
Not only do your homework, but if this, if this is something that's successful for you, share it with us, because I think that is where this comes to be real, and that's why you, LaShawn, are so successful. I [00:14:00] wanna talk more about company culture, right? We are in a world of AI where I think we are trying to be efficient with our time, but there is the human component. And as we think about all that we've talked about, about being you, what are the key elements of a successful culture in the future, you know, where we know AI is not gonna go away, but we want to ensure we don't lose this feeling, this sentiment of these people?
LaShawn: Absolutely. And I think, for an effective culture in the age of technology that we're in with AI, it's important just as the candidates and the employees are showcasing who they are, you learn to leverage those strengths in ways that an AI bot cannot. And there's one thing that AI cannot replace, and that is emotion.
That is emotion and feeling. It's to the point where there are so many people using AI that sometimes when you read, you can tell it's AI. [00:15:00] Even though it's that person's thought, it's the same rhythm, it's the same sound, it's the same, you know, da, da, da, da, da, pause. Emotion is that human connection to the output that you're looking for.
Clients connect to people, employees connect to people. AI is just a guide to help leverage the emotion that's going to be missing in the equation. So if we learn how to leverage both And not feel that we need one over the other, then we reduce the risk of technical challenges, and errors. I was even reading a story that there was an AI that was doing facial recognition and a person, an employee had this Dorito bag, and the AI thought it was a weapon because of how it was configured in their bag.
Automatically called the police. Police came out all because of an AI, and we lost [00:16:00] touch of that physical person being able to say, "Hey, can you step aside? Let me ask you about something in your bag."
Nicole: Yeah.
LaShawn: We gotta be okay with remembering that humans work for us and humans buy from you. So as long as humans are buying from you, they are your client or your s- your, um, person you're providing services to, you're always not gonna wanna lose the human touch that you offer because that's the only way that you're gonna keep them there.
Nicole: Yes. And emotion and that feeling, to your point, is not something that should be replaced by technology,
LaShawn: It cannot be replaced.
Nicole: I feel like that's why this comes full circle.
LaShawn: Yeah.
Nicole: You. Identify how you define yourself. What impact do you make on the world?
LaShawn: Yes.
Nicole: The differentiation to your point that, you know, through the AI used to r- look at resumes, et cetera, it may not necessarily highlight, but when you get that face-to-face opportunity, that's
LaShawn: [00:17:00] Yeah.
Nicole: have your opportunity.
LaShawn: Absolutely. Because the resume, yes, you can get AI to write it for you, but it's the interview that's going to get you the call back. it's the interview that's going to get you the offer. And so you have to be able to speak to you organically, not doctrine based off of what a system that we've trained to think a certain way will say about you because only you know you and only you can articulate the you that you are.
So don't rely on a machine to speak for you.
You speak For you, and that's what's going to make you distinguishable among the sea of candidates that are out there.
Nicole: LaShawn, I think everyone needs a little of you in their lives. I mean, this is just one of those moments where, like, I'm so happy to have met you because this is so powerful, but
LaShawn: thank you.
Nicole: Motivating. So
LaShawn: Yes.
Nicole: For me to kind of put my shoulders back and be like, "Yes, this is who I am," right?
LaShawn: Yes. Yes.
Nicole: I wanna switch to LaShawn [00:18:00] outside of this motivating movement and talk about you as an individual, because I, I feel like we've bonded a lot over that as well. Um, what is your personal happy hour? What brings you bliss outside of just elevating individuals in this world?
LaShawn: Wow! So my personal happy hour, I think, um, you know, one is my family. I, you know, I didn't grow up with a very close-knit family, but I'm determined to become the close-knit family with what I create. And I think that we get so caught up into the world because we believe that work and paycheck sustain us, that really it's not.
It's that circle, that community that you build outside of work. So I am proud that my happy hour is my family and my friends who keep me grounded and who become a safe space for me when I need someone to pour back into me because I've been pouring out into everyone else. And, and my family is my children, my amazing [00:19:00] husband, but also my friends, my community, my church, my pastor.
Just everybody that's around me that can pour back into me the same way that I pour back out into others is so, so critically important. So I want to encourage everyone, you know, who is your circle? And there might be a lot of people in your circle, but the one thing that makes it my happy place, my happy hour, is because I've assigned the people in my circle a space.
They each have an assignment. And as I go through my circle and I give them all an assignment, there becomes very little room for strangers in my circle. So I give very little energy to strangers in my circle, and that's what keeps me grounded. So I think my family, my children, and I have a little six-month-old son, um, first boy out of three girls.
I think all of that just keeps me excited and happy, um, and grounded because, you know, we need human [00:20:00] connection inside and outside of work. So I pride myself on the human connections that I make outside of what I do.
Nicole: you are amazing, and six month old is
LaShawn: Yeah.
Nicole: And back at it with all the things we were talking about,
LaShawn: Yes.
Nicole: That's come with
LaShawn: Yeah.
Nicole: Their maternity leave, and how, you know,
LaShawn: Yep.
Nicole: Years later being in it again and all that you've seen
that you're like, "I could've used that back in the day.
LaShawn: Yes.
Nicole: the day."
Um, I wanna talk about the assignment that you gave me.
LaShawn: Okay, let's do it.
Nicole: had homework, um, and it was to do this exercise with my kids. Um, my husband did it too. And so first, I have a 10, 8, and 6-year-old, so this isn't... You would think it's easy to, um, kind of ask them this question and for them to get it, but I really had to go into a little bit of an example for them to understand it.
LaShawn: Mm-hmm.
Nicole: It was a super fun exercise. So I started with my middle child,
Dempsey, and she, um, wears glasses because she's got this eye thing going [00:21:00] on and, um, she's the one that I would say has to overcome adversity a lot of the time, right? Like, it's just things don't come easy to her. And so as we went through this exercise and I asked her, you know, "Who are you?" I was fascinated by the words that she chose. She chose warrior.
LaShawn: Wow.
Nicole: warrior, she chose fierce, and I was just so surprised and so proud in that very moment
LaShawn: Oh.
Nicole: To it, right? I was like, "Oh my gosh, you are,
LaShawn: Yeah.
Nicole: My warrior. You are fierce." Yes, you were only 10 minutes of childbirth as well, so yes, like it's just so crazy.
Um, and I was just very touched by it and had sunglasses on 'cause I was about to cry. But, uh, my oldest the word believe. And
while it may not be a word to describe, she elaborated on this. It was like, "I believe. I believe a lot of things, and I feel like people follow suit." And, and she is like a true leader and truly believes in [00:22:00] herself.
Like, she is a math whiz, top of her class, but it's because she has the confidence, right? And so I'm just so proud. And then my six-year-old son was just like, "I'm funny." And I'm like, "Yeah, you are." But you for this exercise because- It was so fun, right? We go home and you put technology aside, you wanna have conversations with your kids, and you can talk about your, you know, your own versions of this or that. But this was such a healthy
LaShawn: Yeah.
Nicole: exercise
LaShawn: yeah. I mean, I love the fact that you did it, and even as a parent now, you can reinforce this in, you know, the conversations that you have with them. Like, you know, I think about Dempsey and her saying warrior, just because she acknowledges and recognizes that she's had to fight just to, you know, have what we might take for granted.
But I also wanna say You have to look at sometimes the things that are unique about us. So you talked about her eye, and then she talks about warrior. That means she's also a visionary, [00:23:00] okay? So she can, you know, see things differently than we do. I believe that what we experience in the physical, there's also a supernatural connection to it in the spirit realm.
And because it's an eye thing, I can tell you without a doubt she's a visionary. So when I tell you that she probably has an imagination out of this world, she probably can write stories, she probably can create fairy tales, she's probably very social, engaging, all of those things about her, um, and she doesn't care what people think about her.
She's still gonna stand true to who she is because of the warrior that's within her. And that's what immediately came to me when you talked about Dempsey. And when you talked about your oldest and belief, I thought, "Wow, that's really, really honorable that she would say belief," because she's going to be the person that helps people believe in themselves.
Nicole: Hmm.
LaShawn: When people are struggling, "I can't do it," it's almost like she's gonna be the one like, "Why can't you do it? Didn't you just do X, Y, and Z the other day? Like, what is [00:24:00] it like--" And it's so nonchalant matter of fact in her delivery that's gonna make people believe in themselves again. This is how you, you know, connect those dots.
And then your son is just gonna be entertainment. He's gonna be joy and laughter in the lives of people. And you know this to be true, not because I've met them, because this is how they see themselves. And how they see themselves is what they're going to give and what we can manifest for them in the lives that they lead and how they impact others.
So I am, like, loving the fact that you did this exercise. And one thing that I said to you was just think of the word. Remember your word was, you know, build and then, like, the leaks, and we talked about that. Well, you know Dempsey's word is warrior, your oldest word is belief, and your, and your son's word is funny.
So in that exercise, if you guys decide to do this at home with your kids or with your family or your loved ones, narrow it down to a word for them and for you. Like I-- when I originally introduced myself, my word was [00:25:00] greatness, right? The book that I wrote was about at the pinnacle of greatness because that's who I am.
The word you come up with is who you are, and everything branches as an extension of you and what you do. And the more you start showing up as that, the more your son starts showing up as comi- comedic and funny and entertainment,
the more people who need that are, is going to attract to him. In that same way, the more you show up as you, the opportunities will start attracting to you.
The right opportunities that are aligned with you will attract to you. And then you no longer have to hustle and chase
Nicole: Yeah.
LaShawn: showing up as you, and then you'll attract.
Nicole: Love it. Love it, love it, love it. And, uh, your community around you is so fortunate to have you because I feel, I feel it.
LaShawn: Yeah.
Nicole: think that there is so much opportunity in this world, and you are just, again, igniting so
LaShawn: Thank you.
Nicole: of that.
LaShawn: Thank you.
Nicole: thank you, LaShawn, for this. Uh, let's [00:26:00] switch to the fun part, some this or that.
LaShawn: Okay.
Nicole: I, I made some special for you just based on our conversation because you are unique, you are so special, and this topic is powerful, very powerful. And so this or that. You-- I'll give you two options. You can choose one, you can choose both, you can choose neither. Um, you can
LaShawn: Okay.
Nicole: Suits you.
LaShawn: Okay.
Nicole: You ready?
LaShawn: I'm ready.
Nicole: Okay. Who you are or what you do?
LaShawn: Who you are.
Nicole: impact or recognition?
LaShawn: Impact, for sure.
Nicole: it. Love it. Servitude or status?
LaShawn: Servitude.
Nicole: I love your answers because they're so duh, achievement or authenticity?
LaShawn: Authenticity, for sure.
Nicole: Success or significance?
LaShawn: Ooh, I would say significance.
Nicole: Okay. or stand firm?
LaShawn: Stand [00:27:00] firm.
Nicole: Okay. Productivity or purpose?
LaShawn: Purpose.
Nicole: Confidence or clarity?
LaShawn: I would say clarity.
Nicole: Okay. Startup energy or enterprise stability?
LaShawn: Ooh, I believe we, we all need that startup energy.
Nicole: Yeah. Being needed or being fulfilled?
LaShawn: Ooh, I would say be-being needed.
Nicole: Okay. Um, some fun ones for you.
LaShawn: Okay.
Nicole: or ocean?
LaShawn: Ooh, I would say ocean.
Nicole: Okay. Um, cooking or going out?
LaShawn: Going out. I don't wanna do dishes. Okay.
Nicole: Um, vacation or staycation?
LaShawn: Both.
Nicole: Okay. And another one that you, again, inspired, thank you given or thank you received?
LaShawn: Thank you, received.
Nicole: I wanna thank you, LaShawn. Um, has been a moment that [00:28:00] I will not forget, I will take with me, I will use with my team. I'm gonna try and use it with leadership because I think it is so simple but so powerful, and we oftentimes try to overcomplicate things,
LaShawn: Yes.
Nicole: Um, and so please continue to be you. Uh, for those of you listening, I mean, LaShawn is special, and I hope you feel it through this.
I hope you take her exercises. Where can people learn more about you? Where can they read your book?
LaShawn: So my book is called At the Pinnacle of Greatness: Fulfilling the Life of Your God-Given DNA. And it is on my website, and it's also on Amazon if you wanna look for it there. My, um-- On Instagram, you can find me at The HR Plug or at The LaShawn Davis. If you go to The HR Plug page, you can go to my links, and everything else about me is all in that link.
Um, and so feel free to connect with me. Feel free to DM me. Let me know that you did this exercise. Let me know if you need some guidance or clarity in [00:29:00] what you discover or what you're struggling with. Um, and I'm happy to connect with you because my goal, as I explained to you all, is to help you experience greatness, the greatness that you are.
So don't-- I'm also on LinkedIn as LaShawn Davis, um, and, and feel free to connect with me there as well. But my life is not about me, it's about you. So if anything I said resonated with you today, please let me know so that I can feel that I've made an impact.
Nicole: It will be worth it. I mean, I can't tell you all the feels and how I am excited I am, and I am going to take those three words and amplify it with my Yeah. Absolutely.
not forget mine, and just continue to do great things as
LaShawn: Yeah.
Nicole: Just helped me to do. So thank you, LaShawn. Thank you to our listeners, to our audience.
Please, please reach out to her.
LaShawn: Yeah.
Nicole: This. Do this exercise. I think it'll be worth your time.
LaShawn: Yeah.
Nicole: And yeah, we'll see. Maybe in another time we'll come back,
LaShawn: Yeah.
Nicole: more greatness.
LaShawn: Would love to. Thank you again for having me, and thank you guys for tuning in [00:30:00] and staying the whole time. I mean, that's amazing. So thank you.