Upskill or Be Outpaced: Leading People Through AI, Skills Gaps, and Constant Change with Jennifer McClure

Episode notes

In this episode, Bill Banham sits down with Jennifer McClure , founder of DisruptHR , to explore how HR leaders can turn people strategy into measurable business results, build credible investment cases, and lead in an era where AI is reshaping work faster than plans can keep up . We start by tackling one of HR’s toughest barriers: resistance. Why do leaders shy away from quantifying problems, modeling outcomes, and tying people initiatives directly to business strategy? Jennifer shares a practical, trust-building approach to business cases— define the pain or opportunity, run the numbers, make predictions, and commit to measurement . From there, we look at HR’s historical roots in welfare and regulation to understand why some processes still lag today—and how to disrupt what no longer serves the organization. Think fewer blanket policies, more targeted solutions, and an uncompromising focus on value . The conversation widens to DisruptHR’s global impact —170+ licensed cities and more than 10,000 lightning talks—and why its simple format continues to surface powerful ideas across cultures.