What happens when HR starts telling the unvarnished truth? (with Christine Song, Founder 5 to 9 Society)

Episode notes

What happens when HR starts telling the unvarnished truth? In this episode, Workleap’s Chief People Officer, Kahina Ouerdane, sits down with Christine Song — former Chief People Officer at Knix, turned founder and CEO of 5 to 9 Society — for a raw conversation about leadership, loneliness at the top, and what it really means to be honest in business. They explore why HR has traditionally been governed by secrecy, how speaking plainly with CEOs can change the trajectory of a company, and what can get lost when founders are replaced by “operators.” Christine also shares why she chose to show the messy, human side of HR on LinkedIn, how that transformed her career, and why the best leaders see their roles as partnerships, not pedestals. If you’ve ever felt the tension between protecting feelings and telling the truth, or wondered how to scale without losing the soul of your culture, this episode will hit home.