The Power of the Quiet Voice: Lessons on Leadership from Bristol Myers Squibb

What does it take to lead well when nothing is predictable anymore? According to Amanda Poole, Chief People Officer at Bristol Myers Squibb, and Vincent Garufi, VP of HR Innovation, Strategy and Operations at BMS, the answer isn't having a playbook. It's transparency, authenticity, and knowing how to make room for every voice in the room, even the quiet ones.In this episode of A Podcast About Leadership, AIIR CEO Dr. Jonathan Kirschner sits down with Amanda and Vinnie, two senior HR leaders at Bristol Myers Squibb, a 34,000-person company whose mission is transforming patients' lives through science, to talk about what it really takes to lead through change.Amanda shares the story behind Valuably Quiet, a grassroots initiative that started in BMS's research organization to help introverts and quiet contributors show up and add value on their own terms. She's an introvert herself leading a massive global function, and she talks about how that shaped the way BMS now defines high performance. Vinnie brings his own journey from selling power tools to leading HR innovation, and explains why he thinks of himself as a business leader first and an HR leader second.Amanda and Vinnie get into:Why Valuably Quiet became a cultural hallmark instead of just another training moduleThe difference between withholding information to protect people and being genuinely transparentHow to lead when change is always on instead of episodic, and why sorting what you can and can't control matters more than everThe courage it takes to say "I don't know" as a senior leaderHow AI is reshaping the CHRO role from talent steward to workforce architectWhy leadership flexibility, curiosity, and resilience are becoming the core skills for the AI eraWhether you're managing a small team or leading a global function, this is a candid, in the trenches conversation about building a culture where every voice, loud or quiet, can do great work.Topics covered: inclusion and culture, introverted leadership, transparency, change management, HR strategy, AI and the future of work, executive leadership, workforce transformation.To learn more about how AIIR Consulting helps leaders build resilience and navigate constant change, visit ⁠https://aiirconsulting.com⁠.