Episode Details

Summary

AI is accelerating everything—but speed without clarity creates noise.

Clark Jessop, Senior Vice President of HR at US Bank and HR lead for the company’s digital, data & AI, and product teams, shares how he helps leaders manage acceleration without losing focus. He explains why discernment is the defining human skill in the AI age, how to simplify decision flows and clarify decision rights, and where human judgment must be protected.

Clark breaks down shifting HR from calendar-driven to outcome-driven, co-creating solutions with business partners, and reducing friction so teams can move faster.

Expect practical frames—the “control tower” approach to signals and noise, building listening strategies that scale—and closing advice on designing work for the AI era, staying optimistic, and developing real AI fluency.

Timestamps

[00:00] – Welcome and Clark’s path: broadcast roots, tech roles, and move to HR leadership

[00:52] – Role at US Bank: supporting digital, data & AI, and product; innovation balanced with risk

[02:39] – Managing acceleration: data overload, the control-tower metaphor, and decision rights

[05:51] – Human skills that matter: discernment over features; outcomes as the North Star

[08:13] – 2026 priorities: outcome-driven HR, reducing friction, aligning talent to value; when “on time” still hurts the business

[13:08] – Co-creation with the business: build together for better solutions and faster adoption

[20:06] – Closing advice: design work for the AI era, stay optimistic, and build true AI fluency

Takeaways

- Clarify decision rights and design workflows that protect the moments requiring human judgment.

- Shift from calendar- and process-driven HR to outcome-driven work that reduces friction and noise.

- Co-create programs with business leaders to reflect real constraints and speed adoption.

- Use scalable listening and internal brand checks to align functions and surface blind spots.

- Practice radical candor—high care and high directness—to improve trust and execution.

- Build AI fluency (beyond search) to experiment, create, and shape how work is done in the AI era.

Sponsor

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