My Friend in HR | Podcast Guru

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Named Best Business Podcast at the 2026 Black Podcasting Awards. My Friend in HR is the mentor you call when work stops making sense. Host Njsane Courtney has spent more than two decades leading HR for global organizations, and he tells you the things HR people usually only say to each other. Why the promotion went to someone else. How raises really get decided. What to say when the offer comes in low. When it's time to stay, and when it's time to go. Every episode leaves you with something you can use at work this week. The exact words for a salary negotiation. A five-step plan for getting out from under a micromanager. How to present to executives so they don't tune out in the first minute. How to lead a team when nobody trained you to. You'll also hear from business leaders on the career moves that worked for them and the ones that didn't. If you're an employee who wants a fair shot, a new manager figuring it out as you go, or an executive who's tired of hearing what people think you want to hear, pull up a chair. Streaming in 20+ countries. New episodes, the monthly newsletter, and more at mfihr.com. Your job is meant to support your life. Your life is not meant to support your job.

Recent Episodes

Presenting To The C-Suite With Clarity And Control

Send us Fan Mail The fastest way to lose a C-suite room is to start like every other meeting. We are talking about executive presentations that land: the kind where you walk in with calm authority, get to the point, and make it easy for leaders to say yes, no, or “here’s what we need next” without wandering for an hour. We share the mindset shift that changes everything: your presentation starts before slide one. Show up early, get the tech handled, and greet executives as they enter so you ...

31 MIN

Interview Edition: Hope Is Not a Strategy. with Qiara Suggs, Chief People Officer

Send us Fan Mail If you've ever stayed somewhere too long because the title looked good on paper, this one's for you. Qiara Suggs got told no for a promotion she'd earned twice over — and turned that no into the executive seat she holds today. We pulled the curtain back on what it actually takes to drive your own career when nobody else is going to drive it for you. About the Guest Qiara Suggs is the Chief People Officer at TDECU, the largest credit union in Houston and one of the four larges...

55 MIN

Interview Edition: The War for Talent Is Over. Here's Who Won. ft. Jim Link, SHRM CHRO

Send us Fan Mail The talent market feels calmer on the surface, but the real shift is deeper: after the pandemic, people rewrote their relationship with work, and companies were forced to take human capital management seriously. I’m joined by Jim Link, Chief Human Resources Officer at SHRM, to talk about what actually happened to the so-called war for talent and why HR leaders suddenly became essential to keeping business moving when the world got unpredictable. We dig into the practical sid...

50 MIN

Why Toxic Employees Keep Their Jobs

Send us Fan Mail One person can hit every target and still poison the room and the worst part is that keeping them can look “logical” on a spreadsheet. We dig into the real reasons toxic employees stay employed, from the at-will employment myth to the HR documentation gap that turns obvious bad behavior into a legal gray area. If you have ever stared at a teammate like “Why is Dave still here?”, you are not alone and your manager is probably navigating risks you cannot see. We walk through t...

23 MIN

Salary Negotiation Part 2: The Exact Words to Say (And When to Shut Up)

Send us Fan Mail You interviewed 10 times. You've been waiting by your phone for days. Then the recruiter finally calls—you got the job! Your heart is racing, you're thrilled, and they're giving you the offer right now. What do you say? Do you accept on the spot? Do you negotiate? And if you do negotiate, what the hell are you supposed to actually SAY? Haven't listened to Part 1 yet? Go back and start there first. We tackled the fear that holds most of us back when we think about negotiating ...

18 MIN