In this episode, Dan Kaplan sits down with Paige Ross, Global Chief Human Resources Officer at Blackstone, as she approaches her 10-year anniversary with the firm. Ross reflects on her evolution as a leader and shares how understanding the business, embracing open debate, and leading with courage and humility have shaped her approach to building a world-class HR function.

The conversation explores Blackstone’s talent-driven culture, its emphasis on responsiveness, collaboration, and high standards, and how the firm develops leaders through hands-on experience. Ross also discusses the growing role of AI in HR and the workplace, explaining why she sees it as an opportunity rather than a threat—and why emotional intelligence, nuanced judgment, and human connection will become even more valuable as AI evolves.

Ross also shares lessons from her own career, including the importance of deeply understanding how a business operates, giving emerging HR leaders meaningful experience early, and continuously testing, learning, and adapting. It’s a candid conversation about leadership, culture, talent, and what it takes to build an organization that performs at the highest level without losing sight of the people behind it.

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