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Why HR Isn't the Enemy with Jenn Ayala

What does it really mean to be a human-first leader in HR?

In this episode of Create Magic at Work, Amy connects with Jenn Ayala, a seasoned HR executive with over 25 years of experience, to explore what it takes to transform HR from a rule-enforcer role into a people-empowering force for good.

✨ In this conversation, you'll hear about:

  • Why Jenn believes kindness is the core of effective leadership
  • How she overcame burnout and reclaimed her own well-being
  • The powerful impact of "holding space" for employees in crisis
  • What HR looks like across different generations
  • Why praising others, especially when unexpected, builds powerful team culture

🎧 Tune in for a raw, grounded look at the emotional side of leadership, and how HR can be the heart of your organization.

Additional Resources:

Connect with Jenn on LinkedIn

Listen to Jenn's DisruptHR talk

Discover Your Spiritual Intelligence at Work

Connect with Amy Lynn Durham

Learn More About Create Magic at Work

More on PeopleForward Network

Follow PeopleForward Network on LinkedIn

Key Takeaways:
  • Kindness creates trust and empowers authentic conversations
  • Burnout is real, self-care must be intentional
  • Every employee has a story worth understanding
  • HR must evolve into strategic, human-centered partners
  • Praise often and unexpectedly to build morale and trust

About the Podcast

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Create Magic At Work®

About your host

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Amy Lynn Durham

Amy Lynn Durham, known by her clients as the Corporate Mystic, is the founder of the Executive Coaching Firm, Create Magic At Work®, where they help leaders build workplaces rooted in creativity, collaboration, and fulfillment. A former corporate executive turned Executive Coach, Amy blends practical leadership strategies with spiritual intelligence to unlock human potential at work.


She’s a certified Executive Coach through UC Berkeley & the International Coaching Federation (ICF) In addition, Amy holds coaching certifications in Spiritual Intelligence (SQ21), the Edgewalker Profile, and the Archetypes of Change . In addition to being the host of the Create Magic At Work® podcast, Amy is the author of Create Magic At Work®, Creating Career Magic: A Daily Prompt Journal and the founder of Magic Thread Media™. Through her work, she inspires intentional leadership for thriving workplaces and lives where “magic” becomes reality.