Amber Barnes has always had an interest in learning. She earned a degree in education knowing it was one of the puzzle pieces that filled in her life’s vision. However, it wasn’t until Amber began working as the Learning & Sales Development Consultant at Wells Fargo that she discovered a passion for leadership & developing people.

Amber had a front-row seat as she watched leaders go through the ups and downs of leading and developing their people. Over time, she started to see a pattern— managers were either people-focused and well-liked by their team or they were goals-focused and top in their sales. But it seemed like there was a trade-off. It left Amber wondering “is it possible to have both?” “Can an organization both take care of their employees and also reach their goals?”

In 2011, Amber decided she wanted to make a difference in the workplace and founded StartHuman. At StartHuman, Amber’s role is to partner with leaders and their teams to first diagnose the root of the problem, help them make a plan, and join her team in providing the training and support they need to make changes. Amber is passionate about working shoulder-to-shoulder with her clients and helping people learn how to better lead, communicate, and be better humans together.

In this episode: 

• What vulnerability can teach us about consumers 
• The Drama Triangle 
• How leaders can help rehumanize the workplace
• Taking risks to find workplaces that align with our values 
• Characteristics of people who make great people leaders