foHRsight: HR, Leadership & the Future of Work

What AI Can't Replace in HR Leadership with Karen Trenton

Mark Edgar and Naomi Titleman Episode 184

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0:00 | 26:15

Every generation of HR leaders faces a transformation that changes how the profession works.

Today, it's AI.

The pressure to move quickly can make it feel like everything is changing overnight. But beneath the new technology, the core of great HR remains remarkably consistent: earning trust, exercising sound judgment, navigating difficult conversations, and helping leaders make better decisions.

In this conversation, retired CHRO Karen Trenton reflects on a career that spanned enormous shifts in technology, leadership and organizational change. She shares what she's most proud of, the career decisions she would make differently, why community matters more than ever, and why emotional intelligence—not technical expertise—is still what separates exceptional HR leaders.

If you've been wondering what skills will matter most in the next decade of HR, this episode offers a thoughtful perspective from someone who's led through decades of transformation.

About Our Guest

Karen Trenton is a retired Chief Human Resources Officer with executive leadership experience across Coca-Cola and Sherritt International. Having led HR through periods of rapid organizational growth, global expansion and technological change, she brings a grounded perspective on leadership, judgment and the enduring human side of HR.

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