Uploaded May 2026 | Updated September 2026, 3 hours ago
What does a decade of authentic leadership inside one of the most publicly scrutinized companies in the world actually teach you about keeping global teams steady when the ground keeps shifting?
In this episode, host Melissa sits down with Gianna Dellicarpini, Chief People Officer at WeWork, to discuss what it really means to lead people operations through some of the most public corporate chapters in recent business history.
Gianna shares how the Lehman Brothers bankruptcy reshaped her early career decisions and set her on a path of career pivots she never planned for. She opens up about how those years in human capital consulting built the foundation for her leadership philosophy and the kind of HR leadership she practices today, one that centers on trust, advocacy, and showing up consistently for the people she leads even when the organization around her is making headlines.
We also get into what global leadership looks like in practice, how Gianna structures her team across time zones and cultures without defaulting to a US-centric model, and what she has learned about staying connected without overstepping. She talks honestly about building high-trust teams through organizational transformation, and what it actually took to earn that trust, not just maintain it.
You will also hear the specific advice she wishes someone had given her earlier, and what she tells anyone navigating their leadership development inside complex, fast-moving organizations.
If you have ever led people through uncertainty and wondered whether you were doing it right, this conversation will stay with you.
This is leadership with intention, reflection, and heart. Listen in!
Remember to subscribe now so you never miss an episode.
Learn more about us: https://business.vanderbilt.edu/
What does a decade of authentic leadership inside one of the most publicly scrutinized companies in the world actually teach you about keeping global teams steady when the ground keeps shifting?
In this episode, host Melissa sits down with Gianna Dellicarpini, Chief People Officer at WeWork, to discuss what it really means to lead people operations through some of the most public corporate chapters in recent business history.
Gianna shares how the Lehman Brothers bankruptcy reshaped her early career decisions and set her on a path of career pivots she never planned for. She opens up about how those years in human capital consulting built the foundation for her leadership philosophy and the kind of HR leadership she practices today, one that centers on trust, advocacy, and showing up consistently for the people she leads even when the organization around her is making headlines.
We also get into what global leadership looks like in practice, how Gianna structures her team across time zones and cultures without defaulting to a US-centric model, and what she has learned about staying connected without overstepping. She talks honestly about building high-trust teams through organizational transformation, and what it actually took to earn that trust, not just maintain it.
You will also hear the specific advice she wishes someone had given her earlier, and what she tells anyone navigating their leadership development inside complex, fast-moving organizations.
If you have ever led people through uncertainty and wondered whether you were doing it right, this conversation will stay with you.
This is leadership with intention, reflection, and heart. Listen in!
Remember to subscribe now so you never miss an episode.
Learn more about us: https://business.vanderbilt.edu/
