Revolutionizing HR: The Psychology Behind Strategic Change

Host (Deep):

Hey everyone… welcome back to Worthminds — where we explore real leaders, real stories, and the ways they build legacy, luxury, and business with purpose. I’m Deep… and today, I’ve got someone truly inspiring with us.

She’s a business psychologist, entrepreneur, speaker, author… and the founder of one of the UK’s most influential HR-communities and podcasts. Please welcome Lucinda Carney, founder & host of HR Uprising, CEO of Actus Software, and someone who’s helping HR professionals rise up together. Lucinda — thank you so much for joining us today.

Guest (Lucinda):

Thank you, Deep. It’s a pleasure to be here and share a bit of this journey with you and your listeners.

Segment 1: Beginnings & Journey

Host (Deep):

Lucinda, your background is fascinating — you started as a business psychologist, then moved into senior HR and L&D roles, and eventually founded HR Uprising and Actus Software. What was the turning point where you said, “I’m going to build something of my own” — something that would bring together psychology, people, HR, and real business outcomes?

Guest (Lucinda):

Yes, that moment came after many years in corporate HR and L&D. I saw gaps — people in HR who wanted to do meaningful work, but struggling with culture, leadership, and performance management being just boxes to tick. I believed that HR could be much more strategic, much more collaborative. Over time, the vision for HR Uprising (a community, a podcast) and Actus (a software/solutions provider) emerged as ways to help close that gap.

Segment 2: Achievements & What Has Been Built

Host (Deep):

You’ve achieved quite a lot — HR Uprising has become a platform many look up to, and Actus offers a full suite of tools: performance management, learning, talent, feedback, onboarding, and HRIS. What are you most proud of building so far, Lucinda — which achievement gives you that warm satisfaction when you look back?

Guest (Lucinda):

There are a few, but one of the biggest is the number of HR professionals who tell me that through HR Uprising, they’ve changed how HR is seen in their organizations — from being seen as support or back-office, to being seen as strategic partners. Also, with Actus, providing tools that simplify complex people processes, so managers and HR can spend less time wrestling with spreadsheets or manual systems and more time on impact. Seeing those efficiency gains, seeing people feel more confident, that’s very satisfying.

Segment 3: Leadership, Legacy, Luxury & Business

Host (Deep):

In Worthminds, we lean into four pillars: leadership, legacy, luxury, and business. Lucinda, what does leadership mean to you now — after all you’ve done — and how has your leadership style changed over time?

Guest (Lucinda):

Leadership, for me, is about enabling others. Early on, I focused on the technical side: best practices, frameworks, training. But over time, I realised that leadership is less about telling, and more about listening, coaching, and creating psychological safety. It's about making space for others to bring ideas and helping them grow.

Host (Deep):

Legacy is often something founders think about — what they want to leave behind. What legacy do you want Lucinda Carney / HR Uprising to leave in the HR world?

Guest (Lucinda):

I want people to remember that HR doesn’t have to be ‘HR as usual’ — that you can shift culture, that you can make people’s work lives better, more human, more engaged. I hope HR Uprising and Actus are remembered as catalysts for that shift — where HR professionals felt empowered, resourced, and connected.

Host (Deep):

When I say luxury, most folks think of material things — but in your world, what does luxury in HR or business mean?

Guest (Lucinda):

Luxury to me is having the elegance of simplicity — systems and processes that work, clarity in purpose, high-quality experiences for employees and leaders. It’s also about freedom: free from inefficient admin, from unclear expectations, from burnout. That sense of ease and excellence is a kind of luxury.

Host (Deep):

And business, because all of these need to be sustainable. Lucinda, what business lessons have you learned, maybe the hardest ones, that shaped how you run Actus or HR Uprising?

Guest (Lucinda):

One of the hardest lessons is that growth is not linear. Sometimes you think you’ll scale fast, then you hit obstacles — tech limitations, funding, culture resistance. Also, product-market fit takes time. You might have a great idea, but making it robust, making users adopt it, making it solve real pain — that’s where many stumble. And culture is not a side project; investing in culture pays off in retention, performance, trust.

Segment 4: Advice & Human Side

Host (Deep):

Lucinda, I want to ask: if you could go back to the early days, what is one piece of advice you wish someone had given you before you started HR Uprising and Actus?

Guest (Lucinda):

I’d say: don’t try to perfect everything before you start. Get started. Learn as you go. Perfectionism can stall progress. Also, surround yourself with mentors and peers who challenge you.

Host (Deep):

And on a lighter note: building these two big platforms must come with funny or surprising moments. What’s a moment from your journey that still makes you smile or laugh thinking back?

Guest (Lucinda):

Oh yes — I remember one time early with HR Uprising, I scheduled an interview and forgot to check time zones properly. I turned up at what I thought was the correct time, the guest was asleep, and I had to awkwardly apologise, wait, and re-start. It became a lesson in double-checking but also humility.

Closing

Host (Deep):

Lucinda, this has been truly inspiring. Thank you for opening up your journey, your wins, your lessons — and helping us see how HR done right can elevate businesses, empower people, create legacy.

Guest (Lucinda):

Thank you, Deep. It’s been a pleasure reflecting with you.

Host (Deep):

And to everyone listening: remember — leadership isn’t about being perfect, legacy is built in the small daily actions, luxury can be peace of clarity and purpose, and business thrives when people are at the center.

This is Worthminds. I’m Deep… thank you for tuning in… and until next time, keep rising up, keep building with heart, keep sharing your worth.