“If you have a great relationship, I am a firm believer that having open and honest win-win career discussions are possible, and they pay off.” – Christine Talbot
I welcome Christine Talbot of World Vision to the podcast today as we discuss her story of being a Human Resources professional. Christine joined World Vision six years ago in 2015 as the Senior Vice President of Human Resources, but she is someone who has worn a lot of different hats over the years! Christine also works with the Christian Leadership Alliance where she serves on the Board of Directors, and she even went on a recent bicycle trip during which she rode through the entire state of Florida in only one day!
There are therefore so many things that we could talk about, but in this episode of the podcast, we are focusing mostly on how to have a successful collaboration between a search consultant and a Human Resources executive. She also shares tidbits of her life story such as the major transition that took place in her life when she became a Christian as well as details about what transitioning between organizations was like for her.
Christine enthusiastically reflects on her reasons for being so excited about her role with World Vision and with her involvement with the Christian Leadership Alliance, talking about the differences between standard leadership and leadership of a Christian organization. She also discusses her hiring process and her leadership style and how she worked during the COVID-19 pandemic. Christine closes by offering some helpful advice to anyone looking to pursue a similar career path as hers, encouraging them to get exposure to all of the different facets of Human Resources before deciding which facet you want to pursue.
I thank Christine for taking time out of her day to chat with me. It was so good to talk with her about her story and share this conversation with her. Join me in the next episode of Next Gen Nonprofit Leadership, and don’t forget to hit the subscribe button so that you never miss an episode! I also encourage you to share the podcast with a friend who would also be likely to get something out of it!
“There’s a fine line between unreal expectations and high expectations, and I never felt that yours were unreal, but they did keep us on our toes.” – Tommy Thomas
Time Stamps
[1:16] – 
This episode’s guest is Christine Talbot of World Vision!
[3:14] – Christine discusses what happened in her life after becoming a Christian.
[5:20] – There were three opportunities that came along simultaneously for Christine, and she reveals why she chose World Vision.
[7:43] – Christine admits that she underestimated what her transition would be like.
[9:40] – We learn what the biggest surprise was when she moved to a Christian organization.
[11:17] – Christine explains what the Christian Leadership Alliance is and what they do.
[13:03] – Christine describes what’s different and what’s similar about recruiting at World Vision.
[16:03] – Christine reveals what she makes sure that a search partner has.
[17:31] – Christine considers herself a bridge between her external partner and her internal client.
[20:16] – We learn more about Christine’s interviewing approach when she hires people.
[22:01] – Christine expounds upon the faith questions that she asks in interviews at World Vision.
[24:08] – Christine describes her leadership style.
[25:32] – We hear about what Christine had to grapple with in relation to COVID-19.
[27:18] – Christine offers advice for people working in a position similar to hers.
“There were just three opportunities that came along, each of them with organizations with a compelling mission, but when I saw the…open posting on a job site for the World Vision job, I knew exactly where I was, and I remember my heart leapt out of my chest with a knowing that I would pursue that job.” – Christine Talbot
Links and Resources
Christian Leadership Alliance – Website
Listen to Next Gen Nonprofit Leadership with Tommy Thomas on: