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HR Tech 2025 Agenda

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When Leaders Struggle and Tech Fails: The Perfect Storm for Bad Performance Conversations

September 17, 2025
People and Culture Theater - Expo Hall
People & Culture Session
Performance conversations don’t fail because leaders want them to. They fail because of a lack of tools, context, and support. 

In this candid 20-minute session, Keith Metcalfe, President of Acorn PLMS and a 25-year leadership veteran, shares how the challenges he faced as a first-time leader still echo today, amplified by the complexity of modern HR tech. 

You’ll explore the real reasons performance reviews often fall flat, why today’s learning systems, HRIS platforms, and spreadsheets aren’t bridging the gap, and how that disconnect leaves leaders unsupported.
  
Using real data and hard truths, this session makes the case for connecting performance and learning through a shared language of capability, so leaders can lead with confidence and organizations can drive meaningful growth. 
Speakers
Keith Metcalfe, President - Acorn PLMS

Session Type

People & Culture Session

Topic

Learning and Talent Development

Learning Objective 1

Build a data-driven business case for aligning performance and learning strategies.

Learning Objective 2

Identify and apply your team’s capabilities to support practical, measurable growth.

Learning Objective 3

Co-create scalable, living competency frameworks without consultants or complex systems.

Access Type

Expo OR Conference Pass