In this episode of Success Leaves Clues, Robin Bailey and Al McDonald sit down with senior HR and People & Culture leader Dunja Vujovic for a candid conversation about what “people first leadership” actually means, and why most organizations get it wrong. 

Dunja shares why simply declaring your company “people first” is not enough, and how values must show up in real decisions, especially when budgets tighten and pressure rises. She explains why her team shifted from saying “people first” to “do right by people,” and how that subtle change drives clearer accountability, stronger performance conversations, and healthier cultures. 

The conversation explores vulnerable leadership, why leaders do not need to have all the answers, and how raising your hand first to admit mistakes builds real trust. Dunja challenges traditional leadership models that reward ego and certainty, and instead advocates for hiring people smarter than you, investing in middle management, and normalizing hard conversations early. 

Robin and Al also unpack how leadership expectations have evolved, why assumption is the enemy of communication, and how culture either lives in daily behavior or dies on the office wall. 

This episode is a practical and grounded guide to culture transformation, accountability, and building a workplace where people thrive without lowering performance standards. 

You’ll hear about: 

• What “people first leadership” really means in practice 
• Why cutting benefits first is a cultural red flag 
• The difference between “people first” and “do right by people” 
• Why accountability and hard conversations are part of empowerment 
• Vulnerable leadership and admitting mistakes as a strength 
• Hiring people smarter than you and overcoming leadership ego 
• Why middle management is where strategy lives or dies 
• How values must be operationalized, not just displayed 
• Assumption as the biggest communication breakdown in leadership 
• Creating psychological safety without lowering standards 

We talk about: 

• 00:00 Introduction and welcome 
• 01:00 What “thought leadership” really means in practice 
• 03:00 Vulnerability versus traditional leadership models 
• 05:00 Testing whether a company is truly people first 
• 06:30 What happens when budgets tighten 
• 08:30 Why benefits matter to employee performance and focus 
• 11:00 Accountability inside people first cultures 
• 12:30 Why values often fail in organizations 
• 14:00 The values bootcamp and operationalizing culture 
• 17:00 Assumptions as the enemy of leadership clarity 
• 18:00 Generational shifts and communication challenges 
• 20:00 Redefining leadership expectations 
• 23:00 Admitting mistakes and building trust 
• 26:00 Hiring people smarter than you 
• 28:00 Why middle management is critical to culture 
• 30:00 Planting trees for future generations of leaders 

Connect with Dunja 

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dvujovic/  
• Website: https://dunjavujovic.com/  

Connect with Us 

• LinkedIn: Robin Bailey and Al McDonald   
• Website: Aria Benefits and Life & Legacy Advisory Group