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Russell Mikowski, CEO of SurePeople, joins the Disruption Interruption podcast with Karla Jo Helms to discuss transforming workplace collaboration with AI-powered psychometric tools. By integrating real-time people intelligence into platforms like Slack and Zoom, SurePeople empowers teams with tools for enhanced productivity, reduced burnout, and stronger morale.

TAMPA BAY, Fla., July 2, 2025 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- Disengaged employees cost the global economy $8.8 trillion in lost productivity each year, according to Gallup. (1) Yet despite this staggering number, companies continue to struggle with improving engagement, collaboration, and workplace efficiency. Russell Mikowski, CEO of , believes the answer lies not in more meetings or top-heavy development programs—but in AI-powered people intelligence that's accessible to everyone.

In the latest episode of , host Karla Jo Helms explores Mikowski's mission to democratize psychometric tools—resources once reserved for executives—and unlock better performance across entire teams. "We've long assumed that investing in top talent is the surefire way to improve performance," Mikowski explains. "But 10% of employees receive 80% of development investment. That leaves the rest of the workforce behind. It's outdated—and it's costing companies dearly."

Rethinking Workplace Development with AI
Traditional psychometric assessments have long been static, limited to leadership, and used sparingly. "For decades, these tools have been treated like personality snapshots, not real-time performance drivers," says Mikowski. Without ongoing feedback or integration into daily tools, most organizations are left guessing how to improve team dynamics and communication.

And while companies continue to pour resources into executive development, they often overlook the tools that could improve collaboration across the entire org chart. "That top-down approach creates a disconnected workplace," Mikowski says. "It's no surprise so many employees feel unsupported or burned out."

He also points to a subtle but widespread time-waster: inefficient communication."We've all spent 20 minutes rewriting a message, trying to strike the right tone," Mikowski adds. "That's lost time—time we could use to be productive or simply avoid burnout."

Transforming Collaboration with AI-Powered People Intelligence
SurePeople is tearing down the barriers of traditional assessments through its Prism® psychometric self-assessment and AI-driven tools. Catering to entire organizations—not just executives—Prism provides a deep understanding of individual personalities, motivations, and communication styles. Each team member gains access to an AI coach, integrating real-time solutions for challenges and improved decision-making directly within workplace platforms like Slack and Zoom.

"Imagine you're about to send a Slack message or hop on a Zoom call with a colleague you've never worked with before," Mikowski explains. "Our tools deliver real-time insights into their unique communication style and preferences, allowing for more effective interaction."

Not only does this approach boost productivity and reduce meeting times, but it also directly combats burnout. "The future of work lies in understanding and leveraging people data effectively. By combining the intelligence of AI with the humanity of collaboration, we're setting the stage for stronger, more resilient teams," Mikowski concludes.

Links
Disrupting the Psychometric Power Grab: Putting People Data in Everyone's

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Disruption Interruption is the podcast where you will hear from today's biggest Industry Disruptors. Learn what motivated them to bring about innovation and how they overcame opposition to adoption.
Disruption Interruption can be listened to in Apple's App Store and Spotify.

About Disruption InterruptionTM
Disruption is happening on an unprecedented scale, impacting all manner of industries— MedTech, Finance, IT, eCommerce, shipping, logistics, and more—and COVID has moved their timelines up a full decade or more. But WHO are these disruptors and when did they say, "THAT'S IT! I'VE HAD IT!"? Time to Disrupt and Interrupt with host Karla Jo "KJ" Helms, veteran communications disruptor. KJ interviews badasses who are disrupting their industries and altering economic networks that have become antiquated with an establishment resistant to progress. She delves into uncovering secrets from industry rebels and quiet revolutionaries that uncover common traits—and not-so-common—that are changing our economic markets… and lives. Visit the world's key pioneers that persist to success, despite arrows in their backs at .

About Russel Mikowski
Russel Mikowski is a growth-driven SaaS and HR tech executive with a proven record of scaling high-performing teams and delivering exponential revenue growth. As the CEO of SurePeople, he is leveraging AI and behavioral science to help teams better understand themselves and one another through the company's proprietary Prism® platform. Across his 20+ year career, Russel has led multi-product sales organizations of up to 400 people and played a key role in driving more than $400M in combined revenue gains.
Before SurePeople, Russel held senior leadership roles at high-growth companies including TheLadders, iCIMS, and SmashFly/Symphony Talent, where he scaled revenues from $15MM to $70MM and helped lead three successful exits. With deep expertise in SaaS, talent acquisition technology, and organizational transformation, Russel is known for building sales forces from the ground up, implementing winning GTM strategies, and navigating complex change management initiatives. His unique blend of product knowledge and commercial acumen has earned him a reputation as a transformative leader in the HR tech space.
In addition to his executive career, Russel serves as a trusted advisor to early-stage founders, offering hands-on guidance in team scaling, go-to-market development, and profitability acceleration. He's especially passionate about empowering startups to unlock their full growth potential and frequently collaborates with entrepreneurs across the NYC, Austin, and Silicon Valley tech ecosystems.

About Karla Jo Helms
Karla Jo Helms is the Chief Evangelist and Anti-PR® Strategist for JOTO PR Disruptors™. Karla Jo learned firsthand how unforgiving business can be when millions of dollars are on the line — and how the control of public opinion often determines whether one company is happily chosen, or another is brutally rejected. Being an alumnus of crisis management, Karla Jo has worked with litigation attorneys, private investigators, and the media to help restore companies of goodwill into the good graces of public opinion — Karla Jo operates on the ethic of getting it right the first time, not relying on second chances and doing what it takes to excel. Helms speaks globally on public relations, how the PR industry itself has lost its way, and how, in the right hands, corporations can harness the power of Anti-PR to drive markets and impact market perception.

References
1.    Ratanjee, Vibhas. "$8.8 Trillion of Value Lies Trapped in Organizations: The Unlock Is Culture." Forbes, 16 Mar. 2025, forbes.com/sites/vibhasratanjee/2025/03/16/88-trillion-of-value-lies-trapped-in-organizations-the-unlock-is-culture/.

Media Inquiries:
Karla Jo Helms
JOTO PRâ„¢
727-777-4629

Media Contact

Karla Jo Helms, JOTO PRâ„¢, 727-777-4629, [email protected], jotopr.com

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