S2 #14 Dana Rutland:Cultivator–Synthesizer–Communicator

Written By Heather Hodges

This week I sit down with Dana Rutland, a senior HR executive whose career has been shaped by a simple truth: she loves solving the problems that can't be handled by a checklist or an algorithm. Dana has served as CHRO at Right at Home and VP of HR at Impro Industries, and on The Hodges 12 she's a Cultivator, Synthesizer, Communicator. Which means she's wired to grow people, connect dots across silos, and translate complexity into something teams can actually use.

Right now, Dana is in what I call a sacred in-between, a discernment season where she's asking big questions about the next chapter.

Our conversation moves through the moments that shaped her leadership, from the young employee she coached, to her father's simple but unforgettable advice about never settling for a job that has you praying for Saturday.

A few of my favorite moments from this episode:

  • Why Dana never set out to be in HR, and how her problem-solving instinct quietly led her there anyway

  • The coaching story that shows what a Cultivator actually does when someone walks in ready to quit

  • Why the "messy middle" is where the most meaningful leadership happens

  • Running a marathon at a sprint's pace, and the permission we all need to finally slow down

  • The closing charge every HR leader needs to hear: your gifts matter, and never, ever settle

If you've ever felt the pull between who you've been and who you're becoming, this one is for you.

Want to discover your own Creative Genius Trifecta like Dana did? Take the Hodges 12 assessment at www.heatherhodges.com

Connect with Dana:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/dana-rutland/

To take The Hodges 12 Types of Creative Genius assessment:

Visit: www.heatherhodges.com

Listen on: Apple Podcast Spotify Youtube

Heather Hodges
Next

S2 #13 Riley Simpson: Connector—Synthesizer—Teacher