Leading with Heart, Emotional Honesty, and the Power of Alignment with Karen Gaskill Van Bibber, Chief People Officer, All Elite Wrestling In this Above Center® episode, Karen Gaskill Van Bibber shares her evolution as a people-first leader who brings structure, empathy, and vision into one of the most unique corporate cultures: professional wrestling. Now serving as the Chief People Officer at All Elite Wrestling, Karen uses her background in corporate HR to anchor a fast-moving, high-energy creative environment with intentionality and care.Karen’s leadership style is grounded in trust, transparency, and emotional intelligence. She champions the quote: “People don’t care how much you know until they know how much you care”—and it shows in everything from how she handles emotionally charged conversations to how she builds culture virtually.A standout practice Karen shared was her “Two-Page Method”:Page 1: Acknowledge and list emotions to honor the human experience.Page 2: Shift to facts and align on next steps with clarity.This blend of emotional awareness and practical leadership creates space for tough decisions without sacrificing team cohesion or respect.Karen also speaks candidly about:🎯Transitioning from a strict corporate setting to a creative, nontraditional workplace🎯Building trust in a fully remote culture (hint: cold calls and real conversations matter)🎯The value of making decisions after emotions have settled, not during moments of emotional hijack🎯Helping employees meet her Above Center—with confidence, compassion, and directionKaren’s leadership is a powerful reminder that creating a culture of care doesn’t require sacrificing excellence—it actually fuels it.ABOVE CENTER® is brought to you by REVEL®, an Executive Search and Coaching firm that helps people and companies grow through the power of great leadership.Our ABOVE CENTER® approach is about staying grounded, clear, and resilient, especially when the stakes are high. In this podcast, we feature leaders in corporate America who share how they navigate the pressures of leadership while living ABOVE CENTER®. We uncover the mindsets, strategies, and personal philosophies that drive high-performing executives to lead themselves and their teams to success. From hiring and retaining top talent to thriving in the first 90 days of a new role, these conversations go beyond leadership—they're about building a career and a life with purpose, impact, and joy in the journey.https://www.allelitewrestling.com/https://www.therevelcompanies.com/
