BRIEFINGS PODCAST:

The Sprint to the LA28 Olympic and Paralympic Games

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Jill Wiltfong
Hi, I’m Jill Wiltfong, Chief Marketing Officer for Korn Ferry, and this is Briefings, our deep dive into topics corporate leaders need to care about.

Let me set the scene. You start with about 600 people. In just over two years, you scale that to 4,000. Those 4,000 people need to lead and coordinate about 50,000 volunteers. And no pressure — but the whole world is watching.

That’s exactly the challenge facing the LA28 Olympic and Paralympic Games. And Korn Ferry is proud to be a founding partner and the official talent and organizational consulting partner behind that effort.

Today, we’re going behind the scenes with Tami Majer, Chief People Officer of the LA28 Olympic and Paralympic Games — the leader at the center of one of the most ambitious people builds in modern history — as we start the sprint to LA28.

Tammy, thanks for being here.

Tami Majer
 Jill, it’s so much fun to be here. Thank you for having me.

You know, our numbers as we prepare for the Games keep evolving. We’re actually planning for about 5,000 employees and maybe upwards of 60,000 volunteers to deliver this amazing sporting event.

Jill Wiltfong
Wow. No small feat — and it’s just getting bigger, which is pretty impressive.

Before we talk about building the organization, let’s start with you as a fan. Is there an Olympic moment that still gives you chills when you think back on it?

Tami Majer
 If I was to say my favorite athlete experience, I have to say following Simone Biles through some of the challenges she experienced in Tokyo and then her amazing comeback a number of years later.

It’s such a great display of what it takes to be the world’s best — the grit and the ability to come back from challenges. It’s a great lesson for all of us.

Jill Wiltfong
You’re definitely building something where, in many ways, there’s no real precedent. When you think about the scale and the timeline you’re working within, what excites you about that — and what worries you?

Tami Majer
What excites me, Jill, is the destination. I’m so excited to contribute to what I believe will be the most amazing sporting event ever put on.

What humbles me — that’s probably the right word — is the pace of building at this scale.

Jill Wiltfong
That clip from Chariots of Fire reminds us that while athletes get the spotlight, there’s an entire system behind them that has to perform flawlessly to make this happen.

Tammy, when you think about the workforce behind the Olympic and Paralympic Games, what really matters? Are there skills or mindsets that will make this all come together?

Tami Majer
There are definitely common behaviors, attributes, and capabilities that are critical success factors.

The ability to work in a really fast-paced environment. The willingness to trust the team around you. Driving decision-making and accountability to the lowest level possible in the organization. And if you’re a leader, being truly comfortable with that.

Jill Wiltfong
 What about roles? Are there specific skills you need to pull this off that might surprise people — either because they’re harder to find or more critical than expected?

Tami Majer
Accreditation.

Accrediting hundreds of thousands of people before and during Games time is a mammoth responsibility. There are individuals who carry that skill set, have done it before, and are instrumental in pulling something like that off.

Sport is another area. With the number of sports we have, we need specialists who understand how to work with international federations and build the best sports program possible. These are amazing individuals who exist globally, and we’ve pulled them together to build the program around the Olympic and Paralympic Games.

Jill Wiltfong

That was LinkedIn Editor-in-Chief Dan Roth talking about how AI is moving from fear to acceptance.

The LA28 workforce may be one of the first truly AI-enabled Olympic and Paralympic workforces the Games have ever seen. Tammy, how are you using technology to scale without losing the human side of the experience?

Tami Majer
We’re ideating right now around how AI can help us answer some very complex questions related to managing and deploying the workforce, particularly at Games time.

Another big area — and where I’m really excited about partnering with Korn Ferry — is talent selection. As you’ve said, this is rapid scale. The degree to which we can source, interview, and screen great potential employees using AI as part of the process — not the entire process, but part of it — is incredibly exciting.

Jill Wiltfong
What’s been the biggest difference between building this organization and building a traditional company?

Tami Majer
The biggest difference, Jill, is that we’re attracting the best talent in the world to deliver these extraordinary Games — and that talent knows this will come to an end.

It’s an extraordinary challenge to attract such a tremendous workforce knowing it’s not permanent. But there are thousands and thousands of prospective employees who are enthusiastic, excited, and truly want to be part of it.

Jill Wiltfong
It’s not a job for life — but it’s the job of a lifetime, right?

Tami Majer
That’s exactly it.

Jill Wiltfong
We started this conversation with your favorite memory. Let’s end looking forward. Is there anything you’re personally excited to experience when the Games roll around in 2028?

Tami Majer
The culmination of the hard work of the team — and the pride we’ll all share together. Make no mistake, we’re going to deliver the best Olympic and Paralympic Games ever.

If you ask me a sport — equestrian. I’ve been a horse person my whole life. I’m really looking forward to enjoying that on a personal level.

Jill Wiltfong
I have no doubt you’re going to overdeliver.

Tammy, thank you for giving us a glimpse into what it really takes to build something at this scale — and thank you for the leadership you’re bringing to the Olympic and Paralympic Games. It’s going to be a great one.

Tami Majer
Jill, thank you so much for having me. I’m just so excited about the partnership with Korn Ferry.

Jill Wiltfong

The executive producer of Briefings is Jonathan Dahl. Today’s episode was produced by Rupak Bhattacharyya and Zachary Dore, and it was edited by Jaren Henry McRae.

It contains reporting by Russell Pearlman, Ariane Cohen, Peter Lauria, and Meghan Walsh. Our video segment contains original artwork by Fraser Milton, Haley Kennel, Jonathan Pink, and Sasha Kotzek.

And our web operations are managed by Ed McLaurin.

Don’t forget to read our magazine—available at newsstands and at kornferry.com/briefings.

That’s it for Korn Ferry Briefings. I’m Jill Wiltfong. See you next time.