Meet Dr. Robert Hernandez

Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Dr. Robert Hernandez. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Dr. Robert, we’re thrilled to have you sharing your thoughts and lessons with our community. So, for folks who are at a stage in their life or career where they are trying to be more resilient, can you share where you get your resilience from?

My resilience comes from my passion, and my passion refers to various areas that excite me and light me up. This gives me energy to bounce back into the work that I’m doing or resume a situation.
When COVID hit, like many business owners, I faced a moment that tested my resilience in ways I never expected. My company’s entire model was built around in-person, interactive training using gamification. Suddenly, we had to translate the energy and engagement of our face-to-face programs into a virtual format – and this was before platforms like Zoom had developed many of their current features.
What made this particularly challenging was that our programs thrived on playfulness and interaction. We weren’t just delivering information; we were creating experiences. But instead of seeing this as an insurmountable obstacle, my team and I approached it as a creative challenge. We had to essentially reinvent our delivery method while keeping the core of what made our programs special.
I discovered that my natural inclination toward creativity, which had always been an asset, became our lifeline. We experimented with the limited tools available, finding innovative ways to maintain engagement in a virtual space. As platforms evolved and added new features like breakout rooms, we were already ahead of the curve, having developed our own methods of creating interactive experiences online.
Looking back, this period didn’t just test our resilience – it strengthened it. We emerged with new capabilities and a more versatile approach to our work.

Thanks for sharing that. So, before we get any further into our conversation, can you tell our readers a bit about yourself and what you’re working on?

At Influens, we’re revolutionizing how organizations develop their next generation of leaders. What makes our approach truly exciting is how we blend the art and science of leadership development. We’ve created the LET’S SOAR System, our proprietary AI-driven leadership readiness platform, which has transformed how Fortune 500 companies identify and nurture their emerging leaders.
What I find most energizing about our work is how we’re challenging the traditional ‘one-size-fits-all’ approach to leadership development. The leadership landscape has changed dramatically, especially post-COVID, and we’ve evolved with it. For instance, we discovered that while many companies were struggling with virtual leadership development, we saw it as an opportunity to innovate. We’ve successfully integrated immersive virtual experiences that are just as impactful as in-person training.
One of our most exciting developments is our AI Predictive Leadership Readiness System. This isn’t just another assessment tool – it’s a comprehensive approach that combines validated assessments, targeted development plans, and post-promotion support. What makes this particularly special is that we’re seeing leadership success rates improve from the industry average of 50% to over 70-90%. This means we’re not just developing leaders; we’re fundamentally changing the trajectory of organizations.
What truly sets us apart is our holistic approach to leadership development. We focus on the whole person – their leadership skills, emotional intelligence, sense of purpose, and ability to manage stress. In today’s complex business environment, these elements are crucial for sustainable leadership success.
Currently, we’re particularly excited about expanding our impact through our LET’S SOAR methodology, which stands for Launch through Assessments, Engage in Immersive Learning, Transform Mindsets, Stimulate Growth, Sustain Capabilities, Optimize Talent Outcomes, Accelerate Promotions, and Reshape the Future. This system represents everything we’ve learned about effective leadership development since 2004, enhanced by cutting-edge AI technology.
For me personally, the most rewarding aspect is seeing how our work creates a ripple effect throughout organizations. When we help develop one leader effectively, that leader goes on to positively impact hundreds of others, creating a cascade of positive change throughout the organization.

There is so much advice out there about all the different skills and qualities folks need to develop in order to succeed in today’s highly competitive environment and often it can feel overwhelming. So, if we had to break it down to just the three that matter most, which three skills or qualities would you focus on?

Looking back on my journey as a leadership development expert and founder of Influens, three key qualities have been instrumental in my success:
First, the ability to blend psychological insight with practical business application. As a licensed psychologist with a focus on what I call ‘ego-Self-Axis-related leadership,’ I’ve found that understanding the deeper psychological aspects of leadership while being able to translate this into actionable business strategies has been crucial. For those early in their journey, I advise investing time in understanding both the theoretical and practical aspects of your field. It’s not enough to just know the theory – you need to be able to apply it in real-world situations.
Second, adaptability and innovative thinking. When COVID hit, like many businesses, we had to completely reimagine how we delivered our services. This challenge became an opportunity to innovate our approach to leadership development. Rather than seeing virtual delivery as a limitation, we embraced it as a chance to create new, engaging ways to develop leaders. My advice is to view challenges as opportunities for innovation. When you hit roadblocks, ask yourself, ‘How can I turn this constraint into a creative solution?’
Third, a commitment to continuous learning and integration of new technologies. In our field, staying current with both leadership development research and technological advancements has been crucial. We’ve successfully integrated AI into our LET’S SOAR system, which has transformed how we assess and develop leaders. For those starting out, I encourage you to stay curious and never stop learning. The landscape of any industry is constantly evolving, and your ability to grow with it is essential.
For those early in their journey, here’s what I suggest: Start by building a strong foundation in your core field, but don’t stop there. Look for ways to cross-pollinate ideas from different disciplines – psychology, technology, business strategy. Be willing to experiment and take calculated risks. Most importantly, remember that setbacks are not failures but opportunities for growth and innovation. In my experience, it’s often the challenges that seem most daunting that lead to the most significant breakthroughs in your professional journey.

We’ve all got limited resources, time, energy, focus etc – so if you had to choose between going all in on your strengths or working on areas where you aren’t as strong, what would you choose?

From my experience both as a leadership development expert and through our work at Influens, I’ve found that the most effective approach is actually a strategic combination of both – with timing being the crucial factor.
Through our LET’S SOAR system, we’ve observed that leaders need to start by building a solid foundation of core competencies across essential areas. This is what I call the ‘well-rounded baseline.’ However, once that foundation is established, the greatest impact comes from leveraging and maximizing your distinctive strengths.
Let me share a practical example from our work with Fortune 500 companies. When we conduct our leadership assessments, we often find emerging leaders who excel in analytical thinking but struggle with emotional intelligence, or vice versa. The traditional approach would be to focus intensively on fixing the weaker area. However, we’ve found that while it’s important to bring these areas up to a functional level, trying to make them your primary strengths often leads to frustration and diminishing returns.
Instead, what we’ve seen work remarkably well is helping leaders develop what I call ‘strategic competency.’ This means having enough proficiency in essential areas to be effective while deliberately channeling most of their energy into areas where they naturally excel. For instance, one of our clients was a brilliant strategic thinker but initially felt she needed to become equally strong in public speaking. Rather than trying to transform her into a charismatic orator, we helped her develop sufficient presentation skills while leveraging her strategic thinking to create compelling content and frameworks that made her presentations naturally engaging.
Our data at Influens shows that this balanced approach – establishing baseline competencies while maximizing natural strengths – has helped drive our leadership success rates from the industry average of 50% to over 70-90%. This is because leaders who operate primarily from their strengths while maintaining competency in other areas tend to be more authentic, confident, and effective.
The key is to be strategic about where you invest your development efforts. Ask yourself:

-What are the non-negotiable competencies for my role or aspirations?
-Where do my natural strengths align with the highest-value activities in my field?
-How can I design my role or build my team to maximize these strengths while ensuring other essential areas are well-covered?

Remember, the goal isn’t to be the best at everything but to be exceptional in areas where you can create the most value while being sufficiently competent in other essential areas. This approach not only leads to better performance but also to greater job satisfaction and sustainable career growth.

Contact Info:

Suggest a Story: BoldJourney is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems,
so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.
Leadership Development
Empathy Unlocked: Understanding how to Develop Emotional Intelligence

“Empathy is the starting point for creating a community and taking action. It’s the impetus

Productivity
Where do you get your work ethic from?

We’ve all heard the phrase “work hard, play hard,” but where does our work ethic

Productivity
Boosting Productivity Through Self-Care

When you have a never-ending to-do list it can feel irresponsible to engage in self-care,