Name: Ignite the Momentum: The Countdown to Workday Rising
Uploaded: 2026-09-10T17:46:22.588Z
Duration: 29 min 40 s
Description: Ignite the Momentum: The Countdown to Workday Rising

Transcript for "Ignite the Momentum: The Countdown to Workday Rising": Hi, and welcome. I am so glad you are here. I'm Dana Booth, Workday's SVP of Global Events and Executive Engagement. And honestly, I have got the best seat in the house today because I get to kick things off with you. In thirty two days, we will be in Las Vegas for four days you will not forget. Workday rising is our biggest moment of the year. So let's set the stage. Whether it's your first rising or your tenth, it doesn't matter. This year has got something for you. Rising has always been about one thing, you, our community. It's where big ideas turn into real action, where you learn, connect, and get your hands on the innovations that are actually shaping how we work. And this year feels a little bit different. We're in a new era for Workday. And together, we're going to dig into how AI is driving real, tangible results for organizations everywhere. Before we dive in, here's a quick look at what's on deck for our next thirty minutes together. First up, I'm gonna hand things off to my friend, Liz Jennings, who's sitting down with Ted Ross, the CIO of the city of LA. Ted is a true rising veteran and he's going to give us the real unfiltered take on why he keeps coming back year after year after year. Then we're gonna jump straight into a q and a with Workday leaders, Lionel Leninger and Sherry Rhodes. They're gonna give us the inside scoop on what's new this year, what to prioritize when you're on-site, and why this community just keeps getting stronger. Let's talk about rising itself because we've got four packed days ahead of us. The moment you land in Las Vegas, you're gonna feel it. Innovation and action everywhere you look. We kick things off on Monday with our welcome celebration honoring you, our community, and with a warm welcome from our CEO, Anil Bushri. And a surprise guess, I won't spoil it here, but trust me, you will want a seat in that room. Tuesday is our innovation keynote where you'll get a first look at Sana, our AI native experience and see our newest agents in action. This day also brings our persona keynotes built specifically for the office of the CHRO, CFO, and CIO. You will walk away with insights tailored for your role. Wednesday is our community keynote where our fellow customers share how they're driving the outcomes and empowering their people on Workday. And this day wraps up with our customer appreciation party, Always one of my favorite nights of the year. This time, we're bringing the vibrant vibes with an unforgettable performance from the one and only Kelly Clarkson. Beyond the main stage, there are a ton of ways to build your own rising. Dive deeper in breakout sessions covering specific products, topics, and industry use cases. Get your hands on in labs led by our solution architect team because learning by doing beats learning by watching. Sit down for brain dates, one on one, or group conversation on whatever topic is top of mind for you. And check out our brand new agent launchpad, an AI centric experience built to turn your AI ambitions into real concrete action. Want FaceTime? Our customer reference conversations connect you directly with current customers for real unfiltered stories. However you like to experience rising, deep in sessions, in meetings, out on the floor connecting with your peers, or meeting someone new, there is something here for you. One thing's for sure, This is unlike anything else on your calendar. You'll walk away with insights you will not find anywhere else. Learn straight from your peers and leave ready to lead your organization into what's next. I promise you, you will head home energized, inspired, and ready to bring that momentum with you. Alright. Clearly, I have talked enough. Now let's get into it. Hello. Workday Rising. At Rising, it's all about leading change. It's the opportunity to fundamentally transform how work gets done. It's all about our community and spotlighting our customer voices. Your success is why we do what we do. Our goal is simple. Give you clarity and the value you need to navigate this new era of work. Thanks, Dana. I'm Liz Jennings, and I am so excited to be here. And I get the very wonderful privilege of chatting with Ted, who is a CIO of the City of LA and absolutely a rising veteran. Welcome. So happy to have you here, Ted. Great to be here. Cannot wait. Well, before we get into it, I have to ask. So you've been to rising more than the amount of times that I've had coffee this morning. You know, what's your count, and what makes maybe one memory that still makes you smile? Sure. Three times. And I think when you ask me what still makes me smile, it's gotta be the energy at Rising. Somehow you bring together thousands of HR, finance, and technology professionals, but it doesn't feel like a typical IT conference. Right? People are genuinely excited to learn about the Workday platform. They share ideas on how to maximize it, and I get the chance to connect with peers who really have a lot of the same common challenges. I remember leaving my first rising and thinking that was a lot more fun than I expected. Oh, I love that, and I I couldn't agree more. So from our guests who may not know, about the city of LA, can you actually help give us a quick snapshot of your workday footprint? So I know you're running HCM and payroll and and Prism. What does that look like for the city of LA? Sure. Second largest city in The US. It's a big complicated organization. As you can imagine, complex compliance requirements. And I think that's what makes HR and payroll transformation anything but simple. We replaced a twenty five year old legacy custom built payroll system foundation for managing such a large workforce. We have payroll. We have all sorts of data. But as the old saying goes, there's no such thing as a technology project. There's people projects with technology. So we learned a ton of lessons along the way. And I think one of the things I like about rising is the ability to hear other organizations, whether it's my organization or some other organization, to hear what they've been doing. You know? How are they improving their processes, and how are they getting more value after work day after go live? Love it. And, you know, one one thing that I I'm hearing sort of through through your your comments here is this notion of partnership. And that it's really the coming together of the Workday product, the technology, and, of course, the people to make this all work and flow together and and love it. And I love that you're willing to tell these stories and how you're succeeding and thriving and all of that, which is just the best. So I can only imagine, you know, with the footprint you have both in the product and technology, but also your people, can you maybe help us understand the sheer scale of the amount of work that your team does to support the city of LA each and every day? Sure. Welcome to my life. 45 departments at the city of LA. And to keep in mind, a department is LAX. A department is the LA police department. A department is the nation's largest municipal utility into the Department of Water and Power. That's 50,000 total city employees across those departments, 47 union MOUs for you HR and payroll folks out there, and that's just the government. We serve 4,000,000 residents. We call them Angelenos. There's 500,000 businesses that call LA home, and it's LA. Right? Hollywood, Venice Beach, Disneyland. We got 50,000,000 annual visitors. And keep in mind on top of all that, and I feel like I'm selling LA, but I'm a homeroom. I'm selling LA. We had FIFA World Cup this year. We have Super Bowl next year. We have the twenty twenty eight Olympics and Paralympics. So we got a lot going on. Simply impressive. And if I might say, the city of LA runs on Workday? Yes. Runs on Workday. Yeah. Love it. Alright. So you've clearly, you know, gotten a lot of value from our product, which is awesome. And we'd love to really understand, what do you would say by attending rising? What is what you get there in person, something you cannot get anywhere else? Sure. I I think for me and honestly, it's easy for me to talk about rising because I was sincerely impressed with the conference, and that's why I keep going. The biggest value is the combination of both content as well as community that you were hinting at before. You can learn about the product roadmap. You could hear directly from Workday leaders. You can attend sessions where you see how other organizations use the platform. We've been making the investment. We wanna learn about it. But there's also a lot of informal conversations between the sessions. Right? I've learned a lot about talking with just other customers. How are they dealing with the same issues I'm dealing with? What are issues they're experiencing that I might be about to experience? Right? You hear what works. You hear what doesn't work. You pick up an idea in a ten minute conversation. You take notes. You can take it back to the office with you. The keynotes, the speakers, they add a lot to the experience. But like I said, it doesn't feel like a typical software conference, and I do get a lot of value out of it. I love it. And for us, networking is such a big part of this experience. Is there someone that you've either met in the past or a relationship that you still maintain, years after attending one of our rising events that you could tell us a little bit more about? Sure. I there's quite a few, actually. And I'd say, definitely, for me, one of the most important aspects is how valuable the connections can be. And it may surprise you. We just talked about the scale of Los Angeles. And while I like talking to other larger organizations who deal with some of the same challenges that are similar to ours, honestly, some of my most useful conversations are with smaller and medium sized organizations because they'll ask a very simple question. Why do you do it that way? Right? Large organizations, we assume. Suddenly, it makes me rethink processes that we've been doing for years. People are very open about sharing what's worked, what hasn't worked, and how they've solved problems. Those conversations give me new ideas. They give me new perspective. And people that I could reach back out to later if I'm interested in pursuing it further. When I go to Rising, my advice to everybody is don't overschedule yourself. Pick a few sessions that you really want to attend every day. Leave some space between them because some of the best things that happen at Rising happen between the sessions themselves, where you have coffee, you're at lunch, or you're walking between sessions. I I love that. And, you know, connection is is just so critically important, something that's so rare. And maybe a question I I would love to kinda get your thoughts on is for someone who's maybe on the fence. Like maybe they're thinking about making the trip or they've they're just registering for the very first time. I know you gave some advice just now, but any additional advice you have for them on how they can really take this back, make it meaningful and impactful to their organization? Sure. I don't work for Workday. I don't get paid by Workday. I'm a customer like many of them, and I tell them to go. Right? You could go to Rising to get product knowledge, which is invaluable, but you get a lot more than that. To hear what organizations are doing and how they're approaching the same pressures that you're dealing with, to get a better sense of where Workday and specifically AI is going, the ability to have access to people and conversations to help you kind of derisk your decisions, to make a decision easier, and to give you more evidence as to why the the decision you're making, that's, I think, extremely important. I always leave rising with a lot of ideas. I always leave rising with at least a few things I want to do differently and a much bigger network of people that I could learn from and follow-up with. For me, that's the real ROI of being in the room at at rising. That is so perfectly said. So maybe a little more of a fun note, what is your ultimate rising survival hack? I know you mentioned you're you're not a schedule every single minute, but what do you find is the best way to to get through that very jam packed few days? That's right. Have a few anchors for each day rather than trying to conquer an entire agenda. Also, if you try to conquer an entire agenda, you may miss those conversations between sessions or getting snacks, etcetera. I identified two to three sessions or meetings that I absolutely don't want to miss any day, and I build myself around those. Rising's big. You have to manage your time. You gotta manage your energy. If a session's available digitally later, I don't feel like I have to squeeze it in just because it's there, and I can make sure there's plenty of time to enjoy the experience. There's a customer appreciation party, know your must dos, pace yourself, take advantage of the digital content afterwards, and definitely, definitely, definitely wear comfortable shoes. I'll double on the comfortable shoes. And I know you say you're not being paid by rising, but I would absolutely double down on this digital component, people. This is absolutely your way to take the stuff back, relisten, rewatch. And again, if you miss a session, all good. Alright. We have a really exciting q and a coming up with Lionel and Sherry just right after this, but I'm not letting you off the hook quite yet, Todd. Ted, I would love to do just a really quick set of lightning round questions to keep you at your toes if that sounds okay. Let's do it. Let's do it. Let's let's crank this out. So what's one word you would describe to to describe the energy arising? Electric. I love that. What's one thing you're personally hyped for this year, and it better be Kelly Clarkson. Oh, definitely AI. Sorry, Kelly. I like it. Definitely AI, especially what's becoming real and usable now and not just like a someday conversation. That is awesome. Alright. Last question. What is your number one must pack item in your rising suitcase? It's the comfortable shoes. Rising will teach you a lot, but it's also a great place to get your steps up. Awesome. Thank you so much, Ted. That was that was awesome. We really got so much covered. We are so thankful to have you as a customer. Can't wait to see you at Rising. And with that, I'll turn things back over to you, Dana. Thanks, Liz. Well, everyone, we are officially on the road to Workday Rising. Whether you're already registered, still deciding, or trying to convince your boss that Las Vegas is a business critical destination, this conversation is for you. I'm here with Sherry Rhodes and Lionel Lineager, and we're gonna give you a preview of what's coming, what not to miss, and why this year's rising feels especially important. Sherry and Lionel, thanks so much for joining us. Thanks for having us. Let's do it. Yeah. Appreciate your time. Well, this is my third rising. And before we get into the big stuff, what I need to know Mhmm. Is between the two of you, who has the higher rising attendance? And what's the one rising memory that really sticks with you? So who's gonna take the time? We're just we're debating this earlier on. For me, it's seven. This is my seventh rising. What about you? I'm gonna say eleven because I've done some of the global rising. Oh, okay. Yeah. That's the car. She's full. Good about that. That's funny. Yeah. And me rising. She makes that long long haul flight. That's right. Well, that's impressive. Eleven seven. Yeah. Yeah. Let's go ahead and get a ring to it. Yeah. Moment wise, though, I mean, I I remember the very first time that I attended Workday Rising. You walk in, and we've all been to these types of shows. Right? And you go to most of them, and there's just no energy. Yeah. Everyone's looking at their phones. No one's smiling, and there's just no there's no fun. And I remember I walked into rising. Everyone had a huge smile on their face. They were excited. They were helpful. They were showing each other around. They were hugging. Mhmm. It was almost like just like a big family event, and Yeah. That's what makes this whole thing so different and so unique, and I don't think you find it anywhere else. Plus one to that. It really is sort of this, like, ultimate culmination of all of our values. Right? Community, customers, fun, all the good stuff. What about you, Sherry? I feel like it's that each and every time, but one of my favorite times was we showcase some of our customers, that come in the audience. And I was standing next to Floyd at McKee Foods, who is, like, a legend when it comes to the community of Workday. And it was just so fun to see him, like, in the spotlight. Oh, there's nothing better. Customer's in the spotlight, celebrating with them. Great memory. Well, Rising does deliver big moments, what we do on repeat, which is really fun. But this year's energy is really unique. We're focusing on AI, we're focusing on community and the future of work. If someone watching is asking, what should I be excited about for rising twenty twenty six? What would you tell them? Lionel, we'll start with you. I think it's just it's so real. Like, everything you're gonna see there is real. Yeah. There's no smoke and mirrors. There's no faking it. Everything you're gonna see is real, and so you can just go there. You can learn. You get to learn every single day. You get to choose your own adventure, essentially. Yeah. And I guarantee you that what maybe your plan was walking in that very first day, when you walk out on the last day, there's probably a whole lot of other stuff that you didn't even expect. So it's just it's there, it's real, and it's all ready for you. I love that. I love that. And the realness is what's incredibly important, I also think, is what makes Workday Rising super unique. What about you, Sherry? All of them. I just love that we have all of the latest innovations and some things that surprise the customers at the event. So just that element of surprise and something that they've been excited about or wanting in the product, they're gonna hear about it in that event. I love that. And hopefully, a little bit of dazzle and surprise. Right? Those unexpected moments that only happen when you're here in person. We all know that AI, the future of work are huge focuses for us this year. Let's make this practical. If an attendee had to prioritize their time to two or three things, what would you tell them to put on their must do list? Yeah. Well, the first one is super easy because Sherry talked about innovation. There is so much innovation happening at Workday, and rising is when it all comes out. And it all comes out at Rising Central, the artist formerly known as the the expo. Right? I love that. Yeah. All the experts are there. Live software is there. It's it's it's the place to go learn. So that is number one. And then the second thing you should go do is go talk to customers and whether those are, in our in our, you know, more formalized, you know, customer spotlight sessions or just go have go grab somebody, go grab coffee with somebody, go grab lunch Yeah. And just talk to them and understand what their experience are. So those are the two things. Get your hands on the software. Get your hands at Rising Central Yep. And then go talk to others about what they're already doing. I love that. Yeah. I absolutely love that. Rising Central is where it all comes to life and where you can get your hands on. Great advice. Sherry, you have one of the best jobs at Workday. I think so. You get to meet with our customers all the time. When they come back to Rising year after year, what are they really coming back for, and what do you hope that they leave with this year? Well, for sure, they come for the ultimate in experience. So I think it's everything that surprises and delights them, but it's even the little things. So if I look back at last year, some of the great things that people talked about and that they enjoyed was they got to go to the community in the expo and basically give feedback on the road map. Wow. They actually got to get some their certifications, and this year, you can actually do a research. So everything that they can kind of touch and feel, and then just the energy within the room and when you do those big, main stage events, I think is so fun. Yeah. You might also run into Billy Idol. You never know. Right? Maybe not this year. Maybe. But you had to be here last year. So who knows Yeah. What will be the surprise and delight moment this year? Tune in. Yep. AI is everywhere. Some might say it's in a bit of a height cycle. What will make the AI conversation real at rising this year, and make it different from the noise that folks are hearing just kind of everywhere. What are your thoughts, Lionel? I mean, there is so much noise out there. Right? It's gotta be hard as a as a as a customer trying to sift through all the noise, trying to understand what's real, trying to understand what's not real. Mhmm. You know, in some cases, it's all kind of blending in together around buzzwords. So the way we cut through all of that is really, really simple, and I think it's it's one of my favorite kind of secrets about rising. So if you walk around and you see everyone's name tag, we purposefully give customers and prospects and partners different colored lanyards. That's a point. It it's amazing. The reason we do it is so they can seek each other out. So a prospect can go seek out a customer and have a real conversation about what's real, what isn't, lessons learned Mhmm. What's your experience with Workday? How to navigate it all. And they can do it organically in a non kind of curated setting. And so, to me, the best way to cut through all the noise and cut through all the hype is just get to a real one on one conversation and just talk about real life. Right? Talk about what's real. Pro tip, folks Yeah. There's a pro tip. Is make the time. Find the find the customer. Find the prospect. Open up doors for each other. For sure. I love that. For sure. For prospects who are watching and thinking, I'm interested, but I'm just not sure I can make the trip to Las Vegas. What is it that they can get at Rising that they can't get any other day in a meeting via Zoom or phone call, etcetera? What what is that secret thing that they're gonna get there? Sherry, let's start with you. Well, I'm gonna build on the seven years of wisdom, but Okay. Lydon just shared. But I think it's all about networking. It's about meeting people that have the product or thinking about the product and and just creating that, really, that foundation for for for the years ahead. That's right. There's a great merch store. Right, Sherry? I mean, every day, your work day, you should it's the whole thing. You can get the right fit going. Yeah. But outside the merch store, there's it's everything's in one place. Yeah. Yeah. The product, the customers, the references, the expertise Yeah. Sherry's incredible team, our incredible partner ecosystem. Like, there is everything is there. Yeah. And so it I mean, it's it's a one stop shop. One one place with good walking shoes. We'll just say that. Yeah. I agree. That's it. Wear your good shoes. That's another pro tip. Bring your Band Aids. Yes. Hydrate. Do all the important things, but also spend time. Like, really think about your agenda. Mhmm. Build it strategically and leave space to talk to a customer. Yeah. For what you don't expect. Right? For what you don't expect. Yeah. That's right. To run into Billy, who knows All of it. What's gonna happen. That's great. We're gonna close with a lightning round if that sounds good for the two of you. Yeah. Okay. We've covered the strategy. Now we're gonna get into the real unofficial official survival guide. Fast answers only. K. So your gut response, one word to describe the rising vibe for someone who has never been. Unlimited. Oh, love. Yeah. Energy. Yes. What is your ultimate insider tip or secret for thriving at rising? It's a marathon. It's a marathon, not a sprint. Alright. That's good. Rest up before you head out. Endurance and rest up, maybe carb load, whatever it is that you need to do. Okay. We have come to our final question. If every attendee were to leave with one thing on their flight home, what would it be? I would say in the famous lyrics of Kelly Clarkson, some people wait a lifetime for a moment like this. Oh, well done. Wow. Well done. That was more than one word, though. It was almost oh, yeah. I guess you're right. For me, it's just wanting. Oh, I love that. Wanting come back, wanting more. Yep. Just wanting. Repeat. Yeah. Yeah. Repeat. Love that. Repeat wanting. Thank you. Thank you both so much for your time. Thank you for your insights. Thank you for your wisdom from all of these years of rising. But most of all, thank you for your commitment to this community. Rising is gonna be spectacular. Well, this is the perfect place for us to wrap. Workday Rising is more than seeing what's next. It's about experiencing what's possible now. AI grounded in trusted data and context, a community that helps you move faster and gives you the fresh ideas to bring back to your work. If you're already registered, cannot wait to see you there. If you were on the fence, pretty sure this is your sign. Your new workday starts at rising. See you soon.