The Status Quo Trap: Turning Misalignment into Measurable Impact

Interactive Workshop + Professional Headshots

Date

Thursday, April 16, 2025

Time

1:30 – 3:30 PM CT

Location

DePaul Center
1 E. Jackson Blvd., Chicago, IL 60604
(Room number to be provided in March)

Event Description

New research from more than 1,400 leaders shows that the biggest drag on performance isn’t external - it’s internal. When strategy, planning, design, and handoffs fall out of sync, misalignment quietly erodes efficiency, performance, and revenue.

In this interactive workshop, you’ll explore how compensation professionals can elevate the value of their function by identifying and addressing internal friction. You’ll engage with peers, hear the latest research, and practice using a practical alignment tool that can be applied across HR, Finance, Sales, and Operations - helping close the gap between strategy and execution and strengthening your role as a trusted business partner.

Key Takeaways

Agenda

1:30 – 3:00 PM
Interactive Workshop
(Professional headshot setup from 1:30 – 2:30 PM)

2:30 – 3:30 PM
Professional Headshots (by signup, ~5 minutes per person)

3:00 – 3:30 PM
Networking + remaining headshots

Professional Headshots (Limited Availability)

We’re excited to welcome Chicago High-End Headshots, who will be onsite offering complimentary professional headshots for the first 20 participants who sign up.

Their approach is a guided, confidence-building experience designed to help you show up as your strongest, most authentic professional self. Each participant will:

Speaker Bios

Curtis Schroeder, Ph.D.

Head of Research & Insight, Varicent

Curtis Schroeder brings nearly 15 years of experience helping organizations optimize sales and marketing strategy, spanning Fortune 100 enterprises and high-growth mid-market teams. He has held leadership roles at Oracle and Gartner and now leads Research & Insight at Varicent, equipping revenue leaders with data-backed insights to design smarter go-to-market strategies.

Curtis holds a Ph.D. from Oklahoma State University and is completing a post-doctoral fellowship at Texas A&M University. His research focuses on sales strategy, motivation, and organizational systems, with work published in leading academic journals.

Noah Bass

Founder & CEO, WorkCentive 

Noah Bass has nearly 25 years of experience in consulting and software, including more than 15 years specializing in Incentive Compensation Management and Sales Performance Management. As Founder and CEO of WorkCentive, Noah is deeply committed to education, mentorship, and building practical, scalable solutions that help organizations get more value from their compensation programs.