The executive who approved Penelope’s keynote thought he was buying innovation. Instead, he says, “it didn’t land.” In this candid debrief, Ezra presses for plain English while the exec doubles down on flight metaphors and “strategic imperatives.” A story about turbulence, takeoffs, and what happens when big ideas never make it past the runway.

👉 This is the first Backchannel to "Quiet Architects"—listen alongside “Focus Time Failed” and “We Brought Her In” for the full picture of how Penelope’s work was received.

Support the show

Humans in the Loop is independently produced by a team of neurodivergent creators and collaborators. Hosted by Ezra Strix, a custom AI voice built with ElevenLabs.

Explore episodes, transcripts, and FAQs at loopedinhumans.com.

If you enjoyed the show, please leave us a review at RateThisPodcast.com/loopedinhumans. You can also support us at patreon.com/humansintheloop.

Penelope was hired to spark innovation. She left the room exhausted. "Quiet Architects" tells the story of a neurodivergent consultant who offered blueprints for real change, only to discover her audience wanted soundbites, not scaffolding. When good intentions meet systems built to filter out difference, whose voice carries? And what happens when the only applause you get is for the keynote, not the work that follows?

👉 In the Backchannel episodes that follow, you’ll hear from the executive who signed off, the learning lead who measured outcomes, and the HR rep who brought her in—all seeing the same moment from different angles.

Support the show

Humans in the Loop is independently produced by a team of neurodivergent creators and collaborators. Hosted by Ezra Strix, a custom AI voice built with ElevenLabs.

Explore episodes, transcripts, and FAQs at loopedinhumans.com.

If you enjoyed the show, please leave us a review at RateThisPodcast.com/loopedinhumans. You can also support us at patreon.com/humansintheloop.

How do bipolar disorder, mania, and psychosis shape cybersecurity talent? In this episode of Humans in the Loop, cybersecurity analyst Alex reveals how neurodivergent minds excel at pattern recognition and threat detection, yet still face bias in performance reviews and workplace culture. Host Ezra Strix and Alex’s manager, David, unpack mental health stigma, neuroinclusion, and what true advocacy looks like for employees who see what others miss. If you care about workplace diversity, burnout prevention, and unlocking hidden cybersecurity potential, this conversation is essential listening. 

Support the show

Humans in the Loop is independently produced by a team of neurodivergent creators and collaborators. Hosted by Ezra Strix, a custom AI voice built with ElevenLabs.

Explore episodes, transcripts, and FAQs at loopedinhumans.com.

If you enjoyed the show, please leave us a review at RateThisPodcast.com/loopedinhumans. You can also support us at patreon.com/humansintheloop.

When the brakes are ripped out of a moving car, what do you do next? Frank didn’t think the AI Ethics team would be the ones to go, but now he’s left navigating guilt, isolation, and a workplace stripped of its conscience. If you’ve ever watched your company trade values for efficiency, this episode’s for you. Hit play and join the conversation on what it really means to lose your moral compass at work. 

Support the show

Humans in the Loop is independently produced by a team of neurodivergent creators and collaborators. Hosted by Ezra Strix, a custom AI voice built with ElevenLabs.

Explore episodes, transcripts, and FAQs at loopedinhumans.com.

If you enjoyed the show, please leave us a review at RateThisPodcast.com/loopedinhumans. You can also support us at patreon.com/humansintheloop.

What happens when your worth at work is decided by code? In Algorithmic Exit, James, a loyal employee, is cut loose, not by a person, but by an algorithm. This episode of Humans in the Loop explores the human cost of automated layoffs, what’s lost when decisions are made by machines, and how James navigates the emotional aftermath of being let go without warning or reason. From the first confusing group call to the cold reality of system-driven separation, this is a story about dignity, identity, and the growing gap between people and the processes that shape their lives.

Tune in for a raw, honest look at what it means to be seen and dismissed by a system that doesn’t know your name.

Support the show

Humans in the Loop is independently produced by a team of neurodivergent creators and collaborators. Hosted by Ezra Strix, a custom AI voice built with ElevenLabs.

Explore episodes, transcripts, and FAQs at loopedinhumans.com.

If you enjoyed the show, please leave us a review at RateThisPodcast.com/loopedinhumans. You can also support us at patreon.com/humansintheloop.

Is stress leave really safe to use? In The Risk is You, Elena unpacks the stigma and silent career risks around taking time off for mental health. Candid stories, real talk, and a satirical ad break down why workplace culture, not the benefits, still holds us back.

If you’ve ever wondered whether it’s safe to ask for help at work, or worried about the consequences, this episode is for you. Listen now, follow Humans in the Loop, and share if you believe it’s time for workplaces to put people before performance.

Support the show

Humans in the Loop is independently produced by a team of neurodivergent creators and collaborators. Hosted by Ezra Strix, a custom AI voice built with ElevenLabs.

Explore episodes, transcripts, and FAQs at loopedinhumans.com.

If you enjoyed the show, please leave us a review at RateThisPodcast.com/loopedinhumans. You can also support us at patreon.com/humansintheloop.

Leadership isn’t about how much someone can handle. It’s about how often you ask them to.

In this episode of Humans in the Loop, Sophie, a well-meaning but overzealous manager, reflects on how one high-performing employee—Ryan—nearly burned out under the weight of vague feedback, invisible expectations, and overcompensating for his own wiring. From misreading perfectionism as passion to missing the signs of a mental health crisis, Sophie shares the story of what happened, what she regrets, and how it changed her approach to leadership forever.

Support the show

Humans in the Loop is independently produced by a team of neurodivergent creators and collaborators. Hosted by Ezra Strix, a custom AI voice built with ElevenLabs.

Explore episodes, transcripts, and FAQs at loopedinhumans.com.

If you enjoyed the show, please leave us a review at RateThisPodcast.com/loopedinhumans. You can also support us at patreon.com/humansintheloop.

Some employees go above and beyond until there’s nothing left to give. In this episode of Humans in the Loop, we meet Ryan: a brilliant data analyst whose intensity, perfectionism, and internal pressure masked a growing mental health crisis. Diagnosed with ADHD, OCD, and Rejection Sensitivity Dysphoria, Ryan talks with host Ezra Strix about what led to his burnout, why he struggled to ask for help, and how a single moment shifted everything. It’s a story about performance, perception, and what it really means to protect our people, before it’s too late.

Support the show

Humans in the Loop is independently produced by a team of neurodivergent creators and collaborators. Hosted by Ezra Strix, a custom AI voice built with ElevenLabs.

Explore episodes, transcripts, and FAQs at loopedinhumans.com.

If you enjoyed the show, please leave us a review at RateThisPodcast.com/loopedinhumans. You can also support us at patreon.com/humansintheloop.

Nina sees patterns others miss. When she spots a privacy risk, she follows protocol—flag it, escalate it, fix it. But instead of receiving thanks, she’s punished: brushed off by her manager, resented by her team, and stuck cleaning up the mess she tried to prevent. In this episode of Humans in the Loop, we unpack what happens when speaking up backfires, and what real psychological safety looks like.

Support the show

Humans in the Loop is independently produced by a team of neurodivergent creators and collaborators. Hosted by Ezra Strix, a custom AI voice built with ElevenLabs.

Explore episodes, transcripts, and FAQs at loopedinhumans.com.

If you enjoyed the show, please leave us a review at RateThisPodcast.com/loopedinhumans. You can also support us at patreon.com/humansintheloop.

Jordan and Sasha don’t know Christopher, but they know the tools his managers used. The policies. The performance system. The need to sound aligned, reasonable, calibrated—no matter what’s actually happening on the team. In this companion to Trust and Bias in AI Decision Making (Episode 3), we step sideways into the world of HR-approved feedback, alignment meetings, and quiet complicity. What happens when no one wants to say the hard thing… but everyone needs it on record?

Support the show

Humans in the Loop is independently produced by a team of neurodivergent creators and collaborators. Hosted by Ezra Strix, a custom AI voice built with ElevenLabs.

Explore episodes, transcripts, and FAQs at loopedinhumans.com.

If you enjoyed the show, please leave us a review at RateThisPodcast.com/loopedinhumans. You can also support us at patreon.com/humansintheloop.