American culture has made finding a dream job one of life's ultimate goals. Personal identity and professional roles have merged into one, and this entanglement can cost us our happiness, well-being, and ultimately true career success. Why has work taken such an all-encompassing role in American lives, and why is it such a challenge for us to detach from it?

Simone Stolzoff is on a mission to reclaim our lives from a work-obsessed world. As a former journalist and the author of The Good Enough Job, Simone has interviewed Michelin star chefs, Wall Street bankers, overwhelmed teachers, and other workers across the American economy to expose what we lose when we expect work to be more than a job.

In this episode, Dart and Simone discuss:
- Challenging myths around work and identity
- How work-first culture has betrayed many employees
- The transactional relationship between employers and employees
- Designing a sustainably productive culture at work
- Why companies should encourage employees to diversify their identities
- The connection between survival, employment, and government assistance in the U.S.
- And other topics…

Simone Stolzoff is a designer, workplace expert and consultant, and author of The Good Enough Job. His consulting clients include Google, Meta, Microsoft, IDEO, Guild, and the State of California. As a former journalist and design lead at the global innovation firm, IDEO, his work has been featured in The New York Times, Washington Post, Wall Street Journal, The Atlantic, and many other publications. Simone received his bachelor's degree in creative writing from The University of Pennsylvania and his master’s degree in journalism and multimedia storytelling from Stanford University.

Resources mentioned:
The Good Enough Job, by Simone Stolzoff: https://www.amazon.com/Good-Enough-Job-Reclaiming-Life/dp/059353896X
Human Capital, by Thomas Davenport: https://www.amazon.com/Human-Capital-P-Davenport/dp/0470436816

Connect with Simone:
www.thegoodenoughjob.com 

Work with Dart:
Dart is the CEO and co-founder of the work design firm 11fold. Build work that makes employees feel alive, connected to their work, and focused on what’s most important to the business. Book a call at 11fold.com.