A conversation with Chris Riley on building better developer experiences, navigating tech as a neurodivergent professional, and why creating space for different ways of thinking unlocks stronger teams and better software.

Episode Date: April 3rd

Host: Adam Kleckner (Head of Strategy at LinkTech), Devon Walker (Head of Recruiting at LinkTech)

Summary:

Chris Riley has spent nearly two decades in developer relations — from running an IT consultancy in high school to senior manager of Developer Relations at HubSpot. He's also openly neurodivergent: dyslexic, ADHD, and ASD. In this conversation he gets into what awareness of your own neurodivergence actually unlocks, why the superpower narrative misses the struggle, how AI is both a tool for access and a dopamine trap, and why nobody gets to dictate how someone else is productive.

Main Topics:

How Chris accidentally found his career home in developer advocacy — and why it suited a brain that was good at everything but nothing completely

Dyslexia, ADHD, and ASD: what awareness changes and what it doesn't fix

Why the superpower narrative around neurodivergence doesn't tell the whole story

How Chris builds psychological safety as a manager — transparency, self-deprecation, and sharing his own performance reviews

AI as access tool and addiction risk — both sides of the coin for neurodivergent professionals

Context engineering and why neurodivergent minds may have a unique edge in the AI era

Why you can't dictate how people are productive — and what outcome-focused leadership looks like

The emotional health piece nobody wants to talk about

Intriguing Quotes:

"You can't dictate how people are productive."

"If your brain's telling you you're done, you're done."

"I never wanted to use my disabilities as an excuse. I just seek awareness so somebody might pause and think twice."

"I don't think I could have done it without many years of discomfort. Me 20 years ago would not even be capable of being near the manager I am today."

"You could be masking and not even know you're masking."

"If you're truly going to leverage the superpower part of it, they have to be a part of the conversation. You don't tell them — here's how I help you."

Key Moments:

[09:42] What awareness actually changes — when you don't know, it's nothing but a problem. When you do, you can start to lean into the benefits and communicate what you need.

[13:52] The performance review moment: Chris's employee almost quit because she thought he wasn't listening on Zoom. Then she realised he'd absorbed everything and more. The gap between how we appear and what's actually happening.

[16:40] How Chris builds safe spaces as a manager — sharing his own performance reviews, poking fun at himself, and making clear there are other avenues to give feedback about him directly.

[22:33] The AI opportunity for neurodivergent thinkers: context engineering rewards creativity and pattern recognition. But the dopamine loop is real — no delay means no stopping.

[29:00] The productivity myth: outcomes are what matter. If you've decided to hire somebody, you've said you believe in them. Stop dictating when and how they work.

[34:00] Advice for neurodivergent professionals early in their career: you may be masking and not even know it. And address the emotional health piece — the tips and tricks don't cover that part.

Notable Resources:

Concepts: Developer advocacy; context engineering; ASD Level 2 sensory avoidance; rejection sensitivity; masking; outcome-focused leadership

Connect with Chris Riley:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/devrel/

Connect with The Human Advantage Podcast:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/thelinktech/ Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com

for information about our collection and use of personal data for

advertising.

A conversation with Karlton Butts on leadership as a rhythm, aligning people and performance, and why understanding how individuals think and collaborate is the key to building high-performing, resilient teams.

Episode Date: April 2nd

Host: Tia Kleckner (CEO at LinkTech), Adam Kleckner (Head of Strategy at LinkTech)

Summary:

Karlton Butts spent his early life chasing music — choir, guitar, bands, stages. He never became a rock star, but everything he learned about bands became the foundation for how he thinks about leadership. In this conversation he breaks down why alignment is the starting point for every high-performing team, why hiring smart people isn't enough if nobody's conducting, and why culture is something you feel — not something you put on a policy document.

Main Topics:

How Karlton's journey from music to engineering to law to consulting shaped a unique lens on leadership

Why a band is the perfect metaphor for how teams actually work — and what most companies miss

The difference between alignment and agreement — and why one creates rhythm and one creates noise

What happens when a team becomes too in sync and everyone starts thinking like the boss

How leaders can spot when a team is out of rhythm — and how to correct it fast

Why culture is felt, not mandated — and how leadership behaviour is the real culture signal

The danger of defensive leaders who accidentally shut down the voices they need most

Karlton's book: The Soundtrack of Leadership

Intriguing Quotes:

"You can put a bunch of smart people in a room, but it doesn't mean you're going to optimise the result."

"Culture is something you feel. It's not something that's mandated or put on paper in a policy."

"Do as I say, not as I do — that can absolutely affect culture very negatively."

"You still need a conductor at the front of that orchestra to make sure they all play in sync."

"Always be intentional — because the results are absolutely worth the journey."

"If you can't connect with others to make the collective team better, that can hinder not only your growth but the growth of the team."

Key Moments:

[04:39] The band-to-business translation: alignment, communication, collaboration. Everyone knows the song, knows their role, knows when to come in. When something's off, you hear it and correct it fast.

[09:44] The practice insight: sports teams and bands rehearse constantly — but corporate teams are expected to just click from day one. Treating daily work like practice changes everything.

[13:07] What happens when teams think too much alike — people stop bringing their expertise and start guessing what the boss wants. You hired them for their thinking. Let them use it.

[19:48] The monthly meeting trap: leader gives one chance a month to speak up, in a room full of peers, then checks the box when nobody does. Psychological safety can't be scheduled.

[24:19] Lightning round: myth to kill — smart people perform without a conductor. Most overcomplicated thing — alignment. Most underrated team trait — clarity. One word for great leadership — respect.

Notable Resources:

The Soundtrack of Leadership by Karlton Butts: https://thesoundtrackofleadershipbook.com/

Audiobook coming soon

Connect with Karlton Butts:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/karltonbutts/

Book: https://thesoundtrackofleadershipbook.com/

Connect with The Human Advantage Podcast:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/thelinktech/ Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com

for information about our collection and use of personal data for

advertising.

A conversation with Brandon Oliver on leading with empathy in tech, embracing neurodiversity beyond labels, and how different ways of thinking can unlock stronger teams, better systems, and more human workplaces.

Episode Date: March 27th

Host: Tia Kleckner (CEO at LinkTech), Adam Kleckner (Head of Strategy at LinkTech)

Summary:

Brandon Oliver is a tech leader, ERG leader, and dad of three who was diagnosed as autistic later in life. In this conversation he unpacks what that late diagnosis meant — the recontextualising, the trauma piece, the relief — and how it reshaped how he shows up as a leader. He makes the case for psychological safety over checkboxes, calls out the superpower myth, and explains why assuming positive intent is the most underused leadership tool in the room.

Main Topics:

Neurodiversity vs. neurodivergence — why the distinction matters more than most companies realise

Brandon's late autism diagnosis and what recontextualising your entire life actually feels like

Why the superpower narrative around neurodivergence can cause just as much harm as the stigma

How psychological safety unlocks innovation — but only when paired with real guidance

Leading without requiring self-disclosure — and why assume positive intent changes everything

The ROI of simple workplace adjustments companies keep making employees fight for

ERGs as a checkbox — and why you can't policy your way into inclusion

What Brandon would never put on his resume but can't imagine living without

Intriguing Quotes:

"When you bring psychological safety to the table, you give people the opportunity to figure out how to show up."

"Assume positive intent. We're modelling our systems off an assumption of abuse."

"It has to be embedded in the culture. If it's treated as a separate thing, it will come across as an afterthought."

"Not every person can bring the same energy just because they're neurodivergent. The superpower culture can be a real problem."

"I work very, very hard to bring the best version of myself to what I do. I gotta be honest, I'm tired."

"Be the adult that you needed as a kid."

Key Moments:

[06:34] Brandon's late diagnosis story — growing up masking everything, then sitting in a car with his wife and saying cold: "Do you think maybe I might be on the spectrum?" Her answer: "That checks out."

[08:28] The trauma piece nobody talks about: recontextualising your entire life as an adult. Rejection sensitivity dysmorphia. Looking back and realising you weren't a horrible person — your brain just worked differently.

[12:23] How the diagnosis reshaped Brandon's leadership — moving from "run the be-like-other-leaders.exe" to meeting people where they are, providing questions in advance, and leading with empathy over process.

[20:48] The superpower myth called out directly — neurodivergence is not a guarantee of innovation. Unmanaged, unguided, it can cause just as many problems as it solves. Support and guidance first.

[26:36] Assume positive intent — and stop making people fight for a standing desk with doctor's notes and forms. The ROI of simple adjustments is enormous. The cost of making people prove they need them is higher.

[30:58] Rapid fire: misconception to kill — giftedness. What companies miss — removing barriers reveals people who were struggling invisibly. Inclusion policy most gotten wrong — ERGs as a checkbox.

Notable Resources:

Concepts: Neurodiversity vs. neurodivergence; rejection sensitivity dysmorphia; psychological safety; ERGs; neurodivergent burnout; universal design

Connect with Brandon Oliver:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brandon-oliver-a781b715/

Connect with The Human Advantage Podcast:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/thelinktech/ Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com

for information about our collection and use of personal data for

advertising.

A conversation with Jason Miller on the future of recruiting at the intersection of AI and humanity — and how the real opportunity isn't replacing people, but amplifying how they think, create, and connect.

Episode Date: March 16th

Host: Tia Kleckner (CEO at LinkTech), Adam Kleckner (Head of Strategy at LinkTech), Devon Walker (Head of Recruiting at LinkTech)

Summary:

Jason Miller started out wanting to be a sports agent. A Y2K-era panic and an internship at a recruiting firm changed everything. Twenty-five years later he's head of people intelligence and AI at Natara, co-founder of PromptMates, and running Dadvocates — an organisation for fathers of neurodivergent kids. In this conversation he breaks down why AI slop is flooding the recruiting market, why taste and empathy will be the last things automated, and why work trials might be the most underrated hiring tool nobody's using.

Main Topics:

How Jason accidentally became a recruiter instead of a sports agent — and why he never left

Why recruiting is the profession of misfit toys — and why that's a strength

The AI slop problem: why most recruiting tools solve the wrong problem

What human skills become most valuable when AI takes over the analytical work

The OCEAN framework and how personality type will shape future hiring

The Klarna case study — what happens when you replace empathy with efficiency

Work trials as the most underrated hiring tool in the market

Why resumes are content — and content is now basically free

Universal design and why building for the edges benefits everyone

Intriguing Quotes:

"The last thing that's ever going to be automated is taste."

"I became a sports agent for computer geeks and it just sort of stuck."

"More interviews do not automatically lead to better hiring decisions."

"I really genuinely like to leave relationships better than I find them."

"Automated sourcing is not going to save the world."

"The failure was purely — you can't have lesson without now."

Key Moments:

[03:58] Why Jason stays in recruiting: very few jobs give you both human impact and business impact at the same time. Getting the right person into a company can change its trajectory entirely.

[07:05] Jason on neurodiversity — as a parent of neurodivergent kids and founder of Dadvocates, different thinking, done right, is an advantage not a liability.

[12:24] The AI slop problem: most recruiting tools are built by engineers solving their own frustrations, not recruiters solving real problems. The best AI solves your paper cuts — freeing you up for the human work only you can do.

[17:05] The Klarna cautionary tale — CEO replaces customer service with AI, saves $60M, loses a third of customers. Empathy can't be automated. He hired everyone back.

[19:56] Work trials: let people show what they can do instead of talk about what they can do. Jason road-tested it himself — figured out on day three it wasn't the right fit. Saved them both a lot of pain.

[29:47] Rapid fire: overrated trend — automated sourcing. Underrated trend — work trials. One AI tool every recruiter should use — your LLM of choice, as a thought partner, not just an email polisher.

Notable Resources:

PromptMates: https://www.promptmates.ai

Dadvocates — organisation for fathers and male caregivers of neurodivergent kids

OCEAN personality framework (Openness, Conscientiousness, Empathy, Adaptability, Neurology)

Klarna AI case study

DuckDuckGo's paid work trial interview process

Connect with Jason Miller:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jason4linked/

PromptMates: https://www.promptmates.ai

Connect with The Human Advantage Podcast:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/thelinktech/ Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com

for information about our collection and use of personal data for

advertising.

Description:

A conversation with Erica Woods on what it really means to build human-centered workplaces — moving beyond systems and into empathy, lived experience, and how people actually show up at work.

Episode Date: March 9th

Host: Adam Kleckner, Devon Walker, Tia Kleckner

Summary:

Erica Woods has spent 25 years in HR refusing to do it the way everyone else does. She makes the case that diversity programs are one of the most damaging things a company can do — when diversity is treated as a program instead of a foundation. She breaks down what true inclusion looks like, why leaders need to stop waiting for permission, and why the most important thing about a person never shows up on a resume.

Main Topics:

Why diversity programs harm culture when treated as a bolt-on

What true inclusion looks like — and why it's different for every organisation

Diversity of appearance vs. diversity of thought

Why HR has quietly become policy resources instead of human resources

Why leaders need to stop waiting for permission to advocate for their people

What every employee wishes their leader understood

Intriguing Quotes:

"Diversity needs to be part of the structure. It's not a program."

"Humans are going to do humans. If you're frustrated by that, you'll be frustrated all day every day."

"The policies are static. Every human thing is case by case."

"We've got to stop waiting for permission."

"Every single human has a spark of something that is theirs to give to the planet."

Key Moments:

[05:14] The controversial take: diversity programs harm culture. Diversity has to be foundational — not bolted on as a program or ERG.

[13:33] The tech industry shifted the rules on engineers mid-career and then got mad they didn't keep up.

[15:56] Leaders have to show up authentically first. Erica's standard: tell me who you are so I can help you.

[34:11] What's not on Erica's resume: the belief that every single person came with a spark of something that is theirs to give to the planet.

Notable Resources:

Concepts: Culture add vs. culture fit; cognitive diversity; neurodiversity at work; ERGs

Connect with Erica Woods:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/eywoods/

Special Announcements:

Erica will be back. Adam promised it on air. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com

for information about our collection and use of personal data for

advertising.

Description:

A conversation with Eric Osterhout on the evolving world of contingent workforce strategy — where systems, speed, and structure intersect with real human impact, and why getting it right matters more than ever.

Episode Date: March 6th

Host: Adam Kleckner, Devon Walker, Tia Kleckner

Summary:

Eric Osterhout has spent nearly 20 years inside the systems that control how companies hire. He breaks down why skills-based hiring is still more buzzword than reality, why the obsession with degrees and tools is locking out the best talent, and why remote work remains the most underrated strategy in the workforce today.

Main Topics:

Why people are not like paperclips — and why hiring keeps treating them that way

Skills vs. strengths — and why most processes only measure one

Why corporate recruiters have become order-takers

Tools-based hiring vs. skills-based hiring — AI is making this more urgent

The case for remote work as the most underrated talent strategy

Why advanced degrees are the most overrated credential in the workforce

Intriguing Quotes:

"Skills-based hiring is still more buzzword than reality."

"You have to have the wisdom to know the difference between what the AI output is and the reality."

"Can we get away from the ridiculous educational requirements that don't really matter anymore?"

"I'm kind of an acquired taste. People either get me right off the bat or it takes time."

Key Moments:

[07:14] The James story — one question from a mentor changed how Eric reads people forever.

[12:34] Why skills-based hiring is broken: untrained hiring managers and ATSs filtering out great candidates before a human sees them.

[18:36] Adam's key distinction — we're not doing skills-based hiring, we're doing tools-based hiring. Tia adds: there's a difference between skill and strength.

[26:44] Remote work is the most underrated trend. COVID proved the model. Retreating from it is a mistake.

Notable Resources:

Eric Osterhout on Spotify — search his name, save his tracks (listen to: Stillness Before the Rain)

Concepts: ATS, VMS, MSP programs, Total Talent Management

Connect with Eric Osterhout:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ericosterhoutcwm/

Spotify: Search "Eric Osterhout"

Special Announcements:

The Human Advantage Podcast continues its mission of bringing different perspectives together — people who aren't traditionally in the same room, talking about what actually matters. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com

for information about our collection and use of personal data for

advertising.

Description:

A conversation with Jeff Ross on finding your voice, owning your story, and leading with purpose — from bull riding to hero maker, Jeff's 17-year journey is proof that your biggest struggles become your greatest strengths.

Episode Date: TBC

Host: Adam Kleckner, Devon Walker, Tia Kleckner

Summary:

Jeff Ross went from dropping out of school at Year 9 and surviving a career-ending horse accident to building a 17-year career as a marketer, coach, and community builder. He unpacks how ADHD and dyslexia became his superpowers, why emotional intelligence is the most overlooked leadership skill, and introduces his VOICE framework for cutting through the noise.

Main Topics:

From bull riding to online marketing — starting over in 2009 with no qualifications

Reframing ADHD and dyslexia as competitive advantages

The alignment principle: when things flow vs. when things feel forced

Jeff's mental health turning point and how love interrupted the pattern

The VOICE framework: Vision, Origin Story, Influence, Clarity, Expression

Why the world needs the vertical, not just the horizontal

Intriguing Quotes:

"Failure is just feedback."

"When you find your voice, you don't need to shout."

"My ADHD is a superpower. When I get locked in, you will not outwork me."

"A confused mind never takes any action."

"We're all someone's guide on the journey."

Key Moments:

[01:30] Horse accident in his mid-twenties crushed three discs. Doctors put him on a disability pension. He went online in 2009 and never looked back.

[04:25] Growing up undiagnosed ADHD and dyslexic — the bullying, and the moment he reframed those traits as strengths.

[18:10] 12-13 years ago Jeff hit rock bottom and tried to take his own life. He speaks openly about depression, finding faith, and why love interrupted the pattern. If you're in crisis, please reach out. Australia: Lifeline 13 11 14. USA: 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline.

[24:05] The VOICE framework breakdown — how to find your voice so you can stop shouting and start cutting through.

Notable Resources:

You Don't Need to Shout by Jeff Ross — forthcoming

Frameworks: VOICE acronym, Simon Sinek, John Maxwell on leadership as influence

Connect with Jeff Ross:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100004527244791

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@LaptopLifestyleDads

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/49KDYwyy1E2ofvyE61bg7A

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/itsjeffr/

Special Announcements:

You Don't Need to Shout is in manuscript — watch this space for the launch. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com

for information about our collection and use of personal data for

advertising.

Most companies say they value diversity. Most systems tell a different story.

In this introductory episode, hosts Adam Kleckner, Tia Kleckner, and Devon Walker sit down to explain why they built The Human Advantage Podcast — and why these conversations are long overdue.

Adam (CEO of LinkTech), Tia (a Black woman who grew up as one of the only people of colour in rural Montana), and Devon (a recruiter who's seen the checkbox system from the inside) bring three completely different lenses to the same problem: the systems we've built to hire, lead, and develop people weren't designed for how people actually think.

In this episode they cover:

- Why "culture fit" is one of the most dangerous phrases in the workforce

- How diversity hiring initiatives can actually create more exclusion

- The difference between alignment and fit — and why it matters

- What AI-powered interviewing is getting badly wrong

- Why standardised processes reward a very narrow slice of humanity

- What it means to build a workforce where people can actually show up as themselves

This isn't another DEI podcast. It's a conversation about the systems underneath the labels — and what happens when you start designing around real humans instead of checkbox categories.

No scripts. No rehearsed takes. Just three people who've lived this, built companies inside it, and decided it was time to say it out loud.

Where culture is created, not claimed.

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com

for information about our collection and use of personal data for

advertising.