Work For Humans

David Obstfeld, a tenured professor with over 15 years of research experience, saw a troubling trend at universities: first-generation college students were struggling to secure job opportunities upon graduation, leaving them at a disadvantage compared to their peers. His research revealed a clear link between economic background and access to social networks, with wealthier students gaining social capital that propelled their career success above those around them. It wasn’t what they knew - it was who.

This insight led David to establish the Social Capital Academy, an initiative designed to help underrepresented students build the social and cultural capital they need to succeed. Through mentoring, networking, and skill-building workshops, Obstfeld is transforming the trajectory of students’ careers and helping bridge the gap in economic opportunity.

David Obstfeld is an influential researcher, author, professor at CSU Fullerton, and the founder of the Social Capital Academy.

In this episode, Dart and David discuss:
- The evolution of network analysis
- Social networks and the role of social capital
- Why getting new things done drives company success
- A knowledge-based view of the firm
- The role of brokers and triads in social networks
- Pros and cons of open vs. closed networks
- Whether social skills are innate or developed
- Perspective articulation
- Scalable models that build social capital for underserved groups
- And other topics…

David Obstfeld is an Associate Professor of Management at California State University, Fullerton, and an influential researcher focused on social networks, innovation, and social capital. As the founder of the Social Capital Academy, Obstfeld works to empower students from underrepresented backgrounds by teaching them to leverage social and cultural capital to advance in their careers. His book, Getting New Things Done: Networks, Brokerage, and the Assembly of Innovative Action, examines how networks and brokerage drive creativity and organizational innovation.

David received his A.B. from the University of Chicago and his PhD from the University of Michigan’s Ross School of Business. He has served on the faculty of NYU’s Stern School of Business and UC Irvine’s Merage School of Business. His widely cited research has received major grants, including from the National Science Foundation, to further investigate organizational and social dynamics.

Resources mentioned:
Getting New Things Done, by David Obstfeld: https://www.amazon.com/Getting-New-Things-Done-Innovative/dp/0804760500

Connect with David:
www.SocialCapitalAcademy.org
www.DavidObstfeldPhd.com
Email: [email protected] 

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.

Lucy Adams, a seasoned HR leader, has held senior roles in major organizations, including her recent position as HR Director at the BBC. Despite her success, she grew increasingly frustrated by HR’s one-size-fits-all approach, which treated all employees under the same rigid policies. Determined to find a fresh perspective, Lucy founded Disruptive HR, an innovative HR agency that inspires leaders and HR professionals to approach their roles with renewed vision and energy.

Lucy Adams is a keynote speaker, author, and founder and CEO of Disruptive HR. She guides HR teams and leaders from some of the world’s top brands, speaking at events for Pepsico, HSBC, Google, and Emirates, among others.

In this episode, Dart and Lucy discuss:
- Challenging forces acting on the heads of talent/CPOs
- Lucy’s experience appearing before a congressional hearing
- Emerging disruptions in HR
- The EACH model (Employees as Adults, Consumers, and Human Beings)
- 3 major benefits of the consumerization of the workplace
- Differences between equity and equality at work
- Humanizing performance management
- And other topics…

Lucy Adams is the founder and CEO of Disruptive HR, an agency on a mission to inspire leaders and HR professionals to approach their roles with renewed vision and energy. After working in high-level HR roles across sectors, including the Director of HR at BBC, Lucy wanted to help companies seek new ways to tackle old problems. She now guides HR teams and leaders from some of the world’s top brands, speaking at events for Pepsico, HSBC, Google, Emirates, and many others.

Lucy’s latest best-selling book, HR Disrupted, discusses innovative approaches to transform traditional HR practices, challenge outdated norms, and adopt people-centered strategies to engage and empower employees in a rapidly changing workplace. 

Resources mentioned:
HR Disrupted, by Lucy Adams: https://www.amazon.com/HR-Disrupted-time-something-different/dp/1910056502
The Problem with Change, by Ashley Goodall: https://www.amazon.com/Problem-Change-Essential-Nature-Performance/dp/0316560278

Connect with Lucy:
www.DisruptiveHR.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.

Ken Coleman has interviewed thousands of people on work, uncovering a common struggle: people start their careers wanting to make a difference but often lose that drive due to restrictive job expectations and rigid company rules. This disconnect leaves employees disengaged, impacting both personal fulfillment and company success. Ken believes companies thrive by flipping the question — focusing not on how to get the most out of employees, but on how employees can get the most out of their roles. Known as “America’s Career Coach,” Ken continues to help employees and organizations rediscover purpose and achieve aligned success.

Ken Coleman is a broadcaster, interviewer, and 3x best-selling author known for his expertise in career and personal development. As the co-host of The Ramsey Show and the executive coach host of The Ken Coleman Show, he has empowered thousands of people to advance their professional lives and grow their influence in the workplace.

In this episode, Dart and Ken discuss:
- 3 essential employee needs for company success
- Key qualities of an impactful mentor
- What we know about how humans are wired for work
- Uniqueness as the foundation for greatness
- 3 introspective questions to uncover work motivations
- Career trends from Ken’s decade-long research sample
- Practical steps to create the career opportunities you want
- And other topics…

Ken Coleman is a broadcaster, interviewer, and best-selling author known for his expertise in career and personal development. As the co-host of The Ramsey Show and the executive coach host of The Ken Coleman Show, Ken empowers others to advance their professional lives and grow their influence in the workplace. His insights draw from personal experiences and thousands of interviews, serving as the foundation for his three best-selling books, From Paycheck to Purpose, The Proximity Principle, and Find the Work You’re Wired to Do.

Dubbed “America’s Career Coach,” Ken has appeared on shows like Fox & Friends, Yahoo! Finance, and the Rachael Ray Show. He’s a contributing writer for TheLadders.com and a popular speaker on personal development, career strategy, and leadership.

Resources mentioned:
Get Clear Career Assessment: Find the Work You’re Wired to Do, by Ken Coleman: https://www.amazon.com/Get-Clear-Career-Assessment-Youre/dp/B0CSCY1CH5
The Proximity Principle, by Ken Coleman: https://www.amazon.com/Proximity-Principle-Proven-Strategy-Career/dp/0978562038 
From Paycheck to Purpose, by Ken Coleman: https://www.amazon.com/Paycheck-Purpose-Clear-Path-Doing/dp/1942121539
StrengthsFinder 2.0, by Gallup: https://www.amazon.com/StrengthsFinder-2-0-Tom-Rath/dp/159562015X
Essentialism, by Greg MckEown: https://www.amazon.com/Essentialism-Disciplined-Pursuit-Greg-McKeown/dp/0804137404

Connect with Ken:
www.kencoleman.com
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kencoleman-/ 
Instagram: @kencoleman

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.

As an international correspondent for NPR, Gregory Warner has lived and worked in some of the highest conflict areas in recent memory. He has climbed mountains with smugglers in Pakistan for This American Life, descended into illegal mineshafts in the Democratic Republic of Congo for Marketplace's "Working" series, and lugged his accordion across Afghanistan on the trail of the "Afghan Elvis" for Radiolab. On one occasion, while covering the terror attacks in Nairobi, he found himself in the middle of a coup. To save his own life, he had to hide in a large vase until the fighting subsided.

Greg was named a Poynter Fellow in Journalism at Yale and received a Peabody Award for his journalism work. His podcast, Rough Translation, was named one of the New York Times’s Top 10 podcasts of 2021. Last season, he ran a series of surprising stories about workplaces and work cultures around the world. Today, he joins us on Work For Humans to discuss those stories.
 
In this episode, Dart and Gregory discuss:
- The power of storytelling through a local’s perspective
- Cultural norms, societal pressures, and value clashes around the world
- Chinese workers protesting work through slacking
- How crisis, government, and our parents shape workplace culture
- South Korea’s work trend of adopting English first names
- How countries brand themselves, and how this trickles down to work
- The exportation of Silicon Valley's work culture
- Jobs like truck driving that can push one into solitude
- The danger of hearing from a narrow set of international voices
- And other topics...

Gregory Warner has been an international correspondent for NPR for over a decade. As the host and creator of the NPR podcast Rough Translation, he has lived around the world and in conflict zones like Afghanistan, Ukraine, and Rwanda. Gregory was named a Poynter Fellow in Journalism at Yale and has received various awards for his journalism work, including a Peabody Award. Rough Translation unpacks cultural norms, issues, and shifts close to home from a continent away. The podcast has received multiple awards from the Overseas Press Club and was named one of the New York Times’s Top 10 podcasts of 2021.

Resources Mentioned:
Rough Translation podcast: https://www.npr.org/podcasts/510324/rough-translation
Slackers@Work: A Song for the Exhausted podcast episode: https://www.npr.org/2022/05/31/1102281666/slackers-work-a-song-for-the-exhausted
Outliers, by Malcolm Gladwell: https://www.amazon.com/Outliers-Story-Success-Malcolm-Gladwell/dp/0316017930

Connect with Gregory:
Around the World in 85 Days substack: https://aroundtheworldin85days.substack.com/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/radiogrego/ 

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.

After 20 years of managing multimillion-dollar projects for Fortune 500 companies, Mike Hess faced a troubling reality: he was often labeled as the "token blind guy." Despite developing invaluable skills through his blindness, he was disturbed by the high unemployment rates among fellow disabled professionals. Determined to break down corporate stigma, he founded the Blind Institute of Technology. Now, Mike is showing organizations how to access the unmatched potential of disabled professionals, bridging the gap between talent and opportunity.

Mike Hess is the Founder and Executive Director at the Blind Institute of Technology (BIT), a non-profit dedicated to improving employment opportunities for professionals with disabilities through accessible technology and inclusive hiring practices. 

In this episode, Dart and Mike discuss:
- The Blind Institute of Technology
- Inclusive design and accessibility
- Employment challenges for disabled professionals
- Common misconceptions about disabilities in the workplace
- The return on investment of hiring disabled employees
- Bridging the digital divide and achieving digital equity
- Generative AI for enhancing accessibility
- Tackling social discomfort around disabilities
- And other topics…

Mike Hess is the Founder and Executive Director at the Blind Institute of Technology (BIT), a non-profit dedicated to improving employment opportunities for professionals with disabilities through accessible technology and inclusive hiring practices. As a blind tech veteran with over two decades of experience managing 7-figure projects for Fortune 500 companies, Mike helps organizations build inclusive workplaces that capitalize on the strengths of disabled professionals. His initiatives at BIT include workforce development programs and partnerships that enhance diversity, equity, and accessibility.

Mike has been recognized in various media outlets and has received notable awards, including the 2017 Martin Luther King, Jr. Business Award and the 2019 GlobalMindED Inclusive Leader Award. His work with BIT has led to presentations at major tech conferences, and he co-hosts the podcast Choose Inclusion. Additionally, he developed EdgGuide, a system designed to enhance independent navigation in public spaces for blind and visually impaired individuals.

Resources mentioned:
Hidden Potential, by Adam Grant https://www.amazon.com/Hidden-Potential-Science-Achieving-Greater/dp/0593653149

Connect with Mike:
www.blindIT.org 

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.

The philosophy behind HR and our way of working predates most of the tools we use. While companies focus on sales and productivity, most neglect to measure one of the largest sources of value within the organization – the employee experience. Jessica Zwaan has made it her mission to teach executives and their companies how to transform the employee experience using product management principles, maximizing value for all stakeholders involved.

Jessica Zwaan is the author of Built for People, the current Chief Operating Officer of Whereby, and a former COO advisor for clients like Soundcloud, Talentful, and Bolt, among others.

In this episode, Dart and Jessica discuss:
- The 3 things every company sells
- Distinctions between people operations and human operations
- Viewing work as a product and determining its value
- Tracking the cost versus value of employees
- The 3 aspects employees want out of their work
- Value vs. volume when it comes to employees
-  2 maxims of product management applicable to HR
- And other topics…

Jessica Zwaan is an author, speaker, and early-stage start-up executive. She is the current Chief Operating Officer of Whereby and a former COO advisor for clients like Soundcloud, Talentful, and Bolt, among others. Her latest book, Built for People, helps teach organizations and leadership how to transform the employee experience using product management principles.

With a background in operations, people, and talent, Jessica’s work has spanned across three continents. Jessica holds a First-Class Honours law degree from the University of Law in London. She is an international panelist and speaker and also hosts the podcast “There's This Thing at Work.”

Resources mentioned:
Built for People, by Jessica Zwaan: https://www.amazon.com/Built-People-Experience-Management-Principles/dp/1398608025
The Book of the Courtier, by Baldesar Castiglione: https://www.amazon.com/Book-Courtier-Baldesar-Castiglione/dp/1519086954
The Experience Economy, by Joseph Pine: https://www.amazon.com/Experience-Economy-New-Preface-Authors/dp/1633697975
The Structure of Scientific Revolutions, by Thomas Kuhn: https://www.amazon.com/Structure-Scientific-Revolutions-50th-Anniversary/dp/0226458121
The Good Enough Job, by Simone Stolzoff: https://www.amazon.com/Good-Enough-Job-Reclaiming-Life/dp/059353896X

Connect with Jessica:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jessicamayzwaan/
www.jessicamayzwaan.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.

In a rapidly evolving job market shaped by post-pandemic shifts, AI advancements, and the rise of remote work, competition for good jobs is fiercer than ever. Standing out and strategically positioning yourself is no longer optional – it’s essential.

For over 25 years, Phyl Terry has been helping people build exceptional companies and careers. As the founder and CEO of Collaborative Gain, a consultancy that fosters knowledge-sharing among senior executives, Phyl leverages his experience coaching leaders at top firms to guide individuals in navigating today’s complex job market. His approach centers on applying product management principles to build intentional, sustainable career paths.

Topics Include:
- Applying product management to job searching
- The importance of candidate market fit
- How to conduct a listening tour for feedback
- Building a support network with job search councils
- Emotional challenges of the job search process
- Strategies for negotiating job offers
- Understanding psychological safety in job hunting
- Avoiding "rebound jobs" and finding the right role
- Phyl's experiences coaching senior executives at Google and Amazon
- The impact of gratitude and vulnerability on the job search
- And other topics...

Phyl Terry is the founder and CEO of Collaborative Gain, a consultancy that helps senior executives share knowledge and solve challenges in a collaborative, cross-company environment. With over two decades of experience in coaching leaders at top companies like Google and Amazon, Phyl is a pioneer in customer experience and product management. His latest book, Never Search Alone, applies his expertise in product management to career development, encouraging job seekers to approach their careers strategically, as if they were marketing a product.

Resources Mentioned:
Never Search Alone by Phyl Terry: https://www.amazon.com/Never-Search-Alone-Seekers-Playbook/dp/B0B9Q9YDQ5
Customers Included by Phyl Terry: https://www.amazon.com/Customers-Included-Transform-Products-Companies/dp/0979368111

Connect with Phyl:
LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/phylterry/
Website: phyl.org

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.

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.

Joe Pine was the first to identify many of the trends that have animated business for the last two decades, including the trend away from simple mass production to mass customization, and the emergence of the experience economy. Today, Joe joins us to discuss how those trends are influencing the future of work, and how companies might mass-customize experiences for employees.

Joe Pine is an internationally acclaimed author, speaker, and management advisor to Fortune 500 companies and startups. His best-selling book, The Experience Economy, has been published in 15 languages and used as a company guide for over 20 years.

In this episode, Dart and Joe discuss:
- The progression of economic value
- The Experience Economy
- The current transformation economy
- How to customize a customer’s experience and promote transformation
- Brand authenticity
- Focusing on value vs. price
- The management style we need to create value
- How to revitalize a business
- The importance of company exploration and innovation
- And more…

Joseph Pine II is an internationally acclaimed author, speaker, and management advisor to Fortune 500 companies and entrepreneurial start-ups. Joe is a co-founder of Strategic Horizons LLP and a lecturer at Columbia University. His best-selling book, The Experience Economy, has been published in 15 languages and used as a company guide for over 20 years.

Joe serves as a Senior Fellow with the Design Futures Council and the European Centre for the Experience Economy. He previously served as a Visiting Scholar with the MIT Design Lab, a professor at Duke University, and a manager with IBM. Joe has been featured in The Wall Street Journal and Harvard Business Review. His other published works include Infinite Possibility, Authenticity, and Mass Customization.

Resources Mentioned:
The Experience Economy, by Joe Pine: https://www.amazon.com/Experience-Economy-New-Preface-Authors/dp/1633697975
Mass Customization, by Joe Pine: https://www.amazon.com/Mass-Customization-Frontier-Business-Competition/dp/0875843727
Authenticity, by Joe Pine: https://www.amazon.com/Authenticity-What-Consumers-Really-Want/dp/1591391458
Travel that Can Change Your Life, by Jeffrey Kotler: www.amazon.com/Travel-That-Change-Your-Life/dp/0787909416

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.

AI is at the forefront of work, tech, and global development – and it’s here to stay. While there are ongoing dilemmas and fears surrounding the future of AI, renowned neuroscientist Vivienne Ming sees it differently. For over a decade, she has harnessed AI to enhance human potential, designing systems to treat her son’s diabetes, predict manic episodes in those with bipolar disorder, and reunite orphaned refugees with extended family members, among many other initiatives. Vivienne has emerged not only as a leading scientist in the field but also as a passionate advocate for using AI as a powerful tool to unlock human ability.

Vivienne Ming is a renowned theoretical neuroscientist and AI expert. She is the co-founder and CEO of the think tank Socos Labs, as well as chief scientist at Dionysus Digital Health and The Human Trust. Her research has been showcased on TEDx, The Financial Times, The Atlantic, the New York Times, BBC Radio 4, and NPR.

In this episode, Dart and Vivienne discuss:
- Vivienne’s diverse background in AI and research
- AI’s qualitative advantages over humans today
- How AI can predict and influence individual success
- Metalearning and perspective taking
- Building stronger teams and social networks with AI
- The moral limits of markets
- How minority opinions can reshape collective market intelligence
- And other topics…

Vivienne Ming is a renowned theoretical neuroscientist and artificial intelligence expert. As the co-founder and CEO of the think tank Socos Labs, she consults on AI, neuroscience, and education reform, exploring the future of human potential. She also serves as chief scientist at Dionysus Digital Health and The Human Trust. Her AI inventions have launched multiple companies and nonprofits, all centered on unlocking human potential. Vivienne’s research has been showcased on TEDx, The Financial Times, The Atlantic, the New York Times, BBC Radio 4, and NPR.

Vivienne received her B.S. in cognitive neuroscience from the University of California at San Diego and her M.S. and PhD in Psychology at Carnegie Mellon University. She then held a postdoctoral fellowship at Stanford and UC Berkeley, where she later joined as a research scientist and visiting scholar. Vivienne sits on boards of numerous companies and nonprofits including StartOut, The Palm Center, Cornerstone Capital, Platypus Institute, Shiftgig, Zoic Capital, and HUMM.

Resources mentioned:
How to Robot-Proof Your Kids, by Vivienne Ming: https://academy.socos.org/
Geek Heresy, by Kentaro Toyama: https://www.amazon.com/Geek-Heresy-Rescuing-Social-Technology/dp/161039528X

Connect with Vivienne:
www.socos.org
www.dionysushealth.com
www.optoceutics.com
www.thehumantrust.org
“The Tax on Being Different” video: https://glginsights.com/videos/decisions-in-hiring/ 

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.

If there’s one thing the pandemic taught us, it’s that market disruptions can spell disaster for unprepared companies. Aaron McEwan, a behavioral scientist and futurist, is at the forefront of this challenge. As part of Gartner’s Rapid Response Market Sensing Team, he specializes in identifying workplace shifts before they happen. In this episode, Aaron shares how he leverages insights from his career and lessons learned during the pandemic to identify and tackle workplace shifts – before they happen.

Aaron McEwan is a prominent behavioral scientist, psychologist, and futurist based in Australia. He currently is the Vice President of Research & Advisory for Gartner's HR Practice, providing strategic insights on talent management and the future of work to leading global companies. 

In this episode, Dart and Aaron discuss:
- Gartner’s Rapid Response Market Sensing Team
- Market sensing and identifying trends
- The largest market challenges since the pandemic
- Social movements that are starting to bubble
- Social media-driven employee activism
- Early detection of workforce disruptions
- Rapid responses to opportunities and threats
- Signals of reemergent labor activism
- And other topics…

Aaron McEwan is a prominent behavioral scientist, psychologist, and futurist based in Australia. He currently serves as the Vice President of Research & Advisory for Gartner's HR Practice, providing strategic insights on talent management and the future of work to leading global companies. Recognized as a Top 100 Global HR Influencer, Aaron emphasizes evidence-based practices that help organizations optimize performance and adapt to changing work environments.

Aaron is also a Fellow of the Australian Human Resources Institute and an Associate of Macquarie University's Centre for Workforce Futures. He has lectured at several universities, including the University of NSW and the University of Queensland. His interdisciplinary approach often draws from his background in music, where he performed and wrote original pieces, applying lessons from that experience to leadership and teamwork in organizational settings.

Resources mentioned:
The Black Swan, by Nassim Nicholas Taleb: https://www.amazon.com/Black-Swan-Improbable-Robustness-Fragility/dp/081297381X

Connect with Aaron:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/aaronmcewan
Smarter with Gartner: https://www.gartner.com.au/en/smarterwithgartner 

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.