With a career in a stable industry and a solid plan for retirement, Matthew Rutledge’s father expected to retire on his own terms. But when he was suddenly laid off at 59, the financial impact was crushing. Watching his father struggle to bounce back at that stage of life made Matt realize how fragile retirement security really is, even for those who plan ahead. Now, he researches why millions of people are working longer but still struggling to retire and what we can do to fix it.

Matthew Rutledge is a leading researcher on labor markets and retirement security at the Center for Retirement Research at Boston College. His work examines how automation, job loss, and shifts in economic policy affect financial stability for older workers.

In this episode, Dart and Matt discuss:
- The job loss that shook Matt’s father
- How pensions disappeared and left workers exposed
- Are 401(k)s a risky bet or a safety net?
- The brutal financial shock of widowhood
- The long-term care crisis no one sees coming
- Why Social Security won’t be enough
- Job benefits that keep workers stuck
- What Europe does right about retirement
- How career loyalty no longer pays off
- How to safeguard your retirement savings
- And other topics…

Matthew S. Rutledge is an economist at the Center for Retirement Research at Boston College, where he focuses on retirement security and the shifting realities of work in the modern economy. His research has shed light on the long-term effects of economic downturns on Social Security and older workers, revealing hidden vulnerabilities in the retirement system. He has also explored how automation is pushing older workers into non-traditional jobs and reshaping career trajectories. Matt’s work frequently appears in academic journals, policy reports, and media discussions on the future of retirement.

Resources Mentioned:
Nomadland: Surviving America in the Twenty-First Century, by Jessica Bruder: https://www.amazon.com/Nomadland-Surviving-America-Twenty-First-Century/dp/039324931X
Nomadland, directed by Chloé Zhao: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt9770150/

Connect with Matt:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/matt-rutledge-84a4964/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/matt_rutledge/

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.

Howard Behar barely graduated high school and spent just two years in community college. Yet, he became a key leader at Starbucks soon after joining the company. From the start, he saw that Starbucks was not just about coffee but about people. With no formal business degree or global experience, he relied on persistence and a deep belief in servant leadership to guide him. He rose to president of Starbucks International and helped transform the brand from a small regional chain into a global powerhouse while ensuring its people-first culture remained at its core.

Howard Behar is a longtime advocate of values-driven leadership. His book, It’s Not About the Coffee, explores the principles that helped build Starbucks into a people-first company. He is also a sought-after speaker and mentor, helping leaders develop cultures of trust, integrity, and purpose.

In this episode, Dart and Howard discuss:
- How Starbucks scaled while staying true to its values
- Servant leadership in action
- Why leaders must listen to employees at every level
- Persistence over credentials in leadership
- Hardest lessons from leading an international brand
- Why Howard rejects the word "customers"
- The business case for dignity and respect
- What companies get wrong about inclusion
- And other topics…

Howard Behar is a leadership expert, former Starbucks president, and a champion of servant leadership. Serving as president of Starbucks North America and Starbucks International, he played a key role in expanding Starbucks beyond the U.S., leading its first global expansion into Japan and later into Europe and Asia. His leadership was rooted in a deep belief that business is about serving people first. He wrote It’s Not About the Coffee to share his insights on leadership, culture, and values-driven business. After retiring, he has dedicated his time to mentoring, public speaking, and serving on nonprofit and corporate boards.

Resources Mentioned:
It’s Not About the Coffee, by Howard Behar: https://www.amazon.com/Its-Not-About-Coffee-Starbucks/dp/1591842727

The Magic Cup, by Howard Behar: https://www.amazon.com/Magic-Cup-Business-Parable-Putting/dp/1455538973

Servant Leadership, by Robert Greenleaf: https://www.amazon.com/Servant-Leadership-Legitimate-Greatness-Anniversary/dp/0809105543

Good to Great, by Jim Collins: https://www.amazon.com/Good-Great-Some-Companies-Others/dp/0066620996

The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People by Stephen Covey: https://www.amazon.com/Habits-Highly-Effective-People-Powerful/dp/0743269519

Built to Last by Jim Collins: https://www.amazon.com/Built-Last-Successful-Visionary-Essentials/dp/0060516402

The Experience Economy by Joseph Pine and James Gilmore

Leading Through by Kim Clark, Jonathan Clark, and Erin Clark

Connect with Howard:
Phone: 206-972-7776
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.

For many people, the mention of government work conjures images of endless red tape and bureaucracy. In reality, though, federal employees are doing life-changing work every day. They fight hurricanes, advance cutting-edge research, protect children, and manage millions of acres of public lands. But with leadership turnover, political transitions, and cultural challenges, the system often struggles to attract and retain the talent it needs. Cameron Kober is working to change that.

Cameron Kober is the Director of Employee Engagement and Performance at  the Partnership for Public Service where he oversees the Partnership's employee engagement portfolio. This work includes holding leadership accountable to improve organizational culture through the Best Places to Work in the Federal Government® rankings, the most comprehensive rating of employee engagement in the federal government. Additionally, his team provides direct services to federal agencies to identify and improve engagement through quantitative and qualitative data analysis, action planning and consulting support. Previously, Cameron developed a passion for public service as a middle school
 teacher in Central Florida.   

In this episode, Dart and Cameron discuss:
- What motivates federal employees to serve
- How mission-driven work boosts engagement
- The challenge of leadership turnover in government
- Adapting to rapid political transitions
- Improving workplaces through Best Places to Work rankings
- Building trust and transparency in government
- Leadership lessons from public service
- And other topics…


Resources mentioned:
The Partnership for Public Service: https://ourpublicservice.org/
Best Places to Work in the Federal Government Rankings: https://bestplacestowork.org/
The Fifth Risk by Michael Lewis: https://www.amazon.com/Fifth-Risk-Michael-Lewis/dp/1324002646

Connect with Cameron:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cameron-kober-b6672a55/

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.

Sam Schlimper is the Managing Director at Randstad, the largest HR service provider in the world. Largely anchored in talent acquisition, she has over two decades of experience working with global organizations to link human potential, AI, and measurable outcomes. Over the years, Sam has witnessed countless leaders struggle with a trade-off mindset, treating business success as a zero-sum game. Determined to change this, she advocates for an alternative system where all stakeholders thrive—proving that mutual success drives sustainable business growth.

Sam Schlimper is a global talent strategy leader currently serving as Managing Director at Randstad Enterprise. Prior to Randstad, she was the former head of Talent Acquisition at Barclays Plc.

In this episode, Dart and Sam discuss:
- What leaders should focus on vs. what they do
- The major forces shaping Talent Acquisition
- 3 main types of engagement with AI
- Using pixelation to rethink job roles
- Discovering the internal motivators of employees
- Designing work for neurodiversity
- And other topics…

Sam Schlimper is a global talent strategy leader currently serving as Managing Director at Randstad Enterprise. With over two decades of experience, Sam has led various talent acquisition teams including being the former head of Talent Acquisition at Barclays Plc. Passionate about aligning people, processes, and technology, Sam partners with global organizations to unlock human potential and deliver measurable outcomes. Her leadership combines talent strategy with AI-driven insights to simplify processes, enhance engagement, and create sustainable organizational performance—all with a focus on fostering joy at work.

Connect with Sam:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sam-schlimper-387861/
Randstad: https://www.randstadenterprise.com/insights/authors/sam-schlimper/

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 co-founder of The Design Gym consultancy, Andy Hagerman has spent over a decade tackling the challenge of aligning employee needs with business strategy—an issue that can make or break organizational success. Working with clients like Marriott, Cisco, HP, and Kellogg’s, he has honed his craft by addressing complex organizational needs. In this episode, Andy unpacks a large case study with a major retailer, revealing how understanding the employee experience can create new opportunities for both business growth and workforce engagement.

Andy Hagerman is the co-founder and managing partner of The Design Gym, a consultancy dedicated to work experience design and organizational transformation. The Design Gym has trained over 20k individuals and partnered with over 300 organizations, including Marriott, Kellogg’s, Cisco, and HP.

In this episode, Dart and Andy discuss:
- Designing work experiences with The Design Gym
- Andy’s latest case study 
- Exploring alternatives to product managers
- Tools and principles for employee design research
- Connecting employee life and work dynamics
- Actionable insights from research and journey mapping
- How retail experts drive business success
- And other topics…

Andy Hagerman is the co-founder and managing partner of The Design Gym, a consultancy dedicated to work experience design and organizational transformation. With a focus on co-creation, employee research, and delivering actionable insights, Andy helps organizations align employee experiences with the organization's strategic objectives. Over the past decade, his consultancy has trained over 20,000 individuals and partnered with over 300 organizations, including global leaders such as Marriott, Kellogg’s, Cisco, and HP.

Before founding The Design Gym, Andy served as a business and innovation strategist at Jump Associates, where he honed his expertise in developing forward-thinking strategies for complex challenges. Andy is also a former guest lecturer for NYU, Columbia University and Parsons, and has led breakout workshops at both TED and TEDMED conferences.

Connect with Andy:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/andrewhagerman/
www.thedesigngym.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.

Companies have long treated employees like children, micromanaging their tasks and monitoring every move, hoping to boost productivity. The problem is that this approach undermines trust and stifles innovation, parenting employees instead of supporting them. Sammy Burt, author of What Is a Grown-Up Anyway, is working to shift this mindset. She helps organizations embrace a “grown-up” approach that fosters autonomy, confidence, and more empowered, innovative workplaces— treating employees as the adults they are.

Sammy Burt is a professional facilitator, systems coach, and leadership consultant at Farleigh Performance. Her upcoming book, What Is a Grown-Up Anyway, explores the complexities of adulthood and personal growth through insightful storytelling and practical guidance.

In this episode, Dart and Sammy discuss:
- How companies “parent” employees
- Treating employees as adults at work
- Distinctions between adults and grown-ups
- Joy, grieving, and empathy in the workplace
- The link between child-like behavior and innovation
- Transactional analysis in the workplace
- Adult development theory
- And other topics…

Sammy Burt is a professional facilitator, systems coach, and leadership consultant at Farleigh Performance. With a background in psychology and extensive experience in both corporate and creative industries, she specializes in empowering clients to build resilience, develop leadership skills, and navigate change with confidence. Sammy is also the author of the upcoming book What Is a Grown-Up Anyway, where she explores the complexities of adulthood and personal growth through insightful storytelling and practical guidance.

Resources mentioned:
What Is a Grown-Up Anyway, by Sammy Burt: https://www.yourbackpack.co.uk/whatisagrownupanyway
Design for Belonging, by Susie Wise: https://www.amazon.com/Design-Belonging-Inclusion-Collaboration-Communities/dp/1984858033
Useful Not True, by Derek Sivers: https://www.amazon.com/Useful-Not-True-Derek-Sivers-ebook/dp/B0D86K4XF5

Connect with Sammy:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sammyburt
www.farleighperformance.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.

Award-winning entrepreneur and author Robert Glazer has identified a core issue in today’s companies: the traditional “growth-at-all-costs” mindset is unsustainable. After a decade of relentless expansion, many companies are struggling to grow without burning out their employees along the way. Robert believes there is a better way—one that brings teams along on the growth journey to benefit employees and the company alike. 

Robert Glazer is an award-winning executive, speaker, author, and the Founder and Chairman of Acceleration Partners. Under his leadership, his company earned accolades like Glassdoor's Employees’ Choice Award and was named a Best Place to Work by Inc. and Fortune. Robert was also named Glassdoor’s #2 Top CEO for small and medium companies in the U.S.

In this episode, Dart and Robert discuss:
- How Robert became #2 CEO on Glassdoor
- Growing people vs. growing a company
- The 4 attributes of transformational work
- How core values shape leadership styles
- The true origin of company culture
- Building agency and resilience within teams
- Overcoming learned helplessness at work
- And other topics…

Robert Glazer is the Founder and Chairman of Acceleration Partners, a global partner marketing agency that has consistently been recognized for its exceptional company culture and business performance. Under his leadership, the company earned accolades like Glassdoor's Employees’ Choice Award and was named a Best Place to Work by Inc. and Fortune. Robert was also named Glassdoor’s #2 Top CEO for small and medium companies in the U.S.

A passionate advocate for personal and professional growth, Robert is the bestselling author of five books, including Elevate and Friday Forward. He is also a sought-after speaker and host of The Elevate Podcast, sharing insights on leadership, business, and building capacity. Through his writing and work, Robert inspires individuals and organizations to reach their full potential.

Resources mentioned:
Rethinking Two Weeks Notice, by Robert Glazer: https://www.amazon.com/Rethinking-Two-Weeks-Notice-Employees-ebook/dp/B0DGRZRXYY
Elevate, by Robert Glazer: https://www.amazon.com/Elevate-Beyond-Limits-Success-Yourself/dp/1492691488

Connect with Robert:
www.RobertGlazer.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.

Product managers are often used to setting goals and going after them with a single-minded focus, achieving success by pushing for results. If they approach the job like a mechanic—fixing, controlling, and managing tasks—they risk stifling innovation and limiting their team’s potential. Without realizing it, managers can create an environment that suppresses growth. John Cutler, a seasoned product manager and researcher, believes that by adopting a service-oriented mindset, managers can instead empower their teams, foster growth, and ultimately drive better results for both the product and the people.

John Cutler is the Head of Product at Dotwork, a strategic alignment platform that integrates metrics, insights, and workflows to drive better decision-making for businesses.

In this episode, Dart and John discuss:
- Balancing variety, complexity, and focus in design
- Horizontal vs. vertical products
- A service design mindset for managers
- The traits of a great product manager
- 3 major challenges that product managers face in software
- Empathy and agency in management
- And other topics…

John Cutler is a seasoned product manager and user experience researcher. He excels at tackling complex problems and uncovering the "why" through qualitative and quantitative insights. Currently, John serves as the Head of Product at Dotwork, a strategic alignment platform that integrates metrics, insights, and workflows to drive better decision-making for businesses. Before joining Dotwork, he held pivotal roles, including Senior Director of Product Enablement at Toast and Head of Product Education at Amplitude, where he honed his expertise in product strategy and education.

Resources mentioned:
“How Capable Leaders Navigate Uncertainty and Ambiguity,” by John Cutler: https://cutlefish.substack.com/p/tbm-274-how-capable-leaders-navigate

Connect with John:
Substack: https://cutlefish.substack.com/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/johnpcutler/ 

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.

An estimated 1 billion people switch jobs every year, and the war for talent continues. Leaders and HR teams keep using the same hiring strategies as the average employee tenure decreases year after year. Companies aren’t addressing the root issue: employees crave meaningful work, supportive colleagues, and growth opportunities. Unless companies transform their approach to employee satisfaction, they’ll keep losing their best people—something Ethan Bernstein and Michael Horn believe we can prevent.

Ethan and Michael are co-authors of Job Moves, a book that uses the Jobs to Be Done theory to approach job selection as hiring a role to fulfill personal and professional goals, encouraging a more holistic perspective on career choices.

In this episode, Dart, Ethan, and Michael discuss:
- Major pushes and pulls driving job changes
- Jobs to Be Done theory applied to work and career transitions
- 4 Quests of job changes: why employees leave their jobs
- Progress vs. progression at work
- Experiences vs. features in job selection
- 9 activities that companies can do to ensure strong employee fit
- How to prototype and test potential career changes
- And other topics…

Ethan Bernstein and Michael Horn are co-authors of Job Moves, a book that uses the Jobs to Be Done theory to approach job selection as hiring a role to fulfill personal and professional goals, encouraging a more holistic perspective on career choices.

Ethan Bernstein is the Edward W. Conard Associate Professor of Business Administration at Harvard Business School. He specializes in the Organizational Behavior unit and focuses his research on the dynamics of workplace transparency, how organizational design impacts performance, and managing human capital. His work has been published in various academic journals and covered by The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times, Forbes, and Bloomberg, among others.

Michael Horn is an influential author, speaker, and lecturer at the Harvard Graduate School of Education. He is the co-founder and a distinguished fellow at the Clayton Christensen Institute for Disruptive Innovation, a non-profit think tank. His work has been featured in The New York Times, The Washington Post, Harvard Business Review, and NBC.

Resources mentioned:
“Why Employees Quit,” by Ethan Bernstein, Michael Horn, & Bob Moesta: https://hbr.org/2024/11/why-employees-quit
Job Moves, by Ethan Bernstein, Michael Horn, and Bob Moesta: https://www.amazon.com/Job-Moves-Making-Progress-Career/dp/0063283581
Choosing College, by Michael Horn: https://www.amazon.com/Choosing-College-Learning-Decisions-Throughout/dp/1119570115

Connect with Ethan & Michael:
www.jobmoves.com
Ethan’s Google Scholar https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=jt4uBuUAAAAJ&hl=en&oi=sra
Ethan’s email - [email protected]
www.michaelbhorn.com
Michael’s Substack: https://michaelbhorn.substack.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.

Moments before presenting at a large conference in Sydney, Gareth Flynn was confident in sharing his expertise on skills strategy. Suddenly, his friend Dart Lindsley tapped him on the shoulder and made a bold claim: skills strategies don’t work. Faced with the unsettling possibility that his expertise might be flawed, Gareth began a research journey to uncover the truth. By engaging with both critics and advocates, he gained a fresh perspective on when and how skills should (or shouldn’t) be prioritized in the workplace.

Gareth Flynn is a writer, speaker, and talent and workforce expert with 25+ years of experience focused on strategy, skills, and leadership. He is the founder and CEO of TQSolutions, Australia’s leading talent and workforce strategy and solutions business.
 
In this episode, Dart and Gareth discuss:
- How companies approach skills — and when they fall short
- Company motivation for investing in skills strategies
- Insights from the critics of skills strategy
- The difference between skills and capabilities
- The taxonomy of skills
- How AI is grouping people into social classes
- Career drivers vs. life drivers
- And other topics…

Gareth Flynn is a writer, speaker, and talent and workforce expert with 25+ years of experience focused on strategy, skills, and leadership. As the founder and CEO of TQSolutions, Australia’s leading talent and workforce strategy and solutions business, Gareth and his team have advised companies like GE, Philips, Australia Post, and Westpac, among others. Prior to founding TQSolutions, Gareth co-founded The Career Conversation, an early careers experience and engagement business whose client list includes companies like Bank of America and Deloitte.

Resources mentioned:
“Is the Juice Worth the Squeeze?” by Marc Effron: https://talentstrategygroup.com/is-the-juice-worth-the-squeeze/
Connect with Gareth:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/garethflynn 

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.