Work For Humans

For centuries, the work ethic was used to justify inequality, but it also fueled a powerful movement for justice. In the final part of this series, Elizabeth Anderson and Dart Lindsley explore the progressive work ethic, a vision of labor rooted in dignity, equality, and shared prosperity. They trace how thinkers like Adam Smith, John Stuart Mill, the Ricardian Socialists, and Karl Marx inspired reforms in education, labor rights, and social insurance, laying the foundation for social democracy. The conversation then turns to the neoliberal revival of the conservative work ethic, where leaders like Reagan and Thatcher redefined work to cut protections, concentrate power, and suppress wages. This isn’t just history—it’s a framework for how we treat work today.

Elizabeth Anderson is a political philosopher known for her work on democracy, economic justice, and the ethics of work. Her latest book, Hijacked, explores how the work ethic was distorted by neoliberalism to undermine workers and how it can be reclaimed to support fairness and dignity in the workplace.

In this episode, Dart and Elizabeth discuss:
- How the progressive work ethic reshaped labor
- Why Smith and Mill saw work as freedom, not control
- How Marx and the Ricardian socialists fought for justice
- The rise of worker protections and education
- How neoliberalism shifted power to corporations
- The fall of social democracy and its effects today
- Reclaiming work as a source of dignity and fairness
- And other topics…

Professor Elizabeth Anderson specializes in moral and political philosophy, feminist theory, social epistemology, and the philosophy of economics. She holds the positions of Arthur F. Thurnau Professor, John Dewey Distinguished University Professor of Philosophy and Women's & Gender Studies, and Max Shaye Professor of Public Philosophy at the University of Michigan. A MacArthur “Genius” Fellow, Elizabeth has written extensively on democracy, labor, and economic justice, including her latest book, Hijacked: How Neoliberalism Turned the Work Ethic Against Workers and How Workers Can Take It Back.

Resources Mentioned:
Hijacked, by Elizabeth Anderson: https://www.amazon.com/Hijacked-Neoliberalism-against-Workers-Lectures/dp/1009275437
The Wealth of Nations, by Adam Smith: https://www.amazon.com/Wealth-Nations-Adam-Smith/dp/1505577128
Principles of Political Economy, by John Stuart Mill: https://www.amazon.com/Principles-Political-Economy-John-Stuart/dp/0678014531
An Essay on the Principle of Population, by Thomas Malthus: https://www.amazon.com/Principle-Population-Oxford-Worlds-Classics/dp/0192837478

Connect with Elizabeth:
Profile: https://lsa.umich.edu/philosophy/people/faculty/eandersn.html 

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 work ethic began as a religious principle before evolving into an economic theory. But by the 18th and 19th centuries, it had taken on a new role: a justification for social inequality. Thinkers like Adam Smith and John Stuart Mill saw work as a path to dignity and opportunity, while economists like Thomas Malthus and Nassau Senior argued that keeping wages low and limiting aid would encourage self-reliance. This perspective had real consequences, especially during the Irish Potato Famine, when relief efforts were deliberately restricted under the belief that hardship would force people to work. In Part 2 of this series, Elizabeth and Dart explore how the work ethic shifted from a moral belief to an economic tool.

Elizabeth Anderson is a political philosopher known for her work on democracy, economic justice, and the ethics of work. Her latest book, Hijacked, explores how the work ethic was distorted by neoliberalism to undermine workers and how it can be reclaimed to support fairness and dignity in the workplace.

In this episode, Dart and Elizabeth discuss:
- How the work ethic became a tool for control
- Work as dignity vs. work as discipline
- The idea that poverty keeps workers in line
- The fear of rising wages and worker power
- The Irish Potato Famine as a test of forced labor policies
- How unemployment became a moral failure
- Reclaiming work as a source of empowerment
- And other topics...

Professor Elizabeth Anderson specializes in moral and political philosophy, feminist theory, social epistemology, and the philosophy of economics. She holds the positions of Arthur F. Thurnau Professor, John Dewey Distinguished University Professor of Philosophy and Women's & Gender Studies, and Max Shaye Professor of Public Philosophy at the University of Michigan. A MacArthur “Genius” Fellow, Elizabeth has written extensively on democracy, labor, and economic justice, including her latest book, Hijacked: How Neoliberalism Turned the Work Ethic Against Workers and How Workers Can Take It Back.

Resources Mentioned:
Hijacked, by Elizabeth Anderson:  https://www.amazon.com/Hijacked-Neoliberalism-against-Workers-Lectures/dp/1009275437
The Wealth of Nations, by Adam Smith: https://www.amazon.com/Wealth-Nations-Adam-Smith/dp/1505577128
Principles of Political Economy, by John Stuart Mill: https://www.amazon.com/Principles-Political-Economy-John-Stuart/dp/0678014531
An Essay on the Principle of Population, by Thomas Malthus: https://www.amazon.com/Principle-Population-Oxford-Worlds-Classics/dp/0192837478

Connect with Elizabeth:
Profile: https://lsa.umich.edu/philosophy/people/faculty/eandersn.html

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.

Elizabeth Anderson is one of today’s leading political philosophers and has spent years studying how the work ethic shapes our economy, society, and politics. In her latest book, Hijacked, she explores how hard work, a principle originally intended to advance the virtue of helping others, has been used by parts of society in ways that harm workers.

This is the first of a three-part series tracing the history of the work ethic, from its religious roots in Martin Luther and the Reformation to its influence on modern policies like prison labor reform in California. In this episode, Elizabeth and Dart dig into the early history: how the Protestant Reformation shaped ideas about labor, how work became a moral obligation, and how these centuries-old ideas still shape our world today.

In this episode, Dart and Elizabeth discuss:
- How work became a divine duty
- How Locke’s labor theory shaped ideas of property and work
- The work ethic as a moral weapon against the poor
- The origins of blaming poverty on personal failure
- Why we still measure human worth by productivity
- How poor laws shaped early ideas of economic survival
- The hidden influence of these ideas on work today
- And other topics…

Professor Elizabeth Anderson specializes in moral and political philosophy, feminist theory, social epistemology, and the philosophy of economics. She holds the positions of Arthur F. Thurnau Professor, John Dewey Distinguished University Professor of Philosophy and Women's & Gender Studies, and Max Shaye Professor of Public Philosophy at the University of Michigan. A MacArthur “Genius” Fellow, Elizabeth has written extensively on democracy, labor, and economic justice, including her latest book, Hijacked: How Neoliberalism Turned the Work Ethic Against Workers and How Workers Can Take It Back.

Resources Mentioned:
Hijacked, by Elizabeth Anderson:  https://www.amazon.com/Hijacked-Neoliberalism-against-Workers-Lectures/dp/1009275437

The Protestant Ethic and the Spirit of Capitalism, by Max Weber: https://www.amazon.com/Protestant-Ethic-Spirit-Capitalism/dp/1603866043

Second Treatise of Government, by John Locke: https://www.amazon.com/Second-Treatise-Government-Joseph-Carrig/dp/0760760950

Connect with Elizabeth:
Profile: https://lsa.umich.edu/philosophy/people/faculty/eandersn.html

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.

Luke O’Mahoney is one of the leaders of the movement to reframe work as a product that every company sells to employees. In particular, Luke has gone deep into the implications of recognizing work as a subscription product, and brings an absolute wealth of ideas to bear on how to create the kind of work experience product that employees want to buy every day. People don't stay in jobs because of free snacks, ping pong tables, or flashy recruiting campaigns. They stay because work works for them.

Luke is now a chief people officer - in recovery. As the founder of Sapienˣ, he helps organizations stop playing the short game and start designing work experiences that drive long-term retention and advocacy. In this episode, Dart and Luke discuss why hiring funnels are broken, what it really means to design work as a product, and how companies can build flywheels that continuously reengage employees. They also explore why transparency, not perks, keeps people invested in their roles.

In this episode, Dart and Luke discuss:
- Why work should be designed as a subscription product
- Funnels vs. flywheels in hiring and retention
- How bad recruiting leads to employee buyer’s remorse
- The role of delight in keeping employees engaged
- How hiring attracts more hiring and losing creates churn
- Why transparency in recruiting matters more than perks
- What Luke hires his job to do for him
- How to build work experiences people want to subscribe to
- And other topics...

Luke O'Mahoney is a people strategist and founder of Sapienˣ, where he helps companies design work experiences using product-led thinking. With a background in recruitment, talent operations, and startup leadership, he applies lessons from subscription business models to hiring and retention. Previously, he led people and operations at a high-growth startup, overseeing product, marketing, and GTM strategy alongside HR. His work focuses on building sustainable people strategies that drive engagement, retention, and advocacy.

Resources Mentioned:
Good to Great by Jim Collins: https://www.amazon.com/Good-Great-Some-Companies-Others-ebook/dp/B0058DRUV6
Built for People by Jessica Zwaan: https://www.amazon.com/Built-People-Experience-Management-Principles/dp/1398608025

Connect with Luke:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lukeomahoney 

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.

This is the third in a series of episodes with world-leading product management  experts about how we might build product management best practices into team leadership. 

Alex Komoroske spent years as either a Product Manager or Director of Product Management for platforms that most of us use every day: Chrome, Google Maps, Google Earth, and others. He then went on to lead corporate strategy at Stripe, another platform \most of us use every day.  While at Google, Alex wrote an internal how-to called “Practical PM Stuff” that many Google PMs referred to as the Product Managers Bible.  It covered everything from basics like how to answer an email to esoterica like the difference between complexity and ambiguity or how Schelling points form in organizations. 

In this episode, Dart and Alex discuss:
- Work as an ecosystem, not a machine
- Indirect influence over direct control
- How frameworks can kill creativity
- The role of product management in work design
- How companies stifle innovation
- The power of riding momentum
- Managers as curators, not controllers
- Balancing autonomy and structure
- Why great ideas bypass leadership
- And other topics...

Alex Komoroske is a product leader and systems thinker who specializes in platforms and ecosystems. Alex is known for his "Gardening Platforms" approach, which encourages guiding ecosystems toward greatness instead of controlling them. Now Co-CEO of Common Tools, he continues to explore how technology and organizations evolve.

Resources Mentioned:
Finite and Infinite Games, by James Carse: https://www.amazon.com/Finite-Infinite-Games-James-Carse/dp/1476731713

The Stacy Barton conversation about Disney storytelling and work. https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/immersive-experience-design-how-to-use-story-to-design/id1612743401?i=1000599527522 

The Marty Cagan conversation about product management and work   https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/how-to-design-products-people-love-principles-and/id1612743401?i=1000668997003 

The David Obstfeld conversation about brokering social networks and work https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/social-networks-the-1-predictor-of-economic/id1612743401?i=1000677462011 

Connect with Alex:
Website: https://www.komoroske.com/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alex-komoroske-6597336/
Twitter: https://x.com/komorama

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.

Most employees need some form of support to thrive at work, whether it’s flexible hours to care for a loved one, mental health resources, or a quieter space to focus. But asking for help can feel risky. That silence holds people back and costs companies more than they realize. Charlotte Dales is trying to fix that.

As the co-founder and CEO of Inclusively, Charlotte is building a platform that helps employees easily and privately access the support they need to do their best work. From mental health tools for sales teams to caregiving support for frontline workers, Inclusively is proving that when employees thrive, businesses thrive too.

In this episode, Dart and Charlotte discuss:
- Why everyone needs accommodations at work
- The hidden costs of silence and burnout
- What sales teams need to thrive
- Small adjustments that unlock performance
- Why benefits fall short and what people really need
- Gen Z’s push for personalized work
- ERGs as engines of workplace change
- Why supporting employees is smart business
- And other topics...

Charlotte Dales is the co-founder and CEO of Inclusively, a platform helping companies design personalized, inclusive work experiences. Starting with a focus on disability accommodations, Inclusively has expanded to offer “success enablers” for all employees, allowing businesses to match individual needs with existing resources. Before founding Inclusively, Charlotte co-founded CAKE Technologies, a mobile payment solution later acquired by American Express. She started her career in investment banking at Deutsche Bank in London.

Resources Mentioned:
Inclusively: https://www.inclusively.com/

Connect with Charlotte:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/charlotte-dales-57868713/

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.

When Josh Fryday’s wife was evacuated from Japan after the 2011 Japan disaster, he stayed behind. As a Navy officer, he joined Operation Tomodachi, one of the largest humanitarian relief efforts in history. Working alongside people who thought differently, he learned that service brings people together around a common mission to accomplish amazing things.

Now, as California’s first-ever Secretary of Service, Josh is helping build the largest state-run service corps in the U.S. Through programs like College Corps and the Climate Corps, thousands of Californians are getting paid opportunities to serve their communities while gaining the critical skills and social networks they need to thrive in the workforce.

In this episode, Dart and Josh discuss:
- Service as the ultimate training ground for work
- How College Corps is reshaping the leap from school to career
- How social capital shapes careers
- The soft skills crisis
- The human edge AI will never replace
- Fighting isolation block by block
- What businesses can learn from teams with a mission
- Why other states are copying California’s service model
- And other topics...

Josh Fryday is California’s Secretary of Service, leading the nation’s most ambitious state service initiative under Governor Gavin Newsom. He created the College Corps and Climate Action Corps, paying thousands of young people to serve their communities while gaining critical career skills. A Navy veteran and former Mayor of Novato, Josh also led efforts to expand the California Earned Income Tax Credit, helping low-income families across the state. His work bridges service, workforce development, and civic engagement.

Resources Mentioned:

California Volunteers: https://californiavolunteers.ca.gov/
College Corps: https://www.californiavolunteers.ca.gov/californiansforall-college-corps/
Neighbor-to-Neighbor Initiative: https://www.californiavolunteers.ca.gov/neighbor-to-neighbor/
Bowling Alone, by Robert Putnam: https://www.amazon.com/Bowling-Alone-Collapse-American-Community/dp/0743203046
Hardball: How Politics Is Played, by Chris Matthews: https://www.amazon.com/Hardball-Politics-Played-Chris-Matthews/dp/0684845598
Eyes on the Prize documentary: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0092999/

Connect with Josh:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/josh-fryday-b9625219/
Twitter: https://x.com/JoshFryday

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.

At eight years old, Kate Griggs sat in a parent-teacher meeting and heard the words, “She’s not very bright.” The school had already written her off. But she wasn’t struggling because she lacked intelligence. She was struggling because the system wasn’t designed for the way she thinks. Today, she’s proving that dyslexia isn’t a disadvantage, but a superpower that the world is only beginning to understand.

As the founder of Made By Dyslexia, Kate is leading a global movement to challenge outdated perceptions and redefine dyslexia as a valuable way of thinking. Through education, advocacy, and corporate training, she’s proving that dyslexic thinking fuels creativity, problem-solving, and big-picture vision—skills that businesses need to thrive.

In this episode, Dart and Kate discuss:
- The myth that dyslexia is a disability
- Why dyslexic thinking is critical for the future of work
- The link between dyslexia and entrepreneurship
- How schools fail dyslexic students
- Dyslexic strengths in problem-solving
- The dyslexic skills AI can’t replace
- The viral Dyslexic Sperm Bank campaign
- Rethinking intelligence beyond spelling
- How hiring filters out dyslexic talent
- 4 workplace fixes for neurodiversity
- Changing education to unlock dyslexic potential
- And other topics…

Kate Griggs is the founder and CEO of Made By Dyslexia, a global charity dedicated to redefining how dyslexia is perceived and valued. She is an author, advocate, and thought leader in neurodiversity, working to ensure that every school and workplace recognizes and empowers dyslexic thinking. Her initiatives include free global training for educators and employers, high-impact awareness campaigns, and partnerships with major organizations like Microsoft and LinkedIn. She is also the author of This Is Dyslexia and hosts the Lessons in Dyslexic Thinking podcast.

Resources Mentioned:
This Is Dyslexia, by Kate Griggs: https://www.amazon.com/This-Dyslexia-Kate-Griggs/dp/1529149266
Lessons in Dyslexic Thinking Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/lessons-in-dyslexic-thinking/id1695867325
Made By Dyslexia: https://madebydyslexia.org
Free Microsoft Training, Empower Dyslexic Thinking in Schools: https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/training/modules/empower-dyslexic-thinking-schools
Free LinkedIn Course, Empowering Dyslexic Thinking at Work: https://www.linkedin.com/learning/empowering-dyslexic-thinking-at-work

Connect with Kate:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kate-griggs-81797b16
Twitter: https://x.com/kate_griggs
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kategriggs_dyslexicthinking/ 

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.

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.