Humanity Working

Hosted by Humanity Working

Business Careers Education Health Fitness

Website RSS feed

Episodes

136

Latest episode

Aug 2026

Language

EN-US

About the show

Humanity Working is a podcast focused on how new technology such as AI is changing the experience of work, and how humans can thrive in this new world. Each episode we explore what is changing, how it is affecting the way work gets done, and the impact it has on the people doing work - with a particular focus on those who have a creative aspect to their work. The podcast is hosted by Paul Slater - Principal AI Technologist at Adobe Systems, often alongside Matt Neal - Innovation Leader at BeOne Medicines. We frequently feature authors, business leaders and top tier academics. Join us as we navigate the ever-changing landscape of work.

Listen to episodes

60 recent

August 13, 202646 min

Bonus Episode: The Retention Trap: Why Talent Flow Beats Talent Hoarding with Mark Peters

Mark Peters is CEO of Butterball Farms, a family-owned food manufacturing company where he has spent decades thinking differently about what it means to be an employer. He is also the founder of The Source, an organization that helps employees navigate challenges like transportation, childcare, healthcare, food insecurity, and other barriers that can make it difficult to stay in the workforce. His work focuses on building more resilient people, businesses, and communities, and his new book, The Retention Trap , challenges conventional thinking about how companies approach talent. In this episode, Paul and Mark dig into why companies tend to think about talent defensively, focusing on retaining people rather than creating an ecosystem where talent can flow and grow. They explore how helping employees achieve basic stability can give them the capacity to think about their future, and why investing in someone's development can still create value even if that person eventually leaves the company. Mark shares the thinking behind his new iNexus initiative, which brings employers together to help workers move into higher-paying careers, and they discuss why small and mid-sized companies may need to rethink their approach to talent if they want to stay competitive. They also explore how businesses can move beyond blaming schools, government, or other external factors and recognize their own role in building stronger people, workplaces, and communities. Humanity Working is a podcast focused on helping individuals, teams and organizations be ready for the future of work by maximizing their human potential. For more information, and access to our weekly newsletter, visit us at humanityworking.net .

August 11, 202653 min

Why is AI making some of us more burned out?

The team kicks off Paul’s new “Seven Big Questions About AI” series, with Matt joining him to explore the first big question: why is AI making some of us more burned out? They unpack the gap between AI’s promise of saving us time and the reality that it can raise performance expectations, accelerate the pace of work, and blur the boundaries between employees’ and managers’ expectations. They explore how AI can turn work into a never-ending treadmill, especially when productivity is measured by how much more people can get done rather than by the quality of the work. They also discuss how using AI as a time-saver versus a quality improver can lead to very different outcomes, the loss of learning and meaningful work when AI takes over tasks people enjoy, and the anxiety created by fears of job displacement and an uncertain future. And they look at the role of leadership, incentives, employee development, and adaptability in creating a future where AI helps people do more rewarding work without burning out. Humanity Working is a podcast focused on helping individuals, teams and organizations be ready for the future of work by maximizing their human potential. For more information, and access to our weekly newsletter, visit us at humanityworking.net .

August 6, 202652 min

Decoding Your Instinct to Perform featuring Amy Bruske

Amy Bruske is President and co-owner of Kolbe Corp, where she's spent her career helping entrepreneurs, corporate leaders, and consultants tap into their natural instincts to work more effectively. She's one of only three Senior Master Consultants in the Kolbe Concept, the authoritative framework for human instinct and performance, and she advises Fortune 500 companies and fast-growing businesses on how people can do more by working with their natural strengths rather than against them. She's the co-author of the USA Today bestseller Do More, More Naturally and the family business guide Business is Business . In this episode, Paul and Amy dig into why so many people climb the ladder into roles that leave them exhausted, and how understanding your instinctive way of getting things done changes that. They unpack the three dimensions of the mind: cognitive, affective, and conative, and why most personality tests only capture two of them while missing the part that actually predicts how someone executes. They also take on growth mindset, arguing it becomes a weapon when it's used to dismiss people's natural ways of working rather than to genuinely support them, and they close with a look at how understanding these instinctive strengths changes the way teams get assembled and led. Humanity Working is a podcast focused on helping individuals, teams and organizations be ready for the future of work by maximizing their human potential. For more information, and access to our weekly newsletter, visit us at humanityworking.net . Humanity Working is a podcast focused on helping individuals, teams and organizations be ready for the future of work by maximizing their human potential. For more information, and access to our weekly newsletter, visit us at humanityworking.net .

July 31, 202657 min

Bonus Episode: The Red Thread with Sonya Shelton

Sonya Shelton is the founder of Executive Leadership Consulting, where she's spent 25+ years helping organizations like The Walt Disney Company, Nestlé, Microsoft, AECOM, and Experian align strategy, culture, and leadership. She's also the author of the Amazon bestseller You're an Executive, But Are You a Leader? , a book that lays out the enduring capabilities required to actually lead — not just hold a title. In this episode, Paul and Sonya discuss how rapid change, economic uncertainty, and AI have shortened planning horizons and made authenticity, vulnerability, trust, and intentional connection (especially in remote/hybrid settings) non-negotiable. They explore employee burnout and anxiety, the need for clarity over false certainty, and leaders’ reluctance to make decisions without complete information. Sonya outlines her Red Thread model—purpose, plan, processes, positions, and passion—and argues culture and strategy must “have breakfast together,” using purpose to align teams, break silos, and build sustainable organizations. Humanity Working is a podcast focused on helping individuals, teams and organizations be ready for the future of work by maximizing their human potential. For more information, and access to our weekly newsletter, visit us at humanityworking.net .

March 3, 202640 min

Bonus Episode: Navigating the Age of Chaos, Featuring Bob Johansen

Paul welcomes back three-time guest Bob Johansen to discuss his co-authored book, Navigating the Age of Chaos, and the shift from VUCA (volatile, uncertain, complex, ambiguous) to BANI (brittle, anxious, nonlinear, incomprehensible) as a more accurate frame for today’s world. Bob explains that unlike VUCA, BANI assumes some external events won’t make sense even with data and experts, yet leaders must still decide, often with less information than they want. Paul and Bob explore why today differs from past crises—citing global climate disruption, AI systems even designers don’t fully understand, and unprecedented cyber threats—and how chronic anxiety, cognitive overload, and polarization shape responses. The conversation highlights how BANI+ can be used to respond to the challenges of BANI, and other positive actions we can all take to deal with the challenges of the current world. 00:00 Housekeeping and Audio Note 01:05 Bob Returns and New Book 02:15 Setting the Agenda for BANI 03:41 From VUCA to BANI 08:40 Why Today Feels Different 10:05 Anxiety and Human Impact 12:15 Nonlinear Climate and Decisions 16:46 Cognitive Overload and Unthinkable Risks 20:54 BANI Plus Flipping Positive 23:32 Simulation Gaming and Readiness 26:33 Coach Eck Cave Story 29:32 Stories and Resilient Clarity 31:55 Small Actions Beat Helplessness 35:59 Gratitude and Mental Fitness 38:32 Wrap Up and Next Book Tease 39:01 Credits and Call to Action Humanity Working is a podcast focused on helping individuals, teams and organizations be ready for the future of work by maximizing their human potential. For more information, and access to our weekly newsletter, visit us at humanityworking.net .

February 24, 202659 min

The AI-Ready Human Deep Dive

The team returns after the launch of Paul's new book, The AI Ready Human, and this time Matt plays the role of interviewer! In this episode Matt and Paul discuss the book’s core framework: the “Magnificent Seven” stacked capabilities—readiness, organization, control, balance, motivation, resilience, and adaptability—created in response to programs that treat AI only as a tool and overemphasize prompt engineering. The explore how to truly create evergreen skills in a world that is ever changing, and how to manage a form of AI that feels neither particularly artificial or intelligent. They explore concerns about AI training on mixed-quality internet data, the possibility of moving from broad AI to narrower, task-specific systems, and the accelerating growth of AI-generated content. And they look at how the themes from the book have broader applicability to work and life. Resources mentioned in this episode: The AI-Ready Human on Amazon The AI-Ready Human on Barnes and Noble The AI-Ready Human on (the awesome) Bookshop.org A Signed Hardback Copy of The AI-Ready Human 00:00 Show Returns and Book Launch 01:00 Special Episode Setup 02:29 Why 90 Days Format 05:48 Magnificent Seven Skills 06:25 Beyond Prompt Engineering 11:50 Evergreen Yet Changing 14:32 Maestro Leadership Metaphor 20:40 AI as Unreliable Teammate 25:02 Bias Data and Narrow AI 31:15 Ethics and authorship 32:28 AI content flood 34:42 AI traps and trust 36:52 Context and memory 41:41 Naming your AIs 45:41 Confidence and hallucinations 47:05 Autonomy mastery purpose 49:23 Rebuilding mastery at work 53:28 Adapting your human role 57:07 Wrap up and next topics Humanity Working is a podcast focused on helping individuals, teams and organizations be ready for the future of work by maximizing their human potential. For more information, and access to our weekly newsletter, visit us at humanityworking.net .

January 13, 20266 min

An Announcement

In this special episode, Paul announces the release of his new book titled 'AI Ready Human: Your 90 Day Program to Stay Relevant as Technology Transforms Work.' The book is designed to help readers adapt to the evolving AI-dominated technology landscape through concise daily exercises over a 90-day period. Listeners and readers of Humanity Working can get a pre-release signed copy of the book by visiting humanityworking.net and looking for the book announcement! 00:00 Special Announcement: New Book Release! 00:22 Introducing 'AI Ready Human' 02:13 Book Structure and Unique Features 03:56 Pre-Order and Availability 05:15 Conclusion and Final Thoughts Humanity Working is a podcast focused on helping individuals, teams and organizations be ready for the future of work by maximizing their human potential. For more information, and access to our weekly newsletter, visit us at humanityworking.net .

December 23, 202519 min

Conflict Resolution, Fixed

Why is conflict resolution degrading as a skill in the workplace, and what can we do about it? In their last episode before the holidays, Paul and Matt explore how factors like the personalized internet, social media, and AI are conspiring to make it challenging to handle conflict respectfully and to use it as a driver for positive change. And they propose an exercise you can use in the workplace to help you deal with conflict before it becomes a real issue. 00:00 Introduction to Conflict Resolution 02:01 The Impact of Technology on Conflict 02:58 Social Media and Tribalism 03:55 AI and Conflict Avoidance 04:23 The Decline of Conflict Resolution Skills 08:19 Conflict in Personal Relationships 09:16 Effective Conflict Resolution Strategies 13:57 Addressing Underlying Tensions 17:50 Podcast Wrap-Up and Upcoming Episodes Humanity Working is a podcast focused on helping individuals, teams and organizations be ready for the future of work by maximizing their human potential. For more information, and access to our weekly newsletter, visit us at humanityworking.net .

December 18, 202551 min

Bonus Episode: Leading Change in the Era of AI, Featuring Bill Kirst

Paul is joined by Bill Kirst, host of the Coffee and Change podcast and author of the new book Leading Change in the Era of AI . The conversation explores the psychological and societal implications of rushing toward artificial intelligence. Kirst argues that while technology companies strive to maximize addiction and profit, individuals must pause to ask if they are losing their identity in the "race" for efficiency. From the potential for a "reverse renaissance" led by younger generations to the importance of "messy" human connection over AI simulation, this episode is a call to preserve the unique divinity of the human spirit. Key Topics Discussed: • The "Master’s Degree" in Understanding: Kirst shares a story about his 84-year-old father, who went from feeling inept about AI to feeling empowered and informed after reading the book. • The Addiction Algorithm: A look at how tech companies hire psychologists to tweak algorithms for dependency, repeating the mistakes of the social media era. • The Race to Irrelevance: Slater and Kirst discuss the fear driving governments, corporations, and individuals to adopt AI, asking: "Will we remember ourselves and who we are at the end of said race?". • The Mirror Metaphor: Kirst reveals that the backward binary code on his book cover is designed to be read in a mirror, symbolizing the need for self-reflection before engaging with technology. • Empty Calories vs. Nourishment: An analogy comparing AI interaction to "empty calories" that leave the spirit lethargic, versus the "nourishment" found in messy, authentic human relationships. • The "Reverse Renaissance": Hopeful signs that Gen Alpha and high school students are asking for permission to disconnect and say "no" to constant AI integration. • The Refuge of Human Spaces: The prediction that society will eventually place a premium on "human-only" spaces—like phone-free restaurants—to escape the perfection of the digital world. Resources Mentioned in this Episode: • Book: Leading Change in the Era of AI by Bill Kirst. • Podcast: Coffee and Change hosted by Bill Kirst. 00:00 Introduction and Guest Welcome 00:37 Reactions to the Book 02:06 Common Reactions and Personal Stories 04:02 AI's Role and Ethical Concerns 08:26 The Race for AI Supremacy 15:04 Generative AI and Its Impacts 21:35 Youth Perspectives and Hesitations 26:43 Exploring Human-AI Relationships 27:49 The Emotional Impact of AI Companions 29:07 The Chemical Reactions in Human-AI Interactions 31:50 The Dangers of Over-Reliance on AI 35:41 Human Connection vs. AI Interaction 43:03 The Future of Human Interaction in a Digital World 49:21 Conclusion and Final Thoughts Humanity Working is a podcast focused on helping individuals, teams and organizations be ready for the future of work by maximizing their human potential. For more information, and access to our weekly newsletter, visit us at humanityworking.net .

December 16, 202522 min

Written Communication, Fixed

Written communication has expanded from formal emails to Slack messages, tweets, and video scripts. But are you being understood? In this "Quick Fix" episode, Paul and Matt break down why the way we were taught to write in school fails us at work and how the lack of intonation in text creates emotional misunderstandings. Paul introduces a four-layer framework to ensure your writing is effective and resonant, and issues a warning about using AI: don't let it destroy your authenticity. Key Takeaways: • The Sender-Receiver Gap: What feels positive to you as the sender can often be received negatively. Text lacks the vocal cues that usually signal intent, creating a gap where uncertainty and anxiety emerge. • The Framework for Excellence (The 4 Rs): To move from "functionally okay" to excellent, layer your communication to be: 1. Real: Truthful and clear. 2. Receivable: Short sentences that are easy to process. 3. Relevant: Focused on what the other person needs to know, not just what you want to say. 4. Resonant: Toned appropriately for the relationship and circumstance. • The AI Warning: While AI is useful early in the drafting process, relying on it too heavily can strip away your unique voice. This creates cognitive dissonance when people eventually meet you in person and the "real you" doesn't match your written persona. The "Quick Fix" Challenge: Before you hit send on your next important email or text, pause. Read it through the eyes of the receiver. Better yet, use a text-to-speech tool to listen to it. Hearing your words read back to you can reveal issues with tone and clarity that your eyes might miss. Resources & References: • Book Mentioned: Smart Brevity (Recommended for structure, but use with caution to remain authentic). • Tool: Speechify (Text-to-speech app). Up Next: Join us Thursday for a deep dive with Bill Kirst on maintaining our humanity in the age of AI, and tune in next Tuesday for a Quick Fix on Conflict Resolution . Humanity Working is a podcast focused on helping individuals, teams and organizations be ready for the future of work by maximizing their human potential. For more information, and access to our weekly newsletter, visit us at humanityworking.net .