What the History of Germ Theory Teaches Us About Paradigm Shifts at Work | Dr. Robert Gaynes

Sep 2, 2025

Dr. Robert Gaynes, an infectious disease physician and author of Germ Theory, discusses the monumental shift to germ theory and its implications for modern innovation. He reveals the resistance faced by groundbreaking ideas, drawing parallels from history that resonate in today’s work environments. Conversations include how personalities of innovators affect acceptance and the pitfalls of overcorrection in new paradigms. Gaynes also shares transformative breakthroughs he’s witnessed, emphasizing the lessons applicable for driving change in any field.

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INSIGHT

Germ Theory's Outsize Impact

The germ theory is one of medicine's deepest paradigm shifts and underlies many top medical advances.
Four of the top six medical contributions stem directly from germ theory or its consequences.

INSIGHT

Paradigm Shifts Are Rare

A paradigm shift is a deep change in underlying assumptions and is rare in medicine.
Such shifts happen a few times per generation, not weekly as media suggests.

ANECDOTE

H. pylori Rewrote Ulcer Care

Gaynes watched H. pylori overturn peptic ulcer thinking during his career.
Gastroenterologists went from rejecting the idea to teaching it within a few years.

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The germ theory of disease is one of the greatest breakthroughs in human history. But it took more than 2,000 years of false starts and resistance before medicine finally recognized that germs cause disease. In his book Germ Theory, Dr. Robert Gaynes unpacks why this shift was so hard to achieve. In this episode, he and Dart explore what it teaches us about paradigm shifts today: why new ideas face such resistance, how the personalities of innovators influence acceptance, and what happens when a powerful new paradigm leads us to overcorrect.

Dr. Robert P. Gaynes is an infectious disease physician and Professor of Medicine at Emory University. He is the author of Germ Theory, a CHOICE Outstanding Academic Title.

In this episode, Dart and Robert discuss:
- Why it took centuries to accept that germs cause disease
- What resistance to handwashing reveals about change
- Breakthroughs Robert witnessed in his career
- How medicine’s history reveals patterns of change
- HIV’s transformation from fatal to treatable
- What happens when new paradigms go too far
- How personality shapes whether innovations are accepted
- Lessons for anyone driving change at work today
- And other topics…

Dr. Robert P. Gaynes is an infectious disease physician and Professor of Medicine at Emory University. He chairs Emory’s Infection Control and Antimicrobial Stewardship Committees, attends at the Atlanta VA Medical Center, and has written extensively on hospital-acquired infections and antimicrobial use. He is the author of Germ Theory: Medical Pioneers in Infectious Disease, named a CHOICE Outstanding Academic Title.

Resources Mentioned:
Germ Theory: Medical Pioneers in Infectious Disease by Robert Gaynes: https://www.amazon.com/Germ-Theory-Pioneers-Infectious-Diseases/dp/168367376X
Get discounted tickets to the Responsive Conference, featuring past Work for Humans guests Bree Groff and Simone Stolzoff – September 17–18, Oakland, CA. Use code “11fold”: https://www.responsiveconference.com/tickets
Register to attend the UWEBC Conference, where Dart keynotes the HR track alongside Ethan Mollick and Nancy Giordano – September 30, University of Wisconsin: https://uwebc.wisc.edu/conference/registration/

Connect with Robert:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/robert-p-gaynes-49b1541/

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.