Work For Humans

Elizabeth Tippett, an employment law scholar from the University of Oregon, delves into the lingering impact of the Master Servant Doctrine on today’s work environment. They dissect how feudal ideas of control and obligation persist, influencing at-will employment and HR policies. Elizabeth highlights the historical roots of these concepts, the moral legacy intertwined with labor law, and how employer-provided benefits create dependency. They also discuss the necessity for a modern social contract to reshape labor relations for the better.

Dave Norton, founder of Stone Mantel, shares his insights on the evolution of experience design. He emphasizes that effective design focuses on how people spend their time, revealing that context trumps personality in shaping experiences. Norton discusses his work with Royal Caribbean, illustrating how design can create meaningful moments. He introduces the concept of 'time value' and how AI might scale transformational designs. Plus, he highlights the need for discomfort in transformation and the power of modularity in supporting user agency.

Dmitri Glazkov, Strategy Lead at Google Labs and creator of the Breadboard project, dives into how AI tools can enhance creativity. He explains how Breadboard and Opal allow users to build systems that think alongside them. The conversation highlights the significance of capturing tacit knowledge through AI and the contrasting growth strategies of 'dandelions' and 'elephants'. Dmitri also discusses 'lensical thinking', which embraces diverse perspectives for innovation, and emphasizes the need for uniqueness in an increasingly automated world.

Most companies chase growth by selling more things to more people, faster. Mark Adams has spent nearly 40 years proving there is another way. As Director of Vitsœ, he runs the company with one mission: to help people live better with less that lasts longer. In this episode, Dart talks to Mark about why Vitsœ resists conventional business rules, how it builds longevity and trust into everything it makes, and what it means to design a company that could outlive its founders.Mark Adams has led Vitsœ, the British furniture company known for its long partnership with Dieter Rams, since 1985. He has shaped it into a quiet revolution against planned obsolescence and short-term thinking. Rejecting titles, hierarchies, and corporate clichés, he has built a company where design, culture, and ethics operate as one system, showing that a business guided by principles rather than profit can thrive for generations.In this episode, Dart and Mark discuss:- Why Vitsœ rejects CEOs, boards, and traditional hierarchies- How longevity gets built into culture- Why Vitsœ recruits for character before skill- Why Vitsœ’s customers keep coming back- Raising over £8 million directly from customers- What “love” in customer emails really means- How Dieter Rams’ design philosophy guides Vitsœ’s decisions- Why design is really about systems, not things- What it takes to build a company designed to last- And other topics…Mark Adams is the Director of Vitsœ, the British design company best known for its long partnership with Dieter Rams and its modular furniture that grows with people’s lives. After encountering the 606 shelving system in 1985, Mark established Vitsœ UK in 1986 to bring Rams’s designs to a wider audience. He later succeeded Niels Vitsœ as Managing Director in 1993 and has led the company ever since with a quiet but radical vision: to build a business grounded in longevity, sufficiency, and trust. Mark believes companies should exist to help people live better with less, and he has spent nearly four decades proving that principle through every part of Vitsœ’s work, from design to manufacturing to culture.Resources Mentioned:Vitsœ: https://www.vitsoe.com/usGood to Great, by Jim Collins: https://www.amazon.com/Good-Great-Some-Companies-Others/dp/0066620996Built to Last, by Jim Collins and Jerry I. Porras: https://www.amazon.com/Built-Last-Successful-Visionary-Essentials/dp/0060516402Connect with Mark:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/markekadams/ 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.

Matthew Gasda, a playwright and founder of the Brooklyn Center for Theater Research, teams up with Isobel McCrum, a language scientist from Microsoft, to explore the intriguing intersection of AI and art. They dive into how AI served as a dramaturg for Gazda's play, Doomers, sparking audience debates about machine-made creativity. The duo discusses the limits of AI in capturing human depth, the implications of Borges' concepts on authorship, and the evolution of theater in a tech-driven world. Can art retain its essence when machines join the creative process?

Surveys and numbers can capture averages, but they can’t reveal the raw humanity of lived experience. Stories can. Stories connect us, capture nuance and emotion, and uncover the “why” behind our choices in ways numbers never will. In this episode, Dart and James Warren talk about why stories reveal truths surveys miss, how personal narratives can be transformed into meaningful change, and how organizations can flip the script to see their people more fully.James Warren founded Share More Stories in 2014 on the belief that everyone’s stories matter — that by listening to them, organizations can do better and be better. Today, the company combines human expression with digital tools like its SEEQ Platform to help leaders uncover deep human insights and turn them into better decisions, stronger relationships, and sustainable growth.In this episode, Dart and James discuss:- Why stories reveal truths surveys miss- How prompts unlock surprising vulnerability- Turning personal narratives into organizational change- The role of vulnerability in leadership- Why being heard is often the most powerful outcome- What it means to flip the script- Why your company is inside your people- And other topics…James Warren is the Founder and CEO of Share More Stories, a human experience insights company powered by the SEEQ Platform. He leads work that blends storytelling, AI, and research to uncover emotional drivers in both employee and customer experiences. Over the last decade, he’s built SEEQ into a platform that goes beyond surveys to surface the “why” behind experience. A researcher, strategist, writer, and facilitator, he helps companies listen, reflect, and act on human truths.Resources Mentioned:Share More Stories: https://sharemorestories.com/SEEQ Platform: sharemorestories.com/seeqRegister 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 James:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/james-warren-seeq/ 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.

Leaders today are under pressure from every direction: an unpredictable economy, the rise of AI, and the constant demand for transformation while keeping the business running. Few people see those challenges more clearly than Michael Smith. He argues that leaders make the greatest impact when they act as architects of transformation rather than playing defense. In this episode, Mike and Dart discuss what happens when HR is seen only as a cost and how CEOs and CFOs can unlock the real value of the people in their organizations. They also explore the future of HR and why doing well and doing good go together.As CEO of Randstad Enterprise, a division of one of the world’s largest HR services companies, Mike has spent more than 20 years leading businesses across four continents. That vantage point gives him a rare perspective on how people, technology, and transformation shape the future of work.In this episode, Dart and Jim discuss:- Why HR leaders have the most impact as architects of transformation- What happens when people are treated as a cost instead of the engine of growth- How CEOs and CFOs can unlock the real value of talent- The future of HR in a world shaped by AI and constant change- Why companies are hiring and laying off at the same time- How AI is reshaping recruiting and freeing HR for higher-value work- The risk of excluding talent through rigid hiring processes- Why HR must become data visionaries to stay at the table- The ethical challenges of leading with AI- And other topics…Michael Smith is Chief Executive of Randstad Enterprise and part of Randstad’s global leadership team. Over two decades with the company, he has led businesses across the US, Europe, and Asia, including CEO roles at Randstad UK and Randstad Sourceright EMEA. Today, he oversees Randstad’s global talent solutions portfolio — from recruitment outsourcing and managed services to career transition, coaching, and advisory. His work puts him at the center of how the world’s largest organizations adapt to change, balance people and technology, and unlock the real value of talent.Resources Mentioned:Randstad Enterprise: https://www.randstad.comGet 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 Mike:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/michaeljohnsmith/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 this engaging discussion, leadership consultant Jim Ferrell reveals that true leadership resides in the connections between us, rather than just within individuals. He introduces the intriguing concept of relation versus relationships and outlines his four laws of relation. Jim explains how an individualistic approach can hinder progress and emphasizes the importance of embracing differences for meaningful integration. With practical insights, he shares how leaders can shift their focus to the 'between' for transformative change.

Sandra Loughlin, Chief Learning Scientist at EPAM Systems, shares her insights on transforming skills into pivotal assets for organizations. She distinguishes between learning and training, emphasizing the importance of active engagement. The conversation explores how stretch assignments catalyze real learning and how contextualizing skills can enhance their value. Loughlin also discusses leveraging data and AI to create dynamic learning environments, adapting to the evolving demands of the workforce, and fostering a true culture of learning at scale.

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.