Humanity Working

In this episode, Paul and Matt tackle the concept of balance within the modern work-life environment. They discuss how managing energy across various life domains—work, family, friends, and personal interests—is more crucial than merely dividing time between work and personal life. They differentiate between traditional work-life balance and the current need for energy balance, addressing the intertwining of work and non-work activities in today's world. They highlight challenges like hyperresponsiveness and guilt, which complicate maintaining balance. The episode concludes with practical advice: conducting an internal audit of balance and seeking external perspectives from important relationships in one’s life.00:00 Introduction to Balance00:57 Defining Work-Life Balance02:56 Challenges of Modern Work-Life Balance05:06 Managing Energy and Time06:52 Balance and Guilt08:42 Achieving the Right Balance09:41 Practical Tips for Better Balance11:10 Conclusion and Final ThoughtsHumanity 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.

Paul hosts Stephan Meier, author of 'The Employee Advantage' and chair of the management division at Columbia Business School.Paul and Stephan discuss the new book, and the benefits and challenges associated with creating human-centric workplaces. They delve into the core themes of employee engagement, the importance of listening to workers, and the concept of treating employees as valuable assets.Stephan shares insights from his book, including examples of successful employee-centric companies such as Best Buy and MasterCard. They also explore the diminishing returns of monetary compensation, the necessity of learning and development, and the impact of empathy on team productivity. The episode concludes with a discussion on how adopting AI can enhance employee experience and why employee centricity is crucial in modern workplaces.02:08 The Importance of Employee-Centric Workplaces03:46 Challenges in Valuing Employees04:50 Employee vs. Customer Centricity08:44 Listening to Employees: Beyond Surveys10:53 Leadership and Employee Engagement22:36 Mission and Vision: Walking the Talk28:32 The Importance of Purpose in the Workplace30:37 Connecting Purpose to Daily Work34:28 KPMG's 10,000 Stories Challenge38:06 Behavioral Economics and Employee Motivation42:31 Learning and Growth as Key Motivators49:21 The Role of Social Skills in Team Success52:32 AI, Robotics, and the Future of Work58:20 Conclusion and Final ThoughtsResources Mentioned In This EpisodeInterview with Garry RidgeThe Employee Advantage BookStephan's Stop-Motion AnimationHumanity 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.

In this episode, Paul and Matt delve into the concept of control in the workplace. They define control as the ability to manage one's environment, knowing when to take command and when to step back. They discuss how remote work and the use of AI tools have shifted the dynamics of real-time collaboration, emphasizing the importance of situational awareness and adaptability. The conversation touches on leadership styles, the impact of micromanagement, and the psychological underpinnings of control. They conclude with actionable advice on auditing one's approach to control in various situations, highlighting the benefits of allowing others to step up and participate.00:00 Introduction and Greetings00:12 Defining Control00:23 The Complexity of Control01:46 Real-World Examples of Control03:41 Relinquishing Control05:20 Leadership Archetypes05:51 Situational Control09:18 Control in Sports Psychology11:48 Practical Steps to Improve Control13:57 Conclusion and Sign-OffHumanity 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.

In this episode, Paul sits down with Shannon Plumb, Founder and CEO of PURL Advisors, globally recognized mentor, leadership advisor, and creator of the Real T newsletter. Shannon is known for helping leaders stop pretending to be someone else—and start winning as themselves.They unpack:What authentic leadership actually means beyond the buzzwordThe difference between polish and presenceWhy vulnerability builds trust (but performative vulnerability breaks it)The real emotional work behind entrepreneurshipHow to avoid losing your “why” when the world tells you to go faster, harder, morePaul and Shannon also discuss the myth of the heroic “hustle” founder—and why ease can be a sign of alignment, not laziness.Five Key LearningsAuthenticity ≠ Transparency — It’s about showing up human, not oversharing or performing relatability.Your body knows before you do — Gut tension is often your first signal that something is off in how you're leading.Entrepreneurs fall into two groups: builders who love the game, and founders driven by mission. The second group must reconnect to their why regularly.Ease is not avoidance — When leadership aligns with identity and values, decisions take less friction.Slow down to speed up — Time away from the work improves judgment, creativity, and resilience. Rest is strategic.Resources Mentioned in This EpisodeShannon’s firm: PURL AdvisorsShannon’s newsletter: The Real T Paul’s article: Slow Down to Speed UpHumanity 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.

In this episode, Paul and Matt dive into one of the most misunderstood durable skills: organization. It’s not just about tidy desks or color-coded inboxes—it’s the human ability to make sense of the world. They explore why some of us are natural filers while others are pilers, how AI tools are reshaping our need for structure, and what “just right” organization looks like in modern work.From ancient libraries to Gmail, and from personal comfort to shared systems, this conversation uncovers why organization still matters—just for very different reasons than it used to.Five Key Learnings:Organization is how humans make sense of complexity—whether in books, ideas, or digital clutter.Technology doesn’t remove the need for organization; it changes why we organize.Most people are natural pilers (about 80%), and forcing the opposite rarely works.The right level of organization is personal—it depends on your psychology, context, and type of work.A simple “organization audit” helps you adapt your habits to today’s tools and realities.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.

In this episode, Paul sits down with Michele Volpi - author of The Career Remix: Build a Future That Fits You — Pivot. Grow. Thrive., to explore how professionals can reinvent themselves in an era of disruption. Together, they unpack what it takes to stay adaptable, purposeful, and fulfilled when careers no longer follow a single, linear path.They discuss the mindset shifts needed to thrive amid constant change, how to balance reinvention with stability, and why embracing experimentation may be the ultimate career advantage.Five Key Learnings:Your career is not a ladder—it’s a remix. Growth today means combining experiences, not just stacking promotions.The future belongs to those who can pivot with purpose, not panic.Adaptability, curiosity, and reflection are the foundations of long-term career resilience.Reinvention requires courage—letting go of outdated definitions of success.Leaders who model career fluidity create more human, future-ready organizations.About Michele Volpi: Michele Volpi is a global CEO with over 25 years of experience leading companies through transformation across Europe, Asia, and North America. In The Career Remix, he draws on his leadership journey to offer a roadmap for building a career defined by adaptability, curiosity, and courage—qualities essential to thriving in the new world of work.Resources mentioned in this episode:The Career Remix: Build a Future That Fits You — Pivot. Grow. Thrive. by Michele VolpiHumanity Working Article on Adaptive Career PlanningHumanity Working is produced and edited for BillionMinds by Matt Neal. If you enjoy this podcast, please subscribe, rate, and share. To learn more about how BillionMinds helps employees build adaptability and resilience for the future of work, visit billionminds.com.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.

In this episode, Paul and Matt tackle what they call the “North Star” of durable skills—adaptability. They explore what it really means to adapt as the world changes daily, how it differs from resilience, and why it’s the single most important skill for staying relevant in work that refuses to stand still.Five Key Learnings:Adaptability is the ability to adjust as the world around you changes—it’s the North Star of durable skills.Resilience supports adaptability—it’s the ability to emotionally and intellectually cope with change.Work now changes daily, not decade by decade; adaptability drives hiring, retention, and promotion.Daily practice builds adaptability by strengthening underlying durable skills like readiness, organization, balance, motivation, and control.Embedding 10–15 minutes of daily skill practice is the simplest and most powerful way to become more adaptable over time.Resources mentioned in this episode.The 1% better idea - https://jamesclear.com/continuous-improvementHumanity 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.

In this episode, Paul and Matt explore what readiness really means at work—and why it’s not the same as wellbeing or wellness. They unpack why traditional wellness programs often fail to resonate with everyone, introduce the idea of “focused energy,” and explain how daily practices can recharge your “brain battery” to stay effective in an unpredictable world.Five Key Learnings:Readiness is the ability to consistently bring focused energy to your work—not just feeling well, but being able to perform.Wellbeing and wellness matter, but they can feel exclusionary or irrelevant for many employees—readiness reframes the idea.Your energy naturally fluctuates; readiness means knowing your baseline and working within it.Thinking of your mind like a “brain battery” helps visualize how rest, movement, and social connection recharge your energy.A simple daily habit—like spending 10 minutes outside, without devices—can improve focus, energy, and even sleep.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.

Changes are coming to Humanity Working. In this episode, Paul and Matt share what’s next: a new format designed for the way we all actually listen and learn. Every Tuesday, we will be dropping "Quick Fixes"—short, focused episodes that tackle one idea at a time, from mentoring and networking to resilience and adaptability.Continue to look out for interviews as bonus episodes from time to time, but Quick Fixes will keep you learning in a fast, practical, and built-for-real-life format.Five Key Learnings:So-called soft skills—adaptability, resilience, empathy, communication—are anything but soft; they’re the core of effective, modern work.People use many labels for them: human skills, durable skills, power skills—each reflecting their long-term value.These skills are hard to categorize because they cross boundaries between personality, behavior, and capability.Unlike technical skills, they aren’t learned once; they develop through reflection, feedback, and deliberate daily practice.Quick Fix will explore these skills in short, actionable episodes to make building them a daily habit.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.

Mentoring is everywhere—but not all of it works. In this episode, Paul and Matt separate hype from reality, covering what actually drives value for mentees, mentors, and organizations. They also place mentoring in a broader context.Five Key Learnings:Mentoring demand is surging, but impact varies widely.Programs often fizzle when urgent tasks crowd out the important.Mentees can accelerate value by finding fit, keeping momentum, and using the relationship.Great mentors balance challenge with support—and know when to open their networks.Mentoring works best alongside other elements, not as a stand-alone fix.Resources mentioned in this episode:Does Mentoring Still Work? - https://www.humanityworking.net/p/does-mentoring-still-work?r=ourxzHumanity 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.