
The Disrupted Workforce
Are you ready to adapt and reinvent yourself for the most disrupted and digital workforce in history? Learn more at: https://www.thedisruptedworkforce.com/.
It is estimated that over 1 billion people will need reskilling by 2030, and AI will impact more than 300 million jobs.
Work, identity, and what it means to be human are rapidly changing.
What would it feel like to belong and not get stuck?
Join hosts Nate Thompson and Alex Schwartz and the top voices in the Future of Work to uncover how to meet this dynamic new reality driven by AI, hybrid work, societal shifts, and our increasingly digital world.
Discover why a Future of Work Mindset is your key to prepare, navigate and thrive!
Topics include:
- Human-centric intelligence in the age of AI
- Crucial human skills and human-centered leadership for a digital world
- Professional reinvention
- How to develop a future of work mindset
- Trends impacting the future of work
- Reskilling and future skilling
Be sure to follow us on your favorite platform and check out our YouTube channel for video episodes.
Latest episodes

Mar 28, 2023 • 1h 1min
Super Crucial Human Skills For A Digital World | Cheryl Cran
DETAILS | In the age of AI Everywhere, there’s a growing conversation about Crucial Human Skills at work. But how do you actually harness them? We dove deep with Cheryl Cran, a top authority on this topic, and The Future of Work. Cheryl has spent decades teaching her clients how to become better leaders by becoming better humans. This conversation is a masterclass in understanding how human-centered leaders and organizations elevate from baseline communication to conscious communication, the dangers of polarity thinking, the importance of shifting from a “Me to We” Mindset, and using tech for good! We also unpack Cheryl’s fantastic new book “Super.Crucial.Human,” discussing leading with love and learning more about Cheryl’s journey from a self-identified control freak to elevating humanity in the workforce and herself. If you want to understand how to bring your human superpowers to work, do not miss this beautiful conversation.
GUEST | Cheryl Cran founded NextMapping, a future of work consultancy. She was named #1 in The Future of Work by Onalytica and Top Ten Future of Work by GoCatalant. Her clients include Amazon, Salesforce, Kaiser, and many more. She’s an executive board member for Fast Company and on the faculty for ExecOnline. She’s the author of 10 books, including her most recent book Super.Crucial.Human.
OVERVIEW | Are you ready to ADAPT and REINVENT YOURSELF for the most disrupted and digital workforce in history? What would it feel like to belong and not get stuck? It is estimated over 1 billion people will need reskilling by 2030, and more than 300 million jobs will be impacted by AI — work, identity, and what it means to be human are rapidly changing. Join hosts Nate Thompson and Alex Schwartz and the TOP VOICES in the Future of Work to uncover how to meet this dynamic new reality driven by AI, hybrid work, societal shifts, and our increasingly digital world. Discover why a Future of Work Mindset is your key to prepare, navigate and thrive!
We are grateful you are here, and welcome to the TDW Tribe! www.thedisruptedworkforce.com

Mar 14, 2023 • 30min
The Art of Letting Go: A Human-Centered Approach To Layoffs | Alex and Nate
DETAILS | What does it feel like to be laid off? What if you and your significant other were laid off the same year? In this TDW Trends episode, we take a deeper look at layoffs. We start with the landscape and stats, but then we drop in, and Nate shares how he and his wife were laid off within months of each other. It was a shock to their lives, identities, and bank account. The trend of layoffs will continue, but here’s the question: Is it possible to make layoffs more thoughtful, empathetic, generative, and even culture-building? To answer that question, we examine recent layoff memos from a human-centered leadership approach and unpack the best practices. Finally, we marvel at the empathy ChatGPT brings to writing layoff letters. To everyone who has been laid off, we feel your pain; this too shall pass, great things are ahead, and this episode is for you!
OVERVIEW | Are you ready to ADAPT and REINVENT YOURSELF for the most disrupted and digital workforce in history? What would it feel like to belong and not get stuck? It is estimated over 1 billion people will need reskilling by 2030, and more than 300 million jobs will be impacted by AI — work, identity, and what it means to be human are rapidly changing. Join hosts Nate Thompson and Alex Schwartz and the TOP VOICES in the Future of Work to uncover how to meet this dynamic new reality driven by AI, hybrid work, societal shifts, and our increasingly digital world. Discover why a Future of Work Mindset is your key to prepare, navigate and thrive!
We are grateful you are here, and welcome to the TDW Tribe! www.thedisruptedworkforce.com

Feb 28, 2023 • 58min
Building a Winning Team with AI: The Future of Talent Management | Alexandra Levit
DETAILS | Can AI massively reinvent hiring, help close the skills gap and create better, more satisfying job matches for all of us? That’s what we asked Alexandra Levit, a brilliant Wall Street Journal reporter, 8x author, successful entrepreneur, and futurist. She also wrote a razor-sharp and practical book on the topic (launching the same day as this episode): Deep Talent: How to Transform Your Organization and Empower Your Employees Through AI. In This fascinating conversation, Alexandra discusses the promise of AI in reimagining talent and talent pools in ways that were previously impossible, as well as her insider’s view of one of the premier Talent Intelligence platforms, Eightfold.ai. Alexandra authentically shares her career journey, how she crashed and had to pivot to find her calling and gift in strategic foresight. Her cogent perspective on what we all must do to continuously adapt our skills and mindset in the digital age is “must-hear advice” for every professional looking to become irreplaceable. And, lastly, why this is the best time in history to be in the workforce!
GUEST | Alexandra Levit is the founder and CEO of Inspiration at Work, a woman-owned futurist consulting business with the goal of preparing organizations and their employees to be competitive and marketable in the future business world. A nationally syndicated columnist for the Wall Street Journal who currently anchors The Workplace Report, Alexandra has authored several books, including the bestsellers They Don’t Teach Corporate in College, Humanity Works: Merging People and Technologies for the Workforce of the Future, and Deep Talent: How to Transform Your Organization and Empower Your Employees Through AI.
OVERVIEW | Welcome to the TDW Tribe! We are Nate Thompson and Alex Schwartz, passionately exploring the human experience while telling the real stories of disruption and the Future of Work. We don’t have all the answers because no one does. But we guarantee our podcast will introduce you to diverse experts and unique voices to help you prepare, navigate, and thrive!
OVERVIEW | Are you ready to ADAPT and REINVENT YOURSELF for the most disrupted and digital workforce in history? What would it feel like to belong and not get stuck? It is estimated over 1 billion people will need reskilling by 2030, and more than 300 million jobs will be impacted by AI — work, identity, and what it means to be human are rapidly changing. Join hosts Nate Thompson and Alex Schwartz and the TOP VOICES in the Future of Work to uncover how to meet this dynamic new reality driven by AI, hybrid work, societal shifts, and our increasingly digital world. Discover why a Future of Work Mindset is your key to prepare, navigate and thrive!
We are grateful you are here, and welcome to the TDW Tribe! www.thedisruptedworkforce.com

Feb 21, 2023 • 49min
Leaving Google, A Poet Discovers “Keys” to Innovation | Tucker Bryant
DETAILS | A Poet? At Stanford? At Google? Using ancient poetic tools to unlock breakthrough innovation for top leaders and organizations? Tucker Bryant lives comfortably in a world of paradox: High-achieving yet humble. Powerfully self-aware, yet authentically flawed. Holding a "golden ticket" for success yet risking it all to think, act and create differently. – Join us for an inspiring conversation about Tucker's journey to self-discovery and his creation of "The Poet's Keys" - a powerful way to break down individual and organizational blocks to innovative thinking. We delve into the powerful juxtapositions of curiosity vs. certainty, the power of reflection, embracing imperfection, and why Tucker is optimistic about poetry in a ChatGPT world. Finally, Tucker gifts us with his incredible poetry, deeply deserving of his acclaim, and solidifies why he is one of the unique voices The Future of Work needs now.
GUEST | Tucker Bryant is an award-winning poet and Stanford graduate who left a role in Product Marketing at Google to help businesses grow through his work. Tucker challenges organizations to tap into poetic concepts to bring about transformations in leadership and innovation. His stories have garnered millions of views online and have been featured at TEDx, The Prince's Trust (UK), and dozens of other global organizations. He has had the privilege of sharing on stages graced by Mark Cuban, Bill Belichick, Gary Vaynerchuk, and Earvin "Magic" Johnson, as well as founders and executives from scores of Fortune 500 companies.
OVERVIEW | Are you ready to ADAPT and REINVENT YOURSELF for the most disrupted and digital workforce in history? What would it feel like to belong and not get stuck? It is estimated over 1 billion people will need reskilling by 2030, and more than 300 million jobs will be impacted by AI — work, identity, and what it means to be human are rapidly changing. Join hosts Nate Thompson and Alex Schwartz and the TOP VOICES in the Future of Work to uncover how to meet this dynamic new reality driven by AI, hybrid work, societal shifts, and our increasingly digital world. Discover why a Future of Work Mindset is your key to prepare, navigate and thrive!
We are grateful you are here, and welcome to the TDW Tribe! www.thedisruptedworkforce.com

Jan 31, 2023 • 37min
Dr. Karen Doll | Mental Health And The Power Of Psychological Fitness At Work
GUEST | Dr. Karen Doll is a Licensed Psychologist, Consultant, and #1 International Bestselling author of Building Psychological Fitness: How High Performers Achieve with Ease and her similar LinkedIn Learning course. She has spent 25 years partnering with industry-leading organizations and coaching professionals. Working at the intersection of personal well-being and professional development, Dr. Doll is committed to mental health advocacy and awareness in the workplace. www.drkarendoll.com
DETAILS | Join us to unpack the red-hot trend of mental health in the workplace! We dissect current research indicating 50-80% of US workers are experiencing work-related negative mental health conditions. As the US Surgeon General recently stated: “The mental health crisis in our nation is real.” Discover how to build psychological fitness and explore how the conversation surrounding mental health has shifted from stigma to self-care. Other key concepts include resources supporting mental health, the ability to look at mental health on a spectrum of symptoms (green to red), the role of managers and organizations in mental health, why capacity management and boundary setting are critical to mitigate burnout, the Instagram life vs. reality and the shame people feel as they compare and despair, self-talk and how to upgrade our relationship with stress!
OVERVIEW | Are you ready to ADAPT and REINVENT YOURSELF for the most disrupted and digital workforce in history? What would it feel like to belong and not get stuck? It is estimated over 1 billion people will need reskilling by 2030, and more than 300 million jobs will be impacted by AI — work, identity, and what it means to be human are rapidly changing. Join hosts Nate Thompson and Alex Schwartz and the TOP VOICES in the Future of Work to uncover how to meet this dynamic new reality driven by AI, hybrid work, societal shifts, and our increasingly digital world. Discover why a Future of Work Mindset is your key to prepare, navigate and thrive!
We are grateful you are here, and welcome to the TDW Tribe! www.thedisruptedworkforce.com

Jan 24, 2023 • 51min
Robert Mulhall | Leading With Love, A Human-Centered CEO’s Journey
GUEST | Robert Mulhall is the CEO of The Kripalu Center for Yoga and Health: a multi-generational leader in yoga and mindfulness focused on igniting personal and societal transformation. Robert has two decades of experience in diverse industries. His career has allowed him to cross the private and public sectors multiple times as a manager with PricewaterhouseCoopers, a co-founder and CEO of an award-winning social enterprise, a director of programs for Concern Worldwide Innovation’s Unit in partnership with the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and UNICEF; and a coach and consultant with The Crossland Group. Robert has received numerous awards as a social entrepreneur and is certified in executive and life coaching, meditation, Reiki, and The Enneagram.
DETAILS | Robert Mulhall is a radically different type of CEO. If you’re curious about human-centered leadership, purposeful living, and using the word love at work, then you will love Robert’s message! – Joining the Kripalu Center for Yoga and Health as a consultant, Robert quickly rose through the ranks and assumed the CEO role during the pandemic. Kripalu’s future was deeply uncertain as it shuttered its doors and lost more than 96% of its revenue. Today, Kripalu’s business and mission have been reimagined, and Kripalu is thriving anew! Join us as we unpack Robert’s human, humble and inspiring approach to leadership and self-care. The power of reinvention, allyship, and deep listening. And Robert’s unconventional idea that the moment for using the word Love within organizations has finally arrived!
OVERVIEW | Are you ready to ADAPT and REINVENT YOURSELF for the most disrupted and digital workforce in history? What would it feel like to belong and not get stuck? It is estimated over 1 billion people will need reskilling by 2030, and more than 300 million jobs will be impacted by AI — work, identity, and what it means to be human are rapidly changing. Join hosts Nate Thompson and Alex Schwartz and the TOP VOICES in the Future of Work to uncover how to meet this dynamic new reality driven by AI, hybrid work, societal shifts, and our increasingly digital world. Discover why a Future of Work Mindset is your key to prepare, navigate and thrive!
We are grateful you are here, and welcome to the TDW Tribe! www.thedisruptedworkforce.com

Dec 20, 2022 • 48min
Heather McGowan | What’s The Next Best Version Of Yourself?
GUEST | Heather McGowan is a Future of Work Strategist, sense maker, dot connector, deep thinker, and pattern matcher who sees things others miss. As a future-of-work strategist, Heather helps leaders prepare their people and organizations for the post-pandemic world. As a keynote speaker, Heather gives lucidity to complex topics through her research-rich graphic frameworks and powerful metaphors. LinkedIn ranked her as the #1 global voice for education, she was listed as one of the Top 50 Female Futurists in Forbes, and NYT columnist Thomas Friedman describes her as "the oasis" when it comes to insights into the future of work. She is the co-author of The Adaptation Advantage (recognized in 2021 as a Best Business Book) and the forthcoming The Empathy Advantage (March 2023).
DETAILS | 2023 is around the corner, while work and skills continue to evolve rapidly. As we all struggle to meet this moment, Heather McGowan poses a fundamental question: "What Is The Next Best Version of Yourself?" Join us for an empowering conversation about why we are far more adaptable than you think and the critical importance of identity in the Future of Work. We also discuss why HR is the new MVP of the corporation, the pace of technological disruption to jobs, and why more leaders must learn to say, "I don't know." And take it a step further, exploring the evolving needs of Gen Z and how the traditional workforce fails to reflect diversity. We even dive into Elon Musk's carnage at Twitter, a natural segue into a preview of Heather's exciting forthcoming book on Empathy and the key pillars to support it. Do not miss this episode if you want to remain adaptable in the coming year and find the next best version of yourself!
OVERVIEW | Are you ready to ADAPT and REINVENT YOURSELF for the most disrupted and digital workforce in history? What would it feel like to belong and not get stuck? It is estimated over 1 billion people will need reskilling by 2030, and more than 300 million jobs will be impacted by AI — work, identity, and what it means to be human are rapidly changing. Join hosts Nate Thompson and Alex Schwartz and the TOP VOICES in the Future of Work to uncover how to meet this dynamic new reality driven by AI, hybrid work, societal shifts, and our increasingly digital world. Discover why a Future of Work Mindset is your key to prepare, navigate and thrive!
We are grateful you are here, and welcome to the TDW Tribe! www.thedisruptedworkforce.com

Dec 6, 2022 • 1h 7min
Giselle Mota | 20% Of The Workforce Is Neurodiverse, And Many Don’t Know It
GUEST | Giselle Mota is a Future of Work expert and the chief of product inclusion with a remarkable background, including being named to the Top 100 Future of Work thought leaders list, a college professor, TEDx speaker, the creator of the NFTY Collective, singer and musician. Giselle focuses on the diversity and inclusion side of the Future of Work conversation while leading disability and inclusion into web3 and metaverse.
DETAILS | What if your perceived weakness was your superpower? What if what makes you different was a gift in the Future of Work? Giselle Mota is living proof of this transformation and a vital leader for neurodiversity, disability, and inclusion in the digital world. 20% of the US workforce is neurodivergent, which matters now more than ever for talent and product development. In a tightening labor market, leaders and organizations are expanding into overlooked talent pools and thoughtfully creating products for once-overlooked customers. Join us as we get to the real real about neurodiversity, disabilities, racial violence, the magic of fostering psychological safety, building inclusive products, cultivating digital belonging, and leading inclusion in the Metaverse and Web3.
OVERVIEW | Are you ready to ADAPT and REINVENT YOURSELF for the most disrupted and digital workforce in history? What would it feel like to belong and not get stuck? It is estimated over 1 billion people will need reskilling by 2030, and more than 300 million jobs will be impacted by AI — work, identity, and what it means to be human are rapidly changing. Join hosts Nate Thompson and Alex Schwartz and the TOP VOICES in the Future of Work to uncover how to meet this dynamic new reality driven by AI, hybrid work, societal shifts, and our increasingly digital world. Discover why a Future of Work Mindset is your key to prepare, navigate and thrive!
We are grateful you are here, and welcome to the TDW Tribe! www.thedisruptedworkforce.com

Nov 15, 2022 • 56min
Erin Halper | Women Quit To Rise In The Solopreneur Economy
GUEST | Erin Halper is the founder and CEO of The UPSIDE, where top independent consultants join forces to advance their business. Since launching The Upside in 2017, Erin has helped thousands of women transition from corporate life to take their expertise into independent consulting to achieve more flexibility, autonomy, and a renewed sense of purpose in their careers.
DETAILS | Women leaders are quitting at the highest rate recorded since 2015! You might think this was sparked by the pandemic, the great resignation, or fueled by changing values in the workplace. But Erin reminds us this isn’t a new trend — in fact, this is the insight and genesis of her successful business, The UPSIDE. The reality is that more leaders and professionals are looking outside the traditional corporation for more flexibility, increased well-being, more time with family, and better career opportunities. This deeply personal conversation covers the emotional gamut while discussing marginalized groups, speaking up, redefining leadership, the erosion of the belief that the corporation will have your back, and the shifting balance of power.
OVERVIEW | Are you ready to ADAPT and REINVENT YOURSELF for the most disrupted and digital workforce in history? What would it feel like to belong and not get stuck? It is estimated over 1 billion people will need reskilling by 2030, and more than 300 million jobs will be impacted by AI — work, identity, and what it means to be human are rapidly changing. Join hosts Nate Thompson and Alex Schwartz and the TOP VOICES in the Future of Work to uncover how to meet this dynamic new reality driven by AI, hybrid work, societal shifts, and our increasingly digital world. Discover why a Future of Work Mindset is your key to prepare, navigate and thrive!
We are grateful you are here, and welcome to the TDW Tribe! www.thedisruptedworkforce.com

Oct 27, 2022 • 32min
Nate & Alex | Own Your Future With A Future of Work Mindset!
DETAILS | The workplace and the global talent market are changing faster than at any point in human history – and it’s only getting faster. The myth is that the Future of Work is only about reskilling and upskilling. But it’s not just skills being disrupted; it’s our sense of self and identity. People overwhelmingly associate what we DO - with who we ARE. The truth is the Future of Work is challenging many of our deepest-held beliefs, habits, expectations, and assumptions. Join us to dive into what a mindset is and how it works, examine a traditional mindset vs. a Future of Work Mindset, and be one of the first to access our Future of Work mindset model and action plan!
OVERVIEW | Are you ready to ADAPT and REINVENT YOURSELF for the most disrupted and digital workforce in history? What would it feel like to belong and not get stuck? It is estimated over 1 billion people will need reskilling by 2030, and more than 300 million jobs will be impacted by AI — work, identity, and what it means to be human are rapidly changing. Join hosts Nate Thompson and Alex Schwartz and the TOP VOICES in the Future of Work to uncover how to meet this dynamic new reality driven by AI, hybrid work, societal shifts, and our increasingly digital world. Discover why a Future of Work Mindset is your key to prepare, navigate and thrive!
We are grateful you are here, and welcome to the TDW Tribe! www.thedisruptedworkforce.com