Workplace Stories by RedThread Research

By: Stacia Garr & Dani Johnson
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  • Summary

  • At RedThread, we love our data, but we know that what you remember is stories. So we spend time listening to thinkers, writers, leaders, and practitioners as they tell their stories about what works in the workplace, what they’ve learned, and what they hope to see in the future. We hope you find it inspirational, motivational, and a touch irreverent.
    RedThread Research 2024
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Economics Management
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Episodes
  • The Biggest Mistakes Companies are Making with AI with Christopher Lind

    The Biggest Mistakes Companies are Making with AI with Christopher Lind
    Nov 20 2024
    What happens when AI moves faster than the people who implement it?

    Christopher Lind, executive advisor and industry expert, shares stories of organizations that got it wrong—sometimes with devastating consequences.

    From replacing entire teams with AI to accelerating broken processes, the conversation reveals how quickly things can unravel when technology outpaces understanding. At the same time, there’s tremendous opportunity if AI is handled with care.

    We explored what it takes to keep humans at the center of the work while letting AI handle repetitive tasks. This isn’t about avoiding AI—it’s about understanding how to use it in a way that aligns with our goals, values, and the irreplaceable need for human relationships.

    You will want to hear this episode if you are interested in...
    • Why AI experts are often the most skeptical [0:56]
    • How generative AI can quickly magnify problems [1:30]
    • Whether AI should serve us or the other way around [2:00]
    • Why measuring AI’s true cost is so tricky [3:20]
    • How you might unknowingly rely on AI daily [8:42]
    • Preparing for the changes AI will bring to jobs [15:00]
    • What happens when automation goes wrong [35:17]
    • How one company’s overuse of AI caused failure [39:10]
    • Whether AI’s logic is misunderstood or alien [44:00]

    Resources & People Mentioned
    • Podcast: Future Focused with Christopher Lind
    • Radiolab’s "Shell Game" Episode
    Connect with Christopher Lind
    • LinkedIn: Christopher Lind
    Connect With Red Thread Research
    • Website: Red Thread Research
    • On LinkedIn
    • On Facebook
    • On Twitter

    Subscribe to WORKPLACE STORIES
    Show more Show less
    49 mins
  • People Analytics & AI’s Real-World Impact at FedEx with Cole Napper

    People Analytics & AI’s Real-World Impact at FedEx with Cole Napper
    Nov 6 2024
    Cole Napper, FedEx’s Global Head of People Analytics, joined us to explore the real versus ideal roles of AI in HR and people analytics, focusing on practical application and real-world impact. Cole highlighted AI’s current limitations, especially the problem of “anti-productive work,” where technology demands extra effort rather than reducing it. His perspective emphasizes the need for critical thinking in analytics to ensure AI truly serves organizational goals.

    Cole also talked about the structural improvements required to enhance data quality and discussed how people analytics teams need to evolve for AI to make a meaningful difference. His pragmatic vision challenges the hype surrounding AI and reframes it as a tool to support strategic decision-making rather than an all-encompassing solution.

    You will want to hear this episode if you are interested in...
    • Introducing our conversation with Cole Napper of FedEx [00:22]
    • Why AI should focus on productive work [02:10]
    • How specialized agents could reshape HR technology and analytics workflows [03:10]
    • Whether we are expecting too much from AI too soon in people analytics [07:00]
    • The disconnect between vendors’ AI promises and actual user experience [08:20]
    • Whether AI is driving value within organizations or merely adding costs [14:00]
    • Why critical thinking is a core skill for leveraging AI in people analytics [17:10]
    • The "Inquisitor and Change Agent" model and how it improves analytics impact [21:10]
    • How AI can evolve from repetitive data tasks to strategic roles [22:00]
    • Whether modular tools and specialized AI agents could be the future [41:30]

    Resources & People Mentioned
    • Directionally Correct podcast by Cole Napper and Scott Hines
    • "The Alchemist" by Paulo Coelho
    • Nvidia
    Connect with Cole Napper
    • Cole Napper on LinkedIn
    Connect With Red Thread Research
    • Website: Red Thread Research
    • On LinkedIn
    • On Facebook
    • On Twitter

    Subscribe to WORKPLACE STORIES
    Show more Show less
    50 mins
  • Why Social Network Perspective Matters with Greg Pryor

    Why Social Network Perspective Matters with Greg Pryor
    Oct 23 2024
    Could your network be the key to your career success and organizational growth? In this episode of Workplace Stories, we chat with Greg Pryor, author of the upcoming book, “The Social Capital Imperative.”

    Greg explains how social capital—our connections and relationships—drives business outcomes, sparks innovation, and boosts career growth. With the pandemic reshaping work, he argues that shifting from internal networks to open, cross-functional ones is crucial for success today.Greg shares practical strategies for making network-building accessible to individuals, teams, and organizations.

    He highlights how AI and technology can help unlock the potential of networks, focusing on measurable outcomes. His passion for helping organizations harness the power of social networks makes a strong case for why networks matter in the modern workplace.

    You will want to hear this episode if you are interested in...
    • How focusing on people and networks—not just technology—drives workplace results [1:00]
    • Nine key use cases for network analysis, ranging from career growth to cultural change [2:40]
    • How Post Malone’s collaborations illustrate the power of networks in boosting success [9:00]
    • How “energizing influencers” like Dolly Parton can spark organizational transformation [14:00]
    • How the pandemic shifted networks from open to closed, impacting innovation [29:00]
    • Building networks for career growth, even without organizational support [39:20]
    • How AI can make network analysis more accessible and actionable [44:18]

    Resources & People Mentioned
    • The Social Capital Imperative
    • Organizational Network Analysis (ONA)
    • Amy Edmondson’s work on Psychological Safety
    • Rob Cross - network analysis expert
    • John Boudreau
    Connect with Greg Pryor
    • Greg Pryor on LinkedIn
    Connect With Red Thread Research
    • Website: Red Thread Research
    • On LinkedIn
    • On Facebook
    • On Twitter

    Subscribe to WORKPLACE STORIES
    Show more Show less
    47 mins

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