What if the future of work isn't just about where we work, but how we think about work itself? In this episode, Kevin is joined by Steve Cadigan to explore the shifts reshaping our workplaces, what Steve calls a “work quake.” Steve shares insights on how leaders and employees can adapt to a rapidly changing world of work. They discuss why lifelong learning and "learning agility" are no longer optional, and how our ability to learn quickly is becoming more valuable than what we already know. Steve also challenges leaders to rethink traditional talent strategies, including embracing higher turnover, building organizational capacity more rapidly, and treating employees as part of a lifelong talent ecosystem.

Listen For

00:00 Introduction to the episode topic – “Work Quake”
00:30 Importance of preparing for the future of work
01:00 How to join live and engage with future podcast episodes
01:36 Kevin’s book mention – "The Long-Distance Leader"
02:00 Introduction of guest Steve Cadigan
02:23 Steve’s background and experience
03:16 Steve joins the conversation
03:36 Steve’s unconventional career journey
04:57 Discovering a passion for recruiting
05:45 Learning through working in small and large organizations
06:49 Why Steve wrote "Workquake"
08:11 Adjusting the book for the impact of COVID
09:06 Kevin on how the book stayed relevant since 2022
09:30 Employee vs. employer vs. leader mindsets
09:57 The importance of learning agility
10:47 AI as an opportunity for human differentiation
11:53 Defining learning agility
13:16 The organizational challenge of fostering agility
14:17 Spotify’s experiment with internal mobility
14:49 Delegation and building organizational capacity
15:06 How the world of work radically changed in 2020
16:08 What employers must consider now
16:43 The remote vs. in-person debate
17:16 “Yes, and…” hybrid work models
18:16 Pilot vs. policy mindset
19:45 Aligning work strategy with actual results
20:04 Rethinking AI's role and use
21:17 The limits of AI for customer experience
22:01 The power of asking better questions
23:06 Rethinking talent strategy: 7 models
23:27 Steve’s ecosystem approach to talent
24:04 Designing for shorter tenures
25:03 Speeding up onboarding and retention through new models
26:15 The “illegal after 3 years” strategy exercise
26:58 What Steve would add to the book today
27:29 The rise of hybrid experimentation
28:08 The benefits of remote/hybrid work
29:04 Zoom meetings and inclusive communication
29:24 Final reflections on hybrid as an opportunity
29:45 Any final takeaways from Steve?
30:25 Organizations must become business schools
31:03 Training and internal learning over hiring externally
31:22 Kevin’s rapid fire closing questions
31:44 Steve’s personal interests – tennis, coaching, bird watching
32:26 Books and content Steve is consuming
33:04 Being a student of AI – trusted sources
34:39 Where to find Steve online
35:18 Kevin’s closing thought: Take action now
36:26 Outro and invitation to return next week

Steve's Story: Steve Cadigan is the author of Workquake: Embracing the Aftershocks of COVID-19 to Create a Better Model of Working. He is a top talent strategist and leadership expert with 30+ years of experience. He famously led LinkedIn’s early hyper-growth phase as its first CHRO, building its world-class company culture from scratch and scaling the organization from 400 to 4,000 employees in 3.5 years. As one of the most provocative global thought leaders on the future of work, Steve is hired not only by F500 companies but by entire countries to help them navigate the talent landscape. His clientele spans from Google, X, Slack, BBC, and Inel, to the City of Lisbon, which hired him to develop the startup incubator Unicorn Factory. He has also written for Forbes and Inc., will soon be writing for Business Insider, and frequently appears on Bloomberg and CNBC to talk about the evolving nature of work, talent management, the Big Resignation, and successful leadership.

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Book Recommendations

Workquake: Embracing the Aftershocks of COVID-19 to Create a Better Model of Working by Steve Cadigan
The God of the Woods: A Novel by Liz Moore

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Creating a Better Model of Working with Steve Cadigan

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