Unlocked Professional: AI and Future of Work
Most companies are stuck in "experimentation theater" — buying AI tools that go nowhere while their teams are exhausted by the hype. This podcast stops playing with AI and starts running it like a business operation. Hosted by Jeff Midland, it interviews visionaries from Chief AI Officers to Workforce Futurists, providing the "Cheat Code" for staying relevant. Listeners learn to move from being just a worker to an Architect of the future, diving deep into Human-Centric AI, Agentic workflows, and the ADOPT method.
Episodes
She Built AI Automations for Army HR — 1.4 Million People, Zero Jobs Lost | Kris Saling
Struggling to navigate the complexities of enterprise AI adoption and workforce transformation? Kris Saling, Director of Workforce Transformation and former Chief Technology Advisor for the Assistant Secretary of the Army, joins Jeff to share how she approaches large-scale talent management. In this episode, she breaks down her "AI Driver's Ed" framework for executive leadership, why traditional r
AI Doesn't Just Screen Resumes. It Can Kill Your Useless Meetings Too | Chiara Barden
Struggling to get your team to meaningfully adopt AI beyond basic prompt generation? Chiara Barden, Founder of Better by Design AI and former HR leader at Capital One, joins Jeff to share why AI adoption is fundamentally a people challenge rather than a tech issue. In this episode, she breaks down how to structure high-impact prompts, why treating AI as a coworker changes output quality, and how s
The Career Lattice: How AI is Reshaping Talent Mobility | Carisue Bench
Overwhelmed by how AI is disrupting traditional business models and team dynamics? Carisue Bench, Executive Coach and Workforce Strategy Advisor at NarrativeShift Coaching & Advisory, joins Jeff to challenge how leaders navigate the future of work. In this episode, she breaks down why AI adoption is fundamentally a business transformation issue rather than an IT rollout, how leaders can cultiv
Artificial Intelligence In Recruiting: The Talent Engineering Playbook | Kyler Frisbee
Struggling with high ATS noise, fraudulent applications, and generic sourcing tools? Kyler Frisbee, Founder of Optimal Tech Partners and Seedglass, joins Jeff Midland to share how he went from semi-pro snowboarder to tech recruiter at Google, Rivian, and Unity, and eventually to AI systems builder. In this episode, he breaks down why modern talent acquisition requires "talent engineering," how pro
How This Recruiter Became an Engineer Using Artificial Intelligence | Bryan Hong
Navigating strict compliance while trying to modernize talent acquisition? Bryan Hong, Head of AI Services at Astranis, joins Jeff to share how he built multi-agent recruiting workflows inside one of the most regulated aerospace environments in tech. In this episode, he breaks down his leap from finance and agency recruiting into engineering, how his six-agent swarm compresses weeks of talent rese
Why Most Leaders Are Playing Checkers With Artificial Intelligence | Kelly Monahan
Struggling to balance aggressive AI implementation with employee burnout and organizational wellbeing? Dr. Kelly Monahan, Managing Director at the Upwork Research Institute and former Future of Work Lead at Meta, joins Jeff to challenge how business leaders approach workforce transformation. In this episode, she breaks down why short-term cost-cutting undermines long-term innovation, how skills-ba
Skills-Based Hiring: How Vervoe's CEO Is Rebuilding the Interview | Omer Molad
Sending out resumes only to meet dead ends and radio silence? Omer Molad, Co-founder and CEO of Vervoe, joins Jeff to challenge how companies evaluate human potential entirely. In this episode, he breaks down why traditional resumes fail to predict performance, how Vervoe's audition-style simulations replace outdated screening methods, and why the future of talent acquisition belongs to skills-bas
From Cirque du Soleil to Career Coach: Why Your Resume Isn't Getting Past AI | Mindy May
Sending out hundreds of applications and getting silence in return? Mindy May, a Certified Career Coach and former HR Director with experience at companies including Cirque du Soleil, joins Jeff to challenge how most professionals approach the job search entirely. In this episode, she breaks down why positioning beats volume, how to turn your resume into a marketing document that gets noticed by b
Hiring Data Nobody Talks About | Jen Emmons
Most professionals approach a job search the same way they did a decade ago, and that mismatch is exactly what holds them back. Jen Emmons, a career coach and recruiting strategist with over 20 years in HR leadership, has built her practice around helping experienced professionals reframe their value in language that actually lands with recruiters and hiring managers. In this episode, she breaks d
Why Your Job Application Never Gets Seen and What AI Can't Fix About Hiring | Bob Pulver
What happens when AI starts making hiring decisions and no one is watching? Bob Pulver, a former Fortune 500 IT executive turned HR tech and AI ethics specialist, brings rare cross-functional expertise to one of the most consequential shifts in the modern workplace. In this conversation, he unpacks how AI is reshaping every stage of recruitment from sourcing to onboarding, what transparency and ac
She built Microsoft's Great Copilot Journey Program. Now, AI is her Co-Founder | Kristin Ginn
Are you navigating the challenges of AI implementation in your organization? Kristin Ginn shares practical insights from her experience designing programs like the Great Copilot Journey and founding trnsfrmAItn, emphasizing the importance of addressing the human side of AI adoption.Key TopicsKristin's background and how her tennis performance mindset influences her approach to AIThe significance o
Goldman Sachs. BCG. Then She Walked Away to Build a Brand | Kelly He-Sun
In this conversation, we discover how Kelly He-Sun navigated her impressive career from Goldman Sachs to BCG in her early 20s, and how she leveraged content creation and AI tools to build her personal brand. This episode offers actionable insights on top-down communication, systematized AI integration, and career development in a rapidly evolving work landscape.Key TopicsTransitioning from premier
Why Your Best Employees Leave — And How Artificial Intelligence Can Predict It First | Tysha Tolbert
In this conversation, Tysha Tolbert explores the critical intersection of artificial intelligence and human-centric coaching to transform workplace culture and organizational health. As a workforce futurist and the founder of pondHR, Ty shares how combining data-driven AI insights with personalized coaching can detect early signals of burnout, counter employee disengagement, and foster a deep sens
Hyper Adaptive: How to Rewire Your Entire Organization for AI | Melissa Reeve
In this episode, Melissa Reeve shares insights on transforming company cultures, workflows, and leadership practices to adapt to rapid technological change. She breaks down how organizations can move beyond outdated operating systems to thrive in the era of AI, offering practical frameworks and strategies for leaders committed to future-proofing their organizations.Key TopicsWhy current company sy
The Self-Made AI Champion: How She Built Her Career by Saying Yes to the Scary Stuff | Ashley Gross
In this conversation, Ashley Gross shares her journey from being a self-described workaholic to becoming a leading AI advocate. She breaks down how she leveraged artificial intelligence to help scale business revenue from $90 million to $115 million while simultaneously reclaiming her time. The discussion covers her proprietary AI Impact Alignment system, practical sourcing tools for LinkedIn, and
Beyond the Search Bar: How AI is Redefining Visibility for Small Business | Maria Elena Duron
In this conversation, Maria Elena Duron explores how small business owners can navigate digital transformation and rapid algorithmic shifts without losing their human touch. As a national Grow with Google Coach and founder of the Smart Brand System, she breaks down complex tech changes into clear marketing plans. The discussion covers how to balance AI tools with secure data governance, preserve a
The Recruiter Who Says Resumes Don't Matter & Beat the Giants with a 2-Person Firm | Bryan Lee
Bryan LeeBryan Lee, founder of Subgraph, shares innovative strategies for identifying and recruiting elite technical talent. Drawing on his background in competitive basketball, Bryan discusses systems thinking in recruitment, leveraging AI to compete with industry giants, and why full stack generalists are increasingly valuable over narrow specialists.Key TopicsWhy traditional hiring processes ov
The Generalist’s Revenge: How AI is Leveling the Professional Playing Field | Tim Cakir
Discover how AI can be transformed from a feared disruptor into a collaborative partner that boosts productivity, innovation, and human potential. Tim Cakir shares practical insights, success stories, and the ADOPT method to operationalize AI effectively.Key TopicsThe common pitfalls in AI projects and how most fail to generate real valueTurning teams into AI operators through the adopt methodThe
The Super Age: What Happens When Seniors Outnumber Children? It's Time To Prepare | Bradley Schurman
In this conversation, Bradley Schurman introduces the Geography of Prosperity, a free tool designed to help individuals and organizations navigate the demographic shifts of the "Super Age." Bradley explains how the tool ranks cities across five key dimensions to measure community potential and economic resilience. The discussion explores how aging workforces and geographic trends are reshaping the
Your Team is Using AI Right Now And It's Not Helping You | Chris Daigle
In this conversation, Chris Daigle explores how companies can effectively prepare their executive teams for the integration of artificial intelligence. He emphasizes that a successful AI strategy is impossible without a shared baseline understanding across all business domains. Chris discusses the common hurdles organizations face, including human friction and the gap between AI's potential and it
95% of Companies Are Failing At AI (And They Don't Even Know It) | Geoff Gibbins
In this conversation, Geoff Gibbins discusses the challenges organizations face in adopting AI technologies and the common pitfalls that lead to failure. He emphasizes the importance of rethinking workflows and processes rather than simply adding AI tools to existing systems. Geoff introduces CoreX, a tool designed to enhance collaboration between humans and AI, and explains how it assesses profic
AI Won't Save You But This Will | Susan Caesar
Explore how AI is transforming the workplace, emphasizing the importance of human skills, mindset, and ethical considerations. Susan Caesar shares insights from her experience at Airbnb and her work in AI, highlighting strategies for staying relevant and leveraging AI responsibly.Key TopicsThe shift from technology to human skills in the workplaceThe importance of mindset and human-centered design
Your Company Is Already Running The Numbers On Replacing You With AI | Stela Lupushor
In this conversation, Stela Lupushor discusses the evolving landscape of work, emphasizing the need for HR to adapt to new realities shaped by AI and changing employee expectations. She shares her journey from Moldova to becoming a leader in HR innovation, highlighting the importance of reframing traditional HR practices to focus on employee experience and value creation. The discussion also touch
LinkedIn's 1st CHRO: Why Learning Velocity Beats AI in 2026 | Steve Cadigan
The world of work isn't just changing; it is being completely redefined. In this episode, we sit down with Steve Cadigan, LinkedIn’s first Chief HR Officer and author of Workquake. Steve shares his expertise on the evolving landscape of work, talent retention, AI integration, and leadership in a rapidly changing world. Discover practical strategies for building resilient teams, embracing mistakes,
TRAILER: The Future of Work is Here. Are you ready?
Welcome to the "Unlock" phase of your career. > In this 90-second intro, host Jeff Midland breaks down why the "old way" of working is dying and how The Unlocked Professional will give you the cheat codes to lead the AI transition.What to expect every Wednesday starting April 1st:Architect vs. Worker: Strategies to move up the value chain.Human-Centric AI: How to use tools without losing your s
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