Zach Mercurio 
A decade ago, computer scientist Geoffrey Hinton, sometimes called the “godfather of AI,” told an audience, “People should stop training radiologists now.” Hinton’s prediction was based on AI’s increasing ability to analyze complex images, one of a radiologist’s core tasks. His prediction echoed an often-repeated assumption: that automating major parts of a job eliminates the … Read more
A couple of years ago, a supervisor asked me to work with a group of supposedly “unmotivated” maintenance workers. One of their daily summer responsibilities was washing the buildings’ bottom floor windows in a large complex. I interviewed each employee and asked, “If you were running this place, what would you do differently?” These were … Read more
There’s no shortage of “be caring” advice for leaders — and for a good reason. Surveys show that about 50% of people don’t feel valued at work, almost 30% feel “invisible,” and just 24% think their employer cares about their well-being. For organizations, the caring deficit is consequential. Feeling disrespected and undervalued can be almost ten times more predictive of turnover than … Read more
Last month, the U.S. Surgeon General named “mattering at work” a top priority for improving mental health. The announcement reaffirms what we’ve known for many years: Mattering and well-being are inseparable, especially where humans spend 35% of their waking lives. The official call to prioritize mattering at work is the culmination of several conspiring forces … Read more
I can’t forget the smell, like the aftermath of banging two rocks together as a kid. This time, it was the reek of the driver’s side of my pickup scraping across the asphalt after it flipped. Pieces of glass sprayed my face and settled in my weekend slip-on shoes. The right side of my face … Read more