Podcast

Does your job meet your needs and if not, what changes can you make to ensure it’s a more fulfilling aspect of your life? Dr. Michelle Penelope King is a globally recognized expert on inequality and organizational culture, and the bestselling author of The Fix: How to Overcome the Invisible Barriers that are Holding Women Back at Work and How Work Works: The Subtle Science of Getting Ahead Without Losing Yourself.

From speaking across the world to being the head of UN Women’s Global Innovation Coalition for Change, and being the founder of a global consultancy called The Culture Practice, Michelle lends her expertise to advance gender equality and enhance global opportunity and achievement for women in each of her roles. In this episode, Rohit Bhargava and Dr. Michelle Penelope King discuss topics inspired by How Work Works, including the importance of finding meaning and worth in your career, reflecting on the true diversity of your team, setting an achievable goal for excelling your position, and preparing for the next generation of workers, there are always ways we can grow in our work and create a more positive, lasting impact upon retirement.

What does status mean today? Executive producer, editor, and author Chuck Thompson explores this question and the evolution of status in his book The Status Revolution: The Improbable Story of How the Lowbrow Became the Highbrow.

In this episode, Rohit Bhargava and Chuck Thompson discuss topics inspired by the book, including the neuroscience behind dopamine boosts from luxury consumerism, the new-found elite status of dog rescuers, and the debate of claiming privilege versus status.

Is the future disabled? Ashley Shew, an associate professor of Science, Technology, and Society at Virginia Tech explores this question and writes for those who will become disabled in her book Against Technoableism: Rethinking Who Needs Improvement.

In this episode, Rohit Bhargava and Ashley Shew discuss topics inspired by the book, including re-thinking who needs improvement, the five main tropes for disability narratives, de-cyborgafying, and the growth of opportunity for disabled people in space.

Original Release Date: August 13, 2024
Does everything happen for a reason or is it all just flukes? Brian Klaas, a professor of Global Politics at University College London, writer, podcaster, and researcher explores this question and why things happen in his book Fluke: Chance, Chaos, and Why Everything We Do Matters.

In this episode, Rohit Bhargava and Brian Klaas discuss topics inspired by the book, including Kokura’s Luck, chaos theory, the paradox of 21st century life, and the non-obvious stuff that often sways history.

Original Release Date: August 6, 2024
What will it take to transform the way the world views time? Richard Fisher, a senior journalist with BBC Global News, explores this question and shares ways to expand our minds into deeper time scales in his book The Long View: Why We Need to Transform How the World Sees Time.

In this episode, Rohit Bhargava and Richard Fisher discuss topics inspired by the book, including short termism in business and consumerism, the continuity time view, the impact of science fiction, and the encouragement of existential hope.

Original Release Date: July 31, 2024
Would you know fraud when you see it or are you committing some fraud yourself? Kelly Richmond Pope is a nationally recognized expert and professor in forensic accounting who spent years interviewing fraud perpetrators before switching to learning from the victims. In her book, Fool Me Once: Scams, Stories, and Secrets from the Trillion-Dollar Fraud Industry, Kelly shares insight on the various ways fraud is committed and how to prevent yourself from becoming a victim.

In this episode, Rohit Bhargava and Kelly Richmond Pope discuss topics inspired by the book, including the different types of perpetrators, the acceptance of fraud in business, and the psychological damage of fraud on victims. Kelly also shares a red flag list to help you avoid becoming a victim, including not trusting people who still use HotMail.

Original Release Date: April 30, 2024
Could a workaround solve your problem? Paulo Savaget is an award-winning researcher and professor of engineering entrepreneurship who went on a three year journey to study how people invent workarounds to solve problems. In his book,The Four Workarounds: Strategies from the World’s Scrappiest Organizations for Tackling Complex Problems, he shares his experience and findings in hopes of inspiring others to value workarounds and the possible big changes they enable.

In this episode, Rohit Bhargava and Paulo Savaget discuss topics inspired by the book, including the four types of workarounds with case examples, the ethics of loopholes, and the innovations of smaller organizations that large corporations can learn from.

Original Release Date: April 16, 2024
Do you know how social media really works? Tobias Rose-Stockwell’s research on how tech amplifies discontent and disrupts democracy has inspired leading tech companies to adopt key interventions to reduce toxicity and polarization. In his book, Outrage Machine, he combines this research with personal anecdotes to create a guide to understanding how the internet has broken our brains and how we can fix it.

In this episode, Rohit Bhargava and Tobias Rose-Stockwell discuss topics inspired by the book, including why we become emotionally arrested by content, content that flirts with the extreme to gain engagement, and the process of changing minds when we live in a period of constant news and opinions.

Original Release Date: April 2, 2024
How To Work With (Almost) Anyone: featuring Michael Bungay Stanier, the award-winning author of The Coaching Habits, as well as teacher and speaker who has sold over 1.5 million books, shares solutions to this question in his book How to Work With (Almosn) Anyone.

In this episode, Rohit Bhargava and Michael Bungay Stanier discuss topics inspired by the book, including keystone conversations, how to stay human when working with people, and his mission to infect everyone with the “possibility virus.”

Original Release Date: March 19, 2024
How do big things get done? Bent Flyvberg and Dan Gardner explore this question and the pattern of failed megaprojects in their book How Big Things Get Done: The Surprising Factors That Determine the Fate of Every Project, from Home Renovations to Space Exploration and Everything In Between. Bent Flyvbjerg is the first BT Professor and inaugural Chair of Major Programme Management at the University of Oxford’s Saïd Business School, Villum Kann Rasmussen Professor and Chair at the IT University of Copenhagen. Dan Gardner is the New York Times best-selling author of books about psychology and decision-making.

In this episode, Rohit Bhargava, Bent Flyvbjerg, and Dan Gardner discuss topics inspired by the book, including fat-tailed risks, stories of success, why many projects start wrong, mastering project leadership, and how to focus on people rather than technology.

Original Release Date: March 5, 2024
How often do you think about your pockets? Hannah Carlson, an author and lecturer in dress history and material culture at the Rhode Island School of Design, explores this question and the history of pockets in her book Pockets: An Intimate History of How We Keep Things Close.

In this episode, Rohit Bhargava and Hannah Carlson discuss topics inspired by the book, including the evolution of pockets, pocket-sized inventions, pocket sexism in the fashion industry, and the history of pockets in literature.

Original Release Date: February 13, 2024
How will you tell your life story and are you thinking about it right now? James R. Hagerty, an obituary writer, author, and previous reporter, editor, and bureau chief for The Wall Street Journal and the International Herald Tribune, explores these questions and shares tips for writing obituaries in his book Yours Truly: An Obituary Writer’s Guide to Telling Your Story.

In this episode, Rohit Bhargava and James R. Hagerty discuss topics inspired by the book, including why to start writing your obituary when you’re young, how to start writing an obituary plus things not to include, and tips for recording family history while managing the accuracy of memories.

Original Release Date: February 13, 2024
What is afrofuturism and how can we develop a powerful view of the future for African Americans through a cultural lens? Dr. Kevin Strait, the Museum Curator of the National Museum of African American History and Culture, explores these questions and the exhibition in DC as one of the editors for the book Afrofuturism.

In this episode, Rohit Bhargava and Dr. Kevin Strait discuss topics inspired by the book, including afrofuturistic literature, rewriting the historical narrative of afrofuturism to reconsider how African Americans are viewed and view themselves, the driver of African American culture, and reviving the platform for free thinking.

Original Release Date: January 30, 2024
How do we bring more culture into the work that we do? Marcus Collins, an award-winning marketer, cultural translator, professor, and author, explores this question and how culture is the most powerful vehicle for influencing behavior in his book For the Culture: The Power Behind What We Buy, What We Do, and Who We Want to Be.

In this episode, Rohit Bhargava and Dr. Marcus Collins discuss topics inspired by the book, including the types and risks of cultural appropriation, the anemia of cultural connection, byproducts of our cultural subscription, and how we can better practice cultural appreciation as a society.

What does status mean today? Executive producer, editor, and author Chuck Thompson explores this question and the evolution of status in his book The Status Revolution: The Improbable Story of How the Lowbrow Became the Highbrow.

In this episode, Rohit Bhargava and Chuck Thompson discuss topics inspired by the book, including the neuroscience behind dopamine boosts from luxury consumerism, the new-found elite status of dog rescuers, and the debate of claiming privilege versus status.

Originally aired: November 11, 2023
“How do you become coachable in order to transform your life and career? Jacquelyn Lane and Scott Osman are two renowned coaching experts who co-authored the book “Becoming Coachable: Unleashing the Power of Executive Coaching to Transform Your Leadership and Life” with the world’s top executive coach – Marshall Goldsmith. Jacquelyn Lane is the president of the 100 Coaches Agency, with her work and studies focusing on conscious capitalism and entrepreneurship as a means to create sustainable solutions globally. Scott Osman is the founding CEO of the 100 Coaches Agency, and is well known as a thought leader in the area of purpose strategy. “Becoming Coachable” invites readers to tap into their fullest potential and become better leaders, collaborators, and members of society.

In this episode, Rohit Bhargava, Jacquelyn Lane, and Scott Osman discuss topics inspired by the book, including what it means to be coachable, non-obvious misconceptions about the field, and the benefits of learning from someone who has walked in similar – but not the exact same – shoes. “

Originally aired: October 15, 2023
“How do you deal with difficult people to create better harmony at work? Amy Gallo is a workplace expert, speaker, and contributing editor at Harvard Business Review. Her work specializes in effective communication, interpersonal dynamics, gender, difficult conversations, and feedback. Her bestselling book, “Getting Along,” delves into the challenges of working with difficult people and gives insight on how to communicate empathetically in order to create a positive working environment.

In this episode, Rohit Bhargava and Amy Gallo discuss topics inspired by the book, including the eight archetypes of difficult people, developing interpersonal resilience, and how we need to be open-minded in order to find common ground and collaborate to work together. “

Originally aired: September 15, 2023
“How do you make influence your superpower and make more good things happen? Zoe Chance teaches the most popular course at the Yale School of Management, “Mastering Influence and Persuasion,” and has a new book out called, “Influence is Your Superpower: The Science of Winning Hearts, Sparking Change, and Making Good Things Happen” where she delves into the realms of persuasion and decision-making.

In this episode, Rohit Bhargava and Zoe Chance discuss topics inspired by the book, including influence techniques and strategies that are both comfortable for you and those you speak to, why it’s harder to negotiate as women, and why the secret to being influential is being influenceable.”

Originally aired: August 15, 2023
“How do you deal with difficult people to create better harmony at work? Amy Gallo is a workplace expert, speaker, and contributing editor at Harvard Business Review. Her work specializes in effective communication, interpersonal dynamics, gender, difficult conversations, and feedback. Her bestselling book, “Getting Along,” delves into the challenges of working with difficult people and gives insight on how to communicate empathetically in order to create a positive working environment.

In this episode, Rohit Bhargava and Amy Gallo discuss topics inspired by the book, including the eight archetypes of difficult people, developing interpersonal resilience, and how we need to be open-minded in order to find common ground and collaborate to work together. “

Originally aired: July 15, 2023
What does it take to unlearn history in order to build a more just future for everyone? Dolly Chugh is an award-winning psychologist and professor of social psychology and management at the New York University Stern School of Business

In this episode, Rohit Bhargava and Dolly Chugh explore why we need to focus on being good-ish people rather than just good, the importance of understanding, noticing, and doing better than our country’s mistakes, and how incorporating more storytelling into history education could be the stepping stone to filling the gaps within our history for future generations. Here is Dolly Chugh sharing what it takes to unlearn history on this week’s episode of the Non-Obvious Show.

Originally aired: June 15, 2023
“How do we demystify data and measurement? Neil Hoyne has centered his career around championing the universal accessibility of data-driven actionable insights. As Google’s Chief Measurement Strategy and Global Head of Customer Analytics, he pioneers strategies for customer lifetime value, marketing attribution, dynamic pricing, content personalization, and truly democratized data. His bestselling book, Converted, aims to make data science more approachable for anyone in the form of a field guide for business growth.

In this episode, Rohit Bhargava and Neil Hoyne discuss topics inspired by the book, including what it takes to better understand data, focus on what really matters, and get better at using the data that is now available at your fingertips to improve your marketing, as well as increase your overall understanding of how data and measurement actually works and what the numbers are really telling you.”

Originally aired: May 15, 2023
How do you fight workplace gender bias? What happens when a “band” of top female executives gather together to share their hard earned knowledge about how to succeed in the boardroom (or any other room) by conquering the gender biases that are so often faced by executives from minority groups. Angelique Bellmer Krembs, Katie Lacey, Lori Marcus, Cie Nicholson, & Mitzi Short wrote You Should Smile More to empower women and men to unlock a culture of greatness in the workforce, offering a new lens through which to talk about and tackle the stubborn remnants of gender bias at work.

In this episode, Rohit Bhargava and The Band of Sisters discuss topics inspired by the book, including teaching you some of the best coping strategies, what really works and what doesn’t, how to lead a team no matter who’s on it and how to deal with conflict if and when it happens.

Originally aired: May 1, 2023
Is the future analog? David Sax is an award-winning journalist and keynote speaker, specializing in dissecting the intersection of business and culture. His latest book, The Future Is Analog, is a manifesto for a more human future. One in which we innovate for the good of social and cultural lives, and build a future that first and foremost serves us as humans.

In this episode, Rohit Bhargava and David Sax dive into the timely cost of going digital, the way in which the evolution of our communication skills is altered by social media, and how to create a more human world.

Originally aired: April 15, 2023
How do you make changes your business needs? Popular small business marketing expert and radio show host Barry J. Moltz has discovered the formula to get business owners unstuck. He focuses on marketing and sales, leadership and management, cash flow and money, the customer experience and productivity. His award-winning book Changemasters exposes the true reasons why so many small business owners pay for expensive advice, agree to take action … and then never follow through.

In this episode, Rohit Bhargava and Barry J. Moltz explain the confusion between intention versus action, how to get unstuck in your business, and why starting with small changes can lead to long-term sustainable changes.

Originally aired: March 15, 2023
How do we create a more inclusive world? Ellen Lupton, Kaleena Sales, and Valentine Vergara are part of a diverse group of creators who wrote Extra Bold – a Feminist, Inclusive, Anti-racist, Nonbinary Field Guide for Graphic Designers. This groundbreaking design guide for anyone who works in (or loves) design about how to rethink the assumptions and traditional mindsets that sometimes hold designers and the organizations who employ them back.

In this episode, Rohit Bhargava, Ellen Lupton, Kaleena Sales, and Valentine Vergara talk about how designers can shift their thinking, how the rest of us can elevate and promote more diversity in design, and what a world that has more inclusive design might look like.

Originally aired: February 15, 2023
Can humor help you find better ideas? “Marketoonist” Tom Fishburne is an international keynote speaker and marketer specializing in cartoons, digital transformation, and the future of work. His book, Your Ad Ignored Here, depicts the modern marketing life, capturing 15 years of marketing, business, and doodling, while giving voice to the challenges and opportunities faced by people working in business everywhere.

In this episode, Rohit Bhargava and Tom Fishburne explore what role humor should play in your marketing, the revolutionary potential of cartoons, and finding the humor in deep topics to strengthen impact.

Originally aired: January 15, 2023
How have women shaped the exercise industry? Danielle Friedman is an award-winning journalist and the author of. Her book Let’s Get Physical: How Women Discovered Exercise and Reshaped the World explores the untold history of women’s exercise culture while debunking myths and reveals how this physical strength has transformed into other forms of power.

In this episode, Rohit Bhargava and Danielle Friedman explore the history of women’s fitness, discrimination in the industry, and the groundbreaking women who changed it for generations.

Originally aired: December 15, 2022
How do you get people talking about race? Imagine taking a year off to travel to every state in America, sleep on the couches of strangers and tap random people on the shoulder to start a dialog about race. If that’s hard enough to picture, now consider doing it while you’re still a teenager. This unique journey inspired my next guests Priya Vulchi and Winona Guo to create a new curriculum for racial literacy and a book inspired by the experience called Tell Me Who You Are.

In our time together, squeezed between two classes, we talk about the original inspiration for their trip, what answers surprised them and what they both plan to do next now that they are graduating.

Originally aired: November 15, 2022

How do you talk to a racist? Dr. David Wiley Campt, aka The Dialogue Guy, is a renowned speaker, master facilitator, and author. He has over 25 years of experience working as an anti-racism trainer and founded The Dialogue Company and the White Ally Toolkit. His latest book How to Talk to Racists educates anti-racism allies on engaging in transformative discourse about race and other polarizing conversations.

In this episode, Dr. David W. Campt the science behind rage as an instinctive reaction, how the race method can help with difficult conversations, and managing your image for speaking opportunities.

Originally aired: October 15, 2022
What is the truth behind college admissions? New York Times bestselling author Jeff Selingo has written about higher education for over two years, including regular contributions to The Atlantic, New York Times, and the Washington Post. When not writing, he is a special advisor to the president and professor of practice at Arizona State University, and co-hosts the Future U podcast.

In this episode, Jeff Selingo takes you inside the college admissions process, and offers an unusual look at how to really get into college and what mistakes to avoid.

Originally aired: September 15, 2022
What are the secrets to brand transformation? Brand guru Emmanuel Probst is the Wall Street Journal bestselling author of Assemblage, the Global Lead of Brand Growth & Thought Leadership at Ipsos, and teaches Consumer Market Research at UCLA.

In this episode, Emmanuel Probst reveals the secrets of building an enduring brand, what mistakes marketers often make when trying to grow their brand loyalty, and how the world’s most successful brands thrive by connecting deeply with their audiences.

Originally aired: August 15, 2022
How do you support female leaders? Corporate inclusion visionary, Deepa Purushothaman encourages companies and individuals to challenge the status quo of ambition, success and power through her seasoned advisory approach to leadership. Her internationally acclaimed book “The First, The Few, The Only” is a deeply personal call to action for women of color to redefine power in corporate America.

In this episode, Deepa Purushothaman talks about the real challenges that women of color face, and some proven ideas for how to overcome them.

Originally aired: June 15, 2022
What does your digital body language convey? Erica Dhawan is an award winning keynote speaker and the Wall Street Journal bestselling author of Digital Body Language. As the founder and CEO of Cotential, Erica has helped leaders and teams leverage twenty-first-century collaboration skills globally, helping them innovate faster and further, together.

In this episode, Erica Dhawan digs into how gender affects communication, bringing empathy into digital body language, and how understanding body language could de-escalate violent situations.

Originally aired: May 15, 2022
How do you get people to support you? Suneel Gupta is a bestselling author, renowned speaker, Harvard Medical School visiting scholar, and host of a global documentary series called Business Class on Amazon Prime. Once seen as the “face of failure” in the New York Times, Suneel understands that the road to success is not always smooth, has learned from his mistakes, and went on to become a founding CEO of wellness app RISE.

In this episode, Suneel Gupta defines exhibition matches, the importance of backable people, and the positive domino effect of women in the workforce.

Originally aired: April 15, 2022
How do you become an epic gift-giver? John Ruhlin is a gifting expert, keynote speaker, and author of Giftology. He has been called “the world’s greatest gift giver” and helped people and organizations around the world to rethink how they use gifts to retain customers, win hearts, and cut through the noise.

In this episode, John Ruhlin explains how gifts can bring in referrals for businesses, lists examples of bad gifts, and shares the recipe of what he calls “giftology.”

Originally aired: March 15, 2022
How does ownership really work? Michael Heller and James Salzman explore the six simple rules that everyone uses to claim everything in their new book Mine!. Michael Heller is a Professor of Real Estate Law at Columbia Law School, and is the author and co-author of multiple books. James Salzman is a Professor of Environmental Law at UCLA and UC Santa Barbara, and is the author and co-author of numerous bestselling books.

In this episode, Michael Heller and James Salazman discuss possession versus ownership, the growing complications of digital ownership, and how ownership of original resources is claimed.

Originally aired: January 15, 2022
What has caused the death of common sense? Martin Lindstrom is a bestselling author, consumer branding expert, and named one of TIME Magazine’s “World’s 100 Most Influential People.” He’s the founder and chairman of Lindstrom Company, the world’s leading brand & culture transformation group, with clients such as Seth Godin and Tyra Banks. His latest book, The Ministry of Common Sense, is a Wall Street Journal Bestseller and a humorous yet practical guide to ridding ourselves — and our companies — of bureaucratic red tape.

In this episode, Martin Lindstrom discusses how empathy is dying, the benefits of consumer insight, and why he feels the best solution is for more organizations and governments around the world should create a ministry of common sense.

Originally aired: December 15, 2021
Why is ​​collaboration overrated? Safi Bahcall is a former public company CEO, second-generation physicist, biotech entrepreneur, and the author of international bestseller Loonshots. Today Safi advises CEOs and leadership teams on strategy and innovation, and has delivered keynote presentations at industry conferences, investor events, leadership retreats, medical meetings, and leading academic institutions around the world.

In this episode, Safi Bahcall goes behind the mindsets required to see the world a little differently, explores why a focus on collaboration might counterintuitively hold us back from innovating in some situations and why thinking like a physicist just might offer a path to solving some of the world’s biggest problems.

Originally aired: November 15, 2021
What is the power of outsider thinking? Beth Comstock is an American business executive, advisor, nature conservationist, and the author of Imagine It Forward: Courage, Creativity and the Power of Change. She has spent more than three decades leading communications at GE and has been named to both the Fortune and Forbes lists of the world’s most powerful women.

In this episode, Beth Comstock talks about embracing change, finding courage, conquering your fears and imagining a better future.

Originally aired: September 15, 2021
How do you develop big ideas? Daniel H. Pink is a #1 New York Times Bestselling author whose seven books have won numerous awards and sold millions of copies around the world in over 40 languages. Prior to this, he was the chief speechwriter for Vice President Al Gore and the host and co-executive producer of “Crowd Control” on the National Geographic Channel.

In this episode, we discuss Pink’s insights about business, culture, and his latest initiative researching human regrets and how we feel about them.

Originally aired: October 15, 2021
What makes someone remarkable? Guy Kawasaki is the Chief Evangelist of Canva and the creator of the Remarkable People podcast. He was one of the original marketing voices at Apple working under Steve Jobs and is a trustee of the Wikipedia Foundation.

In this episode, we talk about Guy’s criteria for finding great podcast guests, how he decides what products to evangelize, and the responsibility we all have toward thinking for ourselves when it comes to running the world, running businesses or voting.