<![CDATA[Humanity Leads]]>Humanity Leads exists because the leadership conversation got too focused on tools and not enough on people. Founded by Tanner Bechtel — global technology executive and a sought-after voice on empathy, culture, and the human implications of AI — the platform spans a weekly podcast, executive coaching and consulting practice, and a growing archive of essays on leadership and technology. The thesis is simple and stubborn: the next decade of work won't be won by the leaders who automate the most. It will be won by the ones who stay most human while everything around them changes.

]]>www.humanityleads.comRiverside.fm (https://riverside.com)Sat, 25 Jul 2026 22:00:48 GMTMon, 18 May 2026 17:11:18 GMT60Tanner Bechtel<p>Humanity Leads exists because the leadership conversation got too focused on tools and not enough on people. Founded by Tanner Bechtel — global technology executive and a sought-after voice on empathy, culture, and the human implications of AI — the platform spans a weekly podcast, executive coaching and consulting practice, and a growing archive of essays on leadership and technology. The thesis is simple and stubborn: the next decade of work won't be won by the leaders who automate the most. It will be won by the ones who stay most human while everything around them changes.</p>episodicTanner Bechteltannerbechtel@gmail.comno<![CDATA[Treat Your Employees Like Children]]>In this episode, Tanner explores the challenge of culture change and the science behind behavior learning. It debunks the myth of change failure and emphasizes the importance of modeling and repetition in shaping organizational culture.

Takeaways

  • Culture change requires modeling and repetition
  • Behavior is learned through observation

Chapters

  • 00:00 The Challenge of Culture Change
  • 03:13 The Science of Behavior Learning
  • 11:04 The Myth of Change Failure
  • 13:24 Culture Watches Behavior
  • 16:45 Modeling and Psychological Safety
  • 19:30 The Power of Repetition

Sources:

]]>db09a950-c1ae-4176-9672-a199617329cdThu, 16 Jul 2026 23:47:48 GMT<p>In this episode, Tanner explores the challenge of culture change and the science behind behavior learning. It debunks the myth of change failure and emphasizes the importance of modeling and repetition in shaping organizational culture.</p><p></p><p>Takeaways</p><ul><li>Culture change requires modeling and repetition</li><li>Behavior is learned through observation</li></ul><p></p><p>Chapters</p><ul><li>00:00 The Challenge of Culture Change</li><li>03:13 The Science of Behavior Learning</li><li>11:04 The Myth of Change Failure</li><li>13:24 Culture Watches Behavior</li><li>16:45 Modeling and Psychological Safety</li><li>19:30 The Power of Repetition</li></ul><p></p><p>Sources:</p><ul><li><a rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.simplypsychology.org/bobo-doll.html" target="_blank">Bandura, Ross &amp; Ross (1961) — Bobo doll</a></li><li><a rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://womenofscienceblog.com/carla-shatz-cells-that-fire-together-wire-together-said-carla-not-hebb/" target="_blank">Carla Shatz coined "fire together, wire together"</a></li><li><a rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/14697017.2011.630506" target="_blank">Mark Hughes (2011) — 70% change-failure myth</a></li><li><a rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0749597805000397" target="_blank">Brown &amp; Treviño (2005) — ethical leadership / social learning</a></li><li><a rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://philpapers.org/rec/CHATCE-6" target="_blank">Chartrand &amp; Bargh (1999) — the chameleon effect</a></li><li><a rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www-2.rotman.utoronto.ca/~scote/SyetalJAP.pdf" target="_blank">Sy, Côté &amp; Saavedra (2005) — the contagious leader</a></li><li><a rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.2307/2666999" target="_blank">Edmondson (1999) — psychological safety</a></li><li><a rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://rework.withgoogle.com/intl/en/guides/understand-team-effectiveness" target="_blank">Google Project Aristotle — re:Work</a></li><li><a rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://selfdeterminationtheory.org/SDT/documents/2000_RyanDeci_SDT.pdf" target="_blank">Deci &amp; Ryan — Self-Determination Theory</a></li><li><a rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/ejsp.674" target="_blank">Lally et al. (2010) — 66 days to a habit</a></li></ul>no00:14:533Treat Your Employees Like Childrenfull<![CDATA[How to Stop Judging People Instantly (The Empathy Map Exercise)]]>In this episode Tanner delves into the power of empathy and its critical role in leadership, emphasizing the need to understand and connect with others on a deeper level.

It highlights the Bart Simpson exercise and the empathy map as tools for cultivating empathy and understanding.

The episode also explores the impact of judgment, the iceberg principle, and the distinction between empathy and sympathy. It concludes with a focus on empathy as a practice and the competitive advantage it offers to leaders.

Takeaways

  • Empathy is a powerful tool for understanding and connecting with others.
  • Leaders who prioritize empathy and understanding will have a competitive advantage in the age of AI.

Chapters

  • 00:00 The Power of Empathy
  • 03:22 The Bart Simpson Exercise
  • 05:15 The Empathy Map
  • 07:32 The Weight of Judgment
  • 10:13 The Iceberg Principle
  • 11:10 Empathy vs. Sympathy
  • 12:22 The Age of AI and Empathy
  • 14:58 Empathy as a Practice
  • 16:37 The Leader's Advantage
]]>99b23fda-ab24-44de-864e-f5b4aebf48edWed, 08 Jul 2026 17:57:13 GMT<p>In this episode Tanner delves into the power of empathy and its critical role in leadership, emphasizing the need to understand and connect with others on a deeper level. <br /><br />It highlights the Bart Simpson exercise and the empathy map as tools for cultivating empathy and understanding. <br /><br />The episode also explores the impact of judgment, the iceberg principle, and the distinction between empathy and sympathy. It concludes with a focus on empathy as a practice and the competitive advantage it offers to leaders.</p><p></p><p>Takeaways</p><ul><li>Empathy is a powerful tool for understanding and connecting with others.</li><li>Leaders who prioritize empathy and understanding will have a competitive advantage in the age of AI.</li></ul><p></p><p>Chapters</p><ul><li>00:00 The Power of Empathy</li><li>03:22 The Bart Simpson Exercise</li><li>05:15 The Empathy Map</li><li>07:32 The Weight of Judgment</li><li>10:13 The Iceberg Principle</li><li>11:10 Empathy vs. Sympathy</li><li>12:22 The Age of AI and Empathy</li><li>14:58 Empathy as a Practice</li><li>16:37 The Leader's Advantage</li></ul>no00:16:402How to Stop Judging People Instantly (The Empathy Map Exercise)full<![CDATA[The Four Questions]]>The most effective leadership framework I've ever used, I didn't find in a boardroom. I built it at my kitchen table — for nine-year-olds.

Every night at six o'clock, before anyone picked up a fork, my kids knew four questions were coming. I thought I was making dinner. I was building leaders.


In this first episode of Humanity Leads, executive coach and 20-year technology leader Tanner Bechtel breaks down a simple, repeatable leadership framework — four questions that quietly build self-awareness, accountability, gratitude, and a genuine instinct to serve. Then he shows why the sharpest leaders ask the same four questions of themselves, their teams, and anyone they're trying to develop.


The four questions:

  1. What are you most proud of?
  2. What would you change?
  3. What are you grateful for?
  4. What did you do to help someone?


The thesis underneath it all: the best leadership frameworks aren't invented in conference rooms — they come from being a good human first. As work gets more automated and more uncertain, the leaders who know how to measure their humanity, not just their output, are the ones this decade will belong to.


Your challenge this week: pick one of the four questions and ask it in your next 1:1. Then notice what changes.

If this resonated, subscribe and turn on notifications so you don't miss the next episode — and leave a comment with the question you're going to ask first.


LISTEN & CONNECT
Apple Podcasts:
Spotify:
Newsletter:
Web: humanityleads.com
Instagram: @HumanityLeadsHQ
LinkedIn:

#Leadership #ExecutiveCoaching #HumanityLeads

]]>d9bb9d01-30a7-4a02-8865-1a63a23a911bThu, 25 Jun 2026 23:19:46 GMT<p>The most effective leadership framework I've ever used, I didn't find in a boardroom. I built it at my kitchen table — for nine-year-olds.<br /></p><p>Every night at six o'clock, before anyone picked up a fork, my kids knew four questions were coming. I thought I was making dinner. I was building leaders.</p><p><br />In this first episode of Humanity Leads, executive coach and 20-year technology leader Tanner Bechtel breaks down a simple, repeatable leadership framework — four questions that quietly build self-awareness, accountability, gratitude, and a genuine instinct to serve. Then he shows why the sharpest leaders ask the same four questions of themselves, their teams, and anyone they're trying to develop.</p><p><br /><b>The four questions:</b></p><ol><li>What are you most proud of?</li><li>What would you change?</li><li>What are you grateful for?</li><li>What did you do to help someone?</li></ol><p><br />The thesis underneath it all: the best leadership frameworks aren't invented in conference rooms — they come from being a good human first. As work gets more automated and more uncertain, the leaders who know how to measure their humanity, not just their output, are the ones this decade will belong to.</p><p><br />Your challenge this week: pick one of the four questions and ask it in your next 1:1. Then notice what changes.<br /><br />If this resonated, subscribe and turn on notifications so you don't miss the next episode — and leave a comment with the question you're going to ask first.</p><p><br /><b>LISTEN &amp; CONNECT</b><br />Apple Podcasts: <br />Spotify: <br />Newsletter: <br />Web: <a rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="http://humanityleads.com" target="_blank">humanityleads.com</a><br />Instagram: @HumanityLeadsHQ<br />LinkedIn:</p><p>#Leadership #ExecutiveCoaching #HumanityLeads</p>no00:14:361The Four Questionsfull