Workestration

Stela Lupushor and Donna Scarola

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Technology

Work, technology, skills. re-orchestrated. Hosted by HR practitioners Donna Scarola and Stela Lupushor, workestration.ai spotlights AI innovation and what it means for people, teams, and results. Each episode brings Doers (HR leaders), Builders (startup founders, consultants), and Shapers (economists, ethicists, computer scientists) to share what’s working, what isn’t, and what to try now.

May 18

Synthetic Consumers, Real Culture: AI adoption at Colgate-Palmolive | Michaela Schoberova

Michaela Schoberova, SVP HR for Global Commercial Transformation at Colgate-Palmolive, on what 20+ years inside one company taught her about running AI experiments without breaking the culture. Stela Lupushor (Donna is off this week) gets into: Colgate's proprietary digital consumer twins and how they compress early-stage product innovationWhether you can, or should, build synthetic employees the same wayThe AI Hub, mandated short training, and broad access behind a firewall"Super You" peer cohorts: why voluntary, role-specific learning beats top-down trainingWhere AI grows the business vs. where it just cuts costCoaching at scale, knowledge management, learning velocityThe positive psychology lens on AI: character strengths, human relationships, and what we risk losingLeadership for a BANI world (brittle, anxious, non-linear, incomprehensible): empathy, clarity, agencyWhat HR will regret in three years if we don't act nowReferences from the episode: "The GenAI Focus Shifts to Innovation at Colgate-Palmolive" (MIT Sloan Management Review, Davenport & Bean)"Navigating the Age of Chaos" by Jamais Cascio, Bob Johansen, and Angela F. Williams (2025)Anna Gallotti, MCC, Chair, ICF Task Force on AI in CoachingMore at workestration.ai.

45 min
May 11

The 21st Century Renaissance Workplace: HR in the Age of AI

On the Workestration podcast, hosts Stela Lupushor and Donnas Scarola speak with Jeff Schwartz (VP at Gloat, author of “Work Disrupted” and “Workforce Ecosystems,” and Columbia Business School professor) about navigating the future of work in 2026 as AI accelerates. Schwartz argues leaders need “new maps” to move beyond old either/or frames (human vs. machine, employee vs. contractor) and focus on integrated automation and augmentation, super teams, and work orchestration. The conversation explores the shift from pilots to enterprise AI, the need to redesign work around outcomes rather than optimize existing processes, and the idea of “renaissance” roles enabled by AI (illustrated with radiology). Schwartz highlights Deloitte data that 84% of companies haven’t started redesigning work, emphasizes workforce ecosystems that include employees, contractors, and technology, and discusses evolving expectations for HR and managers as designers, coaches, and navigators, alongside concerns about individual adaptation, organizational speed, and public policy transition nets. 00:00 Welcome to Workestration 00:39 Meet Jeff Schwartz 02:10 New Maps for Work 06:23 Beyond AI vs Human 09:34 From Pilots to Redesign 14:35 Rethinking Jobs and Careers 24:08 Beyond Work Disrupted 29:28 Renaissance Work Example 33:14 Reimagining HR for 2030 42:55 Workforce Ecosystems Shift 45:03 What Keeps Jeff Up 47:58 HR as Navigators 50:08 Closing and Part Two You can contact Jeff at: Email: jeff.s@gloat.com; jls2387@columbia.com Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeff-schwartz-future-of-work-disrupted/ Websites: gloat.com; https://www.fowdisrupted.com/; https://business.columbia.edu/faculty/people/jeffrey-schwartz

51 min
Mar 4

From Davos to the Workplace: Practical AI, Radical Uncertainty, and Talent Transformation with Yelena Mammadova, EdD

On the Workestration podcast, hosts Donna Scarola and Stela Lupushor speak with Yelena Mammadova Ed.D, fresh from Davos, about three themes shaping the 2026 AI trajectory: more grounded, pragmatic AI discussions (constraints like energy and ROI, plus societal impact), leadership in “radical uncertainty,” and the widening gap between technology advancement and people readiness. Yelena argues AI value must be judged by society, not just tech companies, and emphasizes that adoption requires workflow redesign, transparency, explainability, and safe space to experiment and fail forward. She describes her role at Microsoft at the intersection of product strategy and workforce transformation, building “people products” that interpret talent using observed, declared, and increasingly powerful inferred skills from work activity signals. The conversation covers intentional talent mobility, challenges of becoming truly skills-based, and Yelena’s personal AI use via a Researcher agent while writing a book. 00:00 Introduction to the Workestration Podcast 01:25 Insights from Davos: AI and Leadership 04:53 The Role of HR in AI Transformation 08:52 Yelena's Career Journey and Role 10:37 Building AI-Powered Tools for the Workforce 18:19 AI and Skills Data: Observations and Challenges 31:40 The Future of Skills-Based Organizations 34:21 Personal Use of AI and Final Thoughts 40:10 Conclusion and Forward-Looking Statements

43 min
Jan 15

Culture Eats AI for Breakfast with Steve Garguilo, Cultivate

In this episode of the Workestration podcast, hosts Donna and Stela welcome Steve Garguilo, CEO and Founder of Cultivate, a boutique consultancy that helps science-led companies build thriving cultures. Steve draws on 15 years of experience at global giants like Johnson & Johnson, Chevron, and Mars to discuss how organizations can navigate the intersection of human behavior and emerging technology. The conversation dives deep into why culture is the prerequisite for successful AI integration and how leadership must shift from a "scarcity" to an "abundance" mindset.

43 min
Jan 4

Episode 3. Team Human? Team Machine? And Us (p2 of 2)

In this episode of the Workestration podcast, hosts Donna and Stela welcome Douglas Rushkoff and Amar Bakshi, co-founders of Andus Labs. The conversation explores the evolving nature of work in the AI era, touching on themes such as the historical control over labor, the future of meaningful work, and the societal implications of artificial intelligence. Douglas and Amar discuss the potential for AI to restore human-centric, value-based work environments and the importance of collective action. They also reflect on how HR leaders can navigate these changes and the innovative approaches of Andus Labs in fostering a generative mindset within organizations. The discussion emphasizes the need for authenticity, human connection, and the re-imagination of value in the workplace.00:00 Team Human? Team Machine? And Us (p2) w/Douglas Rushkoff & Amar Bakshi co-founders of Andus Labs02:28 Introduction and Welcome02:38 The Changing Meaning of Work03:45 Reconnecting Work with Human Needs05:34 The Role of AI in the Future of Work06:30 Shared Studios and the Importance of Purpose10:05 The Impact of Automation on Jobs16:16 The Future of AI and Human Collaboration27:02 Building a Generative Mindset37:23 Conclusion and Final Thoughts Mentioned in the episode is Civic: A system for public data, built on public collaboration; Technics and Civilization book by Lewis Mumford Douglas' Books: Team Human, Survival of the Richest, Present Shock, Throwing Rocks at the Google Bus and his Team Human podcast. Amar's other ventures: Shared Studios, Noro, MIT center for constructive communication. And their joint venture - Andus Labs.

44 min
11/04/2025

Team Human? Team Machine? And Us (w/Jennifer McTiernan and Chris Perry, Andus Labs)

In this episode of the Workestration podcast, Donna and Stela chat with Jennifer McTiernan and Chris Perry of Andus Labs, a generative AI strategy and leadership advisory firm. Throughout the episode, the co-founders discuss their backgrounds and the personal and professional experiences that led them to establish Andus Labs. They share insights on the importance of human agency and creativity in integrating AI into the workplace, the necessity of a proactive approach to AI deployment, and the concept of generative thinking as essential for the modern work environment. Emphasizing change management, equity, and the creation of safe spaces for innovation, this episode offers a comprehensive exploration of how to thoughtfully implement AI technologies in organizations. 00:00 Introduction and Welcome 00:31 Meet the Co-Founders of Andus Labs 03:21 The Genesis of Andus Labs 06:25 The Role of AI in Business Transformation 12:42 Challenges and Opportunities in AI Adoption 31:18 The Importance of Generative Thinking 36:54 HR's Role in the AI Era 43:16 Final Thoughts and Closing Remarks

47 min
10/19/2025

AI-Powered Scenario Planning

In this episode of the new season of the Workestration podcast, hosts Stela and Donna interview David Evans, founder of ArcSyne. David discusses his extensive background in B2B information services, including stints at the Corporate Executive Board, CoStar, and the White House. He details the origin of ArcSyne, a native AI-based forecasting tool designed to help strategists, planners, and analysts handle the increasing macro uncertainty facing businesses today. The conversation spans topics such as the transformative impact of AI, the changing nature of strategic planning, and the critical importance of understanding and preparing for near-horizon futures. David highlights the need for leaders to take advantage of AI for better decision-making and not discounting the need to maintain human judgment - a critical component for the unpredictable world we live in.

46 min
10/06/2025

Workestration: the Future of Work in the Age of AI

In this episode, Donna and Stela reconnect after a three-year hiatus, rebranding from 'An Internet of People' to 'Workestration.' The discussion focuses on the changes in work dynamics spurred by AI, including the diminishing need for entry-level jobs and the challenges of delayering management structures. The hosts explore the implications of AI on job training and the importance of human-machine collaboration. They introduce their new podcast format, aiming to bring together doers, builders, and shapers to discuss the emerging future (or should we say, present?) of work. Key topics include the controversy around automating jobs, middle management stress, and the potential for holocracy in modern workplaces. The episode closes with insights on recent AI advancements and their broader societal impacts. 00:00 Introduction and Welcome Back 00:33 Rebranding to Workestration 01:48 Exploring the Conductors of Work 03:29 Entry-Level Job Collapse and AI Impact 09:03 Delayering and Middle Management Challenges 14:59 Future of Work and Performance Management 19:41 Team Human vs. Team Machine 24:12 Conclusion and Call to Action

26 min

8 Episodes

Work, technology, skills. re-orchestrated. Hosted by HR practitioners Donna Scarola and Stela Lupushor, workestration.ai spotlights AI innovation and what it means for people, teams, and results. Each episode brings Doers (HR leaders), Builders (startup founders, consultants), and Shapers (economists, ethicists, computer scientists) to share what’s working, what isn’t, and what to try now.

Creator

Stela Lupushor and Donna Scarola
Years Active

2025 - 2026
Episodes

8
Rating

Clean
Copyright

© Stela Lupushor and Donna Scarola
Show Website

Workestration