Dr. Adina Nichols of Uber joins the Inclusive Collective duo to reflect on the positive impact of AI on learning and development, how managers can create space for learning, and shares practical tips on driving behavior change. Nadia and Rob also discuss child care initiatives in Vermont and Accenture's push to monitor AI use as a key factor in granting promotions. All that and rants and raves!

Mentioned in this episode:

• https://www.nytimes.com/video/us/100000010708448/vermont-affordable-childcare-act-76.html
• https://www.theguardian.com/accenture/2026/feb/19/accenture-links-staff-promotions-to-use-of-ai-tools?utm_source=chatgpt.com

Connect with us: Visit www.nazconsultants.com to learn more about Dr. Nadia Butt’s work in leadership, culture, and organizational effectiveness, and check out http://www.tekanoconsulting.com/ to explore Rob Hadley’s approach to data-driven inclusive strategy.

Connect with Dr. Adina Nichols: https://www.linkedin.com/in/adina-nichols-edd-94163420/

Send us your thoughts or topic ideas at inclusivecollectivepodcast@gmail.com

Follow Inclusive Collective

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/inclusivecollective/

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@inclusivecollectivepodcast

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/inclusivecollectivepodcast/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/InclusiveCollective/

Connect with Nadia: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nadianazbutt/

Connect with Rob: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rob-hadley-utah/

Nadia and Rob welcome Brandon Sammut and Maggie Roque of AI-orchestration platform Zapier to talk about the practical skills learned from DEI (what Zapier calls 'DIBE') that translate to AI transformation, why all transformations are about leaders, talent & culture, and the underrated role consistency plays in building organizational trust. The team also reviews the EEOC's escalation against Nike's DEI efforts and a California lawsuit against HR hiring platform Eightfold.ai. Later, Pete Hegseth threatens Cub Scout funding and Nadia reflects on Bad Bunny's halftime glory.

Story 1: https://www.nytimes.com/2026/02/04/business/eeoc-nike-white-employee-discrimination.html

Story 2: https://hrexecutive.com/eightfold-ai-bias-suit-just-the-tip-of-the-iceberg/?oly_enc_id=6122G2643790C2Z

Connect with Brandon Sammut: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brandon-sammut-8147b76/

Connect with us: Visit www.nazconsultants.com to learn more about Dr. Nadia Butt’s work in leadership, culture, and organizational effectiveness, and check out http://www.tekanoconsulting.com/ to explore Rob Hadley’s approach to data-driven inclusive strategy.

Send us your thoughts or topic ideas at inclusivecollectivepodcast@gmail.com

Follow Inclusive Collective

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/inclusivecollective/

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@inclusivecollectivepodcast

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/inclusivecollectivepodcast/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/InclusiveCollective/

Connect with Nadia: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nadianazbutt/

Connect with Rob: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rob-hadley-utah/

Nadia and Rob welcome investor, advisor, and founder Sofia Haq to talk about the responsibilities of speaking out as a leader, building great companies, and how she sustains herself while running several ventures. But first, they check in on Amazon's poor communication in their latest round of layoffs and how Minnesota CEOs responded to the killing of Alex Preeti. Later, Rob rants about a terrible Anthropology department and Nadia applauds Walmart's unsolicited pay raises for pharmacy techs.

Connect with us: Visit www.nazconsultants.com to learn more about Dr. Nadia Butt’s work in leadership, culture, and organizational effectiveness, and check out http://www.tekanoconsulting.com/ to explore Rob Hadley’s approach to data-driven inclusive strategy.

Send us your thoughts or topic ideas at inclusivecollectivepodcast@gmail.com

Connect with Sofia:

https://www.instagram.com/sofia__haq/

https://www.tiktok.com/@sofiahaq

https://www.linkedin.com/in/sofiahaq/

https://sofiahaq.com/

https://www.muslimwomenprofessionals.org/

https://slauson.co/

Follow Inclusive Collective

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/inclusivecollective/

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@inclusivecollectivepodcast

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/inclusivecollectivepodcast/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/InclusiveCollective/

Connect with Nadia: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nadianazbutt/

Connect with Rob: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rob-hadley-utah/

This week, Nadia hosts solo while Rob is away, revisiting a powerful interview she and Rob recorded with Paolo Gaudiano. The conversation explores why equity and meritocracy are not opposites, but incomplete views of the same system and how leaders can move beyond ideology to design fair, high-performing organizations. Stick around as Nadia also shares a personal surprise at the end of the episode.

Find season 5 episode transcripts here: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1bP3N6QYBG0UkzdRm5GwiFfoQLvGtIRrK?usp=sharing

Connect with Paolo:

https://aleria.tech

https://linkedin.com/in/pgaudiano

Measuring Inclusion: https://amazon.com/dp/178860606X

Meritocracy (due out 6/9/26): https://www.amazon.com/dp/1788609433

Paolo's TED speaker page: https://ted.com/speakers/paolo_gaudiano

Connect with us: Visit www.nazconsultants.com to learn more about Dr. Nadia Butt’s work in leadership, culture, and organizational effectiveness, and check out http://www.tekanoconsulting.com/ to explore Rob Hadley’s approach to data-driven inclusive strategy.

Send us your thoughts or topic ideas at inclusivecollectivepodcast@gmail.com

Follow Inclusive Collective

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/inclusivecollective/

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@inclusivecollectivepodcast

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/inclusivecollectivepodcast/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/InclusiveCollective/

Connect with Nadia: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nadianazbutt/

Connect with Rob: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rob-hadley-utah/

We kick off 2026 with Nadia and Rob's take-it-to-the-bank predictions for workplace culture. See if they can continue their streak of 100% correct predictions as they discuss leadership in 2026, litigious DEI, the seeds of a DEI comeback, AI compliance issues, and private/pubic bipartisan support for child and elder care.

Find season 5 episode transcripts here: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1bP3N6QYBG0UkzdRm5GwiFfoQLvGtIRrK?usp=sharing

Connect with us: Visit www.nazconsultants.com to learn more about Dr. Nadia Butt’s work in leadership, culture, and organizational effectiveness, and check out http://www.tekanoconsulting.com/ to explore Rob Hadley’s approach to data-driven inclusive strategy.

Send us your thoughts or topic ideas at inclusivecollectivepodcast@gmail.com

Follow Inclusive Collective

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/inclusivecollective/

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@inclusivecollectivepodcast

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/inclusivecollectivepodcast/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/InclusiveCollective/

Connect with Nadia: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nadianazbutt/

Connect with Rob: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rob-hadley-utah/

Dana Weekes, host of The Rest of Us podcast, joins Nadia and Rob to help us see signs of burnout culture and to share strategies for leaders to help fix it. Nadia and Rob also reflect on a Wall Street Journal story about conservative women opting for kids earlier in their career and a Campbell's soup exec is recorded disparaging the company's customers and products. Later, the rare double rant! Nadia rants about the US Coast Guards tolerance of hate symbols and Rob points to the consequences for communities from the (not so) Beautiful Bill.

Articles referenced in the show:

https://www.wsj.com/lifestyle/careers/conservative-women-career-kids-bc3094f9?mod=careers_news_article_pos1https://www.wsj.com/sports/basketball/nico-harrison-dallas-mavericks-fired-

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/nov/25/campbell-soup-executive-comments

Connect with Dana: Instagram: @danatenilleweekes; @therestofus.podcastLinkedIn: Dana T. WeekesThrive Architects - www.thethrivearch.com Listen to The Rest of Us with Dana Tenille Weekes

Find season 5 episode transcripts here: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1bP3N6QYBG0UkzdRm5GwiFfoQLvGtIRrK?usp=sharing

Connect with us: Visit www.nazconsultants.com to learn more about Dr. Nadia Butt’s work in leadership, culture, and organizational effectiveness, and check out http://www.tekanoconsulting.com/ to explore Rob Hadley’s approach to data-driven inclusive strategy.

Send us your thoughts or topic ideas at inclusivecollectivepodcast@gmail.com

Follow Inclusive Collective

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/inclusivecollective/

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@inclusivecollectivepodcast

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/inclusivecollectivepodcast/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/InclusiveCollective/

Connect with Nadia: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nadianazbutt/

Connect with Rob: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rob-hadley-utah/

Employee Experience expert Dr. Nicole Boyko joins Nadia and Rob to share how companies are working to understand belonging now, how she helps leaders see themselves in survey results, and why companies have to listen to employees continuously. Nadia and Rob also break down a Mercer report on how leaders are missing the mark in AI communications and highlight an NBA executive's risky move that ended in disaster. Later, Nadia rants about the darker side of the rhetoric around Zohran Mamdani's election victory, and Rob sends Veteran's Day best wishes.

Articles referenced in the show:

https://www.hrdive.com/news/leadership-vacuum-prompts-ai-anxiety-at-work/805113/

https://www.wsj.com/sports/basketball/nico-harrison-dallas-mavericks-fired-luka-doncic-trade-ea81e8e7?mod=sports_lead_pos2

Find season 5 episode transcripts here: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1bP3N6QYBG0UkzdRm5GwiFfoQLvGtIRrK?usp=sharing

Connect with us: Visit www.nazconsultants.com to learn more about Dr. Nadia Butt’s work in leadership, culture, and organizational effectiveness, and check out http://www.tekanoconsulting.com/ to explore Rob Hadley’s approach to data-driven inclusive strategy.