Humans in the Loop
Humans in the Loop explores stories of neurodivergence, workplace culture, and the technology shaping our lives. Combining powerful human narratives with AI-driven guidance from our host, Ezra Strix, each episode is designed to resonate, challenge perceptions, and affirm experiences.
Episodes
24 episodes
Better Than Goodbye
Most exits end with a badge drop and a goodbye speech. Martin’s ended with a new role—and a system designed around how his brain actually works. “Better Than Goodbye” is the Season 1 finale of Humans in the Loop, exploring how better q...
•
Season 1
•
Episode 23
•
19:16
Doing the Work
Hannah spoke up when no one else did. She drafted the policy, carried the weight, and watched leadership stay silent—until her words appeared in their slides. “Doing the Work” is about equity labor, stolen credit, and the quiet exits that follo...
•
Season 1
•
Episode 22
•
18:44
You Seemed Fine
Meena seemed fine—always dependable, always helpful, always smiling through exhaustion. But being praised for never needing support came at a cost. This episode explores masking, fawning, boundaries, and what it takes to stop performing and sta...
•
Season 1
•
Episode 21
•
12:34
Difficult by Design
Maggie gave tech five years, her health, and everything she had, yet was still labeled “difficult.” This episode explores autism, gender bias, and the high cost of masking in corporate culture. It’s not about defeat, but about knowing when enou...
•
Season 1
•
Episode 20
•
22:52
Nobody Told Me (Backchannel)
What happens when feedback is buried in politeness? In Nobody Told Me, a manager looks back on how silence and vague comments cost a strong performer her promotion. This Backchannel episode pairs with "Soft Skills Audit," revealing how cultures...
•
Season 1
•
Episode 19
•
9:39
Soft Skills Audit
What happens when your metrics are flawless, but you’re still called “too intense” or “not a cultural fit”? In “Soft Skills Audit,” Nadia delivers results but gets lost in a maze of tone policing, vibe checks, and vague feedback that never arri...
•
Season 1
•
Episode 18
•
11:51
The Pivot Reflex
What happens when being the team fixer goes from “lifesaver” to “liability”? In “The Pivot Reflex,” Liam navigates constant change, context switching, and the emotional whiplash of being indispensable, until a reorg turns his agility into...
•
Season 1
•
Episode 17
•
13:26
Supportive in Theory
What happens when “we’ve got your back” only counts if it’s on paper? Cassandra had it all figured out, until a reorg meant her informal accommodations had to be formalized for a new boss who played by different rules. If you’ve ever relied on ...
•
Season 1
•
Episode 16
•
21:13
We Brought Her In (Backchannel)
The HR rep who booked Penelope’s keynote records an apology she never sent. It’s a confession about good intentions, performative inclusion, and the painful gap between talking about neurodivergence and making space for it. Sometimes, the harde...
•
Season 1
•
Episode 15
•
6:12
Focus Time Failed (Backchannel)
Ellie launched a “deep work” initiative, complete with color-coded focus blocks and surveys to measure engagement. But when silence came back as the only response, she declared the program a failure. Ezra challenges her on whether absence of da...
•
Season 1
•
Episode 14
•
4:34
It Didn't Land (Backchannel)
The executive who approved Penelope’s keynote thought he was buying innovation. Instead, he says, “it didn’t land.” In this candid debrief, Ezra presses for plain English while the exec doubles down on flight metaphors and “strategic imperative...
•
Season 1
•
Episode 13
•
7:24
Quiet Architects
Penelope was hired to spark innovation. She left the room exhausted. "Quiet Architects" tells the story of a neurodivergent consultant who offered blueprints for real change, only to discover her audience wanted soundbites, not scaffolding. Whe...
•
Season 1
•
Episode 12
•
12:34
Edge of Insight
How do bipolar disorder, mania, and psychosis shape cybersecurity talent? In this episode of Humans in the Loop, cybersecurity analyst Alex reveals how neurodivergent minds excel at pattern recognition and threat detection, yet still f...
•
Season 1
•
Episode 11
•
18:32
Out of Nowhere (Backchannel)
When the brakes are ripped out of a moving car, what do you do next? Frank didn’t think the AI Ethics team would be the ones to go, but now he’s left navigating guilt, isolation, and a workplace stripped of its conscience. If you’ve ever watche...
•
Season 1
•
Episode 10
•
12:40
Algorithmic Exit
What happens when your worth at work is decided by code? In Algorithmic Exit, James, a loyal employee, is cut loose, not by a person, but by an algorithm. This episode of Humans in the Loop explores the human cost of automated layoffs,...
•
Season 1
•
Episode 9
•
14:44
The Risk Is You
Is stress leave really safe to use? In The Risk is You, Elena unpacks the stigma and silent career risks around taking time off for mental health. Candid stories, real talk, and a satirical ad break down why workplace culture, not the benefits,...
•
Season 1
•
Episode 8
•
23:52
Better Leader (Backchannel)
Leadership isn’t about how much someone can handle. It’s about how often you ask them to.In this episode of Humans in the Loop, Sophie, a well-meaning but overzealous manager, reflects on how one high-performing employee—Ryan—ne...
•
Season 1
•
Episode 7
•
7:54
Brightest Flame
Some employees go above and beyond until there’s nothing left to give. In this episode of Humans in the Loop, we meet Ryan: a brilliant data analyst whose intensity, perfectionism, and internal pressure masked a growing mental health c...
•
Season 1
•
Episode 6
•
9:00
Whistleblower
Nina sees patterns others miss. When she spots a privacy risk, she follows protocol—flag it, escalate it, fix it. But instead of receiving thanks, she’s punished: brushed off by her manager, resented by her team, and stuck cleaning up the mess ...
•
Season 1
•
Episode 5
•
22:57
The Box Is Checked
Jordan and Sasha don’t know Christopher, but they know the tools his managers used. The policies. The performance system. The need to sound aligned, reasonable, calibrated—no matter what’s actually happening on the team. In this companion to Tr...
•
Season 1
•
Episode 4
•
13:43
Trust and Bias in AI Decision Making
Christopher was a high-performing engineer, but his performance reviews were vague: generic praise, no specifics. When an AI system summarized that input for leadership, it didn’t clarify his value. It erased it.In this episode of Hu...
•
Season 1
•
Episode 3
•
18:03
Masking and Burnout
Claire wasn’t lazy. She was overwhelmed. Constant noise. Harsh lighting. Interrupted focus. She masked it all—until she couldn’t.In this episode of Humans in the Loop, we explore what happens when neurodivergent employees experi...
•
Season 1
•
Episode 2
•
15:41
