She Predicted The AI Layoffs. Her Next Forecast Should Worry CEOs | Alexandra Levit

Tommy welcomes Alexandra Levit, a workplace futurist, writer, and founder of Inspiration at Work. Levit specializes in redesigning human workforces to integrate AI effectively and ethically. She is the author of several books, including "They Don't Teach Corporate in College," "Humanity Works," "Deep Talent," and "Make School Work."

The Genesis of a Workplace Futurist

Levit shares her journey, which began in the late 90s. Despite being a high-achieving student, she "crashed and burned" in her first several jobs after moving to New York City. She realized that the skills required for success in the workplace were vastly different from those needed in school. It took her a few years to learn essential professional skills like making good first impressions, collaborating with people without direct authority, and ensuring good work is recognized. This challenging experience inspired her to help young professionals avoid similar struggles. Her work, including her latest book "Make School Work," focuses on preparing younger professionals with necessary work experience so they can make informed career choices.

Levit defines a workplace futurist as someone who works with organizations to identify potential disruptions in the near future. Unlike political or environmental futurists, her area of study is the world of work. For the past 20 years, she has been doing scenario planning, helping organizations anticipate future trends and prepare for them. She emphasizes that while she doesn't have a crystal ball, looking at patterns and being honest about what to expect allows for a reasonably accurate forecast. Levit is certified in strategic foresight, which provides a scientific rigor to her predictions, but she believes anyone who knows their field well can be a "mini-futurist."