SPOS #994 – Vicki Tan On Life's Big And Little Decisions
Six Pixels of Separation Podcast
Release Date: 07/27/2025
SPOS #996 – Christie Smith On Distributed Teams, Generative AI And Global Shifts
Six Pixels of Separation Podcast
Welcome to episode #996 of Six Pixels of Separation - The ThinkersOne Podcast. is a former senior executive at , and with over three decades of leadership experience across industries including life sciences, consumer goods and finance. She holds a doctorate in Social Work and Organizational Psychology and now leads , a leadership advisory firm focused on redefining the future of work. In her new book, (along with her co-author ), Christie outlines a bold new framework for leaders navigating a post-pandemic, AI-driven, decentralized world. This episode explores the urgent need for...
info_outline
SPOS #995 – Nelson Repenning On Delivering Real Results At Work
Six Pixels of Separation Podcast
Welcome to episode #995 of Six Pixels of Separation - The ThinkersOne Podcast. has built his career at and by asking a simple but haunting question: why do so many smart, capable organizations fail to get the right work done? In his new book, , Nelson (along with his co-author, ) introduces dynamic work design: a practical framework that helps leaders move beyond broken systems and toward better execution. In this conversation, we explore the five principles behind this approach: solving the right problem, structuring for discovery, connecting the human chain, regulating for flow and...
info_outline
SPOS #994 – Vicki Tan On Life's Big And Little Decisions
Six Pixels of Separation Podcast
Welcome to episode #994 of Six Pixels of Separation - The ThinkersOne Podcast. has designed experiences for some of the most influential companies in the world (, , , , ) and her work has always focused on helping people make better choices in complex environments. Her new book, , continues that mission in a radically creative form. This isn’t your typical self-help guide. It’s an interactive journey through the beautiful mess of human decision-making, shaped by the science of cognitive bias, the power of storytelling and the playfulness of visual design. Vicki explores how our mental...
info_outline
SPOS #993 – Angela Chee On The Power Of Only
Six Pixels of Separation Podcast
Welcome to episode #993 of Six Pixels of Separation - The ThinkersOne Podcast. is a keynote speaker, media and communication coach, and author of , a book that challenges us to rethink the spaces we occupy and the voices we often silence… especially our own. In this conversation, Angela explores what it means to truly “own your voice” in an era defined by visibility and vulnerability, noise and nuance. Angela speaks candidly about how being the “only” in the room (whether because of race, gender, background, or perspective) is not a disadvantage but a profound source of power and...
info_outline
SPOS #992 – Dave Whorton On Building Companies That Last
Six Pixels of Separation Podcast
Welcome to episode #992 of Six Pixels of Separation - The ThinkersOne Podcast. has spent his career building, backing and reimagining companies, but not in the way Silicon Valley usually does it. As founder of and author of (which he co-authored with ), Dave champions a different breed of business: evergreen companies. These are organizations designed to last generations, rooted in purpose, resilience and profitability… not just hypergrowth and exit strategies. Before this pivot, Dave had a front-row seat to the “get-big-fast” movement as an associate partner at , and he co-founded...
info_outline
SPOS #991 – Bob Goodson On The "Like" Button (And How It Changed The World)
Six Pixels of Separation Podcast
Welcome to episode #991 of Six Pixels of Separation - The ThinkersOne Podcast. is President and Founder of , an AI-driven company whose models are used by a third of the Fortune 50. Before launching Quid, he was the first employee at , where he witnessed (and helped shape) the birth of the like button. Bob’s academic roots in language theory () and his deep curiosity about patterns of innovation led him to co-author , an illuminating book about how a simple social media feature rewired global communication and commerce. In this episode, we dig into the origin story of the like button and...
info_outline
SPOS #990 – Lori Rosenkopf On Creating Value Through Innovation
Six Pixels of Separation Podcast
Welcome to episode #990 of Six Pixels of Separation - The ThinkersOne Podcast. is the Simon and Midge Palley Professor at the , and currently serves as the Vice Dean of Entrepreneurship. In that role, she oversees Wharton’s and its West Coast campus, while continuing her long-standing research into social networks, innovation and how knowledge flows between people, companies and technologies. Before her academic career, Lori worked as a systems engineer for and , giving her a rare blend of practical and academic insight into how organizations innovate. She’s also the author of the new...
info_outline
SPOS #989 – Andrew Brodsky On The Secrets Of Virtual Communications
Six Pixels of Separation Podcast
Welcome to episode #989 of Six Pixels of Separation - The ThinkersOne Podcast. is reshaping how we think about work, not by focusing on tasks or tools, but by interrogating how we communicate. A management professor at the at , Andrew specializes in organizational behavior, with a sharp focus on the friction (and possibility) that emerges when human behavior meets digital platforms. With a PhD from and a BS from , his work explores everything from how to show emotional authenticity on to how organizations can build culture without a physical office. In his new book, , Andrew offers a...
info_outline
SPOS #988 – Julian Treasure On Listening, Sounds And Superpowers
Six Pixels of Separation Podcast
Welcome to episode #988 of Six Pixels of Separation - The ThinkersOne Podcast. believes the world needs to learn how to listen again. You may know him from his , - one of the most viewed of all time (over 65 million views). But long before going viral, Julian was helping companies and individuals rethink their relationship with sound - as founder of , author of and , and now with his new book . Julian’s work spans science, music, psychology, and design - from biophilic soundscapes in office buildings to sonic branding for global brands. In this conversation, he breaks down why we...
info_outline
SPOS #987 - Cindy Anderson On The ROI Of Thought Leadership
Six Pixels of Separation Podcast
Welcome to episode #987 of Six Pixels of Separation - The ThinkersOne Podcast. is on a mission to bring clarity, standards, and serious business impact to thought leadership. As Global Lead for Engagement & Eminence at ’s and the , Cindy has spent years leading one of the most ambitious research efforts ever undertaken on this topic. The result is her new book, , co-authored with . In it, Cindy reveals what more than 4000 C-level executives told IBM about how they consume, value, and act on thought leadership, and why some content drives sales while most gets ignored. In this...
info_outlineWelcome to episode #994 of Six Pixels of Separation - The ThinkersOne Podcast.
Vicki Tan has designed experiences for some of the most influential companies in the world (Pinterest, Airbnb, Headspace, Lyft, Google) and her work has always focused on helping people make better choices in complex environments. Her new book, Ask This Book A Question, continues that mission in a radically creative form. This isn’t your typical self-help guide. It’s an interactive journey through the beautiful mess of human decision-making, shaped by the science of cognitive bias, the power of storytelling and the playfulness of visual design. Vicki explores how our mental shortcuts shape everything - from whether we leave our job to how we fall in love - and how reframing our questions can unlock more clarity than any answer ever could. She talks about the tension between intuition and logic, the real-world costs of not understanding our own biases and the way interface design and behavior design intersect in both delightful and dangerous ways. In this epsiode, she also digs into the deeper story behind the book: How she collaborated with artists to visualize psychological concepts and why she believes our decisions deserve more compassion than critique. This episode is for anyone who’s ever overthought a text message… or stood paralyzed in a grocery aisle… or wondered why being human feels so confusing sometimes. Which is to say: it’s for all of us. Enjoy the conversation…
- Running time: 54:55.
- Hello from beautiful Montreal.
- Listen and subscribe over at Apple Podcasts.
- Listen and subscribe over at Spotify.
- Please visit and leave comments on the blog - Six Pixels of Separation.
- Feel free to connect to me directly on Facebook here: Mitch Joel on Facebook.
- Check out ThinkersOne.
- or you can connect on LinkedIn.
- ...or on X.
- Here is my conversation with Vicki Tan.
- Ask This Book A Question.
- Follow Vicki on Instagram.
- Follow Vicki on LinkedIn.
Chapters:
(00:00) - Introduction to Vicki Tan and Her Journey.
(02:57) - Balancing Work and Writing.
(05:55) - Understanding Product Design.
(08:56) - The Role of Luck in Career Success.
(12:00) - The Importance of Asking Questions.
(15:01) - The Process of Writing a Book.
(17:49) - Cognitive Biases and Decision Making.
(20:52) - Cultural Perspectives on Risk.
(24:10) - Engaging with the Book and Its Purpose.
(28:23) - The Polarization of Society and Technology's Role.
(29:16) - The Evolution of Music Consumption and Its Implications.
(32:16) - Designing for the Future: The Role of Creators.
(37:25) - Risk Tolerance and the Art of Quitting.
(41:41) - Navigating Decision Fatigue in a Complex World.
(46:08) - The Impact of AI on Decision Making.
(52:20) - Understanding Time and Decision Making in a Vortex of Choices.