As AI reshapes the modern workplace, one question is becoming more critical than ever—what will the future of work look like?
In today’s episode I sat down with Rishad Tobaccowala, author of Rethinking Work, to explore the changing world of work, what skills we’ll need to thrive in the future, and how we can all prepare for a world where traditional jobs may no longer be the norm.
Rishad is not just another business author. He’s spent four decades helping global organisations adapt to change—first as Chief Strategy and Growth Officer at Publicis Groupe, and now as an advisor, speaker, and writer. His weekly newsletter, “The Future Does Not Fit in the Containers of the Past,” is read by tens of thousands of leaders every week. His book is a timely, human-centered response to a rapidly changing landscape.
Why Reading Physical Books Still Matters
We opened the conversation with a discussion about books. Physical ones. Rishad shared how his personal library isn’t just for reading—it’s a place for thinking, remembering, and reconnecting with past ideas.
He believes physical books help us learn in a deeper way. He rereads his old books during something he calls “library hour,” revisiting notes and highlights he made years ago to see how his thinking has changed.
The Big Shift: Work Is Not the Same as a Job
One of the most important insights from Rethinking Work is this: a job and work are two different things.
You can have a job and do no real work. And you can do meaningful work without ever holding a formal job title.
Rishad explained that in his current career, he’s busier and more successful than ever—but he has no employer, no salary, and no traditional employment contract. He calls this “work without a job”—and it’s becoming increasingly common.
As we move further into an AI-powered economy, this shift will accelerate. Freelancers, contractors, part-time specialists, portfolio workers, and AI agents will begin to outnumber traditional employees. This has massive implications for how companies hire, how leaders lead, and how individuals build careers.
The Five Real Reasons Why People Work
Rishad reminds us that people don’t work just for money. In fact, he identifies five reasons why we work:
Income – for basic needs like housing, food, and stability
Identity – because what we do is part of who we are
Purpose – to feel like our work matters
Community – to connect with others and feel a sense of belonging
Growth – to learn, stretch ourselves, and become better
The future of work will require us to think about all five—not just the paycheck.
How Companies Will Change in the Future
Rishad believes we’re entering a world where the company itself is being redefined. Instead of massive organisations with thousands of employees, we’ll see ecosystems of smaller, more agile companies.
Some workers will be full-time employees. Others will be part-time, project-based, or fractional. And of course we will have plenty of AI agents.
As a result, traditional HR and leadership models will need to be rebuilt. Performance management, culture building, and collaboration won’t be based on physical presence or timesheets. Instead, they’ll rely on influence, trust, and shared purpose.
Why Bosses Are Outdated and Mentors Are Needed
In the traditional workplace, a boss was someone who told you what to do and measured how well you followed instructions. But in the world we’re heading into, control-based leadership won’t work.
Rishad argues we need fewer bosses and more mentors.
He defines the future of leadership as moving from “zones of control” to “zones of influence.” Leaders in this new world won’t micromanage. They’ll inspire, guide, and support—especially when teams are remote, global, and increasingly blended with AI.
The Six Skills You Need for the Future of Work
In Rethinking Work, Rishad outlines six core skills—what he calls the “Six Cs”—that are essential for staying relevant in the workplace of tomorrow. They’re broken into two categories.
Three Internal Skills:
Cognition – the ability to keep learning and updating your mental models
Creativity – not just coming up with ideas, but expressing who you are
Curiosity – staying open to new possibilities and asking “what if?
Three External Skills:
Collaboration – working well with humans and AI
Convincing – using storytelling and communication to persuade
Communication – writing and speaking clearly to share ideas that matter
These are the human skills that AI can’t easily replicate—and they’re becoming more valuable every day.
A Message for the Next Generation
As a parent, I shared something personal with Rishad. My teenage daughter, who’s passionate about art, recently told me she felt like AI had ruined her future. “What’s the point of creating,” she said, “if machines can do it faster?”
Rishad’s explained, AI isn’t a threat—it’s a collaborator. Just like a chess player plus a machine is better than a machine alone, a human artist plus AI tools can do more than either could do by themselves.
His advice to young people is simple: don’t give up. Use technology to amplify your creativity, not to replace it.
Take the Wheel of Your Own Career
One of Rishad’s most memorable lines came near the end of our conversation:
“When it comes to your future, don’t let your boss or your company take the wheel. You should take the wheel.”
That message is at the heart of Rethinking Work. The future is coming faster than we expected—and it’s up to each of us to prepare, learn, adapt, and grow.
You don’t need a degree from a top university or a Silicon Valley job title to stay relevant. You need curiosity, commitment, and a willingness to learn new things every day.
That’s what this book—and this episode—is all about.
I would love to hear your thoughts, and please share this episode with others who might benefit from this thinking.
Guest: Rishad Tobaccowala
Author, futurist, and one of the most respected voices in business reinvention. With over 40 years of experience advising some of the world’s biggest brands, Rishad has been named by BusinessWeek as one of the top business leaders and by TIME magazine as a marketing innovator. He’s the author of the bestselling book Restoring the Soul of Business and his latest, Rethinking Work, challenges us to redesign work to be more human, more purposeful, and more future-ready. He also writes a brilliant weekly thought-letter, read by over 30,000 leaders worldwide, and hosts the podcast What Next?
Website: https://rishadtobaccowala.com/
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