Human on the Inside highlights: 10 human skills to power your 2026
In this year’s Human on the Inside roundup, we look back at the standout moments from our 2025 interviews with industry leaders, innovators and some all round legends.
The Human on the Inside series continues to break ground for one simple reason: every interview offers something you can immediately use in your work or your personal life.
With a new year approaching, it’s the perfect moment to pause, reflect and draw on the insights that shaped our conversations this year. Whether you’re just starting out or leading teams, there’s something here for you.
Here are the Human on the Inside highlights that defined 2025:
1. Greta Bradman
Senior Director AI Experience at Culture Amp
“Listen to your own inner voice now, not ‘when you’re qualified’, and understand that your values mean that your version of a great life might be different to someone else’s who is providing you emphatic, well-meaning advice.
When people tell you you can’t or shouldn’t do something, understand that reflects their assumptions, not a reality. Avoiding things that matter most to you because you may fall short is not a good reason to not do them; indeed if you find yourself avoiding something to avoid disappointment, lean in and do it.”
How to apply this human skill tip/advice: Tune into your own values before outside opinions. Back yourself, stay curious, and take action even when you feel uncertain. Your inner voice is the one that ultimately guides your growth.
2. Hannah Mansur
Chief of Staff at Canva, ex Mamamia
“What drives me…I get bored easily, or to spin it positively - I’m a quick learner. As a Management Consultant I learnt the skills (and mindset) to be able to step into roles anywhere in an organisation.
It took me a decade or so to get here but I’m now a proud generalist. My super skills are communications, project management and people leadership - all of which make me a great fit for a lot of different roles. So when a new topic takes my interest or becomes an organisational priority I can jump into it.”
How to apply this human skill tip/advice: Stay hungry to learn. Treat every new topic, task or challenge as a chance to build range and stretch your thinking. The more you follow your curiosity and build transferable strengths, the more adaptable and valuable you become in any role.
3. Dawid Naude
CEO & CoFounder of Pathfindr AI
“I’d say communication, and in particular, the ability to explain things relatably, is the most critical human skill. The second is the ability to focus - not an easy skill for me, and one I’m working on now. Don’t multi-task, pick one thing, close email, Linkedin, put your phone away. If you’re able to focus on one task at a time for two hours a day without distraction, you’ll be in a different league to where you were.”
How to apply this human skill tip/advice: Work on saying things simply and clearly, then protect your focus like it’s a skill you’re training. Cut the noise, tackle one task at a time and build small pockets of distraction-free work. Even two focused hours a day can lift your performance to a whole new level.
4. Peter Campbell
Founder of Cinc. Consulting
“I do see lots of young people now choosing money and/or ‘work life balance’ (not working as hard), over opportunities to learn and develop.
When you’re young, you don’t have kids, or a mortgage - that’s your time to build your skills and experience. Find what you’re passionate about, get a great boss you can learn from, become an expert in your chosen field and build a career you love.”
How to apply this human skill tip/advice: Treat the early years of your career as your training ground. Say yes to stretch opportunities, choose roles that offer learning over comfort, and look for leaders you can observe, absorb and grow from. The more skills you build now, the more options you'll create later.
5. Andrea Van Unen-Smith
CMO at Senetas
“The recurring theme in my career, and what speaks to my personal purpose, is always about communication and collaboration to get the best outcomes. Having worked for global tech companies, effectively communicating across business units was crucial to achieving positive outcomes. I am a naturally curious person, and I’ve had to lean more over recent times on the questioning-function of seeking to understand. This serves me well in being able to develop good relationships with colleagues, customers, partners, and suppliers.”
How to apply this human skill tip/advice: Lead with curiosity and connection. Make it a habit to ask clarifying questions, check assumptions, and listen with the intent to understand rather than reply. When you communicate openly across teams and stakeholders, you build trust, strengthen collaboration and create better outcomes for everyone involved.
6. Sagar Tripathi
Chartered Accountant, Past President at Lucknow Chartered Accountants Society
“While my formal qualifications provide a strong technical backbone in finance and taxation, it’s been the unplanned turns, real-world exposure, and a constant urge to stay relevant that shaped my current career. In many ways, it’s the human skills like communication, empathy, and adaptability that have helped me expand into roles like teaching, public speaking, and community leadership. Together, they form a bridge between what I know and who I want to be.”
How to apply this human skill tip/advice: Keep evolving. Say yes to experiences outside your comfort zone, practise empathy in every interaction, and deliberately flex your communication skills. These human skills help you stretch beyond your technical strengths and step into roles you might never have imagined.
7. Amy Gildea
Founder, Maison Gildæ, Former Managing Director Indo Pacific at Tetra Tech International Development
“Always stand in your truth, even when it shakes the room. Speak with clarity and courage, grounded in your values, because leadership is not about making people comfortable—it is about changing systems from outside and within. You will make others uneasy, sometimes even angry, but that discomfort is the tremor of transformation. Hold steady. Anchor yourself in purpose. The work of re-architecting power—of creating sovereign, dignified, and just futures—demands nothing less.”
How to apply this human skill tip/advice: Lead with your values, even when it’s uncomfortable. Practise speaking clearly, holding your ground, and choosing courage over convenience. True influence comes from being anchored in purpose, not popularity.
8. Jeremy Dicker
Managing Editor at International Intrigue
“I guess I’ve always managed to see the funny side of things (even if I’m the only one laughing).
And I’ve always found that if you can make someone laugh, they’re more likely to hear you out.”
How to apply this human skill tip/advice: Use warmth and humour as connection tools. A light touch can open doors, defuse tension and help people actually hear you. Find your own authentic way to make interactions more human.
9. Avanish Agarwal
Head of Strategy at Anvis Digital
“Human empathy is the ultimate unfair advantage. Ten years of Bombay Food Diary taught me that when you sit across the table from real people—tasting what they taste, feeling what they feel—you spot unmet needs long before a spreadsheet does. Translating that street-level empathy into boardroom strategy lets me craft solutions that are useful before they’re merely “innovative.”
How to apply this human skill tip/advice: Make empathy your default research tool. Spend time with real people, observe their habits and frustrations, and let those insights guide your choices. When you understand humans deeply, your solutions become relevant, not just impressive.
10. Karan Kanchan
Senior Director at Concentrix - ex ProbeCX
“It is never about you, it is always about your audience. How can you make their life simple? Always think from your audience’s perspective.
Understanding human behaviour, building relationships, and anticipating needs. Strive to blend technical expertise with a genuine empathy for customers and clients. This balance will set you apart in a competitive landscape and help you drive meaningful, sustainable impact.”
How to apply this human skill tip/advice: Shift the spotlight from “What do I want to say?” to “What does my audience need?”. Build empathy into every email, pitch and decision. The more you anticipate and support the people you serve, the stronger your influence becomes.
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