Episode 159 - Creating a Sustainable Future for Knowledge Workers with Atif Rafiq

SHIFT with Elena Agar

In this episode of Shift with Elena Agar, I chat with Atif Rafiq - President | Ex-Amazon, C Suite in Fortune 500, startup CEO | Board Director. Atif has managed over 10,000 people over his C Suite career and knows a thing or two about knowledge work. As a tech innovator for over 25 years, he spotted the game changing potential of AI and workflow to drive knowledge work in early 2021, when he started Ritual. After 15+ years in Silicon Valley / tech companies like Amazon, Atif rose through the ranks of various Fortune 500 companies. He was the first Chief Digital Officer in the history of the Fortune 500. His pioneering work at McDonald’s lead to work billions of dollars of new revenue, and he lead massive transformations as Global CIO and CDO at Volvo and then as President at MGM Resorts. Atif has built a large following as one of today’s top management thinkers. Over 500,000 people follow his ideas on LinkedIn, where he is a Top Voice, and his newsletter Re:wire has over 100,000 subscribers. In this episode, Atif shared his experiences transitioning from a high-flying corporate career to launching his startup, Ritual, aiming to blend human creativity with AI efficiency. He highlighted the necessity of up-skilling in an AI-driven era and the importance of psychological safety in leadership. Remember, embracing challenges and pushing beyond comfort zones are key to success in this rapidly evolving business landscape. Connect with Atif on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/atif1/ Website - Ritual: https://www.ritual.work/ Time stamps: 00:00 Pioneered company innovation, led thousands, ready for change. 05:20 Choosing between expected path and true passion. 07:37 Entrepreneurship requires hard work, self-reliance, perseverance. 12:18 Maintain energy reserves for preventing burnout. 15:33 AI's impact on job market and education. 19:48 Companies need proactive future-focused teams for success. 20:41 CEO's need to focus on innovation and efficiency. 26:23 Generational and educational diversity impact employment outlook. 30:23 Seeing others succeed is gratifying for me. 33:29 Filter out noise, focus on true regrets Follow Elena: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/elenaagaragimova/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/elenaagaragimova/ Listen on: Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/shift-with-elena-agar/id1530850914 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5UKh6dWcuQwJlmAOqD8wij

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