Join us as we hunt for Shapeshifters – passionate individuals determined to (re)discover ways to transform people, organizations and communities for good. We'll explore how these wayfinders are shaping the way we think, learn, interact, and collaborate together. Conversations spanning thought leaders, pioneering practitioners, community builders, movement sparkers, and more. A podcast by Makeshapes.
Podcast Overview
Join us as we hunt for Shapeshifters – passionate individuals determined to (re)discover ways to transform people, organizations and communities for good. We'll explore how these wayfinders are shaping the way we think, learn, interact, and collaborate together. Conversations spanning thought leaders, pioneering practitioners, community builders, movement sparkers, and more. A podcast by Makeshapes.
Language
🇺🇲
Publishing Since
10/8/2025
1 verified contact email on file for Shapeshifters
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Recent Episodes
June 8, 2026
Moving from rigid training to intentional human connection
<p>In this episode, we dive into the complex, vital, and often overlooked world of the frontline workforce—the 70-80% of the working world that keeps our daily lives running.</p><p>Our guest is JD Dillon, a leading voice in frontline enablement who began his career managing theme parks and movie theaters before transitioning into corporate L&D. Today, he advises global organizations on performance strategy and AI-enabled solutions. He is the author of <i>The Modern Learning Ecosystem</i> and the brand-new book, <i>The Frontline Enablement Playbook</i>.</p><p>In this practical and deeply human conversation, JD shares his journey from a terrified college tour guide to a global speaker, unpacking why frontline managers have the hardest job in the world, and how to use technology to genuinely elevate the human experience at work.</p><p>In this conversation, we explore:</p><ul> <li>🗣️ <b>Finding Your Voice:</b> The hilarious, calculated risk during a college campus tour that instantly shattered a lifelong fear of public speaking.</li> <li>🤖 <b>AI on the Frontlines:</b> Why language translation and digital assistants are game-changers for the deskless workforce, and why the frontline shouldn't be left out of the AI conversation.</li> <li>🛡️ <b>The Hardest Job in the World:</b> Why the frontline manager is the single point of failure for corporate strategy, and how to build essential "scaffolding" to support them.</li> <li>❤️ <b>The "Kathy" Effect:</b> Lessons from a legendary Disney manager on the messy art of balancing rigid operational rules with deep, human empathy.</li> <li>🤝 <b>The Power of Intention:</b> Why community and connection can't just be an HR mandate, and why people stay for the team, not the corporate KPIs.</li></ul><p>This conversation is incredibly grounding. JD's deep empathy for the frontline worker is infectious, and you'll leave rethinking not just how you design work, but how you interact with the people who power our everyday lives.</p><p><b>🖥️ Shapeshifters Website:</b><br /><a href="https://www.makeshapes.com/shapeshifters" rel="ugc noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">https://www.makeshapes.com/shapeshifters</a></p><p><b>🔗 Connect with JD:</b></p><p><a href="https://jddillon.com" rel="ugc noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">JD Dillon Website</a></p><p><a href="https://frontlineplaybook.com" rel="ugc noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">The Frontline Enablement Playbook</a></p><p><a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/jddillon" rel="ugc noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">JD Dillon on LinkedIn</a></p><p><b>🔗 Connect with us:</b></p><p><a href="https://www.linkedin.com/company/makeshapes" rel="ugc noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Makeshapes on LinkedIn</a></p><p><a href="https://x.com/MakeshapesLtd" rel="ugc noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Makeshapes on X</a></p><p><a href="https://www.instagram.com/makeshapesltd" rel="ugc noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Makeshapes on Instagram</a></p><p><a href="https://www.facebook.com/MakeshapesLtd" rel="ugc noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Makeshapes on Facebook</a></p><p><a href="https://www.tiktok.com/@makeshapes_ltd" rel="ugc noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Makeshapes on TikTok</a></p>
March 24, 2026
Why you need to build a "learning playground" to transform your organisation
<p>In this episode, we explore the messy, beautiful, and deeply human art of building communities of practice.</p><p>Our guest is Anamaria Dorgo, a Romanian-born, Amsterdam-based community builder, learning experience designer, and facilitator. Anamaria is part of the global L&D team at Adyen, the visionary founder of the massive international community L&D Shakers, host of the Mapping Ties Podcast, and writer of the IRrEGULAR LEtTER newsletter.</p><p>In this insightful and energizing conversation, Anamaria breaks down how to take a community from two people to over 8,000, why we are desperate for genuine connection at work, and how to stop over-engineering human interaction.</p><p>In this conversation, we explore:</p><ul> <li>📢 <b>Learning Out Loud:</b> How struggling to find a job in a new country sparked a "rabbit hole" of public learning that birthed a massive global network.</li> <li>🛝 <b>The Personal Learning Playground:</b> Why true communities of practice offer a vital, zero-stakes environment to experiment and fail outside the pressures of your day job.</li> <li>🐭 <b>The "Trojan Mouse" Strategy:</b> Brilliant tactical advice for sneaking collaborative learning into rigid, traditional corporate cultures without setting off alarm bells.</li> <li>🍳 <b>Show Your "Dirty Kitchen":</b> Why people are exhausted by polished "sage on the stage" presentations and crave the messy, unpolished reality of how work actually gets done.</li> <li>⚙️ <b>The Friction Paradox:</b> Why making community networking <i>too easy</i> (like auto-matching emails) actually destroys commitment, and why we need to design a little friction back in.</li></ul><p>This conversation is a masterclass for anyone looking to build, scale, or simply belong to a meaningful professional community. Anamaria's passion is infectious, and you'll leave inspired to start your own ripple effect.</p><p><b>🖥️ Shapeshifters Website:</b><br><a href="https://www.makeshapes.com/shapeshifters">https://www.makeshapes.com/shapeshifters</a></p><p><b>🔗 Connect with Anamaria:</b></p><p><a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/anamariadorgo">Anamaria Dorgo on LinkedIn</a></p><p><a href="https://www.linkedin.com/company/l-d-shakers/">L&D Shakers</a></p><p><a href="https://mapping-ties.com/">Mapping Ties Podcast</a></p><p><a href="https://anamariadorgo.substack.com/">IRrEGULAR LEtTER</a></p><p><b>🔗 Connect with us:</b></p><p><a href="https://www.linkedin.com/company/makeshapes">Makeshapes on LinkedIn</a></p><p><a href="https://x.com/MakeshapesLtd">Makeshapes on X</a></p><p><a href="https://www.instagram.com/makeshapesltd">Makeshapes on Instagram</a></p><p><a href="https://www.facebook.com/MakeshapesLtd">Makeshapes on Facebook</a></p><p><a href="https://www.tiktok.com/@makeshapes_ltd">Makeshapes on TikTok</a></p>
March 6, 2026
Institutionalized Idiocy and How to Cure It
<p>In this episode, we share a provocative, brilliant masterclass on why releasing control and abandoning rigid goals are the true keys to organizational transformation.</p><p>Our guest is Rodney Evans, a pioneer in adaptive organization design and the Steward (CEO) of The Ready. Known for her clarity, candor, and precision, Rodney helps leaders shed outdated mental models to build organizations that are coherent, humane, and ready for what’s next. She focuses on intervening where it matters most—using behavioral economics to redesign everyday work rather than trying to change "hearts and minds."</p><p>In this conversation, we explore:</p><ul> <li>🎯 <b>Stop over-indexing on the end state:</b> Why fixating on rigid future goals stifles creativity and sets us up for frustration.</li> <li>🤝 <b>The liberating power of Stewardship:</b> Why leadership is lonely and isolating, while stewardship is a shared "team sport."</li> <li>🧠 <b>Behavioral economics over "hearts and minds":</b> Why trying to change culture directly is a trap, and how tweaking processes nudges unconscious behavior.</li> <li>🔀 <b>Where to start your transformation:</b> Why you should tackle cross-functional problems first, where no one has "home court advantage."</li></ul><p>This conversation should leave your brain firing. Rodney has an incredible ability to cut through the expected and institutional with absolute precision. We think you'll love her insights on how to intervene where it matters most and allow your team to be fueled by surprise.</p><p><b>🖥️ Shapeshifters Website:</b><br><a href="https://www.makeshapes.com/shapeshifters">https://www.makeshapes.com/shapeshifters</a></p><p><b>🔗 Connect with us:</b></p><p><a href="https://www.linkedin.com/company/makeshapes">Makeshapes on LinkedIn</a></p><p><a href="https://x.com/MakeshapesLtd">Makeshapes on X</a></p><p><a href="https://www.instagram.com/makeshapesltd">Makeshapes on Instagram</a></p><p><a href="https://www.facebook.com/MakeshapesLtd">Makeshapes on Facebook</a></p><p><a href="https://www.tiktok.com/@makeshapes_ltd">Makeshapes on TikTok</a></p>
11 total episodes available
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Frequently asked questions
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- What is Shapeshifters?
- How often does this podcast release new episodes?
This podcast updates daily.
- Where can I listen to this podcast?
This podcast is available on 4 platforms including Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and more. You can also use the RSS feed directly.
- Does this podcast accept guests?
Yes, this podcast regularly features guests.
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