28th November 2025
Inspire Club Podcast: EP #37 – Kirsten Davidson
This episode of the Inspire Club Podcast features Kirsten Davidson, co-founder and Managing Partner at Employera, and one of the world’s most influential voices in employer branding and workplace culture.
Kirsten tells host Matt Manners how an early encounter with eBay’s then-CEO, John Donahoe, redefined her view of leadership. “He stopped by a junior employee’s desk and said, ‘Can you teach me social media?’” That humility, she says, taught her that “the most dangerous person in the room is the one who doesn’t know what they don’t know.”
She reflects on how leaders can build cultures of curiosity and generosity — creating space for learning at every level. The conversation ranges from the role of AI in human creativity, to the need for alignment in today’s fragmented workplaces, to her philosophy on productivity: “Phone a friend.”
A defining moment in her career came when a senior executive made a decision that undermined her authority: “It taught me what not to do — never give responsibility without empowerment.”
Kirsten’s advice is both practical and profound. From “Don’t cross the river when the water’s high” to “Know what you know, know what you don’t know, and then figure it out”, her wisdom reflects years of navigating complex human systems with heart and intelligence.
Listen in for insights on leadership, alignment, and why caring — not efficiency — might be the most important metric in work today.
