Dean Carter (Best-Selling Author, 4x CHRO, & CEO of Instill) joined us on The Modern People Leader. We talked about the career pivots that shaped his life, what Patagonia taught him about purpose and play, and why trusting your gut, taking big swings, and doing the right thing can lead you somewhere better than the plan you originally had.---- Sponsor Links:🔗 Explore the 2026 Deloitte Human Capital Trends Report🔗 Learn more about SixFiftyMPL Links:🔗 Go sign up for MPL Build.---- (12:30) Dean’s Career Story Through Life Pivots(23:20) The Moment Dean Decided to Work in HR(28:45) Choosing His Daughter Over Career and Leaving Fossil(33:40) Choosing Patagonia Over Bigger Career Moves(37:50) Work as Play(39:00) Humility, Simplicity and Living the Patagonia Way(41:40) Dean’s Advice for People Considering a Major Career Pivot(43:20) Showing Up Fully After You Make the Choice(46:30) Making the Best of Any Choice You Make(48:40) Why Big Misses Mean You Are Swinging Hard Enough(50:00) Career Emergence and How the Path Reveals Itself(56:10) Building AI That Saves Jobs Instead of Taking Them(58:25) Career Advice: Think Two Jobs Up, Not One Job Up---- 📬 Subscribe to our weekly newsletter to get episode recaps💡 Follow The Modern People Leader on LinkedIn😊 Follow Daniel Huerta on LinkedIn😊 Follow Stephen Huerta on LinkedIn---- Past guests on MPL include Brené Brown, Annie Dean (VP of Team Anywhere, Atlassian), Josh Bersin, Katie Burke (Chief People Officer, Harvey), Liz Fosslien, Helen Russell (Chief People Officer, HubSpot), Dave Scott (Chief People Officer, ADT), Melanie Rossenwasser (Chief People Officer, Dropbox), Crystal Boysen (Chief People Officer, Sprout Social), and many more.

Ask this episode

“What did the council decide on item 42?” — answered with the speaker and the moment.