Guest: Bruce Temkin - Humanity at Scale: Leading with Empathy in the Age of AI
- E109
- 32:45
- November 4th 2025
n this episode of Breakthrough SaaS Growth with The Jasons, hosts Jason Noble (London) and Jason Whitehead (U.S.) sit down with Bruce Temkin, founder of Humanity at Scale and one of the most respected voices in customer experience, leadership, and organizational psychology.
Together, they explore how SaaS companies can scale growth without sacrificing human connection — and why empathy, trust, and purpose are fast becoming the competitive differentiators in an AI-driven world.
Bruce shares how leaders can break free from the “efficiency trap,” rethink the role of AI as a collaborator (not a replacement), and design experiences that amplify humanity rather than automate it away. The conversation dives deep into what it means to lead with emotional intent, why values-based leadership matters more than ever, and how technology can either dehumanize or elevate — depending on the choices we make.
In this episode, we discuss:
- Why efficiency-focused leadership leads to mediocrity — and how to escape it
- How AI can enhance (not replace) human creativity, empathy, and purpose
- The power of human–AI collaboration and what it means for SaaS leaders
- Designing experiences that include deliberate human touchpoints
- Rethinking leadership education in a world of automation
- What “Humanity at Scale” really means — and how it can transform organizations
Bruce Temkin: Bio & Links:
Bruce Temkin is a pioneer in human experience management and a trusted executive advisor. Often called the “Godfather of Customer Experience,” he helped define the fields of Customer Experience, Employee Experience, and Experience Management—reshaping how organizations serve the needs of their most important stakeholders.
He founded the Qualtrics XM Institute, co-founded the Customer Experience Professionals Association, led Temkin Group, and was Forrester Research’s most-read analyst for 13 consecutive quarters.
Bruce has guided hundreds of organizations through periods of rapid change and disruption—often driven by emerging technologies—by helping leaders stay focused on what matters most: people. He now hosts Humanity at Scale: Redefining Leadership, a podcast where bold thinkers explore how trust, empathy, and purpose drive lasting success.
🌐 Website: https://humanityatscale.substack.com
Podcast: https://humanityatscalepodcast.com
💼 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brucetemkin/
👉 Explore more episodes and subscribe at https://breakthroughsaasgrowth.com
Breakthrough SaaS Growth with The Jasons
SaaS growth isn’t owned by a single team—it’s a cross-functional sport. Each week, hosts Jason Noble (London) and Jason Whitehead (U.S.) dig into what actually drives sustainable growth across product, pricing, onboarding & adoption, customer success, sales, marketing, finance, and leadership. Expect candid conversations, practical playbooks, and board-level perspectives on topics like AI (beyond the hype), data quality & trust, in-product guidance, value realization, renewals, expansion, and customer experience. You’ll hear from founders, investors, product and revenue leaders who’ve built real results—not just slideware.
Formerly known as The Jasons Take On, the show has evolved to reflect a broader mission: turning insight into action that breaks through silos and accelerates SaaS growth. Same Jasons. Bigger vision. Sharper takeaways.
Subscribe and explore more at breakthroughsaasgrowth.com.