In a world increasingly shaped by AI, it’s tempting to feel that faster, easier, and more-polished wins. But as humans, we actually have a deep appreciation for grit. We recognize and resonate with strife. We’re suspicious of shortcuts because they hide the work, the pain, the humanity. Nebraska Wesleyan alum Greg Harris is the co-founder of Quantum Workplace, an Omaha-based leader in employee feedback software. He served as its CEO for 18 years. He designed the first city-by-city Best Places to Work list that recognized top employers every year since 2004. This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at https://www.ted.com/tedx

Ben Pankonin is a tech entrepreneur, speaker and community advocate based in Lincoln, Nebraska. After graduating from Nebraska Wesleyan, he founded Social Assurance and Class Intercom, companies that help financial institutions and schools engage authentically and communicate with trust in a digital world. Ben Pankonin is a tech entrepreneur, speaker and community advocate based in Lincoln, Nebraska. After graduating from Nebraska Wesleyan, he founded Social Assurance and Class Intercom, companies that help financial institutions and schools engage authentically and communicate with trust in a digital world. This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at https://www.ted.com/tedx