Edition 19: The Power of Diverse Talents by Rob Noble, Founder, Group Of Humans
From the very first brand HUMANS gathering in the Wythe Hotel in Brooklyn back in 2018 below, diversity has been our superpower and collaboration the fuel.
At Group Of Humans, we curate high-performing TRIBES, just like a sports team picks the right players for the game. My transition from founding, managing, and selling traditional agencies—a global digital agency and a service design agency—to leading GOH has drastically transformed my views on leadership. I've shifted from a model burdened by hierarchy, employees, and overheads to one that thrives on holacratic, collaborative, meaningful engagement.
Our success stems from selecting the perfect mix of talent for each unique challenge. We believe everyone excels when doing what they do best; trying to force fit skills only sets individuals up for frustration and limits potential. Our shared values are our game plan, ensuring we're all playing towards the same ambition.
Our Extraordinary Community
In the vibrant collective of GOH, each member's unique abilities play a pivotal role:
Terry Virts (Wikipedia), a former NASA astronaut turned filmmaker, offers unique perspectives on global sustainability.
It's an honor and a pleasure to be involved with such a diverse group of creative people. My normal "day job" usually involved space and very technical things, and it's great and refreshing to be amongst a TRIBE who come from so many different backgrounds. The breadth of their experience, the expertise they have and their connections is so impressive.
Dr. Raven Baxter (Wikipedia) a science communicator, molecular biologist and STEM educator brings a passion for making education more accessible and engaging.
Kevin Godley (Wikipedia), co-founder of the rock band 10cc and Godley & Creme, adds a legacy of artistic experimentation to our work.
Every area I work in needs different skills to get ideas from A-Z and I'm not always able to do everything, so being part of GOH gets me a set of extra gears, more opportunities and some new friends. If pushed for a definition I'd call it a tribe of purposeful creatives who believe that technology is wonderful...but it's way better with people.
Jack Peñate (Wikipedia), an Ivor Novello-winning artist, enriches our work with emotional depth and nuanced storytelling.
Josh Klein (Wikipedia), known for his disruptive approaches in tech and business, helps us challenge conventional solutions.
Expanding the Roster
Joining these luminaries are other key figures who bring their unique global perspectives and skills:
Suki Fuller, a renowned intelligence advisor, enriches our strategic insights with her expertise in technology, security, and global affairs.
We are a merry band of miscreants. Skilled, talented, brilliant, caring, irreverent, constantly thought provoking, disparate, inspirational and collectively powerful humans. Gotta hold up my hand to say, I originally felt outclassed then realized, I was asked for a reason and accepted this is my tribe. I belong here.
Geoffrey Kirkman, a strategic advisor, corporate social responsibility expert and international development leader, ensuring rigor and global perspective to our work.
Mark Blaisse, a seasoned journalist and international affairs expert, enhances our strategic insights with his deep understanding of global dynamics.
Ale Lariu, founder of SheSays a global community for women and non-binary people in the creative industry, and a creative director with a passion for the future of work.
As a solo consultant I rarely have time to switch from client work to focus on your own professional development. GOH allows me to do just that. On steroids. And client work to boot.
Bridging Former Competitors and Visionaries
Our community not only includes industry leaders but also former rivals, who having had their agencies acquired, now collaborate under the GOH umbrella, bringing a rich strategic depth:
Orlando Matthias (formerly Co-Founder, All of Us), with his background in physical environment design, spatial computation and AR/VR, advances our capabilities in mixed reality.
Sean Reynolds (formerly Co-Founder, Iris Worldwide) and Simon Waterfall RDI (formerly Co-Founder Deepend and Poke), with their multi-award winning expertise in creative direction, marketing and execution, ensure our digital projects remain cutting-edge.
Alexandra Jugovic (formerly Co-Founder, Hi-ReS!) an award-winning Creative, Entrepreneur and Leader passionate about crafting exceptional products and experiences for the world's leading brands.
Mentors and Makers: Growth Focus
Shifting from agency boss to community facilitator has changed my priorities. I now empower seasoned talents, some of whom have a long history with me, like Joe Whelan and Jan Golding (24 years as brilliant designers), service designers like Dan Harris, brand designers like Paul Bean, product designers like Matthew Cockerill or project managers like Nicola Pickup. Writers like Duncan Madden, engineers like Kyle Duncan, strategists like Clare Townhill... the list goes on. At GOH, there's no chasing empty titles. It's about honing your craft, surrounding yourself with inspiring people, and doing meaningful work.
Membership Committee: Curating Talent
Key to our success is our Membership Committee, who work alongside me to find our next amazing humans:
Sean Carney, former Chief Design Officer at Philips Healthcare brings healthcare expertise and a human-centered approach.
Sarah Kay, a leadership coach, and global brand and innovation advisor (former Nike) and Earthshot Prize leader, adds environmental focus and global experience.
Jason Mesut, a seasoned service designer, understands how to build a community that benefits everyone involved.
Community-Driven Impact
At GOH, we don’t just operate; we improve how strategic creative work is done, here’s a glimpse at some collaborations:
With Gates Ventures, we've spent 5 years merging our love for education with human-centric design for their OER program.
Alongside ENGIE, we've tackled complex energy solutions, leveraging our collective expertise in sustainability and climate.
We partner with XQ Institute on innovative product development in education.
For LEGO – yes, LEGO – we even do traditional marketing work.
Partnering with Astrolabs taking brands to to the moon in 2026 and beyond. See www.groupofhumans.com/moon
It’s not just the marketplace it is about real community, fostering relationships.
Weekly Insight Dispatches: Stay ahead of the curve with founder-led video updates delivering exclusive insights, trends, and opportunities.
Monthly 'Meet the Humans' Events: Connect, celebrate, and build an understanding of your fellow HUMANS during these vibrant sessions.
Exclusive ALL HANDS Meetings: Engage in thought-provoking discussions and debates on current trends and the strategic direction of the community and platform.
Guest Speaker Series: Learn from diverse leaders with inspiring insights on a range of topics.
Project Showcase: Discover the latest community projects, innovative “Tribe” programs and exciting opportunities to get involved.
Global Local Meetups: Build meaningful relationships from London to San Francisco, fostering real-world collaborations.
The Future of Work: A Community of Innovators
Looking ahead, my focus is on nurturing, not commanding. It's about creating a space where our leaders humans like Margeigh Novotny (former Wikipedia and Microsoft Design Lead), Divya Gandhi (venture builder, strategist), and Amale Ghalbouni (leadership coach, facilitator) can thrive. Our unique model ensures every project benefits from our collective intelligence.
Embrace Collaboration and Transformation
Waste Not your time, your energy, or your potential. Join us at Group Of Humans, where collaboration drives impact.
Visit our membership page to see how our community can transform how you work and career.
Group Of Humans
We are a globally distributed community of creative leaders and change architects unrivaled in experience and expertise, unmatched in efficiency and results. We can help unlock the real transformative potential of your organization.
Group Of Humans is built on an innovative community platform designed to cater to the evolution of creative and strategic work. We do not work to any traditional business or agency model but are holacratic, distributed and diverse, not just geographically but also creatively and philosophically.
We work cooperatively in bespoke TRIBES, built on demand to meet specific challenges. Adaptable and scalable, we combine our talents, viewpoints and experience to create fresh perspectives and meaningful solutions that meet global challenges and move humanity towards better outcomes.
We exist to reveal, rewrite and revolutionize the way humankind experiences the Earth (and the Moon) with purpose and meaning.
It's been a privilege to have been able to congregate and collaborate with such an accomplished and egoless mob. Better solutions, for humans, by humans.
I flew in for lunch! Cheaper hotel ;) Great times meeting Simon Waterfall!