June 26, 2024 - AI Tech for Upskilling Ruban Phukan and Listening Expert Michael Reddington

School for Startups Radio

Ruban Phukan – Co-Founder and CEO of GoodGist Inc

Ruban Phukan has over two decades of pioneering work in AI, Machine Learning, Information Retrieval, Search, Visualization, and Conversational User Interfaces. He is driven by a quest for problem-solution-fit in the enterprise and consumer world, believing deeply in the importance of understanding hard problems thoroughly to devise fitting solutions, regardless of their complexity. Currently as the co-founder and CEO of GoodGist Inc, a Generative AI startup for Upskilling and Research, Ruban is tackling the pressing challenges of scaling corporate skill development with an AI-Coach and mitigating information overload with an AI-Research-Assistant. Through a groundbreaking Learning & Research Intelligence Platform, which boasts patent-pending technology, GoodGist.com is poised to revolutionize corporate training and information research, potentially saving trillions of dollars lost to productivity and skill gaps. Ruban’s journey in the tech world began as one of the inaugural data scientists at Yahoo, where he collaborated closely with co-founder David Filo and the senior management team to leverage data in addressing complex business problems. His entrepreneurial spirit then led him to co-found Bixee.com, India’s first vertical search engine, employing patented technology that caught the attention of the Naspers Group. The acquisition facilitated the expansion of Bixee’s travel vertical into Goibibo, solidifying its position as India’s second-largest travel destination, eventually merging into market leader MakeMyTrip. Continuing his entrepreneurial journey, Ruban co-founded DataRPM, an enterprise that introduced AI to Industrial IoT with its patented Natural Language Question Answering technology, serving esteemed clients like GE, Samsung, Siemens, Jaguar Land Rover, and more, until its acquisition by Progress Software. Beyond his professional achievements, Ruban nurtures a passion for photography and writing. He loves traveling and cherishing moments with his family.
Michael Reddington – President of InQuasive, Inc and Author of The Disciplined Listening Method: How A Certified Forensic Interviewer Unlocks Hidden Value in Every Conversation

Michael Reddington is a Certified Forensic Interviewer, executive resource, President of InQuasive, Inc. and the author of The Disciplined Listening Method. As a Certified Forensic Interviewer, he achieved the highest professional designation available in the field of interview and interrogation. Michael spent over a decade training investigators around the world on the successful application of non-confrontational interview and interrogation techniques, earning the Outstanding Contribution Award from Homeland Security along the way. Michael transitioned from educating investigators to educating executives after his research and experience unlocked two key realizations. First, the best leaders and interrogators capitalize on the same two core skills – vision and influence. Second, the cognitive processes that lead customers to commit to saying “I’ll buy it”, employees to commit to saying “I’ll do it” and suspects to commit to truthfully saying “I did it” are all nearly identical. These realizations drove Michael to develop the Disciplined Listening Method by integrating current business communication research and best practices with the most successful non-confrontational interview and interrogation techniques. The resulting educational content represents a new and in-depth approach to applying strategic, ethical observation and persuasion techniques across the spectrum of business conversations. Michael has been invited by companies, government agencies and executive groups to facilitate his programs across the United States, Canada, The United Kingdom, Ireland, Europe, Africa and the Middle East. He has led over 1,500 programs and educated over 15,000 participants from over 50 countries. He teaches participants to activate the truth in the areas of leadership communication, sales, negotiation, candidate interviews, and beyond. CEO’s, executive teams, sales leaders, and Human Resources leaders all rely on Michael to teach them the skills, techniques and perspectives necessary to encourage people to share sensitive information, under vulnerable circumstances, and in the face of consequences. Michael’s insights have been featured in over 100 articles and interviews in outlets including Forbes, Fast Company, Authority Magazine, Newsweek, and beyond. He has guest lectured at over a dozen universities including Harvard, Northwestern University Kellogg School of Business, Cornell, DePaul Legal Clinic, and the University of San Diego. Michael’s book, The Disciplined Listening Method: How A Certified Forensic Interviewer Unlocks Hidden Value In Every Conversation, was published on Per Capita press in 2022 and represents a thoroughly researched and illustrated approach for enhancing leaders’ strategic observation and persuasive communication skill sets. Additionally, Michael serves as the host of I See What You’re Saying: The Disciplined Listening Podcast where he interviews wide array of guests to explore the process of communication from often surprising angles. Michael goes well beyond facilitating and advising. He applies customized content specifically designed to meet the needs of each participant with a humorous and intelligent delivery style. His diligent preparation, attention to each participant’s concerns, and added context coalesce to drive home the learning objectives. With Michael it’s never a presentation, seminar, or advisory session, it’s always an experience.