Humans are Underrated

What will people do better than computers in a world where technology outperforms human intelligence, speed, and accuracy? Geoffrey Colvin’s Humans Are Underrated answers this question with a surprising thesis: as machines become smarter, faster, and cheaper, the skills that make humans uniquely valuable are not technical but profoundly social. In other words, the next great wave of human opportunity won’t be found in mastering algorithms—it will be found in mastering empathy, storytelling, collaboration, creativity, and relationships.

Colvin begins by acknowledging the growing fear that automation and artificial intelligence will obliterate jobs. He recounts IBM’s Watson defeating champions on Jeopardy! and Google’s self-driving cars outmaneuvering human drivers. Across industries—from law to medicine to finance—machines now outperform humans in analysis, prediction, and precision. Yet, Colvin observes, people continue to crave one thing computers can’t deliver: genuine human connection. When faced with uncertainty, pain, or moral choice, we instinctively turn to others, not machines. That insight becomes the backbone of his argument: as technology takes over cognitive and routine tasks, high value will shift to interpersonal and emotional skills—the deeply human abilities that machines still cannot replicate authentically.

How Technology Changed What We Value

The book traces four turning points in the history of work. First came the Industrial Revolution, which replaced artisans with factory workers. Then came the age of education, when knowledge became a currency for prosperity. Later, the information revolution devalued mid-level cognitive skills but rewarded those in high-skill professions and low-skill service jobs. Now, Colvin argues, the fourth turning point is here: computers are advancing into both ends of the skill spectrum, taking over everything from truck driving to legal analysis. What remains—the last domain where humans thrive—is what he calls “the human domain.”

In this new economy, success depends less on what you know and more on what you’re like. Being effective means communicating compassionately, collaborating intuitively, leading with empathy, and storytelling with authenticity. These capabilities can’t be replaced by circuitry because they depend on trust, vulnerability, and emotion—qualities that evolved deep in our species for survival. As Colvin observes, “Our brains are built to connect with others. That’s our advantage.”

Why Empathy and Social Skills Are the New Currency

The book shows how empathy became more lucrative than logic, especially in modern organizations. Employers increasingly prioritize emotional intelligence: American Express trains its call center employees to “bring their personality to life.” The Cleveland Clinic teaches doctors empathy as a clinical skill. And even armed forces train soldiers to read subtle cultural and emotional cues. These examples illustrate a broader pattern—industries once dominated by technical expertise are rediscovering that understanding others is the ultimate competitive advantage.

One of Colvin’s most striking insights comes from military training. In Vietnam, America’s most advanced fighter jets underperformed because pilots lacked the social and cognitive skills to predict opponents. The Navy’s “Top Gun” program changed that through brutally honest, human-centered feedback. When pilots learned to empathize—seeing through the eyes of an enemy—they increased success rates fivefold. The revolution was not technological but interpersonal. Empathy saved lives and reinvented modern training across the military and, later, business leadership programs.

The Social Brain at Work

Underlying all of Colvin’s arguments is neuroscience. Our brains didn’t evolve to compute—they evolved to connect. Studies show that face-to-face conversation triggers synchronization between brains, boosting cooperation and creativity. When you truly engage another person, your brain releases oxytocin—the “bonding hormone.” That physical response translates into trust, empathy, and collaboration. Digital communication, by contrast, inhibits these responses, making us less empathetic and less intelligent as groups. Our virtual lives, though efficient, are diminishing the very abilities that make us human.

From Knowledge Workers to Relationship Workers

Colvin redefines success in the twenty-first century. Where Peter Drucker coined the term “knowledge workers,” Colvin introduces the era of “relationship workers.” The most valuable people are those who collaborate, innovate, and inspire others—not those who merely store information. He demonstrates how empathy drives medical outcomes, how storytelling persuades more deeply than logic, and how inclusive teams outperform purely analytical ones. Crucially, he insists these skills are not innate traits but trainable abilities. Organizations from the Army to Stanford’s business school have learned to teach empathy, trust, and collaboration through realistic simulation, open feedback, and storytelling practice.

In a world where machines think, Colvin invites us to rediscover what only humans feel. The future belongs not to the smartest coders, but to those who can see, understand, and connect with others. That means your greatest advantage may already be inside you—the timeless ability to care, communicate, and collaborate. As technology races ahead, humans who are deeply human will lead the way.

Colvin calls empathy the critical twenty-first-century skill—the foundation for every other valuable human ability. Unlike sympathy, empathy isn’t simple kindness. It’s the skill of discerning what another person feels and thinks, then responding appropriately. That subtle difference explains how empathy drives success across medicine, business, and even warfare. Doctors at the Cleveland Clinic discovered that patients treated by empathetic physicians not only recover faster but also cost the system less, comply more with treatment, and sue less. Empathy improves outcomes through emotional connection.

Empathy in the Workplace

Employers prize empathy because it transforms transactions into relationships. American Express threw out its script-based customer service approach, replacing robotic interactions with authentic conversations. Employees were trained to connect personally and listen deeply. The results were measurable—satisfaction rose, profits increased, and turnover dropped. Oracle’s Meg Bear summarized this shift perfectly: “Empathy will be the difference between good and great.”

The Science Behind Empathy

Empathy isn’t just moral—it’s biological. Our brains evolved to detect emotional signals: eye movement, facial micro-expressions, tone of voice, pupil dilation. Even newborns cry when they hear another infant crying—an instinctive emotional contagion that demonstrates our deep neural wiring for empathy. Neuroscientist Michael Gazzaniga explains that this ability was crucial for survival; understanding others helped early humans cooperate in groups, hunt effectively, and avoid danger.

Rebuilding a Wasting Muscle

The paradox of modern life is that empathy is declining just as its economic value rises. Studies show a steep drop in college students’ empathy since 2000, coinciding with social media use and virtual communication. Technology, while connecting us digitally, disconnects us emotionally. Programs like Roots of Empathy—where students interact with real infants—prove that empathy can be rebuilt through experience. For adults, doctors now train through simulated patient interactions, guided by feedback that targets emotional cues. These methods echo military after-action reviews: brutally candid reflection to refine human skill.

Empathy, Colvin reminds us, is not a trait you’re born with—it’s a skill you can practice. Role-playing difficult conversations, listening reflectively, and learning to sense emotions all increase performance. In an age driven by data, empathy is the new discipline—and mastering it makes you indispensable.

Colvin’s most compelling case for human skill comes from the U.S. military’s surprising discovery: the key to success isn’t better technology, but better people. In Vietnam, despite possessing the world’s most advanced fighter jets, American forces struggled. Missiles missed targets, and superior hardware didn’t translate into victories. Then came an experiment that changed everything—the Navy Fighter Weapons School, later known as Top Gun.

Three Principles of Top Gun

The Top Gun program trained pilots through realism and reflection. Every training fight was recorded, analyzed, and reviewed through brutally honest after-action debriefs. Participants faced not simulations against identical aircraft but realistic mock enemies flown by elite trainers. These trainers acted, thought, and even painted their planes like North Vietnamese MiGs. Pilots learned through repeated engagement—mirroring human interaction more than mechanical instruction. As Colvin notes, “Machines don’t fight wars, people do, and they use their minds.”

The Power of Honest Feedback

The military discovered that deliberate, candid discussion—what they called the After-Action Review (AAR)—builds competence faster than conventional training. Participants watched recordings, admitted mistakes, and analyzed decisions collectively, regardless of rank. A sergeant could critique a commander. The process institutionalized introspection. Over time, the Navy’s combat success rate soared from 2.4 to 12.5—an unprecedented fivefold improvement. The Air Force later adopted similar methods, and the Army followed, establishing the National Training Center (NTC) to simulate large-scale battles using live and digital tools.

Empathy on the Battlefield

Even in combat, empathy proves essential. Understanding what opponents think and predicting reactions are acts of empathy. By integrating immersive simulation and honest review, soldiers learned not just to fight, but to interpret human behavior—reading allies and adversaries alike. This insight redefined military success. During Operation Desert Storm, commanders argued that their training was more decisive than superior technology; it fostered team trust and empathy under fire.

The military’s revolution in human skills reveals that empathy, feedback, and realism outperform automation. Colvin’s point is clear: Build people the way Top Gun did—by simulating life, reflecting in truth, and trusting others. Whether in war or business, realistic human training trumps technology every time.

Most people think high-performing teams rely on intelligence, leadership, or expertise. Colvin proves otherwise. Drawing on research from MIT and Carnegie Mellon, he shows that what makes teams smart is not IQ—but social sensitivity. When individuals sense each other’s moods, take conversational turns equally, and connect empathetically, the group’s collective intelligence rises dramatically.

Social Intelligence and Group IQ

Researchers discovered what they call “c”—collective intelligence—a measurable factor that predicts a group’s performance across tasks. Groups with high average empathy and equal participation outperform teams dominated by a few talkers, regardless of individual IQ. The same happens at workplaces. Colvin cites MIT’s Alex Pentland, whose sociometric badges revealed that team success depends on how frequently and evenly members interact—not on technical expertise or personality.

Human Interaction as Data

In Bank of America’s call centers, changing coffee break schedules so teams rested together increased engagement and productivity—saving millions. It wasn’t the content of conversation that mattered, but connection itself. Teams shared more insights, felt more valued, and improved overall performance. The data showed that mere conversation can be an economic force.

The Chemistry of Cooperation

When teams click, biology kicks in. Rowers synchronizing their strokes release more endorphins than when rowing alone. Singing together, hugging after success, or solving problems jointly flood the body with oxytocin—the trust hormone. Cooperation isn’t just good leadership; it’s neurochemical. These effects explain why effective teams cost less, work better, and even save lives. Pilots flying together for years commit fewer errors, and surgical teams that stay intact produce better patient outcomes.

Colvin’s takeaway: High performance comes from connection, not cognition. Teams succeed when empathy replaces ego. In analytics-driven workplaces, that’s a radical shift—and an opportunity for humans to outshine machines through emotion itself.

We think logic persuades, but Colvin reveals that stories move people far more deeply than facts ever can. He illustrates this through Stephen Denning’s transformation of the World Bank: when data failed to motivate change, one simple narrative about a Zambian health worker accessing malaria information online reshaped the organization’s global strategy. Stories humanize data—they connect emotionally, trigger empathy, and drive action.

Why Stories Work

Neuroscience explains storytelling’s power. Hearing a story synchronizes the brains of speaker and listener—what researchers call “neural coupling.” This shared activity releases oxytocin, strengthening trust and emotional engagement. Paul Zak’s experiments show that stories with conflict and resolution increase generosity and empathy; factual reports do not. The structure of a narrative—a relatable character facing challenge and transformation—literally squeezes your pituitary gland to release connection hormones.

Stories in Leadership and Persuasion

From Lincoln to Pixar, effective leaders use narrative to unite teams and influence societies. Colvin notes that we remember facts better when they’re embedded in stories—“telling is remembering.” In human communication, storytelling becomes not just entertainment but the ancient operating system of influence. DARPA’s Narrative Networks program studies how extremist groups recruit through narratives and how counter-stories might neutralize violence. In every domain, stories shape action more powerfully than analysis.

In an AI world obsessed with data, storytelling remains timelessly human. Machines can generate text, but authenticity—the moral and emotional intent—belongs only to people. As Stephen Denning discovered, you can’t motivate with slides or statistics; you must be there, sharing truth from one human to another.

Can computers be creative? IBM’s Watson can invent recipes, compose music, and write novels. Geoffrey Colvin admits machine creativity is real—but he draws a crucial line: computers can generate novelty, but not human meaning. What distinguishes human creativity is purpose, empathy, and emotional resonance—the connection between the creator and the consumer.

Machine Creativity vs. Human Innovation

Computers already compose “fake Bach” and devise culinary innovations that astonish diners. But when J.K. Rowling published under the pseudonym “Robert Galbraith,” her book sold poorly until people discovered the human behind it. Creativity is valuable not only for originality but for relationship. People crave stories, art, and innovation tied to real humans.

The Social Nature of Innovation

Colvin reveals a paradox: while technology can simulate thinking, it can’t simulate collaboration. The world’s most innovative ideas emerge from social networks—two-person teams like Lennon and McCartney or Jobs and Wozniak. MIT’s Alex Pentland shows that creativity rises when teams balance “exploration” (outside ideas) and “engagement” (internal trust). Face-to-face interaction builds the confidence and empathy that spark invention.

Trust and Proximity

Research proves proximity fuels collaboration—the volume of creative communication declines by the square of the distance between people. Simply put, we innovate best when we’re close enough to bump chairs. Physical presence strengthens trust—the true currency of creative partnership. That’s why Google designs cafeterias to create “serendipitous collisions.” (Note: Marissa Mayer’s controversial call for Yahoo employees to return to the office followed the same logic.)

Machines can compose, but they can’t empathize. When creativity intersects with empathy—to solve human problems, not just generate patterns—only people succeed. The future belongs to those who can innovate together, not simply compute faster.

Colvin concludes with a provocative insight: as empathy and social intelligence become the most valuable economic skills, women hold natural advantages. Studies show female groups outperform mixed or all-male groups in problem solving because they exhibit higher social sensitivity, equal participation, and genuine collaboration. In tomorrow’s economy, traits often considered feminine—empathy, inclusivity, and shared leadership—will drive success for everyone.

Empathizers and Systemizers

Psychologist Simon Baron-Cohen distinguishes between the “systemizing” male brain and the “empathizing” female brain. Systemizers seek rules; empathizers seek understanding. As machines master systems, empathizers thrive. Women’s biological and social predisposition toward connection—evident in infant studies showing girls focus more on faces while boys fixate on objects—aligns perfectly with the new economy’s demands.

The Power of Collaboration

From diverse leadership styles to team dynamics, women bring relational strength. Sally Helgesen’s The Female Advantage noted decades ago that women’s leadership tends to be web-like, inclusive, and long-term. Today, those same qualities make organizations more adaptive. Men can learn these patterns too; Colvin emphasizes that empathy isn’t gender-bound—it’s human.

Beyond Gender: Becoming More Human

Ultimately, the message isn’t that women will dominate—it’s that humanity will balance. Men who cultivate empathy and trust will prosper alongside women who embrace innovation and leadership. The future belongs to “relationship workers”—people in every field who master emotional intelligence regardless of gender. As Colvin puts it, “It’s becoming a more female world—not because women are winning, but because humanity is evolving.”

In his closing argument, Colvin asks how we can adapt to this human-centered future. The answer lies in learning, practicing, and valuing interpersonal skills as deliberately as we once learned technical ones. Organizations must design experiences—not lectures—that build empathy, collaboration, and creative trust. The U.S. military calls this “the human domain”; businesses like Southwest Airlines live it every day.

Training Human Skills

Modern training, Colvin says, should mirror realistic social experience. The Army teaches soldiers negotiation through virtual “Good Stranger” simulations. Stanford and Harvard teach business students empathy through teamwork, candid reviews, and real-world projects. These institutions prove that human connection can be taught systematically.

The Paradox of Technology Helping Humanity

Ironically, information technology can accelerate human skill development. Simulators and role-playing software allow people to rehearse empathy, trust, and teamwork safely and repeatedly—the same principle that made Top Gun so transformative. Technology, used intentionally, can help us become more human.

Looking Inward, Not Outward

Colvin ends on an optimistic note. For the first time in history, economic survival depends on personal growth rather than mechanical mastery. Becoming valuable means looking inward—to compassion, curiosity, and connection. The highest-performing people won’t be those who compete with machines, but who complement them through humanity. “In the deepest possible sense,” Colvin reminds us, “you already have what it takes.”