About The Human Equation
I’m David Harkins and I write The Human Equation.
Here, I examine how we live, work, and connect within our various systems, from families to workplaces to communities, and how these shape our shared human experience.
My work explores how people can build stronger connections and collectively use those connections to create positive change. With The Human Equation, I’m writing to process information and better understand how we all fit together in this complex world.
My curiosity centers on the overlapping systems we navigate daily and how they influence who we become. Sometimes, these systems work in harmony; often, they collide in unexpected ways. In these intersections, I find the most fascinating questions about human experience, behavior, and potential.
That’s where this newsletter comes in.
Each edition examines how we experience and interact with different systems and cultures, examining the ripple effects of our individual actions on our collective humanity. What I write is mostly to help me understand the connections better. I’m grateful to anyone who wants to read along and join in this exploration with me.
I write long-form pieces because these topics deserve careful exploration. While I don't claim to have definitive answers, I believe asking better questions helps us understand ourselves and each other more deeply. And, through this understanding, we can work together to build a better world.
I hope you’ll subscribe to explore these questions with me.
Subscription options
Free Subscribers will receive the newsletter and notifications of new posts directly in their inboxes. I want to further the conversation by making free posts accessible to everyone for twelve months after the initial post; then, they’re archived.
Paid subscribers support my exploration of the human experience in systems. You can also comment, get subscriber-only posts, and access the post archives beyond the first twelve months. In addition, you gain active access to a community of people who share your interests.
Better Us Founding Members support the work and help shape its future. By becoming a founding member, you’re directly contributing to The Human Equation's sustainability. Learn more here: Become a Better Us Founding Member.
A little more about me…
I am a social scientist and scholar-practitioner, bridging theory and practice better to understand the human experience within systems and cultures. My research explores the roles of collective empathy, entrepreneurial thinking, creativity in organizational problem-solving, and innovation leadership for sustainable change and social impact.
My educational journey includes a Doctorate in Organization Development and Change (D.ODC), a Master of Entrepreneurship (ME), and a Bachelor of Business Administration (BBA) in Entrepreneurial and Small Business Management. I am also a Certified Professional Coach.
When I’m not writing The Human Equation, I teach and mentor college students as an assistant professor of social entrepreneurship. I help students navigate the intersections of business, innovation, and social impact, equipping them with the tools to create meaningful change.
I am also the founder and managing partner of David Harkins Company, LLC, a management consulting collective dedicated to addressing complex challenges organizations, companies, and community leaders face. My work focuses on fostering adaptability, resilience, and sustainable transformation.
At the heart of everything I do, research, teaching, consulting, and writing, is a commitment to exploring how people and organizations evolve, innovate, and lead in an ever-changing world.
