About The Book
Every workplace deserves the chance to feel more human. That’s why Octopy Co-Founders Jean Larkin and Matt Dunsmoor wrote their bestselling book The Five Embodiments.
The world of work is changing faster than most people can keep up. Technology accelerates. AI evolves. Division grows. Yet the thing that hasn't changed is the human need to feel seen, valued, and connected.
This book distills the human-first leadership work Jean and Matt have taught inside organizations around the world. This book is for anyone who wants to create change, regardless of budget or title.Through storytelling, research, and real-world experience, they share a practical framework for Human-Focused Leadership, built around five core principles called embodiments.
It isn’t another leadership theory or generic management manual. It’s a field guide for people who want to rebuild connection in a fragmented world. For teams it's a blueprint to create workplaces that don’t just work but where people and the bottom thrive.
It’s an invitation:
Start small, lead human, and build a workplace that feels human.
What People Are Saying About The Five Embodiments
Why it Matters
We’re facing a loneliness epidemic, chronic disengagement, and rising burnout. People are working harder than ever, and feeling less connected than ever. The Five Embodiments offers a way forward, one that puts humanity back at the center of how we lead, communicate, and collaborate. This book will help you: ✓ Build stronger, more connected teams. ✓ Turn feedback into a source of growth instead of fear. ✓ Create environments where people feel seen, heard, and valued. ✓ Move beyond transactional leadership toward relationships that inspire and last.
About the Authors
In addition to writing "The Five Embodiments: A Guide to Human-Focused Leadership, Stronger Relationships, and a Workplace That Doesn't Suck," Matt Dunsmoor and Jean Larkin co-founded Octopy, which supports leaders and organizations with human-focused leadership development experiences and cultural transformation.
Matt is based in Colorado (USA) while Jean lives in Palma (Spain), bringing a cross-cultural perspective to their writing and their programs at Octopy.
Over the past ten years, Matt has been speaking on stages and facilitating sessions about leadership, culture, and purpose for groups in just about every sector, industry, and size. In that same time, Jean has been leading multinational teams and developing training programs across Europe and the Americas.
Both are global travelers, having worked with leaders & organizations in over 50 countries and having spent time in many more. Their approach is both scientific and deeply human, giving them a unique ability to drive change across a diverse array of groups. And they’re both energized by tackling the massive challenge of changing the way we work.