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AudioBook information:
Author: David Rock
Narrated by: David Rock
Release date: November 17, 2026
Audiobook Duration: 8 h 24 min

Summary: Read by the author.

The researcher and bestselling author of Your Brain at Work delivers a powerful, neuroscience-backed guide that explains what makes us tick, and what ticks us off—through an exploration of the five domains of social motivation that underpin and drive all human behavior.

In Your Brain at Work, David Rock introduced Emily and Paul, two hypothetical parents and professionals navigating the complexities of life. Through their connected stories, he demonstrated how our brains function during our hyper-busy workdays to help us better survive and thrive in our careers. In Good with Humans, Emily and Paul are back. Drawing on his groundbreaking SCARF model—encompassing Status, Certainty, Autonomy, Relatedness and Fairness—Rock uses their personal interactions with others as a springboard for explaining how our brains work in social situations.

While all five domains are relevant to everyone, each might be more or less important individually influencing how we respond to situations and engage with others.

Yet SCARF isn’t just about what drives us. It’s also a way of understanding what drives our interactions with others when they go well, and when they don’t. Most importantly, it can show us how to meaningfully improve these interactions in real time, or even ahead of time. The outcome is a breakthrough in how we operate with others in all realms of our lives: at work, at home, and beyond.

With the rise in AI, interpersonal skills are more important than ever. Good with Humans is the guide we need today to teach us the skills we will need tomorrow.

Supplemental enhancement PDF accompanies the audiobook.

Reviews:

“Learning the skills we need to relate effectively and joyfully is the essential human project. In this terrific new book, David Rock shows us how to do it, in detailed, actionable ways.” —Amy C. Edmondson, Novartis Professor of Leadership and Management, Harvard Business School, and author of Right Kind of Wrong: The Science of Failing Well

“The future needs SCARF to make neuroscience practical, with zest.” —Dr. Bob Johansen, futurist, author, and distinguished fellow at the Institute for the Future

“David Rock has written a book that many of us have been waiting for. Seamlessly weaving neuroscience, compelling stories, and practical wisdom, Good with Humans illuminates one of the most important—and least understood—aspects of our lives: Why people so often misunderstand, frustrate, trigger, and inspire one another. Rock’s SCARF framework offers an elegant lens for understanding human behavior from the family room to the office, and everywhere in between. You will be a slightly different person after finishing this book than you were before you started.” —Sonja Lyubomirsky, PhD, distinguished professor of psychology, University of California, Riverside, and author of The How of Happiness, The Myths of Happiness, and How to Feel Loved

“Most books explain human behavior. Good with Humans lets you watch it—one family, one week, two completely different outcomes. It’s the most practical translation of neuroscience into everyday life I’ve read.” —Jason Palmer, impact investor and former presidential candidate

“Leveraging breakthroughs in neuroscience, David Rock has developed an indispensable leadership guide for the AI era. In Good with Humans, Rock offers practical tools that can help ambitious leaders optimize their brainpower to raise their game.” —Matthew Breitfelder, global head of Human Capital, Apollo Global Management

“What David has created is a gift—a treasure trove of insights that will help you make sense of the dynamics of being human, both personally and professionally. SCARF is not just a framework; it is a lens that unlocks a deeper understanding of yourself and others—helping you lead better, relate better, and live better.” —Dr. Julie Loosbrock, EdD, MBA, CHRO, Blue Cross Blue Shield, Minnesota

“Anyone interacting with other humans (that’s everyone) will find this book a codex for better personal awareness, interpersonal connection, and social flourishing. Captured with stories, grounded in research, encouraging reflections, these SCARF insights will lead to improved quality of life. Neurointelligence leads to being ‘good with humans.’” —Dave Ulrich, Rensis Likert Professor Emeritus, University of Michigan, partner, the RBL Group

“In an era dominated by digital transformation and AI, the ultimate competitive advantage is understanding what drives human behavior. Good with Humans provides a brilliant, science-backed road map for decoding our daily interactions, minimizing workplace friction, and building truly cohesive teams. This is a must-read for any leader looking to elevate their neurointelligence and connect on a deeper level.” —Sam Hammock, CHRO, Cencora

“A useful tool for processing information, self-regulation, and understanding others, helping to de-escalate conflicts. Recommended for anyone interested in the brain and improving relationships and for those who educate or serve in organizational psychology, communications, and business leadership.” –Library Journal

“Rock provides many . . . inside-industry examples and suggestions in this useful guide to
understanding how and why humans react to each other the way they do.” —Booklist

About the Author:

Dr. David Rock coined the term ‘Neuroleadership’ and is the Director of the NeuroLeadership Institute, a cognitive science think tank and consultancy that has built a new science for leadership, learning and change. The Institute has helped nearly twenty million people in the last decade be more effective by understanding the brain, and has advised more than two thirds of the Fortune 100. He is the author of Coaching with the Brain in Mind, Quiet Leadership, and Your Brain at Work, and dozens of papers on the neuroscience of leadership. Originally Australian, he now lives in Miami Beach, Florida.