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You’re Already Behind in the AI Era—Here’s What Real Leaders Are Doing About It

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Not because you don’t care.
Not because you’re not capable.

But because you haven’t changed how you lead.

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Everyone is talking about AI.

Very few leaders are actually changing their behavior because of it.

They’re playing with tools.
Sitting in demos.
Telling their teams to “figure it out.”

But their leadership?

Still running on an old operating system.

Here’s the truth:

AI doesn’t just change how work gets done.
It changes how you show up as a leader—every single week.

And if that hasn’t changed yet…

That’s the gap.

The Shift Most Leaders Are Missing

This isn’t just a tech shift.

It’s a clarity. confidence. connection. shift.

AI speeds everything up.
Gen Z expects it.

They want:

  • clarity on what matters
  • confidence in how to grow
  • connection with people who have their back

That’s not generational.

That’s performance.

Gen Z just forces you to deal with it.

What Real Leaders Do Differently (Week to Week)

1. They Lead—and Teach—Clarity

Most leaders ask:

“What needs to get done?”

Real leaders ask:

“What actually matters?”

They use AI to cut through noise.

Then they do the real work:

They demand clarity.
And they teach their team how to create it.

  • What does winning look like?
  • What doesn’t matter?
  • Where should we focus?

Because in this world:

Busy is everywhere. Clarity wins.

👉 Ask yourself:
Does your team know how clarity creates winning—and what it actually looks like? Or are they just grinding?

2. They Build Confidence Through Coaching (Every Day)

The old model is dead.

Confidence doesn’t come from talks.

It comes from reps.

Real leaders:

  • coach in real time
  • give feedback in the moment
  • use AI to help people think better

They don’t just develop performance.

They develop belief.

Because Gen Z doesn’t need more information.

They need someone who helps them see:

“You’ve got this. Let’s build it.”

👉 Ask yourself:
Who on your team is more confident this week because of you?

3. They Use AI to Think Better

AI isn’t the advantage.

Thinking is.

Average leaders use AI to move faster.

Real leaders use it to:

  • challenge thinking
  • test ideas
  • make better decisions

Then they act.

Because right now:

Slow is losing.

👉 Ask yourself:
Are you using AI to think better—or just to move faster?

4. They Model—and Teach—Connection

Culture isn’t a vibe.

It’s how people feel working with you.

Real leaders:

  • show up
  • ask better questions
  • listen
  • challenge
  • support

And they teach their teams how to do the same.

Because in an AI world:

Connection is the differentiator.

That’s what builds trust.
That’s what drives performance.

👉 Ask yourself:
Do your people feel like you have their back? Are you modeling and living real connection?

Why Gen Z Is the Unlock

Gen Z is not the problem.

They are the opportunity.

I see it every semester.

They’re hungry.
They’re capable.
They’re ready.

But they’re missing:

  • clarity
  • confidence
  • connection

And when leaders teach them those three?

They take off.

Fast.

The Real Gap

It’s not AI.

It’s leadership behavior.

You don’t become AI-ready by plugging in tools.

You become AI-ready by upgrading how you:

  • communicate
  • coach
  • decide
  • connect

Week to week.
Conversation to conversation.

The Bottom Line: What an AI-Ready Leader Does Differently

This isn’t an AI shift.

It’s a leadership shift.
A confidence shift.
A connection shift.

The leaders who win will:

  • create clarity
  • build confidence
  • teach connection
  • unlock the next generation

So here’s the question:

Are you leading in a way that actually works now?

Because if you are…

You separate.

If you’re not…

You’re already behind.

If You’re Ready

This is the work.

Helping leaders and teams:

  • get clear
  • build confidence
  • connect better
  • perform at a higher level

👉 If you’re ready to lead like that, let’s talk.

The Secret to Winning in the AI Era: Coaching and Unlocking Gen Z Talent

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Let me say this clearly.

The leaders who will win in the AI era are those who can connect with Gen Z and unlock their performance.

Not tolerate them.
Not complain about them.
Not try to “manage” them.

Unlock them.

Right now, many leaders are missing the opportunity sitting right in front of them.

They keep saying:

“Gen Z is different.”

Of course they are.

Every generation is.

The real question is this:

Are you willing to lead them in a way that actually works?

What I See That Most Leaders Don’t

I teach more than 200 Gen Z students every semester.

In every class, we talk about the same questions.

I ask them:

What are you great at?
What value do you bring?
What problem do you want to solve?
What’s standing in your way?

And then I push them further.

How do you demonstrate that value to other people?

How do you communicate it clearly?

How do you connect with people who can help you grow?

What are you doing to develop yourself every single day?

Because the truth is simple.

The only thing standing in the way most of the time is fear.

Fear of reaching out.
Fear of being wrong.
Fear of being judged.

But fear is beatable.

It’s a decision.

You decide to grow.
You decide to reach out.
You decide to win.

The Biggest Thing Gen Z Is Missing

It’s not motivation.

This generation is not lazy.
They are not entitled.

They are hungry to grow.

But many of them are missing something critical.

A network.
A mentor.
Someone who actually has their back.

CONFIDENCE!!!!

Someone who says:

“I see your potential. Let’s build it.”

Sound familiar?

Because honestly, that’s what everyone wants: help building you.

Connection.
Trust.
Someone helping them become their best.

And guess what?

That’s exactly what leadership should be.

The Truth Leaders Need to Hear

AI is going to change work dramatically.

But not the way most people think.

AI will not replace leadership.

It will expose weak leadership.

Managers who rely on control, hierarchy, and outdated systems will struggle.

Because the new workplace requires something different.

Leaders who coach people.

Leaders who develop talent.

Leaders who ask better questions.

Leaders who help people believe in themselves enough to perform – to build confidence.

That’s where the future is going.

Why Gen Z Accelerates This Shift

Here’s what I see every semester.

Gen Z learns fast.

They question assumptions.

They are comfortable with technology.

And when someone actually helps them grow, they lock in quickly.

You can build trust with a Gen Z employee faster than people realize.

But it requires something many leaders forget.

Real conversations.

Ask them questions.

Challenge them.

Help them see their strengths.

Teach them how to connect the dots.

When that happens, they take off.

Just like every high performer in every generation.

What We’re Teaching Right Now

In my classroom, we focus on three things.

1. Self-awareness.
Understanding strengths, motivations, and story.

2. Skill development.
Learning how to communicate, solve problems, and create value.  Confidence.

3. AI as a thinking partner.
Not a shortcut.

A tool that helps them think better and move faster.

When students learn how to combine those things, confidence starts to grow.

And confident people perform.

Bridging the Gap Between Students and Companies

Right now, we’re working on an AI task force project with a simple goal.

Bridge the gap between students and the workforce.

Students want to know:

What skills do companies actually value?

Companies want to know:

How do we develop young talent faster?

The answer is connection.

Connection between education and industry.

Connection between leaders and young professionals.

Connection between people and the technology that helps them perform.

The Bottom Line

The AI era is not just a technology shift.

It’s a leadership and confidence shift.

Gen Z is not the problem.

They are the opportunity.

The real problem is this:

Too many leaders complain about the next generation rather than teach them how to win.

So the real question every leader should ask is simple.

Am I ready to lead them?

Am I ready to coach them?
Support them?
Challenge them?

Because if you are…

The upside is enormous.

And the leaders who figure this out first will build the highest-performing teams of the next decade.

Why I Wrote Find Your Workverse

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The way we work is changing faster than anything I’ve seen in my career.

Right now, we’re seeing three major forces collide:

  • AI is reshaping roles — faster than organizations can redesign them
  • Gen Z is redefining expectations around purpose, flexibility, and growth
  • Leaders are being asked to guide people through uncertainty — without a clear map

In nearly every conversation I’ve had with leaders, teams, and students over the last few years, one question keeps coming up:

How do we build a work life that actually works — for humans — in an AI-powered world?

That question is what led me to co-author Find Your Workverse with Michelle Duval, alongside the incredible research and coaching platform, Coach Marlee.

This book isn’t about predicting the future.
It’s about helping people navigate it — with clarity, purpose, and confidence.

What I Mean by “Your Workverse”

Your Workverse is the unique ecosystem that shapes how you do your best work.
It’s the intersection of:

  • What energizes you
  • How you think and solve problems
  • What you value
  • How you naturally show up and contribute

For too long, we’ve tried to force people into:

  • Outdated leadership models
  • Rigid productivity systems
  • One-size-fits-all definitions of success

Those frameworks don’t work anymore — especially in a world where AI can handle more technical and transactional work than ever before.

What does matter now are human skills, including:

  • Self-awareness
  • Adaptability
  • Collaboration
  • Judgment
  • Purpose

Find Your Workverse helps you understand those strengths — and then shows you how to use AI to amplify them, not replace them.

Why This Matters Right Now

This book is grounded in Marlee’s global research, including insights from:

  • 80,000+ Gen Zers
  • 400,000+ professionals worldwide

That data makes one thing clear:

The people who thrive in the future of work won’t be the ones who:

  • Fight AI
  • Fear AI
  • Or try to outwork it

They’ll be the ones who:

  • Know who they are
  • Understand what drives them
  • Can collaborate effectively — with both humans and technology

That’s exactly what we set out to support in this book.

Inside the Book, You’ll Learn How To

  • Identify what truly energizes you at work
  • Strengthen the human skills that matter most in an AI-powered world
  • See AI as a partner, not a threat
  • Build a work and leadership path aligned with your values, strengths, and purpose

This Is an Invitation, Not a Prescription

I didn’t write this book to tell people how they should work.

I wrote it to help people:

  • Design a work life that feels sustainable
  • Build momentum that feels meaningful
  • Create alignment — whether you’re leading a team, building a career, or figuring out what’s next

You don’t have to have it all figured out.
You just need the right tools, language, and frameworks to move forward with intention.

That’s what Find Your Workverse offers.

If you’re ready to:

  • Lead differently
  • Collaborate more intentionally with AI
  • Build a future of work that actually works for you

This book is for you.

Find Your Workverse is available now from Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Walmart, and other major retailers.

See the official Press Release here.

AI is the Next Leap for Leadership

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Every leap in technology has reshaped how we work.

The printing press scaled knowledge.

Electricity powered industry.

The internet connected the world.

Now, AI is here—and it’s the next leap for leadership.

But this time, the leap isn’t just about how we work.

It’s about what we’re capable of.

The Mistake Leaders Make About AI

Most leaders are still framing AI as a productivity play.

A way to automate tasks.
A way to reduce labor costs.
A way to get more output, faster.

That’s the first mistake.

Because AI isn’t just about efficiency, AI is the new operating system for leadership.

What AI Actually Unlocks

When leaders embrace AI the right way, it doesn’t replace them—it amplifies them.

Here’s what that next leap for leadership looks like:

  • Clarity at Scale
    AI surfaces insights leaders would never have the time to uncover on their own. Patterns in performance. Blind spots in culture. Opportunities for growth.
  • Real-Time Coaching
    With AI-powered tools like Marlee, feedback becomes immediate and personalized. Managers can coach in the moment, rather than just once a year.
  • Deeper Human Connection
    Counterintuitive, but true: AI frees leaders from repetitive tasks, allowing them to spend more time leading—asking better questions, building trust, and developing people.
  • Capability Expansion
    AI doesn’t just help us work faster. It helps us think bigger, create smarter, and solve problems we couldn’t touch before.

Why This Matters for Human Potential

The leaders who thrive in this new era won’t just squeeze out more productivity. They’ll be the ones who use AI to unlock incredible creativity, connection, and capability across their teams.

That’s the leap in front of us. The only question is: will you take it?

Book me to speak on The Leader’s AI Playbook, and let’s build the future together.

Why Gen Z Employees Quit—and How Coaching Can Keep Them Engaged

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Let’s get one thing straight: Gen Z isn’t lazy, entitled, or uncommitted.

They’re the most coachable, tech-savvy, and purpose-driven workforce we’ve ever seen.

So why are so many leaders losing them?

Because Gen Z isn’t quitting work, they’re quitting their leadership.

And the cost is massive: turnover, disengagement, lost productivity, and churn that drains millions from organizations every year.

Here’s what’s really happening — and how coaching can keep Gen Z not only engaged, but thriving.

Why Gen Z Employees Quit

1. They Don’t See Purpose
Gen Z needs to know their work matters from day one. If leaders can’t connect daily tasks to the bigger impact, they lose interest fast.

2. They’re Starved for Feedback
Annual reviews? Hard pass. This generation grew up in a world of instant feedback. Waiting months to know how they’re doing feels like a remnant of an archaic playbook.

3. They Don’t Trust the System
Disconnected teams, outdated management styles, and cultures that talk values but don’t live them — Gen Z sees through it instantly.

4. They Don’t See Growth
If they can’t envision a clear path to develop skills, take on new challenges, and grow in their career, they’ll find a better opportunity elsewhere.

5. They Don’t Feel Safe to Speak Up
Psychological safety matters. If leaders shut down ideas or discourage candor, Gen Z will disengage — and eventually, exit.

How Coaching Keeps Gen Z Engaged

The fix isn’t more perks or empty slogans.

The fix is coaching.

When leaders act as coaches, they create trust, clarity, and growth — the exact things Gen Z is asking for.

Here’s how to do it:

  • Make Feedback Continuous
    Replace the annual review with real-time coaching conversations. Use AI to surface insights and turn them into growth moments.
  • Connect Work to Purpose
    Don’t just talk about mission — coach your people to see how their daily contributions make an impact.
  • Ask Better Questions
    “What matters most to you?”
    “How do you want to grow?”
    “What do you need from me?”
    These are the questions that turn bosses into coaches.
  • Build a Culture OS
    Architect culture as a system, not a vibe. Clarity, consistency, and collaboration need to be baked into daily workflows — not left to chance.
  • Leverage AI to Scale Coaching
    AI doesn’t replace leaders. It provides them with the data, insight, and tools needed to coach more effectively across a broader audience without burning out.

Crack the Gen Z Code

The leaders who win in the Workverse will be the ones who:
-Treat coaching as an essential operating system
-Use AI to amplify, not replace, human connection
-Build cultures that make performance and trust measurable

Do this, and you won’t just keep Gen Z engaged — you’ll unleash their full potential and build superhuman teams.

Want the no-BS playbook? Book me to speak on Cracking the Gen Z Code, and let’s get your leaders ready to coach, connect, and compete in the new workplace.

Gen Z Workers Aren’t the Problem—They’re the Unlock

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If you’re leading a team right now, chances are you’ve heard it:

“Gen Z doesn’t want to work.”

“They’re too sensitive.”

“They ghost. They don’t want feedback. They’re entitled.”

Let’s stop right there.

Because Gen Z isn’t the problem—they’re the most coachable, tech-savvy, and purpose-driven workforce we’ve ever seen.

But most organizations haven’t adapted their leadership playbook to connect with them. And with AI accelerating the pace and pressure of work, the gap between generations is only widening.

That’s why AI + coaching is the future of leadership—especially when it comes to unlocking Gen Z’s potential.

Misunderstood and Mismatched

Here’s what Gen Z wants in the workplace:
• Real-time feedback (not once-a-year performance reviews)
• Growth opportunities (not rigid job ladders)
• Purpose and belonging (not just perks)
• Leaders who coach and connect (not just manage)

What they’re getting, too often, is the opposite.

According to the Marlee Generational Impact Study (based on 400,000+ data points), Gen Z workers crave clarity, trust, and coaching more than any generation before them. But most organizations are still using outdated systems—built for Boomers and Gen X—to lead them.

The result? Disengagement. Ghosting. High churn.

Not because Gen Z doesn’t care—but because no one’s speaking their language.

Coaching + AI: The Bridge to Gen Z Performance

What makes Gen Z different isn’t a weakness—it’s a window into what the modern workforce needs. And when you layer in AI? You get the ability to meet them where they are, at scale.

Here’s what that looks like:
• AI-powered feedback tools (like Marlee, Gong, or Copilot) that deliver coaching in the flow of work
• Personalized development paths based on real behavior and goals
• Leadership systems that use tech to enhance—rather than replace—the human connection

Gen Z doesn’t want to be managed.

They want to be coached. Seen. Activated.

And with the right tools, you can do that—without overloading your managers or reinventing your entire organization.

The Opportunity: Coach the Next Gen to Win

This isn’t about catering to Gen Z workers.

It’s about recognizing that they’re already shaping the future of work—and building leadership systems that work for everyone.

When leaders commit to a performance model built on AI + coaching, they gain:
• Faster onboarding and ramp-up
• Increased engagement and retention
• A stronger leadership bench for the future

And most importantly: a culture that can scale across generations.

Ready to Unlock Gen Z in Your Organization?

I’ve coached over 30,000 young professionals and deliver keynotes that break down exactly how to lead Gen Z workers in the AI-powered Workverse.

Bring Cracking the Gen Z Code to your next event and give your team the tools to lead the next generation—with confidence, clarity, and impact.

Next Generation Coaching (AI Based) for the Worker of the Future

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Shifting from Boss to Coach/Mentor is critical for employee experience and the Worker of the Future. As leaders and managers, we must understand this evolution and get it right. People need to feel seen, heard, and celebrated. They don’t want to be just another butt in a seat at an office. The worker of the future wants their work to mean something, to be personal to them, and to get real, individualized support on their career growth.

With many workplaces engaging in hybrid, remote or even contingent work, it’s harder than ever to not only engage your entire workforce, but ensure they’re getting the coaching, mentoring, and development support they need to be their best selves and crush performance.

Enter AI coaching.

AI coaching is in its incipiency, and here to enhance rather than take away from human coaches. People like myself who have spent years training and developing a coaching style that creates real results want to be able to provide more at all levels and AI provides access for all. AI coaching is a critically important to supplement all workplaces and contingent workers.

How AI Coaching Will Shape the Worker of the Future

One of the most important attributes of AI coaching systems and services like Fingerprint for Success, evoach, the Rocky.AI chatbot, and others is that they can be delivered on demand. In our hyper-connected world where we’re using to having data and information available at our fingertips, AI coaching is an on-demand service that your employees can access anywhere and anytime. Just as remote and hybrid work have shifted to allow people more autonomy to get their work done during their personal peak productivity (whether that’s 4am or 11pm), AI coaching allows people to get real-time feedback on their problems and challenges so they can continue to learn, grow, and push through their own limitations.

AI coaching also harnesses the power of big data, culling from millions of data points about people, their characteristics, their behaviors, and our history as a species to make personalized suggestions for growth. In a way, AI coaching is like having access to a brain that knows everything about everyone, allowing your workers to benefit from top-tier insights. It’s similar to how human coaches work, drawing on their personal experiences, their training, and their past successes coaching others with similar struggles to prescribe a course of action for you. The difference lies in the amount of data AI has access to and how it synthesizes that data into a personalized plan. And, of course, the humanness of the interaction.

AI Coaching – Unlocking the Workplace of the Future

The future of work is not one to many – it’s one to one. AI coaching helps workplaces overcome the financial and logistical hurdles to ensure everyone has access to mentoring, coaching, and support to be their best and do their best. It democratizes coaching for all.

Imagine your organization employs 76,000 people – that’s roughly how many people work at Meta right now. Now, imagine you are all in and committed to shifting your workplace culture to one of coaching and mentoring. You decide that in addition to empowering your leadership to coach and mentor their teams, you want to hire human coaches to grow all your people so they can continue to succeed in the new world of work. You calculate that one coach can work with fifty of your employees. If you want every single one of your employees to have access to a coach, you would need 1,520 coaches.

Enter AI. With the help of AI coaching services and chatbots, you calculate that one coach can now double the number of employees they can work with, one hundred each. Now you need half as many coaches as you did before, saving you tons of money and labor hours. You also find that your employees do even better because they can access the on-demand AI coaching whenever they need it to coach themselves and then supplement their learning with personalized sessions with their human coach.

That is why I find AI coaching so interesting and exciting. It makes building a true workplace culture that is founded on coaching and mentoring possible.

Limitations and Challenges of AI Coaching

People need people. They always have and they always will. While AI coaching offers incredible advantages and possibilities for the worker of the future, it cannot replace the benefits of working one-to-one with an experienced human coach who really gets who YOU are.

AI coaching systems and chatbots are really smart, but they excel at synthesizing and regurgitating information. Yes, they have access to millions of data points, but they lack the creativity and innovation of the human mind. That is why AI coaching should go hand-in-hand with human coaching.

Relationships matter. Working with a coach is not a transactional experience. It’s one that grows and develops over time as both people get to really know each other and form a deep connection. This is what makes the coach/mentor and mentee relationship so powerful. You’re accessing wisdom, advice, and support for your career and self, but you’re also forging a bond founded on respect and partnership.

What do you think of the AI coaching revolution? Are you excited? Inspired? Frightened? Leave me a comment below or send me a message and let’s chat. If you’re looking for a coach to help you up the game, click here to learn more about my coaching services.

8-Step Framework for Success: Execute “The Purposeful Comeback” for Your Organization

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With 2020 officially behind us, it’s time to focus on the opportunity of 2021! The workplace has a good, albeit flexible handle on the fact that we must provide new skills for employees, teams and cultures to meet the demand of the future. Let’s go 2021!

Remote, socially distanced, outside or in lock down, businesses and their leaders are ready to make up for lost time and navigate the future. The theme with which we are all approaching our comeback is a combination of gratitude, caring, people, community and impact for others.

Both individually and organizationally we are craving, wanting, needing, planning and orchestrating “The Purposeful Comeback.” It’s a framework to create next generation leadership that will see our organizations into the future. Mastering “The Purposeful Comeback” roadmap and tools below will help you create real and lasting success, growth, business results, and engagement for your people and workplace culture.

 

1. Winning Mindset and Energy

Companies don’t outperform their leadership and the same is true of teams. Creating a purposeful comeback in 2021 starts first with focusing on leadership using integrated purpose as the path to organizational success. We as individuals must show up every day as our best self. That means putting on your oxygen mask first – you can’t help anyone if you don’t first help yourself.

Mindset:

Your mindset really, really matters. Everyone from Marcus Aurelius to the Buddha to Victor Frankl and lately the best, Mel Robbins, has shown us how important thoughts and beliefs are in creating success for ourselves and others. To stage “The Purposeful Comeback” in 2021 we must cultivate a mindset that is positive, self-aware, growth-minded (see Carol Dweck’s phenomenal book, Mindset), and other-focused. Changing our mindset is about changing that talk track in our head.

Physical Energy:

We know that moving your body daily has a positive effect on the mind. Studies have shown that “exercise improves brain function, structure, and connectivity. These brain improvements are directly linked to improved learning, memory, and cognitive function.” Showing up as a leader in 2021 starts with taking care of the temple and setting aside time for the essentials: exercise and nutrition, adequate sleep, and recharging. We must make them a daily habit.

 

2. The Audience is the Hero of Any Story You Tell…So Make Them One!

Want to become a real purposeful leader? Figure out how to create meaningful followers.   Create meaningful followers through this simple basic tool: learn how to build relationships from the inside out. First, with yourself and then with others.

You know the Golden Rule: do unto others as you would have done unto you. But do you know and understand the Platinum Rule?

The Platinum Rule says this: treat others how they want to be treated. It’s other-focused and becoming other-focused is what you need to really succeed in the year ahead. Putting the focus on treating others how they want to be treated will help you build stronger relationships and relationships are the key to success. Make them the hero because they are! Use these two principles to help you:

-Remember WIFTHEM: This is an acronym for “What’s in it for them.” In every interaction, positive or negative, you must consider what the other person wants and how they are looking to benefit.

-Consider the Action: What action do you want your audience to take that can and will benefit them? This action will benefit you, too, of course.

 

3. Know Thyself to Help Others

Impact is created by working from the inside out. If you want to help others you must Know Thyself. If you don’t know or understand yourself, you’re almost guaranteed to get it wrong with others.

So, how do you start? First, just START. We teach the following framework to our clients inside our new on-demand coaching product, Hooga. Knowing yourself comes from really understanding and being able to articulate the following four core concepts about yourself:

  • Strengths
  • Values, Passions, and Skills
  • Brand
  • Story

This is the value you bring to others and the world. Getting really clear on this allows you to demonstrate your value to your peers, team, and clients.

 

4. What’s Your Story?


Humans have always told stories. From huddling around a fire to hieroglyphics to books to the vlogs, blogs, and podcasts of today, we have an innate desire to share our own stories and discover those of others. Storytelling allows you to captivate an audience, shape thoughts, and communicate purpose and value.

What do you do? Why do you do it? What impact do you create? Why does it matter to you, to your client, to the world?

Remember, your story is not a script. It’s not static or boring. It recognizes the audience and what’s important to them, then captivates them through the use of humor, drama, and narrative arcs. Want to learn to create impact? Then become your own best storyteller.

 

5. The New ABC’s “Always Be Connecting”: Bridge the Gap

We all come to the workplace with different life experiences, skills, and values. We come from different generations, cultures, and backgrounds. We are driven by the need for human interaction, to belong, to be part of a community. We are better together, and we know that (more on that in a second), yet technology, socioeconomic disparity, and generational differences easily divide us.

To seize the opportunity of 2021, we have to find a way to bridge the gap between us so we can pull together and connect. COVID-19 and remote work certainly hasn’t made this any easier. It’s also forced us to acknowledge the diversity (or lack thereof) in our workplaces and community. 64% of applicants say that they consider diversity and inclusion when considering a job, yet only 55% of people think their organizations have policies to promote it. Even more troubling, 90% of them say they’re not treated with respect at work, discriminated against, and even harassed.

This means it’s even more important that we make this the year we figure it out once and for all. Learn how to connect pure and simple. There are so many ways. Just one way we devised is our B.R.I.D.G.E. the Gap system, an integrated six-step plan that will help you unleash the potential of your employees and your workplace.

 

We cannot do it alone. You know that and I know that. Yet the greatest dysfunction of teams persists in our workplaces today. For some organizations, getting their teams to work together efficiently and in harmony is one of their greatest challenges.

Solving the team divide starts by focusing on and ensuring these principles are present in your workplace:

6. It’s Better Together: Teams

  • Do your people feel safe enough to share their ideas, true opinions, and feelings?
  • Is your workplace culture one that empowers, connects, and inspires?
  • Are your employees engaged and connected to the purpose and impact of their work?
  • Is everyone on the team working in alignment with the team’s values?
  • Is there a culture of trust in your workplace?
  • Do people communicate with each other effectively, openly, and often.
  • Do you empower accountability? Do you ask great questions?
  • Got a strategic vision or plan and is it shared universally?

 

7. Make Culture Last: Sustainability

In order to drive and sustain “The Purposeful Comeback,” you need to do the work and then create a system. An integrated system to sustain culture and engagement is necessary for our organizations.

Your system will need different parts, so ask yourself what that system would look like in your organization and what it should include. We recommend having systems to create and sustain purpose, to grow the next generation of leaders and develop their skills, to share in a purposeful vision and story and that all employees be able to articulate it and their own value, and to further coach employees to be their best, work from the inside out, and deliver on the organization’s core values.  Start now by devising your system.

 

8. Pay it Forward: Cultivating Disciples

Seizing the opportunity of 2021 and creating “The Purposeful Comeback” is about looking to the future of your organization. What comes next? Who will lead in five years? In ten? How will you continue to evolve and stay relevant in a changing world?

Create those next generation leaders (your disciples) from within. Get clear on your purpose, define it, live it, and then empower your people to buy into that purpose. When you can do that, then you’ll become known to clients, the market, and even potential employees. Look at all the top companies of today. Most were once unknown operations working out of someone’s garage. They got really clear on their purpose, wove it into the fabric of everything they do, and then the world caught on and embraced them.

You can do the same in your organization. You have all the tools you need. Start now with this roadmap to cultivating your Purposeful Comeback in 2021 and if we can help, please reach out. You control what happens to you, your team, and your organization this year. Start now to make it the best year yet and maximize your impact!

Communication is the Most In-Demand Skill for the Future of Work: Here’s How to Up Your Game

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Turns out, we were right! In a recent report from LinkedIn Learning, communication is the most in-demand skill for today’s job market. From day one we, launchbox, predicted that the most in-demand job skill people would need to get hired, promoted, or change careers would be great communication and connection with others. The Swedish job search engine, Jobbland.se, found that “effective communication was cited in job postings at more than 35 times the frequency of other soft skills such as empathy, conflict resolution, adaptability, and dependability.”

Communication is in demand now more than ever and that’s not changing anytime soon. When we peel back the layers and look at why this skill dominates recent job postings, we can see that while uncertainty, tolerance and diversity require communication, the pandemic has also increased the need for effective communicators.

The global workplace had been heading in this direction all along. With the increased use of AI and robotics in the workplace, a growing remote workforce, and technology allowing us to connect with people around the world, it’s never been more important that we know how to actually talk and listen to each other and establish connection. The ability to communicate along with the other soft skills like empathy and leadership will be your competitive advantage in the years ahead.

At launchbox, we focus on helping people bridge the gap by connecting with themselves and others. We have the tips and tools to help you increase the effectiveness of your communication, build stronger relationships, and create trust. In particular, we specialize in no BS, on-demand coaching that helps you quickly cut to the root of your problem so you can up your game and create impact for others. When it comes to better and more effective communication, put these 4 tips into practice this week and watch what happens:

Make it About Others

Remember WIFTHEM:  What’s in it For Them? This acronym is the backbone of great communication. It’s not about you anymore. People don’t care unless they know what’s in it for them. This is as true for the hiring manager on the other end of the phone as it is for your coworkers and clients. You must be able to demonstrate and articulate the value you bring to others. Before your next conversation or interview, take a moment to think about what the other person is really looking to achieve from their interaction with you and then DELIVER.

Ask Great Questions

Another way of making sure you’re staying other-focused, or to understand what people need from you, is simply to ask great questions. Great questions are open-minded, non-judgmental, and supportive. They allow you to begin the process of going deeper, to drilling down below the surface level to uncover needs, motivations, and challenges. When you understand what’s really driving and motivating someone, you’ll know how to make it about them and create value. Asking great questions gets you there!  Lead employees, teams, clients and yourself all by understanding where to meet them.

Use Our GPS Communication Strategy

Having conversations, whether difficult, with or without conflict, or just to demonstrate support, is a way of life in business. Having conversations that end painfully is never productive. So turn it around and have winning conversations. Use our GPS communication strategy to make sure you’re delivering impactful messages that are moving the relationship forward, rather than damaging it. GPS stands for Gratitude, Permission, and Shared Experience. It’s one of the fundamental frameworks we teach inside our Strengths & Story workshop. To learn more about how to use GPS in your workplace, click here to read our blog and grab our free worksheet that will guide you through the process.

Own Your Story

Before you can hope to communicate more effectively with others and create better relationships, you must first work from the inside out to really understand who you are and what you have to offer. Your story matters. It is the connection currency that you use to increase trust, build stronger relationships, and ultimately get things done. Think about it this way: how can you possibly connect to others if you can’t even connect with yourself? Start now by doing the work to get in touch with your own story. If you need help, just reach out – we’ve had thousands of people go through our Strengths & Story workshop and we’re ready to help you, too.

The future of work is now. Seize opportunity and chase relevance by up leveling your communication skills. Whether you’re trying to get the job, changing careers, have your eye on a promotion, or are launching your own business, great communication really really matters. We can help. Contact us to learn more about our personalized, on-demand coaching program that will help you get the results you’re looking for.

Humans (People) Really Really Matter: The Workplace of the Future Needs Humans (Real People) Now More Than Ever

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“Humans (People) are underrated.” Elon Musk tweeted those words back in 2018, but they still ring just as true in 2020. Humans (People) ARE underrated. Especially in the workplace. In the keynotes and workshops we’ve delivered for organizations around the world who want to get a handle on what the future of work will be, we posited that all these discussions about the future overlook most important person: the worker, yes the People.

Back in 2016, the World Economic Forum predicted that Emotional Intelligence would be one of the top 10 skills people needed to cultivate in order to thrive in 2020. Well, it’s 2020 and guess what? In the midst of a global pandemic, remote work, and social distancing, we need People more than ever. But when the threat of COVID-19 is gone, we won’t stop needing People. The need for human skills (emotional intelligence, creativity, people management, etc.) will only continue to grow as our workplaces become increasingly automated.

Machines Don’t Erase the Need for Human Workers – They Create a New Need

A new article from MIT Sloan Management Review (Brynjolfsson and Beane) looked at the role of robots in our workplaces and made some surprising conclusions for our post-pandemic world. Chief among them is the idea that the workplace of the future will more than likely involve humans working alongside machines, rather than machines putting humans out of a job. In their interview with CNN, the researchers remarked that “there is a whole spectrum of having humans and machines work together. You can choose different points on the range in this division of labor, but in almost every case, you want humans doing some of the task.”

To summarize their findings, machines are great at doing certain things for us. Things that are repetitive and don’t require creative problem-solving. But that’s not all that happens inside our workplaces. We’re constantly challenged by unique problems, situations, and team dynamics. Things happen every single day that no machine could ever be programmed to deal with. But we humans are uniquely suited to solving the unpredictable. So rather than replacing our jobs, machines instead create a new need for humans in the workplace of the future – alongside new career opportunities.

New Jobs Will Emerge

Earlier this year, the World Economic Forum released a new report analyzing the workplace of the future to make predictions about the jobs of tomorrow. They identified seven emerging professional clusters and the necessary skills we should be cultivating for careers in each. In the summary of their report, they made the following remark: “While disruptive technology skills such as data science and AI skills will certainly be critical to the future of work, so will caregiving, leadership, and the ability to provide learning and development. In other words, the transition to the new world of work will be both human- and tech-centric.”

Machines aren’t going to replace us. Instead, they are paving the way for us to assume new roles – roles best suited to our own very human talents and skills. Our Strengths and Story. The most successful managers of tomorrow will be able to effectively integrate and leverage the best of both worlds inside their organizations. Yes, that means investing in your people, reskilling them, and ensuring they have a pathway to learn and grow. But we know how to help organizations do that. We’ve been doing it for years with our clients in all kinds of industries – and we can help you, too.

We’ll Have to Learn New Skills

We are living through what’s been called the Fourth Industrial Revolution. The McKinsey Global Institute predicts that as many as 375 million people will need to change their occupation by 2030 – just ten years from now! Which means there’s going to be a lot of people in the world who’ll need to go back to school, get retrained, reskill, level up, or otherwise dramatically alter the work they’re doing today.

Increased investment in automation and technology means we’ll have to lean harder on those things machines can’t take from us. Those soft skills we’ve been talking about for years – emotional intelligence, relationship building, connection, communication, trust. All things that you can’t program into a robot. They don’t come easy to some of us and they can be hard to teach. But nothing is impossible when you have a proven system that works. We have that system plus tips and tools to help you and your organization succeed and help you find your relevance.

We’ve been saying it for years and we believe it still: People matter now more than ever and they’re going to matter even more in the workplace of the future. If you want your company to grow and thrive for years to come, you need to put your focus on people right now. Use our 3-hack system to help: turn your workplace upside down to ask your people what they want and need from you, help them find meaning and purpose in their work, and reskill them for what’s to come. People are the heart of an organization and no amount of technology is going to change that.

If you need help equipping your people and your organization to succeed in the workplace of the future, reach out to us to learn how we can help through our customized workshops, personalized, on-demand coaching, keynotes, and more.