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AI Won’t Replace Leaders. It Will Expose Them.

Over the past two years, nearly every conversation about artificial intelligence has centered on one question:

Will AI replace jobs?

It’s an understandable concern.

AI can draft emails, summarize meetings, create presentations, analyze data, and automate tasks that once took hours.

But I believe we’re asking the wrong question.

The more important question is this:

What happens to leadership when AI becomes part of every organization?

The answer may surprise you.

AI won’t replace leaders.

It will expose them.

AI Doesn’t Create Leadership Problems. It Magnifies Them.

Every organization has strengths.

Every organization has weaknesses.

Artificial intelligence simply makes both more visible.

If communication is unclear today, AI won’t fix it.

If employees don’t trust leadership, AI won’t earn that trust.

If managers struggle to coach people, AI won’t suddenly make them better coaches.

Technology doesn’t solve leadership problems.

It accelerates them.

Organizations that already communicate well, develop people, and embrace change will move faster.

Organizations that don’t will simply move faster in the wrong direction.

The Age of Information Is Over.

We’re entering the age of judgment.

For decades, knowledge itself created value.

If you knew something others didn’t, you had an advantage.

Today?

Information is everywhere.

AI can retrieve it instantly.

That’s changing what organizations should value.

The competitive advantage is no longer access to information.

It’s knowing what to do with it.

Judgment.

Discernment.

Context.

Critical thinking.

These aren’t becoming less important because of AI.

They’re becoming more important.

Great Leaders Ask Better Questions

One of the biggest misconceptions about AI is that it provides answers.

In reality, AI responds to the quality of the questions we ask.

That’s leadership.

The best leaders have never been the people with every answer.

They’re the people who ask the questions that unlock better thinking.

Questions like:

“What problem are we actually trying to solve?”

“What assumptions are we making?”

“What aren’t we seeing?”

“How does this impact our people?”

AI can generate possibilities.

Leaders determine priorities.

That’s a fundamentally human skill.

AI Can’t Replace Trust

Employees don’t follow technology.

They follow people.

During periods of rapid change, trust becomes one of an organization’s greatest assets.

Employees want to know:

Why are we making this change?

How does it affect me?

What support will I receive?

What opportunities does this create?

AI cannot answer those questions in a way that builds confidence.

Leaders can.

Technology scales information.

Leadership scales trust.

Coaching Becomes More Valuable, Not Less

As AI automates routine work, managers have an opportunity.

Spend less time supervising tasks.

Spend more time developing people.

The manager of the future won’t be measured by how closely they monitor work.

They’ll be measured by how effectively they develop talent.

Helping employees think critically.

Navigate ambiguity.

Build confidence.

Adapt to change.

That’s coaching.

And coaching may become the most valuable leadership skill of the next decade.

AI Is Raising the Bar for Human Skills

Every major technological shift changes what organizations value.

AI is no different.

As routine work becomes easier to automate, uniquely human capabilities become more valuable.

Communication.

Creativity.

Emotional intelligence.

Adaptability.

Ethical decision-making.

Collaboration.

These aren’t “soft skills.”

They’re business skills.

They’re the capabilities that separate organizations using AI effectively from organizations simply using AI.

The Organizations That Win Will Invest in People

Many companies are investing millions in AI.

That’s important.

But technology alone won’t determine who succeeds.

The organizations that create lasting competitive advantage will invest just as aggressively in leadership development.

Because technology evolves.

People evolve.

The companies that combine both will outperform those focused on only one.

The future belongs to organizations that develop human capability alongside technological capability.

The Biggest Leadership Mistake You Can Make

One mistake I see leaders making is assuming AI is primarily a technology initiative.

It isn’t.

It’s a leadership initiative.

Implementing AI requires:

Clear communication.

Change management.

Psychological safety.

Continuous learning.

Trust.

Those are leadership competencies.

Not technical ones.

Organizations often ask,

“How do we implement AI?”

A better question might be,

“Are our leaders prepared to lead people through AI?”

Those are two very different challenges.

The Future of Leadership Is More Human Than Ever

Ironically, the rise of artificial intelligence is making human leadership more valuable.

Employees don’t need leaders because AI exists.

They need leaders because change exists.

Someone still has to provide clarity.

Someone still has to coach.

Someone still has to make difficult decisions.

Someone still has to inspire confidence when the future feels uncertain.

Those responsibilities haven’t disappeared.

They’ve become more important.

Final Thoughts: AI Won’t Replace Leaders

Artificial intelligence will continue to transform the way we work.

That’s inevitable.

But the organizations that thrive won’t simply be the ones with the best technology.

They’ll be the ones with the strongest leaders.

Because AI won’t replace leadership.

It will reveal the quality of it.

Ready to Prepare Your Leaders for the AI Era?

The future of work isn’t just about adopting new technology—it’s about developing leaders who can guide people through change with clarity, confidence, and purpose.

We deliver keynotes that help organizations prepare for the future of work by combining leadership development, AI readiness, and human-centered growth.

If you’re planning a leadership conference, executive retreat, or HR event, let’s start a conversation about preparing your leaders—not just your technology—for what’s next.

A Letter to the Class of 2026: Lean In Now — You’re Not Behind, You’re Early

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You’re graduating into one of the most disruptive moments in modern history.

AI is changing industries overnight. Jobs are evolving faster than schools can adapt. Entire career paths are being rewritten in real time. And if we’re being honest, a lot of people older than you are pretending they have more certainty than they actually do.

They don’t.

But here’s the good news: uncertainty is not the same thing as hopelessness.

Every generation has faced technological shifts that have changed the way people work, communicate, and build their lives. Electricity changed everything. Cars changed everything. The internet changed everything. Social media changed everything.

AI will too.

The difference is that your generation is entering the workforce while it’s happening — and that can feel overwhelming. But it also gives you an incredible opportunity.

You’re not behind.
You’re early.

The people who succeed in the next decade won’t necessarily be the people who know the most. They’ll be the people who can learn, adapt, communicate, collaborate, and think critically in changing environments.

That’s the real skill set now.

The future belongs to people who know how to use technology without losing their humanity. People who can combine AI with emotional intelligence. Strategy with curiosity. Innovation with connection.

So don’t focus on having your entire life figured out right now. Most people never do.

Focus on building momentum instead.

Learn how to ask better questions.
Learn how to think instead of just consuming.
Learn how to communicate clearly.
Learn how to work with people different from you.
Learn how to build relationships before you need them.

And most importantly, don’t isolate yourself.

Technology gives us access.
Community gives us purpose.

Your network still matters. Mentors matter. Professors matter. Coaches matter. Friends matter. The people around you will shape your opportunities more than any algorithm ever will.

The future of work won’t belong to humans alone.
It won’t belong to AI alone either.

It will belong to the people who learn how to combine both.

Humans + AI = Superhumans.

Congratulations, Class of 2026.

The future isn’t broken.
It’s being rewritten.

And you have a chance to help write it.

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.

🚀

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!