People Managing People

Leaders love to frame AI transformation as a technology problem. It’s cleaner that way—tools, roadmaps, implementation plans. But what Anouk Brack lays out here is less flattering and far more consequential: this is a biological stress test, and most leadership teams are quietly failing it.Under constant uncertainty and pressure, your nervous system defaults to survival mode. That means the very capabilities you’re counting on—strategic thinking, self-reflection, sound judgment—start to degrade. Not dramatically. Subtly. You keep moving, keep deciding, keep “leading.” But you’re doing it with a shrinking field of view and a growing pile of bad bets.Related Links:Join the People Managing People CommunitySubscribe to the newsletter to get our latest articles and podcastsConnect with Anouk:LinkedInLeadership EmbodimentAnoukA TrainingSupport the show

Tom Healy, Co-founder of PeopleOps360 and L&D consultant who aligns training to business goals. He digs into why AI-made content is easy but translating strategy into daily behavior is hard. He warns about tool overload, risky unstructured knowledge use, and how to speed onboarding with short, automated learning plus a human touch.

Jay Caldwell, Chief Talent Officer at ADP, helps organizations navigate talent strategy and AI’s people effects. Conversation covers how AI reshapes team dynamics and why blanket rollouts breed anxiety. They explore why heavy AI users may leave, how “quiet staying” masks stagnation, and the danger of cutting entry-level hiring for short-term gains.

Chris Deaver, author and leadership coach who builds brave, collaborative cultures. He explains how fear hides behind polished performance. He warns that superhero mindsets and visibility incentives fracture teams. He argues AI makes expertise cheap and elevates co-creation, empathy, and discernment as lasting advantages.

Eric Siegel, author and predictive analytics expert who founded Machine Learning Week, argues for investing in predictive AI alongside generative tools. He explains why prediction models drive measurable business actions. He contrasts predictive and generative approaches, highlights deployment gaps, and outlines practical frameworks for turning predictions into decisions.

You were told AI would clear your calendar. Instead, you’re answering 800 chats a day and wondering what, exactly, you accomplished. Productivity is up. So is the volume. You 10x your output and somehow inherit 10x the work. Welcome to the hamster wheel.In this episode, Eliza Jackson, COO at ButcherBox, and I unpack the real transformation behind AI at work. It’s not about learning a new tool. It’s about unlearning how you work. It’s about rethinking what you own versus what you delegate. And it’s about building the kind of resilience and mindset that don’t show up on a résumé—but determine whether your team can survive what’s coming.Related Links:Join the People Managing People CommunitySubscribe to the newsletter to get our latest articles and podcastsConnect with Eliza on LinkedInCheck out ButcherBoxSupport the show

Kevin Ceres, AI entrepreneur and CEO of Appvance.ai, explains why most people use only a sliver of AI and how startups squeeze massive leverage from it. He compares this surge to past tech waves, warns about the compounding cost of falling behind, and shares practical tips on becoming an AI power user and avoiding shadow tool risks.

Dr. Vivienne Ming, theoretical neuroscientist and entrepreneur studying AI and human cognition, warns that AI convenience can erode human judgment. She contrasts cognitive automation with cognitive augmentation. Short, provocative takes cover data quality harms, using AI as a nemesis to sharpen thinking, and preserving mentors and early-career learning to protect professional judgment.

AI didn’t replace your job—it replaced your value proposition. In this episode, we sit down with Taylor Blake, SVP of AI Labs at Degreed, to talk about the uncomfortable truth facing L&D teams: if your job is framed as delivering content, unblocking employees, or feeding answers in the flow of work, AI is already doing it better, faster, and without your calendar invite.But where AI stops short is precisely where L&D’s future begins. Taylor shares how her team at Degreed lives as “customer zero,” using their own tools before shipping them to clients—which means they’re embedded in the mess, not just pitching the promise. From readiness over responsiveness to the emotional toll of relentless efficiency, this conversation explores what it really means to build capability in a world where one employee now has the power—and pressure—of ten.Related Links:Join the People Managing People CommunitySubscribe to the newsletter to get our latest articles and podcastsConnect with Taylor on LinkedInCheck out DegreedSupport the show

Christopher DiCarlo, a researcher on AI risk, ethics, and governance, challenges leaders to rethink AI as a paradigm shift. He discusses the AGI race, winner-take-all incentives, and corporate moral dilemmas. Conversations cover agentic AI, governance gaps, data and privacy risks, and practical steps for executives to learn, tinker, and plan for a future that reshapes work and power.