A Podcast About Leadership

Welcome to "A Podcast About Leadership," brought to you by AIIR Consulting. Each episode, our network of experts explores the challenges leaders face, and the skills they'll need to overcome them. Dealing with change is nothing new for successful leaders. But over the past decade, the speed and severity of change has increased exponentially. The result? Nearly 70% of leaders report feeling overwhelmed by change. In this episode, we talk to Jamie Ramsden, an author, former CEO and senior executive coach about what it takes to lead in such a dynamic environment. We also talk about Jamie’s new book, “Let’s Go! How Great Leaders Shape the Future,” which aims to empower executives and leaders to elevate their game, better understand themselves and their world, and live to their fullest potential―not for a few months or even a few years, but forever. Whether you're a seasoned executive or an emerging leader, this episode offers actionable advice and inspiring stories to elevate your leadership journey.

This is the first episode in our skills series! In this series, we’ll explore the 45 skills represented in the AIIR Leadership Framework in 5 minutes or less, so that you can learn, then get back to leading. Today, we’re starting with a skill identified by our 2024 Leadership Trends survey as one of the most important for leaders in the coming year: Self-Care.

Welcome to A Podcast About Leadership, brought to you by AIIR Consulting. Each episode, we talk to experts about the always-changing challenges leaders face, and the skills and support they need to overcome those challenges. In this episode, we delve into the transformative impact of Artificial Intelligence (AI) on leadership with data scientist, AI expert and author Dr. Bruce Katz. AI has been around for a while. But over the past two years it has evolved at an unprecedented pace, upending the workplace with its ability to perform not only repetitive roles, but the analytical roles that previously seemed safe from technological advances. How is it changing what it means to lead? With degrees in philosophy and a Ph.D. in Artificial Intelligence, and as the Chief Innovation Officer for AIIR Analytics, Bruce is the perfect person to help listeners understand how AI is changing how we select and develop leaders, and how it's changing the skills necessary to lead.

In this episode, Thom Fox is joined by Derek Lusk, Ph. D, Head of Executive Assessment at AIIR. In his role, Derek leverages his background in psychology and statistics to forecast success in top leadership roles. One of the aspects influencing a leader’s success is their ability to inspire and motivate others, which impacts employee engagement. According to the Gallup organization, in the United States 32% of full- and part-time employees are engaged, while 17% are actively disengaged. We delve into how the movement toward a decentralized workplace, accelerated by the advent of remote and hybrid opportunities, impacts employee engagement, as well as how this revolution has changed the mantle of leadership. Despite the challenges, there are ways to enhance engagement and build a culture with a strong sense of purpose, and Derek offers his thoughts and advice on how leaders can evolve to meet the trials ahead. If you’re working to build a more cohesive culture or build your leadership muscles to better engage a decentralized workforce, this episode offers perspective and actionable advice to get you started.

In this episode, we bring you an insightful conversation on the power of bringing teams together from AIIR Consulting’s Webinar Series. AIIR Head of Team Effectiveness Dave Gloss joins Carole Streicher, U.S. Deal Advisory and Strategy Leader at KPMG, to talk about why bringing teams together is the key to equipping them to succeed in an environment of constant change. From modest beginnings scooping ice cream to becoming the first woman to lead KPMG’s deal advisory and strategy group, a team of 2,300, Carole brings a wealth of experience and expertise to both her role and the conversation. Dave and Carole dig into the power of a great leadership team, and a leader’s role in creating conditions for their team’s success in uncertainty. If you’re working to build a more effective team, or leading people through change, this episode provides wonderful advice to get you grounded.

On our inaugural AIIRWaves Podcast, AIIR Heads Thom Fox and Stephanie Thomas welcome Gigi Gilliard for an insightful conversation about inclusive leadership, and how to get it right. As Gigi shares, her Ikigai [or sense of purpose] is helping to create belonging, and that is what she has been doing in her work as a trainer and executive coach. Gigi’s firsthand experiences with bias and discrimination shaped her approach to DEI and have guided organizations to embrace inclusive leadership. We discuss what exactly makes an inclusive leader, how to become one, and the benefits this approach brings to teams and organizations. Gigi and the rest of the AIIR team also touch on the pitfalls of taking a halfhearted approach to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion efforts, and what happens when you get things wrong all together. If you’re working to build a more inclusive culture, or simply curious about what great inclusive leadership truly means, this episode is for you.