EP36: Before AI Automation
Wed Jan 21 2026
Before you buy another AI tool, there’s a leadership problem to solve first.
AI does not fix unclear priorities, weak culture, or fuzzy definitions of success. It amplifies whatever is already inside your business. In this episode, we break down the foundational work leaders must do before automation or AI will actually deliver results, and why rushing to tools without clarity creates expensive, messy outcomes.
In this video, we cover:
• The leadership foundation you need before AI or automation even belongs in the conversation
• “Why” vs “Want” and how mixing them up leads to pointless AI projects
• Leadership as influence and why your ability to align people determines AI success
• Culture, values, and the risk of deploying AI before mission and operating principles are real
• People first: what AI readiness discovery should look like when done correctly
• Change management: reducing resistance and preparing teams for new workflows
• Pillars of scale: people, strategy, and financial discipline before AI accelerates anything
• Leading through uncertainty: trust, clarity, and being the flashlight in the cave
If you want AI to work in the real world, it starts with leadership, people, and purpose.
#AI #Leadership #Automation #BusinessStrategy #Management #FutureOfWork
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Before you buy another AI tool, there’s a leadership problem to solve first. AI does not fix unclear priorities, weak culture, or fuzzy definitions of success. It amplifies whatever is already inside your business. In this episode, we break down the foundational work leaders must do before automation or AI will actually deliver results, and why rushing to tools without clarity creates expensive, messy outcomes. In this video, we cover: • The leadership foundation you need before AI or automation even belongs in the conversation • “Why” vs “Want” and how mixing them up leads to pointless AI projects • Leadership as influence and why your ability to align people determines AI success • Culture, values, and the risk of deploying AI before mission and operating principles are real • People first: what AI readiness discovery should look like when done correctly • Change management: reducing resistance and preparing teams for new workflows • Pillars of scale: people, strategy, and financial discipline before AI accelerates anything • Leading through uncertainty: trust, clarity, and being the flashlight in the cave If you want AI to work in the real world, it starts with leadership, people, and purpose. #AI #Leadership #Automation #BusinessStrategy #Management #FutureOfWork