The ROI of Not Being a Robot (ft. author & VaynerX exec Claude Silver)
Tue Feb 03 2026
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What if the most undervalued leadership skill in the AI era isn’t technical fluency—but emotional presence?
This episode of FUTUREPROOF. features Claude Silver, the world’s first Chief Heart Officer and the No. 2 executive at VaynerX, joining the show to unpack why authenticity, empathy, and belonging are no longer “nice-to-haves,” but strategic advantages.
Claude’s 2025 book, Be Yourself at Work, challenges the long-standing belief that professionalism requires emotional distance. Instead, she argues that in a world defined by AI, automation, and burnout, the leaders who win are the ones who lead with heart—intentionally, skillfully, and without performative fluff.
We explore:
Why “authenticity” has been misunderstood—and how to practice it without oversharing or losing authorityWhat leading with heart actually looks like inside a 2,000-person global organizationHow emotional skills become power skills as AI absorbs more technical workThe difference between fitting in and true belonging—and why that gap is costing companies talent and trustHow leaders can balance emotional bravery with emotional efficiency in an always-on, high-pressure worldThis is a conversation about leadership after the old playbook breaks—and what replaces it when humanity becomes the edge.
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Send us a text What if the most undervalued leadership skill in the AI era isn’t technical fluency—but emotional presence? This episode of FUTUREPROOF. features Claude Silver, the world’s first Chief Heart Officer and the No. 2 executive at VaynerX, joining the show to unpack why authenticity, empathy, and belonging are no longer “nice-to-haves,” but strategic advantages. Claude’s 2025 book, Be Yourself at Work, challenges the long-standing belief that professionalism requires emotional distance. Instead, she argues that in a world defined by AI, automation, and burnout, the leaders who win are the ones who lead with heart—intentionally, skillfully, and without performative fluff. We explore: Why “authenticity” has been misunderstood—and how to practice it without oversharing or losing authorityWhat leading with heart actually looks like inside a 2,000-person global organizationHow emotional skills become power skills as AI absorbs more technical workThe difference between fitting in and true belonging—and why that gap is costing companies talent and trustHow leaders can balance emotional bravery with emotional efficiency in an always-on, high-pressure worldThis is a conversation about leadership after the old playbook breaks—and what replaces it when humanity becomes the edge.