The hardest parts of leadership in the AI era, Part 2

Leaders face hard choices on AI: what to say, what to measure, and how to protect trust. Part 2 of this series on leadership in the age of AI.
October 7, 2026
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You have the AI goals. Now you have to talk about them with your team.

Leaders keep asking Nicole Gams two questions: What do I say? What do I leave out? In one recent conversation, an executive asked which low-value work the company should automate. Another executive pushed back, and the reason why might change how you talk about AI with your teams.

In Part 2 of this series, Nicole Gams, Victor Steeb, and host Rick Cheatham pick up where Part 1 left off. They get honest about what they hear from clients and the challenges they're facing in their own work.

Along the way, they take on the moments where leadership gets hard. What happens when a big AI savings target takes over and teams start managing the dashboard instead of the work? Where are your people waiting when they don't have to? Above all, they talk about the importance of understanding: What is the magic moment AI creates for you, and for your team?

Tune in to hear real experiences from BTS experts working through these challenges with global leaders every day.

To dive deeper into the theory behind this team's work, read Nicole and Victor's latest research on the three human intelligences that will define the AI era.

About the host
Rick Cheatham
SVP, BTS North America
Rick is a Partner at BTS and a founding leader of the Sales and Marketing practice, with over 15 years experience developing solutions for our client’s most difficult commercial challenges.‍
About the show

Most of us want to lead in a way that matters; to lift others up and build something people want to be part of. But too often, we’re socialized (explicitly or not) to lead a certain way: play it safe, stick to what’s proven, and avoid the questions that really need asking.

‍This podcast is about the people and ideas changing that story. We call them fearless thinkers.

‍Our guests are boundary-pushers, system challengers, and curious minds who look at today’s challenges and ask, “What if there is a better way?” If that’s the energy you’re looking for, you’ve come to the right place.

Read Transcript

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