Most people still think “AI leadership” means learning how to use ChatGPT. It doesn’t.
You can stack tools forever — Perplexity for facts, Gamma for storytelling, Wispr Flow for speed — but if you can’t translate insights into decisions, you’re just busy, not leading.
The leaders who win this decade won’t out-prompt their teams. They’ll out-context them.
I feel like AI tools are just the tip of the iceberg, it's the mindset that runs deep.
We try to use every tool under the sun, only to realize AI is an amplifier. If you don't have your fundamentals dialed in, it’ll just make chaos happen faster.
I have been in several conversations myself around this and what Im finding is: alot of people are basing their point of view of AI on ChatGPT and secondly, once the frenzy with tools plateaus, people will ask the time age question of ok but how does this ACTUALLY apply to me, our organization and what skills do I need to lead/navigate this change. Even as people learn the tools they're not particularly paying attention to what's getting amplified and what's not from a skillset perspective.
When AI anxiety hits, most leaders respond by trying to learn everything. They sign up for prompt engineering courses. They read about large language models (LLMs, the AI technology behind tools like ChatGPT). They try to understand how AI actually thinks.
This has been my experience as well. Nice article :)
For me, kindness and empathy are the two pillars I hold closest—they shape the way I lead and connect with my team. They allow me to understand perspectives, build trust, and create an environment where people feel seen and supported.
For me, it's the same strategy that I use to cut down on all the noise in the world, which is focusing and limiting distractors. Some of those distractors for me are short videos on new AI tool features. Whenever they are outside of the tools that I use, I just ignore them, because I need to stay focused if I want any depth. And the funny thing is this happens across everything: relationships, personal development, time use.
This framework highlights a critical point often missed! Success in the AI era isn’t about mastering tools, but intentionally cultivating creativity, adaptation, and innovation as an interconnected system.
Always inspiring, Joel! Looking forward to the people you have coming up.
I think there can be a tendency to see AI as the solution, rather than a really clever tool to use that still requires a whole lot of skill to arrive at a solution. Our "old world" had roadmaps, frameworks that worked, it's insane when you realise how much this has shifted!
Great post, Joel. I’ve seen that triad play out many times. AI can spot any pattern your data reveals, but it has no sense of what actually matters unless you teach it, and that’s the hard part. How do you program a feeling or judgment built on experience? It’ll be interesting to see how this evolves as the pace continues to accelerate.
This is one of those posts that actually makes you stop and think instead of just nod along.
Joel, the way you connected creativity, adaptation, and innovation as an interdependent system is so powerful.
Personally, I’ve noticed that most people try to innovate without first adapting their mindset, which is why the innovation ends up being “theater”, like you mentioned.
Most people still think “AI leadership” means learning how to use ChatGPT. It doesn’t.
You can stack tools forever — Perplexity for facts, Gamma for storytelling, Wispr Flow for speed — but if you can’t translate insights into decisions, you’re just busy, not leading.
The leaders who win this decade won’t out-prompt their teams. They’ll out-context them.
Nice. Making it relevant is key 🔑
The importance of translating insights to decisions, that’s where ai goes from entertainment to true value creation.
Thanks for engaging!
I feel like AI tools are just the tip of the iceberg, it's the mindset that runs deep.
We try to use every tool under the sun, only to realize AI is an amplifier. If you don't have your fundamentals dialed in, it’ll just make chaos happen faster.
Great framework :)
Having the fundamentals dialed in, yes!!!!🙌
I have been in several conversations myself around this and what Im finding is: alot of people are basing their point of view of AI on ChatGPT and secondly, once the frenzy with tools plateaus, people will ask the time age question of ok but how does this ACTUALLY apply to me, our organization and what skills do I need to lead/navigate this change. Even as people learn the tools they're not particularly paying attention to what's getting amplified and what's not from a skillset perspective.
When AI anxiety hits, most leaders respond by trying to learn everything. They sign up for prompt engineering courses. They read about large language models (LLMs, the AI technology behind tools like ChatGPT). They try to understand how AI actually thinks.
This has been my experience as well. Nice article :)
Thank you! Means a lot!
For me, kindness and empathy are the two pillars I hold closest—they shape the way I lead and connect with my team. They allow me to understand perspectives, build trust, and create an environment where people feel seen and supported.
You are right, those are also two very important pillars, thanks for mentioning them
I’ve felt that overwhelm too, chasing every new tool without a clear system.
My Accountability Partner helped me turn AI insights into consistent action instead of scattered notes.
It’s amazing how much clarity changes results.
How do you help leaders stay consistent amidst all the AI noise?
No email or chats, focusing on a project
Deep focus
For me, it's the same strategy that I use to cut down on all the noise in the world, which is focusing and limiting distractors. Some of those distractors for me are short videos on new AI tool features. Whenever they are outside of the tools that I use, I just ignore them, because I need to stay focused if I want any depth. And the funny thing is this happens across everything: relationships, personal development, time use.
Deep focus sounds like it solves alot
How has this helped you in your experience?
I have a pretty strict practice of setting aside 2 hrs per day for uninterrupted focus time, it’s worked very well for me
How does that work?
This framework highlights a critical point often missed! Success in the AI era isn’t about mastering tools, but intentionally cultivating creativity, adaptation, and innovation as an interconnected system.
Always inspiring, Joel! Looking forward to the people you have coming up.
I think there can be a tendency to see AI as the solution, rather than a really clever tool to use that still requires a whole lot of skill to arrive at a solution. Our "old world" had roadmaps, frameworks that worked, it's insane when you realise how much this has shifted!
Thank you :) yes! It’s easy to be drawn into thinking ai will bring success with no effort, no soft skills, but that’s just not true
Love how this framework brings leadership back to human skill over technical noise.
And much more coming soon from some great minds ;)
Great post, Joel. I’ve seen that triad play out many times. AI can spot any pattern your data reveals, but it has no sense of what actually matters unless you teach it, and that’s the hard part. How do you program a feeling or judgment built on experience? It’ll be interesting to see how this evolves as the pace continues to accelerate.
Agreed! It will certainly be interesting, and profitable for those who understand it.
This is one of those posts that actually makes you stop and think instead of just nod along.
Joel, the way you connected creativity, adaptation, and innovation as an interdependent system is so powerful.
Personally, I’ve noticed that most people try to innovate without first adapting their mindset, which is why the innovation ends up being “theater”, like you mentioned.