šIPL#25 How Top Leaders Use AI Without Losing the Human Edge
Your weekly listening + learning ritual
š¤ This Weekās Theme: AI x Leadership ā Tools, Trust & the Human Edge
Every leader is feeling it right nowāAI tools are everywhere, the pressure to āleverageā them even louder. But beneath the buzzwords, the real question isn't what to use, it's how to lead. This weekās podcasts donāt promise shortcutsāthey offer clarity. Conversations that tackle the hard stuff: trust, intuition, ethics, and the human edge in a tech-driven world. If AI has been on your mind, this edition meets you there.
Editorās Note:
Hi there! Iām Roshniāyour friendly podcast scout and Editor of IPL.
This weekās theme on Artificial Intelligence is not just a topical choiceāitās a personal one. It comes from two recent conversations that nudged me into reflection (and, letās be honest, some healthy overthinking!).
The first was during a virtual meetup with a micro-community of women coaches and consultants exploring how AI might shape our work. The icebreaker question was simple: āWhatās your relationship with AI?ā
The answers? Not so simpleāand wildly varied! From AI as a content co-writer and marketing assistant, to someoneās thought partner, family member, even therapist (!)āitās clear AI is showing up in ways we didnāt imagine even a year ago. That chat made me realize: before we decide if AI is a disruptor or enabler, we need to first become aware of what it already is in our lives.
The second moment came closer homeāover a video call with my Gen Z son. Heās currently interning with a top tech company in the US, but holds some deeply critical views about the unchecked adoption of AIāespecially its impact on creativity, originality, and artistic expression. Our conversations spiraled into mini-philosophical debate about whether AI is helping or hurting what makes us human. As a parent and a curious learner, I find myself caught between both awe and unease.
So, this edition is not here to take sidesābut to get curious.
Curious about how AI is reshaping leadership.
Curious about what role it can (or should) play in decision-making.
And curious about how we, as creators, coaches, professionalsāand just peopleācan stay informed before we form opinions.
I hope this edition helps you explore your own questions around AIāmaybe it deepens your understanding or simply strengthens your point of view.
Either way, Iād love to hear your takeāstraight from the human behind the screen. š
š Podcast of the Week: The Brand Called You
A podcast sharing perspectives to shape your mind
š§Why We Picked This Podcast
Weāre always drawn to shows that resist the pull of overnight trends and instead lean into conversations with lasting impact. And when they do explore a hot topic like AI, they donāt just skim the surfaceāthey unpack it with substance.
The Brand Called You, hosted by Ashutosh Garg and a rotating circle of thoughtful co-hosts, is a long-running podcast that stands out for its grounded, global lens. With crisp, 20-minute episodes, it brings you rich conversations with professionals whoāve walked the talkācovering everything from leadership and coaching to equity and storytelling.
While the podcast spans a wide range of themes, weāve intentionally curated a set of AI-focused episodes from their library. Perfect for anyone whoās not a techie but wants to understand how AI is quietly (and not so quietly) shaping leadership, decision-making, and the future of work.
š„Why You Should Listen
If you are a curious soul leading a team, building a business, or parenting a teenager, this podcast recommendation is for you. Itās especially relevant for founders and CXOs looking to harness AI for tangible outcomes, coaches and HR professionals rethinking leadership development, creators and consultants exploring AIās role in brand building, and professionals at any level who want to sharpen their strategic thinking and stay ahead of the curve. So letās dive in!
š§ Listening to Learning
1. AI-Driven Leadership for Smarter Growth ā Discover how setting āimpossibly largeā goals and using AI as a thought partner (not just a tool) helped scale a business from $750M to $12B. The guest Geoff Woods gives an interesting CRIT (Context, Role, Interview, Task) framework for prompting AI turns tech into a true strategic ally.
šListen on: Spotify | Apple | YouTube
Growth nugget: Donāt ask AI to write your email. Ask it to challenge your thinking. The better your questions, the stronger your leadership.
2. Mastering AI Beyond the Hype ā A data leader, Cecilia Jones, demystifies the difference between AI implementation and AI mastery. With examples across branding, customer experience, and internal culture, this episode is a must-listen for ethical innovation. She emphasizes on the need for organizations to create psychological safety for employees and leaders to address the associated fears and apprehensions. (we loved this point!)
šListen on: Spotify | Apple | YouTube
Growth nugget: Implement AI only where it adds real value. Your consumer doesnāt care about your tech stackāthey care about how you make them feel.
3. AI-Powered Leadership Self-Discovery ā AI meets psychoanalysis in this fresh take on 360-degree feedback that promises to deliver efficiency along with authenticity. Kerry Sulkowicz, Founder and CEO, KnowThyself360Ā°, shows how leaders can uncover hidden blind spots, receive unbiased insights, and enhance self-awarenessāwhile never losing the human touch of the feedback loops in their organizations.
šListen on: Spotify | Apple | YouTube
Growth nugget: The best leaders are open to hearing what they donāt want to hear. AI can help surface itābut only if youāre willing to look.
BONUS TRACKS: In addition to the usual three episodes reco, we have digged into some more episodes on the AI theme from the said podcast. You can find more bits and perspectives on the subject from these conversations as well:
š Pause for a moment
Whatās one decision or habit in your work that AI could elevateānot replace?
Think beyond automation. Could AI help you clarify your priorities? Improve your messaging? Offer deeper insights into your own behavior as a leader or business owner? Can you ask AI to point out your blindspots? This week, reflect on how you can stay humanāwhile getting smarter with tech.
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