346: James Wilkson - The Human Factor: Leadership, Risk and the AI Era

Today, Steve speaks with James Wilkson, managing partner at AEC Global Search Consultants, an executive search and advisory firm. James and Steve discuss why today’s leaders must be flexible and emotionally intelligent, who belongs in today’s boardrooms, and how leaders can protect their personal brands online. Steve also asks James to look into the crystal ball.

Key Takeaways:

1. The most important trait for leaders today is flexibility.
2. Today’s leaders must understand the technology they’re implementing in their organizations.
3. Almost everything you do is visible online today, so be careful and mind your behavior.

Tune in to hear more about:

1. Managing different generations in the workplace (4:18)
2. How boards can upskill (12:31)
3. What will surprise leaders a year from now (18:29)

Standout Quotes:

1. “I think AI, without a doubt is going to continue to accelerate and alter how we think, but just like anything else, it's just going to be an extremely robust tool down the line.” - James Wilkson
2. “And leaders today, the leaders that are well-trained at being able to relate across generations and across technology are the ones that are going to continue being the leaders, and they're going to hone the next leadership team. The ones that are resistant and the ones that are frustrated, they're just not going to sustain leadership roles that much longer.” - James Wilkson
3. “It's just a massive tsunami of discussion about AI and how it's going to change everything, and it is, but I think we're only going to briefly be led by this loss of work purpose, this loss of what... I think companies right now, the reason there's such a holdback on what do we do? We really slowed down hiring, are the entry level jobs all going to be gone? Yes, probably briefly because we're having a reaction, a knee-jerk reaction, but I think we're going to quickly find out that this is going to bring about a lot of different opportunity. So I think we'll plateau for a while, and then we'll begin utilizing humans in different roles that are still the same role that's just adapted itself to what technology has brought for us.” - James Wilkson

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