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AI in HR has a credibility problem: the technology is getting better at spotting patterns, summarizing data, and automating work, but none of that guarantees a better employee experience. In this conversation, Motivosity Chief Product Officer Jesse Dowdle and VP of Engineering Dano Gillette make the case for “appreciation intelligence”—using AI to remove administrative friction without automating the human moments that actually make recognition meaningful.The bigger opportunity isn't an AI-generated thank-you note. It's giving HR and frontline managers a richer picture of employees, surfacing signals before problems become crises, and turning data into useful action. But there's an important line running through the conversation: AI can recommend, filter, moderate, and nudge. Humans still need to own the judgment.Related Links:Join the People Managing People CommunitySubscribe to the newsletter to get our latest articles and podcastsConnect with Jesse and Dano on LinkedInVisit MotivositySupport the show

AI is changing more than how work gets done—it's changing who gets to make decisions in the first place. And that makes role clarity, decision rights, and organizational design much harder to leave implicit.In this episode, Galen Low talks with Cassie Solomon about why RACI still matters in the age of AI, how it can evolve from a documentation tool into a design tool, and what leaders need to rethink as AI agents take on more work, more judgment, and in some cases, more authority.Resources from this episode:Join the Digital Project Manager CommunitySubscribe to the newsletter to get our latest articles and podcastsConnect with Cassie on LinkedInCheck out The New Group Consulting and Cassie's book — Leading Successful Change: 8 Keys to Making Change WorkPower and Prediction: The Disruptive Economics of Artificial Intelligence

AI transformation has a funny way of becoming an organizational X-ray. The companies getting real value from it aren't necessarily the ones buying the most tools or burning the most tokens. They're the ones that understand what they're trying to accomplish, what excellence looks like, and which problems are actually worth solving.In this episode of People Managing People, David Rice speaks with Zapier's Chief People and AI Transformation Officer, Brandon Sammut, about why AI ROI starts with organizational clarity, how to build experimentation that survives contact with actual workloads, and why adoption eventually needs to give way to impact. They also explore AI coaching, the growing value of judgment and wisdom, and why the best employers may increasingly be defined by how much more capable people become while working there.Related Links:Join the People Managing People CommunitySubscribe to the newsletter to get our latest articles and podcastsConnect with Brandon on LinkedInCheck out ZapierSupport the show

For many project professionals, the job title that once felt like a marker of progress can eventually start to feel like a box. And with AI disruption, shifting responsibilities, and increasingly blurry career paths, figuring out what comes next means looking beyond the label on your LinkedIn profile.Galen Low sits down with career coach and former project professional James Compton to unpack “career dysmorphia”: the disconnect between a career that looks successful on paper and one that feels draining, flat, or directionless in practice. They explore how to recognize when your professional identity has become too tied to your title, create space to rethink what actually energizes you, and use disruption as an opportunity to rediscover the value and purpose underneath the role.Resources from this episode:Join the Digital Project Manager CommunitySubscribe to the newsletter to get our latest articles and podcastsConnect with James on LinkedInCheck out Limitless Leading and The Career Dysmorphia Dossier

HR has been told for years to “speak the language of the business,” usually as code for proving it deserves to be in the room. But Dr. Shindale Seale makes a stronger case: this isn't about self-defense. It's about leadership. If disengagement, poor management, weak culture, and badly handled transformation all carry measurable financial costs, HR needs to connect the human consequences to the numbers executives use to make decisions.In this episode, host David Rice and Dr. Seale unpack the “disengagement tax,” why engagement metrics without business impact can become little more than dashboard theater, and what it actually means for HR to become bilingual. They also explore the impossible job organizations have created for managers, why AI tends to amplify the culture it lands in, and whether the CHRO role is big enough for the human side of the transformation ahead.Related Links:Join the People Managing People CommunitySubscribe to the newsletter to get our latest articles and podcastsConnect with Dr. Shindale on LinkedInCheck out SEADE Coaching & ConsultingSupport the show

When margins get tight, reducing headcount can look like the fastest route to a healthier balance sheet. But in professional services, there's a catch: your people aren't just a cost—they're a big part of what clients are paying for. Cut too deeply, and the short-term savings can quickly turn into overloaded teams, weaker client service, unwanted attrition, and eventually, the cost of hiring people back.In this episode, Michael Gold and James Leigh explore another path: getting more value from the people you already have. They unpack what it means to “activate” human potential, why AI adoption needs more than a stack of new tools, and how organizations can rethink work around people's actual strengths instead of forcing everyone into the same job-shaped box. The result is a different way of thinking about efficiency—one that asks how you can grow capability before assuming you need to shrink the team.Resources from this episode:Join the Digital Project Manager CommunitySubscribe to the newsletter to get our latest articles and podcastsConnect with Michael and James on LinkedInCheck out Aria, Gold Strategic Delivery, Vanberra, and Kintara

Today, Steve is joined by former FBI agent Eric O'Neill. Eric is a cyber security expert and author, but he's probably most well-known as the man who brought down Peter Hanssen, a Russian spy who became one of the most notorious double agents in the history of US intelligence. Steve and Eric discuss cyber preparedness in today's business world, insider threats, and cyber resilience in a rapidly changing world. Key Takeaways: Cybercrime is a trillion-dollar business and businesses would be wise to make defending against it a top priority.  A business' information should be segmented, with no one person having access to everything. Deepfakes will increasingly be used to influence employees, businesses, and voters. Tune in to hear more about: Building a culture of cyber vigilance (5:46) The insider threat (8:44) Eric's PAID strategy (20:47) Standout Quotes: “What most corporations and companies must worry about critically, it should be at the top of their risk portfolio, is cybercrime, which is the fastest-growing business on Earth.” - Eric O'Neill “Every single person in IT that is a systems administrator, who can elevate privileges, who can create accounts, who can reset passwords, those tend to be the most targeted individuals in an organization, and the accounts, the individuals, the roles that attackers most want to compromise.” - Eric O'Neill "Attackers don't care who you are, they don't care what you do, they don't care whether you're big or small. They only care whether you're vulnerable. And if you are vulnerable, you will be attacked by a cyber criminal group, and if you don't prepare ahead of the attack, then you'll be a victim.” Eric O'Neill Read the transcript of this episodeSubscribe to the ISF Podcast wherever you listen to podcastsConnect with us on LinkedIn and TwitterFrom the Information Security Forum, the leading authority on cyber, information security, and risk management.

Today, Steve is joined by former FBI agent Eric O'Neill. Eric is a cyber security expert and author, but he's probably most well-known as the man who brought down Peter Hanssen, a Russian spy who became one of the most notorious double agents in the history of US intelligence. Steve and Eric discuss cyber preparedness in today's business world, insider threats, and cyber resilience in a rapidly changing world. Key Takeaways: Cybercrime is a trillion-dollar business and businesses would be wise to make defending against it a top priority.  A business' information should be segmented, with no one person having access to everything. Deepfakes will increasingly be used to influence employees, businesses, and voters. Tune in to hear more about: Building a culture of cyber vigilance (5:46) The insider threat (8:44) Eric's PAID strategy (20:47) Standout Quotes: “What most corporations and companies must worry about critically, it should be at the top of their risk portfolio, is cybercrime, which is the fastest-growing business on Earth.” - Eric O'Neill “Every single person in IT that is a systems administrator, who can elevate privileges, who can create accounts, who can reset passwords, those tend to be the most targeted individuals in an organization, and the accounts, the individuals, the roles that attackers most want to compromise.” - Eric O'Neill "Attackers don't care who you are, they don't care what you do, they don't care whether you're big or small. They only care whether you're vulnerable. And if you are vulnerable, you will be attacked by a cyber criminal group, and if you don't prepare ahead of the attack, then you'll be a victim.” Eric O'Neill Read the transcript of this episodeSubscribe to the ISF Podcast wherever you listen to podcastsConnect with us on LinkedIn and TwitterFrom the Information Security Forum, the leading authority on cyber, information security, and risk management.

What if some of the woman you've been working so hard to become is already here?This week on The Well Done Life, we're closing out the conversation that began with Courageous Decisions and continued with Stand On It: Courage Has Consequences.We've talked about making the decision. We've talked about standing on it when other people don't understand it.Now it's time to own it.Doing this series gave me an opportunity to reflect on the decisions I've made for myself, my family and my life—and to recognize something powerful: I'm worth it. And I'm worth trusting.In this episode, we're talking about what happens when you stop treating yourself like a perpetual renovation project and recognize that some of the work you've been doing is actually working.We're talking about healing without making healing our identity. Therapy as a tool rather than a place we constantly go searching for what's wrong. Recognizing the fruit of our consistency. Trusting the skills we've developed. Allowing ourselves to experience peace without waiting for the other shoe to drop.And most importantly, we're talking about giving ourselves permission to LIVE.Owning yourself doesn't mean you've arrived. You can still grow, learn, apologize, change your mind, ask for help and discover new things about yourself.The difference is that instead of constantly asking, “What's wrong with me?” you begin from a place of “I trust myself to handle what comes next.”Maybe becoming isn't always about turning into somebody new.Maybe sometimes becoming is finally giving yourself permission to be who you've been all along.You made the courageous decision.You stood on it.Now own it.Walk in it. Rest in it. Enjoy the fruit—and keep tending what God has trusted you to grow.  Listen to The Well Done Life wherever you get your podcastsConnect with me:Instagram: @thewelldonelifeThreads: @thewelldonelife Email: hello@thewelldonelife.com and thewelldonelife@gmail.com Thank you for listening. Text me your feedback. I really appreciate you!

There are two ways the AI transformation of work can go. We can hand the keys to the efficiency obsessives and spend the next decade trying to engineer the humanity out of organizations. Or HR can recognize that understanding motivation, organizational design, and how people actually experience work is suddenly a strategic advantage—and start acting like it.Jessica Zwaan, VP of People Strategy and Operations at Leapsome and author of Built For People and Purpose In Work, joins David Rice to talk about why HR has the raw materials to lead this moment, but also some baggage to lose. They get into purpose washing, why not everyone needs a calling disguised as a job, what AI means for early-career development, and why designing better work requires considerably more than putting a mission statement on the wall and hoping everyone believes it.Related Links:Join the People Managing People CommunitySubscribe to the newsletter to get our latest articles and podcastsConnect with Jessica on LinkedInVisit LeapsomeSupport the show

Founders are wired to look ahead: spotting opportunities, chasing possibilities, and imagining what the business could become. Project and operations people tend to live closer to today, turning those ideas into something teams can actually deliver. The friction between those two perspectives isn't necessarily a problem—it can be the engine that moves a business forward.Galen Low sits down with Derek Fredrickson, founder of The COO Solution, to unpack how operators can become the bridge between vision and execution. They explore why trust and clarity matter more than simply “getting things done,” how to challenge a founder without becoming the resident no-machine, and why strong project leaders need to know when to step out of the details and into strategic dialogue.Resources from this episode:Join the Digital Project Manager CommunitySubscribe to the newsletter to get our latest articles and podcastsConnect with Derek on LinkedInVisit The COO Solution

Today, Steve looks toward the horizon, at the threats and challenges that enterprises and business leaders will face in 2026 and beyond. He also gives advice on how everyone, from the board to the practitioner, can meet these challenges, and answers some of the questions he's received this year. Key Takeaways: Steve's four key drivers of cyber risk heading into 2026 are AI, supply chain, quantum, and geopolitical instability. Crucial to cyber resilience are strong governance and a security-conscious culture. Adaptive governance and adaptive security are keys to managing the challenges of 2026 and beyond.  Tune in to hear more about: Steve's four key drivers of cyber risk heading into 2026 (2:23) Questions to ask, whether you're a board member, an executive, or practitioner (16:14) The changing role of the board (18:54) Standout Quotes: “ Resilience really needs an organizational wide holistic approach that takes technology, it takes governance, it takes operational readiness, and really importantly, it takes people into account.” - Steve Durbin “I think boards need to really take it upon themselves to absolutely recognize that cyber risk is a national risk. It is a business ending risk, and they need to ensure that they don't just have incident response and resilience in place, but that they also have a tried and tested plan, so this is good old fashioned BCP — business continuity planning — with a cyber flavor.” - Steve Durbin “Cyber risk reporting has to be business outcome oriented. Boards, business executives understand revenue, operations, customer impact, legal exposure. That's the way we have to be reporting cyber risk. It's not about how many attacks we repelled, it's not about how good our systems might be. You need to translate it into business language. If you can do that, not only will you get buy-in, but you'll also have a much richer conversation about the role that cyber and therefore cybersecurity and cyber resilience play in the business.” - Steve Durbin Read the transcript of this episodeSubscribe to the ISF Podcast wherever you listen to podcastsConnect with us on LinkedIn and Twitter From the Information Security Forum, the leading authority on cyber, information security, and risk management.

Today, Steve looks toward the horizon, at the threats and challenges that enterprises and business leaders will face in 2026 and beyond. He also gives advice on how everyone, from the board to the practitioner, can meet these challenges, and answers some of the questions he's received this year. Key Takeaways: Steve's four key drivers of cyber risk heading into 2026 are AI, supply chain, quantum, and geopolitical instability. Crucial to cyber resilience are strong governance and a security-conscious culture. Adaptive governance and adaptive security are keys to managing the challenges of 2026 and beyond.  Tune in to hear more about: Steve's four key drivers of cyber risk heading into 2026 (2:23) Questions to ask, whether you're a board member, an executive, or practitioner (16:14) The changing role of the board (18:54) Standout Quotes: “ Resilience really needs an organizational wide holistic approach that takes technology, it takes governance, it takes operational readiness, and really importantly, it takes people into account.” - Steve Durbin “I think boards need to really take it upon themselves to absolutely recognize that cyber risk is a national risk. It is a business ending risk, and they need to ensure that they don't just have incident response and resilience in place, but that they also have a tried and tested plan, so this is good old fashioned BCP — business continuity planning — with a cyber flavor.” - Steve Durbin “Cyber risk reporting has to be business outcome oriented. Boards, business executives understand revenue, operations, customer impact, legal exposure. That's the way we have to be reporting cyber risk. It's not about how many attacks we repelled, it's not about how good our systems might be. You need to translate it into business language. If you can do that, not only will you get buy-in, but you'll also have a much richer conversation about the role that cyber and therefore cybersecurity and cyber resilience play in the business.” - Steve Durbin Read the transcript of this episodeSubscribe to the ISF Podcast wherever you listen to podcastsConnect with us on LinkedIn and Twitter From the Information Security Forum, the leading authority on cyber, information security, and risk management.

Nobody sets out to build a workforce surveillance system. It usually arrives dressed up as optimization, productivity, wellness, or efficiency. But as AI makes it possible to monitor everything from keystrokes and mouse movements to emotions and physical behavior, the line between legitimate measurement and invasive surveillance gets harder to ignore.In this episode, I speak with Lynn Parramore, Director of Special Projects at the Institute for New Economic Thinking, about what gets lost when leaders assume everything valuable at work can be measured. We dig into why constant monitoring erodes trust, how algorithms strip context from human behavior, why younger workers have good reason to be skeptical of AI, and why leaders need to get philosophical—not just practical—about where this technology belongs.Related Links:Join the People Managing People CommunitySubscribe to the newsletter to get our latest articles and podcastsConnect with Lynn on LinkedInCheck out Lynn's book — Reading the Sphinx: Ancient Egypt in Nineteenth-Century Literary CultureSupport the show

AI fluency isn't about knowing the latest tools, collecting certificates, or casually dropping “agentic” into a meeting. It's about knowing where AI fits into the work—and where human judgment still matters most. Justin Bateh joins Galen Low to unpack why the real advantage comes from building an operating layer above AI's increasingly capable execution layer.They dig into what separates genuine AI fluency from familiarity, why hands-on practice and feedback matter, and what employers can do to build capability without turning AI training into homework. They also explore a bigger career question: when technical skills are becoming easier to replicate, what makes a project leader's career durable?Resources from this episode:Join the Digital Project Manager CommunitySubscribe to the newsletter to get our latest articles and podcastsConnect with Justin on LinkedInVisit AI Operators Lab and Tactical Memo

Projects are, in many ways, a collection of decisions. But when work is moving fast, information is scattered, and the stakes are high, making a well-informed call isn't always straightforward. AI can pull together more context than any one person could realistically hold in their head—but that doesn't mean we should hand over the decision-making reins.Galen Low sits down with Cali Collins, Co-Founder and Chief Product Officer of Optimality, to explore how AI can support better decisions without removing humans from the equation. They dig into decision context, bias, traceability, accountability, and why the rise of AI could actually make project leaders more—not less—important.Resources from this episode:Join the Digital Project Manager CommunitySubscribe to the newsletter to get our latest articles and podcastsConnect with Cali on LinkedInVisit Optimality

In today's episode, we welcome another ISF veteran: journalist Geoff White. The last time Geoff was a guest on the podcast, it was 2024 and he had just released a book about how the tech industry launders money for criminal organizations. Today, Geoff comes on to talk about the latest installment in his podcast series The Lazarus Heist – now known as Cyber Hack –  in which he dives deep into ransomware attacks. Steve and Geoff discuss the changing nature of ransomware attacks, how AI is used, crypto and ransomware laundering, and the importance of businesses having a plan to deal with an attack when it inevitably comes. Key Takeaways: 1 Ransomware attacks remain similar in strategy, but have become more industrialized in recent years.  2 Crime groups utilizing ransomware view themselves as businesses. and view targets not as victims but as competitors.  3 An immediate, outright criminalization of paying ransoms is the wrong path forward, but if done in phases it can be the best way to solve the issue of ransomware attacks. Tune in to hear more about: 1 Geoff's investigation into Conti, one of the world's most notorious ransomware gangs (7:33) 2 The impact of AI on ransomware attacks (13:52) 3 How money laundering is changing (17:03)Standout Quotes: 1 “I think for defenders, the listeners of your podcast, understanding [ransomware] is a business and understanding you're not being attacked by a crime gang, you're being challenged by a business competitor, is a really interesting way of thinking about this. This is like a hostile takeover. The crime gangs do not think of themselves as hackers. They think of themselves as a business. Your security was weak, that's bad news for you, buddy. Our security, our technology was better, so you now have to pay us. It's effectively like a corporate raider mentality.” - Geoff White 2 “I think we're in a good place with cybersecurity, relatively speaking, where the defensive AI use is so strong and so well-funded and pumping so hard that make hay while the sun shines, get your AI defensive stuff in line, keep our advantage going, because I think the cybercrime gangs are a bit behind the curve there.” - Geoff White 3 “Let's imagine as a thought experiment,, the UK government tomorrow introduces legislation that says no more ransoms, illegal, enforceable by criminal law, illegal, criminally illegal to pay a ransom. Immediately you'll just be set with problems. Hospitals, there's points where hospitals to get the patients to survive would need to pay a ransom. Are you prepared to let people die because you don't want to pay a ransom?” - Geoff WhiteRead the transcript of this episodeSubscribe to the ISF Podcast wherever you listen to podcastsConnect with us on LinkedIn and TwitterFrom the Information Security Forum, the leading authority on cyber, information security, and risk management.

AI spending continues to hit record highs, yet most organizations are still struggling to translate that investment into better work. In this conversation, David Rice sits down with Ofir Bloch of WalkMe to unpack the findings from the State of Digital Adoption 2026 report and explore why the problem isn't model capability—it's everything surrounding it.From the massive disconnect between what executives believe employees experience and the reality of day-to-day work, to the growing importance of contextual support and workflow orchestration, this episode argues that the companies seeing results aren't necessarily using the smartest AI. They're removing friction faster than everyone else.Related Links:Join the People Managing People CommunitySubscribe to the newsletter to get our latest articles and podcastsConnect with Ofir on LinkedInVisit WalkMeWalkMe's State of Digital Adoption 2026Support the show

Government projects are often dismissed as slow, bureaucratic, and overly reliant on expensive consultants. But according to William Moroz, that narrative is increasingly outdated. Drawing on experience across both government and consulting, William explains how modern public sector teams are leading ambitious, mission-driven initiatives with a stronger focus on accountability, transparency, and measurable public value.In this conversation, Galen and William explore how AI is reshaping government procurement, why collaboration is replacing traditional vendor relationships, and what it really takes to become a trusted government collaborator. From auditability and AI literacy to balancing innovation with responsible governance, this episode offers a grounded look at delivering technology that serves citizens—not just stakeholders.Resources from this episode:Join the Digital Project Manager CommunitySubscribe to the newsletter to get our latest articles and podcastsConnect with William on LinkedIn

AI is quickly becoming the new test of executive credibility—but there's a growing gap between leaders who use AI and leaders who've fundamentally rebuilt how they work around it. In this episode, David Rice sits down with JC Christian, President of executive search firm Christian & Timbers, to explore why "AI-enabled" is no longer enough and what it actually means to be AI-native at the executive level.Together, they unpack how executive hiring is changing, why demonstrating real AI deployment experience now matters more than talking strategy, and why adaptability—not decades of experience alone—is becoming the defining leadership capability. As today's competitive advantage rapidly becomes tomorrow's baseline expectation, leaders in every function will need to rethink not just the tools they use, but how they lead.Related Links:Join the People Managing People CommunitySubscribe to the newsletter to get our latest articles and podcastsConnect with JC on LinkedInVisit Christian & TimbersSupport the show

Generative AI is changing how project teams work—but too many professionals are still treating it like a smarter search engine. The result? Generic prompts, generic outputs, and a growing tendency to trust polished responses without applying the critical thinking that makes great project leaders valuable in the first place.In this episode, Galen Low sits down with AI consultant and educator Mashhood Ahmed to explore why curiosity, context, and strategic questioning matter more than ever. Together, they unpack how AI can amplify—not replace—human judgment, and share practical ways leaders can help their teams move beyond surface-level prompting toward more thoughtful, effective collaboration with AI.Resources from this episode:Join the Digital Project Manager CommunitySubscribe to the newsletter to get our latest articles and podcastsConnect with Mashhood on LinkedIn and TikTokVisit M1 Consultants Inc.

AI adoption isn't slowing down—and neither are the risks. The challenge isn't that organizations don't know AI can create problems. It's that employees are already using it in ways leaders can't fully anticipate, while governance models built for yesterday's technology struggle to keep pace.In this episode, David Rice sits down with AI ethics expert and The Ethical Nightmare Challenge author Reid Blackman to explore why traditional AI governance is falling behind the rise of generative and agentic AI. Rather than treating ethics as a bureaucratic exercise or a brake on innovation, Reid argues that the organizations moving fastest are the ones that learn how to identify potential "nightmares" before they become public failures. The conversation offers a practical framework leaders can begin using immediately—without waiting for enterprise-wide policies or perfect alignment.Related Links:Join the People Managing People CommunitySubscribe to the newsletter to get our latest articles and podcastsConnect with Reid on LinkedInVisit Virtue ConsultantsCheck out Reid's book – "The Ethical Nightmare Challenge: How to Avoid the Worst of AI"Support the show

Digital transformation has been a business buzzword for decades—but despite years of experience, most enterprise transformation initiatives still fail. Why? And can AI finally help organizations break the cycle?In this episode, Galen Low sits down with Rick Catalano, founder and CEO of AMIGO and author of The AI Project Manager, to unpack why large-scale transformation projects continue to struggle, what AI can (and can't) solve, and why the future of project leadership is less about replacing people and more about helping them make better decisions.Resources from this episode:Join the Digital Project Manager CommunitySubscribe to the newsletter to get our latest articles and podcastsConnect with Rick on LinkedInVisit AMIGOCheck out Rick's book – “The AI Project Manager: The Framework for Successful AI-Enabled Enterprise Transformation”

Today, Steve returns to Business Matters with Juliette Foster. The United Kingdom has a new Prime Minister: Andy Burnham, and Steve speaks with Juliette from a cyber and business perspective about what to expect from the nation's new leadership. They also discuss the importance of digital inclusion, what businesses should do to remain in control in times of uncertainty, cyber insurance, and more. Key Takeaways: As more of world becomes digitally enabled, cyber becomes increasingly important from a national defense and resilience perspective.  More organizations are moving to scenario-based planning to manage uncertainty. Governments must understand the complexity of their large projects and make sure they've got the best people working on them. Tune in to hear more about: The importance of digital inclusion (4:17) Solving the cyber skills shortage (20:29) How cyber insurance is changing and why it matters (22:58) Standout Quotes: “For a lot of people, digital inclusion means handing people a smartphone and saying, “There you go.” It isn't just about access, it's about the knowledge that you need to actually make use of the technology that you have access to.” - Steve Durbin “You want to try to maintain a solid state in between somebody saying they're going to make the acquisition and take you over, and when that completes. [...] Because the resilience is core to the effectiveness going forward of that organization. All too often, there's a tendency to fiddle with it, play with it a little bit. No. We need to understand exactly what our core components are, the crown jewels, how are we protecting them, how are they going to be impacted over a certain period by any change that goes on, and what can we do to make sure that we're doing everything possible to preserve the integrity of those crown jewels so that we can continue to operate. The last thing you want is somebody coming in and actually changing that during a handover period.” - Steve Durbin “From a cyber-specific perspective, one of the things that has infuriated me constantly over the years is this obsession that we seem to have that people have to be trained in the technical skills in order to have a cyber career. That is absolute nonsense. Because the sorts of skills that you need could equally be well found with people with arts degrees. It's that curiosity. It's that ability to be able to be creative.” - Steve Durbin Read the transcript of this episodeSubscribe to the ISF Podcast wherever you listen to podcastsConnect with us on LinkedIn and TwitterFrom the Information Security Forum, the leading authority on cyber, information security, and risk management.

AI isn't creating high-performing teams—it's exposing the difference between teams that already know how to work well together and those that don't. In this episode, David Rice sits down with social psychologist and Superteams author Ron Friedman to unpack new research on what separates the top 8% of teams from everyone else. The conversation challenges the assumption that AI is a universal productivity boost, revealing instead how it can amplify poor habits, deepen burnout, and create false confidence when used without judgment.They also explore why the best teams protect focus over busyness, replace brainstorming with brainwriting, rethink meetings entirely, and create cultures where experimentation—not perfection—drives performance. If you're leading people through the AI era, this episode offers a practical blueprint for building stronger teams instead of simply working faster.Related Links:Join the People Managing People CommunitySubscribe to the newsletter to get our latest articles and podcastsConnect with Ron on LinkedInCheck out Ron's website and book “Superteams”Free masterclass and discussion guideSupport the show

Project management in construction is often dismissed as traditional, but when it comes to AI and data, the industry may be further ahead than many people realize. In this conversation, James Garner, Head of AI and Data at Gleeds and founder of Project Flux, shares why construction is becoming a proving ground for AI adoption—and what project professionals in every industry can learn from it.From overcoming resistance to new technology to navigating career shifts and building AI literacy, James offers a refreshingly balanced perspective on the future of project management. Whether you're leading digital initiatives or considering a career pivot, this episode explores why judgment, curiosity, and creativity will become even more valuable in the age of AI.Resources from this episode:Join the Digital Project Manager CommunitySubscribe to the newsletter to get our latest articles and podcastsConnect with James on LinkedInVisit Gleeds and Project Flux

Episode 376: Who Should Be Part of Your Strategic Planning Process? (Renee Rubin Ross)Episode SummaryToo many strategic plans end up gathering dust on a shelf, or worse, frustrating the very people who were left out of building them. In this episode, Renee Rubin Ross, Ph.D., Founder of The Ross Collective and author of the new book Inclusive Strategic Planning, makes the case that who you involve in planning matters just as much as the plan itself. Drawing on more than twenty planning processes, she walks through her five-step spiral, kickoff, discovery, prioritization, planning, and implementation, and introduces a simple framework for deciding who belongs in the room: deciders, builders, and sharers. Renee explains how to know whether your organization is even ready to plan, how to scale the work up or down when capacity and funding feel shaky, and how to keep a plan alive through consistent communication and disciplined implementation. Nonprofit leaders will come away with a practical, inclusive approach that turns planning into a source of energy, alignment, and focus rather than another document destined for the shelf.About ReneeDr. Renee Rubin Ross is a recognized leader in board and organizational development and strategy, and the founder of The Ross Collective, a consulting firm that designs and leads inclusive, participatory processes for social sector boards and staff. Committed to racial equity in the nonprofit sector, she guides leaders and organizations through strategic plans and governance processes that deepen social change, racial justice, engagement, and community strength. Renee is the author of Inclusive Strategic Planning: A Five-Step Process to Expand Energy, Alignment, and Opportunity. She also directs the Nonprofit Management Certificate program at Cal State University East Bay, where she teaches strategic planning and board development. A past board member of the Alliance for Nonprofit Management and a member of the Technology of Participation facilitators' network, she earned her doctorate in education and Jewish studies from New York University, where her research explored parent participation in schools. She lives in Northern California.ResourcesListen to the episode: www.armstrongmcguire.com/podcastsConnect with Renee on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/reneerubinrossThe Ross Collective: therosscollective.comInclusive Strategic Planning: A Five-Step Process to Expand Energy, Alignment, and OpportunityBook recommendation: My Grandmother's Hands by Resmaa MenakemCal State University East Bay Nonprofit Management Certificate programFollow Your Path to Nonprofit Leadership, and please leave a review! Learn more about the leadership resources at ArmstrongMcGuire.com

AI is starting to reshape project management—but its biggest impact isn't replacing project managers. It's removing the operational overhead that keeps them buried in admin so they can focus on the work that actually moves projects and client relationships forward.In this conversation, Tim Fisher sits down with Bernarda Vrbat from Productive to explore how AI is evolving beyond chatbots into skills and autonomous agents. They discuss where AI is already delivering practical value for professional services businesses, what teams are (and aren't) comfortable delegating to AI, and why the future of project management is less about doing repetitive work and more about making high-value decisions.Resources from this episode:Join the Digital Project Manager CommunitySubscribe to the newsletter to get our latest articles and podcastsConnect with Bernarda on LinkedInVisit Productive

AI transformation doesn't fail because the technology isn't good enough. It fails because organizations try to layer it on top of cultures that were already struggling with trust, learning, experimentation, and leadership. In this conversation, David Rice sits down with Meagan Bond, Founder and CEO of The Human Method, to unpack why psychological readiness—not technical readiness—is the real foundation of successful AI adoption.Together they explore the hidden costs of dysfunctional culture, why managers play an outsized role in determining whether AI succeeds or fuels burnout, and why organizations chasing quick AI wins often undermine their long-term competitive advantage. If culture is treated as an afterthought instead of infrastructure, AI simply accelerates the problems that were already there.Related Links:Join the People Managing People CommunitySubscribe to the newsletter to get our latest articles and podcastsConnect with Meagan on LinkedInVisit The Human MethodSupport the show

Some people see AI as a threat to creativity. Others see it as the next evolution of the creative toolkit. In this episode, Galen Low sits down with Tom Brown and Eric Oldrin, co-founders of Original Model, an AI-native creative agency, to explore what happens when creative thinking—not AI—stays at the center of the process. Together, they unpack how agencies can embrace AI without sacrificing originality, storytelling, or quality.Broadcast live from the Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity, this conversation explores why so much AI-generated work falls flat, how thoughtful agencies are integrating AI across strategy, ideation, and production, and why the future of creative work may depend less on mastering tools and more on strengthening human judgment.Resources from this episode:Join the Digital Project Manager CommunitySubscribe to the newsletter to get our latest articles and podcastsConnect with Eric and Tom on LinkedInVisit Original Model Creative Agency

In today's episode, we welcome another ISF veteran: journalist Geoff White. The last time Geoff was a guest on the podcast, it was 2024 and he had just released a book about how the tech industry launders money for criminal organizations. Today, Geoff comes on to talk about the latest installment in his podcast series The Lazarus Heist – now known as Cyber Hack –  in which he dives deep into ransomware attacks. Steve and Geoff discuss the changing nature of ransomware attacks, how AI is used, crypto and ransomware laundering, and the importance of businesses having a plan to deal with an attack when it inevitably comes. Key Takeaways: Ransomware attacks remain similar in strategy, but have become more industrialized in recent years.  Crime groups utilizing ransomware view themselves as businesses. and view targets not as victims but as competitors.  An immediate, outright criminalization of paying ransoms is the wrong path forward, but if done in phases it can be the best way to solve the issue of ransomware attacks.  Tune in to hear more about: Geoff's investigation into Conti, one of the world's most notorious ransomware gangs (7:33) The impact of AI on ransomware attacks (13:52) How money laundering is changing (17:03) Standout Quotes: “I think for defenders, the listeners of your podcast, understanding [ransomware] is a business and understanding you're not being attacked by a crime gang, you're being challenged by a business competitor, is a really interesting way of thinking about this. This is like a hostile takeover. The crime gangs do not think of themselves as hackers. They think of themselves as a business. Your security was weak, that's bad news for you, buddy. Our security, our technology was better, so you now have to pay us. It's effectively like a corporate raider mentality.” - Geoff White “I think we're in a good place with cybersecurity, relatively speaking, where the defensive AI use is so strong and so well-funded and pumping so hard that make hay while the sun shines, get your AI defensive stuff in line, keep our advantage going, because I think the cybercrime gangs are a bit behind the curve there.” - Geoff White “Let's imagine as a thought experiment,, the UK government tomorrow introduces legislation that says no more ransoms, illegal, enforceable by criminal law, illegal, criminally illegal to pay a ransom. Immediately you'll just be set with problems. Hospitals, there's points where hospitals to get the patients to survive would need to pay a ransom. Are you prepared to let people die because you don't want to pay a ransom?” - Geoff White Read the transcript of this episodeSubscribe to the ISF Podcast wherever you listen to podcastsConnect with us on LinkedIn and TwitterFrom the Information Security Forum, the leading authority on cyber, information security, and risk management.

Resumes still matter—but not for the reasons we think. In a world where AI can polish anyone's experience into a compelling narrative, the traditional hiring signals many organizations have relied on are losing their value. Heather Krueger, Chief People Officer at Engine, joins David Rice to explore what comes next when a polished resume becomes proof of tool usage rather than proof of talent.Their conversation challenges hiring leaders to rethink where and how they evaluate candidates, shifting from credentials and company logos toward judgment, learning velocity, resilience, and real-world decision-making. They also unpack why pedigree is often an expensive shortcut, how experimentation should influence both hiring and leadership, and what actually predicts success in an AI-driven workplace.Related Links:Join the People Managing People CommunitySubscribe to the newsletter to get our latest articles and podcastsConnect with Heather on LinkedInVisit EngineSupport the show

Remote and hybrid work is no longer a temporary adjustment—it's how many project teams operate every day. But while we've become better at working asynchronously and using AI to boost productivity, it's worth asking whether we've unintentionally lost some of the human elements that make collaboration truly effective.In this conversation, Galen Low sits down with Karen Chong to explore what remote teams are missing, why intentional collaboration matters more than ever, and how project leaders can recreate the trust, creativity, and learning that once happened naturally in shared office spaces. They also dive into AI's growing role in team collaboration—and why efficiency alone isn't enough to build high-performing teams.Resources from this episode:Join the Digital Project Manager CommunitySubscribe to the newsletter to get our latest articles and podcastsConnect with Karen on LinkedInVisit Abracademy & The Mind Blend podcast

In this episode, Steve speaks with Alex Bovee, co-founder and CEO of C1, a technology company focused on identity security online. Steve and Alex discuss why identity still often is an afterthought when businesses look at their risk profiles and how governance is changing as employees get access to more and more systems. Alex also shares his thoughts on how to translate identity management to board members and how to adapt technology so that it fits your team, not the other way around. Key Takeaways: Identity must be treated as a strategic risk.  When it comes to protecting your business against deepfakes, tried and true verification methods like MFA and multi-step approval processes remain best practice.  Choosing robust but user-friendly technology is important for attracting and retaining new talent.  Tune in to hear more about: The deepfake challenge (6:14) Automated identity governance (8:33) Empowering a culture of trust through identity strategy (12:20) Standout Quotes: “I would say that most forward-thinking CISOs 100% view identity as one of the most important pillars in their company that they need to protect and secure.” - Alex Bovee  “There's different, I would say, classes of deepfake-type attacks. There's more of your broad-based social engineering type attacks, and I think one of the impacts of AI on that is that AI is able to do that at scale and in a very targeted way. I think we're gonna see a lot of asymmetry happening in those types of attacks. And then the second category is much more of your targeted attack, where you're trying to deepfake the CEO calling the CFO, asking for an immediate wire transfer to pay for something.” - Alex Bovee “The best kind of security controls are the ones that are just in place that work, that are silent, and you don't know they're there, but they let you do your job.” - Alex Bovee Read the transcript of this episodeSubscribe to the ISF Podcast wherever you listen to podcastsConnect with us on LinkedIn and TwitterFrom the Information Security Forum, the leading authority on cyber, information security, and risk management.

AI isn't arriving as a gradual workplace evolution—it's arriving as a societal shift that many leaders are still struggling to describe honestly. In this conversation, David Rice sits down with Leap Academy founder and CEO Ilana Golan to explore what happens when skills expire in one to two years, organizations expect dramatically higher productivity, and career stability becomes the exception rather than the rule.Together, they unpack why adaptability is becoming the defining professional skill, how portfolio careers may become a necessity rather than a choice, and why the future belongs to people who can continuously reinvent themselves. From the “pattern interrupt” needed to escape career pigeonholes to the practical 5-5-5 framework for making faster decisions, this episode offers a candid look at what it will take to stay relevant in an era of relentless change.Related Links:Join the People Managing People CommunitySubscribe to the newsletter to get our latest articles and podcastsConnect with Ilana on LinkedInVisit Leap AcademySupport the show

Project management often gets framed as a career path, but increasingly it's becoming a skill that professionals across every function need to develop. As organizations navigate AI-driven transformation, cross-functional initiatives, and constant change, more people are finding themselves responsible for leading projects—whether or not "project manager" appears in their job title.Galen Low sits down with Stuart Taylor, founder of Influential PMO and author of Becoming The Project Manager, to explore what separates effective project leaders from accidental coordinators. They unpack common misconceptions about project management, the leadership and communication skills that matter most when plans don't go as expected, and why learning to lead projects may become a defining career milestone for professionals at every level.Resources from this episode:Join the Digital Project Manager CommunitySubscribe to the newsletter to get our latest articles and podcastsConnect with Stuart on LinkedIn and YouTubeVisit Influential PMOCheck out Stuart's book: “Becoming The Project Manager”

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: The most important trait for leaders today is flexibility. Today's leaders must understand the technology they're implementing in their organizations.  Almost everything you do is visible online today, so be careful and mind your behavior. Tune in to hear more about: Managing different generations in the workplace (4:18) How boards can upskill (12:31) What will surprise leaders a year from now (18:29) Standout Quotes: “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 “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 “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 Read the transcript of this episodeSubscribe to the ISF Podcast wherever you listen to podcastsConnect with us on LinkedIn and TwitterFrom the Information Security Forum, the leading authority on cyber, information security, and risk management.

David Kolbe argues that most organizations are only measuring two-thirds of what drives performance. We assess what people know (skills) and how they tend to behave (personality), but often ignore how they instinctively take action. That missing piece—what Kolbe calls conation—shapes how people gather information, solve problems, make decisions, and navigate uncertainty.In this conversation, David Rice and David Kolbe explore why burnout is often a mismatch problem rather than a motivation problem, why high-performing employees can be the most at risk of quietly disengaging, and why leaders who want better results may need to stop trying to standardize how work gets done and focus more on creating environments where different working styles can thrive.Related Links:Join the People Managing People CommunitySubscribe to the newsletter to get our latest articles and podcastsConnect with David on LinkedInVisit Kolbe CorpCheck out David's book:  Do More, More NaturallySupport the show

AI is forcing every function to reevaluate what creates value—and project management is no exception. In this conversation, Alla Tarasenko, Principal Technical Program Manager at Gusto, shares why building AI agents isn't about replacing program managers. It's about reclaiming capacity for the work that matters most: coaching teams, improving processes, and driving cross-functional alignment.Alla walks through the practical realities of building an AI-powered intake and triage system that serves more than 1,000 internal stakeholders, the unexpected challenges that emerge after the first successful prompt, and why change management may become one of the most important leadership skills in the AI era. More importantly, she offers a thoughtful perspective on how AI could break down silos and create stronger collaboration across technical teams—if leaders are intentional about how they implement it.Resources from this episode:Join the Digital Project Manager CommunitySubscribe to the newsletter to get our latest articles and podcastsConnect with Alla on LinkedInVisit Gusto

Today, Steve sits down with Stephanie Forbes, CEO of the Forbes Group. Stephanie is a supply chain expert who recently released Global Wealth, Local Impact: How Supply Chains Build Thriving Companies, Cultures, and Countries, a book about building supply chains using lessons from our past. She and Steve discuss what she learned in her research for the book and supply chain management principles leaders can rely on in these unsteady times. Stephanie also gives advice for small and medium-sized businesses, how to manage supply chain issues across departments, and digital risk management. Key Takeaways: Frequent reviews of internal systems and supplier compliance are key to supply chain management in uncertain times.  We innovate and solve problems better when we work in teams and across departments, and it's the leader's job to enable and encourage such collaboration. Boards have the responsibility to ask questions and investigate whether their organizations are managing their supply chains as well and securely as they could.  Tune in to hear more about: What history teaches us about how we manage societies (2:08) How supply chains will change over the next five to ten years (10:25) The three questions boards should ask to secure their supply chains (25:58) Standout Quotes: “If I'm only a couple of people, 10 people, then I'm probably not going to bring in a full-scale audit unless I'm importing a lot of goods, unless I have a really big tariff bill, and then it's probably worth it for me to take a look at that. So you're going to want to cherry pick the things that are really important.” - Stephanie Forbes “It's going to become very difficult, I think, in another five, 10 years to buy anything that doesn't have a full life -cycle knowledge, awareness or paper trail. And that's gonna be all the way down to the ink or the physical ore, all that kind of stuff.” - Stephanie Forbes “The more as a leader in your organization that you can really encourage and foster that cross-functional collaboration between your operations and whether it's procurement, supply chain, even finance, to really make sure everyone's talking the same language, it becomes a huge competitive advantage, especially when things are changing so rapidly.” - Stephanie Forbes Read the transcript of this episodeSubscribe to the ISF Podcast wherever you listen to podcastsConnect with us on LinkedIn and TwitterFrom the Information Security Forum, the leading authority on cyber, information security, and risk management.

Most reward systems were built for a world where speed, volume, and visible output were reliable signals of performance. But AI now produces all three at scale. That leaves organizations facing an uncomfortable question: if AI can generate more output than ever, what exactly are you rewarding?In this episode, David Rice sits down with Anju Choudhary, Chief People Officer at Xoxoday, to explore why recognition systems need a redesign for the AI era. They discuss the growing gap between productivity and impact, the importance of recognizing human-centered behaviors like judgment and collaboration, and why the most important question leaders can ask isn't "What do we want people to do?" but "What do we want people to feel?"Related Links:Join the People Managing People CommunitySubscribe to the newsletter to get our latest articles and podcastsConnect with Anju on LinkedInVisit XoxodaySupport the show

Public speaking is often framed as a stage skill—but for project leaders, it's really a leadership skill. In this episode, Galen Low sits down with fractional PM, consultant, and award-winning Toastmaster Megan Cotterman to explore how communication, audience awareness, active listening, and adaptability show up in the everyday realities of project work. From project kickoffs and stakeholder updates to difficult conversations and team alignment, they unpack why strong communication is becoming even more valuable in an AI-powered world.They also dive into practical ways introverted and ambiverted project managers can build confidence, develop resilience, and strengthen their ability to think on their feet—without becoming the loudest person in the room.Resources from this episode:Join the Digital Project Manager CommunitySubscribe to the newsletter to get our latest articles and podcastsConnect with Megan on LinkedInVisit Managed By Megan

Today, Steve speaks with Dustin Dobbyn, an internationally recognized security expert, Marine Corps veteran, former SWAT operator, and the CEO of a fast-growing private security and executive protection firm. The two discuss management under pressure, the value of training and preparation, and awareness of supply chain risk. Dustin also makes the case for agility and flexibility in the workplace.  Key Takeaways: Physical security and cybersecurity are no longer separate arenas and organizations must realize all forms of security impact one another.  Intelligence is your greatest friend when building organizational resilience.  Work schedule flexibility can significantly improve productivity.  Tune in to hear more about: Securing all levels of your supply chain (8:15) A skill that veterans can bring to the cybersecurity industry (14:05) Dustin's resilience roadmap for the next five years (18:02) Standout Quotes: “If you think you know it all, it's time to get out of the business.” - Dustin Dobbyn “So we're seeing, especially in the corporate world for corporate security, a lot of people working remote on a flex schedule, and we're seeing a lot more productivity because of it. For leadership out there who's listening, absolutely just take that into consideration, as sometimes people work better at certain times of the day based on their schedule. And if you can get them in an environment where they're less stressed, you're going to get better work output out of them.” - Dustin Dobbyn “Knowledge is power. Intelligence is what's going to keep you safe because if you have the intelligence, you're aware of what's going on, and you can prepare for worst-case scenarios.” - Dustin Dobbyn Read the transcript of this episodeSubscribe to the ISF Podcast wherever you listen to podcastsConnect with us on LinkedIn and TwitterFrom the Information Security Forum, the leading authority on cyber, information security, and risk management.

What if the leadership skills we've spent decades rewarding are no longer the ones that matter most?In this conversation, mediator, peacemaker, and author Douglas Noll argues that AI is making critical thinking, emotional intelligence, and human connection more valuable—not less. As technology takes over more analytical work, leaders who can regulate trust, create psychological safety, and keep people engaged will have a growing advantage.Doug challenges some of the deepest assumptions in modern management, including the idea that people are primarily rational actors. From emotional contagion in the workplace to the three questions every nervous system is constantly asking, this discussion explores why leadership in the AI era may be less about technical expertise and more about understanding human behavior.Related Links:Join the People Managing People CommunitySubscribe to the newsletter to get our latest articles and podcastsConnect with Douglas on LinkedInCheck out Douglas' websiteVisit Noll AssociatesSupport the show

In a marketing landscape shaped by lean teams, rising expectations, and an ever-expanding stack of AI tools, many leaders are asking the same question: do agencies still have a role to play? In this episode, Galen Low sits down with Tammy Valentine, President of LuckyTamm Marketing Group, to explore how boutique agencies are evolving in the age of AI—and why human expertise, trust, and collaboration still matter.Together, they unpack where AI genuinely adds value, where it falls short, and how marketing leaders can build stronger agency partnerships that help them achieve more with less. Along the way, they share practical lessons on experimentation, brand trust, onboarding, and the fundamentals that continue to drive marketing success regardless of technology shifts.Resources from this episode:Join the Digital Project Manager CommunitySubscribe to the newsletter to get our latest articles and podcastsConnect with Tammy on LinkedInVisit LuckyTamm

Today, one of our favorite guests returns: Peter Hinssen. A renowned keynote speaker, author and serial entrepreneur, Peter is one of the most sought-after thought leaders on radical innovation, leadership and the impact of all things digital on society and business. When Peter was last on the show, the world had just begun to recover from the Covid-19 pandemic, and generative AI was still in its infancy. This time around, Steve and Peter talk about the advancements of AI and what they mean for the C-suite, whether the tech companies have become too powerful, AI regulation, and the future of leadership. Peter also answers how we will remember this AI boom in 10 years. Key Takeaways: This period of rapid change that we're currently going through won't pass, but rather become the new (never) normal. Regulators must rethink their approach to create frameworks for new technology that actually work. Headcount is no longer a key measure when it comes to a business' success. Tune in to hear more about: How to manage this era of volatility and constant change (3:30) How leadership is changing (14:30) Why small businesses might be better equipped to deal with the AI boom (21:06) Standout Quotes: “We're now in a world where the cycles move faster than ever before. The stakes are higher, and I think a lot of the instruments that we had from the past just don't work anymore.” - Peter Hinssen  “The larger the company is, the more difficult it is to get that change going, and that's why inherently smaller organizations have, I think, a competitive advantage because being agile, being nimble, and being resilient should be easier for a smaller company than a larger organization.” - Peter Hinssen “When you look at the printing press moment, we had the industrialization of knowledge, where we went from monks transcribing books into an abundance of information, and then we had the Industrial Revolution, where we went from muscle to machine. I think this is where the two of them are coming together.” - Peter Hinssen Read the transcript of this episodeSubscribe to the ISF Podcast wherever you listen to podcastsConnect with us on LinkedIn and TwitterFrom the Information Security Forum, the leading authority on cyber, information security, and risk management.

AI promises efficiency, but the real question is what teams do with the time they get back. In this conversation from Transform in Las Vegas, Oyster's Erin Goodey joins David Rice to unpack how global HR teams are balancing automation with human connection—especially when managing distributed workforces across countries, compliance requirements, and sensitive employee situations.Erin shares how Oyster is using AI to eliminate repetitive administrative work, freeing HR teams to focus on the moments that actually require empathy, judgment, and strategic thinking. From global expansion challenges to the evolving role of HR business partners, this episode explores what “human-centric” HR really looks like in an AI-enabled workplace.Related Links:Join the People Managing People CommunitySubscribe to the newsletter to get our latest articles and podcastsConnect with Erin on LinkedInVisit Oyster HRSupport the show

Most leaders think they're navigating another wave of disruption. Sara Loncka argues we're in something far more unsettling: discontinuity. The old assumptions don't just need tweaking—they've stopped working altogether. Past experience, the thing leaders have spent entire careers building confidence around, is suddenly less reliable as a guide for the future. And that's creating a strange kind of friction: teams keep pushing harder with familiar playbooks while the terrain underneath them quietly changes shape.In this conversation, David Rice and Sara unpack why experienced leaders are often the most vulnerable in moments like this, how organizations get trapped by expertise, and why the future of strategy looks less like certainty and more like continuous inquiry. They also explore collective intelligence, learning agility, and why redesigning work now requires leaders to think more like designers than operators.Related Links:Join the People Managing People CommunitySubscribe to the newsletter to get our latest articles and podcastsConnect with Sara on LinkedInVisit Experience Institute and NYU SternSupport the show

What happens when AI stops being a tool you type into and starts becoming something you talk to? In this episode, Galen Low sits down with Oliver Shoulson, Agent Design and Engineering Lead at PolyAI, to unpack the surprisingly human problem at the heart of conversational AI: most AI conversations still feel weird.From clunky chatbot scripts to overly polite “LLM voice” personas that sound like they were trained by a committee of HR robots, Oliver explains why good conversational design is less about mimicking humans perfectly and more about removing friction. The conversation explores the psychology of trust, the mechanics of social presence, and why the future of AI interfaces may depend less on visual design and more on understanding how people naturally speak, interrupt, hesitate, clarify, and collaborate.Resources from this episode:Join the Digital Project Manager CommunitySubscribe to the newsletter to get our latest articles and podcastsConnect with Oliver on LinkedInCheck out Oliver's websiteVisit PolyAI

Kyle Holm has spent 25 years advising companies on compensation, and right now he's watching the logic of corporate hierarchy break in real time. Not because executives suddenly discovered organizational theory, but because AI is collapsing the distance between capability and influence. The old model—slow progression through management layers, credential accumulation, carefully staged promotions—is running into a technology that rewards direct value creation instead. And executives are noticing.In this conversation from Transform Las Vegas, Kyle and David unpack what happens when AI-native companies stop hiring “mid-level” talent altogether, why compensation systems built on titles and tenure are struggling to keep up, and how the next generation of workers may leapfrog traditional career ladders entirely. It's a conversation about compensation on the surface, but underneath it's really about power: who gets heard, who creates leverage, and who gets left behind when organizations flatten faster than expected.Related Links:Join the People Managing People CommunitySubscribe to the newsletter to get our latest articles and podcastsConnect with Kyle on LinkedInVisit Sequoia Consulting GroupSupport the show