Stop Using AI Like Google: Turning AI Into Your Strategic Thought Partner with Geoff Woods

Stop Using AI Like Google: Turning AI Into Your Strategic Thought Partner with Geoff Woods

What if the biggest mistake leaders are making with AI is treating it like a search engine? In this episode of Talent in the Age of AI, Wendy Wiseman sits down with Geoff Woods, founder of AI Leadership and author of The AI-Driven Leader, to discuss why access to AI tools is not the same as AI adoption. While many organizations have rolled out ChatGPT, Copilot, and other AI platforms, Geoff argues that most leaders are still using AI at a surface level—missing the opportunity to transform it into a strategic thought partner. Geoff shares how leaders can move beyond using AI for simple tasks and begin leveraging it to solve complex business challenges, improve decision-making, and uncover opportunities that might otherwise go unnoticed. He introduces his CRIT framework—Context, Role, Interview, and Task—and explains how it changes the way people interact with AI by allowing the technology to ask better questions before generating solutions. The conversation also explores how leaders can build personalized AI advisory boards, develop stronger thinking through AI collaboration, and help employees redesign their roles to create greater value. Geoff challenges the industrial-age mindset that has shaped work for generations and explains why AI may be the catalyst that allows people to focus more on the uniquely human skills that drive innovation, creativity, and leadership. Episode Timestamps; 00:00:00 - Welcome to Talent in the Age of AI 00:04:05 - The Access vs. Adoption Trap 00:06:22 - Stop Using AI Like Google 00:09:56 - The CRIT Method: Context, Role, Interview, and Task 00:13:51 - Case Study: Avoiding Bankruptcy 00:15:13 - Building an AI Board of Directors 00:23:24 - Moving Beyond Industrial Thinking 00:26:17 - From Executive Assistant to Executive Multiplier 00:34:27 - Aligning AI with Business Strategy 00:36:36 - Final Advice for Leaders If you enjoyed this episode, subscribe to Talent in the Age of AI for more conversations with leaders, innovators, and practitioners exploring how artificial intelligence is reshaping work, leadership, and learning. Don't forget to Follow, Share, Rate, and Review! Let's Connect! Follow our Guest, Geoff Woods : * Website: https://www.aileadership.com/ [https://www.aileadership.com/] * Book: https://www.aileadership.com/book [https://www.aileadership.com/book] * Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/geoffwoods/ [https://www.instagram.com/geoffwoods/] * LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/geoff-woods-8534774 [linkedin.com/in/geoff-woods-8534774] Connect with the Talent in the Age of AI; * Website: https://talentintheageofai.com/ [https://talentintheageofai.com/] * Interested in Being a Guest? https://talentintheageofai.com/contact-us/ [https://talentintheageofai.com/contact-us/] Production: What's Good Productions: (https://whatsgood-productions.com/ [https://whatsgood-productions.com/])

Blending Human Relationship Skills with AI Skills with Larry Durham

As organizations continue to invest in AI, what will make a workplace truly valuable in the future: technology or human connection? In the final installment of this three-part series on AI and the future of work, host Wendy Wiseman welcomes back Larry Durham, President of St. Charles Consulting Group, to explore what he calls the Human Lattice—a framework for balancing AI capabilities with the uniquely human skills that organizations need most. Larry argues that while AI can dramatically improve efficiency and automate many routine tasks, organizations risk commoditizing talent if they focus solely on skills and productivity. As AI continues to reshape work, leaders must intentionally create environments where employees can develop judgment, build relationships, innovate, and experience a sense of belonging. The conversation explores why removing tactical work doesn't automatically make people more strategic, the evolving purpose of physical workplaces, and how organizations can reinvest the time created by AI into stronger collaboration and human connection. Larry also discusses the importance of maintaining focus and direction in an AI-enabled world, where endless possibilities can sometimes distract teams from their intended goals. Rather than replacing human judgment, AI should help organizations stay aligned, make better decisions, and create more meaningful work experiences. This episode challenges leaders to think beyond productivity gains and imagine what a truly human-centered organization could look like in the age of AI. Episode Timestamps: 00:00 Welcome to Talent in the Age of AI & Larry Durham Introduction 01:45 What Is the Career Lattice in the Age of AI? 03:19 Why Traditional Career Ladders Are Breaking Down 04:47 How AI Is Changing Early-Career Work and Development 06:20 The Hidden Developmental Value of Entry-Level Roles 08:55 AI, Skill Matching, and Workforce Mobility 11:12 Why Career Growth Is Becoming More Fluid 14:05 How Organizations Must Rethink Talent Development 17:48 AI and the Future of Employee Career Paths 21:10 Preparing the Workforce for Nontraditional Career Growth 24:30 Key Takeaways on AI, Skills, and the Career Lattice + Closing Credits: Connect with the Guest, Larry Durham: Website: https://stccg.com/ [https://stccg.com/] Connect with the Talent in the Age of AI; Website: https://talentintheageofai.com/ [https://talentintheageofai.com/] Interested in Being a Guest? https://talentintheageofai.com/contact-us/ [https://talentintheageofai.com/contact-us/] Production: What's Good Productions: (https://whatsgood-productions.com/ [https://whatsgood-productions.com/])

If We Let AI Do All the Thinking, We'll Get Pretty Stupid: Matt Rosen on AI Productivity

How should organizations prepare for a future where AI can complete many of the tasks once performed by highly skilled knowledge workers? In this episode of Talent in the Age of AI, host Wendy Wiseman sits down with Matt Rosen to discuss how AI is transforming consulting, software development, workforce productivity, and the future of work. Matt shares how his company, Allata, began investing in AI capabilities shortly after the emergence of modern generative AI and why organizations must focus on developing AI literacy across their workforce. He explains that while AI can dramatically improve efficiency, human skills such as critical thinking, communication, judgment, and relationship-building remain essential. The conversation explores how AI is disrupting traditional white-collar work, changing the way organizations measure productivity, and shifting the focus from hours worked to outcomes delivered. Matt also discusses practical AI adoption strategies, why experimentation is critical, and how leaders can help employees embrace AI as a productivity partner rather than fear it as a replacement. From software development to family meal planning, Matt shares real-world examples of how AI can unlock new levels of creativity, efficiency, and innovation when used thoughtfully. Episode timestamps; 00:00 Welcome to the Podcast 00:27 Meet Matt Rosen 00:50 Company Mantra and Culture 03:20 AI Arrives at Allata 05:05 Learning AI Faster Than School 06:28 AI in Accounting and Judgment 09:05 Grounding and Model Crosschecks 10:24 Sponsor Break 11:04 Client Needs and AI Journey 11:28 Automating Performance Reviews 14:33 AI Accelerator for Secure Data 16:46 Real Client Use Cases 24:56 Leading Adoption and Training 28:00 Governance and Data Security 32:08 How Work Will Change 38:29 Optimism and Closing Thanks 39:49 Outro and Resources Credits: Connect with the Guests; Matt Rosen * LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mattrosen/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/mattrosen/] * Website: https://www.allata.com/ [https://www.allata.com/] Connect with the Talent in the Age of AI; * Website: https://talentintheageofai.com/ [https://talentintheageofai.com/] * Interested in Being a Guest? https://talentintheageofai.com/contact-us/ [https://talentintheageofai.com/contact-us/] Production: What's Good Productions: (https://whatsgood-productions.com/ [https://whatsgood-productions.com/])

AI is Replacing the Career Ladder with the Career Lattice Causing Companies and College to Rethinking Traditions

As AI transforms the workplace, are traditional career paths becoming obsolete? In this episode of Talent in the Age of AI, host Wendy Wiseman continues her conversation with Larry Durham in part two of a three-part series exploring how AI is changing talent, leadership, and organizational development. This episode focuses on a powerful concept Larry calls “The Career Lattice”—a shift away from the traditional career ladder model organizations have relied on for decades. Larry explains that AI is fundamentally changing early-career work, removing or automating many of the foundational tasks that once helped employees develop judgment, experience, and confidence over time. As a result, organizations can no longer rely on rigid, linear career paths to develop talent. Instead, companies must rethink workforce mobility, skill development, and how employees grow across projects, roles, and experiences in a rapidly evolving AI-enabled environment. The conversation explores how AI is disaggregating work itself, creating more fluid opportunities for skill matching, internal mobility, and nontraditional career progression. Larry also discusses why organizations must intentionally redesign talent development strategies to help employees build meaningful skills and remain adaptable in the future of work. This episode challenges leaders to think beyond the traditional “career ladder” mindset and prepare for a workplace where flexibility, mobility, and continuous learning become essential. Episode Timestamps: 00:00 Welcome to Talent in the Age of AI & Larry Durham Introduction 01:45 What Is the Career Lattice in the Age of AI? 03:19 Why Traditional Career Ladders Are Breaking Down 04:47 How AI Is Changing Early-Career Work and Development 06:20 The Hidden Developmental Value of Entry-Level Roles 08:55 AI, Skill Matching, and Workforce Mobility 11:12 Why Career Growth Is Becoming More Fluid 14:05 How Organizations Must Rethink Talent Development 17:48 AI and the Future of Employee Career Paths 21:10 Preparing the Workforce for Nontraditional Career Growth 24:30 Key Takeaways on AI, Skills, and the Career Lattice + Closing Credits: Connect with the Guest, Larry Durham: Website: https://stccg.com/ [https://stccg.com/] Connect with the Talent in the Age of AI; Website: https://talentintheageofai.com/ [https://talentintheageofai.com/] Interested in Being a Guest? https://talentintheageofai.com/contact-us/ [https://talentintheageofai.com/contact-us/] Production: What's Good Productions: (https://whatsgood-productions.com/ [https://whatsgood-productions.com/])

The Coming Judgment Void: How AI is Changing Early Career Development with Larry Durham

As organizations rapidly integrate AI into everyday work, are leaders paying enough attention to the one capability machines can’t fully replace—human judgment? In this episode of Talent in the Age of AI, host Wendy Wiseman sits down with Larry Durham to explore a growing challenge he calls The Judgment Void. Larry explains how organizations are increasingly using AI to perform early-career and task-based work that once helped employees develop critical thinking and decision-making skills over time. While AI creates opportunities for efficiency and scale, it also raises an important concern: if machines are handling foundational work, how will future leaders develop the judgment needed to make high-stakes decisions? The conversation dives into the long-term impact AI may have on talent pipelines, leadership readiness, and organizational capability. Larry challenges HR and learning leaders to step back and think beyond technology adoption, focusing instead on how work itself is changing. Together, Wendy and Larry discuss why this moment presents both a risk and an opportunity for organizations willing to intentionally develop human judgment alongside AI capability. This episode is the first in a three-part series exploring leadership, AI adoption, and the future of human capability at work. Episode Timestamps; 00:28 Meet Larry Durham - President, St. Charles Consulting Group 02:51 Why Judgment Matters 04:29 Apprenticeship Disappears 06:21 Regulators And Risk 10:42 Rethinking L&D Models 14:45 Sponsor Break 16:39 How To Get Ahead 18:33 AI Inference Isn’t Judgment 20:53 Rebuilding Judgment Formation 31:40 Talent Consortium Approach 35:23 Wrap Up And Next Steps 36:11 Closing Credits Credits: Connect with the Guest, Larry Durham: Website: https://stccg.com/ [https://stccg.com/] Connect with the Talent in the Age of AI; Website: https://talentintheageofai.com/ [https://talentintheageofai.com/] Interested in Being a Guest? https://talentintheageofai.com/contact-us/ [https://talentintheageofai.com/contact-us/] Production: What's Good Productions: (https://whatsgood-productions.com/ [https://whatsgood-productions.com/])