The Human Loop Podcast

The 48-hour Leadership Rule for Solving Problems Fast: Zac & Jack

What happens when a founder is forced to make a high-stakes leadership decision in real time? In this episode of The Human Loop Podcast, Zach and Jack from We Have A Meeting take on a live leadership challenge designed to test strategic thinking, communication, and decision-making under pressure. The conversation dives into: * Why motivation goes beyond money * Building high-performing teams through ownership * The “48-hour rule” for solving problems fast * How founders stay calm when competitors make aggressive moves * Why asking better questions creates stronger leaders Plus, Jack is put through a live “Decision Sprint” and scored on his leadership response in real time. If you’re a founder, leader, operator, or building a team, this episode is packed with practical leadership insights you can apply immediately. CHAPTERS 00:00 – Intro & Meet the Founders 00:49 – Leadership Lessons Learned in 5 Years 02:49 – Working Apart as Co-Founders 04:38 – The Leadership Decision Sprint Begins 07:25 – The Competitor Crisis Scenario 08:57 – Jack’s Live Leadership Response 13:40 – Staying Calm Under Pressure 14:17 – Real Story: Competitor Bought Their Brand Search Term 16:46 – The Power of the “Pre-Mortem” 18:31 – The “One Big Thing” Leadership System 19:14 – The 48-Hour Rule Explained 22:21 – The 3 Questions Every Employee Must Answer 24:21 – Leadership Score Revealed 25:41 – Where the Leadership Response Fell Short 27:24 – Communication vs Clarity in Leadership 28:30 – Final Thoughts & Future Challenge Check out "We Have a Meeting" with Zac & Jack: https://www.wehaveameeting.com [https://www.wehaveameeting.com] Powered By Atherio, Real-time leadership wisdom for every manager - https://www.getatherio.com [https://www.getatherio.com/] Connect with The host - Ben Stocken: https://www.linkedin.com/in/benstocken [https://www.linkedin.com/in/benstocken] ---------------------------------------- Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy [https://acast.com/privacy] for more information.

AI Adoption Is Actually a Leadership Problem: Weekly Loop

This week on The Human Loop, I'll be sharing key insights from my day at Aibl Live, a leadership and AI event in London attended by CEOs, founders, and business leaders across the UK. What started as a conversation about AI quickly became a conversation about leadership, culture, trust, and the future of work. I break down the “three cliffs” preventing businesses from seeing real ROI from AI adoption: strategic clarity, divisional alignment, and individual capability. Plus, insights from leaders at WPP, Ipsos, and The Happiness Index on change fatigue, psychological safety, middle management, and why junior talent may be most at risk in the AI decade. Check out Aibl here - https://live.aiblmedia.com/e/london26 [https://live.aiblmedia.com/e/london26] Chapters 01:41 – Why AI conversations are really about leadership 03:25 – The “Three Cliffs” of AI adoption 03:54 – Cliff #1: Strategic clarity & leadership alignment 04:47 – Cliff #2: Divisional alignment & ROI 05:38 – Cliff #3: Individual capability vs tool access 07:59 – The hidden inequality risk in AI adoption 08:26 – Change fatigue and leadership in modern business 09:14 – Why morale and disengagement are rising 09:41 – Young people reporting the lowest workplace happiness 10:08 – The junior talent crisis AI may create 10:31 – Ben’s roundtable: Building a culture that can handle the truth 13:14 – Five key leadership takeaways from the event 16:33 – What the winning companies of the AI decade will do differently 17:31 – Final thoughts & outro Powered By Atherio, Real-time leadership wisdom for every manager - https://www.getatherio.com [https://www.getatherio.com] Connect with The host - Ben Stocken: https://www.linkedin.com/in/benstocken [https://www.linkedin.com/in/benstocken] ---------------------------------------- Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy [https://acast.com/privacy] for more information.

AI, Leadership, and the Missing Leadership Link: Weekly Loop

This week I answer some quick-fire questions on AI, the knowing–doing gap, and why businesses are investing heavily in leadership development but still struggling to see real results. I cover the $366B spent on people each year, why most learning doesn’t translate into performance, and what really happens when it’s time to apply it in the real world. I also share thoughts on how AI is starting to support leaders with real-time insights and what responsible use of that data actually looks like. If you're thinking about the future of leadership and performance, this is a good one to dive into. Chapters 00:10 – The $366B Learning Problem 02:09 – The Knowing–Doing Gap 04:30 – Fixing It with Real-Time Coaching 06:56 – Why Managers Aren’t Measured Properly 09:33 – What Customers Actually Experience 11:50 – Real Results & Growth Powered By Atherio, Real-time leadership wisdom for every manager - https://www.getatherio.com [https://www.getatherio.com/] Connect with The host - Ben Stocken: https://www.linkedin.com/in/benstocken [https://www.linkedin.com/in/benstocken] ---------------------------------------- Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy [https://acast.com/privacy] for more information.

My Favourite Ai Insights: The Human Loop Podcast

In this week’s episode, we unpack some of the best moments from recent shows, exploring what it really means to keep the human in the loop in an AI-driven world. From rethinking how businesses measure value (time vs revenue), to the growing gap in leadership support, we highlight the conversations that matter most right now. We also dive into how AI is reshaping roles, not replacing them, and why adaptability is becoming the most important skill in modern work. Chapters 00:30 Time vs revenue thinking 02:00 The leadership support gap 02:40 Building Atherio 04:10 Values and cultural fit 05:50 AI in recruitment 07:20 The rise of AI 08:20 Keeping the human element 09:00 Saving time with automation 10:20 How jobs are evolving 11:00 The power of reflection 11:30 Why culture matters 13:30 When AI goes wrong Powered By Atherio, Real-time leadership wisdom for every manager - https://www.getatherio.com [https://www.getatherio.com/] Connect with The host - Ben Stocken: https://www.linkedin.com/in/benstocken [https://www.linkedin.com/in/benstocken] ---------------------------------------- Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy [https://acast.com/privacy] for more information.

How AI Is Impacting Entrepreneurs Right Now: Dodge Woodall

In this episode, I sit down with Dodge Woodall, a serial entrepreneur and we explore the tension between the rapid rise of AI and the growing loss of human connection. We break down how AI is being used in real life and business, the difference between tools like ChatGPT and Claude, and why understanding this technology is becoming essential to stay relevant. Finally, we unpack the truth about building a business today. Why it’s harder than ever, what’s changing for the next generation, and why entrepreneurship is still one of the most challenging (and rewarding) paths you can take. Chapters: 00:00 Intro 00:01:00 How Dodge Uses AI (ChatGPT vs Real Life) 00:02:00 The Rise of a “Fake” World Online 00:03:00 Why Human Connection Is Disappearing 00:04:30 Trust, Personal Brand & Authenticity 00:07:00 Why Curiosity Builds Real Relationships 00:09:00 Fear of Judgment & Starting a Business 00:11:00 ChatGPT vs Claude 00:15:00 AI Is Accelerating Faster Than We Think 00:16:30 Remote Work vs Real Human Interaction 00:18:30 Will AI Replace Entry-Level Jobs? 00:20:00 Why Business Is So Hard Right Now 00:22:00 The Reality of Hiring & Costs in 2026 00:24:00 Should You Build a Business in the UK? 00:25:00 The Skills That Will Matter in the Future 00:28:30 AI in Events vs Real Human Experience 00:31:00 Social Media, Phones & Lost Moments 00:33:30 The Mental Health Impact of Social Media 00:35:00 Why He Invested in a Mental Health App 00:37:00 Entrepreneurship Is an Extreme Sport 00:40:00 Why People Don’t Trust Anything Anymore 00:41:30 The Lonely Chapter of Building a Business 00:42:30 The Truth About Money in Business 00:44:00 Why Personal Brand Matters More Than Ever 00:45:00 Final Thoughts Connect with Dodge - https://www.linkedin.com/in/dodgewoodall [https://www.linkedin.com/in/dodgewoodall] Check out JAAQ - https://jaaq.app [https://jaaq.app] Powered By Atherio, Real-time leadership wisdom for every manager - https://www.getatherio.com [https://www.getatherio.com] Connect with The host - Ben Stocken :https://www.linkedin.com/in/benstocken [https://www.linkedin.com/in/benstocken] ---------------------------------------- Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy [https://acast.com/privacy] for more information.