April 22, 2025 • 9 mins
If AI Can Do Your Job, It’s Time to Lead Differently
Episode Description:
If AI can do your job, what exactly are you bringing to the table?
This week on Things Leaders Do, Colby Morris delivers a direct challenge to every leader navigating the rise of artificial intelligence:
You can’t automate emotional intelligence.
You can’t delegate trust.
And you sure can’t replace real leadership with a chatbot.
In this short, high-impact episode, you’ll learn:
- Why your team is silently wondering if their work still matters—and how to lead through the fear.
- What AI can do exceptionally well—and what it will never be able to do.
- Why emotional intelligence (EQ) is the one skill that separates real leaders from human-shaped task bots.
- How to use AI as a tool—without using it as a crutch.
- Why the future of leadership is more human, not less.
This episode is designed for your drive to work or wind-down after—so you can listen, reflect, and lead differently by the time you show up.
🔗 Want to connect with Colby or book him to speak? Visit nxtstepadvisors.com or connect with Colby on LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/in/colbymorris/)
Subscribe. Share it with another leader. And show up like only you can.
And you know why? Because those are the things that leaders do.
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:01):
Welcome to Things Leaders Do, the podcast that
uncovers the secrets of becomingan extraordinary leader.
If you're a leader who'sconstantly seeking growth,
inspiration and tangible ways tolevel up your leadership, then
you've come to the right place.
Remember, the world needsexceptional leaders, and that
leader is you.
Now here's your host, colbyMorris is you Now.
Speaker 2 (00:28):
Here's your host, colby Morris.
Hello leaders, and welcome backto the TLD Podcast.
I'm Colby Morris, anexperienced leader who has led
from literally every seat at thetable, from frontline manager
to executive.
I've been there.
My goal for this podcast is togive you the actionable tools
and processes that you can startusing today.
I want to help you be a betterleader faster.
(00:50):
This podcast is short by design,usually around 10 to 15 minutes
.
Why?
Because I want you to be ableto throw it on during your drive
to work, show up andimmediately put something into
practice.
Or maybe you listen on the wayhome, think it over and start
fresh the next day with purpose.
Either way, these episodes aremade for implementation, not
(01:13):
just inspiration.
So let's get into it First.
Have you ever asked the questionis AI going to replace me?
That is the fear you have toface.
If you're not thinking about AIright now, you're either
ignoring the conversation oryou're already overwhelmed by it
.
We are living in the tensionbetween opportunity and fear,
(01:35):
and for a lot of leaders, thatfear sounds like this Am I
replaceable?
Or, even more subtly, is myleadership still necessary?
According to Microsoft's 2024Work Trend Index, 49% of
employees are concerned, ai willreplace their jobs and even
more are unsure of how AI willimpact their careers long-term.
(01:57):
But here's the leadershipopportunity.
People aren't just afraid of AItaking their jobs, they're
afraid of becoming irrelevant.
And when people feel that way,they don't speak up, they pull
back, they coast.
You know what that means.
That means disengagement.
It means disconnection andsilence, when your team should
(02:18):
be innovating.
This is your moment to lead.
Former New Zealand PrimeMinister Jacinda Ardern said we
should reframe how we thinkabout AI, not as a threat but as
an opportunity.
But you see, your team won'tsee it as an opportunity until
you talk about it like one.
Your silence won't comfort them.
(02:38):
It'll confirm their fears.
Number two AI can replicatetasks, but it can't build trust.
Look, ai can do a lot.
Let's not kid ourselves.
It can schedule meetings.
It can schedule meetings acrossdifferent time zones.
It can analyze project dataliterally in seconds.
(02:59):
It can write an email thatsounds kind of like you.
It can create workflows,generate agendas, write a script
for your team meeting.
But what AI can't do?
It can't sit with an employeeafter they bombed a presentation
and say let's walk through whathappened.
It can't hear the hesitance insomeone's voice during a
one-on-one and ask are youreally okay?
(03:20):
It can't notice the exhaustionon someone's face and say, hey,
take tomorrow off, I've got you.
As Rasmus Hugar wrote in HarvardBusiness Review, humans want to
be led by other humans, becausetrust isn't just built on
communication, it's built onconnection.
Ai can help facilitateleadership, but it can't feel
(03:42):
what's needed in the room.
If all you're doing isdelegating and automating
without connecting, you might beefficient, but you're not a
leader, you're a chatbot andkhakis, all right.
Segment three is the emotionalintelligence gap.
Y-e-q is the leadershipsuperpower.
Let's get into the core of thisconversation.
(04:04):
Emotional intelligence, that'sthe ability to recognize and
regulate your emotions, whilealso reading okay.
Responding to the emotions ofothers.
It's self-awareness, it'sempathy, it's emotional
regulation okay, and socialskills.
All that rolled into one andit's not optional anymore, it's
(04:25):
foundational.
Harvard Business School reportsthat emotional intelligence
contributes to get this 90% ofwhat sets high performers apart.
Did you hear that Emotionalintelligence contributes to 90
of what sets high performersapart?
Talentsmart's data shows 58% ofjob performance is directly
(04:48):
tied to to EQ, not IQ.
This isn't a nice to have.
This is the whole game.
Daniel Goleman, literally thefather of modern EQ, said it
best.
He said the most effectiveleaders are alike in one crucial
way they all have a high degreeof emotional intelligence.
(05:09):
This is the difference betweenleading a team through change
and watching your team slowlyspiral.
Ai doesn't see fear.
Ai doesn't know when someone'sabout to quit.
Ai doesn't recognize whensomeone's showing up physically,
but checked out mentally.
But you do, and the bestleaders act on what they see.
They name it, they address it,they walk with their team
(05:32):
through it.
That's emotional intelligence,that's leadership.
All right, segment four I wantyou to use AI as a tool, but not
a crutch.
Look, I'm not here to bash AI.
I use it all the time.
Ai is great for draftingproject outlines, brainstorming
options when you're just stuck,okay, summarizing meeting notes,
(05:52):
writing up the first draft of ateam email, analyzing patterns
in your business performance.
Speaker 1 (05:58):
Here's what I don't do.
Speaker 2 (05:59):
I don't hand off my leadership to it.
The AI might write the email,but I rewrite it with my voice.
Okay, the tool might pull thedata, but I decide what to act
on based on what my team'scontext is.
Ai might recommend solutions,but I use my human judgment to
(06:19):
choose the one that fits theculture and the people that I'm
leading.
Let me give it to you straightHear this AI will never replace
a leader who actually leads,actually leads.
Ai will never replace a leaderwho actually leads, but it will
replace leaders who have becomenothing more than task managers
(06:40):
and memo writers.
So, yeah, use the tool, embracethe efficiency, but don't let
it do the part only you can do.
Last segment I promise thefuture is human-driven tech, not
tech-driven humans.
Let's zoom out a little bit.
The future is human-driven tech, not tech-driven humans.
Let's zoom out a little bit.
The future isn't about beingreplaced by machines.
It's about standing out asirreplaceably human and, in this
(07:04):
world of increasing automation,the people who will thrive are
those who use AI to do more, butdon't forget who they're doing
it for.
They leverage tech to save time, but spend that save time on
investing in people.
They stay curious, adaptable,emotionally intelligent and
(07:24):
human-centered.
Forbes named emotionalintelligence the number one
leadership skill.
That was in 2024.
Why?
Because in a world flooded withautomation, what's scarce
becomes valuable, and right now,human connection is in short
supply.
So here's your challenge Becomethe kind of leader AI could
(07:46):
never replace.
Lead with empathy, lead withawareness.
Lead with intentionality,because, while AI might run your
systems, only you can lead yourpeople.
Quick summary yes, ai ischanging the game, but your team
still needs you in it.
You can't ignore the fear.
(08:07):
You have to name it.
You can't build trust withefficiency.
You build it with empathy.
You can't delegate emotionalintelligence to an algorithm.
You can't lead people well ifyou're hiding behind tools
instead of showing up with theheart.
Leaders who lean into EQ, notjust chat GPT, are the ones who
(08:30):
are going to last.
I want to thank you for hangingwith me today.
If this episode challenged youor sparked something for you,
subscribe and share it withanother leader.
There are great conversationshappening over on LinkedIn, so
please come connect with methere.
That link is in the show notes.
If you're looking for someoneto speak to your team or a
(08:50):
keynote at your next leadershipevent, I'd love to partner with
you Embrace the future, butnever forget the power of the
present moment, led by a realhuman leader.
No-transcript.
Welcome to Things Leaders Do, the podcast that
uncovers the secrets of becomingan extraordinary leader.
If you're a leader who'sconstantly seeking growth,
inspiration and tangible ways tolevel up your leadership, then
you've come to the right place.
Remember, the world needsexceptional leaders, and that
leader is you.
Now here's your host, colbyMorris is you Now.
Speaker 2 (00:28):
Here's your host, colby Morris.
Hello leaders, and welcome backto the TLD Podcast.
I'm Colby Morris, anexperienced leader who has led
from literally every seat at thetable, from frontline manager
to executive.
I've been there.
My goal for this podcast is togive you the actionable tools
and processes that you can startusing today.
I want to help you be a betterleader faster.
(00:50):
This podcast is short by design,usually around 10 to 15 minutes
.
Why?
Because I want you to be ableto throw it on during your drive
to work, show up andimmediately put something into
practice.
Or maybe you listen on the wayhome, think it over and start
fresh the next day with purpose.
Either way, these episodes aremade for implementation, not
(01:13):
just inspiration.
So let's get into it First.
Have you ever asked the questionis AI going to replace me?
That is the fear you have toface.
If you're not thinking about AIright now, you're either
ignoring the conversation oryou're already overwhelmed by it
.
We are living in the tensionbetween opportunity and fear,
(01:35):
and for a lot of leaders, thatfear sounds like this Am I
replaceable?
Or, even more subtly, is myleadership still necessary?
According to Microsoft's 2024Work Trend Index, 49% of
employees are concerned, ai willreplace their jobs and even
more are unsure of how AI willimpact their careers long-term.
(01:57):
But here's the leadershipopportunity.
People aren't just afraid of AItaking their jobs, they're
afraid of becoming irrelevant.
And when people feel that way,they don't speak up, they pull
back, they coast.
You know what that means.
That means disengagement.
It means disconnection andsilence, when your team should
(02:18):
be innovating.
This is your moment to lead.
Former New Zealand PrimeMinister Jacinda Ardern said we
should reframe how we thinkabout AI, not as a threat but as
an opportunity.
But you see, your team won'tsee it as an opportunity until
you talk about it like one.
Your silence won't comfort them.
(02:38):
It'll confirm their fears.
Number two AI can replicatetasks, but it can't build trust.
Look, ai can do a lot.
Let's not kid ourselves.
It can schedule meetings.
It can schedule meetings acrossdifferent time zones.
It can analyze project dataliterally in seconds.
(02:59):
It can write an email thatsounds kind of like you.
It can create workflows,generate agendas, write a script
for your team meeting.
But what AI can't do?
It can't sit with an employeeafter they bombed a presentation
and say let's walk through whathappened.
It can't hear the hesitance insomeone's voice during a
one-on-one and ask are youreally okay?
(03:20):
It can't notice the exhaustionon someone's face and say, hey,
take tomorrow off, I've got you.
As Rasmus Hugar wrote in HarvardBusiness Review, humans want to
be led by other humans, becausetrust isn't just built on
communication, it's built onconnection.
Ai can help facilitateleadership, but it can't feel
(03:42):
what's needed in the room.
If all you're doing isdelegating and automating
without connecting, you might beefficient, but you're not a
leader, you're a chatbot andkhakis, all right.
Segment three is the emotionalintelligence gap.
Y-e-q is the leadershipsuperpower.
Let's get into the core of thisconversation.
(04:04):
Emotional intelligence, that'sthe ability to recognize and
regulate your emotions, whilealso reading okay.
Responding to the emotions ofothers.
It's self-awareness, it'sempathy, it's emotional
regulation okay, and socialskills.
All that rolled into one andit's not optional anymore, it's
(04:25):
foundational.
Harvard Business School reportsthat emotional intelligence
contributes to get this 90% ofwhat sets high performers apart.
Did you hear that Emotionalintelligence contributes to 90
of what sets high performersapart?
Talentsmart's data shows 58% ofjob performance is directly
(04:48):
tied to to EQ, not IQ.
This isn't a nice to have.
This is the whole game.
Daniel Goleman, literally thefather of modern EQ, said it
best.
He said the most effectiveleaders are alike in one crucial
way they all have a high degreeof emotional intelligence.
(05:09):
This is the difference betweenleading a team through change
and watching your team slowlyspiral.
Ai doesn't see fear.
Ai doesn't know when someone'sabout to quit.
Ai doesn't recognize whensomeone's showing up physically,
but checked out mentally.
But you do, and the bestleaders act on what they see.
They name it, they address it,they walk with their team
(05:32):
through it.
That's emotional intelligence,that's leadership.
All right, segment four I wantyou to use AI as a tool, but not
a crutch.
Look, I'm not here to bash AI.
I use it all the time.
Ai is great for draftingproject outlines, brainstorming
options when you're just stuck,okay, summarizing meeting notes,
(05:52):
writing up the first draft of ateam email, analyzing patterns
in your business performance.
Speaker 1 (05:58):
Here's what I don't do.
Speaker 2 (05:59):
I don't hand off my leadership to it.
The AI might write the email,but I rewrite it with my voice.
Okay, the tool might pull thedata, but I decide what to act
on based on what my team'scontext is.
Ai might recommend solutions,but I use my human judgment to
(06:19):
choose the one that fits theculture and the people that I'm
leading.
Let me give it to you straightHear this AI will never replace
a leader who actually leads,actually leads.
Ai will never replace a leaderwho actually leads, but it will
replace leaders who have becomenothing more than task managers
(06:40):
and memo writers.
So, yeah, use the tool, embracethe efficiency, but don't let
it do the part only you can do.
Last segment I promise thefuture is human-driven tech, not
tech-driven humans.
Let's zoom out a little bit.
The future is human-driven tech, not tech-driven humans.
Let's zoom out a little bit.
The future isn't about beingreplaced by machines.
It's about standing out asirreplaceably human and, in this
(07:04):
world of increasing automation,the people who will thrive are
those who use AI to do more, butdon't forget who they're doing
it for.
They leverage tech to save time, but spend that save time on
investing in people.
They stay curious, adaptable,emotionally intelligent and
(07:24):
human-centered.
Forbes named emotionalintelligence the number one
leadership skill.
That was in 2024.
Why?
Because in a world flooded withautomation, what's scarce
becomes valuable, and right now,human connection is in short
supply.
So here's your challenge Becomethe kind of leader AI could
(07:46):
never replace.
Lead with empathy, lead withawareness.
Lead with intentionality,because, while AI might run your
systems, only you can lead yourpeople.
Quick summary yes, ai ischanging the game, but your team
still needs you in it.
You can't ignore the fear.
(08:07):
You have to name it.
You can't build trust withefficiency.
You build it with empathy.
You can't delegate emotionalintelligence to an algorithm.
You can't lead people well ifyou're hiding behind tools
instead of showing up with theheart.
Leaders who lean into EQ, notjust chat GPT, are the ones who
(08:30):
are going to last.
I want to thank you for hangingwith me today.
If this episode challenged youor sparked something for you,
subscribe and share it withanother leader.
There are great conversationshappening over on LinkedIn, so
please come connect with methere.
That link is in the show notes.
If you're looking for someoneto speak to your team or a
(08:50):
keynote at your next leadershipevent, I'd love to partner with
you Embrace the future, butnever forget the power of the
present moment, led by a realhuman leader.
No-transcript.
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