What Makes a Good Leader in the Age of AI? What do we need human leaders for when AI can do more of the work of management?
In this episode of The Future of Less Work, host Nirit Cohen sits down with Allison Howell, CEO of Hogan Assessments, to explore how AI is changing what makes a leader valuable.
As AI takes on more of the work traditionally associated with leadership, from analyzing information and monitoring performance to identifying talent and communicating decisions, organizations may need to rethink what they select and develop leaders for. Nirit and Allison explore why judgment is becoming more important, but also harder to define, as leaders increasingly evaluate information generated by AI rather than information created and understood by people. They discuss what happens to accountability when AI becomes part of the decision chain, and why critical thinking may become a capability everyone needs, not just leaders. They also examine the growing value of authenticity. When emails, presentations and even video messages can be generated by AI, human presence, original thinking, vulnerability and genuine connection may become some of the most important qualities a leader can bring.
If AI can do more of what leaders used to do, this conversation asks a more fundamental question: what will make a human leader worth following?
Guest Information:
Allison Howell is the chief executive officer at Hogan Assessments, where she leads the company’s global strategy, product innovation, and market growth. As CEO, she is responsible for advancing Hogan’s mission to deliver scientifically rigorous, ethical, and impactful personality assessments that support better talent decisions worldwide.
Links:
The Leadership Divide: Global Insights on Who Leads vs. Who Should –
Chapters:
00:00 What Makes a Human Leader Worth Following in the Age of AI?
01:06 How Is AI Changing Leadership?
03:00 What Do Employees Really Want From Their Leaders?
05:22 Why Human Leadership Matters More With AI
07:50 How Should Companies Choose Leaders in the Age of AI?
10:41 What Leadership Skills Will Matter Most in the Future?
12:58 Why the Leadership Divide Is Growing
15:04 How Should We Assess Leaders for the AI Era?
18:03 How Do You Measure Human Judgment?
19:36 How AI Is Changing Decision-Making
21:44 Who Is Accountable When AI Gets It Wrong?
23:27 What Will Human Leadership Look Like in the Future?
25:44 What Should We Automate and What Should Stay Human?
28:03 How Humans Create Value When Everyone Has the Same AI
29:13 What Does Authentic Leadership Look Like in the Age of AI?
29:58 The Question Every Leader Should Be Asking
