Podcast Episode Summary

Podcast: Beyond Blind Blaming
Host: Kevin D St.Clergy
Episode: AI Won’t Fix Your Business – Leadership Will | David DeWolf
Date: February 10, 2026

Episode Overview

This episode features David DeWolf, visionary entrepreneur, CEO of KnownWell, and well-regarded business strategist. The conversation challenges the belief that artificial intelligence can, on its own, "fix" struggling businesses, instead emphasizing that strong, intentional leadership and a healthy company culture determine sustainable success. The discussion dives into the interplay of AI, leadership, organizational blind spots, the pitfalls of blame-based cultures, and practical ways leaders can foster trust, accountability, and positive organizational change.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The Impact of AI on Business and Leadership

• Identifying the Blind Spot:
  DeWolf highlights a critical gap in AI discourse:

  “Nobody was answering the question of how is AI going to impact the way we actually operate our businesses, how we lead our businesses, how it’s going to change leadership and operations and all these things that actually impact all of us.” (00:00, David DeWolf)

• Shaping with Intentionality:
  Rather than fearing AI, DeWolf urges leaders to "push into it and shape the world that we want" (05:16), focusing on using AI to elevate human work, not replace it.
• AI as a Superpower—not a Replacement:

  “There are ways where AI can become the Superman cape. It can help all of us to be able to do what only we can do, to double down on our strengths, on those things that make us truly human…relationship…creativity…fulfilling work.” (05:45, David DeWolf)

• Communication Is Critical:
  Leaders must directly address employee anxieties about AI, uncertainty, and job security (07:24-07:29).

2. Leadership, Extreme Ownership, and the Blame Trap

• Scale Requires Leadership Reinvention:
  Growth requires constant self-reinvention and humility to navigate new company inflection points (07:41-09:56).
• Misattribution and Blind Spots:
  Leaders too often blame external factors (churn, competitors, economy) rather than reflecting on internal issues and leadership gaps.

  “There is never one simple reason for a failure or a step back, even if it feels obvious, even if we have data to prove it. You have to ask yourself the question, what is it about my leadership?” (10:16, David DeWolf)

• Extreme Ownership:
  Referencing the book Extreme Ownership, DeWolf emphasizes full responsibility:

  “If you are struggling to grow in this economy…there’s never an excuse...It is 100% what is in my control and how do I look at the data and really figure out what I can do to impact change.” (10:25–12:04, David DeWolf)

• Blaming and Complaining as Leadership Poison:

  “When you take extreme ownership, there’s two things you have to give up. Blaming and complaining.” (12:04, Kevin D St.Clergy)

3. Data Overload vs. Real Intelligence

• Information Overload Is Sabotaging Decision-Making:
  Citing an Oracle study, DeWolf points out that 92% of executive leaders feel data overload sabotages their decisions, yet 94% still lack actionable intelligence (12:30).
• AI’s True Value:
  The promise of AI is turning raw data into meaningful, actionable insight—cutting through noise to drive execution (12:30-13:49).

4. Diagnosing the Real Issues: Root Cause vs. Surface Problems

• Case Study:
  A KnownWell client misinterpreted a lack of responsiveness signal—blaming absence on PTO instead of seeing the process flaw: there was no backup system in place (14:06-16:12).

  “What did I do as a leader…to allow this to happen? …I don’t have a process in place when people go out on PTO…It was like this game-changing, eye-opening experience for this person, it was…not about the blame.” (14:06, David DeWolf)

• Failibration and Culture:
  Kevin shares the value of "failibration" — openly celebrating mistakes and learning from them (18:01-19:17).

  “By celebrating what you celebrate, what you put out there…is what creates culture...and that vulnerability leads to trust in individuals.” (19:03-19:50, David DeWolf)

5. Organizational Culture: Pitfalls and Solutions

• Fundamental Leadership Mindset:

  “A business is made to serve the people, not the people to serve it…there is dignity in every single human person.” (20:03-21:34, David DeWolf)

• Even Difficult Situations Can Be Handled with Dignity:
  Letting someone go can be approached with care and humanity (20:03-21:34).
• Specific Strategies to Foster Culture:
  • Invest in building vulnerability-based trust, as described in Patrick Lencioni’s The Five Dysfunctions of a Team.
  • Hold quarterly off-sites to intentionally focus on team health and trust-building (21:46-23:42).
  • Employ exercises like "personal histories" and the "sabotage the team" feedback exercise to build trust and vulnerability (24:09-25:08).

6. Mindset, The Blame Loop, and Support Networks

• Daily Mindset Rituals:
  Both host and guest emphasize the value of a clear, intentional morning routine (27:12-27:32).

  “For me personally...every single morning…I go to prayer...grounding myself...is so very important.” (26:06-27:12, David DeWolf)

• Avoiding Paradigm Paralysis:
  Kevin discusses escaping the "blame loop" and the value of outside perspectives—coaches, mastermind groups, mentorship networks (27:48-29:57).
  • DeWolf adds: Mentoring is key—have mentors, peers, and mentees for well-rounded perspective.

7. Defining Transformational Leadership

• Value-driven, Multi-Level Competency:
  DeWolf’s leadership competency model:

  • Values: Courage, compassion, collaboration.
  • Execution: Building momentum, delivering results, operationalizing success.
  • Operations: Building teams, processes, and systems.
  • Strategy: Making tradeoffs, seeing alternatives.
  • Vision: Communicating a compelling future.

  “The best leaders…they’re not a certain personality…What they have to do is have these different skills and capabilities.” (33:14, David DeWolf)

• Compassion and Care Are Non-Negotiable:

  “One of the most important traits of a leader...is care. Do you actually care about the other human being?” (33:32-35:09, David DeWolf)

8. Caring for Employees as People

• Simple Human Questions Matter:
  When performance drops, start by asking “Are you OK?”

  “It’s amazing what happens when you care.” (36:03, David DeWolf)

• Preempting Surprises:
  DeWolf’s “pre-performance review” tool ensures new hires understand what’s expected from the outset.

  “I want you to know from the get go that I care enough about you to tell you exactly how I’m thinking about your performance...let’s just have that open, transparent conversation.” (38:52-39:20, David DeWolf)

9. Leadership Lessons from the Military

• Training Before Promotion:
  Contrast between the military’s structured progression (test, train, promote) and the frequent leapfrogging in corporate America (40:42-41:09).
• Personal Story:
  DeWolf recounts his father’s leadership in the Air Force—standing up to superiors to protect a subordinate, embodying care and courage (41:12-43:49).

10. Continuing Personal Growth

• Mentorship Is Pivotal:

  “Of all the different techniques...Mentor relationships is probably the thing that I appreciate the most.” (44:10, David DeWolf)

• Final Takeaway:
  Approach personal and organizational growth with humility, consistency, and a willingness to seek, accept, and act on feedback.

Notable Quotes & Moments (with Timestamps)

• “What is it about my leadership?” – David DeWolf, (00:47 & 10:16)
• “There are ways where AI can become the Superman cape.” – David DeWolf, (05:45)
• “When you take extreme ownership, there’s two things you have to give up. Blaming and complaining.” – Kevin D St.Clergy, (12:04)
• “92% of leaders...said that they had so much data that it was actually sabotaging their decision making.” – David DeWolf, (12:30)
• “Everybody was thinking about this as a report card. It’s not about the blame. It’s about how do we create a phenomenal customer experience.” – David DeWolf, (14:06)
• “By celebrating what you celebrate...that vulnerability leads to trust in individuals.” – David DeWolf, (19:03)
• “A business is made to serve the people, not the people to serve it.” – David DeWolf, (20:03)
• “If you are ever letting anybody go [and] they’re surprised, that’s your fault. It’s not theirs.” – David DeWolf, (38:52)
• “Mentor relationships is probably the thing that I appreciate the most.” – David DeWolf, (44:10)

Timestamps for Key Segments

• [00:00] – AI’s impact on leadership and operations (Opening Blind Spot)
• [05:16] – 07:29 — Constructive approaches to AI and leadership communication
• [10:16] – 12:04 — Extreme Ownership and leadership accountability
• [14:06] – 16:12 — Example: Shifting from blame to process (PTO backup story)
• [18:01] – 19:50 — Culture and failibration: making vulnerability safe
• [20:03] – 21:34 — The dignity of work and leading with humanity
• [21:46] – 25:08 — Team health, Personal Histories, Sabotage/Feedback exercises
• [26:06] – 27:32 — Mindset, routine, and clarity
• [27:48] – 29:57 — Escaping the blame loop, value of masterminds/mentors/mentees
• [33:14] — Essential leadership competencies and values
• [35:09] – 36:03 — Compassion as a core leadership requirement
• [38:52] — Pre-performance reviews and clarity in feedback
• [41:12] – 43:49 — Military lessons & leadership in defense of team members
• [44:10] – end — Mentor relationships as the most impactful growth investment

Conclusion

This episode drives home that while AI is a transformative force, the effectiveness of any business ultimately hinges on leadership: owning outcomes, fostering a culture of trust, and investing in the health and dignity of their teams. David DeWolf and Kevin D St.Clergy offer a roadmap for leaders who wish to move beyond "blind blaming"—towards actionable self-awareness, intentional development of their people, and embracing technology as a tool to elevate, not diminish, humanity at work.