Embracing Digital Transformation

Episode: Generative AI & Resilient Teams: Thriving in Uncertain Times

Host: Dr. Darren Pulsipher
Guest: Laura Clayton McDonald, CEO of Thomson Reuters
Date: September 4, 2025

Episode Overview

This episode explores the powerful combination of generative AI and resilient team culture in navigating uncertainty and disruption, with a focus on the public sector but relevant for any large, complex organization. Host Dr. Darren Pulsipher interviews Laura Clayton McDonald of Thomson Reuters, covering how AI is transforming work, the importance of team purpose, practical strategies for change management, and the shifting demands for leadership and policy in the digital era.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Origin Story: The Value of a Pioneering Mindset

[01:03–02:49]

• Laura shares her family’s immigrant story, embracing courage and adaptation—a foundation for thriving in uncertain times.
  • "My parents were born and raised in Panama... they are pioneers, they're adventurers. And that is sort of like the core of when you think about me." (Laura, 01:28)
• The “pioneering spirit” and willingness to take bold steps sets the tone for approaching digital transformation.

2. The Pandemic as a Resilience Lesson

[03:46–08:25]

• The COVID-19 pandemic forced organizations to adapt rapidly, particularly in shifting to remote work.
• Despite traditional beliefs, organizations not only survived—but in many cases improved productivity.
• There’s nostalgia for the “rallying cry” that unified teams during crisis; is AI the next unifying disruptor?
  • “There was a rallying cry and we put aside... differences, silos, and we all came together.” (Laura, 05:47)
  • “Can we create a similar type of rallying cry? Maybe AI is that.” (Laura, 06:26)

3. Building Resilient Teams Amid Change

[07:02–08:59]

• Success starts with clarity of purpose—at both individual and team levels.
• Laura highlights the power of “personal philosophy statements” for team cohesion.
  • “When you think about cultures, they're made up of individuals bringing together their hopes and dreams, values, objectives, goals, and they're coming together as one – once again, that rallying cry.” (Laura, 07:36)
• Investing in employee engagement, resources, and upskilling lays the foundation for resilience.

4. Generative AI: Disruption and Opportunity

[09:03–13:14]

• AI, especially generative models, is a major disruptor—both a threat (job fears) and an opportunity.
• Laura reframes AI as a tool for productivity and professional uplift, not just cost-cutting.
  • "We think of, at Thomson Reuters, we think of, you know, AI as a tool to improve your productivity, to free up time for you to do more higher-value-added work." (Laura, 09:51)
• Example: Lawyers using “Co Counsel Legal” can double their speed, freeing time for higher-value work.

5. Change Management: Leading Teams through Uncertainty

[12:01–13:14]

• Transparency is vital—communicate vision, involve employees, pilot solutions, and provide expert support.
  • "Build a vision. What's in it for them? Pilot, show the benefit. Surround them with experts and the support of it." (Laura, 12:01)
• Standard change management applies: vision, benefit explanation, involvement, and support.

6. Teams + Play: Demystifying AI Integration

[13:47–15:47]

• Incremental AI changes currently dominate, but with exposure and experimentation, transformative change accelerates.
  • "We're bringing the staff together to play with AI... I think that's just a wonderful way to get folks introduced to it." (Laura, 13:47)
• Leadership “walking the talk” lowers fear and increases adoption.

7. Small vs Large Organizations: The "Leveling" Effect of AI

[17:03–20:05]

• Generative AI offers small organizations leverage to compete with larger ones by increasing decision speed and efficiency.
• Large companies can use AI to foster nimbleness and overcome bureaucracy.
  • "Can some of the work ... be done by these AI tools? The answer is yes. It frees up time to reduce the number of folks that need to make a decision..." (Laura, 18:05)
• Anecdote: A small company without in-house counsel used AI tools for contract review, leveling the playing field.

8. The Skills Gap Dilemma: Critical Thinking in the Age of AI

[21:05–24:28]

• Worries arise about junior professionals missing out on foundational skill development due to AI automating apprenticeship work.
  • "That skill of critical thinking, designing a strategy, planning... sometimes you actually physically have to touch the document and read it yourself." (Laura, 21:24)
• The solution: Use AI as an augmentation, not a replacement, and update professional training accordingly.
  • Pulsipher describes his “GenAI first” approach at Vanderbilt, focusing on critical thinking and real-time defense instead of exams.

9. Policy and Ethics: Governing Generative AI

[25:51–28:34]

• Companies must develop specific AI policies—existing data/privacy/ethics policies are not enough.
  • "It's important to have one [policy] around generative AI, the ethics of that use, who's involved in the committee. There's probably a review that needs to occur..." (Laura, 26:27)
• AI policies should define transparency (e.g., footnotes for AI-generated content), fairness, and oversight.

10. Generative AI vs. Previous Tech Waves

[28:34–30:47]

• AI is a more profound disruptor than email or the early web because of automation and the diminution of direct human oversight.
  • "This is so much different. It's automated. It's almost... you have to be even more proactive and insert yourself. That human element, I think, becomes much greater because of the power of AI." (Laura, 30:20)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Team Purpose:
  “It starts with really understanding for the individuals there. Are we clear about what the purpose is? Why do we do what we do?... What is that rallying cry?” (Laura, 07:02)
• On Future-Proofing Teams:
  "You have to build that vision for the team about why this is important and how it's going to help. What's in it for you to give value back to you." (Laura, 12:01)
• On Change Management:
  “There will always be fear about change. Not too many people love change. That's for sure.” (Laura, 12:01)
• On AI’s Workforce Impact:
  "It's causing some friction... but what we're seeing is that... we're trying to become more productive, use our time more wisely." (Laura, 09:51)
• Sound Bite – Human Element Required:
  “You have to be even more proactive and insert yourself. That human element becomes much greater because of the power of AI.” (Laura, 30:20)
• Personal Purpose Statement:
  "To live life in an exemplary manner and all that matters with courage, curiosity, compassion, humility, integrity and optimism." (Laura, 31:28)

Timestamps for Important Segments

• 01:03 – Laura’s origin story and pioneering mindset
• 04:52 – Pandemic’s productivity lessons and loss of “rallying cry”
• 07:02 – Importance of team purpose and personal philosophy statements
• 09:03 – AI’s impact on work and productivity
• 12:01 – Practical change management steps for AI adoption
• 15:13 – Demystifying AI: Group experimentation and leadership modeling
• 17:03 – AI as a competitive leveler for organizations of all sizes
• 20:05 – The legal professional skills gap and AI’s impact
• 26:27 – Why companies need specific generative AI policies
• 28:34 – Is generative AI a bigger disruptor than past digital shifts?
• 31:28 – Laura’s personal purpose statement and legacy

Conclusion

The conversation centers on embracing generative AI’s immense potential—while recognizing the need for renewed empathy, communication, upskilling, and ethics. True resilience for teams emerges from clarity of purpose, courageous (but not reckless) adoption, and maintaining the indispensable human element even as technology accelerates transformation.

For more, explore Thomson Reuters, find Laura Clayton McDonald on LinkedIn, and check out embracingdigital.org for bonus resources. As Laura puts it: "Work on your purpose statement. That's the foundation for everything else." (31:28)