Podcast
The Edge of Work
Hosted by Al Dea · EN
The Edge of Work provides new insights and ideas to help leaders navigate the changing world of work. In each episode, we’ll talk to leaders, practitioners, and innovators to explore new ideas for attracting and developing talent, leadership, and workplace culture, all to help you lead and succeed in a changing world of work.
32episodes
Episodes
Newest firstAll episodes
Best Hits: Dr. Tomas Chamorro-Premuzic on AI, Leadership, and Why Authenticity at Work is Overrated
2d ago00:44:42Tap to summarizeNote: This is a replay of a previous popular episodeDr. Tomas Chamorro-Premuzic is the Author of Don't Be Yourself: Why Authenticity Is Overrated (and What to Do Instead). In this episode, Tomas challenges the conventional wisdom that authenticity is always a virtue, especially in leadership. He explains why showing up as your “whole self” can backfire, and why striving to bring your best self is a more powerful approach. Along the way, Tomas connects these ideas to his broader research on technology, AI, and the future of work.LinksWebsite: https://www.drtomas.com/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/drtomaschamorro/Book: https://www.amazon.com/Dont-Be-Yourself-Authenticity-Overrated/dp/1647829836HBR Article: https://hbr.org/2025/07/why-leaders-should-bring-their-best-self-not-their-whole-self-to-work
Transcribe →How to Lead Change When Everything is Changing
1w ago00:47:26Tap to summarizeNote: This is a replay of a live webinar on the topic of how to lead change.Leading change has never been more complex. In this episode, Al Dea explores why today's workplace demands a new approach to change leadership and shares practical strategies for helping people navigate uncertainty. Learn why transformation efforts often stall, how to avoid common leadership pitfalls, and what it takes to build commitment, resilience, and momentum across your team. From balancing competing priorities to leading with clarity when the future is uncertain, this conversation offers actionable insights for leaders navigating organizational change, AI transformation, and the evolving world of work.LinksAl Dea: https://www.linkedin.com/in/itsaldea/Al Dea’s Website: https://www.al-dea.com/
Transcribe →Best Hits: Small Groups, Shared Purpose: Rethinking How to Lead Change with Greg Satell
2w ago00:32:34Tap to summarizeNote: This is a replay of a previous popular episodeGreg Satell is the Author of Cascades: How to Create a Movement That Drives Transformational Change. In this episode of The Edge of Work, Greg joins Al Dea to explore why most organizational change efforts fail and how leaders can spark lasting transformation. Drawing from his front-row experience during Ukraine’s Orange Revolution and 15 years of research, Greg shares the power of “small groups, loosely connected, united by a shared purpose” to drive cultural and behavioral change. He explains why top-down, big-bang launches often trigger resistance, how to find early adopters, and the keys to creating the right conditions for change to spread.LinksWebsite: https://gregsatell.com/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gregsatell/Book: https://gregsatell.com/cascades/
Transcribe →Best Hits: Why AI Adoption Fails - And How Leaders Can Get It Right with Greg Shove
3w ago00:37:58Tap to summarizeNote: This is a replay of a previous popular episodeGreg Shove is the CEO of Section AI, a company helping enterprises and teams become truly AI-enabled. In this episode of The Edge of Work, Greg shares his journey of pivoting Section from an online business school to an AI-powered transformation partner. He discusses why most companies are struggling to adopt AI, the mistakes leaders make when rolling it out, and why the challenge is less about technology and more about change management. Greg also explains how AI is reshaping knowledge work, what employees and leaders need to do to stay relevant, and why the future of learning will look more like personalized coaching than traditional training.LinksNewsletter: https://personalmath.substack.com/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gregshove/Website: https://www.sectionai.com/
Transcribe →How Organizations Can Thrive in the Human + AI Era with David Chestnut
Jun 3000:39:48Tap to summarizeDavid Chestnut is a Principal Director of Human+AI Talent Strategy. In this episode, David joins Al to explore how AI is changing the relationship between human expertise, effort, and work itself. Drawing on his experience helping organizations adopt AI, David explains why AI is not a technology adoption challenge but a human capability challenge. During this conversation, David shares insights on developing judgment, expertise, and critical thinking in an era where outputs are increasingly easy to generate, and discusses the implications for early-career talent, learning and development, and organizational design. David also explores why authenticity, trust, and uniquely human perspectives may become even more valuable as AI-generated content becomes more widespread.LinksDavid’s LinkedIn Profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidchestnut/David’s Medium Page: https://medium.com/@chestnut.david
Transcribe →Reimagining Work Through AI and Workforce Innovation with Robin Barbacane (Rackspace)
Jun 2300:32:14Tap to summarizeRobin Barbacane is the Head of Talent Development and Workforce Transformation at Rackspace. In this episode, Robin joins The Edge of Work to discuss what it takes to move beyond AI experimentation and drive enterprise-wide workforce transformation. She shares how Rackspace has approached becoming an AI-first organization, including the development of AI-powered solutions, employee-led innovation programs, and new operating models designed to embed AI into everyday work. During the conversation, Robin also explains why successful AI adoption is fundamentally a change management challenge, how HR can play a more strategic role in transformation, and why organizations should focus on developing new ways of thinking and working rather than simply deploying new tools. LinksRobin’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/robinbarbacane/
Transcribe →Reimagining Talent, Productivity, and Growth in an AI-Driven World with Kelly Monahan
Jun 1600:37:47Tap to summarizeKelly Monahan is an Author, Speaker and Researcher. She is the Co-Founder of Beyond The Desk, where she researches the intersection of AI, leadership, and the future of work. In this episode, Kelly shares her perspective on how organizations are navigating the growing gap between AI investment and measurable business value. She shares insights from her work with executives and boards, including why many organizations lack a clear AI strategy, how leadership behaviors influence adoption, and what it will take to unlock value beyond individual productivity gains. Kelly also explores the changing nature of careers, the challenges facing early-career talent, and why organizations may need to rethink leadership and even the purpose of business as AI continues to reshape work.LinksKelly’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kelly-monahan-ph-d-18879413/Beyond the Desk: https://www.beyondthedesk.com/
Transcribe →The Strategic Skill of Managing Up with Melody Wilding
Jun 900:36:48Tap to summarizeMelody Wilding is the Author of Managing Up: How to Get What You Need from the People in Charge. In this episode, Melody and Al explore why managing up is not about pleasing your boss, but about creating the clarity, influence, and support you need to do your best work. She shares practical strategies for navigating workplace relationships, aligning priorities, setting boundaries, building visibility, and taking ownership without overstepping. LinksMelody’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/melodywilding/Melody’s Website: https://melodywilding.com/Melody’s Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/psychology-at-work-career-success-leadership-communication/id1762458121Managing Up: https://www.amazon.com/Managing-Up-What-People-Charge-ebook/dp/B0CXLSH6Y6/
Transcribe →Building AI Fluency Across the Organization with Dr. Gerald Kane
Jun 200:38:45Tap to summarizeDr. Jerry Kane is a Professor at the Terry College of Business at the University of Georgia. In this episode, Jerry joins The Edge of Work Podcast to explore how artificial intelligence is reshaping work, learning, and leadership faster than most organizations can keep up. Drawing on his work with students and executives, he shares why artificial intelligence is less about technology and more about building an entrepreneurial mindset that helps people experiment, adapt, and create value. Jerry also explains how organizations can move beyond fear and hype to build real AI fluency, why human skills will become even more valuable as automation grows, and what leaders can do now to help their teams prepare for what comes next.LinksDr. Kane’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/geraldckane/Article: https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/ai-take-jobs-question-misses-whats-actually-happening-gerald-kane-bssce/?trackingId=Ychj1h8FRAGHafoDDSbv4w%3D%3D
Transcribe →Winning with AI: What Leaders Need to Know to Build AI Fluency with Charlene Li
May 2600:38:57Tap to summarizeCharlene Li is the Author of Winning with AI: The 90-Day Blueprint for Success. In this episode, Charlene joins Al to break down what it really takes for organizations to move beyond AI experimentation and start creating real business value. She explains why companies should stop thinking about AI as a separate strategy and instead use it to strengthen their existing business goals. Charlene also shares practical advice on building AI fluency across teams, avoiding common adoption traps, and helping leaders guide their organizations through change. LinksCharlene’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/charleneli/Charlene’s Book: https://winningwithaibook.com/
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