Forty generations of strategists from Sun Tzu to Steve Jobs have grappled with the essentials of leadership. In this moment of artificial intelligence revolution, those essentials are being reshaped with even greater urgency. My recent interview with Eddie Burns on Think on This explores how the ancient Taoist tenets have become critical guides for today’s leaders. The result? A thought-provoking 38-minute dialogue that I urge every business leader, creator, and innovator to absorb fully. Jack Myers Podcast (The Tao of Leadership)
1. Five Principles for AI-Age Leadership
In the conversation, Eddie and I highlight five timeless, interlocking principles - Harmony, Flexibility, Balance, Stability, and Integritythat form the backbone of my new book, The Tao of Leadership in the AI Era
- Harmony emphasizes humans and machines working in symphonic partnership.
- Flexibility calls for adaptive strategies as generative AI surpasses expectations.
- Balance focuses on tempering innovation with empathy.
- Stability underlines the importance of resilient governance in disruptive times.
- Integrity demands moral clarity in a world shaped by blackbox algorithms.
These are not abstract ideas. They are practical frameworks born from dialogue, reflection, and hundreds of client experiences navigating AI transformation.
2. Challenges That Demand Authentic Leadership
Eddie and I dive into how leaders often underestimate the chaotic speed of AI advances. We spoke about:
- The technology-first trap: Many organizations vault into AI while human systems -- culture, mindset, ethics -- remain underdeveloped. That imbalance risks failures in adoption and backlash.
- Trust in black-box systems: Without understanding underlying logic, people lose confidence. I urge leaders to invest in transparency and human-in-loop validation.
- Speed versus significance: In pursuit of early AI wins, companies often abandon deep, meaningful transformation -- like workforce reskilling, redefining work, recalibrating value systems -- to chase short-term gains.
3. Real‑World AI as Co‑Leader, Not Replacer
In the interview, I frame generative AI as a “co‑leader” that amplifies human judgment -- much like how jazz musicians’ riff off a lead melody. But that requires:
- Deep listening to signals - data, culture, signals from AI systems -- and knowing when to lead or follow.
- Curiosity to explore machines as creative partners rather than untrustworthy black boxes.
- Courage to reframe roles and purpose in organizations as automation reshapes tasks.
These stories aren’t theoretical: I describe actual cases where executives reallocated decision authority between humans and machine agents, preserving human agency while expanding scope and agility.
4. Culture as the Foundation for Innovation
We also examine the cultural mindset necessary to thrive in AI’s accelerating landscape:
- Creating psychological safety: Environments where people can say “I don’t get it” or “Let’s pause” are indispensable.
- Developing AI fluency: Cultural norms must evolve so AI literacy becomes as fundamental as financial check‑ins or ethical audits.
- Embedding guardrails: Structures that ensure AI-driven actions remain aligned with human values, equity, and purpose.
5. Why You Should Watch the Full Interview
Thirty-eight minutes may seem like a stretch, yet every minute brings depth and clarity.
- Unfiltered mentorship: Hear real conversation, including the tensions we felt unpacking how fast and far AI moves us from traditional leadership norms.
- Practical take-aways: We close with a step-by-step guide for leaders: audience for AI transformation, culture incubator measures, and ways to retrofit existing systems for harmony between human and machine.
- A bridge of wisdom: Taoism offers not escape but enduring anchors. I urge listeners and readers to embrace ancient insight, not as relics, but as living tools for the most disruptive leadership moment of our lives.
Your Call-to-Action as a Leader
If you are a business decision-maker, strategist, founder, HR leader, or educator:
- Press play. For 38 minutes, you’ll enter a rich, challenging dialogue.
- Reflect. Which of the five principles resonates most with your leadership gaps?
- Record your next move. After viewing, write down one tangible initiative you’ll launch, be it stakeholder listening sessions, algorithmic audit plans, or shared-learning caucuses.
- Share forward. Send this to peers and teammates. Invite them to watch and discuss.
This is not entertainment. It is a gateway to the next era of leadership -- an era that demands wisdom, courage, and humanity as much as it demands technology.
I invite you to view the full Think on This interview and explore all that generative AI means for your organization, community, and life. And if you're reading on MediaVillage, take the next step: engage, comment, share -- and commit to leading with Tao in the age of AI. Jack Myers Podcast (The Tao of Leadership)