295: Authentic Leadership in the Age of AI: Diversity, Change & the Future of Product with Catherine Wong

What does it actually take to become a transformational leader in the age of AI? Catherine Wong, Chief Product Officer at Entrata, joins Toni to share the career philosophy, leadership mindset, and honest hard-won lessons that took her from software engineer to CPO — via architecture, M&A, product, and operations. Catherine built her career on range, not a straight line. She calls it the jungle gym — and she believes it's more relevant now than ever. In this episode she gets real about diversity as a product quality issue (not just a values issue), why AI adoption is the biggest change management challenge of our careers, and what authentic leadership actually means when the pressure is on. If you're navigating a non-linear career, trying to lead your team through AI change, or wondering whether you need a perfect plan to reach the C-suite — this one is for you. What we cover: ◾ Why range matters more than specialisation at the executive level ◾How empathy becomes your most powerful leadership tool across functions ◾Why diversity is a product quality issue — and what's at stake as that conversation disappears ◾AI adoption as a change management challenge at unprecedented speed ◾The "hit song" principle: why consistent messaging is the job ◾How to stop minimising yourself — and what to do if you don't have the right mentors ◾Authentic leadership: what it really means to bring the right energy to your team About Catherine Wong Catherine Wong is Chief Product Officer at Entrata, where she leads product and operations. She has held VP of Engineering and product leadership roles across multiple organisations and has spent her career building range across software engineering, architecture, M&A, and product management. She is a passionate advocate for diversity in tech and for leading teams through AI transformation with humanity and clarity. Connect with Catherine Wong  ◾LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/catherinewong  ◾X: @catherinewong  ◾Entrata: entrata.com This episode was sponsored by our guest, Catherine Wong. Thank you Catherine for helping to bring Leading Women in Tech to this community!