Episode 452 – AI and Leadership Without Losing the Human Touch with TC Cooper

Sometimes the path you planned isn't the one that leads to your greatest impact. I sit down with executive coach and former international lawyer TC Cooper to explore why being unstoppable isn't about following a perfect career path. Growing up in rural South Carolina before studying at Columbia Law School and building a 25-year legal career, TC shares how staying open to change helped her create a portfolio career centered on coaching, leadership, and artificial intelligence. You will hear why listening is one of the greatest leadership skills, how AI should support rather than replace human thinking, and why the best leaders help others discover their own answers. We also talk about career transitions, comparison, accessibility, and taking the first step when life feels uncertain. I believe you will find practical ideas that help you move forward with greater confidence and create your own unstoppable mindset. Highlights: 01:28 – Learn how your background can shape your future. 19:32 – Discover why great leaders ask better questions. 34:54 – Learn how to use AI without losing your creativity. 49:41 – Understand why embracing change creates new opportunities. 56:08 – Stop comparing yourself and focus on your own path. 1:00:12 – Take the first step when you feel stuck. About the Guest: Over more than 25 years, TC Cooper has curated a professional career that integrates her faith, passion for delivering practical legal solutions for modern businesses, along with her heart for entrepreneurship and deep appreciation for global cultures. Her work has taken her across six continents, where she has advised, trained, and worked with thousands of leaders through her advisory, coaching, and media platforms. TC Cooper is a founder, attorney, certified artificial intelligence governance professional, executive coach, and advisor who works with executives, founders, and boards navigating growth, complexity, and change. With more than two decades of legal and regulatory experience spanning federal government service, large law firms, and in-house leadership roles, she brings practical judgment and clarity to high-stakes decisions where risk, innovation, and leadership intersect. As the founder of UpwardAction Advisory and UpwardAction Media, TC advises professional service firms and leadership teams on AI governance, leadership development, and operational strategy. She helps organizations move beyond theory to implementation by building governance structures, decision frameworks, and leadership practices that allow artificial intelligence and emerging technologies to be used responsibly, effectively, and in alignment with business objectives. Through her executive coaching practice, TC works directly with senior leaders who are at an inflection point in their careers. Her clients include executives and founders managing significant change, reassessing priorities, or intentionally building portfolio careers that combine leadership roles, board service, advisory work, and personal pursuits. She helps leaders incorporate their passions into their professional lives while making clear, strategic decisions about what to take on, what to step away from, and how to lead through transition without losing momentum. TC is also the creator of FaithFocusFlow, a lifestyle and leadership platform for professionals who want their work to reflect both competence and conviction. In addition to her advisory and coaching work, she is deeply engaged in philanthropy, board service, and community leadership, with a strong focus on education and global engagement. Known for her direct approach, steady presence, and actionable insight, bottom line: leaders call TC when they are at an inflection point and want guidance navigating change, shaping a portfolio career, and making decisions about using, training, or governing artificial intelligence. Ways to connect with TC**:** Website:   http://www.coachtc.com  LinkedIn:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/iamcoachtc TikTok:       https://www.tiktok.com/@iamcoachtc About the Host: Michael Hingson is a New York Times best-selling author, international lecturer, and Chief Vision Officer for accessiBe. Michael, blind since birth, survived the 9/11 attacks with the help of his guide dog Roselle. This story is the subject of his best-selling book, Thunder Dog. Michael gives over 100 presentations around the world each year speaking to influential groups such as Exxon Mobile, AT\&T, Federal Express, Scripps College, Rutgers University, Children’s Hospital, and the American Red Cross just to name a few. He is Ambassador for the National Braille Literacy Campaign for the National Federation of the Blind and also serves as Ambassador for the American Humane Association’s 2012 Hero Dog Awards. https://michaelhingson.com https://www.facebook.com/michael.hingson.author.speaker/ https://twitter.com/mhingson https://www.youtube.com/user/mhingson https://www.linkedin.com/in/michaelhingson/ Thanks for listening! Thanks so much for listening to our podcast! If you enjoyed this episode and think that others could benefit from listening, please share it using the social media buttons on this page. Do you have some feedback or questions about this episode? Leave a comment in the section below! Subscribe to the podcast If you would like to get automatic updates of new podcast episodes, you can subscribe to the podcast on Apple Podcasts or Stitcher. You can subscribe in your favorite podcast app. You can also support our podcast through our tip jar https://tips.pinecast.com/jar/unstoppable-mindset . Leave us an Apple Podcasts review Ratings and reviews from our listeners are extremely valuable to us and greatly appreciated. They help our podcast rank higher on Apple Podcasts, which exposes our show to more awesome listeners like you. If you have a minute, please leave an honest review on Apple Podcasts. Transcription Notes: