The Meg and Amy Show

🚀 AI DARWINISM: Futurist Brian Solis reveals why most companies are using AI to optimize yesterday — and the "spark of the possible" that separates real transformation from glorified digitizing. Learn why ServiceNow's AI maturity index actually DROPPED in 2025, how IKEA's chatbot generated €1 billion in new revenue, and why intellectual humility beats technical expertise for AI-era leaders. ⏰ TIMESTAMPS: 00:00 "What if?" — Cold open 00:16 Welcome and bio 01:14 Meet Brian Solis — what he's up to at ServiceNow 03:06 What is AI Darwinism? 09:12 The 5 stages of AI maturity 13:31 Why the AI maturity score dropped from 44 to 35 18:43 How leaders react to AI — and where they get stuck 23:51 Visionary vision: the leadership shift AI requires 28:30 The IKEA story — how €1B came from asking the opposite question 38:48 MindShift — exploring what you don't know you don't know 50:19 Leadership Corner: managing younger, less experienced execs 59:35 What if? Closing thoughts 🔑 KEY INSIGHTS: - ServiceNow's AI maturity index dropped from 44/100 to 35/100 between 2024 and 2025 — and that's actually progress, not regression - "Visionary vision" requires CEO/board agreement to change measures, incentives, and reward structures, not just AI adoption goals - Most digital transformations failed because they were just digitizing — the same pattern is happening with AI now - IKEA reskilled customer service reps as AI interior designers and generated €1B in net new revenue in year one - The AI-era leaders who win aren't the most technical — they share deep curiosity and intellectual humility - "Spark of the possible" beats "art of the possible" — what AI makes newly imaginable matters more than what was already imaginable 📚 RESOURCES: MindShift (Brian's book): https://www.briansolis.com/mindshift/ Brian Solis website: https://www.briansolis.com ServiceNow AI Maturity Index report: https://www.servicenow.com/research/ 🔗 CONNECT: Brian Solis: https://www.linkedin.com/in/briansolis/ Submit Leadership Questions: [email protected] Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/megandamyshow/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-meg-amy-show #AIDarwinism #AITransformation #Leadership #BrianSolis #FutureOfWork #DigitalTransformation #MindShift #MegAndAmyShow

Ankur Bhatt — Head of AI at Service Titan — joins Amy and Meg to explain why most AI agent initiatives die between demo and production, and what to do about it. Ankur has spent the last two years building production agents that handle high-stakes work like tax notices and payroll compliance, and he's published one of the most useful practitioner guides on the topic anywhere. The answer, he argues, isn't a better model — it's something called harness engineering. He breaks down why agents have "the cognitive ability of a PhD with the attention span of a two-year-old," the three failure modes that sink most deployments, and the six principles that turn probabilistic AI into reliable enterprise software. Plus: why writing code is no longer the bottleneck, why your next product probably shouldn't have a UI at all, and a Leadership Corner on managing peer egos when you're the most senior woman in the room. ⏰ TIMESTAMPS: 00:00 Cognitive ability of a PhD, attention span of a two-year-old 00:17 Meet Ankur Bhatt: VP AI @ Rippling, Head of AI @ Service Titan 01:22 From SAP/SuccessFactors to startup speed 03:25 What customers actually want from AI right now 06:32 The demo trap: six-day demo, six engineers, three months of fixes 08:23 What "harness engineering" actually means 09:47 Why architecture matters more, not less, in the agent era 13:01 Where the term "harness" came from (the Manus story) 15:47 Three failure modes: compound error, context overload, specification vacuum 19:16 Why agents are like ADHD partners — the executive-function problem 21:11 The six principles of harness engineering 24:01 The Montessori analogy: maps, stations, and skills 27:43 Why specs and PRDs matter more now, not less (planning mode) 28:55 Skills vs. hooks: what goes where 30:57 Building a skills marketplace inside your organization 35:45 The 10–20% problem: scaling individual productivity to a team 39:40 The new bottleneck has moved upstream 42:52 From features to agent experiences (the Karpathy home-control example) 45:22 The two layers of B2B agent design every leader misses 48:46 Leadership Corner: lonely at the top, surrounded by egos 49:26 Meg's "trust council" reframe 53:26 Where to focus your emotional energy (hint: not on changing your peers) 55:31 Managing egos as a core executive skill 🔑 KEY INSIGHTS: -Why your AI agent goes off the rails: compound error, context overload, and specification vacuum — and how to design around all three -The six principles of harness engineering, in order — starting with "give agents maps, not manuals" -Skills vs. hooks: how to encode domain knowledge and enforce quality without overloading the model -Why "spec before code" matters more in the agent era than it did in the human-engineer era -The new SDLC: when writing code stops being the bottleneck, what becomes the bottleneck instead -Why continuing to build point-and-click UIs may already be irrelevant — and what an "agent experience" looks like in B2B -Leadership Corner: why peer loneliness usually isn't a peer problem, and how to build a trust council instead 📚 RESOURCES: Ankur's article: Agentic Engineering — Why the Harness Matters More Than the Model: https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/agentic-engineering-why-harness-matters-more-than-model-ankur-bhatt-fyjwe/ Daniel Kahneman, Thinking Fast and Slow Andrej Karpathy on the No Priors podcast (the home-control agent example) Anthropic's "progressive disclosure" approach to skills Rippling: https://www.rippling.com ServiceTitan: https://www.servicetitan.com 🤝 CONNECT: Ankur Bhatt: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ankurbhatt77/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/megandamyshow/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-meg-amy-show #AIAgents #HarnessEngineering #AI #AITransformation #FutureOfWork #SoftwareDevelopment #Leadership #MegAndAmyShow

Pat Wadors spent 20 years building cultures at some of tech's biggest names — LinkedIn, ServiceNow, UKG. Then she made an unusual move: from leading people at tech giants to becoming CHRO at Intuitive Surgical, the company behind the da Vinci surgical robot that has served over 20 million patients. In this conversation, Pat shares the personal scorecard moment that changed her career trajectory, why she rejects the word "transformation" in favor of experiments and agility, and how she holds leaders accountable when they aren't walking their talk. ⏰ TIMESTAMPS: 00:01 The scorecard wake-up call: 76 times in 18 years 05:09 Why Pat moved from software to surgical robotics 08:25 Being a patient of the technology you now scale 12:18 Learning the medical device business from the OR floor 17:23 How robotic surgery is changing healthcare delivery 23:03 Why "transformation" implies an end date (and why that's wrong) 26:17 Disrupting language to bring people along through change 29:09 Organizational design experiments in the AI era 35:52 Bringing calm leadership energy to chaotic moments 39:19 The leadership shadow: when you realize you're the problem 42:40 "It's not their business" — until it is 45:46 Holding up the mirror at LinkedIn 48:27 Walk it or don't: treating employee values like a PRD 51:20 Leadership Corner: The player-coach dilemma 🔑 KEY INSIGHTS: - The personal scorecard that led Pat from tech to surgical robotics — and why seeing grandkids once a quarter wasn't enough - Why Pat rejects "transformation" in favor of agility: "Life now is not about an end destination, it's the journey" - How she held up the mirror to LinkedIn's leadership team: "Only one hand stayed up" when asked who communicates performance ratings - The Mexican restaurant moment: devastating 360 feedback that changed how Pat leads - Why your team needs to know you're an introvert (and a nursing mom) - Job architecture vs. work architecture: one must be static, one must be completely fluid - "Walk that fricking talk": Why employee values deserve the same rigor as a product roadmap - The calm you bring creates the calm your team can sustain 📚 RESOURCES: - Unlock Your Leadership Story: https://www.wadors.com - Pat on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/patwadors/ - Intuitive Surgical: https://www.intuitive.com 🔗 CONNECT: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/megandamyshow/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-meg-amy-show #Leadership #AITransformation #AgileLeadership #HealthcareTechnology #FutureOfWork #CHRO #MegAndAmyShow

Nilofer Merchant, ranked among the top 50 most influential management thinkers in the world, joins Amy and Meg to dismantle one of management's most beloved myths: the high-impact player ideology. From launching over 100 products netting $18 billion at companies like Apple and Autodesk, to getting fired after securing board approval, Nilofer reveals why making yourself indispensable actually makes you exploitable — and what happens when organizations optimize for individual heroes instead of collective capacity. She shares the Autodesk story: winning the board vote, receiving applause, and getting removed from her role the next day because her competitive approach destroyed team trust. The lesson? The system rewards a very particular profile, and what looks like individual success often comes at the cost of organizational capability. We explore how the "outrun the bear" mentality breaks down when survival requires more than just you, why Franklin Leonard changed Hollywood by asking "what scripts do you love?" instead of "will it make money?", and what happens when AI removes execution scarcity. Plus: Abby Wambach's habit of pointing to the assist, Mary Parker Follett's "law of the situation," and why designing for human aliveness matters more than optimizing for profit. ⏰ TIMESTAMPS: 00:00 Introduction: Writing a Book With a Concussion 03:11 The Collaborative Nature of All Work 05:49 Chapter 19: Stop Making It All About You 09:22 The Autodesk Story: Fired After Winning 13:46 Systemic Problems with the A-Player Model 17:20 Alternative Leadership: Shared Ownership 24:00 Steve Jobs and Team Cohesion 25:31 Metrics: Power vs. Purpose 28:22 Generative Questions and AI's Future 30:41 Franklin Leonard's Black List 36:12 Human Aliveness in the AI Era 45:26 Leadership Corner: Managing the Rock Star Bottleneck 🔑 KEY INSIGHTS: - The high-impact player ideology makes you exploitable while destroying team capacity - Organizations don't scale through players — they scale through plays - "Something" can lead instead of "someone" (shared objectives vs. singular accountability) - Shift from "will you help me?" to "do you care about this problem too?" - AI research: 12% more productivity, 25% faster, 30% better decisions - 70% of jobs globally require zero creativity — what if AI handled that? - IKEA retrained 8,000 customer service employees as designers instead of firing them 📚 RESOURCES: Our Best Work by Nilofer Merchant: https://nilofermerchant.com/big-ideas/our-best-work/ The Intangible Labs: https://theintangiblelabs.com/ TED Talk: https://www.ted.com/speakers/nilofer_merchant 🔗 CONNECT: Nilofer Merchant: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nilofermerchant/ Submit Leadership Questions: [email protected] Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/megandamyshow/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-meg-amy-show #Leadership #HighImpactPlayers #TeamWork #AITransformation #FutureOfWork #MegAndAmyShow

Doug Merritt led one of the boldest transformations in enterprise software — taking Splunk from $220M perpetual license to over $3B in cloud SaaS revenue. Now, as CEO of Aviatrix, he's building the network security layer enterprises desperately need in the AI era. In this conversation, Doug gets vulnerable about his months of depression when ChatGPT launched, shares why "buying into fear is super lazy," and explains the daily battle every leader faces: love or fear. We also dive deep into the cybersecurity crisis no one's talking about — why not a single company has 100% network security coverage, what happened during Aviatrix's "benign breach" when an AI agent spammed shareware sites to complete its task, and why agents have no "absurdity governor." Plus: Doug's five leadership principles in priority order, why focusing on outcomes is actually lazier than daily mastery, and what it takes to help people when their hard-earned skills are losing market value. ⏰ TIMESTAMPS: 00:00 Cold Open: You Can Buy Into Fear or You Can Buy Into Love 00:16 Introduction 01:12 Welcome Doug 04:00 Be Open to the 1% — There Are Infinite Ways to Get to the Answer 06:34 How Do You Let in That 1% From the People Around You? 09:00 Five Leadership Principles in Priority Order 12:10 The Daily Battle of Love or Fear 15:41 What Skills Matter in the AI Era? 19:59 We Built Management Training for Managing Agents 22:24 How Do You Build Capacity as a Leader? 25:09 Divorce Forced Me to Set Boundaries 27:12 Joshua Metcalfe and Daily Mastery Philosophy 29:13 Splunk Transformation vs. AI Transformation — What's Different? 32:00 We're Still Not 100% AI Company — And We Tried 34:20 The Cybersecurity Crisis: Not a Single Company Has 100% Coverage 36:50 The LiteLLM Breach Story 40:10 The Benign Breach at Aviatrix 41:59 Agents Have No Absurdity Governor 44:19 Identity + Network = Your Security Foundation 48:05 Daily Mastery Over Outcomes — Still Believe It 50:02 Leadership Corner: Installing a Durable Method for Deep Thinking 🔑 KEY INSIGHTS: - Why "be open to the 1%" — the probability you might be wrong - "There is no failure, only learning" — reframing growth mindset - Five leadership principles: relentless curiosity, lead with empathy, purpose before action, radical accountability, celebrate success - The daily battle of love vs. fear — and why buying into fear is lazy - Your value is shifting from "doing" to judgment, experience, and orchestration - Management training for managing AI agents — they operate very differently than humans - "Focusing on the outcome is actually lazier" — why daily mastery matters more - Not a single company has 100% network security coverage in the cloud - The Team PCP / LiteLLM breach: credentials harvested and sent to Netherlands - The benign breach: AI agent spammed 8 shareware sites to make a PowerPoint - "Agents have no absurdity governor" — they just keep trying everything - In the cloud, you're left with identity and network — get those right or you're not safe 📚 RESOURCES: - Chop Wood, Carry Water by Joshua Metcalfe: https://www.amazon.com/Chop-Wood-Carry-Water-Instructions/dp/0997077824 - When by Daniel Pink: https://www.amazon.com/When-Scientific-Secrets-Perfect-Timing/dp/0735210624 - Doug Merritt on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/doug-merritt/ - Aviatrix: https://aviatrix.ai/ 🔗 CONNECT: Submit Leadership Questions: [email protected] Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/megandamyshow/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-meg-amy-show #Leadership #AITransformation #Cybersecurity #DougMerritt #DailyMastery #CloudSecurity #FutureOfWork #MegAndAmyShow

Cornerstone OnDemand CEO Himanshu Palsule joins Amy and Meg to discuss Generation Beta, the leadership pipeline vacuum, and what it takes to build a workforce for a world that doesn't exist yet. From his World Economic Forum panel on corporate ladders to hiring a Chief AI Officer who asked for just 12 people, Himanshu shares what he's learned leading a major talent platform through complete transformation while the rules of work are being rewritten. Plus: why inference, context, and trust matter more than token counts, how drug development timelines collapsed from 10 years to one, and what to do when your team can't let go. ⏰ TIMESTAMPS: 00:00 If you remove the bottom rungs, who's left on the ladder? 00:52 Generation Beta: AI will always know more than they will 03:53 We are custodians of a generation — don't become zombies 05:45 The leadership pipeline vacuum at Davos 08:18 Hyper-personalized learning and the lowest common denominator problem 12:19 Technical vs. human skills: the gap is collapsing (70/30 to 50/50) 15:49 Everyone needs executive function now 18:48 From optimization to reimagination: doing the right things 23:53 Drug development: 10 years to 1 year with AI 26:23 Inference, context, and trust: the three pillars that matter 32:29 Swimming in rivers, not pools: learning agility vs. future-proofing 36:56 The Chief AI Officer who asked for 12 people 42:26 Spend 20 days defining the problem, 20 days imagining the solution 44:49 The SaaS-pocalypse: deterministic vs. probabilistic functions 47:50 Three leadership traits: curiosity, situational awareness, courage to say no 48:42 Leadership Corner: How to delegate without taking it back 🔑 KEY INSIGHTS: - The workforce most capable of reimagining AI is being excluded from the transformation - Human skills (curiosity, flexibility, courage) now matter as much as technical skills - For every 100 AI agents, there's one human orchestrating — making human skills critical - Companies that earn trust through context and deliberate solutions will survive the AI chaos - Learning agility beats future-proofing when everything changes every three months - Small, focused teams outperform large development groups in the AI era - Probabilistic software functions will be disrupted; deterministic functions (payroll, HR) will endure 📚 RESOURCES: - World Economic Forum Panel: Corporate Ladders and the Great AI Reshuffling https://www.weforum.org/meetings/world-economic-forum-annual-meeting-2026/sessions/corporate-ladders-and-the-great-ai-reshuffling/ - Cornerstone OnDemand Skills Economy Report: https://www.cornerstoneondemand.com/resources/article/skills-economy-report/ - Stephen Covey: “Management is doing things right; leadership is doing the right things.” https://www.goodreads.com/quotes/9923896-management-is-doing-things-right-leadership-is-doing-the-right 🔗 CONNECT: Himanshu Palsule: https://www.linkedin.com/in/himanshu-palsule/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/megandamyshow/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-meg-amy-show #Leadership #AITransformation #FutureOfWork #GenerationBeta #LearningAgility #MegAndAmyShow

MIT researcher and People Analytics author Ben Waber joins Amy and Meg for one of the most myth-busting conversations about AI, productivity, and what actually drives enterprise value. From a 23-year-old grad student who discovered that billion-dollar companies don't know how their own teams communicate, to the lunch table experiment that changed programmer productivity by 20%, Ben brings 15 years of behavioral data to challenge everything you think you know about how organizations work — and why most AI claims should make you very skeptical. ⏰ TIMESTAMPS: 00:00 What percent of your company is a dumpster fire? 00:11 Introduction to Ben Waber 01:11 From Philly to MIT: How Ben started measuring how humans work 04:35 A paper that made a billion-dollar bank reorganize 06:31 The Japanese minor, a bestselling book, and being recognized on the street 08:42 The Academic Run Playlist: 2,500+ talks and counting 13:07 The big idea: Where is the real value in AI? 14:37 Why AI vendors and economists are both getting it wrong 16:20 The calculation machines story: 20 years to get 20% cheaper 18:06 Amazon's box-packing metric and why "quantitative" doesn't mean "objective" 20:11 Jack Dorsey, Block, and the rude awakening ahead 22:11 Klarna's AI rollback and the nuance problem 24:33 "Spin up 100,000 agents doing nothing" — the meaningless metrics trap 27:17 The three things you need to understand before deploying AI 29:37 Tripwires: Building permission to be wrong 31:22 How do you actually model work? Amy's HRIS thesis 35:48 What we're really good at measuring: what's awful 37:12 From dumpster fires to board-level accountability 38:20 AI is a sugar rush — and profit predicts 1% of your future 39:06 If the cows are limping, it's bad 39:28 The lunch table story: a 20% productivity difference from a $50 decision 44:22 Leadership Corner: Breaking through when a peer team is gatekeeping 51:44 Wrap-up: What we learned from Ben 🔑 KEY INSIGHTS: - Most AI productivity claims are measuring activity, not value — "having a seizure on my keyboard outputs more lines of code" - Companies can't define what performance actually means — and that's the root problem - We can't predict what great looks like, but we're really good at identifying what's awful - The "dumpster fire" reframe: measure what percent of your company is broken and put a dollar value on it - AI adoption is a sugar rush — firing 40% of employees boosts quarterly profit but predicts nothing about the future - Current profit predicts only 1% of future profit — people metrics predict far more - A 20% difference in programmer productivity was driven by which cafeteria door people walked through - The financial industry is starting to use workplace behavioral data in investment decisions 📚 RESOURCES: Ben Waber's book, People Analytics: https://www.amazon.com/People-Analytics-Technology-Transform-Business/dp/0133158314 Ben's HBR piece on LLMs and organizational performance: https://hbr.org/2024/01/is-genais-impact-on-productivity-overblown Patty Azzarello, Move: https://www.amazon.com/Move-Decisive-Strategy-Obstacles-Setbacks/dp/1119348374 Nate B. Jones on Klarna: https://www.youtube.com/@NateBJones 🔗 CONNECT: Ben Waber: https://www.linkedin.com/in/benjaminwaber/ Submit Leadership Questions: [email protected] Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/megandamyshow/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-meg-amy-show #Leadership #AI #AITransformation #PeopleAnalytics #FutureOfWork #MegAndAmyShow

Our guest had to cancel (get well soon, Ankur!). So instead of the episode we planned, you're getting something better — us, unfiltered, on everything that's been consuming our lives for the past month. Amy has 100+ hours of vibe coding under her belt and has things to say. Meg has been reading Dan Heath's Reset and watching Jason Lemkin slowly become the worst worker on his own team. And together we've landed on a thesis that might be uncomfortable: the bottleneck in AI transformation isn't capability anymore. It's judgment. It's you. ⏰ TIMESTAMPS: 00:00 The Episode That Almost Wasn't 02:30 Field Trip: Meg & Amy Visit John Sumser & Heather Bussing 04:53 Ethan Mollick Was Right: Complexity Is in the Workflow 07:05 Customer Onboarding as a Case Study 12:08 Don't We Still Need Human Connection in the Age of AI? 15:44 Dan Heath's Reset & Three Judgment Failures 18:52 Stop Doing All the Things With AI 22:38 Amy's Vibe Coding Journey: 100+ Hours In 23:05 The Beach Walk Epiphany 29:09 The Executive Reframe: You're Not Just a Manager of AI 32:46 Why Mid-Level Leaders Are Most at Risk 35:55 It's Not a Time Problem. It's a Nervous System Problem. 41:13 Jason Lemkin's Weak Link Problem — And Amy's 47:10 Nate B. Jones & the Open Brain Concept 58:19 We're Out of the Messy Middle 🔑 KEY INSIGHTS: - The bottleneck has shifted — it's no longer your AI's capability, it's your judgment - The complexity is in the workflow design, not the tools — Forward Deployed AI Engineers won't save you - After 100+ hours of vibe coding, the lesson is clear: your job is to set intent, not implement - When your AI team never sleeps, you become the weak link — and that's an emotional adjustment nobody prepares you for - Mid-level leaders are most at risk from AI: most squeezed for time, least supported, caught in a double bind - If you're procrastinating on AI, it's probably a nervous system issue, not a time issue - Your first vibe coding project should be a throwaway — that IS the curriculum - The "open brain": your intelligence shouldn't live inside someone else's walled garden 📚 REFERENCES: Building Agents People Actually Trust | Ankur Bhatt https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/building-agents-people-actually-trust-ankur-bhatt-ujltc Reset | Dan Heath https://www.amazon.com/Reset-Dan-Heath/dp/1982195851 Ethan Mollick on Forward Deployed AI Engineers https://x.com/emollick Open Brain Concept | Nate B. Jones https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2JiMmye2ezg Amy's AI Transformation Maturity Model https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/ai-transformation-maturity-model-amy-wilson 🔗 CONNECT: Submit Leadership Questions: [email protected] Instagram: @megandamyshow LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-meg-amy-show Meg's Website: https://www.megbear.com #AITransformation #VibeCoding #Leadership #FutureOfWork #MegAndAmyShow

UNLEASH founder and CEO Marc Coleman joins Amy and Meg for a conversation about what 5,000 HR leaders actually need right now — not in theory, in practice. From launching a disastrous first conference with tangled lanyards and no sleep to building one of the world's largest HR technology events, Marc shares how he reads market signals, why he shifted from benefit-led to decision-led content, and the L'Oréal "journey book” that changed how he thinks about the value of gathering. Plus: why companies winning with AI won't tell you how, the real tension between boards and HR, and Marc's Vegas wedding story. Leadership Corner: what happens when your promotion makes your peers not your peers anymore. ⏰ TIMESTAMPS: 00:00 "Repurposing humanity in the age of machines" 00:14 Introduction — what do 5,000 HR leaders actually need? 01:02 Building communities around big ideas 03:29 The UNLEASH origin story — Chelsea FC and sore heads 06:42 First event chaos: tangled lanyards and one hour of sleep 07:47 How to separate signal from noise as an insider 08:07 The politician effect — why HR leaders can't share secrets 11:26 "I leave the clothes of yesterday behind me" 13:42 "Everyone has the same data — the ones who win make different decisions" 14:37 The L'Oréal journey book — 100 HR leaders, 38 brands, one week of decisions 18:05 What does "good" look like for a conference speaker? 20:44 One sentence can change your career — and a Vegas wedding 22:35 The gap between what boards want and what HR delivers 23:23 Why the hardest part of transformation is always the people 25:12 Boards want capital efficiency. HR manages human complexity. 26:45 Doing your homework — Ethan Mollick and the jaw on the floor 29:17 Why companies succeeding with AI won't share how 31:05 2026 is the year — doing nothing is very costly 32:24 "The execution lives and dies in HR" 33:11 Areas of hope — SAP, Walmart, and pioneering CHROs 34:20 The power of in-person learning and serendipity 37:40 UNLEASH America — March 17–19, Caesars Forum, Las Vegas 39:01 Leadership Corner: Promoted past your peers — now what? 42:23 Build your org structure first, then map the people 46:01 "This is a new job — not a step function of your old one" 47:10 Wrap-up: What HR leaders should focus on in 2026 🔑 KEY INSIGHTS: - Everyone has the same data — the winners make different decisions, not luckier ones - L'Oréal sends 100 HR leaders to UNLEASH annually with a custom "journey book" mapping decisions to sessions — the future of how organizations extract value from learning - AI capability is outpacing organizational design — companies think it's about tools when it's actually about human beings - The "politician effect": companies succeeding with AI treat it as competitive advantage and won't share publicly - Boards optimize for capital efficiency while HR manages human complexity — the leaders who win translate between both worlds - The execution of AI transformation lives and dies in HR — it's not a side initiative, it's the competitive advantage - Workforce transformation is a team sport — you can't do it alone behind a closed door - After a promotion: soothe your heart, then build your org completely separate from the relationships in place- A promotion isn't a step function — it's a new job requiring fresh onboarding and relationship building 📚 RESOURCES: UNLEASH America 2026: March 17–19, Caesars Forum, Las Vegas https://www.unleash.ai/ Ethan Mollick: https://www.oneusefulthing.org/ Jess Von Bank: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jessvonbank/ Kirstin Ferguson Episode (Season 1): https://youtu.be/lceHtsbNAcs?si=rlOuV3HwrFk9r1lx 🔗 CONNECT: Marc Coleman: https://www.linkedin.com/in/marccoleman/ Submit Leadership Questions: [email protected] Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/megandamyshow/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-meg-amy-show #Leadership #AITransformation #UNLEASH #FutureOfWork#HRLeadership #DecisionMaking #MegAndAmyShow

Radical Candor author Kim Scott joins Amy and Meg for one of the most candid conversations about leadership, courage, and what it really means to care in an era of AI disruption and rising authoritarianism. From managing diamond cutters in the Soviet Union to coaching CEOs at Google, Apple, and Twitter, Kim shares the personal stories behind her frameworks — including the moment a colleague's feedback made her rethink everything and write Radical Respect. Plus: what Kim would tell Workday's returning founder Aneel Bhusri, why Steve Jobs argued against himself, and how to give feedback when AI did half the work. ⏰ TIMESTAMPS: 00:00 Radical candor is about praise, not just criticism 00:47 From Moscow diamond cutters to first management lessons 02:59 How Kim discovered Kieran Snyder and the power of candid praise 06:15 Silicon Valley's silence: Kim's New York Times op-ed 10:44 "Too much money in too few hands" — what history tells us 13:41 Courage and wealth are negatively correlated right now 14:12 The competence-likeability story: tight pants and a demotion 17:10 The ROI of speaking up vs. staying silent 19:27 Susan Fowler, regret, and the cost of going quietly 22:03 "Casually cruel in the name of being honest" — radical candor misused 26:49 The dog story: "It's not mean, it's clear" 28:48 Andy Grove's cab ride and the two-minute conversation 34:51 The four realizations that led to Radical Respect 39:10 Leadership skills vs. leadership qualities in the AI era 42:23 The Compass: AI role-play for practicing radical candor 44:59 "We don't know what's going to happen — that's it" 47:15 The SaaSpocalypse: What Kim would tell Workday's CEO 48:34 "You are not your stock price" 50:52 Steve Jobs argued against himself — and saved Apple 54:30 Leadership Corner: Giving feedback when AI did the work 🔑 KEY INSIGHTS: - Why self-censorship is the real goal of authoritarianism — and it's happening in tech - The difference between radical candor and obnoxious aggression in the "founder mode" era - Kim's four realizations that transformed Radical Candor into Radical Respect - How to evaluate and develop people when AI is producing their work - Why the best leaders argue against their own positions - "You are not your stock price" — leading vs. lagging indicators for founders in crisis - The Compass tool: using AI to practice hard conversations, not replace them 📚 RESOURCES: - Radical Candor Podcast: https://www.youtube.com/@RadicalCandor/ - Compass AI Role-Play Tool: compass.radicalcandor.com - Lenny's Podcast: https://www.lennysnewsletter.com/podcast - Kieran Snyder Episode: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oFqdGDylL6I - New York Times Article: https://www.nytimes.com/2025/10/03/opinion/trump-silicon-valley-state-meda-putin.html - Andy Grove: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Andrew_Grove - TED Talk: https://www.ted.com/talks/kim_scott_how_to_lead_with_radical_candor https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vmxHUiiHgNk 🔗 CONNECT: Kim Scott: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kimm4/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/megandamyshow/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-meg-amy-show #RadicalCandor #Leadership #AI #AITransformation #FounderMode #SiliconValley #FutureOfWork #MegAndAmyShow

We're back! In our Season 2 opener, we dig into everything that's happened since we wrapped Season 1 — and there's a LOT. Amy's been vibe coding an app for her mom (with a full AI development team), Meg's been having her brain broken by AI agents, and the business landscape has shifted dramatically. We introduce five interlocking threads that will guide Season 2 — think of them as a rope, not a listicle — covering the SaaSpocalypse, context as the new moat, the high agency imperative, the AI agent explosion, and the great reshuffle. Plus: Leadership Corner tackles what to do when you're carrying all the emotional weight on your leadership team. ⏰ TIMESTAMPS: 00:00 Welcome to Season 2 02:00 Why We Do This Podcast 06:00 Viewer Appreciation & Leadership Corner CTA 08:30 Ricursive Intelligence Shout-Out 10:00 Amy's Vibe Coding Journey 18:00 The Five Threads Introduction 19:00 Thread 1: The SaaSpocalypse 25:00 Thread 2: Context Is the New Moat 31:00 Thread 3: The High Agency Imperative 38:00 Thread 4: AI Agents Got Scary Fast 44:00 Thread 5: The Reshuffle 46:00 Leadership Corner: Carrying the Emotional Load 🔑 KEY INSIGHTS: - The SaaSpocalypse isn't just software — every legacy business model is under fire - Context is emerging as the new competitive moat, but people are incented to withhold it (strategic opacity) - The trifecta for thriving: AI fluency + domain expertise + understanding what the business actually needs - AI agents went from automation tools to genuinely high-agency problem solvers almost overnight - Getting really fast without getting really good is a new kind of problem - Sometimes doing hard things is how you build self-esteem — don't give that away to AI 📚 REFERENCES: Episode 12 | Can You Transform from LegacyCo to NewCo in the AI Era? | Usman Sheikh https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I9WFX85Im2I Episode 18 | The Winning AI Strategy: Reshuffling Systems, Not Adding Smarts | Sangeet Paul Choudary https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eaSZhRkk2NU More or Less Podcast https://www.youtube.com/@MoreorLessPod/videos Meg Bear's LinkedIn Post https://www.linkedin.com/posts/megbear_how-ai-is-learning-to-think-in-secret-activity-7421328223759654912-CgdE?utm_source=share&utm_medium=member_desktop&rcm=ACoAAAAVeN8BrXyqZRtd37eT9lCYDRykSAdLh5A Why the Biggest AI Career Opportunity Just Appeared - and Almost Nobody Sees It https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6r0UeMQE66I High Agency in 30 Minutes https://www.highagency.com/ AI's trillion-dollar opportunity: Context Graphs https://foundationcapital.com/context-graphs-ais-trillion-dollar-opportunity/ The 5 Levels of AI Coding (Why Most of You Won't Make It Past Level 2) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bDcgHzCBgmQ How to build AI product sense https://www.lennysnewsletter.com/p/how-to-build-ai-product-sense 🔗 CONNECT: Submit Leadership Questions: [email protected] Instagram: @megandamyshow LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-meg-amy-show Meg's Website: https://www.megbear.com #SaaSpocalypse #AITransformation #Leadership #HighAgency #VibeCoding #MegAndAmyShow

Amy and Meg get brutally honest about the toxic workplace archetypes every leader faces - and share the real stories that shaped their careers. This isn't just storytelling; it's a masterclass in pattern recognition, strategic response, and hard-earned wisdom. These are REAL experiences from two executives who've navigated decades in corporate America. We're not just sharing war stories - we're breaking down what was actually happening, how we handled it (the good, the bad, and the ugly), and what we'd tell our former selves now. ⏰ TIMESTAMPS: 00:00 Cold Open - "Airing of Grievances" 00:44 Book Club Anniversary & PeopleSoft Legacy 04:51 The Caregiving Burden During The Holidays (Women in the Workplace Reality) 08:39 Amy's "Undercover Man" Confession 15:11 Season 1 Finale Announcement 17:01 The Credit Thief - When Ideas Get Stolen 22:36 The Diminisher - Toenail Polish & Power Games 40:34 The Gatekeeper - Controlling Access & Visibility 53:01 The Saboteur - Coordinated Workplace Attacks 1:09:01 The Narcissist & The Proxy War - When You're a Pawn 1:18:42 The Wins - How We Became a Force of Two 1:31:50 Season 2 Vision & 2026 Predictions 1:35:11 Thank You & Madison's Maternity Leave 🔑 KEY INSIGHTS & HARD-EARNED WISDOM: - Why some executives have an invisible "unfair advantage" (Amy's stay-at-home husband revelation) - How to recognize when someone is diminishing you - and why it's about their insecurities, not your worth - The crucial difference: gatekeepers you can work around vs. narcissists you must exit from - Why workplace sabotage is often a twisted compliment - you've struck a chord - How to identify proxy wars (when you're collateral damage in someone else's battle) - Strategic advice: "Don't let your enemies know who they are" - The middle schooler test: advise yourself like you'd advise your kid about bullies - Why investing in your own professional development can't depend on your employer - When credentials get weaponized: "If they have to explain how important they are instead of discussing ideas, that's a red flag" - The power of documentation: timestamp your ideas, save your receipts - Sometimes the only winning move is to walk away (and that's not failure) - How gratitude and appreciation unlock more than demands ever will 📚 RESOURCES: Jess Von Bank on The Women in the Workplace 2025 Report | https://www.linkedin.com/posts/jessvonbank_the-women-in-the-workplace-2025-report-is-activity-7404939453028274176-HR6Y/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=member_desktop&rcm=ACoAAAAVeN8BrXyqZRtd37eT9lCYDRykSAdLh5A Charlotte Otter’s LinkedIn Post | https://www.linkedin.com/posts/charlotteeliseotter_no-one-gets-badges-for-being-a-good-parent-activity-7406374962317594624-xpbB/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=member_desktop&rcm=ACoAAAAVeN8BrXyqZRtd37eT9lCYDRykSAdLh5A Festivus Airing of the Grievances | https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1l8Eag9CAFk 🔗 CONNECT: Amy's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/amy-wilson-insight/ Meg's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/megbear/ Meg’s Blog: https://www.megbear.com/blog Special thanks to our Executive Producer Madison Harney - enjoy maternity leave! And to our book club celebrating 20 years of badass women supporting each other. These stories shaped us. They don't have to break you. We'll be back March 2026 for Season 2. #Leadership #CorporateToxicity #WorkplaceArchetypes #ExecutiveLeadership #CareerAdvice #WomenInLeadership #ToxicWorkplace #WorkplaceBullying #ProfessionalDevelopment #CareerStrategy #WorkplaceWisdom #LeadershipLessons #CorporateLife #WorkplacePolitics #ExecutiveCoaching #CareerGrowth #WorkplaceResilience #LeadershipSkills #WomenInBusiness #CareerSuccess #WorkplaceCulture #LeadershipDevelopment #ExecutiveInsights #WorkplaceStrategy

🚀 Jason Averbook reveals the 4 forces creating the biggest change HR has ever seen—and why 95% of AI projects are failing. This isn't about technology; it's about trust, engagement, and fundamentally rethinking how work gets done. ⚡ THE 4 FORCES RESHAPING WORK: 1. Engagement is slipping (trust in companies at all-time lows) 2. Jobs and skills are changing rapidly 3. Early career on-ramp is broken 4. AI is being pushed into unprepared organizations 🔑 KEY INSIGHTS: - We're asking people to change while wearing "uniforms they don't trust" - AI transformation is a people problem, not a technology problem - Most companies are trapped in task optimization vs. workflow revolution - Early talent needs to challenge assumptions, not just fill roles - "Proof of work" beats "proof of education" in today's job market - Unlearning matters more than skill development 💡 FRAMEWORKS REVEALED: - Jason's 4 Sets: Mindset, Heart Set, Skill Set, Tool Set - Amy's AI Transformation Maturity Model - The FAFO Philosophy (Fool Around and Find Out) - AI Enablement Centers vs. traditional training 🎯 TACTICAL TAKEAWAYS: - Build proof of work without a job (18-year-old built 5 apps example) - Use LinkedIn to access networks, not just contact people - Start with workflows, then add technology (not the reverse) - Invest in unlearning before upskilling - Create "challenge partners" across age groups 🏢 THE PEOPLESOFT CONNECTION: Jason, Meg, and Amy share insights from their days as young professionals disrupting the status quo at PeopleSoft—and why today's organizations need that same fresh perspective. Jason Averbook is Senior Partner and Global Leader of Digital HR Strategy at Mercer, guiding 1,000+ organizations through transformation. This conversation bridges cutting-edge AI strategy with timeless leadership principles. ⏰ TIMESTAMPS: 00:00 Introduction & The 4 Forces Framework 07:55 Trust Crisis: Why Engagement Matters 17:00 AI Enablement Centers vs. Traditional Training 28:37 Early Career Crisis: Proof of Work vs. Education 41:09 Diversity Redefined: Age, Context & Experience 42:43 Amy's AI Transformation Maturity Model 44:45 Jason's 4 Sets Framework 47:40 Leadership Corner: Merging Dysfunctional Teams 📚 RESOURCES: Jason's Now to Next Podcast | https://open.spotify.com/show/1zrFUr0dBTUG2EUcK8ca5g How HR Took Over the World | https://www.economist.com/business/2025/11/10/how-hr-took-over-the-world The Palantir Model | https://blog.palantir.com/a-day-in-the-life-of-a-palantir-forward-deployed-software-engineer-45ef2de257b1 Meg Bear on WTF Is a Forward-Deployed Engineer? by Thomas Otter | https://thomasotter.substack.com/p/wtf-is-a-forward-deployed-engineer/comment/110916540 Amy's Transformation Maturity Model | https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/ai-transformation-paradox-why-todays-innovation-tomorrows-amy-wilson-8adqf/ 🔗 CONNECT: Jason Averbook: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasonaverbook/ Amy Wilson: https://www.linkedin.com/in/amy-wilson-insight/ Meg Bear: https://www.linkedin.com/in/megbear/ Instagram: @megandamyshow #AITransformation #Leadership #HRStrategy #DigitalTransformation #FutureOfWork #EmployeeEngagement #EarlyCareers #WorkflowOptimization #MegAndAmyShow

🚀 FROM FOOD CRITIC TO KITCHEN: John Sumser, HR tech's leading independent analyst for over 20 years, reveals what happens when you step from the sidelines into operations—and why most of what we believe about AI, HR, and career success is wrong. Learn how to navigate uncertainty as opportunity, why "I don't know" is the most powerful thing a leader can say, and what the next 5 years hold for HR in this candid conversation about transformation and truth-telling. ⏰ TIMESTAMPS: 00:00 Teaser: The Best Clips 02:21 Welcome & Introduction 03:03 The Door-to-Door Santa Story 05:03 Polaroid's $100M Mistake: Old Problems, New Technology 10:00 Navigating Recession and Uncertainty 15:40 Comfort with Uncertainty as a Career Tool 18:00 From Food Critic to Kitchen: The Analyst Becomes an Operator 20:30 "I Don't Know" - The Most Powerful Leadership Tool 22:00 What Surprised Him About Being Inside 25:48 Re-igniting HR Examiner with Heather Bussing 28:00 AI's 80% Problem: Why Silicon Valley's $20 FUD is Working 31:55 Anthropomorphism: When AI Feels Like Your Friend 35:00 The Gigawatt Problem: AI's Energy Reality 40:00 Five Years Out: HR's Cracks Are Starting to Show 42:30 "What the Hell Do You Need Recruiters For?" 45:00 Strategy = Alignment (Not What HR Thinks It Means) 48:00 Leadership Corner: Caught Between Competing Executives 🔑 KEY INSIGHTS: - People take new technology and solve old problems without understanding what the new tech can do—this is how Polaroid failed, and it's exactly where we are with AI today - The difference between being a food critic and working in the kitchen: analysts imagine smooth stories, operators learn to wrap stories around chaos - "I don't know" is the most powerful thing you can say—it gives you a path out and creates space for improvisation - LLMs are 80-84% accurate, which means 1 out of every 5-10 words is wrong—and that makes them unusable for most HR applications - AI companies want you to anthropomorphize their tools so you'll lower your expectations and stay sticky with their product - In 5 years: People closer to the problem will solve it—recruiting shouldn't be centralized, it's a first-level supervisor's job - HR is an "ocean of exceptions to budget discipline" while every other function has rigorous budget management - The line from checkbook to productivity runs AROUND HR, not through it—and that has to change 📚 RESOURCES: HR Examiner: https://www.hrexaminer.com (John's analysis and commentary) John's Articles: 80% Isn't Very Good | https://www.hrexaminer.com/p/80-isnt-very-good Anti-Anthropomorphism Prompt | https://www.hrexaminer.com/p/anti-anthropomorphism-prompt Promptly Transparent | https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/promptly-transparent-john-sumser-qwjgc/? Sam Altman on AI's Energy Consumption | https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gnl833wXRz0 Democrats Seek New Relationship With Fossil Fuels | https://www.semafor.com/article/12/04/2025/democrats-seek-a-new-relationship-with-fossil-fuels 🔗 CONNECT: John Sumser: https://www.linkedin.com/in/johnsumser/ Amy Wilson: https://www.linkedin.com/in/amy-wilson-insight/ Meg Bear: https://www.linkedin.com/in/megbear/ Instagram: @megandamyshow This episode features one of the most provocative conversations we've had about the gap between AI hype and AI reality, why HR's current design is broken, and what happens when someone who's been watching for decades steps into the arena. John doesn't hold back—and neither do we. #AITransformation #HRTech #CareerReinvention #Leadership #FutureOfWork #MegAndAmyShow

Finland – Universal Basic Income Pilot🚀 THE CASE FOR GIVING PEOPLE MONEY: UBI expert Scott Santens reveals why the most radical idea in economics might be the simplest - just give people cash. Discover how Alaska has proven this works for 40+ years, why his crowdfunded basic income changed everything he thought about work, and what happens when we shift from survival mode to abundance thinking. ⏰ TIMESTAMPS: 00:00 Introduction: The Man Living UBI 02:33 How Scott Crowdfunded His Own Basic Income 07:32 What Universal Basic Income Actually Is 08:51 Why Work Requirements Don't Work 10:36 The Billionaire Question: Why Universal Matters 15:38 The Power to Say No 17:46 Reduced Stress Changes Everything 20:13 The Biggest Impact Is Always on Kids 22:28 Automation Since the 1970s: We're Already Living It 25:04 The Business Case for Consumption 27:57 Alaska: 40+ Years of Proof 36:29 Trust, Finland & the Rory Stewart Connection 46:44 Star Trek vs. Dystopia: Two Possible Futures 51:35 Amy's Aha Moment: The Dividend Concept 54:19 Where to Give Cash With No Strings Attached 57:17 We Have the Data - Time to Act 59:28 Leadership Corner: Moving from Full-Time to Portfolio 🔑 KEY INSIGHTS: - How living on crowdfunded UBI taught Scott about human potential - Why Alaska proves UBI works (and has for decades without inflation) - The hidden connection between stress reduction and crime prevention - Why cash beats free services every single time - How economic security literally rewires decision-making - The difference between surviving and thriving economies 📚 RESOURCES: Scott's UBI FAQ: scottsantens.com Basic Income Show: https://www.youtube.com/c/ScottSantens Income To Support All Foundation: itsafoundation.orgWhat If Everybody Didn't Have to Work to Get Paid? | https://www.theatlantic.com/business/archive/2015/05/what-if-everybody-didnt-have-to-work-to-get-paid/393428/Basic Income Grant (BIG) in Namibia | https://centreforpublicimpact.org/public-impact-fundamentals/basic-income-grant-big-in-namibia/Income Dividends and Subjective Survival in a Cherokee Indian Cohort | https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC7250001/How AI will impact the future of work with Kara Swisher and Betsey Stevenson | https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hUrBYWQAcpECash Transfers and Child Welfare: Lessons from Alaska | https://www.nber.org/digest/202401/cash-transfers-and-child-welfare-lessons-alaska?page=1&perPage=50To End Extreme Poverty, Give Cash — Not Advice | Rory Stewart | TED | https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tt0HOe7gf7IFinland – Universal Basic Income Pilot | https://weall.org/resource/finland-universal-basic-income-pilotManna: Two Visions of Humanity's Future Book | https://www.amazon.com/Manna-Two-Visions-Humanitys-Future-ebook/dp/B007HQH67UEverything is Figureoutable Book | https://amazn.so/5wcD9tFIkigai: The Japanese Secret to a Long and Happy Life | https://amazn.so/yNaA8GI Thanks to Laurie Ruettimann for the introduction! #UBI #UniversalBasicIncome #ScottSantens #AlaskaDividend #FutureOfWork #Economics #Alaska #Dividend #NegativeIncomeTax #MegAndAmyShow 🔗 CONNECT: Scott Santens: scottsantens.com Leadership Questions: [email protected] Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/megandamyshow/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-meg-amy-show

🔄 What happens when two leaders with completely different upbringings join forces? In this deeply personal episode, Amy and Meg explore how their vastly different childhoods - one marked by stability and support, the other by constant change and scarcity - shaped their leadership styles, decision-making approaches, and the way they navigate challenges today. ⏰ TIMESTAMPS: 00:00 Introduction & Banter including Meg's Vietnam travels, The Gist Project and Sangeet's Provocative post 13:13 Main topic introduction - Scarcity to abundance 14:13 Meg's two realities - Evangelical vs working class 25:38 Amy's stable childhood - The complete opposite 30:10 Risk tolerance and planning styles analysis 37:17 Decision-making patterns and communication styles 46:03 How they help each other see blind spots 50:13 The "plums trauma" - Amy's childhood story 51:05 Leadership Corner - Building resilient team culture 55:33 Closing thoughts on gratitude and community 🔑 KEY INSIGHTS: - How childhood experiences of scarcity vs. stability create different leadership superpowers and shadows - Why "nobody's gonna save you" became Meg's greatest adult strength - The difference between direct and diplomatic communication styles - How Amy's "it'll all work out" philosophy transforms team dynamics - Why protecting each other's hearts is crucial for leadership partnerships - The psychology behind why some leaders plan everything in advance 📚 RESOURCES: The Gist Project with Marne and Chrissy: https://www.youtube.com/@UCM3-PP9OqIJDRcWFE-s9TxQ https://open.spotify.com/show/3Ct5MqBunjMNRgC1EBNwhf Sangeet Paul Choudary's LinkedIn Post: https://www.linkedin.com/posts/sangeetpaul_theres-a-strange-idea-going-around-that-activity-7395005212517867520-cRig?utm_source=share&utm_medium=member_desktop&rcm=ACoAAAAYiVkBNGvG88w_XozNSZSs3tmPrlwlqZA Sangeet Paul Choudary's Episode: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eaSZhRkk2NU The Insight Loop Newsletter | Meg's Personal Story: https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/meg-amy-show-newsletter-issue-9-the-meg-amy-show-wggbc/?trackingId=0zitkl3iQBCekr1X9EFjyw%3D%3D 🔗 CONNECT: Leadership Questions: [email protected] Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/megandamyshow/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-meg-amy-show #Leadership #ChildhoodTrauma #Resilience #LeadershipDevelopment #Scarcity #Abundance #MegAndAmyShow

What would you build if you were creating a product organization from scratch in 2030? SugarCRM Chief Product Officer Maksim Ovsyannikov joins Amy and Meg to explore how AI is fundamentally reshaping product development, design thinking, and organizational structures. From "very little user experience" as a value proposition to why QA is more critical than ever in probabilistic systems, this conversation challenges everything you think you know about building products in the AI era. ⏰ TIMESTAMPS: 00:00 Introduction: Three types of software companies 08:20 Why "very little UX" is the future value proposition 10:48 Why every dashboard is broken and what to build instead 15:46 The AI context problem: smart LLMs need smarter humans 22:04 Hiring explorers vs. map readers in product roles 24:16 The tool explosion problem for product managers 25:56 Building for jobs that won't exist tomorrow 31:20 Legacy company transformation: additive AI strategy 32:51 Turn AI into your customer intelligence superpower 41:19 Why QA becomes make-or-break in agentic enterprise 46:21 Product operations: the expanding role you need 48:23 Leadership Corner: Networking tips for introverts 56:30 The optimistic view: jobs getting more interesting 57:44 The messy middle: AI's awkward transition phase 🔑 KEY INSIGHTS: - How to hire product managers who focus on outcomes over features - Why dashboards are broken and what to build instead - The context problem: keeping AI relevant in fast-changing businesses - Additive AI strategies for legacy companies - QA challenges in probabilistic vs. deterministic systems - Why your existing skills matter more dramatically now 📚 RESOURCES: SugarCRM Precision Selling Platform: https://www.sugarcrm.com Mostly Growth Podcast with CJ & Kyle: https://www.youtube.com/@MostlyGrowth M&A Show, Episode 22 | Dr. Kirstin Ferguson: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lceHtsbNAcs M&A Show, Episode 23 | Yamini Rangan: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ca_zbuD6IYI 🔗 CONNECT: Maksim Ovsyannikov: https://linkedin.com/in/movsyannikov Leadership Questions: [email protected] Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/megandamyshow/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-meg-amy-show #ProductManagement #AI #ProductStrategy #FutureOfWork #SoftwareDevelopment #Leadership #MegAndAmyShow

🚀 After 24 episodes and conversations with 20+ transformation leaders, Amy reveals the AI Transformation Maturity Model that synthesizes everything we've learned. Discover how to get ahead of AI transformation instead of being a victim of change, why this moment offers the biggest career opportunity in decades, and how to build the change agility that separates thriving organizations from struggling ones. This episode weaves together insights from Sangeet Choudary (constraints thinking), Yamini Rangan (grassroots experimentation), Jen Morrow (strategic transformation), John Wookey (customer conversations), Angela Le Mathon (generalist advantage), Usman Sheikh (new co vs legacy co innovation), Kieran Snyder (organizational transformation), and more into a practical framework for navigating AI transformation. ⏰ TIMESTAMPS: 00:00 Introduction to the AI Transformation Maturity Model 05:30 The Race to the Bottom: Why Task Optimization Fails 12:01 Feature Factory vs Strategic Innovation Parallel 15:24 The Constraints Breakthrough: Thinking Beyond Tasks 18:25 Customer Conversations and Real-World Examples 20:01 The Generalist Advantage in AI Transformation 21:20 Grassroots Innovation: Why Collaboration Beats Top-Down 26:53 Why Specialization Has a Low Shelf Life 28:13 The Career Opportunity: Everyone's Back at Baseline 30:09 Why These Skills Are Now Crucial, Not Just Nice-to-Have 30:58 The Software Coordination Revolution 34:18 Scale Challenges: From 50 to 3000 People 37:00 The Context Switch Problem 39:06 The Looping Process of Organizational Reinvention 40:00 Building Change Agility vs. Fear-Based Culture 42:18 Community Input and Next Steps 🔑 BREAKTHROUGH INSIGHTS: - Why most companies get stuck optimizing tasks when they should be reimagining systems - The career reset happening right now (and how to capitalize on it) - How to build organizations that thrive on continuous change - Why grassroots experimentation beats top-down AI training - The coordination breakthrough that could finally fix software development This isn't just another AI episode—it's the culmination of everything we've learned about transformation, synthesized into actionable insights for leaders who want to get ahead of change instead of being overwhelmed by it. 📚 RESOURCES: NYT Vietnam Article: https://www.nytimes.com/2025/10/27/world/asia/vietnam-russia-relations.html Meg's Blog 'The Future is Interdisciplinary' | https://www.megbear.com/post/the-future-is-interdisciplinary AI Transformation Maturity Model: https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/ai-transformation-paradox-why-todays-innovation-tomorrows-amy-wilson-8adqf/ Amy's Product Transformation Story at SAP SuccessFactors: https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/my-product-transformation-story-sap-successfactors-what-amy-wilson-djk9c/ Sangeet Paul Choudary's "Reshuffle": https://www.amazon.com/Reshuffle-wins-restacks-knowledge-economy-ebook/dp/B0DTKW6NQV 🔗 CONNECT: Leadership Questions: [email protected] Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/megandamyshow/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-meg-amy-show #AITransformation #BusinessTransformation #MegAndAmyShow #ChangeManagement #FutureOfWork

🚀 INVENTING THE AI-FIRST OPERATING MODEL: HubSpot CEO Yamini Rangan reveals how she completely scrapped her $40B company's roadmap and rebuilt it AI-first. Learn how to pivot from volume to conversion, navigate the decline of SEO, and lead transformation when no one has the answers. ⏰ TIMESTAMPS: 00:00 Introduction: From Reading Every Book in the Library to CEO 05:00 Moving to the US: The Airport Story and Finding Her Voice 15:50 Immigration, Grit, and Tools for Navigating the Unknown 25:30 Customer Centricity: Sales is About Getting Customers Promoted 33:45 The 2023 AI Pivot: "When I Said Go, Nobody Went" 42:00 Change Management: Innovation Density vs Team Size 49:25 Board Role in AI Transformation 52:30 Marketing's Biggest Shift in Decades: SEO to AEO 57:00 3X Better Conversion: Volume Game vs Conversion Game 1:04:15 Leadership Corner: What mindset shifts do leaders need to make during times of huge change? 🔑 KEY INSIGHTS: - The mindset shift from "knowing" to "exploring" required for modern leadership - Sales isn't about closing deals - it's about getting your customers promoted - The shift from information to answers: People no longer want to search, they want well-researched answers - LLM queries average 23 words vs 5-word searches - showing much deeper, specific intent - Why LLM leads convert 3X better than traditional search leads - Why 8 out of 10 Google searches now result in zero clicks 📚 RESOURCES: Blindspotting: How to See What Others Miss | https://amazn.so/97uYE8w Yamini's Thought Leadership From INBOUND | https://www.linkedin.com/posts/yaminirangan_yesterday-at-inbound-i-had-the-pleasure-activity-7369750149276815360-RJC7?utm_source=share&utm_medium=member_desktop&rcm=ACoAAB5eYzoBji0hRFR25InbUtOYcrXhHjARevM Yamini on AEO vs. SEO | https://www.linkedin.com/posts/yaminirangan_its-been-a-week-since-we-launched-the-loop-activity-7371552819247759361-21_r?utm_source=share&utm_medium=member_desktop&rcm=ACoAAB5eYzoBji0hRFR25InbUtOYcrXhHjARevM **🔗 CONNECT:** Yamini's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/yaminirangan/ Yamini's Executive Bio: https://www.hubspot.com/company/management/yamini-rangan Leadership Questions: [email protected] Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/megandamyshow/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-meg-amy-show #Blindspotting #Leadership #AI #IntellectualHumility #BusinessTransformation #HubSpot #MegAndAmyShow

🚀 Why "I Don't Know Yet" Is the Most Valuable Leadership Skill in the AI Age: Dr. Kirstin Ferguson reveals how expertise becomes your biggest enemy and why intellectual humility beats certainty every time. ⏰ TIMESTAMPS: 00:00 Introduction & Antarctica Adventures 02:06 Welcome to Dr. Kirstin Ferguson 04:38 Why Travel Reduces Blindspots 05:49 The UK Post Office Scandal: When "The Computer Is Always Right" 08:44 How Success Becomes the Enemy of Adaptation 10:50 The Power & Authority Problem: Why People Won't Tell You You're Wrong 12:45 Why Leaders Are Trained to Have All the Answers (And Why It's Wrong) 20:13 Meg's SuccessFactors Story: Leading Through "I Don't Know" 26:32 What If the Post Office Had Been Curious Instead of Certain? 35:48 Meg's Oracle Epiphany: When Everyone's Pretending to Know 38:11 Reading the Room: When NOT to Say "I Don't Know Yet" 46:33 Kirstin's Work-From-Home Pivot: How to Change Your Mind Publicly 49:06 The Career Advice Blindspot: Why Parents Give Terrible Job Advice 51:50 The Three Practices: Be Honest, Be Curious, Be Flexible 53:22 Leadership Corner: Should You Pursue Leadership During Uncertain Times? 🔑 KEY INSIGHTS: - The "curse of expertise": Why being right makes you worse at knowing when to doubt yourself - How 900+ innocent people were prosecuted due to blind faith in technology - Why "I don't know yet" builds more trust than false certainty - The art of reading the room while admitting uncertainty - How to unlearn outdated expertise for the AI age 📚 RESOURCES: Blindspotting: How to See What Others Miss | https://amazn.so/97uYE8w Head & Heart | https://amazn.so/oOLPfL2 Dr. Kirstin Ferguson's weekly column "Got a Minute?" - Sydney Morning Herald/The Age How Travel Rewires Your Brain | https://superage.com/one-creativity-habit-nobel-scientists-swear-by/ SAP SuccessFactors Migration | https://news.sap.com/2023/02/sap-successfactors-next-generation-cloud-delivery/ Think Again, Adam Grant | https://amazn.so/wglEb5N **🔗 CONNECT:** Kirstin's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kirstinferguson/ Kirstin's Website: https://www.kirstinferguson.com/ Leadership Questions: [email protected] Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/megandamyshow/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-meg-amy-show #Blindspotting #Leadership #AI #IntellectualHumility #BusinessTransformation #MegAndAmyShow

🚀 BREAKING OUT OF THE DEFAULT MALE WORLD: Meg and Amy reveal the hidden challenges of female leadership in a world designed by and for men. Learn how to navigate bias, own your power, and redefine what leadership looks like in the AI era in this raw and empowering conversation. ⏰ TIMESTAMPS: 00:00 Introduction to Female Leadership Challenges 05:55 WNBA Success and Equal Pay Movement 07:06 Fiji Simo's Historic OpenAI Appointment 08:09 AI Bias: ChatGPT Recommends Lower Salaries for Women 14:17 Invisible Women: The Default Male Design Problem 18:46 Power vs. Pleasant Language in Performance Reviews 24:42 Media Bias: Men Talk Money, Women Talk Culture 30:05 When Did You First Notice You Were "Other"? 33:49 From Mentee to Threat: How Power Changes Everything 42:42 "Everyone's Full of Shit" - Overcoming Imposter Syndrome 46:09 Hope for the Future: AI Era Leadership 48:50 Leadership Corner: New Mom Executive Concerns 🔑 KEY INSIGHTS: - Why AI systems perpetuate gender bias by recommending lower salaries for women - The "default male" problem affects everything from T-shirts to car safety systems - How women are described as "pleasant" while men get "powerful" language in reviews - The shift from welcomed mentee to perceived threat as women gain real power - Why balancing confidence with warmth is a uniquely female leadership challenge 📚 RESOURCES: - Kieran Snyder's LinkedIn Post: https://www.linkedin.com/posts/kieran-snyder_35-of-people-in-the-nerd-processor-survey-activity-7358858695188901888-Yd6-?utm_source=share&utm_medium=member_desktop&rcm=ACoAAB5eYzoBji0hRFR25InbUtOYcrXhHjARevM - Surface Fairness, Deep Bias: A Comparative Study of Bias in Language Models: https://arxiv.org/pdf/2506.10491 - Invisible Women by Caroline Criado Perez: https://amazn.so/Ie3mLd9 - Freakonomics: https://amazn.so/NeeOmhN - Likeable Badass by Alison Fragale: https://amazn.so/o1suXHW - Kieran's Interview Study: https://www.linkedin.com/posts/kieran-snyder_35-of-people-in-the-nerd-processor-survey-activity-7358858695188901888-Yd6-/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=member_desktop&rcm=ACoAAAAVeN8BrXyqZRtd37eT9lCYDRykSAdLh5A - Jingjin Liu's Post on Diary of a CEO: https://www.linkedin.com/posts/jingjin-liu_ive-been-a-long-time-admirer-of-diary-activity-7341970108489093121-nlu_?utm_source=share&utm_medium=member_desktop&rcm=ACoAAB5eYzoBji0hRFR25InbUtOYcrXhHjARevM - Meg's Podcast with Charlotte Otter: https://open.spotify.com/episode/6jTHKO5ieg1PPErWb6BndQ - Amy's Podcast with Charlotte Otter: https://open.spotify.com/episode/164CQ4o14jqgRPWB40cKAC?si=Ytj7HsCeRQG8xGzhcUHT3ghttps://open.spotify.com/episode/164CQ4o14jqgRPWB40cKAC?si=Ytj7HsCeRQG8xGzhcUHT3g - Becoming by Michelle Obama: https://amazn.so/baf6fwF - The Insight Loop Newsletter: https://www.linkedin.com/build-relation/newsletter-follow?entityUrn=7357876676623544322 **🔗 CONNECT:** Leadership Questions: [email protected] Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/megandamyshow/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-meg-amy-show #FemaleLeadership #WomenInTech #AIBias #LeadershipDevelopment #MegAndAmyShow

Angela Le Mathon reveals how HR leaders can move beyond the "skills data trap" to drive real business outcomes with AI. Learn how to speak the language of business, avoid the employee experience trap, and design AI-native organizations in this thought-provoking conversation on business transformation and leadership. **🔑 KEY INSIGHTS:** Skills data works for talent marketplaces but doesn't drive business outcomes HR must shift from talking about programs and platforms to speaking outcomes language Treat AI as experimental technology and focus on safe use cases first Employee experience initiatives need specific productivity unlocks, not general improvements Future organizations will be designed AI-native from the ground up **⏰ TIMESTAMPS:** 00:00 Introduction to Angela Le Mathon 02:05 Culture shock: Coming back to America 03:57 Angela's journey into analytics 07:29 Evolution from "what's happening" to "what's possible" 15:28 Building cross-functional analytics teams 16:50 Why everyone needs to become a unicorn 19:53 The analytics evolution moment 23:14 AI advisory tips for CHROs 26:31 The employee experience trap 42:46 AI native org design and workforce planning 45:30 Speaking the language of business 47:00 The skills data reality check 49:11 Final advice: Embrace experimentation 50:23 Leadership Corner: Getting senior colleagues to listen **📚 RESOURCES:** Angela's Guest Lecture at Stanford: https://www.linkedin.com/feed/update/urn:li:activity:7358923352830296065/ Everything is Figureoutable: https://amazn.so/mOs1fUJ Range: https://amazn.so/iUn324r **🔗 CONNECT:** Angela: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lemathon/ Leadership Questions: [email protected] Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/megandamyshow/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-meg-amy-show #AILeadership #PeopleAnalytics #SkillsData #BusinessTransformation #HRStrategy #MegAndAmyShow

🌐 Most companies are approaching AI adoption backwards. While executives push top-down strategies, the real innovation is happening in the trenches. Seth Wylie reveals why successful AI transformation starts with the people already experimenting - not training programs or executive mandates. **🔑 KEY INSIGHTS:** - Why mandatory AI training kills experimentation before it starts - The one question that gets everyone talking: "What have you been experimenting with this week?" - How to connect grassroots innovation to executive priorities - Why executives are disconnected from AI tools (and what to do about it) - Building "AI Clubs" that people actually want to join - Creating psychological safety for awkward first attempts **⚡ SETH'S APPROACH:** Find the experimenters already on your team → Create space for them to share → Let insights bubble up naturally → Then add training when there's momentum "Companies need to harvest the experimentation that's already happening, not mandate what should be happening." **⏰ TIMESTAMPS:** **01:00** - Meet Seth Wylie: AI Transformation Expert & Acapella Singer **08:32** - Finding Signal: How to Spot AI Innovation in Your Organization **10:45** - **The Magic Question: "What Have You Been Experimenting With This Week?"** **13:18** - Why Executives Are Disconnected from AI Tools **14:11** - What Companies Get Wrong: Training Before Mindset **18:08** - Leadership by Example: When CEOs Use AI for Poetry **19:26** - The Translation Problem: Executive vs. Individual Priorities **20:23** - Emergence Capital's Offsite Success Story **28:36** - Organizational Structure Changes for AI Transformation **32:22** - Creating Value Categories: ROI vs. Engagement vs. Innovation **34:48** - The Spreadsheet Story: How Leaders Kill Innovation and The Power of Executive Curiosity **37:10** - **Seth's Favorite Tool: AI for Self-Knowledge** **40:29** - Amy's Claude Projects Discovery (Life-Changing!) **42:19** - Wrap-up & Gratitude **💼 LEADERSHIP CORNER** **42:47** - Question: Should I Dive Into AI Tools or Let My People Mature First? **43:03** - Meg's Take: Get Context First, Model Curiosity Over Perfection **44:56** - The Learning Paradox: Being Bad at Things Builds Empathy **47:15** - Practical Advice for AI Leadership Balance **53:58** - Final Thanks & Sign-off 🎵 **BONUS:** Seth performs an acapella song live on the show! **📚 RESOURCES:** New York Times: CEOs Adopt AI: https://www.nytimes.com/2025/08/16/business/ceos-adopt-ai.html Meg's AI Fluency Blog: https://www.megbear.com/post/stop-wasting-time-on-ai-fluency-projects Emergence Capital Offsite: https://www.linkedin.com/posts/jakesaper_at-emergence-capitals-investment-team-offsite-activity-7328060051531747328-v3on/ Reshuffle Book: https://amazn.so/Rrd62oi **🔗 CONNECT:** Seth: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sethwylie/ Leadership Questions: [email protected] Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/megandamyshow/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-meg-amy-show #AITransformation #BottomUpInnovation #AIStrategy #OrganizationalChange #Leadership #Innovation #AIAdoption #BusinessTransformation #WorkplaceInnovation #AIExperimentation

Meg and Amy welcome Sangeet Paul Choudary, author of Reshuffle. Their discussion explores how companies must evolve beyond traditional operating models to embrace structural change. Sangeet highlights the often-overlooked role of coordination costs in organizations, how AI can help manage these costs, and why rethinking business models is central to AI transformation. He also shares insights on creating structural optionality and reimagining software development for a rapidly changing landscape. Workflowy Note Organization | https://workflowy.com/ Books: Reshuffle, Sangeet Paul Choudary | https://amazn.so/wxNJYbB Platform Scale, Sangeet Paul Choudary | https://amazn.so/5Rret0U Platform Revolution, Sangeet Paul Choudary and others | https://amazn.so/3LgCWFT Blogs: Platforms, AI, and the Economics of BigTech, Sangeet Paul Choudary | https://platforms.substack.com/p/the-many-fallacies-of-ai-wont-take Centaurs and Cyborgs on the Jagged Frontier, Ethan Mollick | https://www.oneusefulthing.org/p/centaurs-and-cyborgs-on-the-jagged Pipelines, Platforms, and the New Rules of Strategy, Marshall W. Van Alstyne, Geoffrey G. Parker and Sangeet Paul Choudary | https://hbr.org/2016/04/pipelines-platforms-and-the-new-rules-of-strategy Connect with Sangeet, Meg, and Amy: Sangeet's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sangeetpaul/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/megandamyshow/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-meg-amy-show Meg’s Website: https://www.megbear.com Submit Leadership Corner questions to: [email protected]

This week on The Meg & Amy Show, Meg and Amy welcome fitness expert and wellness coach Angie Mercado. Angie shares her decades of experience helping women find joy in movement, balance demanding lives, and stay consistent with their health goals even when work, travel, and family make it difficult.The conversation explores breaking free from the “one-hour workout” mindset, strategies for staying fit while traveling, the importance of jumping for bone health and longevity, and how community and accountability create lasting motivation. Angie's Links: Angie's Website: https://fit2beat.com Angie's Instagram: instagram.com/fit2beat3474/?hl=en Matt Adams' Dance Sweat Smile Group: https://www.youtube.com/@dancesweatsmile Connect with Angie, Meg, and Amy: Angie's Website: https://fit2beat.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/megandamyshow/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-meg-amy-show Meg’s Website: https://www.megbear.com Submit Leadership Corner questions to: [email protected]

In the business of software, how you charge is just as important as what you build. In this episode of The Meg & Amy Show, Meg and Amy sit down with Kyle Poyar, creator of Growth Unhinged and one of the leading voices in SaaS pricing and monetization. Kyle coined the term Product-Led Growth, and in this conversation he unpacks the seismic shifts happening in pricing – from the rise of hybrid and usage-based pricing to the new frontier of AI ARR. Save your spot for Kyle's upcoming keynote: How to Monetize Your Product in the AI Era | https://productdrive.userpilot.com/talks/how-to-monetize-your-product-in-the-ai-era/ Kyle's Substack: https://www.growthunhinged.com/ Kyle's Blogs: Usage-Based Pricing 2.0 | https://www.growthunhinged.com/p/usage-based-pricing-20 I'm Roasting Your Pricing Model | https://www.linkedin.com/posts/kyle-poyar_today-im-roasting-your-pricing-model-flat-fee-activity-7341873621071523841-ey8F?utm_source=social_share_send&utm_medium=member_desktop_web&rcm=ACoAAB5eYzoBji0hRFR25InbUtOYcrXhHjARevM Intercom's Decisive Bet on AI | https://www.growthunhinged.com/p/intercoms-bet-on-ai The State of B2B Monetization in 2025 | https://www.growthunhinged.com/p/2025-state-of-b2b-monetization Blogs: How Top Tech Companies Define ARR | https://www.mostlymetrics.com/p/how-top-tech-companies-define-arr Books: Likeable Badass | https://amazn.so/kQLSuBp Connect with Kyle, Meg, and Amy: Kyle's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kyle-poyar/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/megandamyshow/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-meg-amy-show Meg’s Website: https://www.megbear.com Submit Leadership Corner questions to: [email protected]

This week, Meg and Amy sit down with John Wookey, a legend in the enterprise software world, to explore the power of mission and values in organizations, why transparency is essential for strong leadership, and how AI is reshaping the way we work. John also reflects on the importance of unlearning outdated structures to foster innovation, and shares advice for first-time people managers. John's Strategy 101 Paper: https://www.linkedin.com/in/john-wookey/recent-activity/documents/ Books: The Silk Roads, Peter Frankopan | https://amazn.so/Qb6LoCe Radical Candor, Kim Scott | https://amazn.so/aLlnUwb Articles: Organizational Jazz and New Ways to Work, Tom Winans, John Seely Brown, Ann Pendleton-Jullian | https://ai.gopubby.com/organizational-jazz-and-new-ways-to-work-5d51b6d0cdf6 On Becoming a Manager, John Wookey | https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/becoming-manager-john-wookey/ Connect with John, Meg, and Amy: John's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/john-wookey/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/megandamyshow/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-meg-amy-show Meg’s Website: https://www.megbear.com Submit Leadership Corner questions to: [email protected]

In this episode of The Meg and Amy Show, Meg and Amy get personal, opening up about their individual health journeys and what inspired them to make wellness a priority. They share the turning points that pushed them to take action, what they discovered through their initial health scans, and the lifestyle changes they’ve embraced — from fitness routines to nutrition to smart supplementation. Submit questions for future Leadership Corner segments to: [email protected] Resources & Mentions Glucose Goddess: https://www.instagram.com/glucosegoddess/?hl=en Prove It Supplement Scanner: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/prove-it-supplement-scanner/id6740288836 The 7-Minute Workout: https://archive.nytimes.com/well.blogs.nytimes.com/2013/05/09/the-scientific-7-minute-workout/ Books: Outlive | https://www.amazon.com/Outlive-Longevity-Peter-Attia-MD/dp/0593236599 Blogs: What I Learned From Exercising 100 Days in a Row, Patty Azzarello | https://azzarellogroup.com/web/what-i-learned-from-exercising-100-days-in-a-row/ Podcasts: Huberman Lab: Dr. Stacy Sims | https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pZX8ikmWvEU Connect with Meg and Amy Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/megandamyshow/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-meg-amy-show Meg’s Website: https://www.megbear.com

Join Meg, Amy, and Gustavo Alba as they dive into the new rules of executive search, the evolution of talent profiles in the AI economy, and the new characteristics required for transformational leadership. Listen in to learn more about the challenges of navigating AI transformations in legacy companies, the need for bravery and vision in leadership, and survival tips for CEOs in the AI era. Heidrick and Struggles | https://www.heidrick.com/en Articles: Thrive-backed accounting firm Crete to spend $500 million in AI roll-up | https://www.reuters.com/business/thrive-backed-accounting-firm-crete-spend-500-million-ai-roll-up-2025-06-04/ Books: The Innovators Dilemma, Clayton M. Christensen | https://amazn.so/Ue6AruB Connect with Gustavo, Meg, and Amy: Gustavo's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gustavoalba/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/megandamyshow/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-meg-amy-show Meg’s Website: https://www.megbear.com

In this episode of The Meg and Amy Show, Meg and Amy are joined by Usman Sheikh for an insightful conversation on the transformation of business models — from legacy organizations to the rise of new players. They explore the critical role of leadership in guiding organizations through disruption, the human impact of large-scale change, and why building personal agency is essential for thriving in today’s rapidly evolving world of work. High Output Ventures | https://www.hov.co/ Usman's Blogs: Your People Aren't the Problem, Your Model Is | https://www.usmansheikh.com/post/your-people-arent-the-problem-your-model-is The Answers That Fail Us | https://www.usmansheikh.com/post/the-answers-that-fail-us The Painful Reality of Uncoupling | https://www.usmansheikh.com/post/the-painful-reality-of-uncoupling Perfect Maps, Broken Journeys | https://www.usmansheikh.com/post/perfect-maps-broken-journeys Wipro's Execution Debt | https://www.usmansheikh.com/post/wipros-execution-debt Revenue Per Employee: The New Vanity Metric | https://www.usmansheikh.com/post/revenue-per-employee-the-new-vanity-metric Books: Reshuffle, Sangeet Paul Choudary: https://www.amazon.com/Reshuffle-wins-restacks-knowledge-economy-ebook/dp/B0DTKW6NQV Agency at Work, Indro Roy | https://www.agencyatwork.com/ The Messy Middle, Scott Belsky | https://www.amazon.com/Messy-Middle-Finding-Through-Hardest/dp/0735218072 Jim Collin's Flywheels | https://www.jimcollins.com/concepts/the-flywheel.html Connect with Usman, Meg, and Amy: Usman's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/usmans/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/megandamyshow/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-meg-amy-show Meg’s Website: https://www.megbear.com

In this episode, Meg and Amy discuss the evolving landscape of organizational design and business models. They explore the complexity of communication in growing organizations, the need for redesigning structures to adapt to new technologies, and so much more. The conversation emphasizes the importance of curiosity, flexibility, and understanding the core principles of business as organizations navigate these changes. Submit questions for future Leadership Corner segments to: [email protected] Resources & Mentions Articles: Your Business Model Didn't Break... Your Org Chart Did | https://www.lookingforleverage.com/p/your-business-model-didnt-breakyour?r=2x7oew&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web From Many Hats to Tight Boxes: How Company Growth Narrows Roles | https://peerdom.com/blog/growth-leads-to-specialization AI-Native Organizations: The Next Evolution of New Work | https://peerdom.com/blog/ai-native-organizations-the-next-evolution-of-new-work The Shift from Talent Intelligence to Work Intelligence | https://www.fastcompany.com/91318934/the-shift-from-talent-intelligence-to-work-intelligence Blogs: Nick Mehta's Blog: https://mehtaphysical.com Connect with Meg and Amy Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/megandamyshow/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-meg-amy-show Meg’s Website: https://www.megbear.com

In this episode, Meg and Amy sit down with Kieran Snyder for a candid, high-impact conversation about leadership, life, and what it really means to be an AI-first company. They discuss why data storytelling matters more than ever, what authentic allyship looks like beyond performative gestures, and how to lead in the age of AI. Submit questions for future Leadership Corner segments to: [email protected] Resources & Mentions Kieran's Blog: You've Heard of AI-native Products. What About AI-native Leaders? | https://kieransnyder.kit.com/posts/you-ve-heard-of-ai-native-products-what-about-ai-native-leaders Meg's Blogs: Making Work Better | https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/making-work-better-meg-bear/ On Deliberate Practice and Comfort Zones | https://www.megbear.com/post/on-deliberate-practice-and-comfort-nbsp-zones-1 Paul Graham: Maker's Schedule, Manager's Schedule | https://paulgraham.com/makersschedule.html Aaron Levie | https://www.linkedin.com/posts/boxaaron_there-are-many-approaches-to-going-ai-first-activity-7335443888913924096-I6id/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=member_ios&rcm=ACoAAB5eYzoBji0hRFR25InbUtOYcrXhHjARevM Books: Radical Candor, Kim Scott: https://amazn.so/h00vKSY Connect with Kieran, Meg, and Amy: Kieran's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kieran-snyder/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/megandamyshow/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-meg-amy-show Meg’s Website: https://www.megbear.com

In this episode, Amy takes center stage to dive into a topic we all need to talk more about – financial independence. Meg and Amy unpack how your upbringing and early money messages shape your relationship with finances, why your financial state is deeply tied to your mental well-being, and how to shift your mindset from survival to intention. Submit questions for future Leadership Corner segments to: [email protected] Resources & Mentions Books: Nickel and Dimed: On (Not) Getting By in America | https://amazn.so/rxW1qk4 Rich Dad Poor Dad: What the Rich Teach Their Kids About Money That the Poor and Middle Class Do Not! | https://amazn.so/iq2mMn7 The Algebra of Wealth: A Simple Formula for Financial Security | https://amazn.so/z9yHmeL Posts: Laurie Ruettimann: The Real Career Hack? "Have Money." https://www.linkedin.com/posts/laurieruettimann_the-real-career-hack-have-money-everyone-activity-7315409152455938050-Hlwk?utm_source=share&utm_medium=member_desktop&rcm=ACoAAAAVeN8BrXyqZRtd37eT9lCYDRykSAdLh5A Articles: Workers’ stress over money pushes more employers to offer financial wellness benefits | https://www.hr-brew.com/stories/2024/12/10/workers-stress-over-money-pushes-more-employers-to-offer-financial-wellness-benefits Four Proven Ways To Buy Happiness With Money | https://www.forbes.com/sites/johnjennings/2021/11/29/four-proven-ways-to-buy-happiness-with-money/ Podcasts: Michelle Obama: Diary of a CEO | https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D67eWcX2XYQ Connect with Meg and Amy Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/megandamyshow/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-meg-amy-show Meg’s Website: https://www.megbear.com

In today’s episode, Meg and Amy welcome Jen Morrow to the show! Jen shares practical tips for building a board ready business case with a powerful story, aligning stakeholders around a shared vision, and how to move forward when the answer is "no". Submit questions for future Leadership Corner segments to: [email protected] Connect with Meg, Amy, and Jen Jen's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jenmorr/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/megandamyshow/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-meg-a... Meg’s Website: https://www.megbear.com

While Meg & Amy are on vacation, we’re bringing you a Leadership Corner supercut! In these candid segments, Meg, Amy, and their guests tackle audience questions and share bold, practical advice on the hottest leadership topics of today. Submit questions for future Leadership Corner segments to: [email protected] Connect with Meg and Amy Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/megandamyshow/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-meg-amy-show Meg’s Website: https://www.megbear.com

In this episode, Meg and Amy welcome Dave Lu, Silicon Valley tech veteran, startup founder, investor, activist, Emmy Award-winning producer, and host of the brand new podcast, Hyphen Nation with Dave Lu. The three discuss his experiences as a tech veteran and advocate for the Asian American community. He shares insights on the importance of self-advocacy, the impact of cultural expectations, the differences between a scarcity mindset and an abundance mindset, and so much more. Submit questions for future Leadership Corner segments to: [email protected] Resources & Mentions Hyphen Capital: https://www.hyphencap.com Hyphen Nation Blog: https://www.davelu.com/ Hyphen Nation with Dave Lu Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/hyphen-nation-with-dave-lu/id1815538984 Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander Heritage Month: https://asianpacificheritage.gov Connect with Meg, Amy, and Dave Dave's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/davelu/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/megandamyshow/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-meg-amy-show Meg’s Website: https://www.megbear.com

The engagement numbers are in, and they're not great – but Amy and Meg argue we're measuring the wrong things entirely. In this episode, they challenge the obsession with retention, introduce the concept of "negative work," and make the case for why great managers are more crucial than ever in an AI-driven world. From bike shedding to leadership in crisis, this conversation will change how you think about what actually drives workplace success. Submit questions for future Leadership Corner segments to: [email protected] In this episode, Meg and Amy unpack: – Engagement survey results – Negative work – The importance of middle managers – Compassionate leadership Resources & Mentions Global Engagement Falls for the Second Time Since 2009 Lenny's Newsletter Retention Is a Terrible Metric Reads from Patty Azzarello: Rise | Move Connect with Meg and Amy Instagram LinkedIn Meg’s Website

In this episode, Amy and Meg tackle the complexities of business model shifts in the software industry. The conversation delves into the transition from traditional SaaS models to agentic solutions, exploring new market opportunities and the impact of AI on your role. Submit questions for future Leadership Corner segments to: [email protected] In this episode, Meg and Amy unpack: – Pricing model shifts – The transition from on-prem to SaaS to agentic systems – How AI is impacting employment  – Why unlearning is a critical component when looking toward the future Resources & Mentions Jason Cohen: A Smart Bear | https://longform.asmartbear.com/pricing-determines-your-business-model/ Kyle Poyar: From Selling Access to Selling Work | https://www.growthunhinged.com/p/from-selling-access-to-selling-work Connect with Meg and Amy Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/megandamyshow/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-meg-amy-show Meg’s Website: https://www.megbear.com

Today, Meg and Amy talk to HR and leadership legend, Laszlo Bock. The three discuss his insights on the role of CHROs, the importance of diversity and courage in leadership, and reflections on Work Rules! and cultural shifts. Submit questions for future Leadership Corner segments to: [email protected]

Meg and Amy sit down with their badass bestie, Jill Popelka, to talk about her experience as a private equity-backed CEO. They dive into her leadership journey, the lessons she’s learned along the way, and the unique superpowers that set her apart.

Welcome to the very first episode of The Meg and Amy Show! In this kickoff conversation, Meg and Amy share the inspiration behind the podcast and dive into some of the big, brain-stretching topics shaping our world.

Join Meg Bear and Amy Wilson for bold conversations that challenge the narrow takes, expand your thinking, and activate you toward what’s next. Welcome to The Meg and Amy Show!