Beyond AI: Wisdom at Work

On Qonversations, we always try to connect our listeners with our guests. After all, conversations don’t happen between a book and the host or a leader and the host; they happen between two people. That said, most of the time the focus of the conversation is not on the guest, but on the topic. On this episode, we turn our attention totally to our guest, Ziah Miller. Because their parents believed the world was going to end, Ziah and his seven siblings were raised without any education. He didn’t learn to read or write until the age of fourteen. Today, Ziah is a successful author, game director, and “digital alchemist.” Ziah and host Brian Gorman take a walk from Ziah’s childhood, to homelessness, to public schools, art school and software engineering certification, to his career today. Whether you are just thinking about a career, well into your working years, or wondering what comes next, Ziah’s very personal story holds lessons to help you along the way. 

Max Klau, the guest for Qonversations Episode 35, returns to discuss his soon to be published book, Developing Servant Leaders at Scale: How To Do It and Why It Matters. Through his coaching, writing, and speaking, host Brian Gorman often makes the point that one of the responsibilities of leaders is to develop other leaders. Max has spent decades intentionally doing so. In this thought-provoking conversation, Max and Brian explore what is required to develop the knowledge, doing, and especially the being that is at the core of servant leadership. From Max’s experience, reflection is core to the inner work required to become a servant leader. Creating and holding the space for that inner work is only possible when a leader serves as the host to those they are leading rather than as their hero. 

In their book Engaging Teams: How to Use Social Wellbeing to Boost Performance, Retention, and Culture, Nick Smallman and Dan Parry dive into the importance of social wellbeing in today’s organizations. Nick and host Brian Gorman explore the importance of leaders knowing the people they are leading, and not just the roles that those people play. The Industrial Age perception of people who are interchangeable and replaceable when they burn out is challenged, as Nick and Brian discuss the leader’s role in creating a culture that fosters wellbeing. 

Whether you are a solopreneur or the leader of a global enterprise, every day, you are shaping your legacy. Alex Brueckmann, author of Strategy Legacy: How to Future-Proof a Business and Leave Your Mark, sets legacy as the framework for addressing what he identifies as the two primary responsibilities of a leader: strategy and culture. Citing the leader’s role in shaping organizational culture, Alex challenges leaders to not accept the culture that is, but to take responsibility to shape the culture needed to execute true strategy. In his conversation with host Brian Gorman, he also challenges the approach many organizations take to strategy, pointing out that while they label planning and budgeting as strategy, it is not. 

Today’s guest is Salvatore Manzi, a leadership communications coach with over 20 years of experience helping technical, analytical, and data-driven leaders amplify their impact. With emphasis on frameworks, principles, and techniques, Salvatore empowers leaders to connect authentically and navigate high-stakes engagements with confidence. He’s an introvert who learned how to harness the power of the spotlight and has a passion for building inclusive, high-performing team environments through effective communication. In this episode, Salvatore and host Brian Gorman focus on specific ways in which leaders can either undermine their message or ensure that it is effectively delivered. 

Dr. Cynthia Bentzen-Mercer is a human capital strategist, coach, speaker, and author. In her LinkedIn profile, she writes “I work at the intersection of strategy and soul.” In this episode of "Qonversations," host Brian Gorman and Cynthia discuss the critical importance of leaders embracing humanity, aligning individual purpose with organizational roles, the importance of authenticity and psychological safety in leadership, and how leaders can help teams unlock their full potential. Cynthia introduces her concept of "moving the line" to foster greater humanity at work and previews her upcoming book, "Human Capital Investment Strategy." 

The world of work is changing at an ever-accelerating rate. In this episode, Ted Whetstone, executive coach, thought leader, and “fellow philosopher on the road of life,” joins host Brian Gorman to explore new ideas on how to successfully lead through the changes we are experiencing. Along the way, they explore organizational design, the work week, innovation, thinking differently about what we sell, the very nature of leadership, and much more. 

It isn’t a possibility. It isn’t a probability. It isn’t some far-off science fiction fantasy thing. We are in it now. The challenge, from the C-suite to the front line, is “How do I ensure not just that I (and my organization) survive, but that we thrive?” In this episode, Nicole Doyle, entrepreneur, start-up advisor, and Founder of Aspir joins host Brian Gorman to begin to answer these questions. Along the way, they discuss the disruptors that are on the horizon, the growing importance of investing in people (not just technology), and some of the key actions that organizational leaders as well as individual contributors can take to improve the chances of success moving forward.

Nicole Doyle is a Strategic People Operations leader with over 10 years experience hiring and leading and 6 years experience driving growth at fast-scaling Series A/B startups. Proven track record of building successful teams, developing global compensation strategies that ensure equity, and building scalable HR infrastructures that align with business objectives. Expert in leadership hiring, global expansion, diversity & inclusion initiatives, and data-driven decision-making to foster high-performing cultures.

Brian Gorman is a speaker, author, podcast host and founder and lead coach at TransformingLives.Coach. A maverick coach, Brian guides those who are forging the way forward from the Industrial Age into the Digital Age. You can email Brian ([email protected]) and learn more about his work on his website TransformingLives.Coach.

If you are a leader, your success is dependent on your ability to effectively communicate with those who report to you. And your ability to successfully communicate with those who report to you is highly dependent on bringing a coach approach to your leadership. In this episode, communication coach Chris Marr joins host Brian Gorman to explore the changing role of leaders and the importance of coaching as a critical leadership tool. 

Chris Marr is the author of Becoming an Authoritative Coach: Stop People Pleasing, Challenge Your Clients, and Be Indispensable. With thousands of hours devoted to coaching an expansive range of companies, from nimble startups to 7 and 8-figure enterprises, he has unequivocally established himself as a leading expert in the field. Beyond his extensive portfolio in coaching, Chris is a dedicated Stoic Practitioner and Philosopher. His fascination with human behaviour is not a mere interest but a lifelong commitment to understanding the intricacies of human potential.

Brian Gorman is a speaker, author, podcast host and founder and lead coach at TransformingLives.Coach. A maverick coach, Brian guides those who are forging the way forward from the Industrial Age into the Digital Age. You can email Brian ([email protected]) and learn more about his work on his website TransformingLives.Coach.

Every day, Liz Weber, Advisor to Executives and Boards, encounters the challenges that leaders are facing as they seek to guide their organizations into the Digital age. In this episode, Liz joins host Brian Gorman to explore those behaviors that continue to serve leaders well as they move out of the Industrial Age model of leadership as well as the significant shifts in mindset and behavior that leaders at all levels – from the front lines to the Boards of Directors – need to make to successfully make this transformational transition.

Liz Weber has been helping businesses strengthen their leadership and improve their processes for over 20 years. She has been named a Top 30 Global Guru on Leadership, a Leadership Influencer to Watch, an HR Influencer to Watch, and a Culture Change Champion. Liz is acutely attuned to the shifting dynamics of Industrial Age to Digital Age leadership, and is intently focused on helping leaders and Boards think differently. Weber Business Services, LLC (WBS) is a management consulting firm that specializes in strategic planning, succession planning and leadership development.

Brian Gorman is a speaker, author, podcast host and founder and lead coach at TransformingLives.Coach. He identifies as a maverick coach, guiding those who are forging the way as leaders in the 21st century. You can email Brian ([email protected]) and learn more about his work on his website TransformingLives.Coach.