In this episode of Working Forward, Jason Cochran sits down with Wes Bender, Head of Business Development at Admired Leadership, and Mikey Ames, Digital Marketing and Social Media Lead at Admired Leadership, to explore what it takes to build and deploy AI that creates genuine value for organizations. Wes and Mikey share how their firm developed Alex, an AI executive leadership coach grounded in 35 years of behavioral leadership research and why most leaders are getting AI wrong. They break down the difference between AI slop and real value, explain how AI actually works at a fundamental level, and make the case that the most important question isn't whether to use AI, but how to use it to make your people better.

Additional Resources:

Connect with Wes on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/wesleybender/

Connect with Mikey on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mikeyames/

Watch the Working Forward Podcast on YouTube!

Connect with Jason on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jason-d-cochran/

Follow PeopleForward Network on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/peopleforward-network/posts/?feedView=all

Learn more about PeopleForward Network: https://peopleforwardnetwork.com/

Key Takeaways:

• Understanding how AI works, specifically next token prediction, is foundational before any leader can effectively deploy or trust it.
• Use AI to make people better, not replace them; organizations that take this approach drive higher adoption and more sustainable outcomes.
• Don't outsource your AI strategy; the values and cultural DNA of your organization need to shape how AI tools are built and trained.
• Starting a conversation with AI by asking "what's the best way to use you?" and providing rich context dramatically improves the quality of responses.
• Watch for skills erosion; AI can take over tasks, but leaders must protect the foundational sub-skills those tasks were quietly building.
• Human moments can't be outsourced; AI is great for preparation and analysis, but the relationships and conversations that build trust must still come from you.