💡 What if change worked like a product people choose to adopt?

Phil Gilbert — architect of IBM’s design transformation and author of Irresistible Change — joins John Ayers to unpack how to make change stick at scale.

You’ll learn:

• Change as a product → adoption over enablement

• Why teams are the atomic unit of transformation

• How IBM cut 44 products to 4 and grew market share

• Why AI initiatives fail when they lead with tech, not people

🔗 Connect & Learn More

disruptorconfessions.com

gilbert.com

💡 What happens when emotional intelligence meets disruption?

In this episode, Dr. Vanessa Druskat — expert on Emotionally Intelligent Teams — joins John Ayers for a conversation on how leaders build trust, collaboration, and resilience through accelerated change.

We explore:
• Why emotional intelligence is the hidden engine of high-performing teams
• How disruption tests and reveals real leadership
• What organizations can learn from emotionally aware cultures

🎧 Disruptor Confessions with John Ayers helps you lead smarter, think deeper, and thrive through change.

📍 Chapters
00:00 Introduction
00:12 Meet Dr. Vanessa Druskat: The Jane Goodall of Teams
01:34 The Importance of Emotional Intelligence in Teams
06:24 Discovering Team Norms
07:01 Examples of High-Performing Teams
13:53 The Role of Leaders in Shaping Team Dynamics
18:22 Adapting to Change and Building Resilience
23:15 Navigating Conflict and Friction in Teams
32:24 Clusters of Norms for High-Performing Teams
36:36 The Importance of Reflection
45:51 Building Trust and Psychological Safety
51:14 Practical Steps for Team Cohesion
65:29 The Role of AI in Emotionally Intelligent Teams
68:34 Conclusion and Final Thoughts

🔗 Connect & Learn More
🌐 disruptorconfessions.com
📩 Subscribe to The Briefing → disruptorconfessions.substack.com
🎙️ Listen on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your shows

#DisruptorConfessions #Leadership #EmotionalIntelligence #Teams #JohnAyers #VanessaDruskat #AI #Transformation #Disruption

This isn’t a show about hype.
It’s a space for truth, tension, and the voices of those who have witnessed, driven, or resisted change.

In this short trailer, host John Ayers introduces DISRUPTOR CONFESSIONS—a podcast that doesn’t glorify change or panic over it. It holds space for the full story.

• The disrupted.
• The disruptors.
• The critics, visionaries, and quiet observers.

This isn’t about chasing the pace. It’s about slowing down just enough to see what disruption really means—ethically, personally, and professionally.

If you're feeling the tension between progress and purpose…
If you're looking for insight—not hype—this is for you.

Confessions begin soon.Subscribe now and prepare for the disruption.