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Most People Use AI Like an Assistant. Here’s How Leaders Use It Instead
Most people use AI like a faster assistant. Leaders use it differently.
In this conversation, Geoff Woods (author of The AI-Driven Leader) explains the shift that turns AI from a shallow productivity tool into a true thought partner—one that helps you think better, make better decisions, and unlock leverage you didn’t have before.
We go deep into:
*Why “better prompts” aren’t the real breakthrough
*How to get AI to interview you instead of the other way around
*The CRIT framework (Context, Role, Interview, Task)
*A real story where AI helped a CEO find hope in 10 minutes after preparing for bankruptcy
*What changes when leaders use AI for thinking, not tasks
*Why this shift matters more than any specific model or tool
*This isn’t about shortcuts, hacks, or automation theater.
*It’s about learning how to think with AI—without outsourcing your judgment.
If AI has felt useful but shallow, this episode is designed to change that.
📚 Resources
The AI-Driven Leader — Geoff Woods: https://a.co/d/gLYoeUy
Geoff’s podcast:
AI Leadership: https://www.aileadership.com/
About Geoff Woods
Geoff Woods is the author of The AI-Driven Leader and a leading voice on how leaders use AI to improve judgment, decision-making, and leverage—not just productivity. A former Chief Growth Officer, Geoff works with CEOs, boards, and executive teams to apply AI as a thought partner, helping leaders think more clearly and make better decisions in an AI-driven world.
🔗 Support This Podcast by Checking Out Our Sponsors:
👉 Build your own AI Agent with Zapier (opens the builder with the prompt pre-loaded): https://bit.ly/4hH5JaE
Test Prep Gurus
website: https://www.prepgurus.com
Instagram: @TestPrepGurus
Connect with The Nick Standlea Show:
YouTube: @TheNickStandleaShow
Podcast Website: https://nickshow.podbean.com/
Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-nick-standlea-podcast/id1700331903
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0YqBBneFsKtQ6Y0ArP5CXJ
RSS Feed: https://feed.podbean.com/nickshow/feed.xml
Nick's Socials:
Instagram: @nickstandlea
X (Twitter): @nickstandlea
TikTok: @nickstandleashow
Facebook: @nickstandleapodcast
Ask questions,
Don't accept the status quo,
And be curious.
⏱️ Timestamps:
0:00 Why most people are using AI wrong
2:05 Assistant vs thought partner: the shift that changes everything
4:37 Why “better emails” don’t matter (and never will)
6:04 The CRIT framework: Context, Role, Interview, Task
7:49 A CEO facing bankruptcy asks: “Can AI help?”
10:06 AI interviews the CEO — the question no one thought to ask
12:16 “I hadn’t slept in 90 days” → hope in 10 minutes
13:22 Why this works across industries (live workshops & Fortune 500s)
15:13 Using AI as a real YouTube thought partner (thumbnail example)
18:24 The hidden step most people skip after AI gives an answer
19:40 Staying in the driver’s seat: how leaders give AI feedback
21:54 Building an AI board (and simulating your real board)
25:13 Putting your future self on the AI board
27:27 What are you actually optimizing for? (endgame clarity)
29:47 The 3 things AI-driven leaders do differently
32:24 Will AI take jobs? How roles actually evolve
34:04 The executive assistant who became an “executive multiplier”
38:29 How to make yourself irreplaceable with AI
43:28 Raising expectations (for yourself and your team)
45:26 Are we reclaiming our humanity through AI?
47:16 Why the education system is broken for an AI world
49:06 What AI-first education looks like in practice
52:10 Teaching kids to think with AI (not cheat with it)
56:52 The moment Geoff realized AI was the future
59:15 Why AI isn’t the difference — you are
1:02:32 Final advice: how to start using AI the right way
1:05:12 Closing thoughts
View all episodes
By Nick Standlea
5
1818 ratings
Most people use AI like a faster assistant. Leaders use it differently.
In this conversation, Geoff Woods (author of The AI-Driven Leader) explains the shift that turns AI from a shallow productivity tool into a true thought partner—one that helps you think better, make better decisions, and unlock leverage you didn’t have before.
We go deep into:
*Why “better prompts” aren’t the real breakthrough
*How to get AI to interview you instead of the other way around
*The CRIT framework (Context, Role, Interview, Task)
*A real story where AI helped a CEO find hope in 10 minutes after preparing for bankruptcy
*What changes when leaders use AI for thinking, not tasks
*Why this shift matters more than any specific model or tool
*This isn’t about shortcuts, hacks, or automation theater.
*It’s about learning how to think with AI—without outsourcing your judgment.
If AI has felt useful but shallow, this episode is designed to change that.
📚 Resources
The AI-Driven Leader — Geoff Woods: https://a.co/d/gLYoeUy
Geoff’s podcast:
AI Leadership: https://www.aileadership.com/
About Geoff Woods
Geoff Woods is the author of The AI-Driven Leader and a leading voice on how leaders use AI to improve judgment, decision-making, and leverage—not just productivity. A former Chief Growth Officer, Geoff works with CEOs, boards, and executive teams to apply AI as a thought partner, helping leaders think more clearly and make better decisions in an AI-driven world.
🔗 Support This Podcast by Checking Out Our Sponsors:
👉 Build your own AI Agent with Zapier (opens the builder with the prompt pre-loaded): https://bit.ly/4hH5JaE
Test Prep Gurus
website: https://www.prepgurus.com
Instagram: @TestPrepGurus
Connect with The Nick Standlea Show:
YouTube: @TheNickStandleaShow
Podcast Website: https://nickshow.podbean.com/
Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-nick-standlea-podcast/id1700331903
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0YqBBneFsKtQ6Y0ArP5CXJ
RSS Feed: https://feed.podbean.com/nickshow/feed.xml
Nick's Socials:
Instagram: @nickstandlea
X (Twitter): @nickstandlea
TikTok: @nickstandleashow
Facebook: @nickstandleapodcast
Ask questions,
Don't accept the status quo,
And be curious.
⏱️ Timestamps:
0:00 Why most people are using AI wrong
2:05 Assistant vs thought partner: the shift that changes everything
4:37 Why “better emails” don’t matter (and never will)
6:04 The CRIT framework: Context, Role, Interview, Task
7:49 A CEO facing bankruptcy asks: “Can AI help?”
10:06 AI interviews the CEO — the question no one thought to ask
12:16 “I hadn’t slept in 90 days” → hope in 10 minutes
13:22 Why this works across industries (live workshops & Fortune 500s)
15:13 Using AI as a real YouTube thought partner (thumbnail example)
18:24 The hidden step most people skip after AI gives an answer
19:40 Staying in the driver’s seat: how leaders give AI feedback
21:54 Building an AI board (and simulating your real board)
25:13 Putting your future self on the AI board
27:27 What are you actually optimizing for? (endgame clarity)
29:47 The 3 things AI-driven leaders do differently
32:24 Will AI take jobs? How roles actually evolve
34:04 The executive assistant who became an “executive multiplier”
38:29 How to make yourself irreplaceable with AI
43:28 Raising expectations (for yourself and your team)
45:26 Are we reclaiming our humanity through AI?
47:16 Why the education system is broken for an AI world
49:06 What AI-first education looks like in practice
52:10 Teaching kids to think with AI (not cheat with it)
56:52 The moment Geoff realized AI was the future
59:15 Why AI isn’t the difference — you are
1:02:32 Final advice: how to start using AI the right way
1:05:12 Closing thoughts
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