What does leadership look like when change never stops and nobody has the full answer?

In this episode of Grounded Engagement, Liberating Leadership, Kristina Katayama sits down with Laura McGann, a senior change and HR leader, to explore what it really takes to lead through AI, uncertainty, organizational change, and the rapidly evolving future of work.

Laura shares her personal experience of realizing that AI had made her a technology leader despite never setting out to become one. Together, Kristina and Laura explore how leaders can move beyond fear and resistance to embrace AI while keeping people, connection, and humanity at the center.

They discuss:

• Why AI is changing the role and identity of today's leaders
• How leaders can navigate constant organizational change and change fatigue
• Why psychological safety matters more than ever
• How vulnerability, curiosity, and courage can strengthen leadership
• Why leaders need to learn and unlearn at the same time
• How AI can free people from repetitive work and create more space for human connection
• Why high performance is becoming a team sport rather than an individual achievement
• How leaders can support employees who are at different stages of AI adoption
• The importance of naming uncertainty instead of pretending to have all the answers
• How leaders can redefine their identity for the future of work
• Why staying one step ahead may be more important than having all the answers
• How to lead with purpose, inspiration, and humanity during times of uncertainty

Laura also shares a powerful lesson for managers and leaders navigating this moment: you already have much of what it takes. Courage, curiosity, connection, and a willingness to learn together may be more valuable than having a perfect playbook.

If you're a leader, manager, HR professional, change management professional, or anyone trying to understand the impact of AI on the future of work, this conversation offers practical insights into leading through uncertainty while keeping people at the center.

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#Leadership #AI #FutureOfWork #ChangeManagement #LeadershipDevelopment #PsychologicalSafety #HR #OrganizationalChange #AILeadership #FutureOfLeadership

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– Kristina and the Grounded Engagement podcast team

Connect with Kristina Katayama on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/kristina-katayama-029834
Visit the Be Possible website here: bepossible.com

Listen to Grounded Engagement on these podcast platforms:
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/033t4qPBxizCWyIisE77pC
Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/grounded-engagement/id1896884338
Amazon: https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/9f6697fa-3ece-4e35-9588-5be82ace196d

#groundedengagement #kristinakatayama #liberatingleadership #culturalchange #organizationalleadership #leadershipdevelopment #psychologicalsafety #workplaceCulture #equityandbelonging #systemschange #leadWithHumility #continuousImprovement #orgDevelopment
Grounded Engagement: Liberating Leadership is a podcast for leaders who know that real change goes deeper than tools, frameworks, and training programmes. Hosted by Kristina Katayama, founder of Be Possible and a whole systems change consultant with over 25 years of experience across 30+ countries, each episode is a genuine conversation with leaders navigating the hardest parts of organisational life — culture gaps, leadership transitions, equity work that stalls, and the tension between who an organisation says it is and what people actually experience every day.
Kristina brings a rare combination of cross-sector pattern recognition, relational depth, and a belief that transformation starts with how people relate to each other — not with the next initiative or intervention. Her guests are the leaders doing that work in real organisations, in real time. If you lead a team, a department, or an entire organisation and you're ready for honest conversation about what it actually takes to build a culture of belonging and vitality, this show is for you.