As technology and AI reshape the way we work, how do leaders embrace innovation without losing the human touch?

Joshua Evarts has spent more than three decades building businesses in technology. But some of his most important lessons about leadership came from an unexpected place: a cigar lounge he opened as a gathering space for conversation, community, and connection.

In this episode of The Human Side of Leadership, Dr. Pelè talks with Joshua, author of If Jesus Smoked Cigars, about why relationships remain at the heart of meaningful leadership, even as technology becomes more powerful.

Joshua shares how his battle with cancer deepened his appreciation for human connection, why technology should ultimately lead us back to better conversations, and what his cigar lounge taught him about creating spaces where people feel seen, heard, and valued.

They also explore the growing role of AI, the importance of listening more than speaking, and why knowing that relationships matter isn't enough. Leaders have to turn that belief into everyday behavior.

Joshua's challenge to leaders is both simple and profound: don't try to transform every relationship at once. Start with one.

Because ultimately, great leadership isn't just about building a successful business. It's about building a culture strong enough to help people navigate the inevitable challenges of business and life without losing what makes us human.

Connect with Joshua Evarts on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/joshuaevarts/

Why do some employees embrace AI while others resist it, quietly avoid it, or deliberately use it poorly?

According to behavioral scientist Dr. Gleb Tsipursky, AI adoption is not primarily a technology challenge. It is a human challenge rooted in three powerful emotions: fear of job loss, threats to professional identity, and shame surrounding the use of AI-generated work.

In this episode of The Human Side of Leadership, Dr. Pelè talks with Dr. Gleb about his new book, The Psychology of AI Adoption at Work: From Resistance to Results. Together, they explore why traditional change-management approaches often fall short, how leaders unintentionally trigger resistance, and why simply purchasing AI tools and telling employees to use them rarely produces meaningful results.

Dr. Gleb also explains how organizations can discover where AI will genuinely help employees, design tools around real workplace frustrations, and move from scattered individual experimentation to productive team-wide adoption.

If leaders want AI to deliver results, they must first address the psychology of the people being asked to use it.

Dr. Gleb Tipursky on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dr-gleb-tsipursky/

Artificial intelligence is transforming the workplace, but are organizations redesigning work before they truly understand it?

In this episode of The Human Side of Leadership, Dr. Pelè sits down with workforce transformation executive, author, and LinkedIn Top Voice Kason Morris to explore his groundbreaking concept of Execution Visibility.

Together, they discuss why AI doesn't replace jobs, but the tasks within them, why human judgment may become the most valuable capability of the AI era, and why leaders must first understand how work creates value before they can successfully redesign it.

Kason shares practical guidance for executives, HR leaders, and learning professionals on balancing automation with human development, preserving critical thinking, and building organizations where technology strengthens rather than weakens capability.

If you're leading AI transformation, workforce strategy, leadership development, or organizational change, this conversation offers a thoughtful framework for designing the future of work without losing what makes people indispensable.

Connect with Kason Morris below:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kason-morris/
Kason's book on Amazon: "Lifework Revolution"