Episode 128
{Ally Speaks} NOW LIVE - The Special Report on Leadership: Insights for a Transforming Workplace
In this episode of the Made For More podcast, host Ally Nitschke examines the evolving landscape of leadership in the age of AI.
Drawing on extensive conversations with leaders across finance, health, government, technology, education, and pharmacy, Ally shares insights from her newly released report on the future of leadership.
Originally intended as a white paper, the project expanded into a comprehensive 60-page report, underscoring the critical importance of the people dimension in leadership. The episode also reflects on the strong reception of the report at recent leadership breakfasts, where demand exceeded expectations.
Listeners will gain thought-provoking insights into the human side of business and leadership, and why a fundamental shift in approach is essential in light of rapid technological advancement.
Transcript
The Future of Leadership in the Age of AI
Welcome to a very special episode of the Made For More podcast. Today, host Ally Nitschke introduces her newly released Special Report on the Future of Leadership in the Age of AI.
This report started as a simple white paper but grew into a comprehensive 60-page publication after months of conversations with leaders across industries including finance, health, government, technology, education, and pharmacy. Every single discussion circled back to the same truth: leadership as we know it is shifting.
The report was launched live at recent Made For More leadership breakfasts, where every printed copy was snapped up immediately. The enthusiastic reception highlighted one thing—leaders are desperate to talk about the people part of business in the context of AI.
Ally makes it clear: she is not speaking as an AI expert, but as a leadership expert interpreting AI’s impact on people, culture, and workplaces. The workplace isn’t just changing, it’s transforming.
AI is reshaping how we think, decide, and deliver.
Hybrid and remote work are redefining how we connect and collaborate.
Burnout is on the rise.
Generational shifts are redefining what people want from work.
Disruption is moving faster than ever before.
As Justin Trudeau said, “Change has never before been this quick, and it will never again be this slow.”
In this environment, the old playbook of command-and-control leadership no longer works. Leaders promoted because they “had the answers” are now discovering that no one person can keep up with the complexity.
The Future of Leadership Special Report is more than a document—it is a call to action. It challenges leaders and organisations to rethink how they lead in an era where adaptability is everything.
Four Key Themes of the Special Report
1. From Authority to Adaptability
Traditional leadership was about authority: the title, the corner office, the knowledge. But authority without adaptability now creates bottlenecks.
Adaptability means listening before acting, testing and learning, empowering others, and pivoting when context changes. It is not weakness—it is courage.
2. Engagement as Energy
Engagement levels are at crisis point. Globally, only 21% of employees are engaged at work. In Australia, it’s 23%. Engagement isn’t about perks—it’s about energy.
Engaged employees bring curiosity, passion, and innovation. Disengaged employees quiet quit, burn out, and drain leadership resources. Engagement is no longer a nice-to-have—it is a competitive edge.
3. Radical Accountability
Accountability is often confused with micromanagement—or avoided altogether. Ally introduces the concept of Radical Accountability:
Leaders owning outcomes and the environments they create.
Teams taking responsibility for results, not just tasks.
Organisations using accountability as the antidote to blame culture and resentment.
Accountability without empathy burns people out. Empathy without accountability creates chaos. The future demands both.
4. Human-Centred Leadership
Even in the age of AI and automation, people crave humanity. Employees want leaders who listen, who see them, and who create cultures of trust, belonging, and purpose.
Future-ready leaders will use technology to amplify human connection, not replace it.
Final Thoughts
The Future of Leadership Special Report highlights a simple truth:
The future won’t reward leaders who cling to control.
It will reward those who adapt, engage, hold accountability, and lead with humanity.
Ally invites listeners to download the free Special Report at www.madeformore.com.au and use it as a conversation starter with teams, peers, and boards.
Key questions to ask:
Are we leading with authority or adaptability?
Are we building engagement or draining it?
Are we fostering accountability with empathy?
Are we putting people at the centre, even as technology accelerates?
This episode marks the beginning of a series unpacking each of these themes in more depth, with practical tools leaders can use immediately.
Subscribe to the Made For More Podcast for the upcoming episodes, and download your copy of the Special Report today.
Until next time: lead with courage, curiosity, and adaptability.
