{"id":39486,"date":"2026-02-24T17:19:29","date_gmt":"2026-02-24T21:19:29","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/brandonhall.com\/?post_type=podcast&#038;p=39486"},"modified":"2026-02-24T17:19:29","modified_gmt":"2026-02-24T21:19:29","slug":"excellence-at-work-podcast-episode-316-future-ready-leaders-embrace-change","status":"publish","type":"podcast","link":"https:\/\/brandonhall.com\/podcast\/excellence-at-work-podcast-episode-316-future-ready-leaders-embrace-change\/","title":{"rendered":"Excellence at Work Podcast Episode 316: Future-Ready Leaders: Embrace Change"},"content":{"rendered":"<p class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal leading-[1.7]\">In this Brandon Hall Group\u2122 Excellence at Work Podcast, Michael Rochelle, Chief Strategy Officer and Principal Analyst, sits down with Sarah Woods, Partner Emeritus at BTS specializing in C-suite development and succession, and Lisa Sprenkle, Head of Succession Planning at BTS with a focus on executive and team performance. Together, they unpack BTS&#8217;s research-backed Future-Ready Executive Framework and explore what it truly means to lead in an era of unprecedented disruption, AI integration, and organizational transformation.<\/p>\n<p class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal leading-[1.7]\"><strong>Key Discussion Points:<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul class=\"[li_&amp;]:mb-0 [li_&amp;]:mt-1 [li_&amp;]:gap-1 [&amp;:not(:last-child)_ul]:pb-1 [&amp;:not(:last-child)_ol]:pb-1 list-disc flex flex-col gap-1 pl-8 mb-3\">\n<li class=\"whitespace-normal break-words pl-2\"><strong>Why Leadership Transformation Is Urgent:<\/strong> The pace of business disruption \u2014 from shifting political environments and trade dynamics to accelerating AI adoption \u2014 has rendered traditional leadership models insufficient. The need to rethink executive leadership is no longer aspirational; it&#8217;s an immediate, organization-wide imperative that must happen at scale.<\/li>\n<li class=\"whitespace-normal break-words pl-2\"><strong>The Five Critical Leadership Shifts:<\/strong> BTS identified five defining shifts shaping the future of executive leadership: moving from annual strategic planning to disruption-based planning; balancing consistent growth with rapid experimentation; shifting from hierarchical control to frontline ownership; reframing risk as opportunity rather than something to be minimized; and evolving from managing people alone to managing both people and AI.<\/li>\n<li class=\"whitespace-normal break-words pl-2\"><strong>What Makes This Framework Different:<\/strong> Unlike static competency models, BTS&#8217;s Future-Ready Executive Framework is intentionally evolving and provocative \u2014 designed to spark meaningful conversation within organizations rather than prescribe a one-size-fits-all solution. It&#8217;s built on a foundation of both internal BTS expertise and external research from sources including McKinsey, MIT Sloan, the World Economic Forum, and the Conference Board.<\/li>\n<li class=\"whitespace-normal break-words pl-2\"><strong>Judgment, Curiosity, and Humility as Core Human Qualities:<\/strong> As AI extends access to &#8220;superhuman intelligence,&#8221; the most essential executive capabilities become distinctly human \u2014 particularly judgment, which requires humility, curiosity, courage, and empathy. The higher leaders climb, the harder it becomes to maintain these qualities, making intentional development around them more critical than ever.<\/li>\n<li class=\"whitespace-normal break-words pl-2\"><strong>Navigating the Human-AI Balance:<\/strong> Leaders must now make nuanced decisions about when to delegate to AI agents, when to rely on human talent, and how to manage people who are themselves working alongside AI. This dual responsibility will reshape performance management, KPIs, and even the structure of the C-suite itself \u2014 as evidenced by organizations already merging Chief People Officer and Chief Technology Officer roles.<\/li>\n<li class=\"whitespace-normal break-words pl-2\"><strong>Practical Application of the Framework:<\/strong> BTS is helping clients embed the framework across leadership development programs, succession planning, CEO transitions, and executive coaching. The approach is always collaborative and context-specific \u2014 starting with the client&#8217;s unique challenges, identifying the one or two shifts most relevant to their organization, and building toward observable, measurable behaviors.<\/li>\n<li class=\"whitespace-normal break-words pl-2\"><strong>Advice for Overwhelmed Leaders \u2014 Just Start:<\/strong> For executives feeling paralyzed by the scale of change, the message is clear: shift into a learning mindset, embrace curiosity, and take incremental steps. Don&#8217;t wait for certainty that isn&#8217;t coming. Organizations that are thriving are those running performance and experimentation in parallel \u2014 not waiting to reinvent everything at once.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal leading-[1.7]\">The conversation makes clear that the future of leadership is not about having all the answers \u2014 it&#8217;s about asking better questions, staying curious, and having the courage and humility to lead through what&#8217;s unknown. Sarah and Lisa&#8217;s insights remind us that while the tools and context of leadership are rapidly evolving, the human qualities at the core of great leadership remain irreplaceable.<\/p>\n<p class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal leading-[1.7]\"><strong>Social Media Handles<\/strong><\/p>\n<p class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal leading-[1.7]\">BTS:<\/p>\n<ul class=\"[li_&amp;]:mb-0 [li_&amp;]:mt-1 [li_&amp;]:gap-1 [&amp;:not(:last-child)_ul]:pb-1 [&amp;:not(:last-child)_ol]:pb-1 list-disc flex flex-col gap-1 pl-8 mb-3\">\n<li class=\"whitespace-normal break-words pl-2\">LinkedIn: <a class=\"underline underline underline-offset-2 decoration-1 decoration-current\/40 hover:decoration-current focus:decoration-current\" href=\"https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/company\/bts\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/company\/bts\/<\/a><\/li>\n<li class=\"whitespace-normal break-words pl-2\">Website: <a class=\"underline underline underline-offset-2 decoration-1 decoration-current\/40 hover:decoration-current focus:decoration-current\" href=\"https:\/\/www.bts.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">https:\/\/www.bts.com\/<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal leading-[1.7]\">Sarah Woods:<\/p>\n<ul class=\"[li_&amp;]:mb-0 [li_&amp;]:mt-1 [li_&amp;]:gap-1 [&amp;:not(:last-child)_ul]:pb-1 [&amp;:not(:last-child)_ol]:pb-1 list-disc flex flex-col gap-1 pl-8 mb-3\">\n<li class=\"whitespace-normal break-words pl-2\">LinkedIn: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/in\/sarahwoodsbates\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/in\/sarahwoodsbates\/<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal leading-[1.7]\">Lisa Sprenkle:<\/p>\n<ul class=\"[li_&amp;]:mb-0 [li_&amp;]:mt-1 [li_&amp;]:gap-1 [&amp;:not(:last-child)_ul]:pb-1 [&amp;:not(:last-child)_ol]:pb-1 list-disc flex flex-col gap-1 pl-8 mb-3\">\n<li class=\"whitespace-normal break-words pl-2\">LinkedIn: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/in\/lisasprenkle\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/in\/lisasprenkle\/<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>In this Brandon Hall Group\u2122 Excellence at Work Podcast, Michael Rochelle, Chief Strategy Officer and Principal Analyst, sits down with Sarah Woods, Partner Emeritus at BTS specializing in C-suite development and succession, and Lisa Sprenkle, Head of Succession Planning at BTS with a focus on executive and team performance. Together, they unpack BTS&#8217;s research-backed Future-Ready [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":54,"featured_media":39487,"template":"","format":"standard","categories":[],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-39486","podcast","type-podcast","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v27.3 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>Excellence at Work Podcast Episode 316: Future-Ready Leaders: Embrace Change - Brandon Hall Group<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/brandonhall.com\/podcast\/excellence-at-work-podcast-episode-316-future-ready-leaders-embrace-change\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Excellence at Work Podcast Episode 316: Future-Ready Leaders: Embrace Change - Brandon Hall Group\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"In this Brandon Hall Group\u2122 Excellence at Work Podcast, Michael Rochelle, Chief Strategy Officer and Principal Analyst, sits down with Sarah Woods, Partner Emeritus at BTS specializing in C-suite development and succession, and Lisa Sprenkle, Head of Succession Planning at BTS with a focus on executive and team performance. 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