What if the key to navigating our AI-driven future isn’t about becoming more technological, but rather more authentically human? In this inspiring episode of Poets & Thinkers, we explore the intersection of technology, leadership, and human dignity with Frances West, a pioneering executive whose wisdom spans decades of technological transformation. As IBM’s first-ever Chief Accessibility Officer and a global advocate for digital inclusion, Frances brings a unique perspective on how to harness AI’s potential while keeping humanity at the center.

Frances takes us on a journey through her remarkable career, from arriving in America at age 19 to becoming a trailblazing technology executive who helped shape IBM’s approach to human-centered innovation. Drawing on insights from her book “Authentic Inclusion™ Drives Disruptive Innovation,” she reveals why the skills we’ve traditionally considered “soft” – creativity, empathy, persistence, and ethical judgment – will become our most valuable assets in an AI-driven world.

Throughout our conversation, Frances challenges the dominant narratives around AI, arguing that as artificial intelligence becomes more advanced, humans must embrace and cultivate the qualities that make us uniquely human. She offers a compelling vision for business leadership that balances profit with principle and purpose, emphasizing that true innovation must be rooted in meeting authentic human needs rather than merely advancing technology for its own sake.

In this thought-provoking discussion, we explore:

• Why “human first” thinking is crucial for ethical technology development
• How digital inclusion benefits everyone, not just those with disabilities
• The leadership traits essential for navigating our AI-integrated future
• Why “popcorn innovation” fails where disciplined vision succeeds
• The balance between maintaining our authentic selves while embracing AI tools

This episode is an invitation to reimagine our relationship with technology through a lens of authentic inclusion, challenging us to develop the leadership qualities that will help humanity thrive alongside artificial intelligence.

Topics

00:30 - Introduction to Frances West and her career at IBM

03:30 - The concept of “human first” in technology development

06:00 - Balancing AI advancement with human dignity and agency

13:30 - The importance of building inclusive technology from the start

17:40 - How technology has evolved from mainframes to personalized devices

21:10 - The human qualities AI cannot easily replicate

27:10 - "As AI gets more human, humans need to get more human"

30:40 - Balancing foundational skills with creativity in education

34:00 - The evolution of leadership skills needed for an AI-integrated world

36:00 - The Four L’s of leadership: Listen, Learn, Lived experience, Lead

41:30 - Avoiding "popcorn innovation" with disciplined vision and execution

45:30 - How sales experience grounds technological innovation

50:40 - Frances’s vision for the future of business leadership

52:00 - The Five C’s for future leaders: Confidence, Conviction, Communication, Curiosity, and Courage

Resources Mentioned

Authentic Inclusion™ Drives Disruptive Innovation by Frances Wes

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What if our fixation on avoiding failure is the very thing blocking us from building organizations that maximize human ingenuity? And why is this business critical in the AI age?

In this episode of Poets & Thinkers, we explore the intersection of leadership, innovation, and human potential with John Danner, renowned business advisor, professor, and bestselling author. Drawing on his extensive experience teaching at UC Berkeley and Princeton while advising leaders across sectors, John challenges conventional wisdom about what drives organizational success in our rapidly evolving AI-everything world.

John takes us on a journey through what he calls the three fundamental organizational pursuits – growth, innovation, and engagement – and reveals why they all depend on the one thing leaders often fear most: failure. He explains why the status quo serves as the greatest obstacle to progress and how our natural human bias toward familiarity creates resistance to change. Through compelling insights and personal anecdotes from decades of personal experience, John illuminates how fear silences organizational creativity while analyzing startling Gallup research showing only 20% of employees globally are truly engaged in their work.

As we navigate the profound transformation brought by AI and other technologies, John presents a critical fork in the road: organizations can pursue "AI to the max" with minimal human input, or they can embrace a more humanistic model built on human ingenuity, imagination, and collaboration. His vision for “invitational leadership” offers a compelling alternative to extractive models that have dominated business thinking for generations.

In this discussion, we explore:

• Why failure is the unavoidable companion to genuine growth and innovation
• How fear serves as the “border patrol” for the status quo in organizations
• The alarming reality that only one in five employees globally is engaged at work
• The third revolutionary period we’re entering: the inclusion challenge
• Why leaders must shift from extraction to resourcefulness in building sustainable organizations
• The power of “invitational leadership” in unleashing human creativity at all levels

This episode is an invitation to reimagine leadership for a more human-centered future, challenging us to develop organizational cultures where everyone – not just an elite few – can contribute their inherent creativity and imagination.

Topics

03:10 - The three fundamentals every organization strives for: growth, innovation, and engagement

04:20 - How growth, innovation, and engagement all depend on failure

06:30 - The status quo as the primary obstacle to change and improvement

08:50 - The interconnection between fear, feedback, and failure in organizational culture

12:00 - Leaders acknowledging their own fallibility to create psychological safety

13:10 - Gallup research on employee engagement: only 20% engaged, 15% actively disengaged

15:10 - The concept of “growth for both” – aligning organizational and individual growth

17:30 - The three revolutionary periods: industrial, information, and now the inclusion challenge

21:00 - Two possible futures: “AI to the max” versus human ingenuity and imagination

26:00 - Challenging extractive business models in favor of resourcefulness

28:10 - Shifting from “l

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Get in touch: ben@poetsandthinkers.co

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Subscribe to Poets & Thinkers on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/poets-thinkers/id1799627484

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What if the very technology that distracts us could be transformed into a mirror reflecting our deepest human connections? In this fascinating episode of Poets & Thinkers, we explore the intersection of tradition, technology, and mindfulness with Berlin-based artist and designer Hojin Kang.

Born to Korean parents in Germany, Hojin creates art that brilliantly juxtaposes ancient spiritual practices with our modern digital behaviors, revealing striking parallels that challenge how we engage with the world around us.

Hojin takes us on a journey through his artistic evolution, from his early influences in both Korean Buddhist traditions and cutting-edge technology to his current work exploring human connection through thermal imaging. His provocative installations –from scrolling behaviors reimagined as prayer beads and notification bell sculptures that trigger visceral responses, to thermal imagining cameras in art and border surveillance – expose the tension between our mindless digital habits and the mindful traditions they inadvertently mimic.

Throughout our conversation, Hojin reveals how his dual perspective as both artist and designer shapes his creative process, embracing curiosity and emotion while maintaining craftsmanship and quality. As we navigate an increasingly AI-driven world, his insights on maintaining human connection and embodied experiences offer a compelling vision for how we might engage with technology without losing our essential humanity.

In this thought-provoking discussion, we explore:

• How scrolling behaviors mirror ancient meditation practices while serving opposite purposes
• The physiological conditioning created by notification sounds and their artistic reimagining
• Why maintaining the mind-body connection is crucial in an increasingly digital world
• How thermal imaging can reveal the warmth that transcends physical and cultural differences
• The balance between artistic curiosity and design discipline in creative work

This episode is an invitation to pause and reconsider our relationship with technology, to find spaces for mindfulness in our digital lives, and to recognize the human warmth that binds us despite our superficial differences.

Topics

00:30 - Introduction to Hojin Kang and his background

03:30 - Drawing inspiration from tradition and technology

06:50 - The parallel between prayer beads and social media scrolling

10:00 - The notification bell sculpture and our conditioned responses

15:00 - Technology's impact on our emotional and physiological states

18:40 - Art as observation rather than providing solutions

22:50 - Using technology as a tool while maintaining emancipation from it

28:00 - Cultivating curiosity about humanity above technology

33:00 - The importance of embodied experiences and physical creation

35:00 - "The Warmth That Binds Us" thermal imaging art project

41:20 - How thermal imagery removes visual markers of difference

44:00 - Balancing artistic expression with design discipline

49:20 - The importance of intrinsic motivation in creating meaningful work

Resources Mentioned

Please Wait (Digital Installation): https://www.hojinkang.com/please_wait/

Scrolling Prayer Beads (Sculpture):

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Get in touch: ben@poetsandthinkers.co

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Subscribe to Poets & Thinkers on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/poets-thinkers/id1799627484

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