Beyond One-Size-Fits-All: AI & the Future of Leadership Training with Sarah Touzani

Are you ready to explore the cutting edge of leadership development? In this insightful episode, we sit down with Sarah Touzani, founder of Waggle AI, to delve into how Artificial Intelligence (AI) is revolutionizing the way organizations cultivate their leaders. We're moving beyond the limitations of traditional, "one-size-fits-all" approaches and embracing a future where leadership training is personalized, data-driven, and profoundly effective.

The world of work is evolving at an unprecedented pace. AI is rapidly transforming how we learn, and its impact on leadership training is undeniable. Yet, many organizations are still hesitant to fully adopt these new technologies. Traditional leadership development often falls short, failing to address individual needs and the dynamic challenges of the modern workplace. Studies consistently reveal that companies struggle to create effective leadership pipelines, with a significant gap between current leadership capabilities and future needs.  

 

This is where AI steps in, offering the promise of tailored, data-driven development, capable of providing ongoing support, practice opportunities, and valuable feedback. But how do we harness the power of AI while retaining the essential human touch in leadership development?   

 

In this episode, Sarah Touzani shares her expertise and vision on this critical topic. Sarah's background is impressive, and her company, Lale, is at the forefront of this transformation, providing an AI co-pilot for people who manage people.   

 

We begin by exploring Sarah's journey and the inspiration behind Waggle. Sarah, who grew up in Morocco and studied in France, initially pursued finance, working in banking and insurance. However, her path took a turn when she joined an early-stage Fintech startup in London called CreditSpring. There, she faced the challenge of building a company culture and developing its people. This experience ignited her passion for addressing the widespread issue of ineffective management and leadership development.   

 

A key problem Sarah identified is that leadership development hasn't evolved with the times. Training methods remain rooted in outdated approaches, despite research from as far back as the 19th century demonstrating their ineffectiveness. This realization fueled her determination to find a better way.   

 

We discuss the shortcomings of traditional leadership training, recalling familiar scenarios of lengthy, impersonal training sessions and binders full of rarely used materials. These methods often fail to translate into real behavioral change and lack relevance to the day-to-day challenges faced by leaders.   

 

A central question we tackle is why these ineffective methods persist. Is it due to a lack of effort from HR, or has there simply been a lack of viable alternatives? Sarah argues that it's not laziness but a combination of factors, including the absence of effective solutions and a "content generation mindset" within the Learning and Development (L&D) space.   

 

Historically, training has focused on knowledge transfer, with limited emphasis on practical application and behavioral change. The rise of online learning has often simply replicated this model, replacing in-person lectures with videos. However, advances in behavioral science and AI now offer the potential to move beyond content consumption and drive real impact.   

 

We also address the importance of shifting the focus of L&D teams from content consumption to measurable impact on behavior and organizational outcomes. This requires a change in how success is measured, moving beyond completion rates to actual changes in leadership behaviors.   

 

The conversation then turns to the cost factor. Effective leadership development, with personalized coaching and ongoing support, has traditionally been expensive, limiting its accessibility to senior leaders. AI offers a solution to scale personalized development and make it available to a wider range of employees.   

 

We explore the role of AI coaching and its potential to complement or even replace human coaches. While AI can provide valuable feedback and support, the importance of human connection and trust in coaching relationships is also acknowledged. Lale's approach focuses on AI as a "co-pilot," providing self-awareness and feedback in the flow of work, enhancing but not necessarily replacing human coaching.   

 

Interestingly, we also discuss how different generations perceive and adopt AI. Younger generations may be more comfortable receiving feedback from AI, perceiving it as less judgmental and more objective.   

 

Crucially, we address the ethical considerations of using AI in leadership development, particularly concerning data privacy and bias. Sarah emphasizes the importance of data encryption, user data ownership, and the ability to control when AI is used. The inherent biases in AI, reflecting the biases of its creators and the data it's trained on, are also discussed.   

 

Finally, we paint an ideal picture of leadership development: one that is timely, personalized, safe, and encourages experimentation and learning from failure. We explore how Waggle's AI co-pilot aligns with this vision, providing actionable feedback on behaviors and meeting dynamics, fostering self-awareness, and promoting a culture of continuous improvement.   

 

This episode is a must-listen for HR professionals, business leaders, and anyone interested in the future of leadership and the transformative power of AI.

 

Highlights:

03:17 - Sarah's Background and the Genesis of Waggle

08:16 - The Problem with Traditional Leadership Training

11:55 - Why Hasn't Leadership Development Evolved?

21:15 - AI Coaching vs. Human Coaching

30:12 - AI and the Human Element in Leadership Development

35:32 - Addressing Biases in AI

41:55 - The Ideal Leadership Development Scenario

45:39 - How Waggle Works: AI as a Co-pilot

51:56 - Measuring Culture with AI

54:47 - AI in Physical Meetings

57:38 - The Importance of Knowing What You're Good At

59:25 - Actionable Feedback from AI