On AIBiz, host Sayan interviews Daria Rudnik—team architect, executive coach, and author of Clicking—about the skills modern teams and leaders need to thrive with AI. We cover how to pair curiosity, collaborative intelligence, and emotional intelligence with automation; why “people management” is a myth and process management is the real leverage; how to prevent over-reliance on AI that kills engagement; and a practical blueprint for building high-trust, self-sufficient teams. If you care about AI, leadership, culture, and performance, this conversation is a clear, actionable playbook.
About the guest:
Daria Rudnik is a team architect and executive coach with 15+ years of global experience. She helps leaders build high-trust, self-sufficient teams and is the author of Clicking. Darya also created Aidra.ai, an AI-powered leadership thought partner.
Key takeaways:
About the guest:
Daria Rudnik is a team architect and executive coach with 15+ years of global experience. She helps leaders build high-trust, self-sufficient teams and is the author of Clicking. Darya also created Aidra.ai, an AI-powered leadership thought partner.
Key takeaways:
- Three core team skills for the AI era: a curious learning mindset, collaborative intelligence (what to delegate to AI vs. humans and how to verify outputs), and emotional intelligence to keep work human.
- People management is a myth; manage processes, not people. Use AI for task setting and tracking, but leaders must still build teams that connect, think, and own outcomes.
- Trust with AI is human-to-human. Be transparent about when AI is used, when it’s not (e.g., never for firing decisions), and how data is handled to reduce shadow AI use.
- Over-reliance risks: mindless copy-pasting AI outputs drains motivation and quality. Re-introduce team discussions to critique AI insights and restore ownership.
- Five pillars of “Clicking” teams:Clear Purpose, Linking Connections, Integrated Work, Collaborative Decisions, Knowledge Sharing & Feedback.
- Leaders: drop the hero cape. Build empowered, self-sufficient teams, protect your energy, and replace over-functioning with structured autonomy.
- Use AI as a thought partner, not a finish line. Insights aren’t impact until they’re implemented.
On this episode of AIBiz, Daria Rudnik, team architect and author of CLICKING, shares how leaders can build high-trust, self-sufficient teams in the AI era:
- Core team skills for AI — curiosity, collaborative intelligence (what to delegate to AI vs. humans), and emotional intelligence keep work human.
- Manage processes, not people — AI can handle tasks, but leaders must foster connection, ownership, and thoughtful decision-making.
- Trust and responsible AI use — transparency about AI usage, avoiding critical human decisions like firing, and reintroducing discussion to maintain engagement.
- The five pillars of “CLICKING” teams — Clear Purpose, Linking Connections, Integrated Work, Collaborative Decisions, Knowledge Sharing & Feedback.
- Leaders as enablers — drop the hero cape, empower teams, and use AI as a thought partner, not a replacement for human judgment.
Sayan
(0:07) Hey everyone, I am Sayan and you're listening to AI Biz, where leadership meets innovation. (0:14) If you've ever wondered how teams can stay human, creative and connected in a world increasingly (0:19) driven by AI, this conversation is for you. (0:22) Today I'm joined by Daria Rotnik, a team architect, executive coach and author of Clicking and (0:29) the AI Revolution.
(0:30) With over 15 years of global experience, Daria has been helping leaders build high-trust, (0:37) self-sufficient dreams that thrive in change, not drown in it. (0:41) So what I really admire about her approach is how she bridges two worlds, the precision (0:46) of technology and the depth of human connection. (0:48) Because let's be honest, in this AI era, efficiency is everywhere, but empathy? (0:53) Empathy is what gives it meaning.
(0:55) So if you've ever felt like your team is running fast but not aligned, or that AI might be (1:00) helping you but also overwhelming you, this conversation will definitely hit home. (1:04) So I welcome you, Daria Rodnik. (1:06) Welcome again to the show, Daria.
(1:07) It's an honor to have you here with us.
Daria Rudnik
(1:10) Thank you. (1:10) Thanks, Sayan.
(1:11) It's a pleasure to be here. (1:12) Thank you.
Sayan
(1:13) Awesome.
(1:14) Awesome. (1:14) So Daria, let me crack open the discussion with this perspective that in today's age (1:21) of AI, right, where we fear that it will replace a lot of humans from the job itself. (1:33) What are some of the core skills that you think teams must develop to remain effective (1:38) and innovative?
Daria Rudnik
(1:40) Well, that is a great and very timely question.
(1:43) Because when we see how AI evolves and how it enters the workplace, we see some trends. (1:49) Right. (1:50) Obviously, what we kind of thought, okay, AI will replace developers.
(1:54) No, it will not. (1:57) But there was a recent Harvard Business Review research done together with GitHub. (2:03) And they actually figured out that developers can do more.
(2:07) And maybe at some point, AI will replace some of the junior developers. (2:13) But what it can do is it can perform the work of a manager. (2:17) Right.
(2:18) Like all the project management staff, like task, goal setting, delegation, control. (2:24) And if managers, the only thing that they do is delegation and control, those people (2:29) will be replaced. (2:31) And they need to learn new skills.
(2:33) And those new skills is actually how they can, how the new leaders of the new AI-driven (2:39) world can help build human-centered teams, teams that are not falling into the cognitive (2:44) offloading space, that are engaged. (2:49) And well, I believe there are three main skills that are very important. (2:52) The first one is teams need to have a curious learning mindset to learn what's new there.
(2:58) What can we use? (3:00) What other tools are there? (3:01) Not just to jump from one tool to another, but to like broaden the perspective. (3:06) The second one is collaborative intelligence is to understand what is there that we delegate (3:12) to AI and what needs to stay with humans. (3:15) How we critically evaluate the AI outputs, how we like measure if it's correct or not, (3:22) how we keep thinking when AI tends to replace our brains.
(3:28) So that's collaborative intelligence. (3:29) And the third one is emotional intelligence. (3:33) How do we make sure we still are connected on a human level? (3:36) How can we make sure that we never delegate to AI something that needs to be done by humans? (3:42) The things that need emotional connections, things that need empathy.
(3:46) So these are the three main skills, and leaders of the new AI-driven world need to master (3:54) them and help their teams learn them and develop them.
Sayan
(3:59) Perfect. (4:01) That's an insightful answer from you, Daria.
(4:03) But I want to talk about the last thing that you mentioned about the emotional intelligence. (4:08) So we know this, right? (4:10) That AI is being used by a lot of companies in task delegation and stuff related to that. (4:18) But what I want to ask is, because management is also about people management, right? (4:25) There's this fine line of diplomacy that you bring in to your clients and teams.
(4:32) So I want to ask this contradictory question that, do you really think that AI can take (4:37) over this diplomacy part, you know, and the people management part, where a lot of people (4:44) would argue that we do need real people? (4:46) So what's your take on that?
Daria Rudnik
(4:49) Well, first of all, the more I work with people, like I used to be chief people officer, and (4:54) I worked a lot with people management, I trained people management. (4:58) But the more I work with that, the more I work with leaders and organizations, especially (5:03) in this ever-changing environment, the more I believe that people management is a myth. (5:08) I mean, you cannot manage people.
(5:10) We cannot manage ourselves. (5:12) I mean, it's so hard. (5:14) How can we manage other people? (5:16) No, we cannot.
(5:17) It's a myth. (5:18) What we can do is we can manage processes, and AI can definitely take the processes of (5:25) delegation, control, task setting, I don't know, clarification of the tasks, all the (5:31) things that AI can do. (5:34) What AI cannot do is that AI cannot take the process of building a great team.
(5:41) And that's why the book I recently published, The Clicking Book, is more important than (5:45) ever. (5:46) It's about how do you build teams, not how you control, how you set goals, how you delegate, (5:52) all that stuff. (5:53) No.
(5:53) What is it that you do as a manager to build teams that can collaborate with AI, that can (6:00) thrive within the change, that can produce amazing results and increase performance three (6:06) times, four times? (6:08) Well, these are the things I've seen, and I've helped teams develop because they managed (6:12) to build amazing teams. (6:14) So we cannot manage people, but we cannot manage processes. (6:18) And AI can do some of that, and some only humans can do.
Sayan
(6:22) Right. (6:22) That resonates a lot with me. (6:24) That's insightful.
(6:25) It reminds me that technology definitely does amplify, but human skill still remains the (6:32) core idea of building team, and it defines impact. (6:35) So it's fun because I have... (6:38) So I'm a musician, and if I have to plot it this way, it's like you have the best guitar (6:46) in the world, but you don't know how to play it. (6:48) So yeah, that's a beautiful perspective of how you frame that.
(6:52) That idea of amplification brings me to something you have pioneered yourself, your AI-powered (6:58) coach, AIDA.AI, which blends tech and leadership in a really unique way. (7:03) So Darya, you have created this tool, and I want to ask you this, that how can AI best (7:10) support leaders without replacing the human touch? (7:13) What's your take on this?
Daria Rudnik
(7:16) Well, I guess we're still learning, and we're still learning how to use AI, what's the best (7:20) way it can do? (7:22) When I was creating my AI coach, what I had in mind is, well, a tool that can help leaders (7:28) think. (7:29) I mean, it's still in development.
(7:30) It's still a work in progress, but the main idea is not that you go to this AI and ask (7:35) a question, get some result, and live happily ever after. (7:39) No, it's the process of using AI as your thought partner. (7:43) And I can give you an example of one of my clients using my still-in-development AI coach.
(7:49) She uploaded some information about her team. (7:52) She asked some questions about her team, and she got an action plan of what she can do (7:58) with her team based on what this AI coach can recommend her. (8:02) And the funny thing is that she felt happy, and she did nothing, because she had this (8:09) kind of dopamine of accomplishing a task.
(8:13) She has solved the problem. (8:15) She has solved the puzzle. (8:16) She has the solution.
(8:18) She had this conversation with AI, and it feels like it's done, which it's not. (8:23) And so I don't know whether it's AI can help us, or we need to be conscious about how we (8:28) interact with AI. (8:30) And the next step is not just reading AI output, but actually implementing and making this (8:35) first step.
Sayan
(8:37) Right. (8:38) Absolutely. (8:38) I love that.
(8:40) Essentially, what you said is, AI as an assistant, not a substitute, and it really just keeps (8:45) leadership both effective and human. (8:47) And that really ties me into something at the core of your philosophy, Daria, which (8:52) is trust. (8:55) And high trust teams are like the heart of your philosophy.
(9:00) And I want to know from you, because you're really the best person to ask this to, but (9:04) how does trust change when AI becomes part of the workflow? (9:09) How do I trust something that has not been there before, and now it suddenly is? (9:13) So we need to adapt to that. (9:17) How does that come into picture? (9:19) And what is the thought process of, say, an employee on day one, and then day 10? (9:25) So if you can share that.
Daria Rudnik
(9:30) I mean, eventually, we all trust humans.
(9:34) We don't trust or don't trust AI, because AI is just a tool. (9:38) We can trust humans who use AI, we can trust humans or not trust humans who created this (9:44) AI. (9:45) So when we talk about trust in the AI era, it's again, it's human to human trust.
(9:51) And there was recently a conversation about, okay, there's so many people using AI outside (9:57) of organizations, which is prohibited and risky and potentially. (10:02) But why are they doing that? (10:04) And one of the reasons is lack of trust. (10:07) It means that people either don't trust internal AI systems because they're not performing (10:13) that well, they trust external because they think they're better, or they don't trust (10:18) internal because they think the information they upload may be used against them.
(10:22) And that's why they use something else. (10:24) So building this trust in the AI era is a leadership task. (10:29) Leaders need to be transparent, how they use AI, why they use it, in what cases, in what (10:35) cases they will never use AI, like for example, we will never fire an employee with the help (10:40) of AI.
(10:41) That would be a great statement for any leader in any organization.
Sayan
(10:47) Yeah, and are there risks of over-resilience on AI that leaders should watch for? (10:54) So one thing that I have personally seen that, okay, so there are like, you know, early comers, (11:01) I can say so if I have a tool that I brought out for internal use for an organization, (11:06) there will be, let's say, if I have 100 employees, let's say I would have maybe 20 to 30, you (11:13) know, newcomers, early comers, whatever that you may state. (11:17) And then there are also like late comers that adopt into that workflow, but that is only (11:22) after they see the success of you know, the workflow that that human person has established (11:29) in their organization.
(11:31) So I want to, I want to question, and I want to know that, are there risks of over-resilience, (11:38) sorry, over-reliance on AI that leaders should watch for? (11:42)
Daria Rudnik
Absolutely. (11:43) Well, I was, I was, I was actually working with multiple teams, but one team like stands (11:48) out. (11:50) They, it's a customer success team, and they use AI to like enhance their processes.
(11:57) So what they basically did, and they had a conversation with a customer, they had a transcript, (12:01) they uploaded this transcript to their internal AI system, the transcript created some insights, (12:07) they took those insights, uploaded them to their CRM, without thinking, without critically (12:12) evaluating what's there, because they kind of looked it through, okay, it looks okay, (12:16) it looks normal. (12:16) Let's, let's put it out there. (12:18) And what actually happened is they became disengaged, they lost their motivation, I mean, they lost (12:24) their spark, because they were just automatically transferring data from one platform to another (12:30) without thinking, without, it wasn't their product, they were not part of the process.
(12:35) And that actually made them lose their motivation. (12:40) What we did instead is we reestablished their discussions and conversations when the team (12:46) got together and talked about insights they had with their customers first, and then used (12:53) AI outputs as kind of addition to what they thought and what they figured out. (12:58) Or whenever they had some AI outputs, again, they got together and discussed, is it really, (13:04) is it really true? (13:05) Is it what we want to implement? (13:07) How do we like, what's our feeling about that? (13:11) So when they started to discuss those AI outputs, they became more impatient, they get they (13:16) got the agency back.
(13:18) But you're absolutely right, there was a huge risk of over relying on AI, losing engagement. (13:23) And eventually losing performance.
Sayan
(13:26) Wow, that's very insightful.
(13:29) And, you know, I think a lot of people listening to this right now would realize that, yes, (13:35) we are relying too much on AI. (13:39) That really depends on you know, what work or what organization, what industry is the (13:43) organization in. (13:46) But so when you talk about motivation, right, because you just mentioned about motivation, (13:52) and I see, and I see that overloaded leaders often struggle with burnout, right? (14:01) So what strategies do you think would help them lead effectively, while staying energized, (14:09) you know, I mean, if some, if some companies like, like you said, the transcript one, right? (14:15) So if, if I'm just, you know, moving data from one place to another, without even, you (14:19) know, proofreading it or doing my due diligence, how can I as a leader encourage my team to (14:27) use AI and still be on the right track?
Daria Rudnik
(14:31) Well, you're so right, I mean, leaders are overloaded.
(14:35) People are overloaded, people are tired, leaders are tired because of the multiple demands (14:38) and changes happening in the world and economic downtown. (14:42) And again, this AI, no one figures out how to use it right. (14:45) But there was one thing I see many leaders struggle with, and the one mistake many good and well-intentioned (14:52) leaders make is that they take too much from their team.
(14:57) They kind of think, OK, I want to protect my team. (15:00) I want to make all the decisions. (15:02) I want to discuss all the mistakes.
(15:03) I want to handle all the stakeholder conversations on behalf of my team, because I want to protect them (15:09) because they're tired, overloaded and things like that. (15:12) What actually happens instead is when you do that, you, again, you burn out yourself. (15:18) You as a leader become too overloaded, like falling into a burnout state.
(15:24) And your team members, it's not helping your team. (15:26) Team members become disengaged. (15:29) They're losing their empowerment.
(15:31) They're losing the agency. (15:33) They're, again, they're not babies. (15:35) They're grown-ups and they can make decisions.
(15:37) They can be responsible for their mistakes. (15:40) So that's why I wrote my book about, like, clicking, but how leaders can build strong teams based on the (15:47) five major pillars. (15:48) And the first one is clear purpose.
(15:50) So why are you here together? (15:52) Why are you here as a team? (15:54) What's your main purpose? (15:56) Linking connections, how you are connected within the team, how the team is connected to the broader (16:02) organization. (16:03) Integrated work, how you work together as a team. (16:06) What are your team norms? (16:08) Collaborative decisions.
(16:09) Who makes what decisions? (16:11) Some decisions are made by a leader. (16:13) Some decisions can be made by team members. (16:15) Some decisions can be made collectively and some individually.
(16:19) And finally, knowledge sharing and feedback. (16:21) Like, how do you learn together? (16:24) How do you get feedback? (16:25) How do you give feedback? (16:26) So those five pillars, clear purpose, linking connections, integrated work, collaborative decisions, (16:32) and knowledge sharing, that's what really makes your team click.
Sayan
(16:37) Right, right.
(16:39) I resonate with that. (16:40) And so, Darya, at the very start of the conversation, we talked about, you know, the core skills (16:48) that a team member should have to, you know, to sustain in this era of AI. (16:54) And I want to close the conversation today with one last question, that is, what..So we talked about, you know, team members on our first question, and I want to close (17:07) this with, what mindset do you think leaders should adopt to prepare both their teams and (17:13) themselves for the future?
Daria Rudnik
(17:15) I love... (17:16) I mean, I love that question.
(17:17) And the main idea is that the era of heroic leadership is gone. (17:21) You as a leader don't need to save anyone. (17:24) It's now time for empowered teams.
(17:26) In this era, when everything is changing so fast, when there's so many disruptions, and (17:31) there's so many things you need to learn, like, on the spot, like, while you're going, (17:35) only teams can, like, can bring real value. (17:39) So stop trying to save everyone. (17:41) Stop trying to be a hero.
(17:43) Invest in your team. (17:44) Build an empowerment, self-sufficient teams.
Sayan
(17:49) That perspective, it resonates, like how you said, you know, true leadership now is about (17:55) curiosity, resilience, and, you know, guided empowerment.
(17:59) And I think of it like surfing, like mastery helps, but adaptability keeps you on the boat (18:04) when the wave suddenly changes direction. (18:07) That was amazing, Daria. (18:09) And I want to ask this on behalf of all the listeners listening to this episode right(18:14) now.(18:14) What's the best way to reach out to you?
Daria Rudnik
(18:16) Well, thanks for the question. (18:18) I'm very open to connecting on LinkedIn, reach out to me on LinkedIn, send me a message. (18:23) You can also reach out to me on my website, DariaRudnik.com. (18:26) And obviously, you can read my book.
(18:27) It's on Amazon, on every, like, Amazon site. (18:30) It has lots of actionable advice and tools that will make your team more efficient, self-sufficient.
Sayan
(18:38) Perfect.
(18:39) Dear listeners, I'll have all the details in the show notes, so you can check them out (18:43) anytime at your own convenience. (18:46) And with that, unfortunately, we come to an end of today's discussion with Daria Rudnik, (18:52) who is a true reminder that future of leadership isn't just about AI. (18:56) It's about A and I, which is awareness and intention.
(19:01) I am Sayan, and you have been listening to AIViz. (19:03) If today's episode struck a chord, here are a few takeaways to carry with you. (19:08) First, amplify.
(19:09) Don't just outsource. (19:10) Let AI enhance your intuition and not just replace it. (19:15) Second, build trust both ways, between people and with the systems they use.
(19:21) And lastly, you need to protect your energy. (19:24) It's about burnout that can't be automated away, but it needs to be banished with mindfulness (19:30) and balance. (19:32) Because, at the end of the day, technology can make you faster, but only humanity makes (19:36) you better.
(19:37) I'm Sayan, and you're listening to AIViz, and I'm signing off for today. (19:40) Until next time, keep learning, keep leading, and remember, the future belongs to those (19:44) who stay curious and connected. (19:46) Thank you.
Daria Rudnik
(19:48) Thank you.
(0:07) Hey everyone, I am Sayan and you're listening to AI Biz, where leadership meets innovation. (0:14) If you've ever wondered how teams can stay human, creative and connected in a world increasingly (0:19) driven by AI, this conversation is for you. (0:22) Today I'm joined by Daria Rotnik, a team architect, executive coach and author of Clicking and (0:29) the AI Revolution.
(0:30) With over 15 years of global experience, Daria has been helping leaders build high-trust, (0:37) self-sufficient dreams that thrive in change, not drown in it. (0:41) So what I really admire about her approach is how she bridges two worlds, the precision (0:46) of technology and the depth of human connection. (0:48) Because let's be honest, in this AI era, efficiency is everywhere, but empathy? (0:53) Empathy is what gives it meaning.
(0:55) So if you've ever felt like your team is running fast but not aligned, or that AI might be (1:00) helping you but also overwhelming you, this conversation will definitely hit home. (1:04) So I welcome you, Daria Rodnik. (1:06) Welcome again to the show, Daria.
(1:07) It's an honor to have you here with us.
Daria Rudnik
(1:10) Thank you. (1:10) Thanks, Sayan.
(1:11) It's a pleasure to be here. (1:12) Thank you.
Sayan
(1:13) Awesome.
(1:14) Awesome. (1:14) So Daria, let me crack open the discussion with this perspective that in today's age (1:21) of AI, right, where we fear that it will replace a lot of humans from the job itself. (1:33) What are some of the core skills that you think teams must develop to remain effective (1:38) and innovative?
Daria Rudnik
(1:40) Well, that is a great and very timely question.
(1:43) Because when we see how AI evolves and how it enters the workplace, we see some trends. (1:49) Right. (1:50) Obviously, what we kind of thought, okay, AI will replace developers.
(1:54) No, it will not. (1:57) But there was a recent Harvard Business Review research done together with GitHub. (2:03) And they actually figured out that developers can do more.
(2:07) And maybe at some point, AI will replace some of the junior developers. (2:13) But what it can do is it can perform the work of a manager. (2:17) Right.
(2:18) Like all the project management staff, like task, goal setting, delegation, control. (2:24) And if managers, the only thing that they do is delegation and control, those people (2:29) will be replaced. (2:31) And they need to learn new skills.
(2:33) And those new skills is actually how they can, how the new leaders of the new AI-driven (2:39) world can help build human-centered teams, teams that are not falling into the cognitive (2:44) offloading space, that are engaged. (2:49) And well, I believe there are three main skills that are very important. (2:52) The first one is teams need to have a curious learning mindset to learn what's new there.
(2:58) What can we use? (3:00) What other tools are there? (3:01) Not just to jump from one tool to another, but to like broaden the perspective. (3:06) The second one is collaborative intelligence is to understand what is there that we delegate (3:12) to AI and what needs to stay with humans. (3:15) How we critically evaluate the AI outputs, how we like measure if it's correct or not, (3:22) how we keep thinking when AI tends to replace our brains.
(3:28) So that's collaborative intelligence. (3:29) And the third one is emotional intelligence. (3:33) How do we make sure we still are connected on a human level? (3:36) How can we make sure that we never delegate to AI something that needs to be done by humans? (3:42) The things that need emotional connections, things that need empathy.
(3:46) So these are the three main skills, and leaders of the new AI-driven world need to master (3:54) them and help their teams learn them and develop them.
Sayan
(3:59) Perfect. (4:01) That's an insightful answer from you, Daria.
(4:03) But I want to talk about the last thing that you mentioned about the emotional intelligence. (4:08) So we know this, right? (4:10) That AI is being used by a lot of companies in task delegation and stuff related to that. (4:18) But what I want to ask is, because management is also about people management, right? (4:25) There's this fine line of diplomacy that you bring in to your clients and teams.
(4:32) So I want to ask this contradictory question that, do you really think that AI can take (4:37) over this diplomacy part, you know, and the people management part, where a lot of people (4:44) would argue that we do need real people? (4:46) So what's your take on that?
Daria Rudnik
(4:49) Well, first of all, the more I work with people, like I used to be chief people officer, and (4:54) I worked a lot with people management, I trained people management. (4:58) But the more I work with that, the more I work with leaders and organizations, especially (5:03) in this ever-changing environment, the more I believe that people management is a myth. (5:08) I mean, you cannot manage people.
(5:10) We cannot manage ourselves. (5:12) I mean, it's so hard. (5:14) How can we manage other people? (5:16) No, we cannot.
(5:17) It's a myth. (5:18) What we can do is we can manage processes, and AI can definitely take the processes of (5:25) delegation, control, task setting, I don't know, clarification of the tasks, all the (5:31) things that AI can do. (5:34) What AI cannot do is that AI cannot take the process of building a great team.
(5:41) And that's why the book I recently published, The Clicking Book, is more important than (5:45) ever. (5:46) It's about how do you build teams, not how you control, how you set goals, how you delegate, (5:52) all that stuff. (5:53) No.
(5:53) What is it that you do as a manager to build teams that can collaborate with AI, that can (6:00) thrive within the change, that can produce amazing results and increase performance three (6:06) times, four times? (6:08) Well, these are the things I've seen, and I've helped teams develop because they managed (6:12) to build amazing teams. (6:14) So we cannot manage people, but we cannot manage processes. (6:18) And AI can do some of that, and some only humans can do.
Sayan
(6:22) Right. (6:22) That resonates a lot with me. (6:24) That's insightful.
(6:25) It reminds me that technology definitely does amplify, but human skill still remains the (6:32) core idea of building team, and it defines impact. (6:35) So it's fun because I have... (6:38) So I'm a musician, and if I have to plot it this way, it's like you have the best guitar (6:46) in the world, but you don't know how to play it. (6:48) So yeah, that's a beautiful perspective of how you frame that.
(6:52) That idea of amplification brings me to something you have pioneered yourself, your AI-powered (6:58) coach, AIDA.AI, which blends tech and leadership in a really unique way. (7:03) So Darya, you have created this tool, and I want to ask you this, that how can AI best (7:10) support leaders without replacing the human touch? (7:13) What's your take on this?
Daria Rudnik
(7:16) Well, I guess we're still learning, and we're still learning how to use AI, what's the best (7:20) way it can do? (7:22) When I was creating my AI coach, what I had in mind is, well, a tool that can help leaders (7:28) think. (7:29) I mean, it's still in development.
(7:30) It's still a work in progress, but the main idea is not that you go to this AI and ask (7:35) a question, get some result, and live happily ever after. (7:39) No, it's the process of using AI as your thought partner. (7:43) And I can give you an example of one of my clients using my still-in-development AI coach.
(7:49) She uploaded some information about her team. (7:52) She asked some questions about her team, and she got an action plan of what she can do (7:58) with her team based on what this AI coach can recommend her. (8:02) And the funny thing is that she felt happy, and she did nothing, because she had this (8:09) kind of dopamine of accomplishing a task.
(8:13) She has solved the problem. (8:15) She has solved the puzzle. (8:16) She has the solution.
(8:18) She had this conversation with AI, and it feels like it's done, which it's not. (8:23) And so I don't know whether it's AI can help us, or we need to be conscious about how we (8:28) interact with AI. (8:30) And the next step is not just reading AI output, but actually implementing and making this (8:35) first step.
Sayan
(8:37) Right. (8:38) Absolutely. (8:38) I love that.
(8:40) Essentially, what you said is, AI as an assistant, not a substitute, and it really just keeps (8:45) leadership both effective and human. (8:47) And that really ties me into something at the core of your philosophy, Daria, which (8:52) is trust. (8:55) And high trust teams are like the heart of your philosophy.
(9:00) And I want to know from you, because you're really the best person to ask this to, but (9:04) how does trust change when AI becomes part of the workflow? (9:09) How do I trust something that has not been there before, and now it suddenly is? (9:13) So we need to adapt to that. (9:17) How does that come into picture? (9:19) And what is the thought process of, say, an employee on day one, and then day 10? (9:25) So if you can share that.
Daria Rudnik
(9:30) I mean, eventually, we all trust humans.
(9:34) We don't trust or don't trust AI, because AI is just a tool. (9:38) We can trust humans who use AI, we can trust humans or not trust humans who created this (9:44) AI. (9:45) So when we talk about trust in the AI era, it's again, it's human to human trust.
(9:51) And there was recently a conversation about, okay, there's so many people using AI outside (9:57) of organizations, which is prohibited and risky and potentially. (10:02) But why are they doing that? (10:04) And one of the reasons is lack of trust. (10:07) It means that people either don't trust internal AI systems because they're not performing (10:13) that well, they trust external because they think they're better, or they don't trust (10:18) internal because they think the information they upload may be used against them.
(10:22) And that's why they use something else. (10:24) So building this trust in the AI era is a leadership task. (10:29) Leaders need to be transparent, how they use AI, why they use it, in what cases, in what (10:35) cases they will never use AI, like for example, we will never fire an employee with the help (10:40) of AI.
(10:41) That would be a great statement for any leader in any organization.
Sayan
(10:47) Yeah, and are there risks of over-resilience on AI that leaders should watch for? (10:54) So one thing that I have personally seen that, okay, so there are like, you know, early comers, (11:01) I can say so if I have a tool that I brought out for internal use for an organization, (11:06) there will be, let's say, if I have 100 employees, let's say I would have maybe 20 to 30, you (11:13) know, newcomers, early comers, whatever that you may state. (11:17) And then there are also like late comers that adopt into that workflow, but that is only (11:22) after they see the success of you know, the workflow that that human person has established (11:29) in their organization.
(11:31) So I want to, I want to question, and I want to know that, are there risks of over-resilience, (11:38) sorry, over-reliance on AI that leaders should watch for? (11:42)
Daria Rudnik
Absolutely. (11:43) Well, I was, I was, I was actually working with multiple teams, but one team like stands (11:48) out. (11:50) They, it's a customer success team, and they use AI to like enhance their processes.
(11:57) So what they basically did, and they had a conversation with a customer, they had a transcript, (12:01) they uploaded this transcript to their internal AI system, the transcript created some insights, (12:07) they took those insights, uploaded them to their CRM, without thinking, without critically (12:12) evaluating what's there, because they kind of looked it through, okay, it looks okay, (12:16) it looks normal. (12:16) Let's, let's put it out there. (12:18) And what actually happened is they became disengaged, they lost their motivation, I mean, they lost (12:24) their spark, because they were just automatically transferring data from one platform to another (12:30) without thinking, without, it wasn't their product, they were not part of the process.
(12:35) And that actually made them lose their motivation. (12:40) What we did instead is we reestablished their discussions and conversations when the team (12:46) got together and talked about insights they had with their customers first, and then used (12:53) AI outputs as kind of addition to what they thought and what they figured out. (12:58) Or whenever they had some AI outputs, again, they got together and discussed, is it really, (13:04) is it really true? (13:05) Is it what we want to implement? (13:07) How do we like, what's our feeling about that? (13:11) So when they started to discuss those AI outputs, they became more impatient, they get they (13:16) got the agency back.
(13:18) But you're absolutely right, there was a huge risk of over relying on AI, losing engagement. (13:23) And eventually losing performance.
Sayan
(13:26) Wow, that's very insightful.
(13:29) And, you know, I think a lot of people listening to this right now would realize that, yes, (13:35) we are relying too much on AI. (13:39) That really depends on you know, what work or what organization, what industry is the (13:43) organization in. (13:46) But so when you talk about motivation, right, because you just mentioned about motivation, (13:52) and I see, and I see that overloaded leaders often struggle with burnout, right? (14:01) So what strategies do you think would help them lead effectively, while staying energized, (14:09) you know, I mean, if some, if some companies like, like you said, the transcript one, right? (14:15) So if, if I'm just, you know, moving data from one place to another, without even, you (14:19) know, proofreading it or doing my due diligence, how can I as a leader encourage my team to (14:27) use AI and still be on the right track?
Daria Rudnik
(14:31) Well, you're so right, I mean, leaders are overloaded.
(14:35) People are overloaded, people are tired, leaders are tired because of the multiple demands (14:38) and changes happening in the world and economic downtown. (14:42) And again, this AI, no one figures out how to use it right. (14:45) But there was one thing I see many leaders struggle with, and the one mistake many good and well-intentioned (14:52) leaders make is that they take too much from their team.
(14:57) They kind of think, OK, I want to protect my team. (15:00) I want to make all the decisions. (15:02) I want to discuss all the mistakes.
(15:03) I want to handle all the stakeholder conversations on behalf of my team, because I want to protect them (15:09) because they're tired, overloaded and things like that. (15:12) What actually happens instead is when you do that, you, again, you burn out yourself. (15:18) You as a leader become too overloaded, like falling into a burnout state.
(15:24) And your team members, it's not helping your team. (15:26) Team members become disengaged. (15:29) They're losing their empowerment.
(15:31) They're losing the agency. (15:33) They're, again, they're not babies. (15:35) They're grown-ups and they can make decisions.
(15:37) They can be responsible for their mistakes. (15:40) So that's why I wrote my book about, like, clicking, but how leaders can build strong teams based on the (15:47) five major pillars. (15:48) And the first one is clear purpose.
(15:50) So why are you here together? (15:52) Why are you here as a team? (15:54) What's your main purpose? (15:56) Linking connections, how you are connected within the team, how the team is connected to the broader (16:02) organization. (16:03) Integrated work, how you work together as a team. (16:06) What are your team norms? (16:08) Collaborative decisions.
(16:09) Who makes what decisions? (16:11) Some decisions are made by a leader. (16:13) Some decisions can be made by team members. (16:15) Some decisions can be made collectively and some individually.
(16:19) And finally, knowledge sharing and feedback. (16:21) Like, how do you learn together? (16:24) How do you get feedback? (16:25) How do you give feedback? (16:26) So those five pillars, clear purpose, linking connections, integrated work, collaborative decisions, (16:32) and knowledge sharing, that's what really makes your team click.
Sayan
(16:37) Right, right.
(16:39) I resonate with that. (16:40) And so, Darya, at the very start of the conversation, we talked about, you know, the core skills (16:48) that a team member should have to, you know, to sustain in this era of AI. (16:54) And I want to close the conversation today with one last question, that is, what..So we talked about, you know, team members on our first question, and I want to close (17:07) this with, what mindset do you think leaders should adopt to prepare both their teams and (17:13) themselves for the future?
Daria Rudnik
(17:15) I love... (17:16) I mean, I love that question.
(17:17) And the main idea is that the era of heroic leadership is gone. (17:21) You as a leader don't need to save anyone. (17:24) It's now time for empowered teams.
(17:26) In this era, when everything is changing so fast, when there's so many disruptions, and (17:31) there's so many things you need to learn, like, on the spot, like, while you're going, (17:35) only teams can, like, can bring real value. (17:39) So stop trying to save everyone. (17:41) Stop trying to be a hero.
(17:43) Invest in your team. (17:44) Build an empowerment, self-sufficient teams.
Sayan
(17:49) That perspective, it resonates, like how you said, you know, true leadership now is about (17:55) curiosity, resilience, and, you know, guided empowerment.
(17:59) And I think of it like surfing, like mastery helps, but adaptability keeps you on the boat (18:04) when the wave suddenly changes direction. (18:07) That was amazing, Daria. (18:09) And I want to ask this on behalf of all the listeners listening to this episode right(18:14) now.(18:14) What's the best way to reach out to you?
Daria Rudnik
(18:16) Well, thanks for the question. (18:18) I'm very open to connecting on LinkedIn, reach out to me on LinkedIn, send me a message. (18:23) You can also reach out to me on my website, DariaRudnik.com. (18:26) And obviously, you can read my book.
(18:27) It's on Amazon, on every, like, Amazon site. (18:30) It has lots of actionable advice and tools that will make your team more efficient, self-sufficient.
Sayan
(18:38) Perfect.
(18:39) Dear listeners, I'll have all the details in the show notes, so you can check them out (18:43) anytime at your own convenience. (18:46) And with that, unfortunately, we come to an end of today's discussion with Daria Rudnik, (18:52) who is a true reminder that future of leadership isn't just about AI. (18:56) It's about A and I, which is awareness and intention.
(19:01) I am Sayan, and you have been listening to AIViz. (19:03) If today's episode struck a chord, here are a few takeaways to carry with you. (19:08) First, amplify.
(19:09) Don't just outsource. (19:10) Let AI enhance your intuition and not just replace it. (19:15) Second, build trust both ways, between people and with the systems they use.
(19:21) And lastly, you need to protect your energy. (19:24) It's about burnout that can't be automated away, but it needs to be banished with mindfulness (19:30) and balance. (19:32) Because, at the end of the day, technology can make you faster, but only humanity makes (19:36) you better.
(19:37) I'm Sayan, and you're listening to AIViz, and I'm signing off for today. (19:40) Until next time, keep learning, keep leading, and remember, the future belongs to those (19:44) who stay curious and connected. (19:46) Thank you.
Daria Rudnik
(19:48) Thank you.