Executive coach Amy Williams joins the GCS Connect Leaders Series to unpack what modern leadership really takes in hybrid teams and an AI-driven market. You’ll hear why psychological safety is the lever for trust, truth, and faster problem-solving; how to respond to Gen Z’s declining interest in leadership; and why hiring for attributes and values beats chasing short-term skills. Amy shares practical tactics to move from command-and-control to outcome-based leadership, measure what’s hard to measure (engagement and mastery), and model the behaviours you want, right down to a simple “no-complaint” challenge. The conversation also covers AI’s real impact on the human side of work and how leaders can stay intentional instead of running on autopilot.
What you’ll learn:
Timestamps
00:00 – Welcome, context, and what this episode tackles
01:20 – Meet Amy Williams: executive coaching, neuroscience, and EQ in leadership
04:10 – Why performance issues often start with the manager, not the IC
07:45 – Psychological safety > trust > truth > problem-solving
12:00 – Command-and-control is fading: leading hybrid and distributed teams
15:10 – Gen Z reality: 70% prefer IC roles—what leaders should do now
19:00 – Adapt like a chameleon: personal power vs. positional power
23:05 – Hybrid vs. office: pick a model, commit, and hire to it
27:20 – Hire for attributes and values; avoid the “toxic top performer” trap
31:50 – Measuring what matters: results, mastery, and psychological safety
37:30 – Coaching beats “do more”: building skill and honest conversations
42:15 – AI’s impact: three leader mindsets and why EQ still wins
47:40 – The seven-day no-complaint challenge and modelling behaviours
51:30 – Supporting women in leadership and Amy’s purpose-driven work
54:45 – How to connect with Amy and closing thoughts