In this Brandon Hall Group™ 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’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.
Key Discussion Points:
- Why Leadership Transformation Is Urgent: The pace of business disruption — from shifting political environments and trade dynamics to accelerating AI adoption — has rendered traditional leadership models insufficient. The need to rethink executive leadership is no longer aspirational; it’s an immediate, organization-wide imperative that must happen at scale.
- The Five Critical Leadership Shifts: 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.
- What Makes This Framework Different: Unlike static competency models, BTS’s Future-Ready Executive Framework is intentionally evolving and provocative — designed to spark meaningful conversation within organizations rather than prescribe a one-size-fits-all solution. It’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.
- Judgment, Curiosity, and Humility as Core Human Qualities: As AI extends access to “superhuman intelligence,” the most essential executive capabilities become distinctly human — 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.
- Navigating the Human-AI Balance: 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 — as evidenced by organizations already merging Chief People Officer and Chief Technology Officer roles.
- Practical Application of the Framework: 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 — starting with the client’s unique challenges, identifying the one or two shifts most relevant to their organization, and building toward observable, measurable behaviors.
- Advice for Overwhelmed Leaders — Just Start: 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’t wait for certainty that isn’t coming. Organizations that are thriving are those running performance and experimentation in parallel — not waiting to reinvent everything at once.
The conversation makes clear that the future of leadership is not about having all the answers — it’s about asking better questions, staying curious, and having the courage and humility to lead through what’s unknown. Sarah and Lisa’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.
Social Media Handles
BTS:
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/bts/
- Website: https://www.bts.com/
Sarah Woods:
Lisa Sprenkle:
