Joe Atkinson: Leading AI Transformation Without Leaving People Behind

FranklinCovey On Leadership

FranklinCovey

Business, Management

4.6 • 215 Ratings

🗓️ 28 April 2026

⏱️ 31 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

AI transformation is moving faster than any prior technology shift, but Joe Atkinson argues the real challenge isn’t technical—it’s human. Drawing on his experience leading AI strategy at PwC, Atkinson explains why empathy, listening, and clarity are now core leadership capabilities, not soft skills. He outlines how leaders must balance speed with trust, avoid over-reliance on consensus, and invest in continuous learning to keep pace with change. The conversation also explores why most organizations struggle to capture ROI from AI—and what top performers do differently. Ultimately, leadership determines whether AI becomes a productivity tool or a true driver of transformation. Listen to explore how to lead through disruption while building capability, confidence, and performance. FranklinCovey’s world-class learning solutions—delivered Live-Online, On Demand, or Live In-Person—are designed to build exceptional leadership skills and enrich your culture at every level of your organization. To learn more, email us at info@franklincovey.com, visit franklincovey.com, or call us at: 1-888-868-1776

Transcript

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0:00.0	How do you actually gather what the perspectives are of the team?
0:03.0	We've said over the years, you know, been involved in different digital transformation journeys over the last 30 years,
0:09.0	we've said time and time again that it's not about the technology, that it's actually about how you bring organizations and people around.
0:15.0	And that is true in this moment as well.
0:17.0	But one of the big differences is this technology is moving faster than anything we've seen before.
0:21.5	That is not hyperbole.
0:22.6	That's just fact.
0:24.2	And so if you're looking at the speed and you're not listening to how that's landing on your people every day, then you're missing something.
0:32.0	And that connectivity, that empathy, I think is incredibly important.
0:35.7	And then the other fundamentals matter.
0:55.2	What's the vision? What direction are we going in? Do people understand the strategy? Are you communicating with them regularly about what that looks like? And the last piece, which connects, I think, all of those dots is that there will be changes in organizations. There are tasks and roles and responsibilities today that are done by humans and people that are going to be much better performed by models and are already, in many cases, better
0:59.8	performed by models and AI and technology.
1:06.0	Welcome to Franklin Covey's On Leadership. I'm your host, Jennifer Colisemo.
1:12.7	On Leadership provides insight to our listeners through discussions with senior leaders, thought leaders,
1:19.2	practitioners with earned experience, all focused on the human side of strategy and transformation.
1:26.5	Our guest today is at the center of AI transformation.
1:31.1	Joe Atkinson is the global chief AI officer at PWC, where he is currently leading 360,000
1:39.4	people into the future of work with AI. Joe is living and leading through a question
1:45.4	senior leaders and executives around the globe are asking,
1:49.4	how do we lead through this transformation
1:52.0	and amplify human potential?
1:54.7	Hello, Joe, and welcome to On Leadership.
	...

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