124: Geoff Woods — Leverage AI for Elite Thinking and Decision Making (The Ai-Driven Leader)

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May 29, 2025

Geoff Woods, author of The AI-Driven Leader and founder of AI Leadership, shares his insights on leveraging AI for strategic decision-making. He discusses the importance of asking the right questions and using AI as a thought partner rather than just a tool. Geoff illustrates how AI can simulate executive dynamics and enhance leadership effectiveness. He also highlights the lessons from Blockbuster's strategic missteps, emphasizing the need for innovation and adaptability in a technology-driven world.

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ANECDOTE

Mastering Skills and AI Pivot

Geoff Woods shared how a CEO's advice in college shaped his career focus on mastering valuable skills and asking the right questions.
This mindset led him to leverage AI for strategic growth, culminating in a significant market cap increase at Jindal Steel & Power.

INSIGHT

How to Build Your Personal AI Board for Game-Changing Strategic Decisions

Leaders can leverage AI as a strategic thought partner by crafting detailed prompts using the framework: Context, Role, Interview, Task.

Geoff Woods explains how he created AI boards simulating expert advisors, including historical figures and his future self, to generate innovative business models and strategic advice.

By making AI interview you — asking one question at a time to deepen understanding — you unlock AI's power to dig beneath surface answers and provide tailored, high-impact guidance.

This approach transcends simple task automation or basic Q&A, turning AI into a dynamic partner that accelerates strategic thinking and problem-solving, saving time and enhancing clarity.

Woods illustrates this with examples like restructuring complex business challenges and preparing for board meetings, demonstrating how AI can predict potential issues and simulate stakeholder reactions, reshaping leadership and decision-making.

ADVICE

Use AI to Interview Yourself

Use AI to strategically interview yourself by having it ask questions to uncover deeper context.
Frame AI prompts with context, role, interview, and task to get powerful insights and actionable results.

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Geoff Woods is the author of The AI-Driven Leader and the Founder of AI Leadership, where he empowers leaders to harness AI, escape operational overwhelm, and think strategically to accelerate growth.

AI Leadership is spearheaded by Geoff Woods, a visionary leader with a proven track record helping companies grow through strategic thinking and AI-driven solutions.

As the former Chief Growth Officer of Jindal Steel & Power, he drove market cap growth from $750M to $12B in four years through AI-driven leadership.

He also co-founded the training and consulting company behind The ONE Thing, where he coached and advised companies with annual revenues from $10 million to $60 billion.

In this conversation, Cal and Geoff explore the transformative potential of AI in leadership and decision-making. They discuss the importance of asking the right questions, mastering essential skills, and using AI as a strategic partner rather than just a tool. The dialogue highlights real-world applications of AI in business, including creating AI boards to simulate executive dynamics and enhance decision-making processes. The speakers emphasize the need for leaders to adapt to technological advancements and leverage AI to overcome significant challenges in their organizations. In this conversation, the speakers explore the transformative role of AI in leadership and decision-making. They discuss practical applications of AI in board meetings, presentation feedback, and strategic thinking. The importance of maintaining a thought leadership role while leveraging AI as a thought partner is emphasized, along with the need for leaders to adapt to the rapidly changing job landscape. The discussion also highlights lessons from Blockbuster's downfall and offers practical steps for leaders to integrate AI into their daily practices.

00:00 AI as a Strategic Partner for Leaders

07:23 Harnessing AI for Strategic Thinking

21:43 Creating AI Boards for Leadership

26:02 Real-World Applications of AI in Business

27:51 Simulating Reality: AI's Role in Predictive Analysis

29:03 Proactive AI Engagement: Preparing for Presentations

31:20 Thought Leadership vs. Thought Partnership

33:05 Building Your AI Board: A Personal Strategy

38:50 Strategic Thinking: Lessons from Blockbuster's Downfall

42:38 Practical Steps for Leaders: Using AI Effectively

45:04 Future Skills: Preparing for an AI-Driven World

49:52 Powerful Questions: Shaping Your Leadership Journey