The Chief of Staff Podcast Finding Your Inner Compass: How Chiefs of Staff Can Lead with Purpose in the Age of AI
Jan 21, 2026
Carl Miller, co-founder of The Purpose Project, and Michaela Zukova, former Chief of Staff and COO, delve into how AI can facilitate self-discovery for leaders. They discuss why slowing down is crucial for competitive advantage and highlight the importance of personal alignment for high performance. The pair explore using AI for meaningful team communication and decision clarity, plus the transformative power of group reflection and somatic practices. They emphasize that purpose-driven leadership enhances team capacity and reduces chaos.
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AI As A Mirror For Self-Knowledge
- AI can become a reflective mirror that helps leaders calibrate against their personal truth and inner compass.
- Carl and Michaela argue that self-knowledge enables sovereign decision-making and more authentic leadership.
Slow Down Before You Deploy AI
- Slow down and assess alignment before deploying AI into a misaligned organization.
- Michaela warns that AI will amplify existing misalignment rather than fix it.
Inner Compass Builds Trust And Clarity
- Building an inner work compass increases trust and clarity about how to show up at work.
- Small cohorts using AI and group validation accelerate that trust and learning.
