03/26/2026
Up at the ranch, an executive and I were doing an exercise with a horse. The executive reached out to touch the horses forehead in a greeting, and the horse turned away.
He laughed and said, “I think I’m trying too hard to get her to like me.”
We paused. He reset. Took a breath. Let that go.
When he walked back, she lowered her head and welcomed him.
Nothing about the task changed.
But the interaction did.
I’ve been thinking about that moment a lot lately.
Especially as AI becomes more embedded in how we work.
Because the edge I’m seeing with leaders right now isn’t just technical.
It’s how they show up and how that shapes communication in real time.
What AI Can’t Teach Leaders. AI can process information. But it can’t replace a leader’s ability to navigate what’s happening between people in real time. These aren’t just human skills. They’re relational, and you can see them clearly in how others, including animals, respond.
