PL 
What does it take to be a future-ready leader? Imagine standing at the helm of a ship—one you’ve captained for decades. The stars you used to navigate by have shifted. The maps no longer match the waters. Your crew looks to you, but you too are scanning the horizon for meaning, not just data. This is what it means to be AI-savvy leaders in the age of AI.
AI-savvy executives
We often talk about AI as a tool. But for many leaders, it’s a mirror—and sometimes a magnifying glass. It surfaces our resistance to change, our fear of obsolescence, and the cognitive dissonance that comes with knowing we must evolve while holding onto what makes us human.
According to the World Economic Forum’s 2023 “Future of Jobs” report, the most essential skills for 2030 are not technological. They are psychological, relational, and deeply human:
- Analytical thinking and innovation
- Active learning and curiosity
- Resilience, flexibility and agility
- Leadership and social influence
- Systems thinking and cognitive flexibility
- Empathy and emotional intelligence
These aren’t traits you’re either born with or not. They’re muscles—built through discomfort, repetition, and reflection. And often, that process feels anything but elegant. It’s messy. Uncertain. And profoundly necessary.
I know this, because I’ve lived it.
From navigating Poland’s turbulent economic shift in the 1990s, to rebuilding my career from scratch in the UK, to guiding leaders across Europe, Asia and the Middle East, I’ve learned that successful reinvention requires more than skills. It requires permission to be unfinished, and a structured way to grow.
Coaching in the AI era
Today, I help leaders do just that. I’ve designed executive programmes that nurture:
- Ethical decision-making when data alone isn’t enough
- Adaptive learning systems that prevent stagnation
- Reflective leadership practices that sustain teams under pressure
- Cross-cultural fluency in a global economy
- Coaching relationships that unlock growth without fostering dependence
As a certified DISC and MAPP consultant, I use behavioural analytics to help my clients understand how they lead—and why they resist. Together, we surface blind spots, align personal values with strategic direction, and build sustainable leadership habits.
What leaders struggle with most isn’t AI. It’s the fear of not knowing how to stay relevant. Of appearing incompetent after decades of mastery. Of navigating ambiguity while others demand certainty. This is cognitive dissonance—and it’s profoundly human.
My work is about making that dissonance bearable. Nameable. Navigable.
The AI-savvy executive doesn’t just use AI—they become architects of trust in an age of uncertainty.
If you feel like the ground is shifting beneath you, you’re not alone. Let’s walk that edge together—anchored in insight, fuelled by curiosity, and supported by a coach who’s sailed these waters before. Contact me: beata.staszkow@mentoreu.com
