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In a time when shouting often drowns out speaking, Emily Kasriel wants us to rediscover a fading superpower: the ability to truly listen. Drawing on her experience as a longtime BBC journalist, mediator, and executive coach, Emily joins FUTUREPROOF. to discuss her new book Deep Listening, a transformative guide for better conversations, stronger relationships, and healthier communities.

We explore her eight-step method for listening with intention, how to defuse conflict without giving up your values, and why silence, curiosity, and discomfort are the keys to unlocking connection. Whether you're navigating workplace dynamics, political disagreements, or parenting in the digital age, this episode is a roadmap for showing up—and tuning in—more fully.

Topics Discussed:

• How to listen to someone you fundamentally disagree with
• What deep listening looks like in a leadership or corporate setting
• The role of silence and curiosity in difficult conversations
• How deep listening builds trust, reduces burnout, and strengthens teams
• Tactics for navigating polarized environments with empathy

Resources:

• Deep Listening: Transform Your Relationships with Family, Friends and Foes by Emily Kasriel
• Learn more at EmilyKasriel.com
• Follow Emily on LinkedIn

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How do you build a business that thrives because of AI—not in spite of it?

In this episode, we’re joined by Adam Brotman, former Chief Digital Officer at Starbucks, and Andy Sack, serial entrepreneur and longtime advisor to Microsoft, to talk about their new book: AI FIRST. Drawing insights from conversations with leaders like Sam Altman, Reid Hoffman, and Bill Gates, Adam and Andy argue that being “AI-aware” isn’t enough—leaders must put AI at the center of how they operate.

They break down their AI First Playbook—from building an AI council to running internal prompt competitions—and offer practical advice for making your team more adaptive, creative, and resilient in the face of rapid change.

If you're leading a team, scaling a company, or just trying to keep up with the pace of innovation, this is your cheat code for the AI-powered era.

Topics Discussed:

• Why “AI First” is a mindset, not just a tech stack
• What Sam Altman, Reid Hoffman, and Bill Gates taught them about the future of work
• Offense vs. defense: how to think about AI strategy
• The centaur vs. cyborg model of human-AI collaboration
• Real-world case studies from Moderna, Suzy, and more
• Why you need an internal AI council—and how to launch one
• The cost of sitting still while your competitors experiment with genAI
• What every C-suite leader should be asking themselves in 2025

Resources:

• AI FIRST: The Playbook for a Future-Proof Business and Brand (Harvard Business Review Press)
• Forum3 website
• Follow Adam Brotman and Andy Sack on LinkedIn

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What does it mean to lead in a world increasingly shaped by algorithms? In this episode, Jeremy Williams, certified emotional intelligence practitioner and expert on collective intelligence, argues that how we work together is becoming even more critical than what we do. As generative AI automates more functions, Williams says emotional intelligence will define the teams—and leaders—that remain relevant.

We dig into the dangers of toxic positivity, the difference between cyborg leadership and “copy-paste” management, and how to operationalize emotional intelligence at scale. Jeremy also unpacks the idea of collective intelligence, why psychological safety is a business imperative, and how to future-proof your team’s humanity.

Topics Discussed:

• What emotional intelligence really means—and why AI can't replicate it
• The rise of collective intelligence and its strategic value
• How to spot toxic positivity and why it erodes trust
• Emotional reasoning vs. rational leadership
• “Copy-paste” management: the hidden risk in fast-moving orgs
• How to scale emotional intelligence without making it performative
• Preparing teams for ambiguity, volatility, and change
• How EQ is the new “why” in an AI-powered world

Resources:

• Follow Jeremy Williams on LinkedIn
• The Fluent Executive