Unlearning as a Leadership Superpower - Ann Reilly - Shift & Thrive - Episode #104
How do leaders stay ahead when the rules keep changing before they even finish adapting to the last shift? In this episode of Shift & Thrive, host Natalie Nathanson talks with Ann Reilly, founder of AdaptSuccess, a growth and transformation leader who spent her career navigating disruption at companies including STAR TV, Intuit, and Yahoo. Ann shares the moment she realized the digital media world she knew was about to be reshaped by AI, why unlearning is just as important as learning, and the framework she now uses to help leaders and teams measure and build real adaptability.
Takeaways:
- Unlearning is often more important than learning right now. The skills, certifications, and experience that got you to where you are today are not guaranteed to get you to the next level.
- Curiosity is a skill that has to be scheduled and practiced on an ongoing basis, not something you revisit every six months.
- Most AI initiatives put 93% of the budget toward tools and technology and only 7% toward people, which is a major reason organizations struggle to actually adapt.
- Adaptability can be measured using the ACE Model, which stands for ability, character, and environment, and includes 15 different dimensions.
- The first phase of any adaptability program is diagnosis, since people on the same team often have completely different perceptions of how supportive their environment really is.
- Working out loud and sharing progress before it feels finished builds psychological safety and helps teams learn and move faster together.
- Two pieces of advice that shaped Ann's career: make bold moves instead of incremental ones, and ask for help rather than trying to prove you can do it alone.
Quote of the Show:
- “As I moved around the world, understanding what environment I was in and how I needed to achieve my goals was very important, and it was as much about learning new skills as unlearning skills. I think the unlearning is actually more important right now because the world is shifting beneath our feet and everything's changing.” - Ann Reilly
Links:
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/annreilly/
- Website: https://www.adaptsuccess.com/
Ways to Tune In:
- Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2D1YbT2QhKxIwbREpU7EMb
- Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/shift-thrive-ceo-insights-on-driving-change/id1740828813
- Amazon Music: https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/fa60b654-1955-4055-93df-fdd40c2a5c8f/shift-thrive-ceo-insights-on-driving-change
- iHeart Radio: https://www.iheart.com/podcast/269-shift-thrive-ceo-insights-166792501
- Pandora: https://www.pandora.com/podcast/shift-and-thrive-ceo-insights-on-driving-change/PC:1001086797
- YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UClf9QxGUxZw_Sv8_4bZP34Q
This show is sponsored by Magnetude Consulting, bringing you the thinking-Power of a Growth Consultancy and the Getting-It-Done Power of a full-service B2B Marketing Agency.
Learn more at: https://www.magnetudeconsulting.com
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