Episode notes
Big companies say AI let them cut their middle managers. Small and mid-sized companies are listening, and some of them are about to copy that move. Patrick Carter thinks that's a huge mistake.
Patrick is the founder of Edge Advantage Group. He spent 35 years leading sales teams and training the leaders who run them. Alyssa Nolte comes back with a hot take of her own: a lot of those big-company layoffs may just be spin. It's easier to blame AI than to admit you made a mistake.
If you lead a team, or you're thinking about swapping people for software, listen to this one first. Patrick and Alyssa break down what AI can take off a manager's plate and what it can't. They also get into what happens to your people when the path to leadership disappears.
Key takeaways:
- You manage things, but you lead people. AI can help with reports and updates. It can't care about your team, and people don't give their best effort to a system that doesn't care about them.
- AI only works when the process is clear, and most companies don't have a clear process for leadership. If your new managers were thrown to the sharks, AI won't fix that.
- Build backwards from your best win. Look at what went right, write down the steps, and ask your leaders to run that system instead of just chasing results.
People and resources mentioned:
Ronnell Richards, Say Less. Sell More. on Substack: ronnellrichards.substack.com
Donald C. Kelly, The Sales Evangelist: linkedin.com/in/donaldckelly
Patrick's Lead Yourself workshop, October 14 at 4:00 PM Eastern, live on LinkedIn, Substack, and YouTube
Connect with Patrick Carter:
- linkedin.com/in/patrickgcarter
- edgeadvantage.net
Connect with Alyssa Nolte:
- alyssanolte.substack.com
- linkedin.com/in/alyssanolte
- alyssanolte.com
- ologycollective.com