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Leadership Lab: The TRUST Framework; Building AI Confidence Without OverwhelmPeter’s Success Story in Three Micro-Learning Sessions

Find highlights in DE and EN at the end

Welcome to your fresh DesignChange edition, delivered every 2nd Tuesday at 8am to over 730 forward-thinking leaders like you!

Have you ever noticed how the most profound shifts happen not through dramatic overhauls, but through small, consistent steps? This morning, while picking what might be the last strawberries of the season from my garden, I marveled at how each berry had ripened in its own time. No rushing, no forcing. Just steady, natural progression toward sweetness.

This gentle rhythm of growth mirrors what I see in my AI Confidence Coaching work. Leaders don’t need to become tech experts overnight. They need space to build confidence step by step, without the pressure to “get it right” immediately.

🌿 From Overwhelm to Clarity: Peter’s Journey

Peter recently completed my three-session AI Confidence Coaching program, and his transformation perfectly illustrates this principle. When we started, he approached AI tools with hesitation and uncertainty. After three focused micro-learning sessions, his perspective shifted completely.

His most valuable insight? “How much freedom the meaningful use of AI gives me for other tasks.” Peter also discovered a powerful prompting technique: asking Copilot to question him about what it needs to know to handle tasks even better.

But what struck me most was his practical application. Peter used his new AI confidence to design a workshop for his team addressing both the fears and opportunities around AI adoption. His recommendation to others considering this coaching?

“Definitely do it. It’s time well invested!”

💡 LeadershipLab Tip: The TRUST Framework Preview

Your Pathway to AI Confidence in Three Steps

The success stories like Peter’s led me to develop the TRUST coaching framework. This approach builds AI confidence through three micro-learning sessions that are practical, personal, and mindset-focused:

T - Task Clarity: Learn to communicate with AI tools as clearly as you would with your best team members

R - Relationship Building: Develop a collaborative mindset with AI rather than viewing it as a replacement

U - Understanding Boundaries: Recognize where human judgment remains irreplaceable

S - Systematic Practice: Build confidence through guided experimentation in safe spaces

T - Trust in Process: Develop faith in your own learning journey without needing to master everything at once

This framework helps you step into leadership with clarity, not overwhelm. Each session builds on the previous one, creating sustainable confidence rather than temporary excitement.

📚 Building on Success

My recent blog article “From Frustration to Fluency: Why Most Leaders Struggle with AI Prompting (And How to Fix It)” continues to resonate with leaders who recognize themselves in these transformation stories.

The pattern is clear: when leaders stop trying to “master AI” and start applying their existing leadership wisdom to new situations, breakthroughs happen naturally.

📣 Special Announcement: AI Playbook for Skeptics Part 2

Several of you have asked for Part 2 of the AI Playbook for Skeptics and tada! These 8 pages are dedicated to how to lead teams forward in their confident use of AI. The content uses the TRUST framework and builds on AI Playbook part 1.

Here your free download in English and in German.

🔆 Coming September 25: “More Human” Leadership Workshop

After our sold-out April session (85 seats!), Dr. Richard Grillenbeck and I are teaming up again, this time with a workshop inspired by the bestseller “More Human: How the Power of AI Can Transform the Way You Lead.”

In just 3 hours, you’ll explore the Human Leader Compass, a practical way to lead with clarity, connection, and confidence in an AI-powered world.

Early-bird registration opens in the next edition of the DesignChange Leadership Lab!
Want in? Here the link to the waiting list: waitinglist@karla-schlaepfer.com

Let’s lead with what makes us human.

🧭 Your Next Step

Whether you’re feeling overwhelmed by AI adoption or ready to build systematic confidence, my coaching approach meets you where you are. The TRUST framework provides structure without pressure, progress without perfectionism.

For individual leaders, I offer the three-session AI Confidence Coaching program that transformed Peter’s approach. For teams ready to tackle AI adoption together, my AI Barrier Busting workshops use this same step-by-step coaching approach to build collective confidence while reducing the fear of looking stupid 🙈

🤝 Let’s Connect

Book a complimentary consultation to explore how this micro-learning approach can work for your leadership context.

While AI confidence is a growing part of my work, as an accredited ICF coach with over 25 years of experience, I’m an executive coach first. Visit my DesignChange website to explore the full range of leadership topics and client testimonials.

Thanks for reading!

Warm wishes from Karla Schlaepfer and the amazing DesignChange team

True leadership confidence comes not from knowing everything, but from trusting your ability to learn and adapt.

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