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From Summer Reflections to AI Leadership: The Human Touch That Makes the DifferenceWhy Even the Smartest AI Tools Need Us

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!

Are you enjoying these final summer days? While many are still on vacation, here in North Rhine-Westphalia school starts this week—that familiar rhythm begins again.

This past week, I spent a Sunday playing with an AI agent to design a landing page for our upcoming “More Human - AI Leadership Masterclass”. The results were impressive; sleek design, compelling copy, intuitive flow. But when it came to integrating the email client, even the most sophisticated AI hit its limits. My webmaster Markus had to step in with his human expertise to make it actually work!

This experience captures what I’ve been exploring and believe; even our smartest AI tools need the human touch to create something that truly serves people. It’s not about AI versus human—it’s about AI plus human wisdom and experience.

🌿 Summer Lessons in Leadership

During my wonderful vacation in France, I found myself captivated by the story of Josephine Baker in the Dordogne where her castle is located. Baker’s journey from self-taught American entertainer to the head of a “Rainbow tribe of 12” to a French Resistance hero offers real food for thought for modern leaders navigating change.

What struck me most wasn’t only her courage, but her ability to use her unique position—as an entertainer, as a woman, as someone who moved between worlds—to create impact that others couldn’t. In 2021, she became the first and only Black woman inducted into France’s Panthéon, their hall of fame.

Her story reminds us that leadership often emerges from the spaces between categories, the places where guiding principles are lived values. Here my take on Josephine’s leadership lessons here.

💡 LeadershipLab Tip: The 5-Minute Summer Reset

Your End-of-Summer Leadership Reflection

As we transition from vacation mode back to full activity, why not take five minutes to reset your leadership intentions?

  1. Pause and breathe: What insights emerged during your slower summer moments?
  2. Identify your unique position: Like Josephine Baker, where do you operate between worlds or categories?
  3. Clarify your impact: What leadership qualities can only you bring to your challenges?
  4. Set one intention: Choose one way you want to show up differently this fall
  5. Create space: How will you maintain summer’s reflective quality in busier times?

This reset might help carry you forward from summer ease into autumn’s intensity.

🔆 Sweet Reminder: “More Human” AI Leadership Masterclass

As I shared in our last Leadership Lab edition, I’m excited to remind you about our upcoming masterclass - a 3-hour deep dive into your own leadership skills in the AI era.

This is the first of its kind session in Germany. We offer you exclusive access to insights from Rasmus Hougaard and Jacqueline Carter’s groundbreaking book “More Human” before it’s even published in German. In the session, you’ll uncover your leadership strengths with AI and create your personal Human Leadership Compass.

The result of my Sunday Genspark deepdive is here:

🟡 September 25 — 14:00–17:00 CET (German) 👉 Register here

🟢 English information available 👉 View details

Why join this More Human AI masterclass? Five compelling reasons:

  1. Peer Exchange: Connect with fellow leaders navigating AI adoption while maintaining authentic relationships
  2. Strengths Discovery: Uncover your unique leadership strengths as part of creating your Human Leadership Compass
  3. Practical Framework: Master Awareness, Wisdom, and Compassion as your leadership compass
  4. Ongoing Support: 30-day scorecard with weekly mini-reflections reinforcing your masterclass commitments
  5. Community Vision: Join our quarterly leadership exchange for continuous peer learning

Limited to 10 participants for maximum interaction and personalized attention.

Early bird pricing: 99€ until August 31st (regular price 129€)

Some people think they need to bring “mastery” to this masterclass. Honestly, I called it a masterclass because I thought it sounded better! It has a workshop character and is an exchange;where leaders bring their real use cases and questions.

🤖 Meet Miranda: Your Safe AI Leadership Coach

I’m excited to share that Miranda, the safe AI EU-compliant AI coach bot I’m developing with CoachBotAI, is taking shape! I’m on the second iteration of testing. My coaching bot Miranda should support you without giving direct answers, use my coaching structure of the 4 Cs (Contact, Contract, Content, Conclusion), and add real value to reflective coaching conversations and so much more! Interested in free two-week testing of Miranda?

Sign up for my Email waitinglist@designchange.de to join the preview list!

📹 Behind the Scenes: LinkedIn Video Series

I’m shooting short videos about the Masterclass “More Human-Mit KI zu einer neuen Führungskultur” to be posted on LinkedIn in the upcoming weeks. Connect with me on Linkedin and let me know—should I continue making these 60-second insights, or holy moly, should I stop? Be honest :)

🤝 Take Advantage of Summer’s Slower Pace

Before autumn’s intensity arrives, why not schedule a free consultation? I’ve noticed that the value of the Masterclass becomes clear quickly in personal exchange. Use these balmy summer days when things are less busy to explore how the Masterclass or AI confidence coaching might support your leadership journey.

Wishing you sunny days!

Karla Schlaepfer and the awesome DesignChange team

Leadership in the AI era isn’t about choosing technology over humanity—it’s about choosing both, with wisdom.

DesignChange Highlights

DesignChange Highlights auf Deutsch

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