In a world increasingly shaped by artificial intelligence, automation, and rapid organizational change, what does it truly mean to lead? How can business leaders stay relevant in such a dynamic landscape? What role will humans play in this technology-powered future?
These questions were explored in the latest Innovantage podcast episode, hosted by Sigli’s CBDO, Max Golikov. Max invited Stijn Staes to share his expert insights.
Stijn is the founder of Stappen met Stijn, a transformation coach, and the host of a podcast on leadership, diversity, and the evolving relationship between people and agentic AI.
Stijn has always had a passion for helping people to grow. His career began in nursing and hospital management. He traveled around the world with such organizations as Doctors Without Borders. Back in Belgium, he served as general manager of the country’s largest private youth institution. He always stayed focused on the same mission: unlocking human potential. For the past six years, Stijn has worked as an independent executive coach, sharing his insights through coaching and his podcast.
According to Stijn, deep down, all human beings are fundamentally the same. Today, diversity is often treated as a buzzword, which is used to assign labels based on race, culture, gender, or identity. Nevertheless, Stijn emphasized that beneath these labels lies a shared human desire: to be seen, to be heard, and to feel connected.
Effective leadership should start with recognizing this common humanity, while also adapting communication styles to meet people where they are. Cultural and personal differences matter. But they should act not as boundaries but as bridges. Stijn sees diversity not only in visible identity but also in how we communicate, relate, and create space for others to belong.
He explained that true diversity in an organization is not just about representation. It is about developing the awareness and emotional intelligence to engage with people as individuals, each with their own way of being heard and understood.
For Stijn, effective communication, especially in leadership, starts with curiosity. He believes that staying curious helps us avoid judgment, which is the most common pitfall in human interaction. Miscommunication often stems not from what is said, but from assumptions we bring into a conversation when we fail to truly listen.
Curiosity is the gateway to the right communication. It keeps us engaged and open to others’ views.
One of the key challenges in building a truly diverse culture is our natural desire to get involved with people who think, speak, and act like us. While this may feel comfortable, it is a serious mistake.
According to Stijn, effective leaders must actively look for individuals who can offer constructive criticism and challenge ideas. This will not disrupt, but deepen understanding and improve outcomes. This requires humility and openness. For many leaders, the real challenge isn’t embracing diversity on paper, but learning to welcome feedback that doesn’t align with their own thinking.
Stijn believes that trust and intention are two essential elements of giving feedback effectively.
Stijn is strongly confident that feedback culture works not only on a small, team-based level. It can be scaled across an entire organization. In his view, feedback should not be limited to face-to-face teams or familiar colleagues. It’s a fundamental part of a healthy organizational culture, and it should reach every level, including interns and CEOs.
Asking simple, respectful questions (like how someone prefers to work or whether the timing is right) opens the door to meaningful, two-way communication.
Visionary leadership is essential but only when paired with self-awareness and a genuine understanding of what the organization needs. Leaders must recognize not only their strengths but also their limitations and remain open to diverse perspectives.
Stijn cautioned against authoritarian leadership, noting that while it might deliver short-term gains for shareholders, it undermines long-term sustainability. A resilient organization requires transparency and a culture of open feedback. This doesn't mean leaders must act on every suggestion they receive, but they should always listen, consider, and respond with thoughtful reasoning.
This helps build not just a business, but a strong community around it.
While talking about approaches to changes, Stijn mentioned the case from his time as a general manager. His organization needed to integrate 150 new employees into an existing workforce of 300. This required forming 30 newly blended teams and simultaneously introducing a new way of working.
Instead of imposing change from the top down, Stijn and his team focused on deep listening and inclusive planning. They did their best to understand what mattered most to employees. This transparent and people-centered approach was key to the transformation. Despite the scale of change, only 2% of employees left the organization.
Instead of relying on algorithms or AI tools, they conducted one-on-one conversations, online questionnaires, and team meetings to find out what mattered most to their people.
Leaders from across locations came together to analyze the findings and co-create new team structures. Several proposals for the reorganization were shared with employees, who could give feedback and even request alternative roles. As a result, almost everyone ended up exactly where they wanted to be.
Stijn believes successful leadership rests on three pillars:
When guiding an organization through intensive transformation, something will inevitably go down a little (and that is usually income).
This temporary drop, however, is not a failure. It’s the cost of meaningful, people-centered change. When done with care, clarity, and the right timing, the organization stabilizes and rebounds stronger. But if the transformation is rushed or poorly managed, the downward curve continues. An organization may experience employee dissatisfaction, increased turnover, and loss of trust.
For Stijn, effective change management starts with a fundamental truth: there is always a change. Sometimes it is big, sometimes it is small. But it is constant. The real challenge isn’t initiating change, but allowing people the time and space to integrate it.
Quite often, companies move from one transformation to the next without pause. A new manager comes in and brings another change. However, humans need time to settle, to process, and to feel included. In Stijn’s practice, his team always made sure to involve people actively. Weekly newsletters, employee-written reflections, and open communication created a sense of shared ownership and psychological safety.
Change isn’t something you tick off a list. It lives on long after the formal transformation phase ends. Sustainable change requires a long-term mindset, a culture that embraces uncertainty, and leadership that shows up fully.
If you see change as a box to check, it won’t work. Because this isn’t AI. This is human. And humans need to be seen and heard.
Max shared insights about Sigli. In its early days, Sigli was a young, energetic, and even impulsive team. It was common for employees, who were mostly in their twenties, to work late, play video games, and socialize a lot. The culture embraced this youthful energy.
Over time, the team matured. Those who once spent late nights gaming now had families and different priorities. Staying late at the office became less common, and personal life took precedence. However, hiring practices continued to focus on attracting younger, energetic candidates, which created a cultural disconnect. This shift wasn’t a result of deliberate organizational change but rather a natural evolution driven by time.
Here comes a question: How can a company manage or anticipate these kinds of uncontrolled, organic changes that happen naturally over time rather than through planned initiatives?
Stijn emphasized the importance of self-reflection for leaders navigating change. He believes every leader must regularly ask themselves if they are still the right fit for their role and the company’s future. Given that external circumstances constantly evolve beyond anyone’s control, the only thing leaders can truly change is themselves.
Stijn also pointed out that as companies grow, the leadership style and team composition may need to change as well. A startup’s energy might require younger leaders, while scaling up could call for more experienced, seasoned managers. They must be aware of their role in this evolution and have the courage to step aside if necessary.
Self-reflection is the key tool for recognizing when organizational change becomes a must.
That’s not a rare case when corporate surveys fail. Response rates are too low, while the data quality leaves much to be desired. In a 300-person organization, it’s typical to get only about 100 responses, and even then, the reliability of the answers can be questionable.
However, there is nothing wrong with this format itself. The survey’s purpose plays a major role. In Stijn’s practice, surveys always worked best when participants could see clear personal relevance. For example, when a questionnaire directly impacted employees’ next career steps, response rates were 100%, as everyone understood its importance.
If there’s no immediate benefit or urgency, responses always tend to be incomplete or socially biased. Therefore, it’s crucial to evaluate whether a survey is the right tool for the information needed. Sometimes, one-on-one conversations or group meetings might be more effective.
Given all this, Stijn advised against relying on surveys alone. A combination of methods tailored to the goals and the audience can ensure the best engagement and data quality.
The discussion also touched on the power of AI. Stijn mentioned an article arguing that AI will inevitably replace most jobs related to data, presentations, and routine business tasks. According to it, humans will remain essential mainly for fieldwork and personal interactions, while AI handles data-driven tasks efficiently and without complaint.
Stijn also believes that many technical tasks, especially those repeated in meetings and spreadsheet discussions, will be taken over by AI. However, he stressed the importance of understanding where humans fit in this evolving landscape. It’s necessary to determine the ways in which people can grow, adapt, and focus on uniquely human strengths.
For example, we shouldn’t underestimate the value of robots that can assist elderly people. But human connection cannot be replaced by such assistants.
Every person should stay aware of new technologies and trends. But it is not a good idea to accept things just because they are popular. It is necessary to remain curious and question the true value of all innovations. Business leaders need to analyze whether some changes genuinely serve the company, society, and the world or whether they are just a new trend that has no practical benefits.
The fact that AI can create art does not diminish the value of human-made art. While technology like 3D printers can produce sculptures, they don’t carry the same meaning or connection as those crafted by human hands. The same applies to drawings and paintings. AI-generated art lacks the personal insight and emotional depth that come from human creativity.
The true value lies in creations made by people. Without the human element, this value is lost.
The role of AI in professional life is growing. However, it has its clear limitations. Stijn explained that there are AI programs that could technically replace an interviewer or even an interviewee. Nevertheless, he admitted that he doesn’t want to do an interview with a machine. The essence of a real conversation is unpredictability, nuance, and emotional presence.
Artificial intelligence can’t replicate the human dynamic of live dialogue. Human interviews are not just about answering questions. It’s about connection.
AI is a powerful tool, but not a replacement for human interaction. For instance, you can practice foreign languages with AI. But you can grow only with people.
Stijn highlighted a growing polarization in leadership styles. On one end, we can see ego- and result-driven leadership. On the other hand, there is a more human-centered, empathetic approach. These two directions seem to be drifting further apart.
The real challenge lies in bridging the tech world and human-focused leadership. Technology is essential. But without a human, all this won’t make sense.
And that’s one of the main theses voiced by the guests of the Innovantage podcast episodes. Technologies are changing and replacing each other. But human communication is always here. And it will definitely stay.
Want to know more about the world of technology and business? New episodes with new guests are coming soon.
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