WEBVTT 00:00:01.831 --> 00:00:04.975 April Sabral: If AI exposes the same breakdowns repeatedly, 00:00:05.125 --> 00:00:07.366 it's probably not the process. 00:00:07.366 --> 00:00:08.956 It's probably the leader. 00:00:09.436 --> 00:00:14.116 you've really got to have a mindset shift and stop fearing it as competition 00:00:14.476 --> 00:00:17.776 and start treating it as a teammate that amplifies your human strengths. 00:00:17.806 --> 00:00:19.606 Ricardo Belmar: Instead, she's flipping the script. 00:00:19.696 --> 00:00:24.886 AI is exposing poor leadership and empowering the ones who know 00:00:24.886 --> 00:00:26.981 how to inspire, adapt, and evolve. 00:00:27.173 --> 00:00:29.183 Casey Golden: It's AI plus people. 00:00:29.513 --> 00:00:34.030 And leaders who can train both will be the ones who thrive. 00:00:34.249 --> 00:00:39.499 April Sabral: I think curiosity as a leadership skill will replace control. 00:00:40.507 --> 00:00:45.277 In this AI generated world, because the leaders who thrive won't be 00:00:45.277 --> 00:00:47.017 the ones who know every answer. 00:00:47.047 --> 00:00:50.797 They'll be the ones who know how to ask better questions 00:00:51.097 --> 00:00:53.557 of both humans and machines. 00:00:59.921 --> 00:01:02.411 Ricardo Belmar: Welcome back to Blade to Greatness, the podcast 00:01:02.411 --> 00:01:05.861 where retail leaders sharpen their edge one skill at a time. 00:01:06.311 --> 00:01:07.301 I'm Ricardo Belmar. 00:01:08.081 --> 00:01:09.221 Casey Golden: And I'm Casey Golden. 00:01:09.461 --> 00:01:12.641 This season we're diving deeper into the traits that separate a 00:01:12.641 --> 00:01:14.921 good leader from the great ones. 00:01:15.221 --> 00:01:18.701 And today's episode might be redefining what leadership 00:01:18.701 --> 00:01:20.741 looks like in the age of AI. 00:01:21.506 --> 00:01:24.836 Ricardo Belmar: Our guest today is April Sabral renowned leadership 00:01:24.836 --> 00:01:28.436 coach, author, and her most recent book, Positive Accountability for 00:01:28.436 --> 00:01:33.236 Teams, and Founder of Retail U and Ask April AI, who's here to challenge the 00:01:33.236 --> 00:01:35.696 narrative that AI is replacing leaders. 00:01:36.026 --> 00:01:37.826 Instead, she's flipping the script. 00:01:37.916 --> 00:01:43.106 AI is exposing poor leadership and empowering the ones who know 00:01:43.106 --> 00:01:45.201 how to inspire, adapt, and evolve. 00:01:45.682 --> 00:01:49.642 Casey Golden: April shares how AI is leveling the playing field for small 00:01:49.642 --> 00:01:54.117 businesses, giving them access to tools once reserved only for big brands. 00:01:54.957 --> 00:02:00.057 And she reveals why the future isn't AI versus people. 00:02:00.507 --> 00:02:02.517 It's AI plus people. 00:02:02.847 --> 00:02:07.364 And leaders who can train both will be the ones who thrive. 00:02:07.745 --> 00:02:11.345 Ricardo Belmar: If you're ready to lead with vision, not fear, and to embrace 00:02:11.345 --> 00:02:13.025 the tech that's reshaping retail. 00:02:13.445 --> 00:02:15.005 This episode is your wake up call. 00:02:15.425 --> 00:02:20.135 Now, before we jump in, I just have one quick ask of our listeners and viewers. 00:02:20.135 --> 00:02:23.945 If you like our show, please consider giving us a five star rating and 00:02:23.945 --> 00:02:27.945 drop a quick review on Apple Podcast, Spotify, YouTube, or Goodpods. 00:02:28.325 --> 00:02:29.705 We really appreciate your support. 00:02:30.019 --> 00:02:33.139 Casey Golden: That's right, and we would be remiss if we didn't drop 00:02:33.139 --> 00:02:37.489 a quick plug for the other shows in the Retail Razor Podcast Network. 00:02:37.489 --> 00:02:40.189 Please do yourself a favor and go check 'em out. 00:02:40.189 --> 00:02:44.239 The Retail Razor Show, Retail Transformers, and Data Blades. 00:02:44.500 --> 00:02:49.540 If you're on Apple Podcasts, just search for the Retail Razor channel and you'll 00:02:49.540 --> 00:02:53.950 find 'em all, or put a face to our names and visit our YouTube channel. 00:02:54.308 --> 00:02:54.598 Ricardo Belmar: Okay. 00:02:54.733 --> 00:02:56.623 With that said, let's get into the episode. 00:03:03.294 --> 00:03:05.904 Casey Golden: April, welcome back to another Blade to Greatness. 00:03:05.904 --> 00:03:08.094 It's always such a treat to have you on the show. 00:03:08.337 --> 00:03:08.927 April Sabral: Thank you. 00:03:08.927 --> 00:03:10.261 I'm so excited to be here. 00:03:10.261 --> 00:03:11.881 I love this show. 00:03:12.316 --> 00:03:14.936 Ricardo Belmar: Well, it's always great to have you on especially since 00:03:14.936 --> 00:03:18.326 you recently helped us kick off our new Retail Transformers podcast. 00:03:18.596 --> 00:03:22.616 You've got your new recently released book, Positive Accountability for Teams. 00:03:22.616 --> 00:03:24.626 I've got my copy and I'm really enjoying that. 00:03:25.026 --> 00:03:27.576 So really, really wonderful to have you today. 00:03:27.576 --> 00:03:28.351 April Sabral: Thank you. 00:03:28.741 --> 00:03:32.431 Ricardo Belmar: So today you're here to talk about a really important topic. 00:03:32.461 --> 00:03:36.481 It's incredibly timely, I think, for every retail leader and something I'm sure every 00:03:36.481 --> 00:03:38.641 leader's hopefully, deeply thinking about. 00:03:38.641 --> 00:03:42.331 And that's the future of AI in leadership and how AI can 00:03:42.331 --> 00:03:43.651 really give leaders an edge. 00:03:44.071 --> 00:03:46.501 So tell us how leaders should be looking at AI. 00:03:47.476 --> 00:03:51.526 April Sabral: Yeah, I think leaders should be looking at AI as the assistant, 00:03:51.526 --> 00:03:57.286 their companion, their coach, their problem solving partner, and as a tool 00:03:57.556 --> 00:04:02.616 to help them get clarity, get clear on things when they're solving things 00:04:02.616 --> 00:04:04.116 and really looking at as a partner. 00:04:04.506 --> 00:04:05.916 We use it every day. 00:04:05.916 --> 00:04:08.226 And when I'm coaching leaders, I was just coaching somebody this 00:04:08.226 --> 00:04:12.336 week on it and they were struggling with just a clear job description. 00:04:12.336 --> 00:04:14.916 I was like, well, hold on, let's look at what you have. 00:04:14.916 --> 00:04:15.906 Let's put it in. 00:04:16.356 --> 00:04:21.141 Let's see what the market determines that job would be, and let's get really help 00:04:21.141 --> 00:04:24.801 it get really clear because I think people struggle with language and communication. 00:04:24.861 --> 00:04:27.531 We've seen that 'cause we train people all day on communication. 00:04:27.531 --> 00:04:30.761 So I think you can see it as a partner, an assistant whatever. 00:04:30.761 --> 00:04:35.501 As long as it's like helping you with your job, maximize your 00:04:35.501 --> 00:04:38.771 performance, that's where I think you can use it very, very well. 00:04:38.771 --> 00:04:39.646 Ricardo Belmar: Yeah, that makes sense. 00:04:39.646 --> 00:04:40.786 That totally makes sense. 00:04:40.786 --> 00:04:45.666 So if we think about how a retail leader should measure, for example, if, if AI 00:04:45.666 --> 00:04:51.246 is either helping 'em expose leadership failures versus process gaps, I mean, 00:04:51.246 --> 00:04:55.516 are there specific behaviors or, or metrics that leader should be looking for 00:04:55.516 --> 00:04:57.736 that might trigger an action for that? 00:04:58.591 --> 00:04:59.821 April Sabral: Yeah, I think here's the test. 00:04:59.821 --> 00:05:05.356 If AI exposes the same breakdowns repeatedly, it's probably not the process. 00:05:05.356 --> 00:05:06.946 It's probably the leader. 00:05:07.426 --> 00:05:11.086 And so a temporary gap might be a system glitch. 00:05:11.086 --> 00:05:12.376 We've all seen that, right? 00:05:12.376 --> 00:05:15.076 If something's not performing, something's not getting done. 00:05:15.556 --> 00:05:17.431 But a leadership failure is when you see. 00:05:18.526 --> 00:05:23.206 Behavior gaps like miscommunication, lack of follow through, or poor 00:05:23.206 --> 00:05:28.006 accountability behaviors showing up across different tools and metrics. 00:05:28.006 --> 00:05:30.226 I think you have to look at response times. 00:05:30.586 --> 00:05:35.596 You have to look at completion rates on things and how quickly a team adapts. 00:05:35.926 --> 00:05:41.206 So if the tech works, but the people resist, you've definitely got a 00:05:41.206 --> 00:05:44.326 leadership gap, not a process gap. 00:05:44.476 --> 00:05:44.896 Does that make sense? 00:05:45.314 --> 00:05:45.764 Ricardo Belmar: That makes sense. 00:05:45.764 --> 00:05:46.034 Yeah. 00:05:46.842 --> 00:05:51.952 So April what does it look like when leaders successfully train humans and 00:05:51.972 --> 00:05:55.252 machines together, which I know is something you, you've talked about before. 00:05:55.252 --> 00:05:58.462 You know, what are the mindset shifts that are needed to really lead in 00:05:58.462 --> 00:06:00.622 that kind of a, a hybrid environment? 00:06:01.612 --> 00:06:05.992 April Sabral: I think leaders have to have a curious mindset. 00:06:06.382 --> 00:06:11.632 I think curiosity as a leadership skill will replace control. 00:06:12.640 --> 00:06:17.410 In this AI generated world, because the leaders who thrive won't be 00:06:17.410 --> 00:06:19.150 the ones who know every answer. 00:06:19.180 --> 00:06:22.930 They'll be the ones who know how to ask better questions 00:06:23.230 --> 00:06:25.690 of both humans and machines. 00:06:26.050 --> 00:06:33.715 You have to be very, very curious and be able to iterate with AI and ask 00:06:33.715 --> 00:06:37.825 questions of it to get the best out of it, and that's a human condition. 00:06:37.825 --> 00:06:41.065 As a leader, that is always lacking. 00:06:41.725 --> 00:06:45.745 I mean, we see it in accountability where leaders are just directing 00:06:46.165 --> 00:06:48.295 and not clarifying, right? 00:06:48.295 --> 00:06:50.185 Clarifying is curiosity. 00:06:50.455 --> 00:06:54.625 So curiosity will definitely have to replace control. 00:06:55.085 --> 00:06:57.725 And then secondly, I think adaptability. 00:06:58.145 --> 00:07:02.705 AI changes really, really fast and so must your style. 00:07:03.215 --> 00:07:07.745 Ambiguity is something that I learned and developed as I grew in my leadership 00:07:07.745 --> 00:07:10.355 role from being a store manager to being a senior vice president. 00:07:10.355 --> 00:07:13.775 We didn't have all the answers all the time for everything, and 00:07:13.775 --> 00:07:18.905 we had to live in this world of ambiguity and just getting curious. 00:07:19.110 --> 00:07:23.760 So you have to also add in the last one, which is transparency. 00:07:24.180 --> 00:07:30.750 If you are hiding decisions or using AI in a non-transparent way, I think 00:07:30.780 --> 00:07:32.990 AI will expose your gaps as a leader. 00:07:33.290 --> 00:07:37.795 I think the future leaders will lead with data, but also with trust. 00:07:37.855 --> 00:07:42.265 And so that trust is gonna be built on having a curious mindset, asking the 00:07:42.265 --> 00:07:47.755 questions, showing up with adaptability, and then sharing transparently 00:07:48.415 --> 00:07:51.415 with how you are using it to get to those answers, and then teaching 00:07:51.415 --> 00:07:53.097 other people how to do that too. 00:07:53.402 --> 00:07:56.132 Ricardo Belmar: Yeah, so it's really about, I mean, everyone on the same page. 00:07:56.132 --> 00:08:00.092 Working together, sharing that trust and the data, but obviously, you 00:08:00.092 --> 00:08:04.442 know, be keeping everyone up to date in the team as well as from leaders 00:08:04.442 --> 00:08:07.952 to team on just what's happening and where AI is bringing that benefit. 00:08:08.627 --> 00:08:08.837 April Sabral: Yeah. 00:08:08.837 --> 00:08:12.197 And I think, three skills that I, I think I was just talking to a leader about 00:08:12.197 --> 00:08:13.667 this the other day, is like ideation. 00:08:14.357 --> 00:08:15.707 Curiosity agency. 00:08:16.547 --> 00:08:20.087 These are three skills that I think are gonna be really, really important in the 00:08:20.087 --> 00:08:23.207 future workforce that we're gonna have to train people on actually as leaders, 00:08:23.537 --> 00:08:28.337 because curiosity, leadership trait, human trait, you've got to ask questions. 00:08:28.907 --> 00:08:33.617 Ideation, hello, like you've gotta be asking questions and ideating all day. 00:08:33.737 --> 00:08:34.547 And then agency. 00:08:35.702 --> 00:08:36.662 Because you own it. 00:08:36.752 --> 00:08:41.402 Like you have to have agency, how you show up and in interact 00:08:41.452 --> 00:08:43.132 with AI and with people, right? 00:08:43.132 --> 00:08:44.362 It's, it's ownership. 00:08:44.852 --> 00:08:47.432 I think that's where it comes back to accountability too. 00:08:47.776 --> 00:08:51.131 Casey Golden: This has to be a lot with an organization's culture and, and 00:08:51.131 --> 00:08:57.251 changing that culture from managers and leaderships being very task oriented. 00:08:57.731 --> 00:08:59.471 To really people coaching. 00:08:59.471 --> 00:09:03.761 How does that look as you can't have one leader moving forward this 00:09:03.761 --> 00:09:09.101 direction and then not be meeting these KPIs or have different ways 00:09:09.101 --> 00:09:14.005 of measuring growth or success if everybody's not really on board yet. 00:09:14.460 --> 00:09:16.920 April Sabral: Yeah, I mean, that's the thing, right? 00:09:16.920 --> 00:09:20.880 Like you have to be, again, and this is why I think positive 00:09:20.880 --> 00:09:22.050 accountability is so important. 00:09:22.050 --> 00:09:23.830 It's not, not here to just talk about that. 00:09:23.830 --> 00:09:29.380 But I think the steps involved in that are so crucial because, have 00:09:29.380 --> 00:09:31.570 to become coaches in this new era. 00:09:31.570 --> 00:09:35.716 We have to become approaching leading others with a training mindset. 00:09:36.076 --> 00:09:40.546 And we have to discover and ask those questions of what's holding them back. 00:09:40.846 --> 00:09:43.666 And we have to also assume that there is resistance there. 00:09:44.171 --> 00:09:48.731 Because there is, and if we are not peeling back those layers and 00:09:48.821 --> 00:09:53.441 considering that in the workforce, we're never gonna adopt change 00:09:53.531 --> 00:09:56.201 effectively and positively, right? 00:09:56.201 --> 00:10:01.511 So whether it's ai, whether it's, a new tool, whether it's a new, policy, 00:10:01.751 --> 00:10:05.801 whatever's coming down the pipeline, you've really got to have a mindset 00:10:05.801 --> 00:10:10.391 shift and stop fearing it as competition and start treating it as a teammate 00:10:10.391 --> 00:10:12.131 that amplifies your human strengths. 00:10:12.161 --> 00:10:15.671 And I think that creates that really requires leaders to 00:10:15.671 --> 00:10:17.111 take a coaching approach. 00:10:17.631 --> 00:10:21.081 And that whole change management formula, right, of like walking 00:10:21.081 --> 00:10:22.296 people through what's in it for them. 00:10:22.980 --> 00:10:24.940 So that's gonna be really, really important. 00:10:25.103 --> 00:10:29.088 I think as we continue to grow in this area, and I think it's again, the whole 00:10:29.088 --> 00:10:31.008 ambiguity, iteration process of it. 00:10:31.038 --> 00:10:35.604 We're gonna be learning as we go, but we're working together with machines now. 00:10:35.604 --> 00:10:40.464 We, it's, it's not going backwards and we have to get people to adopt it positively. 00:10:40.749 --> 00:10:41.139 Ricardo Belmar: Right. 00:10:41.229 --> 00:10:41.409 Yeah. 00:10:41.409 --> 00:10:42.489 That's so, that's so true. 00:10:42.739 --> 00:10:46.989 Do you see this working the same for small retail business leaders as, as much as for 00:10:46.989 --> 00:10:51.969 large enterprise leaders, and is AI in a sense helping to level the playing field 00:10:51.969 --> 00:10:53.559 a bit for those small business leaders? 00:10:54.189 --> 00:10:58.329 April Sabral: I think it is because I work with a small boutique owner, a few of 00:10:58.329 --> 00:11:04.784 them actually, and they can't necessarily afford to have a consultant come in or, 00:11:04.884 --> 00:11:09.904 re they just don't have the funds and the money to be able to bring in, high 00:11:09.904 --> 00:11:12.004 priced consultants and hire people. 00:11:12.004 --> 00:11:16.464 Even thinking about hiring a director of hr, for example, somebody I was 00:11:16.464 --> 00:11:19.674 working with the other day and we were trying to really wrap our heads 00:11:19.674 --> 00:11:23.154 around like what does he need in terms of his general managers to do? 00:11:23.394 --> 00:11:24.924 What are the responsibilities? 00:11:24.974 --> 00:11:29.474 He in the past would have to find a HR person to come in, pay them to do all 00:11:29.474 --> 00:11:33.944 of this and we just basically got, an AI tool, opened it up, went through 00:11:33.944 --> 00:11:40.554 it, put in his tool and recreated his job description for the dream 00:11:40.554 --> 00:11:43.794 manager that he wanted so he could pull himself out of doing everything. 00:11:43.794 --> 00:11:45.414 'cause that is the number one thing that small business 00:11:45.414 --> 00:11:46.434 owners are doing everything. 00:11:47.034 --> 00:11:49.914 And in the past he wouldn't have that tool and he was like, 00:11:50.004 --> 00:11:51.594 wow, that took us five minutes. 00:11:51.594 --> 00:11:52.824 Now I can create a job posting. 00:11:53.064 --> 00:11:56.724 Now I can go out and find that person that, that was five minutes, that in 00:11:56.724 --> 00:11:59.724 the past would've never got solved like that because you just didn't have the 00:11:59.724 --> 00:12:02.244 tool to do it or the insights to do it. 00:12:02.580 --> 00:12:02.820 Ricardo Belmar: Yeah. 00:12:02.820 --> 00:12:03.700 No, that's amazing. 00:12:03.730 --> 00:12:04.210 It's amazing. 00:12:04.520 --> 00:12:06.710 April, this has been a fantastic discussion. 00:12:06.710 --> 00:12:09.620 Thanks for highlighting such an important topic that I think every 00:12:10.010 --> 00:12:12.910 retail leader should be thinking about and applying today with AI. 00:12:13.336 --> 00:12:13.626 April Sabral: Thanks. 00:12:13.626 --> 00:12:14.546 Thanks for having me! 00:12:21.313 --> 00:12:24.193 Casey Golden: If you enjoyed our show, we have a simple ask. 00:12:24.463 --> 00:12:27.973 Please consider giving us a five star rating and review on Apple 00:12:27.973 --> 00:12:30.583 Podcast, Spotify, or good pods. 00:12:30.883 --> 00:12:35.353 Remember to smash that subscribe button in your favorite podcast player and 00:12:35.353 --> 00:12:38.893 like, and subscribe to our YouTube channel so you don't miss an episode. 00:12:39.973 --> 00:12:40.903 I'm Casey Golden. 00:12:41.848 --> 00:12:45.418 Ricardo Belmar: Please follow us and share your feedback at Retail Razor on 00:12:45.418 --> 00:12:47.878 LinkedIn, blue Sky Threads and Instagram. 00:12:48.448 --> 00:12:52.138 Subscribe to our substack newsletter to preview the best highlights from 00:12:52.138 --> 00:12:54.508 each episode writing your email inbox. 00:12:54.868 --> 00:12:59.578 Visit our website@retailrazor.com for transcripts and more info about 00:12:59.608 --> 00:13:02.038 each episode and our amazing guests. 00:13:02.368 --> 00:13:05.848 Blade to Greatness is part of the Retail Razor Podcast network. 00:13:06.208 --> 00:13:06.988 I'm Ricardo Belmar. 00:13:07.938 --> 00:13:09.118 Casey Golden: Thanks for joining us. 00:13:09.583 --> 00:13:12.913 Ricardo Belmar: Until next time, stay sharp, lead boldly, and stay human. 00:13:13.033 --> 00:13:15.343 This is the Retail Razor Blade to Greatness.