Libsyn Directory

The Future of Work Is Human (and AI Can’t Replace That) with Heather E. McGowan | #21

Climbing the Corporate Ladder without Breaking a Heel

Release Date: 01/20/2026

The Efficiency Trap Investing in People and Driving Growth with Dr. Ayesha Khanna

Climbing the Corporate Ladder without Breaking a Heel

Join host Dr. Cynthia for a conversation with globally recognized AI expert and futurist, Dr. Ayesha Khanna. Dr. Khanna helps leaders understand not just what AI can do, but what humans must do differently as technology accelerates. This episode explores why companies must invest in their AI strategy and bring their employees along to drive growth, the risks of focusing solely on efficiency and cost-cutting, and how to embrace the current collision point. Learn how to adopt a growth mindset and take a proactive approach to upskilling to secure your future in the age of AI....

Human Capital Is the Strategy: Why Leaders Must Invest, Not Just Manage | BONUS

Climbing the Corporate Ladder without Breaking a Heel

Join Dr. Cynthia for a solo episode focused on the belief that human capital is the business strategy. Drawing from her new book, Human Capital Investment Strategy, she addresses ambitious professional women, both those still navigating their careers and those who are informal or formal leaders. The episode argues that organizations have often failed to invest in their people, leading to women leaving the workforce at disproportionate rates and to high performers disengaging. Dr. Cynthia introduces a "simple but radical shift": treating people and their...

The One Advantage AI Can’t Steal with Josh Linkner | #22

Climbing the Corporate Ladder without Breaking a Heel

In a world where technology is accelerating and traditional advantages are quickly becoming commoditized, what actually sets leaders apart? In this episode of Climbing the Corporate Ladder Without Breaking a Heel, Dr. Cynthia sits down with Josh Linkner, two-time New York Times bestselling author, serial entrepreneur, venture capital investor, professional jazz guitarist, and globally recognized innovation expert. Together, they explore why human creativity is the ultimate competitive advantage in the modern workplace. Josh challenges the fear-based narrative around AI and automation, offering...

The Future of Work Is Human (and AI Can’t Replace That) with Heather E. McGowan | #21

Climbing the Corporate Ladder without Breaking a Heel

In this episode of Climbing the Corporate Ladder Without Breaking a Heel, Dr. Cynthia sits down with Heather McGowan (named one of Forbes’ top futurists), a sought-after strategist, keynote speaker, and two-time bestselling author, to unpack what the future of work actually looks like and why our most valuable advantage isn’t technical… it’s human. Heather challenges the fear-driven narrative that AI is “coming for everyone’s jobs,” explaining that artificial intelligence works best when humans stay in the loop and workflows are redesigned to optimize both human intelligence and...

How to Get Seen, Gain Influence, and Grow Your Career with Lorraine K. Lee | #20

Climbing the Corporate Ladder without Breaking a Heel

What if the reason you’re not getting promoted isn’t your performance… but your presence? In this episode of Climbing the Corporate Ladder Without Breaking a Heel, Dr. Cynthia sits down with Lorraine K. Lee, bestselling author of Unforgettable Presence: Get Seen, Gain Influence, and Catapult Your Career, keynote speaker, Stanford Continuing Studies instructor, and LinkedIn Learning educator. Lorraine breaks down what presence really means in today’s workplace (hint: it’s more than confidence or charisma). She defines presence as how you’re seen and where you’re seen,...

Why Strategy Fails Without Hope with Jen Fisher | #19

Climbing the Corporate Ladder without Breaking a Heel

In a world of constant disruption, leaders are under pressure to execute bold transformation strategies faster than ever. But what happens when strategy moves ahead without bringing people along? In this episode of Climbing the Corporate Ladder Without Breaking a Heel, Dr. Cynthia Bentzen-Mercer is joined by Jen Fisher to explore why compliance may drive short-term results but ultimately undermines innovation, engagement, and trust. Together, they unpack the concept of a “hope strategy” and why leaders must pair transformation with belief, well-being, and human sustainability to create...

Fix the System, Not the Woman: Claiming Agency and Finding Success Without Compromise | #18

Climbing the Corporate Ladder without Breaking a Heel

In this episode of Climbing the Corporate Ladder Without Breaking a Heel, Dr. Cynthia sits down with Mel Stanley, author of Success Without Compromise and founder of First Woman. With more than 25 years of experience as a C-suite marketer in the UK, Mel brings an honest, lived-in perspective on what it really takes for women to rise into leadership and what they are often asked to give up along the way. After leaving corporate life in 2019, she founded First Woman to help professional women claim their agency, step into leadership, and challenge the norms holding them back. Together, Dr....

Beyond the Ladder: A Holiday Conversation on Family, Identity, and Leadership | #17

Climbing the Corporate Ladder without Breaking a Heel

In this special holiday bonus episode of Climbing the Corporate Ladder Without Breaking a Heel, Dr. Cynthia is joined by her two children, Jordyn and Jacob, for a deeply personal conversation about leadership, identity, and the ways a career can shape a family. Jordyn reflects on her journey through motherhood, divorce, and returning to the workforce after years as a stay-at-home mom. She shares what it means to rediscover identity beyond roles and titles, reclaim confidence, and pursue purpose on her own terms. Jacob, preparing to become a first-time father, discusses modern fatherhood, the...

Designing Success on Your Own Terms with Melissa Aarskaug | #16

Climbing the Corporate Ladder without Breaking a Heel

This week, Dr. Cynthia is joined by Melissa Aarskaug, Executive Vice President of Strategy & Growth at Druva, author of Renaissance, and a true architect of a career designed on purpose. Melissa challenges one of the most common myths about success: that it’s defined by titles. Instead, she shares how real momentum emerges when values, energy, and calendar align—and how her biggest breakthroughs occurred when she stopped chasing every opportunity and started choosing the right ones. A married mother of four, Melissa didn’t wait for permission. She designed her own lanes—blending...

The Power of Unstoppable Momentum with Kim Becking | #15

Climbing the Corporate Ladder without Breaking a Heel

What happens when life brings more than you ever asked for... and you choose to rise anyway? In this powerful episode of Climbing the Corporate Ladder Without Breaking a Heel, Dr. Cynthia sits down with keynote speaker, New York Times bestselling author, and human behavior expert Kim Becking for an unforgettable conversation on resilience, reinvention, and unstoppable momentum. From a breast cancer diagnosis at 30 to becoming a national speaker, from navigating single motherhood and remarriage to caregiving, Kim shares how every season of hardship shaped her groundbreaking Unstoppable Momentum...

More Episodes

Heather challenges the fear-driven narrative that AI is “coming for everyone’s jobs,” explaining that artificial intelligence works best when humans stay in the loop and workflows are redesigned to optimize both human intelligence and machine capability. The real shift ahead isn’t jobs disappearing, it’s work transforming, faster than most organizations are prepared for.

Together, Dr. Cynthia and Heather explore why adaptability is becoming the most important leadership competency, how the COVID era proved we’re capable of extraordinary change (and deeper compassion), and why it’s time to stop hiring for old skills and start hiring for capacity: learning agility, curiosity, resilience, and comfort with not knowing.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

Why AI won’t replace humans, but leaders who adapt will win
How media habits increase stress and distort uncertainty
Why hiring must shift from skills to learning capacity
How to use AI without “giving up control”
The mindset shift leaders need to embrace dissent and collective intelligence
Heather’s “Start, Stop, Continue” framework for thriving now

Connect with Heather McGowan:
HeatherMcGowan.com | LinkedIn | YouTube

Connect with Dr. Cynthia:
dr-cynthia.com | @DrCynthiaBentzenMercer | LinkedIn
Her new book, Human Capital Investment Strategy, is available for pre-sale: bit.ly/BUYHCIS.

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