Tim Stating the Obvious

The AI Ready Human with Paul Slater

In this episode of The AI Ready Human, Tim Staton interviews Paul Slater on the critical need for an AI readiness assessment to stay relevant in today’s rapidly changing world. With over three decades guiding technology transformations at organizations including Microsoft and Fortune 500 companies, Paul shares his insights on building a comprehensive AI readiness assessment framework, AI readiness checklist, and practical AI readiness assessment tool that goes far beyond basic tool training.
The conversation explores the evolution of workplace dynamics and the digital workplace evolution, highlighting evolution workplace solutions that prepare teams for what a future ready workforce truly looks like. Tim and Paul dive deep into the future of workforce trends, answering “what is future ready workforce?” and examining strategies for skilling future ready workforce through targeted development of uniquely human capabilities.
Paul explains the importance of a strong AI enablement strategy that creates AI enablement jobs, leverages an AI enablement platform, and aligns people, processes, and technology. They discuss how organizations often invest in AI technology yet see limited results without addressing broader readiness—moving from incremental gains to true transformation by treating AI as a disruptive force that demands new organizational strategy, culture, and infrastructure.
A key highlight is the discussion around AI and cognitive decline, including the effects of generative AI and cognitive decline and references to emerging research in the study on ai and cognitive decline. Paul warns that using AI purely as a productivity hack risks weakening critical thinking and knowledge retention—the “reverse Flynn effect”—and advocates for using AI to enhance rather than replace human growth. He contrasts “human-in-the-loop” systems with the more powerful “human-in-command” approach needed for the future.
Listeners will gain actionable advice for both recent graduates and executives: experiment with AI tools to become creators, build resilience and adaptability, conduct contingency planning in a BANI world, and develop conscious AI enablement functions within their organizations. Paul offers a practical 90-day blueprint to help individuals and teams become AI-ready, emphasizing hope through responsible engagement, ethical considerations, and proactive steps to guard against AI’s risks while unlocking its potential.
Main topics:
The importance of training the human side of AI for relevance and resilience
How AI impacts organizational strategy and workforce transformation
The critical role of human characteristics like resilience, adaptability, and leadership in an AI future
The difference between human-in-the-loop versus fully autonomous AI systems
Practical advice for recent graduates and executives on AI readiness and human skill development
The societal and ethical considerations of AI’s exponential growth and risks
Whether you’re looking to implement an AI readiness index for your team, understand the evolution of workplace changes, or build a truly future ready workforce, this episode delivers timely insights and strategies to help humans thrive alongside AI. Subscribe for more conversations on staying irreplaceable in an AI-driven world.
 
Connect With Paul Slater:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/paul-slater/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/slaterinseattle/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/slaterinseattle
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@paulknowswork
X: https://x.com/paulknowswork
 
Connect With Tim
Website: timstatingtheobvious.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/timstatingtheobvious
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCHfDcITKUdniO8R3RP0lvdw
Instagram: @TimStating
TikTok: @timstatingtheobvious
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tim-staton-04b41a271/
SKOOL Community: https://www.skool.com/timstatingtheobvious-9537/about?ref=de9c7e65d8ba4eeabc1a8eea413c125b

Are Critical Thinking Skills Declining with Geoff Gibbins

Are critical thinking skills declining in the age of AI? In this episode of Critical Intelligence, we sit down with Geoff Gibbins, author of Critical Intelligence, to explore how AI is transforming human cognition—and what we must do to stay ahead.
From students relying on chatbots for homework to executives using AI for strategy, overdependence on technology risks cognitive atrophy. This episode dives deep into critical thinking skills, how critical thinking works, critical thinking steps, and why these abilities are more vital than ever. We examine are critical thinking skills declining, can critical thinking be taught, critical thinking for strategic intelligence, critical thinking and analysis, and the complex relationship between critical thinking and AI.
What’s Covered in This Episode:
The threat of cognitive atrophy caused by overreliance on AI and practical ways to combat it
Can AI do critical thinking? Why AI falls short and where humans maintain the edge
How AI affects critical thinking — and whether AI can reduce critical thinking
Critical thinking vs AI: Using AI as a collaborator rather than a crutch
Critical thinking in AI systems and how to direct, question, and evaluate outputs
Strategies for cultivating lifelong learning, metacognition, and mental agility
Developing “long half-life skills” that AI cannot easily automate
The importance of information literacy, verification, bias detection, and ethical decision-making
Future implications of AI-evaluated humans and physical AI robots
Understanding Critical Intelligence in the Age of AI
Geoff Gibbins introduces the concept of “quiet cognitive atrophy” — the gradual erosion of independent thought as people increasingly defer complex reasoning to AI. While AI delivers fast answers, the uniquely human skills of asking the right questions, analyzing results, spotting flaws, and making ethical judgments remain essential.
The conversation highlights that critical thinking skills are often not formally taught, yet they form the foundation for working effectively with AI. Geoff emphasizes viewing AI as a partner in a back-and-forth dialogue: challenge its responses, ask it to critique your thinking, and use it to surface blind spots rather than accepting the first output.
Key practical takeaways include:
Techniques for evaluating AI-generated content and combating confident-but-wrong answers
Building metacognition — “thinking about how you think” — as a human superpower
Cultivating skills with long-term value like strategic analysis, relationship building, and ethical reasoning
Pausing to reflect before reacting in an era of deepfakes and algorithmic echo chambers
Whether you're a student, professional, leader, or lifelong learner, this episode provides actionable insights on strengthening your mind while leveraging AI responsibly.
 
Connect with Geoff Gibbins
Books: Critical Intelligence https://a.co/d/03zCAADZ
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/geoffgibbins/
 
Connect With Tim
Website: timstatingtheobvious.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/timstatingtheobvious
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCHfDcITKUdniO8R3RP0lvdw
Instagram: @TimStating
TikTok: @timstatingtheobvious
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tim-staton-04b41a271/
SKOOL Community: https://www.skool.com/timstatingtheobvious-9537/about?ref=de9c7e65d8ba4eeabc1a8eea413c125b

Fractional CEO Services For Small Businesses

Fractional CEO Services For Small Businesses
In this episode, Tim Staton and Kristen McAlister explore fractional CEO services for small businesses, clarifying fractional CEO meaning and what does fractional CEO mean for today’s leaders and owners. They discuss fractional CEO jobs, typical fractional CEO salary expectations, and answer the question: What can a fractional CEO make?
Kristen McAlister explains how fractional CEO services work for small businesses by providing on-demand executive expertise that delivers immediate impact without the overhead of a full-time C-suite hire. Listeners will learn How to become a fractional chief executive and gain insight into the growing world of fractional leadership roles.
Key Topics Covered:
The surge in awareness around fractional CEO meaning and the benefits of fractional leadership roles for small businesses
Kristen McAlister’s journey into fractional and interim leadership, including her experience as a military spouse
Real-world examples of how fractional CEO services transform business performance, from financial oversight to strategic growth
The critical importance of agility in leadership and what is leadership agility in today’s uncertain environment
How leadership and agility enable companies to adapt quickly while developing internal teams
Addressing common challenges like team cohesion, delegation, and resistance to external fractional leaders
Market trends showing rapid adoption of fractional CEO services across the U.S. and globally
Practical advice for business owners on when and how to engage fractional leadership
Guidance for military veterans interested in fractional CEO jobs and transitioning into fractional chief executive roles, including programs like SkillBridge
The future of flexible leadership models emphasizing specialized expertise and work-life balance
Tim Staton and Kristen McAlister also touch on Kristen’s upcoming podcast “She Owns It,” which amplifies stories of women entrepreneurs.
This episode is essential listening for anyone exploring what fractional CEO services can do for their business, seeking greater leadership and agility, or considering a career in fractional leadership roles. Whether you want to understand fractional CEO salary potential, how to become a fractional chief executive, or simply need proven strategies for sustainable growth, you’ll walk away with actionable insights.
 
Connect with Kristen McAlister
Fractional CEO | Interim Leadership | Leadership Agility Expert
LI: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kristenmcalister/
IG: https://www.instagram.com/kristenmcalister/
She Owns It! podcast: https://www.youtube.com/@SheOwnsItPodcast
Book: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0CV4G9CJ1
 
Connect With Tim
Website: timstatingtheobvious.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/timstatingtheobvious
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCHfDcITKUdniO8R3RP0lvdw
Instagram: @TimStating
TikTok: @timstatingtheobvious
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tim-staton-04b41a271/
SKOOL Community: https://www.skool.com/timstatingtheobvious-9537/about?ref=de9c7e65d8ba4eeabc1a8eea413c125b

Unlock Six-Figure Careers for Veterans

    Discover what tech job is paying six figures right now and the best six figure IT jobs available in 2026. In this powerful episode, Tim Staton sits down with Andres Blandon, a combat veteran who transitioned from military service to a successful corporate IT career. Andres now helps veterans, college students, and anyone stuck in a dead end job — even stuck in a dead end job with a degree — break free and land high paying tech jobs, six figure jobs tech, jobs that pay six figures, and some of the highest paying jobs and best paying jobs with no experience.
     Andres shares his raw journey of overcoming post-military struggles, including foreclosure and vehicle repossession, while learning to provide for the family. He explores powerful a man should provide for his family quotes and the mindset shifts needed to succeed. If you're battling imposter syndrome meaning, searching for ways to imposter syndrome overcome, looking for an imposter syndrome cure, or need inspiring imposter syndrome quotes, this episode delivers practical strategies and motivation.
     Unlock Six-Figure Careers for Veterans — and civilians too. Andres reveals his proven military-style “recon missions” framework for breaking into Tech jobs 2026, entry level tech jobs, and high paying jobs. Learn how to bridge the military-civilian credibility gap, earn industry certifications from Cisco, CompTIA, and ISC2, build a powerful network, and position yourself as the top candidate even in a volatile market with layoffs and shifting demands.
     Whether you're a veteran transitioning out of service, a recent graduate feeling lost, or someone determined to escape a dead-end situation and provide for the family, this conversation gives you the exact roadmap. Hear real success stories, including a mentee who reached a six-figure salary in just one year.
Key Topics Covered:
Navigating imposter syndrome and building a success-driven mindset
Overcoming being stuck in a dead end job
Foundational high paying tech jobs that offer stability (network engineering and more)
Market insights for Tech jobs 2026
Soft skills, networking, and strategic career discovery
     If you want six figure IT jobs, highest paying jobs, or simply the best paying jobs with no experience in tech, this is your episode. Apply the framework, overcome obstacles, and start building the career and life you deserve.
👉 Subscribe for more on high paying tech jobs, career transitions, and veteran success stories.
Drop a comment: What’s holding you back from six-figure success?
Connect With Andres Blandon
IT career training Website:  https://blandonsg.com
Newly published book:  https://blandonsg.com/book-1
Facebook Signal Jobs community: https://www.facebook.com/share/g/17YjpaWJWv/?mibextid=wwXIfr
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/andresblandon
 
Connect With Tim
Website: timstatingtheobvious.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/timstatingtheobvious
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCHfDcITKUdniO8R3RP0lvdw
Instagram: @TimStating
TikTok: @timstatingtheobvious
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tim-staton-04b41a271/
SKOOL Community: https://www.skool.com/timstatingtheobvious-9537/about?ref=de9c7e65d8ba4eeabc1a8eea413c125b

37 Secrets to Lead with Confidence with Bill Miller

Discover what is executive decision making and the essential executive decision making skills every leader needs in this powerful episode of 37 Secrets to Lead with Confidence with Bill Miller.
 
Bill Miller takes you through the making of executive decision, sharing his remarkable journey from junior engineer fixing bugs at Foxboro Company in the 1970s to tech executive, COO, and CEO advisor. Through real learning from past experience and learning from experience examples, Bill reveals how he turned unexpected opportunities in sales, marketing, and team leadership into a thriving career at companies like Prime Computer and Rockwell.
 
This conversation is packed with practical career advice and practical advice for life that goes far beyond theory. Bill dives deep into decision making frameworks and ethical decision making frameworks that first-time CEOs and founders can use immediately to avoid costly mistakes. He shares hard-won lessons on learning from others experience and his own, including military basic training insights on disciplined communication and a memorable lesson about speaking out of turn on a conference call.
 
You’ll learn how to maintain composure during a high-pressure presentation and how to develop calm discipline under pressure in high-stress jobs. Bill explains how to build emotional intelligence, overcome reactive outbursts, establish clear feedback loops, and eliminate dangerous blind spots that can hurt companies more than financial problems.
 
The episode also explores AI’s growing role in leadership. While AI can support executive decision making through custom tools and frameworks, Bill stresses that human judgment, clarity, and ethical oversight remain irreplaceable—especially in hiring, strategy, and high-stakes situations.
Whether you’re an emerging leader, first-time CEO, or seasoned executive navigating chaos, this episode delivers actionable insights on resilience, communication, team-building, and confident leadership you can implement today.
 
About Bill Miller
Bill Miller is an executive advisor, mentor, and coach to founders, aspiring CEOs, and small-tomid-size company leaders who want to lead with confidence, clarity, resilience, and power. He is the award-winning author of The Rookie CEO, You Can’t Make This Stuff Up! and the newly published What Every CEO Must Know, 37 Secrets to Lead with Confidence and Power. Drawing on decades of firsthand experience, Bill helps leaders eliminate blind spots, build trust, and deliver operational excellence that fuels growth and profitability. Over the past 35 years, Bill has held senior executive roles in Marketing, Product Management, Business Development, Strategic Planning, Development, and Operations across startups, venture-backed companies, and multi-billion-dollar global firms. His deep cross-functional background gives him a unique ability to connect strategy with execution and theory with reality. He founded his consultancy in 2011 to help first-time CEOs and expanded to Beelinebill Enterprises in 2020.  As an advisor, Bill partners with first-time CEOs and founders who need a trusted sidekick to navigate uncertainty, make better decisions, and stay focused on what matters most. His clients learn to build their “blind spot muscle,” strengthen their leadership confidence, and lead their organizations with clarity and purpose. Bill’s structured approach blends people, processes, and performance to create alignment and results. He has led or restructured multiple companies and business units, driving transformation through what he calls People-Function Fit, the often-overlooked complement to Product-Market Fit.
 
Connect with Bill Miller
Socials: https://linktr.ee/beelinebill
Book: https://www.amazon.com/What-Every-CEO-Must-Know-ebook/dp/B0FVVJN8FL
Email:  bill@beelinebill.com
Website: www.BeelineBill.com
 
Connect With Tim
Website: timstatingtheobvious.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/timstatingtheobvious
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCHfDcITKUdniO8R3RP0lvdw
Instagram: @TimStating
TikTok: @timstatingtheobvious
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tim-staton-04b41a271/
SKOOL Community: https://www.skool.com/timstatingtheobvious-9537/about?ref=de9c7e65d8ba4eeabc1a8eea413c125b

The Fragility of Trust in Leadership

In "The Fragility of Trust in Leadership," Timothy Staton delves into the critical role of trust within organizations. This episode explores how trust varies across different leadership levels, emphasizing its delicate nature as responsibilities increase. Key concepts include the "Goldilocks leadership" approach, which balances firmness and empathy. Staton discusses how trust is built on character and competence, and why emotional discipline and transparency are vital for leaders. This insightful episode is essential for understanding how trust shapes organizational culture and leadership effectiveness.
Core Points:
Trust diminishes as leadership responsibilities grow. Senior leaders have less room for mistakes due to broader consequences impacting entire organizations and external stakeholders.
Leader behavior, even subtle actions or silence, is amplified at senior levels, directly shaping organizational culture and team confidence.
Culture is defined by tolerated behaviors, not just stated values. Leaders who overlook substandard actions inadvertently set new, lower expectations.
Effective leadership balances empathy and accountability. It requires both strong character and proven competence, with neither being sufficient alone.
Leadership fit is crucial. Placing a technically skilled individual in a leadership role without considering their suitability for that specific context, team, and season can harm organizational culture.
Connect With Tim
Website: timstatingtheobvious.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/timstatingtheobvious
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCHfDcITKUdniO8R3RP0lvdw
Instagram: @TimStating
TikTok: @timstatingtheobvious
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tim-staton-04b41a271/
SKOOL Community: https://www.skool.com/timstatingtheobvious-9537/about?ref=de9c7e65d8ba4eeabc1a8eea413c125b

What is Job Hugging with Nanci Appleman-Vassil

What is Job Hugging with Nanci Appleman-Vassil
In this powerful episode of leadership and personal development, The Human Side of Leadership with Nanci Appleman-Vassil, discover how human connection, self-awareness, resilience, and compassionate leadership are the true game-changers for career success and personal empowerment. Nanci Appleman-Vassil, CEO of APLS Group with over 25 years of experience, shares transformative insights on career transition, overcoming fear, and navigating today’s AI impact on the workforce.
Nanci discusses practical strategies around how to recover from being laid off and how long it takes to recover from being laid off, drawing from her own experience of being laid off twice before launching her successful business. The conversation covers what to do after being fired from a job, including job outplacement services, job search outplacement, and job outplacement support that treats people with dignity. She stresses the importance of compassionate leadership during layoffs—offering real help like resume workshops and interview preparation instead of cold emails.
 
Listeners gain actionable advice on addressing low self-esteem, breaking free from “job hugging,” entrepreneurship, and building the courage to take risks. Nanci also explores her lifelong passion for human connection, the power of open-ended questions, and how self-awareness and resilience fuel both professional growth and personal fulfillment.
Whether you’re facing a career transition, seeking empowerment after job loss, or wanting to become a more effective leader at work or home, this episode delivers heartfelt wisdom on overcoming fear and leading with humanity in an AI-driven world.
Tune in to The Human Side of Leadership with Nanci Appleman-Vassil for inspiring stories, practical tools, and a refreshing focus on authentic human connection that drives real results. Perfect for anyone interested in leadership, personal development, and compassionate career guidance.
Connect with Nanci Appleman-Vassil:
Books:
Website: https://aplsgroup.com/
LinkedIn: hhttps://www.linkedin.com/in/nanciapplemanvassil/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/apls-group/
 
Connect With Tim
Website: timstatingtheobvious.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/timstatingtheobvious
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCHfDcITKUdniO8R3RP0lvdw
Instagram: @TimStating
TikTok: @timstatingtheobvious
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tim-staton-04b41a271/
SKOOL Community: https://www.skool.com/timstatingtheobvious-9537/about?ref=de9c7e65d8ba4eeabc1a8eea413c125b

Palm’s Up Leadership with Rich Plumery

In this conversation, Palm’s Up Leadership with Rich Plumery, Rich Plumery shares his journey from being a lost kid to becoming a successful leader. He discusses the importance of mentorship, the principles of servant leadership, and how to engage teams effectively. Rich emphasizes the need for humility in leadership and the significance of transferring wisdom to future leaders. He also highlights the role of parents in fostering servant leadership in their children, advocating for a collaborative and supportive approach in both professional and personal settings.
Rich Plumery bio: As the Senior Vice President of Project Delivery for AECOM, the world’s largest andmost admired architecture, engineering, and design firm, Rich leads project delivery forAECOM’s most significant and critical business—their Americas business with over50,00 projects delivered per year.
Rich Plumery is now the author of Palms Up Leadership: Developing Our FutureLeaders, which discusses how his unique experiences have shaped his new approachto servant leadership. His Enable, Engage, and Embrace approach offers methods foraddressing many of the current challenges in today’s workplace, including dealing withthe loss of wisdom due to a rapidly retiring workforce and the disruption caused byemerging AI technologies.
Rich’s journey included growing and selling multiple businesses, including a successfultactical supply company in partnership with elite members of SEAL Team Six and RedCell, as well as a sports performance coaching business that served hundreds ofprofessional athletes across the NFL, NHL, MLB, and MLS. His center accommodatedthe world-famous Greg Roskopf’s first Muscle Activation Techniques clinic.www.muscleactivation.com
Connect with Rich Plumery:
website: www.palmsupleader.com
Book: https://a.co/d/hsKlvMZ
Tim Staton hosts conversations on leadership, entrepreneurship, ethical decision-making, and practical wisdom leaders can apply every day.
Website: timstatingtheobvious.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/timstatingtheobvious
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCHfDcITKUdniO8R3RP0lvdw
Instagram: @TimStating
TikTok: @timstatingtheobvious
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tim-staton-04b41a271/
SKOOL Community: https://www.skool.com/timstatingtheobvious-9537/about?ref=de9c7e65d8ba4eeabc1a8eea413c125b