When I walked into the AI-Powered Women Conference at MIT last week - a space where both women and men were welcomed - I felt two things at once: curiosity… and the tug of “there’s so much to know, where do I even start?”
New tools seem to come out by the minute, with talk of agents and the best tech stacks filling the air.
Maybe you’ve felt that too. Leaders I talk to every day tell me the same thing - they want to stay ahead, but the noise makes it hard to know what to focus on.
That’s why I went:
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To bring back insights for our community so you have answers to lead ahead in your businesses.
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To slow the noise in my own business and get clear on how AI can extend value instead of adding clutter.
And yes, I did come home with a tool list and new skills.
But the biggest insight?
Confirmation of what I’ve seen again and again with leaders: This era demands exceptional leadership, that was the message. That is the work of modern leadership.
What exceptional leadership looks like right now
The leaders who will carry us forward are the ones who:
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Champion well-being as much as they champion the next tech tool.
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Create exceptional experiences for the people they serve, use the tech to support that.
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Inspire their teams to rise, not through pressure, but through presence.
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Ask the right questions before chasing solutions.
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Connect the dots across people, tools, and strategy.
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Stand steady in their own vision and voice, even as everything around them shifts.
Some of you live and breathe this tech already - you’re experimenting, testing, building. Others are just starting to explore. But no matter where you are on the spectrum, the edge that lasts isn’t the tool. It’s leadership - staying centered, asking better questions, and guiding your teams and clients through the clutter with clarity.
đź“ť A reflection for you
Ask yourself this week:
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Where am I chasing noise, instead of focusing on the real problems I want to solve?
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How am I protecting my team’s well-being while still moving forward with innovation?
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What’s one way I can inspire my team this month by how I show up, not just what I do?
Write it down. This is the work of exceptional leadership.
Inside the Collective this month
This is why I built the Modern Leadership Collective. Because tools will keep changing at a rapid pace, but leadership skills, resilience, and clarity are what carry you forward.
💡 Members: In our working session, date to be announced soon, we’ll sharpen your leadership vision and explore how AI can extend it.
✨ Not yet a member? That session alone is worth more than the $77 and in September alone you’ll also get:
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Wellness with Chef Jenn – Healthy Cooking Shortcuts for Busy Professionals
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High-Stakes Conversations with Alicia Sutton (live from Thailand!)
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New Resource Drop: The Modern Leaders Operating System
And I’ll leave you with this: the very first theme at the conference,
“This is the age of resilience.”
I believe that. Because when you’re solid in your own leadership - your voice, your vision, your well-being - no wave of noise can take that away.
That's you.
Join us here.
Let's lead together,
Amy
How to Avoid Dinner Fatigue
We don't often think about how many decisions we make in a single day - what to prioritize at work, how to handle a client request, whether to say yes or no to a new project, what to do with our limited downtime. By the time evening hits, your brain is tapped out.
That's when the question pops up: "What's for dinner?"
It's not that you can't cook - it's that after 50 decisions already made, the thought of figuring out yet another one feels exhausting. And that's when it's easiest to default to takeout, DoorDash, or a bowl of cereal.
Here's the good news: healthy eating doesn't have to mean a three-hour Sunday prep session or perfectly planned menus. Sometimes the smallest, most practical shifts make the biggest difference.
One strategy is build yourself a "default grocery list". These are the items you always keep stocked - like microwaveable grains, pre-washed greens, a rotisserie chicken, or your favorite jarred sauce. That way, you're not reinventing the wheel every week or making decisions from scratch every night. You've already cleared some of the mental clutter before you even open the fridge.
If this resonates with you, I'll be going deeper on this exact theme next week in the Collective. Our monthly wellness session is all about healthy cooking shortcuts for busy professionals - practical, doable ideas that help you stay nourished without adding stress to your week.
If you've ever felt the 6pm "what's for dinner?" dread, this is for you.
Let's go and lead together, we are open for new members now. Join us!
Join the Collective - a community of professionals who are committed to growing, leading, and living with intention. Inside, you'll get access to tools, strategies, and conversations that move you forward - without the overwhelm. Learn more here!
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