Welcome to HeartWired: Emotionally Intelligent Leadership for an AI World! In this episode, I dive deep into the intersection of intuition, leadership, and artificial intelligence with the dynamic Deborah Deras. With three decades of corporate experience, a focus on AI education, and an inspiring outlook on emotionally intelligent leadership, Deborah brings a fresh perspective to today’s rapidly changing landscape.

We explore how leaders can cultivate and trust their intuition amid the noise of fear and fast-paced technological change, especially as AI is integrated into more aspects of our organizations and lives. Deborah’s stories, including her surprising path to becoming an AI educator at Santa Barbara City College, offer actionable wisdom for anyone navigating transformation.

Deborah Deras is an accomplished international speaker, organizational leadership doctoral student, corporate trainer, and the author of “Your Ego Is Not Your Amigo.” She specializes in helping leaders access their intuition, move beyond imposter syndrome, and embrace emotionally intelligent practices that keep humanity at the center of technology.

Key Takeaways and Topics

1. Understanding Ego vs. Intuition: Deborah explains how ego shows up as a “barking puppy” and why trying to suppress fear can actually amplify it. Instead, she shares tools for training your inner voice and working with, rather than against, your fear.
2. Women and Leadership: We discuss why women often hold themselves back from advancement and how to lean into possibility over perfectionism.
3. The Role of Intuition in AI Adoption: As organizations rush to integrate AI, leaders must use intuition and emotional intelligence to guide responsible innovation. Deborah raises powerful questions for leaders to ask: Does AI align with our core values? Are we losing sight of the human touch in pursuit of efficiency?
4. Vision & Discernment: AI can synthesize data, but it lacks lived experience, vision, and discernment—traits only humans can contribute. Deborah emphasizes that emotional intelligence and intuition are superpowers in the AI era.
5. Practical Mindfulness: Learning to “come home” to yourself requires moments of stillness and reflection. We talk about practical ways leaders can slow down and check in with their intuition amidst constant technological acceleration.
6. Personal Stories: Deborah shares her own path to AI education, guided by intuition versus logical career planning—and the business implications for integrating or misusing AI tools.

If this episode resonated with you or if you know someone struggling to find balance between technology and their own wisdom, please share HeartWired with them! Subscribe wherever you get your podcasts so you never miss an episode.

Connect with Deborah Deras at DeborahDeras.com to access her free meditation or check out her latest book, “Your Ego Is Not Your Amigo.”

Want more conversations about emotional intelligence and leadership in the AI era? Make sure to stay in touch for future episodes—and don’t forget to slow down, listen to your intuition, and lead with heart.

Thank you for listening!

— Dr. MJ

Timestamps:

00:00 "Fear, Excitement, and Intuition"

05:51 "Embracing Change Beyond Fear"

08:24 "Balancing AI Innovation and Safety"

11:46 Right Place, Right Time

13:29 "AI Use Must Align Values"

20:27 "Finding Stillness Amid AI Progress"

21:19 "Stillness Amidst Technology"

25:12 "Intuition, Emotional Intelligence, AI"

Mentioned in this episode:

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