She kept her voice even in meetings. Answered messages within the hour. Never canceled a one-on-one. By every visible measure she was functioning. But three of her seven direct reports had gone quiet in six weeks. The director came to me wondering what was wrong with her team. Nothing was wrong with her team.

He had made quarterly forecasts for eleven years. Then last October he started second-guessing every number. Rerunning analysis that looked right the first time. He told me he was losing his edge. He was not losing his edge. His nervous system had changed the operating conditions for his brain. And nobody had told him.

61% of CEOs told BCG their boards are rushing AI. Almost none are saying it in the room where it matters. That silence is a nervous system signal. Not a confidence problem.

We’re talking a lot about AI (Artificial Intelligence) these days. Every boardroom is buzzing with urgency. Every leadership retreat includes at least one session called something like: “Future-Proofing Your Organization: AI and Innovation in the Workplace.” But here’s what no one wants to say out loud: Most organizations are not afraid of AI. They’re afraid of what AI will expose. AI Amplifies Your Culture Let’s be honest. If your team doesn’t trust leadership, AI will only