EPISODE

106: How to AI-Enhance Your Drama Ditching at Work

In this episode, Alex Dorr explores a forward-thinking leadership topic: how to use AI to enhance decision-making, reduce workplace drama, and unlock better solutions. Drawing from a recent live event, Alex walks through how modern leaders can combine Reality Based Leadership tools with AI to break through stuck thinking and accelerate progress.

Rather than replacing human insight, AI becomes a powerful thought partner—helping teams generate ideas when energy is low, accountability is avoided, or creativity stalls. Alex highlights how tools like “thinking inside the box” and SBAR can be supercharged with AI to move teams from “why we can’t” into “how we could.” The episode ultimately reframes AI as a leadership advantage: not just for efficiency, but for expanding thinking, increasing accountability, and driving next right action.


Episode Highlights:

00:00:00 — Introducing the idea: using AI to enhance leadership and ditch workplace drama.

00:01:30 — Why modern leaders are shifting from managing work to managing energy and thinking.

00:03:30 — The opportunity: combining AI with Reality Based Leadership tools.

00:06:00 — How the “thinking inside the box” framework helps teams move from excuses to solutions.

00:08:30 — When teams get stuck: the role of ego, avoidance, and lack of willingness.

00:10:30 — Using AI as a creative partner to generate breakthrough ideas within constraints.

00:12:30 — The key insight: AI never runs out of ideas—even when teams do.

00:13:45 — Identifying the real blockers: skill gaps, outdated approaches, or lack of willingness.

00:14:45 — Enhancing the SBAR framework with AI to improve analysis and recommendations.

00:15:45 — Why AI should support (not replace) human thinking and collaboration.

Latest episodes

125: How Long Does It Take for Culture Change at Work

In this episode, National Bestselling Author Alex Dorr discusses how long true culture change takes at work. In general, leaders don't realize that culture change doesn't have to be this big lift that involves tons of pain, consultants and awkward sessions together. An intriguing message, with thought-provoking ideas and tools to actually shift behavior and provide relief to some of the toughest workplace drama is often the fastest culture change you'll see. 

This happens time and time again for those that are first exposed to Reality-Based Leadership. This episode then gives you Alex's 4 best tips to start shifting culture to one that is low drama and high in accountability almost instantaneously. Don't fall for the false beliefs out there that culture change at work takes 18 months to 3 years, you can begin today with some ideas in this podcast.

Episode Highlights: 

00:00:40 How long does culture change really take?

00:01:42 The 18 months to three years commitment debate

00:02:56 Why culture change can happen almost instantaneously

00:05:05 Climate change vs. culture change: start with your 8 to 12

00:06:30 The health system that changed its culture with two free videos

00:08:54 Work with the willing: a facilitator’s sessions grow to standing room only

00:11:51 Co-creation and the story we make up

00:14:36 Four tools that shift culture quickly

00:16:19 Stop judging, start helping

00:19:38 Why help now instead of waiting for a three-year commitment

LEARN MORE
124: When to Move From Coaching to Performance Management as a Leader

Many leaders struggle with knowing when it is time to coach and when the issues they are experiencing with a team member have drifted into a performance issue that calls for performance management. In this episode, Alex Dorr, CEO of Reality Based Leadership, shares a Reality-Based approach to help you make that distinction, along with several tools to coach or manage performance based on the conversation you need to have.

Episode Highlights:

00:00:18 Why this episode: when to coach vs. manage performance

00:01:06 The dirty secret: the tools only work with the willing

00:03:40 When coaching works and when it doesn’t

00:05:28 The five-step process

00:06:46 Step 1: Diagnose story, relationship, or performance

00:11:40 Step 2: The Edit Your Story tool

00:14:07 Step 3: The Feedback Frame

00:19:43 Step 4: Seven performance conversation questions

00:21:51 The Performance Coaching Agreement

00:26:06 Final reflection: your next right conversation

LEARN MORE
124: When to Move From Coaching to Performance Management as a Leader

Many leaders struggle with knowing when it is time to coach and when the issues they are experiencing with a team member have drifted into a performance issue that calls for performance management. In this episode, Alex Dorr, CEO of Reality Based Leadership, shares a Reality-Based approach to help you make that distinction, along with several tools to coach or manage performance based on the conversation you need to have.

Episode Highlights:

00:00:18 Why this episode: when to coach vs. manage performance

00:01:06 The dirty secret: the tools only work with the willing

00:03:40 When coaching works and when it doesn’t

00:05:28 The five-step process

00:06:46 Step 1: Diagnose story, relationship, or performance

00:11:40 Step 2: The Edit Your Story tool

00:14:07 Step 3: The Feedback Frame

00:19:43 Step 4: Seven performance conversation questions

00:21:51 The Performance Coaching Agreement

00:26:06 Final reflection: your next right conversation

LEARN MORE