This is an in person session, taking place in the Portlaoise Enterprise Centre, Co. Offaly on the 8th May 2026
If you would prefer a Virtual session you can attend our 22nd April date here: AI-Ready Leadership – Sustainable HRM Skillnet
As AI changes how we work the real challenge for leaders and organisations is not the technology itself but how we lead on its implementation. If you are managing or leading within a business that is adopting AI, this programme will help you to understand what’s happening, respond with confidence, and lead your people through change in a way that strengthens performance rather than disrupts it.
This programme focuses on the people side of AI, not just the tools, ensuring that leaders can integrate technology in a way that is responsible, confident, and long lasting.
You will learn how to:
- Understand AI without feeling overwhelmed
- Lead people confidently through ongoing change
- Build trust during periods of uncertainty
- Use AI to improve performance — not replace people
- Strengthen your emotional intelligence so you can lead calmly and clearly
1. The Human Impact of AI
We explore how AI affects roles, confidence, and identity, why resistance to change occurs, and how leaders can respond in a way that maintains engagement and stability.
2. Leading Through Ongoing Change
You will strengthen emotional intelligence as a core leadership capability, develop practical approaches to managing uncertainty, and learn how to support your team without burning out yourself.
3. Trust and Psychological Safety
We focus on maintaining open communication, avoiding fear-based reactions, and creating the conditions where safe experimentation can take place without damaging trust.
4. Using AI Well – Not Just Using AI
You will examine where AI genuinely adds value, how it can improve decision-making and operational efficiency, and how it can free up time for higher-value leadership work.
5. Practical Leadership Tools
The programme includes applied tools such as cognitive load audits (to identify where you are overloaded), practical ways to release personal capacity using AI, and guidance on creating simple, clear AI usage principles for your team.
- Lead your team more confidently through AI-related change
- Apply emotional intelligence to manage uncertainty effectively
- Build and sustain trust during technology transitions
- Make sound judgments about when and how AI should be used
- Reduce overload and focus on higher-value leadership work
- Move from reacting to AI to intentionally shaping how it is used within your team or organisation
This programme is designed for:
- Leaders, people managers, and business owners, including those preparing for broader leadership responsibility
- Leaders responsible for implementing, influencing, or leading AI-enabled change
- Leaders seeking to strengthen their leadership capability in complex, fast-changing environments
The programme is suitable across sectors and is not limited to technical or specialist AI roles.
The programme supports organisations to integrate people, performance, and technology decisions in a way that enables sustainable value creation.
With optional One-to-One Coaching / Deep Dive (3 x 1 hour sessions) pricing available upon request.
This programme will be lead by Michelle McDaid and Paul Thompson.
Trainer Profiles:
Experience: Michelle McDaid – The Leading Place
- MSc (Hons) in Work & Organisational Behaviour, DCU (Sep 2023 – June 2025)
- CIPD Associate Member
- 25+ years experience leading and scaling global teams across FinTech and HR Tech.
- Mentoring, coaching and building high performance teams across multiple cultures and countries in all roles for 25 years.
- Michelle is passionate about DEIB (Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging), with a special interest in Gender Equity and Women in STEM. Through her senior roles in technology in AIB, Fidelity Investments and Workhuman, Michelle has championed ERGs (Employee Resource Groups) and has led many initiatives which delivered tangible results. Michelle was an IBEC Diversity Forum member and 30% Club rep and Tech Forum rep while at Workhuman.
- Mentor and committee member on TU Dublin Saer Mentoring Programme.
Experience: Paul Thompson – What if Now!
Qualifications/Professional Development:
- Professional Diploma in Advanced Artificial Intelligence, University College Dublin (Distinction, 2025).
- Strategic Contact Centre Management (Level 9), Dublin Business School.
- Diploma in Executive & Personal Coaching, Kingstown College.
- Lean Six Sigma – Yellow Belt, Moresteam.
- Professional Certificate in Contact Centre Management, NUI.
- BSc (Hons) Computer Science, ITT Dublin (2002-2006).
Experience:
- 16+ years’ experience delivering large-scale customer service transformation across global B2B and B2C organisations including Google, LinkedIn, and Sage. Expert in customer service, CX strategy, operational performance improvement, digital-first service models, and vendor management.
- Founder of ‘What If Now Ltd’, a strategic AI agency empowering start-ups and SMEs to move quickly from AI curiosity to full operational execution with tailored AI, automation and leadership support.
- CCMA Ireland Board Member (Voluntary) (Jan 2022 – Present).
- Provides strategic guidance to 2,000+ CX professionals advocating for industry growth across Ireland.
- Advocate for the growth and professionalisation of the Irish CX industry.
- Judge for the national CX industry awards, including Industry Professional of the Year (2023), Team Leader of the Year (2024), and Advisor of the Year (2025).
- Passionate about leadership development, CX innovation, and building resilient teams.
- A certified coach with a passion for developing resilient, high-performing and empathetic teams.
- Founding Member of Google Ireland Toastmasters and recipient of the Corporate Special Award.