Beyond AI: Wisdom at Work · 2026-06-26 · 33 min
Leaders often believe they are investing in their people. Employees often experience something very different. In this episode of Qonversations, Brian Gorman speaks with Keith Metcalfe , President of ACORN, a software and technology company focused on learning, performance, and capability development. Together, they explore the gap between leadership intent and employee experience, especially when it comes to feedback, performance reviews, career growth, and the everyday support people need to progress in their work. Keith brings a practical lens to a problem many organizations struggle to solve. Leaders may say they want to develop people, but without clear role definitions, meaningful competency models, specific feedback, and usable development plans, that intent rarely translates into employee experience. The result is familiar: performance reviews that feel unfair, development conversations that go nowhere, and employees who are left unclear about what growth actually looks like. The conversation addresses AI, not as a replacement for human leadership, but as a tool that can make previously difficult development practices more achievable.
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