Illinois State Insights webinar: How to lead with heart in the age of AI

The Illinois State University Alumni Association believes in lifelong learning and career development even after graduation. Take advantage of these free webinars and live streams as they fit into everyday life to continue to learn and grow together as Redbirds. Be sure to register in advance to gain access to the webinar.

As AI accelerates systems and decisions, the human capacity to connect, listen, and lead with care becomes our greatest strategic advantage. In this timely talk, empathy expert, podcaster, and award-winning author Maria Ross explores how leaders can balance employee well-being and performance objectives—without burning out. Drawing on her years of research and her books The Empathy Edge and The Empathy Dilemma, Maria offers practical tools to lead from grounded compassion, create trust-based cultures, and navigate the tension between efficiency and care. For those devoted to both values-aligned leadership and high performance, this session offers a powerful reminder: empathy isn’t a soft skill—it’s the foundation for innovation, engagement, and sustainable results.