Authenticity might be the most abused word in business today. Every AI tool promises to preserve it. Every leadership guru sells it as a brand pillar. And the more it gets thrown around, the less it actually means.
In this episode of The Trending Communicator, host Dan Nestle sits down with Allison Shapira — founder and CEO of Global Public Speaking, Harvard Kennedy School lecturer, regular HBR contributor, and author of AI for the Authentic Leader: How to Communicate More Effectively Without Losing Your Humanity. Allison went from the opera stage to the corridors of diplomacy, eventually building a global communication training company that now coaches prime ministers, cabinet members, and Fortune 100 executives in their highest-stakes moments.
Allison and Dan dig into what authenticity actually means when AI can draft your speech in seconds, why generic AI output is quietly eroding trust between leaders and the teams they lead, and how the AI Authenticity Loop gives communicators a practical way to use these tools without flattening their voice. Along the way, they explore why live speaking might be the last place left to be certain a human is being human — and why the choices we make about AI in the next three years will determine whether it brings us together or pulls us apart.
Listen in and hear about...
Strategic authenticity, and why "rolling out of bed without brushing your teeth" doesn't count
The ACE model — authenticity, clarity, and energy — as the foundation of leadership voice
What new research reveals about how AI overuse erodes trust between leaders and teams
The five-step AI Authenticity Loop and what "starts with you" actually means
Behavioral training, not technical training, as the real key to AI adoption
Why leaders need to be vulnerable about their AI use before their teams will trust them
Notable Quotes from Allison Shapira
"This is not about keeping the human in the loop. As I say in my book, the human IS the loop."
"It would be rude to ask a human for feedback when you haven't asked an AI first because it would be a waste of the human's time."
"The decisions we make in the next three years will determine where AI goes. Whether it brings us together, builds trust, whether it pushes us apart and isolates us even further."
Resources and Links
Dan Nestle
Lilypath | Website
Inquisitive Communications | Website
The Trending Communicator | Website
Communications Trends from Trending Communicators | Dan Nestle's Substack
Dan Nestle | LinkedIn
Allison Shapira
Global Public Speaking | Website
AI for the Authentic Leader | Book
Allison Shapira | LinkedIn
Timestamps
0:00:00 Introduction: Authenticity, leadership, and guest Allison Shapira0:06:18 Allison Shapira’s journey: From opera to diplomacy and communication0:12:29 Defining effective leadership communication and the ACE model0:18:20 AI's impact on human connection and the risks to authentic communication0:24:01 Strategic authenticity: Aligning personal and organizational values0:31:07 How AI undermines trust when misused in corporate messaging0:37:21 Human vs. AI knowledge: Authenticity and lived experience0:43:50 Dangers of outsourcing critical thinking to AI and accountability0:50:01 The AI Authenticity Loop: Five-step framework explained0:57:25 Importance of feedback and critical engagement with AI tools1:01:49 Final thoughts: Shaping the future of AI, authenticity, and leadership
(Notes co-created by Human Dan, Claude, and Castmagic)
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