Helping leaders navigate a world where the old rules no longer work Speaker | Advisor | Host, The Edge of Work Podcast
Los Angeles Metropolitan Area
38K followers
500+ connections
About
I work at the intersection of leadership, talent, and the workplace change, helping leaders think differently so they can proactively guide their organizations through change and uncertainty.
I’m a Keynote Speaker, Advisor, Researcher, and Facilitator, and a firm believer that organizations grow when their people do. At the core of my work is a simple conviction: the most important job of any leader is to develop their people.
I’m the Founder of The Edge of Work, a leadership development consulting firm that partners with organizations to solve some of their most pressing people and leadership challenges, including:
- Designing and delivering leadership development experiences that help leaders navigate change, provide clarity amid ambiguity, and develop their teams to drive stronger performance
- Facilitating workshops and trainings that equip leaders with the mindset and practical tools to thoughtfully reimagine how work gets done—especially in the age of AI
- Delivering keynote talks for executives, professionals, and HR & talent leaders on topics such as leading through change, trends in talent development, and creating opportunity during uncertain times
My mission is to inspire leaders to build better, more human organizations—places that unlock both the potential and performance of their people. I do this through speaking, advising leaders on emerging workplace trends, and delivering leadership training that helps people navigate change and drive impact in a constantly evolving world of work.
Previously, I worked at Salesforce and Deloitte Consulting, where I partnered with Fortune 500 companies to use digital technology to drive large-scale organizational transformation.
I’m deeply interested in topics including leadership, talent development, learning, culture, and the future of work. My work has been featured in MIT Sloan Management Review, TIME, Fast Company, Inc. Magazine, and the World Economic Forum.
Services
Articles by Al
Activity
38K followers
-
Al Dea posted thisTomorrow, Andrew Barry and I are going to "work out loud" with two Talent leaders on their toughest challenges. Each leader takes the hot seat, brings a real challenge, and works through it live with peers. Here's how it will work: Two 15 minute turns, one leader in the hot seat at a time. Here is the format Share: The leader lays out the current challenge and what they're trying to do (5 Min) Clarify: The group asks questions to help the leader “think better” (5 Min) Explore: Peers offer ideas and suggestions for how to move forward (5 Min) Then we'll open it up so the audience can share their thoughts and observations, and close with reflections from both leaders on what it was like to work out loud It's a chance to watch smart people work on a hard/complex problem where there isn't a playbook. It's also the same format we'll use in the Talent Leader AI Lab, a strategy incubator for Talent and L&D leaders this fall. We have a few spots left for Talent and learning in-house leaders who want to join the live session on Friday October 2nd at 2PM Eastern Time. If you’re working on something challenging and want to see what this is like, send me a message, we’d love to have you!
-
Al Dea reposted thisAl Dea reposted this66 talent leaders already registered for Friday's session 👀 Al and I can't wait to get Kristen Hartley (Workday) and Satu Salminen (Zscaler) on the hot seat. And if you're in-house Talent, HR, or L&OD, come join to watch and connect. The format is what Al calls a "bullpen session" and it's a huge part of the Talent Leader Lab we're launching on Oct 19. Kristen and Satu will each bring a real talent strategy challenge into the room. We'll work through it together using structured peer coaching, moving from clarifying questions to practical recommendations. You'll get to see the thinking while it's still being worked out. And take back a way to work through your own next decision with your team. That's what I want you to leave holding: a method you can use when someone asks, "So what should we actually do?" Working Out Loud • Friday, October 2 • 2 pm ET / 11 am PT • Live on Zoom • No recording • Free For people leading or supporting Talent, L&D, or People work inside their org. Request your seat with the QR code or use the link in the comments.
-
Al Dea reposted thisAl Dea reposted thisLauren Tropeano is Chief People Officer of Docebo. In this episode, Lauren explores how organizations can navigate rapid change, develop talent, and create the conditions for successful AI adoption. She introduces the concept of the “renaissance worker,” someone who combines core expertise with adjacent skills and interests to create value beyond traditional roles. Lauren discusses how a skills-based talent philosophy can help organizations identify and deploy employees’ capabilities, why HR leaders need to understand the broader business, and how leaders can encourage AI experimentation through learning and invitation rather than mandates. Listen Here: https://lnkd.in/eZZ9W-7v
-
Al Dea shared thisOn Tuesday, I made it to my 6th LinkedIn Talent Connect in NYC. It was great to see old friends and make some new ones throughout the day of learning and connecting with other talent leaders, all trying to make sense of what's happening and what's next at the intersection of talent and the future of work. While the day flew by fast, here were a few of my highlights: 1. Catching sessions to watch Talent Connect All-Stars like Naphtali Bryant, M.A. and Dr. Chrissy Roth-Francis share ideas and facilitate discussions around using AI to make teams better, and solving barriers to talent velocity 2. Catching up with the Talent Connect Community friends throughout the day like Anne McSilver, Jennifer McClure, Sonya Bessalel, Drushti Gandhi, Madeline Mann and more On my way out, I caught a sign that encapsulated both Talent Connect and how I think we all would benefit from solving the challenges we face right now as leaders: "Great minds think alike. Better ones think together." Thanks for a great day!
-
Al Dea reposted thisAl Dea reposted this66 talent leaders already registered for Friday's session 👀 Al and I can't wait to get Kristen Hartley (Workday) and Satu Salminen (Zscaler) on the hot seat. And if you're in-house Talent, HR, or L&OD, come join to watch and connect. The format is what Al calls a "bullpen session" and it's a huge part of the Talent Leader Lab we're launching on Oct 19. Kristen and Satu will each bring a real talent strategy challenge into the room. We'll work through it together using structured peer coaching, moving from clarifying questions to practical recommendations. You'll get to see the thinking while it's still being worked out. And take back a way to work through your own next decision with your team. That's what I want you to leave holding: a method you can use when someone asks, "So what should we actually do?" Working Out Loud • Friday, October 2 • 2 pm ET / 11 am PT • Live on Zoom • No recording • Free For people leading or supporting Talent, L&D, or People work inside their org. Request your seat with the QR code or use the link in the comments.
-
Al Dea reposted thisAl Dea reposted thisLast week in Minneapolis, we brought together a fantastic group of L&D leaders for an evening of good food and thoughtful conversation about AI, leadership, and the future of work. A big thank you to the clients who joined us and to the new faces who are now part of the Abilitie community. We loved having the opportunity to connect, hear what’s on your minds, and learn from the experiences and perspectives in the room. And a special thank you to our host, Al Dea of The Edge of Work, for facilitating such an engaging discussion about what becomes more important as AI takes on more of the work: judgment, agency, and effective decision-making. We’re grateful to everyone who made the evening such a memorable one. 🥂
-
Al Dea reposted thisLast week, we brought the At The Edge Dinner Series to Minneapolis for the first time. This year we've hosted 10 dinners in different cities. While I initially started hosting these dinners as a way to continue the conversations I was having on the podcast, I've been grateful to the many partners and participants who have built this beyond that into a container where people can connect, learn from one another, and contribute to something bigger than ourselves. The Edge of Work may have my name on it, but it has never been something I could do alone. And that’s why I’m grateful for people like Jenny French & Angela Pappas. Jenny and Angela, behind the scenes, were integral to making the dinner happen, and they embody what The Edge of Work stands for. I've always believed that in any room you enter, you can do two things: learn and teach. Angela and Jenny live it. They're curious, they share what they learn, and they're generous with their expertise. They help people stay grounded in a changing environment and contribute in every room they are in. They are the kinds of people we need during uncertain times. (Thank you both!) At The Edge is back in Minneapolis in a few weeks, and we’ve got stops along the way in Atlanta, New York, Chicago, and more! If you'd like to bring the dinner series to your city in 2027, send me a message and see you soon! The Edge of Work
-
Al Dea posted thisLast week, I shared why I started running "bullpen sessions" to unlock a siloed team. The goal was meant to get people out of their siloes and to share what they are working on, and in the process, to help each other think through a core challenge and surface ideas no one person would have come up with in their silo. Since then, I've used this format in team sessions, leadership programs, peer groups as a way to solve problems together, workshop ideas, and connect and learn from each other. Here is how it works, so you can run one of these with your peers or on a team: 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐒𝐞𝐭𝐮𝐩 Ideally, 4 people including you, and people at your level or role and with slightly different day to day work so you have shared context, but diversity in ideas and perspectives. Works great for peers and/or x-functional teams. 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐅𝐨𝐫𝐦𝐚𝐭 60 minutes total, with 4 turns. Each turn is 15 minutes. Here is what it looks like: 𝐂𝐨𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐱𝐭:The hot-seat participant explains a challenge they are facing or a problem they are working on solving 𝐃𝐢𝐬𝐜𝐞𝐫𝐧𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭: The other "Thought Partners" ask clarifying and coach-like questions to draw out context and help the participant think better. 𝐄𝐱𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐭𝐢𝐬𝐞 : The other members offer actionable ideas and recommendations. I find that these are useful, especially for complex, ambiguous challenges where there isn't a playbook, very much like many of the challenges that talent and learning leaders face today. That's why it's a critical element of the Talent Leader AI Lab, the 8-week cohort I'm building with Andrew Barry for high-growth Talent and L&D leaders. On Friday, Oct 2, we're running a live version of a bullpen session. Two talent leaders will each bring a real challenge, and we'll help them "think out loud" to solve it. If you're a talent or learning leader inside an organization and want to see what it's like, DM me, we'd love to have you join us.
-
Al Dea reposted thisAl Dea reposted thisLast week, Al Dea and I opened a search for the best coaches and facilitators to join our new CO/LEAD program. Within 24 hours, over 400 wildly talented folks applied. (Whoa, still so grateful for that response!) And as much as I'd love to believe it's because people just want to work with Al and me, I think we got such a great response for different reason. I think it's because of CO/LEAD's design and potential. CO/LEAD is not a traditional leadership program. It's set up to create a cultivated community and space for senior leaders who are ready for leadership growth. It's a place where we can, together, challenge the status quo of leadership approaches and co-create a new way of experimenting with leadership for today's world. Participants will learn from world-class coaches and facilitators, but they will also be learning from other senior leaders also looking to push the edge of leadership as we know it. They'll see outside perspectives from other industries and build new peer relationships to last far beyond the twelve weeks we have them together. I genuinely feel like the decade+ of leadership development work I've done with 100+ companies has led to this program. We're pouring our expertise and network into this, and it's so exciting to watch it begin to come to life. Waitlist is now open for participants. Applications will open in October. The program will launch in January. https://lnkd.in/gjX72uyt I. CAN'T. WAIT! What do you think of this approach? Comment your thoughts below! Or help us get the word out and tag a senior leader in the comments who you think would thrive in a program like this!
-
Al Dea liked thisAl Dea liked thisLeadership wisdom bombs from Brené Brown, perseverance, kindness and space lessons from Leland Melvin, Daniel Shapero’s perspective on the future of work, and LinkedIn’s new Hiring Assistant 2, this year’s Talent Connect left me inspired, energized, and feeling more prepared to lead than I’ve felt in a long time. But the real gift of the week was getting to see my team in action bringing talent leaders from around the world together. A huge shout out to Helen J. Stoddard, Laura Parkinson, Shannon Santana , Nikhita Arora, Hallie Skipper, Amanda Pena, Molly McGuire, Jen Gronski, Alyssa Leppla, and our incredible partners Bill Burnett and Sudha Ranganathan and countless others who worked to produce the event.
-
Al Dea liked thisAl Dea liked thisExcited to speak next week on Tuesday at HCI Spark Talent Conference on my favorite topic - skill gaps, standards, numerators, denominators and deltas. It's going to be a lively session with lots of opportunity for engagement and discussion. https://lnkd.in/eNQkPHVa some of the things we will be discussing together - How to define and measure capability with rigor - Establish clear standards for performance and objectively assess current capability against them - so you can quantify what “good” looks like and where gaps truly exist. - How to diagnose the real source of performance gaps: Distinguish between true skill deficiencies and system, process, or environmental constraints to avoid misdirected talent and development investments. - Why organizations struggle to prove impact - and how to fix it - Understand the structural reasons L&D and talent management default to activity and sentiment over evidence, and how to replace them with a disciplined, standards-based, first principles, gap-centric approach. - Why Learning is a moral obligation and how to give employees agency and dignity through lifelong development
-
Al Dea liked thisAl Dea liked thisIt's an honor to begin my work as Chief Human Resources Officer of Danaher. People are the reason Danaher can do what it does. Our teams help improve human health around the world, and HR's job is to make sure we have the talent, leaders, and culture to keep raising the bar for our customers and patients. I've spent my career at Danaher across 3 platforms and 13 operating companies, and I've seen firsthand what happens when HR works as a true partner to the business. DBS gives us a common language and a set of tools for continuous improvement, and our people bring it to life. That combination is a real advantage, and I see tremendous potential to build on it in this time of speed and disruption. I'm grateful to Georgeann Couchara for her leadership and for the strong foundation she built, including the work that is shaping HRs transformation today. I'm also proud to join Julie Sawyer Montgomery's leadership team as Danaher begins its next chapter. I'm energized by what we can accomplish together as we develop the people and teams who will deliver Innovation at the speed of life. Let's go!
-
Al Dea liked thisAl Dea liked thisAI is changing how entry-level work gets done, while increasing the importance of critical thinking and human judgment. I recently spoke with Sarah Jackson at CNBC Make It about how AI is reshaping the experience of entry-level talent and the skills needed to succeed. That perspective is reflected in a new global study from the IBM Institute for Business Value, where 49% of employees and 57% of CHROs identified critical thinking and problem framing as among the skills that matter most in the age of AI. As AI takes on more routine work, the opportunity is to help people focus earlier on building expertise, sound judgment, and stronger problem-solving skills. For employers, that means intentionally creating opportunities for learning, skill development, and hands-on experience that help employees build those capabilities. Read the CNBC article here: https://lnkd.in/eG3niJ79 #FutureOfWork #AISkills #WorkforceTransformation #IBMThe 2 most important skills for entry-level workers in the age of AI, says IBM's chief talent officerThe 2 most important skills for entry-level workers in the age of AI, says IBM's chief talent officer
-
Al Dea liked thisAl Dea liked thisAnother exciting week at the Frontier BU in Nashville! Huge thanks for hosting our Emerging Leaders! #CircleK
-
Al Dea liked thisAl Dea liked thisA great day at Society for Industrial and Organizational Psychology (SIOP) Baltimore 2026 where the theme was “Shaping the Future of People Analytics.” My closing keynote had one central theme: Wrap your data in a compelling story to reach the audience you want to influence. If your intel doesn’t drive decisions and actions, it’s just noise. With Cole Napper, Colby Kennedy Nesbitt, Ph.D. and Tunji Oki, PhD.
-
Al Dea liked thisAl Dea liked thisExcited to share that today was my first day with Section as their Director of Customer Engagement! 🎉 Section is an AI-native company working at the frontier of enterprise AI adoption and transformation, and I can't think of a more exciting place to be right now. In this role, I'll be working with enterprise leaders who are redesigning their workforce around AI. I'm feeling deeply curious to start exploring how AI transformation is actually playing out in these companies (where are the successes and sticking points?). And I'm feeling personally invigorated to start working for a #supercompany. I expect to be challenged in many new ways to uplevel how my team and I utilize AI. A huge thank you to Greg Shove and Lauren Kaufman Witten for bringing me into the org. And, since we've all been working remotely for 5+ years now, thought I'd share my first-day setup with my longest-standing office mate, Poppy 🐱🎆. As you can see, she's already very excited about Section too.
Experience
Education
-
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill - Kenan-Flagler Business School
Master of Business Administration (M.B.A.)
-
Activities and Societies: Vice President, MBA Student Association, Admissions Advisory Board, The Consortium for Graduate Study in Management Fellow, Business Communications Center (BCC) Consultant, Tar Heel Talks (Founder) Career Mentor.
-
Boston College
Bachelors Marketing, Theology
-
Activities and Societies: Undergraduate Government of Boston College (UGBC) Student Body President, Senate President, Senate Vice President, Senator, Resident Assistant, Orientation Leader, KAIROS Program, Pedro Arrupe Immersion Program
-
McQuaid Jesuit High School
High School
Activities and Societies: Campus Ministry, Executive Council
Honors & Awards
-
UNC Kenan-Flagler Class of 2015 Leadership Core Value Award
University of North Carolina Kenan-Flagler Business School
In the 18th Century, the people of North Carolina founded UNC - the first state university in the nation. In the 20th Century, UNC created one of the nation's first schools of business. In the 21st Century, we will build on our heritage by providing innovative leadership in the education and research, and by inspiring and developing leaders of the future.
In recognition of the Class of 2015 Graduate who best exemplifies the Core Value of Leadership -
Brian D.A. Hall Leadership Award
Boston College
To the individual, by who both in action and accomplishment in co-curricular life, has created positive change within a student organization and its student membership, as well as contributed to the overall quality of student life
Recommendations received
10 people have recommended Al
Join now to viewOther similar profiles
Explore more posts
-
Ken Thompson
We believe that culture isn't just a part of the business—it is at the foundation of everything we do. In her new blog, AlignOrg Chief Culture Officer Marci Thompson explores how a culture-first approach can transform your organization. https://lnkd.in/gqsf3fvP. #Leadership #Culture #OrgDesign
1 Comment -
Ilona Boniwell, PhD
I first met Jean-Philippe Courtois when he was interviewing me for his Positive Leadership Podcast—a space where he has held deep, authentic conversations with over 130 of the world’s best thinkers and business leaders. What struck me immediately wasn’t his incredible resume—having led Microsoft’s Global Sales across 124 countries during its most historic transformation. It was his profound humility, his deep listening, infectious curiosity and his fundamental belief that at the centre of every massive global operation is a single, beating human heart. We are entering an era where AI can process data, write code, and even formulate strategies faster than we ever could. But it cannot care. It cannot empathise. It cannot hold space for a team member who is struggling or navigate the moral weight of a difficult decision. As AI accelerates execution, it is forcing a massive reality check on all of us: When machines can do the thinking, what's left for leaders? My guess is that they must master the art of being profoundly human. Positive leadership is no longer a "soft skill." It might be the hardest, most vital exercise of power, responsibility, and trust when the stakes are incredibly high. AI is acting as a massive stress test for our judgment and our ethics. That is why I am so deeply honoured to share that Jean-Philippe Courtois will be joining us for the HEC Paris Executive Education Global Executive Coaching Masterclass Series. Hosted by myself (Ilona Boniwell, PhD), we will explore the raw, unvarnished reality of leadership today: 🔹 How AI acts as a stress test for our ethics, meaning, and trust. 🔹 The core principles of Positive Leadership when an organisation is under immense pressure. 🔹 Practical rituals that drive behaviour change at scale, moving from a culture of ego to a culture of empathy. 🔹 The vital intersection of executive coaching and leadership in fast-moving, AI-intensive environments. Whether you are a senior executive, a tech-forward leader, or an executive coach supporting the C-suite, this is not just a conversation about business strategy. It is a conversation about the future of our humanity in the workplace. It is one you do not want to miss. 🗓 Date: Friday, March 20, 2026 🕙 Time: 10:00 am - 11:00 am (CET) 📍 Format: Live Online Secure your seat and register via the link in the first comment below! Looking forward to sharing this space with you all. HEC Paris #PositiveLeadership #ArtificialIntelligence #ExecutiveCoaching #FutureOfWork #HumanCentricLeadership #HECParis #TechLeadership #EmpathyInBusiness
19 Comments -
Greg Owen Boger
Effective communication is key to successful meetings. In our new blog post, we explore the Framing Strategy, a structured method to start your meetings with clarity and intention. Learn how to save time, build trust, and create alignment with this simple yet powerful tool. Dive into the article for more insights. https://hubs.ly/Q04tFqh60 #EffectiveMeetings #TeamBuilding #TurpinCommunication
-
Monique D Jefferson, SPHR, SHRM-SCP
When I think about the conversations that matter most in the boardroom right now, they all come back to one thing: Talent. Human capital now sits at the center of strategy, culture, and long-term value creation. For boards this shows up as questions like: - Do we have a clear, actionable succession plan for the CEO and key leadership roles? - Are we building a strong, diverse talent bench two layers down? - What is our culture really enabling or getting in the way of? - How are AI and technology reshaping roles? In my view, talent oversight works best when these questions are frequently on the board’s agenda. When boards regularly connect human capital to business outcomes, they are better positioned to manage risk, support leadership, and sustain the culture employees experience every day. How often does your board spend time on talent beyond updates on compensation or headcount metrics?
1 Comment
Explore top content on LinkedIn
Find curated posts and insights for relevant topics all in one place.
View top content