9 - Navigating the Human Side of Leadership: Empathy, AI, and Team Dynamics

Eli Igra Serfaty

Published on: 14/04/2026

In this episode of Category Leaders, host Eli speaks with Ashley Hurd, founder of Manager Method and author of The Manager Method. Ashley shares her diverse career journey and introduces management style analogies — "tight jeans," "oversized sweatpants," and "cozy joggers" — to illustrate the importance of balanced leadership. She emphasizes empathy, one-on-one meetings, and recognizing employees' personal lives. The conversation also tackles AI integration challenges, highlighting the disconnect between leadership messaging and employee experience, and the need for open, structured dialogue to foster responsible innovation.