Rehumanizing Leadership in the Age of AI: The Priceless Movement Begins

(Interview with Scott Doggett, Founder of the National Academy of Leadership Development and author of Priceless! See People Differently. Lead People Better.)

As artificial intelligence continues to reshape the modern workplace, a critical question is emerging: what happens to leadership when the human element disappears?

While AI brings incredible opportunities for efficiency and innovation, it can also erode the empathy, authenticity, and connection that define great leadership. That concern inspired The Priceless Leadership Movement, launched this October during National Learning and Development Month — a time dedicated to professional growth and human potential.

Led by Scott Doggett, founder of National Learning and Development Month and the newly formed National Academy of Leadership Development (NALD), the movement is calling for a nationwide shift toward people-first, servant-hearted leadership in the age of AI. Still in its early stages, NALD and The Priceless Leadership Movement are inviting leaders across industries to help shape what people-first leadership looks like in an AI-driven world.

Q: What was the catalyst for launching this movement, especially during National Learning and Development Month?

Scott Doggett: When I started National Learning and Development Month back in 2016, my goal was to celebrate continuous learning — a reminder that growth doesn’t end after graduation. Fast-forward to today, and we’re learning something entirely new: how to lead with heart in an increasingly digital world.

This theme around rehumanizing leadership came from a growing concern I’ve seen across organizations. As leaders rely more on automation and data, some are losing sight of the people behind the metrics. I launched this movement to help restore balance — to put people before process and heart before hierarchy.

But this isn’t just a theme; it’s the foundation of what’s becoming The Priceless Leadership Movement — a new and growing effort to equip leaders to see people differently and lead them better. We’re just at the beginning of this journey, and it’s exciting to invite others to help us build it together.

Q: You’ve introduced the Priceless Leadership Model as part of this movement. Can you explain what that model looks like and how it helps leaders rehumanize their workplaces in a time dominated by AI and metrics?

Scott Doggett: The Priceless Leadership Model is built on one simple truth: every person you lead has infinite worth. It’s a people-first framework grounded in three dimensions — Head, Heart, and Hands — that bring both strength and soul back into the workplace.

The Head represents wisdom, vision, and discernment. The Heart reflects empathy, humility, and integrity. The Hands stand for service, empowerment, and courage in action.

AI can process information faster than any of us, but it can’t care. It can’t create belonging or model compassion. The Priceless Leadership Model helps leaders blend strategy with humanity — using technology to elevate people, not replace them.

When leaders begin to see people as priceless, everything changes: how they listen, how they make decisions, and how they build culture. That’s where true transformation begins.

Q: You’ve emphasized that AI cannot replicate core human leadership qualities. What specific human skills do you believe are becoming more valuable as AI becomes more prevalent?

Scott Doggett: Skills like empathy, discernment, humility, and creativity are becoming the new leadership currency. AI can crunch numbers, but it can’t comfort a struggling employee or inspire a team around a shared purpose.

As technology takes over more transactional work, leaders must grow in the transformational work — the work of seeing people. The future belongs to leaders who can listen deeply, build trust, and help others flourish.

Q: You recently shared the stage with Marco Madrazo of iLX Studios for a session on AI coaching. How do you see innovations like that supporting the Priceless Leadership mission?

Scott Doggett:  That session with Marco at the recent Association for Talent Development (ATD) conference showed how technology and humanity can collaborate, not compete. We built a working AI coach live on stage using iLX’s LearnStream platform, and within minutes the audience was interacting with it — seeing how AI can help leaders reflect and grow in real time.

This is the kind of innovation I love: tools like Debrief360 and LearnStream make reflection and feedback accessible anytime, anywhere. Imagine finishing a tough meeting and having an AI coach prompt you to think about how your tone, timing, or empathy affected your team. That’s powerful.

It’s not about replacing human connection; it’s about enhancing it. Marco and the iLX Studios team have done something remarkable — they’re building technology that actually helps leaders become more human, not less. That’s perfectly aligned with the mission of The Priceless Leadership Movement.

Q: Looking beyond this month, what is the long-term vision for the Priceless Leadership Movement and NALD?

Scott Doggett: Our vision is to grow The Priceless Leadership Movement into a nationwide community of leaders who see every person as priceless — and lead accordingly. Through NALD, we’re in the early stages of developing a full ecosystem: interactive workshops, train-the-trainer programs, and partnerships with organizations that share our heart for servant leadership.

It’s new. It’s grassroots. And that’s the beauty of it: this movement is being shaped by the very leaders it hopes to serve. Whether someone wants to bring a workshop to their company, join as a faculty partner, or simply learn more about servant leadership, there’s a place for them in this movement.

The long-term goal is simple but bold: to redefine success through the lens of service. We want to help organizations measure not just performance, but presence, purpose, and people impact.

The Priceless Leadership Movement isn’t anti-technology — it’s pro-human. It’s about ensuring that as AI grows smarter, leaders grow kinder, wiser, and more courageous. If we can do that together, we won’t just rehumanize leadership — we’ll rehumanize work itself.

Conclusion

The conversation with Scott Doggett offers a timely reminder that leadership in the age of AI is not about choosing between technology and humanity — it’s about bringing them together. The Priceless Leadership Movement is more than a campaign; it’s a growing effort to re-center leadership on the things that matter most: empathy, integrity, and service.

As workplaces continue to evolve, Doggett’s message is simple but profound: technology may accelerate how we work, but only love and leadership will define why we work.