Data Driven Leadership

2025 was a breakthrough year for AI adoption, with new tools enabling seamless integration between business and technical teams. Organizations leveraged AI to improve operations, enhance decision-making, and unlock growth opportunities, though not without challenges. In this episode, Jess Carter sits down with Michael Schwarz, Senior Vice President of Professional Services at Resultant, to reflect on the key lessons from 2025. They discuss the successes and hurdles organizations encountered in their AI journeys and share actionable insights for leaders heading into 2026. Michael also offers his predictions for 2026 and how businesses can leverage AI to lead in the next phase of digital transformation. In this episode, you'll learn: How 2025 accelerated AI adoption across industries The balance between power and responsibility in using AI Key priorities for leaders to focus on in 2026, especially within industries like healthcare Things to listen for: (00:00) Introduction to the episode with Michael Schwarz (06:08) Reflections on 2025 with fast-moving technology (11:31) What leaders need to know about the future of AI (18:07) Predictions for 2026 (25:10) Where to focus AI investment for growth (31:15) Improving patient experience for 2026 Michael's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/schwarzmike/

With the right data foundation, hospitals can better support medical staff and improve patient outcomes. Tony Pastorino, commercial health strategy lead at Resultant, joins Jess Carter to discuss how data-driven insights are transforming hospital efficiency. Tony shares his experiences from overseeing information systems at IU Health. He also highlights the critical role of predictive analytics in improving patient flow and streamlining daily operations. In this episode, you'll learn: How predictive models can improve staffing and resource allocation The challenges of managing complex healthcare data How hospitals can use their existing data to make clearer, more confident operational decisions Things to listen for: (00:00) Introduction to the episode with Tony Pastorino (02:06) Breaking down the complexity of healthcare data (05:12) How hospitals are building data lakes (10:02) Predictive analytics in health care (16:45) Improving the patient experience in hospital systems (21:00) Predictive analytics for nurse staffing and burnout (24:56) Using AI to create more distraction-free patient interactions (26:40) How hospitals can start using data today (29:28) The future of data-driven health care Tony's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tonypastorino/

What can we learn from the leaders shaping the future of tech, health care, and cybersecurity? In this solo episode, Jess Carter reflects on recent conversations with industry leaders across various fields. Each discussion reveals how mission, people, and structure drive key leadership decisions and strategies. Jess invites listeners to pause and consider their own leadership: How clear is your mission? What support do your teams need? And do your systems align with the way you want to work? In this episode, you will learn: Why a clear mission makes data easier to work with The way you support people changes data outcomes A simple way to check if your systems help or get in the way Things to listen for: (00:00) Introduction to the episode with Jess Carter (00:51) Why data-driven leadership starts with mission (03:57) Keeping people at the center of data decisions (07:36) How structure and culture build sustainability  

In today's fast-paced world, organizations can't rely on static, long-term plans. Strategies must continuously evolve to stay relevant. In this episode, Resultant EVP of Professional Services Mike Hughes shares his insights on leading through rapid change. He discusses how to maintain organizational health, align culture with strategy, and foster clarity and accountability across teams. Mike also offers advice on balancing priorities and keeping teams focused, no matter the challenges. In this episode, you'll learn: How to assess the health of an organization Ways to strengthen culture through clarity and alignment What great consultants do differently to add value Things to listen for: (00:00) Introduction to the episode with Mike Hughes (02:17) Staying passionate throughout a career in consulting (06:17) How client expectations are shifting (10:44) Defining and measuring organizational health (13:52) The link between culture and results (17:52) How to manage priorities and implement change (22:07) Where leaders should start to improve organizational health Mike's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/michael-hughes-15038b/

AI is everywhere, but it can't succeed without the judgment, creativity, and collaboration of real data science. In this episode, Jess Carter sits down with Alexa Myers, senior data science manager at Resultant, for a conversation about building successful data science teams. They discuss how isolation can hinder even the most skilled data scientists, and what happens when organizations pursue outcomes without the right structure in place.  Alexa shares field-tested lessons on what works, where teams struggle, and why communication matters as much as technical skill. As AI takes center stage, this conversation highlights the kind of leadership and teamwork needed to make data science and the AI it supports truly effective. In this episode, you'll learn: What happens when AI is used without science Best practices for building strong data science teams How to talk about data science with executives and stakeholders Things to listen for: (00:00) Introduction to the episode with Alexa Myers (02:09) What data science is and why it's still misunderstood (05:07) The impact of AI in data science (10:12) What to consider when building a data science department (15:01) How to communicate effectively with stakeholders (18:24) Why human insight still matters (22:15) Mentorship and lessons from multi-generational teams (26:19) The next wave of AI and fixing broken AI solutions Study Finds AI Models Suffer 'Brain Rot' from Clickbait and Junk Data: https://www.instagram.com/p/DQKafFME7he/?igsh=MWQ3azRjNzAyNDBpbQ%3D%3D&img_index=1  Alexa's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexa-myers-b29099135/