Become an AI-Powered Leader™
Reduce your workload. Reclaim your time. Lead with clarity in an AI-accelerated workplace.
A hands-on leadership working session built around the AI Leadership Maturity Map™ — helping leaders move from ad-hoc AI use to confident, visible AI leadership.
April 16 & 23, 2026 at 5PM-9PM Pacific Time (US)
(April 17 & 24, 2026 at 8AM-12PM Philippine Time)
Online via Zoom
Regular: US$1,199
Super early bird discount ends midnight, February 28, 2026: US$799
Exclusive for the Benchmark community: US$599 with coupon code
Why this matters now
Right now, AI is making leadership harder — not easier.
It’s increasing volume, speeding everything up, and flooding leaders with more drafts, more decisions, and more pressure, without actually reducing the work they carry.
You don’t need more AI tools. You need a clear, defensible way to use AI that reduces work, protects judgment, and builds credibility.
The real question leaders are asking is: “What can I safely use AI for and how do I do it without creating risk, noise, or rework?”
This program answers that practically.
What this program is
The AI-Powered Leader Program is a hands-on leadership working session, not just an AI-skills class. It helps you:
- Reduce workload without lowering standards
- Integrate AI into real leadership workflows
- Set clear boundaries others can follow
- Be recognized as a credible, trusted point person for AI
Format: 2 live sessions, 4 hours each (highly interactive)
Focus: Using AI to reduce leadership friction, not add more
Outcome: Clear decisions, reusable playbooks, and proof it works
Most AI workshops explain what AI is. This program shows leaders how to lead with it.
The Method: The AI Leadership Maturity Map™
The program is built around the AI Leadership Maturity Map™ — a practical progression that moves leaders from experimentation to confident, visible AI leadership.
Leaders progress through five stages:
This is how leaders stop experimenting and start setting direction.
The core problem this program solves
Leaders are overwhelmed; not because they lack tools, but because:
This program gives leaders a clear, structured way forward without chaos or guesswork.
What you actually do in the program
You don’t experiment randomly.
You work on one real leadership pain point that’s already consuming time and energy, such as:
- Preparing for recurring meetings
- Drafting and revising communication
- Decision preparation and prioritization
- Follow-ups, summaries, and action tracking
- Performance and feedback preparation
You learn how to:
- Decide what work must stay human
- Apply AI where it genuinely helps
- Turn one-off use into something repeatable
The goal isn’t to do more. It’s to take work off your plate without losing judgment or credibility.
What’s included
Program structure (two 4-hour sessions; 8 hours total)
Module 1 — Where AI Actually Helps (and Where It Doesn’t)
Cut through hype and noise so you stop wasting time.
Module 2 — Your AI Leadership Assessment
Identify where AI is helping, hurting, or unused.
Module 3 — What to Apply AI To (and What Not To)
Make clear, defensible decisions tied to real work.
Module 4 — Aligning with Guardrails
Define boundaries you can stand behind.
Module 5 — Applying AI to One Real Leadership Problem
Work on a task that’s actively draining time.
Module 6 — Creating One Simple AI Bot
Turn support into something repeatable (no technical skills required).
Module 7 — Measuring Time Saved
Compare old vs. new and document the impact.
Module 8 — Bringing Your Team Along
Expand use responsibly and establish norms.
The Instructor
Lisa Ann Edwards
Lisa Ann Edwards, Microsoft Partner, #Buildfor2030 Hackathon Winner, B2B Rising Star Award Winner, a Top 100 Women in Tech Founder, and CEO of Excelia.io, formerly led talent management for a Bill Gates-owned company, restored program budgets by demonstrating the ROI of her coaching initiatives. Collaborating with major brands like Microsoft, Amazon, and Google, Lisa has collected over 2 million data points on coaching and leadership effectiveness and is a globally recognized speaker and author. With Excelia’s conversation AI customers have closed the skills gap 3x faster at half the cost with AI-assisted human coaching.
Who this is for
- Senior Managers, Directors, VPs, and Team Leaders
- HRBPs supporting leaders and performance programs
- Leaders who are overloaded and short on time
This is not for:
- Technologists looking to build complex AI systems
- AI hobbyists chasing the newest tools
What makes this different
This is behavior activation, not AI education.
You won’t just learn AI features. You’ll leave with:
What you’ll walk away with
Registration
Ready to become the leader who sets direction while AI accelerates execution?
Regular: US$1,199
Super early bird discount ends midnight, February 28, 2026: US$799
Exclusive for the Benchmark community: US$599 with coupon code
For the coupon code, email us at info@benchmark-consulting.net
FAQs
What if I have no experience with AI?
You are in the right place! Our program is designed to start with the basics, and we’ll guide you step-by-step on how to integrate AI into your leadership workflow.
Do I need to be technical?
No. This is designed for leaders, not technologists.
How is this different than writing ChatGPT, Claude or other LLM prompts?
This program isn’t about prompt writing or public AI tools. It focuses on using approved, secure AI tools inside real leadership workflows — with guardrails, repeatability, and measurable impact.
When does the program start and end?
The AI-Powered Leader Program takes place on April 16 and April 23, from 5:00–9:00 PM PT. Sessions are recorded, and participants will have access to the recordings after the program concludes.
Where can I get answers to additional questions?
We’d love to hear from you! Email us at: support@myexcelia.com with your question.
I’m ready to purchase. How do I pay?
Wonderful! Simply click on one of the Enrollment buttons to submit your payment and join.
Case Studies
Case Study: Healthcare
From Overwhelm to Productive Innovation
Leaders were spending 90 minutes per performance evaluation, pulling time away from patient care and leadership work. The assumption was a leadership capability issue.
An AI-driven assessment and Microsoft Copilot revealed the real problem: inefficient systems blocking time management and prioritization. By redesigning one high-impact workflow — performance evaluations — evaluation time dropped to 28 minutes.
The result was a 70% reduction in effort, $2.5M in potential org-wide annual time savings, and a 426% ROI. With proof in hand, the organization began expanding Copilot to additional use cases to drive broader adoption.
Case Study: Workforce Development
From Insight to Impact
A sales leader believed the team’s performance issues stemmed from weak listening skills. Despite effort and training, results weren’t improving.
AI-driven insight revealed a different issue: the team was listening, but lacked credibility and authority in customer conversations. By shifting focus to how leaders showed up — and reinforcing trust and clarity in execution — performance changed quickly.
Revenue increased from $100 to $288 for every $100 invested, delivering 188% revenue growth. The result demonstrated that AI didn’t just accelerate activity — it helped leaders focus on the right behaviors, driving meaningful business impact.
What Others Say:
“The ability to measure, explain, and ensure consistent ROI made partnering with her an easy decision for our organization. Hearing prior case studies and successes showcased the depth and expertise she brought to our coaching initiative.”
— SHANNON KEHL, CHIEF PEOPLE OFFICER
“Her expertise, clear perspectives, and commitment to our needs provided meaningful solutions and made working with her a pleasure. From the first conversation, it was evident she was dedicated to truly hearing our needs and concerns.”
— DAVID BERRY, VP, PEOPLE & CULTURE
“The skill in simplifying and customizing development programs to achieve true ROI has been invaluable for investing in our people. She provided critical feedback to management on success areas and where improvements were needed.”
— COLLEEN LILLIE, CFO
“Lisa is the industry expert at measuring the ROI of coaching, and she’s our go-to for client projects. Her teaching makes ROI measurement easy to understand, promoting legitimacy, accountability, and professionalism within coaching.”
— DR. BRIAN UNDERHILL, CEO COACHSOURCE
“Henley Leadership Group excels in leader development but struggled to quantify coaching’s business return. Lisa Ann Edwards’ expertise in ROI has given us the data to articulate our value and serve our clients better.”
—CAROL ZIZZO, COO
“Lisa Ann Edwards brings clarity to the complex task of measuring coaching ROI, making it simple, practical, and relevant. Her work at the International Coach Federation bridges ‘soft skills’ to ‘hard metrics,’ showcasing her thought leadership.”
— JANET HARVEY, FORMER ICF BOARD PRESIDENT
“Lisa Edwards is a true expert on ROI, sharing her knowledge extensively at Columbia University. Her actionable insights help coaches and managers measure their impact, making complex concepts intuitive and manageable.”
— JOHN P. SCHUSTER, COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY FACULTY
“Coaching’s rapid growth demands accountability and effective evaluation methods. Lisa Ann Edwards’ ROI module at Columbia University equips coaches with the tools to embed assessment and measurement into impactful coaching engagements.”
— DR. TERRENCE MALTBIA, ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR, COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY
