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Local and National Business Leaders Gather Tonight at Roanoke's Science Museum for Immersive AI Leadership Experience < Back Lynda McNutt Foster, Founder, Cortex Leadership Consulting & AI Strategic Leader, EPIC 2.0 Jan 14, 2026 Tonight, Wednesday, January 14, from 5:00–6:30 PM, Cortex Leadership Consulting will host an immersive leadership experience inside The Eye Planetarium at the Science Museum of Western Virginia, welcoming participants from across the country for AI Strategic Leader Cohort 3 and the inaugural EPIC 2.0 leadership program. Contact: Lynda McNutt Foster Founder, Cortex Leadership Consulting & AI Strategic Leader, EPIC 2.0 lynda@cortexleadership.com Tonight, Wednesday, January 14, from 5:00–6:30 PM, Cortex Leadership Consulting will host an immersive leadership experience inside The Eye Planetarium at the Science Museum of Western Virginia , welcoming participants from across the country for AI Strategic Leader Cohort 3 and the inaugural EPIC 2.0 leadership program. This invitation-only event brings together senior leaders, executives, and high-potential professionals who are actively applying artificial intelligence to real-world organizational challenges. Participants are flying in from multiple regions, alongside leaders from right here in Southwest Virginia. At 5:40 PM, attendees will experience a 20-minute, state-of-the-art visual presentation designed to stimulate strategic thinking, innovation, and collaboration—using the planetarium dome as a fully immersive environment. The evening also includes: Chef-created appetizers focused on brain health and performance Conversations with leaders shaping the future of work through AI A unique visual and experiential setting ideal for on-camera storytelling Event Details: Date: Wednesday, January 14 Time: 5:00–6:30 PM (key visual experience begins at 5:40 PM) Location: The Eye Planetarium, Science Museum of Western Virginia Address: 1 Market Square SE, Top Floor, Center in the Square, Roanoke, VA Media representatives are welcome to attend, film, and conduct brief interviews with event participants and Cortex leadership. For access or interview coordination, please contact Lynda Foster directly. Contact: Lynda McNutt Foster Founder, Cortex Leadership Consulting & AI Strategic Leader, EPIC 2.0 lynda@cortexleadership.com Previous Next

Subscribe Subscribe: AI Leader Brief Developed by Cortex CEO and executive strategist, Lynda McNutt Foster, in response to what she calls “an urgent need for clarity” amid the AI boom. “Leaders are bombarded with noise and buzzwords,” said Foster. “This brief delivers what they actually need—what’s real, what’s working, and what to watch next.” December 2, 2025 November 5, 2025 September 15, 2025 Read the Brief Listen to the Clip Read the Brief Listen to the Clip Listen to the Clip Read the Brief Read the Action Sheet carpe diem article Read the Brief August 25th, 2025 August 11th, 2025 August 4th, 2025 July 27th, 2025 Listen to the Interview Read the Brief Listen to the Brief Read the Brief Read the Brief Listen to the Brief Listen to the Brief July 21st, 2025 July 14th, 2025 July 8th, 2025 June 30th, 2025 Listen to the Brief Read the Brief Read the Brief Read the Brief Read the Brief What Our Clients Say Laura Barody, AVP of Subsidiary Accounting "I’ve been fortunate to have early access to the AI Leader Brief, and it’s quickly become a go-to resource. Each edition offers a concise, strategic view of what’s happening in AI—without the noise. It’s helped me stay current and think more critically about how AI impacts the way we work. Highly recommend for anyone in a leadership or decision-making role."

Intentional Communication with DISC Cortex DISC Training is an interactive workshop designed to equip leaders with a deeper understanding of their strengths, challenges, and communication styles. Using personalized DISC reports, this session will explore behavioral preferences—both yours and those of others—while providing actionable strategies to enhance leadership effectiveness and team dynamics. Step One: Watch "What Is The DISC and Motivators Assessment, and Why Am I Taking It?" Step Two: Take Your DISC and Driving Forces Assessment. You'll get your results immediately after taking the assessment. PRINT & BRING TO CLASS. DISC Assessment Step Three: Review Your DISC Guide DISC Guide Step Four: Take the Cortex Team Strengths (VIPE) Assessment VIPE Assessment VIPE Scorecard

Your Executive Leadership Journey Begins Here Your leadership impact will be greatly affected by the competencies you are able to build a foundation for and enhance as you adjust to changing working environments and market conditions. Deciding which ones you will need the most in the coming 1-3 years is a critical success factor in achieving the outcomes you want you, your team, and your organization to achieve. Review the following information to ensure an understanding of each competency, complete the spreadsheet provided, and then review it with whom you report to so that you can ensure alignment. This information will be used to create your Cortex Leadership Development Plan that you will utilize during your executive coaching journey. Step 1: Review the Leadership Competencies Selection and Instruction Guide Guide Step 2: Review the Executive Leaders Mission Statement Mission Statement Step 3: Complete the Value Portion You will need this Value List to complete Part one of the Leadership Mission Statement exercise. Values Exercise Step 4: Complete the rest of the Mission Statement Step 5: Leadership Competencies Consider your Top 4 Leadership Competencies and why developing those are the most important in the coming year. Assessment Step 6: Review with your Supervisor It is best, when you complete this exercise, to review it with who you report to in order to get their feedback.

A Leader's Time Metabolism - It's Not the What, It's the When September 19, 2019 Lynda McNutt Foster It’s not the what, it could be the when. In my ebook, Time Mastery: 7 Simple Steps to Richer Outcome , in our Leading a Winning Team coursework, we provide an assessment that allows leaders to determine what I have termed as their time metabolism. Simply stated, your time metabolism is a measurement of your physical and mental energy throughout your day. To master your time, as a leader, you can optimize your strengths by measuring when your energy is highest throughout the day and when the low points are. Completing your most difficult tasks, for your behavioral style and skillset level, at times when you have the most energy can be key to being in your “flow” zone more of the time (a state where you are working within your strength zones that bring you the most amount of creative and strategic output as a leader). The more time you spend in your flow zone, the higher level contributions to your team and organizations you can make. Some leaders love to get to work by 6am and knock out lots of tasks that any other time of the day would be difficult to complete due to distractions and perhaps a low desire to complete them. The higher your energy level, the more chance you have of completing difficult tasks. When your energy is low your willpower to be tenacious wanes. To optimize your time metabolism, try doing the hardest things when you have the most mental and physical energy and the things you like to do, complete when you have the least (because doing those will tend to give you extra energy). If you are a people person, even when you are tired you will find the energy to interact and connect. If you like to complete tasks more than you like talking to people, do those things when your energy isn’t at it’s highest because you will be energized by the quietness and solitude of checking things off a list and knowing they are done! What’s your time metabolism? When are you the most likely to tackle and solve the toughest challenges your team or organization is facing?

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DISC, Motivators, Team Strengths DISC, Driving Forces, Cortex Team Strengths, Stress Quotient, Emotional Intelligence Each of these assessments delivers vital information to help you quickly assess the strengths and weaknesses of your team members and leaders. Using a proven Cortex method, these assessments based on real science will move you to a more efficient and effective way to pin point exactly what and who you need to focus on to create optimal performance from your team. TTI Success Insights (TTI SI) believes all people are unique and have talents and skills of which they are often unaware. TTI SI and its network of Value Added Associates, like Cortex Leadership Consulting, exist to reveal and harness these talents, using the Science of Self. Over three decades, TTI SI has researched and applied social and brain science, creating assessment solutions consultants in 90 countries and 40 languages used to hire, develop and retain the best talent in the world. TTI SI assessments are at work in the Fortune 1000 companies and have worked with over 100,000 companies over the years. TTI SI tools are EEOC and OFCCP compliant and are continuously tested and refined to ensure the highest standards of ethics and reliability, which is why Cortex has chosen to use TTI. With a tenacious, innovative culture, TTI SI and Cortex Leadership Consulting transform potential to productivity, performance and profits. TTI Success Insights® believes there are five dimensions of a superior performer that can be measured by our research-based assessments: Behaviors Motivators Acumen Competencies Emotional Intelligence Who you are, what you do and how you do it. The research-based, validated TTI Success Insights assessment we use at Cortex Leadership Consulting measures behaviors in five behavioral dimensions using the DISC theory. DISC measures Dominance, Influence, Steadiness and Compliance and was first developed by William Moulton Marston. Our Behaviors/DISC assessment is key in helping people understand HOW they behave and their ability to interact effectively with others in work and life, as well as how they respond to the following challenges: Problems and challenges Influencing others Pace of environment Rules and procedures To see a sample of our in-depth 23-page DISC Assessment Report, click here . Becoming self aware is the first step on your leadership journal. WHAT MAKES OUR DISC ASSESSMENTS MORE RELIABLE? The provider we use, TTI Insights, were the first DISC providers to guide companies from the prospective employee stage to selection, from on- board training to job-related development. More importantly, TTI SI is the only provider of DISC assessments in the marketplace that generates 384 unique reports, based on both the high and low scores revealed in each individual’s two DISC graphs (natural style graph and adapted style graph). In other words, TTI not only studies the behaviors that come naturally to the respondent — both how they act (Behaviors) and why they act a certain way (Motivators) — but we also analyze and present the less dominant behaviors. Developing these less dominant behaviors presents opportunities for self-improvement and greater understanding. Where other companies only provide a snapshot of an individual, we provide a full picture to gain a greater understanding of self and others. In addition, TTI SI is constantly running internal studies, including the study of adverse impact and is conduct- ing test-retest analysis to validate and to improve our products. These steps allow our suite of assessments to remain at the forefront of innovation and stand the test of time. MOTIVATORS Whereas Behaviors illustrate the HOW of our actions and decision-making, Motivators explain the WHY behind your actions and passions. Motivators, based on Eduard Spranger’s theory of human motivation, are the windows through which an individual views the world. These intrinsic motivations explain the key driving forces about someone’s on-the-job performance and why they act a certain way. Theoretical — the discovery of truth Utilitarian — money and what is useful; ROI Aesthetic — form and harmony Social — an inherent caring for people; helping others Individualistic — personal power, influence and renown Traditional — a system for living To see a sample of our in-depth 23-page Motivators Assessment Report, click here . Contact Cortex Leadership Consulting to learn more. Contact Us!

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Kimberly Eakin Earns TED Certification to Elevate Client Success with Cortex < Back Kathlynn Stone Dec 16, 2024 Kimberly Eakin, a valued Mentor and Coach on the Cortex team, has achieved certification in The Empowerment Dynamic (TED*) Cortex Leadership Consulting is proud to announce that Kimberly Eakin , a valued Mentor and Coach on the Cortex team, has achieved certification in The Empowerment Dynamic (TED*) framework. Completing an intensive 10-week course with The Center for The Empowerment Dynamic, Kimberly is now certified to guide leaders and teams from reactive behaviors to intentional, empowering actions using this proven methodology. At Cortex, we are dedicated to staying at the forefront of leadership and team development. This certification underscores our commitment to investing in the professional growth of our team members, ensuring every coaching engagement is impactful, tailored, and results-driven. Kimberly’s achievement further strengthens Cortex’s ability to help clients thrive in dynamic and challenging environments. Lynda Foster, Founder and CEO of Cortex Leadership Consulting, highlighted Kimberly's exceptional commitment to professional growth and the impact it has on clients, stating: “Kimberly, a cornerstone of Cortex for nearly 14 years, continues to elevate client success through her dedication to continuous learning—this certification adds yet another tool to her coaching toolkit to drive even faster results." The Coaching with TED Foundations course emphasizes integrating key principles of The Empowerment Dynamic into coaching practices. Participants learn to embody the roles of Creator, Challenger, and Coach, enabling clients to transform drama into empowerment and achieve sustainable growth. Kimberly described the program as transformative, sharing: "This impactful training equipped me with the tools to help leaders and teams shift from reactive behaviors to intentional, empowering actions. By mastering the 5-step process of Awareness, Pause, Focus, Respond, and Sustain, I am prepared to guide our clients in navigating challenges with clarity and fostering stronger, more effective relationships." Through Kimberly's certification, Cortex further deepens its commitment to empowering leaders and teams, fostering a culture of growth, respect, and resilience. For more information on how Cortex Leadership Consulting can support your organization’s development through innovative coaching strategies, please visit cortexleadershipconsulting.com . Previous Next

How AI Will Change Your Job—And What You Can Do About It < Back Cortex Leatership Consulting Jun 8, 2025 Live Small Group and One-on-One Demo Experiences Show Leaders and Everyday Workers How to Stay Ahead of AI's Disruption Event Date: Tuesday, June 10, 2025 Location: Grandin CoLab, Roanoke, VA Roanoke, VA — While national headlines warn of job loss and fear around artificial intelligence, a first-of-its-kind leadership demo event on Tuesday will flip the script, showing local professionals how to partner with AI , not fear it. https://video.wixstatic.com/video/99266e_9c283ebfbb904ec3831c9f392dfac104/720p/mp4/file.mp4 Hosted by Cortex Leadership Consulting, the event—“The AI Demo Experience: Leading Through the Shift”—will show leaders, entrepreneurs, and professionals how to collaborate with tools like ChatGPT, CoPilot, NotebookLM, and Gemini to save time, reduce stress, and increase quality of work without needing to be “tech-savvy.” “This is not a lecture. It’s an immersive demo where you’ll see AI work with real-world data from local businesses to solve problems in real time,” said Lynda McNutt Foster, CEO of Cortex Leadership. “We want leaders to walk away with less fear, more clarity, and practical next steps they can use tomorrow.” Why This Matters (Fast Facts for Newsrooms) 44% of work skills will be disrupted by 2027 , according to the World Economic Forum. Only 1 in 10 professionals feel confident using AI tools at work (McKinsey 2024). In a recent local survey of over 40 professionals, the #1 challenge was “not knowing where to start with AI” . This event is designed to address that head-on. Real-time demos of how leaders and employees can collaborate with AI Why AI is not replacing humans—rather amplifying those who use it well How leaders can overcome the "blank page" problem and decision fatigue Insight into which jobs and tasks will likely be automated first—and what will never be replaced A Local Perspective This isn’t Silicon Valley. It is right here in Southwest Virginia. These are local teams and business leaders navigating real pressures—from healthcare to finance to entrepreneurship. The Cortex team will show how AI can: Create customized training content from internal and external documents Build messaging for change through an organization Help leaders use AI as a thinking partner through Conversational Intelligence Media seats are limited for small group main demos, but open for any of the mini demos available one-on-one. Please RSVP for access and early arrival for interviews and visuals. Contact: lynda@cortexleadership.com About Cortex Leadership Consulting Cortex has worked with over 12,000 leaders to accelerate team performance, engagement, and innovation. Known for its pioneering use of AI in leadership training, Cortex brings coaching, consulting, and tech together for next-level transformation. Previous Next