Session Three Empowering Conversations Conflict to Appreciation to Transformation Step 1: Read the Empowering Conversations Article : Article Step 2: Listen to the Empowering Conversations Corcast Episode: (Optional) Step 3: Read the Three Part Series Outline: Three Part Series

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."

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!

Meet Your Coach Kim Levings Kim Levings is an experienced leadership development professional with over 35 years of expertise in people and leadership development. With career experience in both corporate and nonprofit sectors in the USA and South Africa, Kim provides training facilitation, leadership development, and coaching services. She has held executive leadership roles in Human Resources, Manpower Development, Training, and Operations and has partnered with leadership teams and consulting firms to help scale development teams and programs. As a Master Trainer and certified partner in Everything DiSC® and 5 Behaviors® of Effective Teams, Kim equips individuals to bring their best selves to life, building healthier teams and cultures. Offering services globally and remotely, Kim spends part of each year in South Africa, continuing her work with leaders and teams around the world. Originally from South Africa, Kim has always been passionate about helping individuals and teams reach their full potential. Through her years of leadership in Human Resources and Operations, she saw firsthand the challenges leaders face. These experiences inspired her to focus on leadership development, training, and coaching to create lasting impact. With a candid, transparent approach, Kim aims to connect with people in meaningful ways, building trust quickly. Whether working with organizations like River Ranch Foods, Nex-gen Pharma, and the Department of Veterans Affairs, or facilitating programs like Thinking into Results and Serving Leadership, her goal remains the same: to support leaders and teams in creating healthier, more effective workplaces. As a “nomad,” Kim splits her time between the USA and South Africa, providing leadership development services to clients across the globe. Contact Let's connect.

Welcome to Cortex Coaching Cortex coaching is deeply rooted in neuroscience and behavioral science, integrating tools and methods that help leaders understand why they react the way they do under stress, how habits are formed, and how to rewire behavior for sustainable change. This approach leads to real, measurable transformation, not just temporary motivation. Step One: Fill out the Cortex Coaching Intake Form Intake Form Step Two: Take the Cortex Team Strengths Assessment Assessment Step Three: Review the Cortex Team Strengths Scorecard Scorecard Step Four: Read A Leader's Guide Article Article Step Five: Listen to The Idea Advantage Corcast Episode

Mastering AI Collaboration AI Guide Book: A comprehensive playbook designed to help leaders develop Conversational Intelligence for collaborating effectively with AI. Including frameworks, real-world prompt evolution examples, and step-by-step instructions for transforming basic AI prompts into strategic, emotionally intelligent dialogues. Guide Book SuperHuman AI Newsletter: Get the latest AI news, learn must-know AI tools, and keep up with tech news in just 3 minutes a day. Join 1 million+ readers growing their skillsets with this newsletter. SuperHuman AI Newsletter Corcast Episode: Your personal guide to Conversational Intelligence with AI

Navigating the Internal Landscape to Mastering Negotiation Within Your Organization Cortex Internal Negotiation Step One: Take the Cortex Internal Negotiations Assessment Assessment Step Two: Read through the Internal Negotiations Scorecard Scorecard Step Three: Read the Navigating the Internal Landscape: Mastering Negotiation Within Your Organization Article Article Step Four: Listen to the Mastering Internal Negotiation Corcast Episode

Cortex 360 Assessment What a 360 Assessment is 360 surveys are assessment tools that provide leaders and employees with feedback about their performance. The surveys’ subject is rated in areas such as leadership, communication, productivity, and technical skills. The subject also rates themselves in these areas. Responses are scored numerically. Higher scores represent strengths and lower scores represent areas for improvement. All of the information is compiled into a report that assembles the results into graphs summarizing the rater responses. The graphs illustrate the employee’s strengths and weaknesses. Participants use this information to make modifications in their behavior and performance. What 360 Assessments can accomplish for you, your team or your organization 360 surveys allow employees to assess strengths and areas of improvement in their workplace performance, interpersonal communication and/or management style with a focus on individual and organizational development. Managers and executives can use the information provided by the 360 survey to create organizational and individual development plans. Managers and executives also gain tremendous personal benefit as they see how their leadership styles and methods are perceived by those they manage. As they make adjustments to better interact with and manage their employees, the entire organization benefits from the improvement to productivity. Why you may need to do a 360 Assessment 360 surveys have their greatest impact when used to evaluate and improve the performance of whole organizations. As its name implies, 360 surveys assess the effect an individuals’ actions are having on an organization, or the their team members, of which they are a part of. 360 surveys produce the best results when they are used as a tool to identify opportunities for change and used to develop individual and organizational goals to make those changes. Each 360 survey should be customized to specific organizational or personal goals. They can use the information gathered during the 360 survey to develop continuous learning programs, and to offer training in those areas where managers and employees should focus their improvement efforts. Why Cortex is the right choice to administer your 360 assessments and coaching To ensure data provided through a 360 survey is collected, processed and evaluated in an unbiased process, an outside facilitator is preferred. Experienced and certified coaches or executive consultants would be the logical choice to analyze and deliver the survey’s feedback. The use of other professional assessments (DISC/behaviors, Motivators, EQ) are additional tools that we can provide upon request. Understanding the styles of the participant/subject will help explain behaviors outlined in the survey and also help the survey results and development ideas in a constructive manner. For more information or to order your survey, please contact info@cortexleadership.com .

Fraud Fighter Training This comprehensive Fraud Fighter Training is designed to equip PenAir Credit Union employees with the tools to recognize, respond to, and prevent fraud. The training follows a structured approach integrating pre-training materials, live interactive sessions, and post-training reinforcement. Step One: Read the Fraud Fighter Handbook Fraud Fighter Handbook Step Two: Listen to the Fraud Fighter Podcast Episode

Discover Your AI Traveler Type Discover Your AI Traveler Type Discover Your AI Traveler Type Discover Your AI Traveler Type A Cortex-Exclusive Assessment Trio designed to unlock how you think, lead, and grow with AI — no matter your role. What is the AI Traveler Assessment? What is the AI Traveler Assessment? What is the AI Traveler Assessment? What is the AI Traveler Assessment? In a world where AI is reshaping how we work, the AI Traveler Assessment is your compass. Whether you're a team member, manager, or senior leader, this simple self-assessment reveals how you're currently engaging with AI—your mindset, your habits, and your growth edge. It’s not a test. It’s a reflection. And it gives you a custom profile designed to help you adapt faster, lead smarter, and navigate the future with clarity. Your AI Traveler type highlights where you are now — and offers practical next steps to grow your impact with the help of tools like ChatGPT and Microsoft Copilot. Ready to discover your AI Traveler type? Ready to discover your AI Traveler type? Ready to discover your AI Traveler type? Ready to discover your AI Traveler type? Choose the version of the assessment that best fits your role. It only takes about 5–7 minutes to complete, and your scorecard will be emailed to you automatically. If you're not sure which to pick, go with the one that aligns closest to your day-to-day responsibilities. AI Traveler for Team Members AI Traveler for Managers AI Traveler for Leaders What happens after you submit your assessment? You'll receive an AI Traveler Scorecard based on your responses - sent directly to your email. This scorecard includes a detailed profile of your AI mindset, coaching questions, and growth strategies. Most people finish the assessment in under 7 minutes. Didn't get your scorecard? Check your spam/Junk folder or email us directly at info@cortexleadership.com Having trouble choosing or accessing your assessment? No problem. Contact your lead or contact us and we'll help guide you to the right fit. Frequently Asked Questions Frequently Asked Questions Frequently Asked Questions Frequently Asked Questions What is the AI Traveler assessment all about? The AI Traveler assessment is a self-reflection tool that helps you understand your current relationship with artificial intelligence (AI) in your work. It’s not a test, and there are no wrong answers. It’s designed to show how you're thinking about, using, or avoiding AI—so you can grow from where you are, not where someone else thinks you should be. Your results offer: a n AI Traveler profile, coaching-style reflection questions, skill-building challenges, and suggested AI prompts to try immediately. What does the assessment measure? The assessment evaluates how you engage with AI across four dimensions: Awareness – Do you see the relevance of AI for your work? Willingness – Are you open to experimenting and learning? Capacity – Do you have the tools, time, and support to succeed? Application – Are you already using AI in meaningful ways? Each profile reflects a unique combination of these dimensions. I took the assessment but don’t feel like the type I scored as. Did it get it wrong? Not at all. That feeling usually means you're on the edge of a transition—you’re evolving. Your score reflects your current patterns, not your potential. The Traveler Type is a mirror, not a label. Use it as a starting point for conversation and growth, not a definition of your identity. Will my AI Traveler type change over time? Yes—and that’s the goal. As you try new things, build confidence, and reflect on how AI fits into your workflow, your type may shift. Retaking the assessment every few months is a great way to measure progress and spark fresh insight. What should I do after I get my type? Every scorecard includes: Reflection questions to guide journaling or coaching, Suggestions for small, safe AI experiments, Prompts you can use in ChatGPT or Copilot today. You can also: Share your type with a peer, team, or leader, Upload your profile to an LLM and ask for a 90-day growth plan, Talk to your Cortex contact about next steps Can I be more than one type? Absolutely. Most people show traits from multiple types. Your profile is about what’s most dominant right now, not an all-or-nothing label. What happens if I don’t engage with AI at all? Here’s the thing: it’s not just about using AI. It’s about understanding how it’s changing your industry, your role, and your team’s expectations. Leaders who ignore AI risk: Falling behind in strategic conversations, Missing opportunities to improve clarity, speed, and creativity, Being seen as reactive instead of forward-thinking. And if you’re only using AI for basic tasks (emails, lists), you might be limiting its potential to help you coach better, think deeper, and lead smarter. How does the assessment support personal growth? It’s built to meet you where you are. Whether you’re curious, cautious, or confident with AI, your type offers: A mirror for your habits, A push toward growth, A way to make AI more human and helpful. And it’s backed by Cortex’s leadership philosophy: practical tools, deep reflection, and courageous clarity. How does it support team or organizational growth? AI Traveler profiles are conversation starters. They create a shared language across teams and roles so people can: Normalize learning together, Coach each other forward, Build trust in a changing workplace. The real power isn’t just in the score. It’s in what you do with it together.

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. After taking the DISC and Driving Forces Assessment, please print your report and bring it with you to the session. What Is The DISC and Motivators Assessment, and Why Am I Taking It? Your DISC and Driving Forces Assessment: DISC Assessment Your DISC Guide: DISC Guide DISC Training Agenda: Agenda

Intentional Communication with DISC Cortex DISC is interactive designed to equip leaders with a deeper understanding of their strengths, challenges, and communication styles. Using personalized DISC reports, you'll explore providing actionable strategies to enhance leadership effectiveness and team dynamics. What Is The DISC and Motivators Assessment, and Why Am I Taking It? Your DISC and Driving Forces Assessment: DISC Assessment Your DISC Guide: DISC Guide