Insights
Cloud, AI, leadership — and the threads between them.
Technology scales systems. Curiosity scales ideas.
This is where everything I write lands — cloud strategy, leadership notes, daily reflections, the occasional wine pour. If you want one topic, the navigation has dedicated pages for cloud, leadership, and change. Here, it's everything in the order it arrived.
Wired for Purpose — Week 5: Healthy Latency
May 10, 2026
Healthy latency creates space for better thinking, stronger decisions, and intentional leadership in fast-moving environments.
Featured in Human Capital Leadership Review: When Technology Moves Faster Than Clarity, Leadership Breaks First
May 6, 2026
Michael Earls shares insights on leadership, AI, and clarity in fast-moving organizations in his featured article published by Human Capital Leadership Review.
Wired for Purpose — Week 4: Foundation
May 3, 2026
Most people run on default habits they never chose. Learn how to audit and reconfigure your daily systems for better focus and leadership.
Your AI Agent Isn’t the Problem. Your Infrastructure Is.
April 30, 2026
AI agents are ready—but most enterprises aren’t. The real gap isn’t the model, it’s infrastructure, data, and direction.
Wired for Purpose — Week 3: Foundation
April 26, 2026
A simple daily work journal can transform how you track decisions, lessons, and growth. Learn how leaders build self-observability.
AI Has an Ownership Problem.
April 24, 2026
AI doesn’t fail because of technology—it fails without clarity and ownership. Here’s how to move from disconnected pilots to real business outcomes.
Wired for Purpose — Week 2: Foundation
April 20, 2026
Incident readiness isn’t built in the moment—it’s built in preparation. Learn how leaders develop habits that show up when pressure hits.
The Hidden Cost of AI: Why Data Centers Are Drinking the Future
April 15, 2026
AI is accelerating demand for data centers—but behind the compute is a growing dependency on water. Here’s why water usage is becoming the next constraint in cloud and AI.
Wired for Purpose — Week 1
April 13, 2026
A simple morning routine for leaders to reclaim focus, clarity, and direction before the day takes over. Part of the Wired for Purpose series.
AI Has the Same Problem Cloud Did — No One Owns It
April 9, 2026
AI isn’t failing because of technology—it’s failing because no one owns it. Learn how unclear ownership and operating models limit real transformation.
AI Agents Are the New Cloud Spend Problem
April 8, 2026
AI agents aren’t just automating work—they’re introducing a new kind of cloud cost. Without guardrails, autonomy turns into unbounded spend.
AI Is Changing Work. But Not How You Think.
April 6, 2026
AI isn’t just changing the work—it’s changing how we show up. From trust to communication to authenticity, this is the real shift most leaders are missing.
Lift and Shift Isn’t Transformation
March 29, 2026
Most cloud migrations don’t fail—they stall. Learn why lift and shift creates the illusion of progress and what real cloud transformation requires.
Experience Is the Hidden Advantage in the Age of AI
March 15, 2026
AI tools are accessible to everyone, but experience and judgment may be the real advantage in the age of AI. Why leaders over 40 and 50 may be best positioned for this shift.
The Brain on All-Day Video: Zoom Fatigue and Staying Human in a World of Endless Meetings
March 13, 2026
Why video meetings exhaust our brains. The neuroscience behind Zoom fatigue and how all-day video calls affect focus, energy, and the rhythm of modern work.
Week Nine — Protecting the Change You Built
March 13, 2026
Long-term change isn’t just about building habits. It’s about protecting the routines and standards that keep your life aligned.
The AI Workplace Divide: Experience Still Matters
March 9, 2026
Artificial intelligence is creating a divide between managers and employees. As organizations adopt agentic AI, leadership and real experience will determine which initiatives succeed.
Finding Your Rhythm Again: Leadership, Burnout, and the Power of Joy
March 6, 2026
Burnout doesn’t always mean failure. Sometimes it’s a signal that the rhythm of work has been lost. Rediscovering joy, curiosity, and purpose may be the real path back to meaningful performance.
Week Eight — When Change Becomes Legacy
March 6, 2026
When personal change influences others and shapes culture, it becomes legacy. Week Eight explores the lasting impact of consistent standards.
WEEK SIX — When Change Changes Other People
February 27, 2026
Real change becomes leadership when others begin to notice and raise their standards around you. Week Six in the Change Series.