AI & Emotions: How to Self-Manage and Lead Others through the AI Transformation

When emotions go unexamined, fear drives decisions quietly. When they're understood and regulated, they become a source of clarity, creativity, and agency.

AI isn't just changing our tools, it's changing how we feel. Excitement. Unease. Resistance. Curiosity. Hope. All at play, all rising. Yet most AI conversations skip straight to prompts and productivity, missing the most powerful factor shaping what happens next: our emotional response to this transformation.

This session is for women navigating AI not just as professionals, but as whole, emotive people.

In periods of disruption, people look to us in our teams, families, communities, and workplaces, for signals of safety, direction, and possibility. But we can't lead others through uncertainty if we're not grounded ourselves. Self-leadership comes first.

We'll anchor the conversation in three core human emotions: Love, Fear, and Hope, and use them as practical signals, not abstract concepts. You'll learn how to:

• Recognise when these emotions are heightened in yourself
• How to spot them in others
• How to tell real signals from noise
• Use the "circle of control" to decide what you choose to influence
• Turn authentic emotion into a constructive partner with AI

You'll leave with some simple, practical principles for how to navigate emotional complexity with intelligence, agility, and leadership, grounded in your personal values.

We'll look honestly at how we've each responded to AI so far, and how we can choose to engage with it differently going forward. What do we want to protect? What do we want to amplify? What kind of future do we actually want to help build?

And set forth confidently, to embrace AI with comfort.

About Our Speaker: Melissa Jenner
Growth Activator | Founder & CEO of Actvo
Melissa's purpose is to make work a place people love to be. She's built an AI company, written a book on Emotional Leadership, and learned how to lead with humanity in a fiercely technological world. She believes the future needs innovation and emotional leadership to activate people's full human potential.

Did you miss our last meetup? You're Still Welcome to Join This Opportunity!
Our January speaker, Ann Stewart Zachwieja from Intuist AI, has extended a special offer to our community. They're opening up beta access to Veda, a no-code, chat-based workflow automation builder; and you don't need any tech skills to use it. You'll get 2 months of free access (no credit card required) plus direct access to their team for support. In exchange, they simply want your honest feedback as they refine the tool. Ann is also considering hosting a "Build-Along" workshop if there's enough interest, so you can learn to build automations together. Whether you attended the meetup or not, you're invited to [sign up for the beta here]. Questions? Connect with Ann directly on [LinkedIn].

Our Venue Sponsor:
Kiln is more than a coworking space; it's an intersection of innovation and collaboration where professionals ignite their productivity. With sleek workspaces, state-of-the-art conference rooms, and memberships starting at just $400, Kiln offers an accessible hub for success. This dynamic community fosters connections, encouraging collaboration among like-minded individuals passionate about pushing boundaries and driving innovation. Schedule a tour today and join us for a complimentary day pass after the tour!