Episode 697

full
Published on:

29th Jul 2026

Is AI Making You Busier — or More Effective?

AI was supposed to give us our time back. For a lot of leaders, it's done the opposite — one more inbox, one more tool, one more thing to keep up with. This bonus episode in the Busy Is Broken series asks the only question that matters: is AI actually making you more effective, or just busier in a shinier way?

Bill draws the line between motion and progress. The big top-down AI initiatives tend to stall, because tools dropped on an overloaded team just add load. What he sees working instead is quieter and more durable: the leaders getting real leverage use AI in small ways across every hour of every day, and the teams that compound their learning are the ones where small groups share what's working and brainstorm together every week.

The takeaway is pure Busy Is Broken: a faster way to do the wrong work is still the wrong work. Before you add another AI tool, get honest about whether it's buying back your best hours or just helping you produce more noise, faster. Effective beats busy — even when busy has a chatbot.

Links:

Mentioned in this episode:

PhD Research on CEOs

Quick favor: I'm in the middle of my doctoral research, and I need CEOs Here's the question: is there a point where working more hours actually indicates a worse leader? Nobody has measured it. I'm measuring it. If you're a CEO or president with at least ten people in the business and three direct reports, it takes just a few minutes. And Your team answers a few anonymous questions. What you get back is a report comparing how you rate yourself to how your team rates you. That gap is usually the interesting part. ScalingCoach.com/study

Next Episode All Episodes Previous Episode

Support Scaling Up Business with Bill Gallagher

A huge thank you to our supporters, it means a lot that you support our podcast.

If you like the podcast and want to support it, too, you can leave us a tip using the button below. We really appreciate it and it only takes a moment!
Support Scaling Up Business with Bill Gallagher
A
We haven’t had any Tips yet :( Maybe you could be the first!

Listen for free

Show artwork for Scaling Up Business with Bill Gallagher

About the Podcast

Scaling Up Business with Bill Gallagher
Do you dream of an easier way to scale and grow your business? Do you wish you didn’t have to work so hard and put in as many hours? Do you find growth too slow, or hard to sustain?

This podcast—Scaling Up Business with Bill Gallagher—can help you achieve and maintain the growth you want.

A message from your host: “I’ve been in your shoes as a founder, CEO, and executive leader. I’ve coached and trained many leaders just like you over more than 15 years to grow their businesses successfully and profitably. But more than that, I’ve helped give them their time and sanity back. My core strength is making the growth process easier, faster, and way more fun.”

A dynamic thought leader, Bill talks with fascinating and brilliant guests each week, including visionary CEOs, trailblazing entrepreneurs, best-selling authors, renowned business strategists, and more.

Broadly, each episode focuses on one of the four major decision areas every entrepreneur and company must get right: People, Strategy, Execution, and Cash. More specifically, the show explores topics such as:

* Business Growth & Scaling.
* Customer Experience & Marketing.
* Innovation & Differentiation.
* Leadership Development.
* Delegation & Accountability.
* Vision & Strategy.
* Team Dynamics.
* Hiring & Talent Management.
* Company Culture.
* Employee Engagement.
* Crisis Management.
* Effective Communication.
* Influence & Persuasion.
* Business Strategies.

Running a business is ultimately about freedom. Subscribe to this podcast to learn how leaders like you can get your organizations moving in sync, create something significant, and still enjoy the ride. Subscribe if you want to elevate your business to unprecedented heights by tuning in to a masterclass in business excellence.

For information on Bill Gallagher’s coaching and training programs, and Scaling Up Workshops, visit www.ScalingCoach.com
Support This Show

About your host

Profile picture for William Gallagher

William Gallagher