Building Teams That Actually Execute Change: Sarah-Mae on Cyber Ahead with AI
- Sarah-Mae, MBA | CEO & Editor-in-Chief
- Feb 5
- 3 min read
By: Sarah-Mae Amde, MBA
Award-Winning CEO | Business Advisor & Executive Coach | Top Selling Author | Change Leader & Keynote Speaker. Turning Strategy into Results, Team Potential into Profit, and Vision into Victory.
Feature: Building Teams That Actually Execute Change
In today’s digital economy, transformation is no longer a buzzword—it’s a leadership imperative. But there is a massive gap between having a digital strategy and having a team that can actually execute it.
I recently joined Parth Shah, cybersecurity executive and host of Cyber Ahead with AI, to bridge that gap. We moved past the hype to discuss the critical intersection of people, process, and performance in an age where AI is rewriting the rules of engagement.
Watch The Full Episode
The Architecture of Execution: Key Takeaways
1) Strategy is Simple. Discipline is Hard.
"The hard part isn’t coming up with a clever plan; it’s the discipline and duty to execute it day after day when you’re tired, scared, or unmotivated." - Sarah-Mae Amde, MBA
Most transformation efforts don't fail because of poor ideas or inadequate technology. They fail because execution is inconsistent, siloed, or fundamentally misaligned with human behaviour. At Paragon, we design the structures that make discipline sustainable.
2) AI as a Natural Extension; Like An Arm.
"Our job is to sit between fear and blind optimism and design that middle path where people, process, and technology move together like a natural third arm." - Sarah-Mae Amde, MBA
Banning AI doesn't make an organization safer; it simply ensures you stay stuck while the market moves past you. We discussed how to move away from "fear-driven paralysis" and toward a model where AI responsibly augments backend workflows without compromising security or horribly reprimanding your team for their attempts at efficiency.
3) Radical Honesty About The Starting Point.
"Most leaders know where they want to go; they’re just not always honest about where they are. If you say you’re in Chicago but you’re actually in L.A., no matter how good your plan is, you’re not getting to London the same way." - Sarah-Mae Amde, MBA
The first step of any Behavioural & Business Architecture project is a "Reality Audit." We explore why leaders must be honest about their team's current capacity and culture before they can successfully layer on new technology.
Why This Matters For Your 2026 Strategy
At Paragon, the world’s only award-winning Behavioural and Business Architecture design firm, we believe transformation only sticks when it’s designed for people, not just systems. We specialize in creating business strategies that rewire how people think, act, and lead — so that real change not only happens, it actually sustains.
Here's an overview of what makes our model distinct:
We map behaviours, not just workflows.
We architect change by rewiring identities, not just processes.
We align your technology, operations, and people by understanding the behavioural, cognitive, and cultural wiring that either enables or hinders success.
Whether you are leading a high-stakes AI rollout or a strategic reorganization, you need more than a roadmap — you need alignment and momentum.
This episode offers a candid look into how we help leaders turn complexity into clarity.
Coming Up Next..
This podcast feature kicks off our four-part series, The Management Revolution: Navigating the AI-Enabled Workforce.
Explore More From The Series
Over the next month, the Paragon team will dive deep into:
Reclaiming Intentionality in an AI-Enabled World, by Yours Truly (Sarah-Mae)
The Infrastructure of Trust (with Liora N.)
Moving Beyond the Chatbot (with Dario V.)
The Evolution of the AI Generalist (with Talia C.)
The 2026 Growth Reset (with Taylor D.)
About the Editor
Sarah-Mae Amde, MBA, is a celebrated business strategist and transformational advisor. She's a five-time CEO of the Year and Top-selling author, Speaker and Executive Coach. Sarah-Mae is known for her very distinct and stylistic fingerprint, as she has a her preference for depth over brevity, outcomes over noise, integrity over hype, and clarity over cleverness. As CEO of Paragon, she leads with vision, compassion, and a commitment to excellence, enabling her clients to increase profitability, scale sustainably, lead confidently, and expand their capacity.
“True leadership transcends titles. It’s measured by your impact, your integrity, and your intention."
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