“Leadership Is the Real Gap”: Deb Yates on Rebuilding the Way We Work

We’ve talked about AI. We’ve talked about skills. But what if the real roadblock to transformation isn’t technology or talent—but leadership itself?

In this episode of Skills Connect, Reejig CEO Siobhan Savage sits down with Deb Yates—former Chief People Officer at Lendlease and KPMG, now founder of DYates Advisory—to explore the overlooked, underdeveloped, and increasingly urgent role of leadership in the AI era.

With a career spent coaching C-suites and steering workforce change at global scale, Deb brings rare clarity to the conversation. She’s seen where transformation fails, why leaders get overwhelmed, and what it takes to design work—not just digitize it.

What follows is a candid, insight-rich conversation about leadership capability, ethical decision-making, and why the future of work starts with rethinking how leaders lead.

📹 Watch the Full Video Recording Here

1. Leadership Development Is Outdated—and It Shows

We’re still developing leaders for a world that no longer exists.

“Our leadership development programs have not been modernized… and are not developing the skills leaders actually need.” — Deb Yates

We’re asking leaders to navigate a once-in-a-generation shift with frameworks built decades ago. Deb urges a reset: start developing leaders to think with clarity, ask better questions, and work with AI—rather than manage like it’s 2005.

Takeaway: Rethink your leadership curriculum. Focus on awareness, wisdom, and compassion—not just performance metrics.

2. Tasks, Not Skills, Are What AI Actually Impacts

AI automates tasks. If you’re still mapping just skills, you’re missing the point.

“That was the realization… AI does not automate skills. It automates the task.” — Deb Yates

Most workforce strategies stop at the skill level. Deb shares how her collaboration with Reejig shifted her thinking—once they began modeling work at the task level, the data became meaningful, actionable, and accurate.

Takeaway: Build your work ontology. Get specific on tasks before you think about skills or AI integration.

3. You Can’t Paste AI on Top of Broken Workflows

Reinvention fails when you digitize old problems.

“We spend millions pasting technology on work… and wonder why nothing changes.” — Deb Yates

Deb’s seen it over and over: organizations adopt new tools but keep outdated workflows. Without rethinking the work itself, AI won’t fix anything—it’ll just accelerate dysfunction.

Takeaway: Map where the friction is. Redesign the work before the tech gets deployed.

4. Ethics Is a Capability—And Most Leaders Don’t Have It Yet

Just because you can automate something doesn’t mean you should.

“You need a decision-making framework… Just because we can, should we?” — Deb Yates

Deb emphasizes the urgent need for “ethical capability” across leadership—not as a compliance function, but a built-in lens for decision-making. She recommends principles-based decision models, built before you’re in the heat of a transformation.

Takeaway: Create an ethical playbook now. Don’t wait until decisions become headlines.

5. You Are Not That Unique—Use What Already Exists

Don’t waste time reinventing. Focus on what actually makes you different.

“Only be different where it makes a difference. Otherwise, take what already exists and run.” — Deb Yates

Deb’s advice to every overwhelmed CPO trying to build their own AI model or framework from scratch? Stop. There’s validated IP out there already. Your job is to apply it with purpose—not start from zero.

Takeaway: Use off-the-shelf ontologies and models where you can. Focus your effort on high-impact differentiation.

Final Thought: The Stakes Are Too High to Keep Leading Like It’s 2010

“This is a once-in-a-generation change to work. Which means we’re all once-in-a-generation leaders.” — Deb Yates

Deb’s closing call is clear: HR and business leaders have an extraordinary opportunity to lead the reinvention of work. But it won’t come from skills frameworks alone. It comes from bold leadership, ethical clarity, and a willingness to design work—not just patch it.

If you’re not rethinking leadership, you’re not ready for AI.

Craving more bold conversations? Check out the Reejig Events Hub for what’s coming next.