I recently had the opportunity to participate in the Marcus Evans Talent Management Summit 2026 in Dallas, and one of the things I appreciated most was its size.
Smaller and more intentionally curated than the typical conference, the Summit gave speakers and attendees time for something increasingly rare at business events: actual conversation.
I met Human Capital and talent leaders representing some of the world’s leading companies, with workforces ranging from approximately 7,500 to 140,000 employees.
Different industries. Different challenges. But some very familiar themes.
Leadership development remains a major concern. Culture becomes more complicated as companies grow and change. First-time leaders often need far more preparation than they receive. And, of course, AI has moved well beyond the theoretical conversation.
What interested me most was hearing how leaders are actually using AI inside their organizations—and where they are still trying to determine what technology should do versus what requires judgment, experience and, yes, another human being.
That distinction matters.
We can automate more work than ever before. But we cannot automate our way out of poor leadership, weak communication or a culture people no longer trust.
For me, those conversations reinforced something I’ve believed throughout my career: people make progress. Technology can accelerate it, but leadership still determines where we are going.
Thank you to Marcus Evans, my fellow speakers, and all the executives and leaders who made the conversations in Dallas so worthwhile.
And to the new connections and friends I made along the way: let’s keep the conversation going.
Jocelyn Greenky
Founder, Sider Road
Interim CEO | Advisor | Author | Speaker