Excellence, Extreme Humanism & Building Future-Ready Tech | DisrupTV Ep. 193

In DisrupTV Episode 193, hosts R “Ray” Wang and Vala Afshar welcome two transformative thinkers who challenge how we lead and build in the digital era:

  • Tom Peters, the celebrated author of In Search of Excellence and Excellence Now: Extreme Humanism, reframes leadership through empathy, humility, and relentless service to people. 
  • Michael J. Sikorsky, CEO & Co-Founder of Robots & Pencils, shares how embedding mobile-first innovation and a “talent obsession” philosophy has driven explosive growth and tech transformation.

Key Takeaways

Extreme Humanism in Leadership
Peters brings forward the view that business excellence and empathy go hand in hand. Leadership should prioritize kindness, EQ, and “serving the front-liners” to drive growth and meaning. 

Building with Empathy and Agility
Michael’s leadership approach centers on building talent-centered products—mobile and frontier technologies that transform business, anchored in a deep understanding of user needs.

Memorable Quotes

Tom Peters:
“The best leaders hire for emotional intelligence, not just hard skills.” 

Michael J. Sikorsky:
“We built Robots & Pencils with a talent obsession—believing people-first fuels innovation.”

Final Thoughts

Episode 193 is a masterclass in blending empathy with innovation. Tom Peters reminds us that excellence starts with honoring humanity—at work, in teams, and in governance. Michael J. Sikorsky demonstrates how building with empathy—and nurturing talent—creates breakthrough tech that matters. Together, they sculpt a leadership model that is not only high-performing but deeply human and future-ready.

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