When I asked Dr. Julie Fuller, CHRO of Zoetis—the world leader in animal health— how leadership will change in the AI Era, she didn’t skip a beat: “I do think that in the world of AI, human skills like emotional intelligence are going to matter more than ever,” she explained. “As AI and automation increase, teamwork and human connection will become exponentially more important.”
And at a time when many organizations are racing to build technical fluency and AI readiness, Fuller emphasized that enduring human capabilities can’t be replaced by AI. “The beauty of human beings is that we are all different–and personalities and experiences shape how we think, work and connect. This ultimately strengthens the workplace.”
That same theme has surfaced again and again across conversations with more than 40 learning and talent leaders. IQ or AI-savviness might get you in the door, but it’s EQ that will promote you and sustain you.
At Zoetis, this belief shapes how the organization thinks about collaboration, leadership development, workforce readiness, and culture.
Zoetis Treats AI as a ‘Capacity Creator,’ Not a ‘Job Replacer’
“AI replaces work, but it doesn’t necessarily replace jobs,” Fuller said. “At Zoetis, we view AI as a capacity creator—particularly in a growing business— enabling our colleagues to focus on the work that creates real value, drives transformation, and advances innovations that matter most for our customers.” This is a useful distinction because it helps diminish fear. It also suggests how roles can adapt and grow to include more of the challenging and human aspects that people are passionate about—especially in a business like ours, where we support veterinarians, livestock producers, and pet owners in keeping animals healthy.
This is where EQ and AI begin to pair nicely. AI can accelerate tasks, but it can’t (and shouldn’t) replace the human side of working and leading—building trust, leading with empathy, navigating ambiguity, giving feedback, or helping people adapt to change.
As the Planning Cycle Shortens, Leaders Need to Stay Fluid
For managers, one of the hardest parts of the AI era is not the technology itself. It’s the pace of change. “The planning cycle is shortening,” Fuller said. And her team’s response is, of course, not to stop planning. Instead, it’s to plan directionally and then react nimbly. “Directionally we’re planning, but we’re not putting a timestamp on anything,” she said, underscoring their need to stay quick and flexible.
This environment that demands constant adaptability puts a premium on change management and workforce visibility. HR has to understand the skills colleagues have today, how jobs are evolving, and where development is needed. Fuller described the challenge as “keeping skills fluid.”
That phrase captures the AI Era leadership shift well. In a more volatile environment, leaders need to help their people make sense of the pace, the uncertainty, and the opportunities that change offers.
Self-Awareness Drives Leaders’ Growth
Fuller shared a memorable example from early in her career when she benefited from working in feedback-rich environments. A mentor told her she was interrupting too much in meetings. The feedback stuck with her. “I was enthusiastic and engaged—but without that feedback as my mirror, I wouldn’t have been able to do anything about it”.
That helped shape her entire view of leadership. “The moment shaped my belief that self-awareness is foundational to leadership,” Fuller said.
To build self-awareness in their leaders, Zoetis uses tools like 360 feedback, Hogan assessments, and leadership-model-based feedback to help leaders understand how they show up. “The impact we have on others does not always align with our intent,” Fuller explained, and building self-awareness can help close that gap. “It isn’t about changing who you are—it’s about understanding how you come across to others. Feedback helps leaders do that and when we act on it—not dwell on it—that leads to stronger teams, better performance and an ability to move with speed,” Fuller said.
EQ Is Foundational to Great Cross-Functional Collaboration
“Most work at Zoetis is happening across groups,” Fuller pointed out. “It’s very rare that one single group is working on anything. Today we’re working across functions–R&D, manufacturing and supply, and commercial/sales & field and corporate teams—to solve business problems.”
Cross-functional collaboration requires people to influence without authority, navigate different priorities, communicate clearly across boundaries, and avoid the misunderstandings that grow inside silos. In other words, it demands the social-emotional skills of emotional intelligence.
Zoetis reinforces that mindset in their development programs. Fuller noted that the company measures cross-functional dynamics in its engagement work and focuses heavily on stakeholder communication, partnerships, and influencing through indirect relationships.
For Fuller, the ability for leaders to learn in real time—seeking feedback, reflecting on it, and adjusting quickly—is what enables them to work effectively across teams.
Managers Create the Daily Experience of Culture
One of Fuller’s strongest insights is that managers play a pivotal role in creating the daily experience of a company culture. “Senior leaders set the tone,” she said. “But it’s the frontline leaders deeper in the organization who shape the experience colleagues have every day.”
At the core of this at Zoetis is a clear sense of purpose—to nurture our world and humankind by advancing care for animals. That purpose shapes how culture shows up every day and makes the work personal—a true differentiator. That’s why we invest in development that maps directly to emotional intelligence—equipping leaders to advance our purpose with their teams. Fuller pointed to coaching, feedback, situational leadership, stakeholder communication, active listening, leading through change, and inclusive collaboration.
EQ Will Future Proof Your Leaders for the AI Era
For senior leaders at any company, the lesson is clear: succeeding in the AI era will require dual investment in technology and in human capabilities. Organizations that build self-aware, adaptable, emotionally intelligent leaders will be better positioned to navigate faster change, strengthen cross-functional collaboration, and create cultures where people can thrive alongside new technology. In the end, AI may increase capacity, but it is leadership grounded in EQ that will determine whether that capacity turns into lasting business value. Or as Fuller put it: “The human capability is going to be the differentiator.”
