Amanda's Podcast

Amanda
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Breaking barriers between technology, leadership, and the human condition. Hosted by Amanda Mercier — technologist, strategist, and storyteller — this podcast explores what it means to lead, grow, and build in complex systems. From the battlefield to the boardroom, Amanda shares lessons on transformation, creative discipline, and personal resilience — drawn from years of leading AI, data, and modernization efforts across government and industry. Each episode begins with a story — about leadership, health, or the creative process — and ends with a call to action you can use right away. Whether you’re scaling a team, writing your next big idea, or just trying to see your own progress more clearly, this show helps you bridge the gap between thought and action. Themes: Leadership and self-awarenessTechnology, AI, and the people behind itCreative process, burnout, and recoveryBuilding cultures of accountability and impactTransformation in large systemsBecause thinking deeply is only half the battle — the real change comes when you act. Amanda Mercier is the Chief Digital and AI Officer at U.S. Army Special Operations Command with a history of experience leading technical teams in government and industry. The views expressed here are her own and do not necessarily reflect those of the Department of War.

  1. An Operator’s Guide to Hardware

    MAR 1

    An Operator’s Guide to Hardware

    In this first installment of Digital Dominance, we are opening up the hood. We will explore the basic hardware components so that you can understand the foundation for everything that follows. The digital kit you need will include a brain, a workbench, and a rucksack. There are more components, but you will have a good understanding if you know the most basic gear.  Subscribe at www.AmandaMercier.com

    6 min
  2. The AI Brain: How Machines Learn to Recognize Patterns

    MAR 1

    The AI Brain: How Machines Learn to Recognize Patterns

    Hardware gives us capability. AI gives us pattern recognition at scale. But there is no silver bullet. There is no single algorithm that dominates every battlefield. There is only: The right toolFor the right taskTrained on the right dataDeployed by the right teamSubscribe at www.AmandaMercier.com

    8 min
  3. Beyond Silicon Valley

    FEB 16

    Beyond Silicon Valley

    The best of Army Special Operations Forces knows how to adapt, endure, and execute under pressure. The best of big tech knows how to build, iterate, and innovate at scale. Together, we can create a model of leadership and collaboration that transcends sectors. Whether you wear a badge, a hoodie, or a beret, the mission is the same: learn fast, serve others, and build something that lasts. Subscribe at www.AmandaMercier.com

    8 min
  4. Metrics are the Message

    FEB 16

    Metrics are the Message

    In every organization, what you choose to measure quietly sets the tone for what you truly value. If you claim to value transformation but cannot point to how it is measured, you are signaling aspiration without commitment. Metrics are the bridge between intent and outcome. If transformation matters, measure participation in training, the acquisition of new skills, the adoption of modern tools, and the velocity at which teams learn. Promotions determine who rises, but metrics determine how the system behaves every day. Ignore either, and transformation does not stall by accident, it collapses by design. Subscribe at www.AmandaMercier.com

    6 min
  5. Promotion is Policy

    JAN 21

    Promotion is Policy

    Most organizations believe culture is shaped by values, messaging, and leadership intent. In reality, culture is shaped by incentives: promotions, ratings, awards, prestige, visibility, and protection. Transformation fails when the incentive system punishes the very behaviors transformation requires. Subscribe at www.AmandaMercier.com

    6 min
  6. The Middle Moves the Machine

    JAN 16

    The Middle Moves the Machine

    Most transformations don’t fail because leaders lack vision or because frontline teams resist change. They fail in the middle where identity, incentives, and fear collide. At the top, transformation feels logical. At the edge, it feels helpful. In the middle, it feels existential. Subscribe at www.AmandaMercier.com

    12 min
  7. Difficult By Design

    JAN 7

    Difficult By Design

    Sometimes it’s not the person who is difficult; it’s the role. Transformation leaders are often designed to be disruptive. The role exists to challenge legacy processes, to inject technical rigor into decisions that were once made relationally or politically. That shift creates friction. When data replaces intuition, someone loses power. The role becomes “in the way.” And so the role gets labeled difficult. That label is often a signal that transformation is working  Subscribe at www.AmandaMercier.com

    7 min
  8. The Real Value is in the Seams

    JAN 5

    The Real Value is in the Seams

    Stop hiring for silos. Start hiring for seams. You need translators, connectors, and polymaths, the ones who see the through-lines others miss. These are the people who can match talent to task, simplify complexity, and build bridges between brilliant but disconnected communities. Because in modern organizations, value doesn’t live inside the boxes on your org chart. It lives in the white space between them. Subscribe at www.AmandaMercier.com

    5 min
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About

Breaking barriers between technology, leadership, and the human condition. Hosted by Amanda Mercier — technologist, strategist, and storyteller — this podcast explores what it means to lead, grow, and build in complex systems. From the battlefield to the boardroom, Amanda shares lessons on transformation, creative discipline, and personal resilience — drawn from years of leading AI, data, and modernization efforts across government and industry. Each episode begins with a story — about leadership, health, or the creative process — and ends with a call to action you can use right away. Whether you’re scaling a team, writing your next big idea, or just trying to see your own progress more clearly, this show helps you bridge the gap between thought and action. Themes: Leadership and self-awarenessTechnology, AI, and the people behind itCreative process, burnout, and recoveryBuilding cultures of accountability and impactTransformation in large systemsBecause thinking deeply is only half the battle — the real change comes when you act. Amanda Mercier is the Chief Digital and AI Officer at U.S. Army Special Operations Command with a history of experience leading technical teams in government and industry. The views expressed here are her own and do not necessarily reflect those of the Department of War.

Information

  • Creator
    Amanda
  • Years Active
    2025 - 2026
  • Episodes
    18
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2026 Amanda's Podcast
  • Show Website
    Amanda's Podcast