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The whole world mourned when news broke of Pope Franciss death on April 21. The 88-year-old head of the Catholic Church was admired even by nonbelievers as a man of progressive values leading the church into the modern era. While some wished his policies had gone further, most agreed that the late pope acted as a much-needed moral leader to humanity. His death leaves a void that must be filled through an election process known as the conclave, which starts today (Wednesday, May 7, 2025). Lets take a deeper look at that procedure, the frontrunners, and how the Catholic Church moves forward from here. Who is in charge after the pope’s death? Almost immediately after the popes death, his signet ringalso known as the fishermans ringis destroyed along with the popes lead seal. This is both symbolic and practical as these items are used to authenticate documents created by the pope. While the Catholic Church waits for new leadership, the College of Cardinals is temporarily in charge, but no major policies are made until a new pope is elected. Officially, this period is known as sede vacante, which translates to the seat is vacant. When does the conclave begin? The 2025 conclave begins today (Wednesday, May 7, 2025). It begins with a pre-conclave mass at St. Peter’s Basilica at 10:00 a.m. Vatican time (4:30 a.m. ET). Vatican News has a full conclave schedule on its website, including start times. You can also livestream certain activities at St. Peter’s Square courtesy of Vatican Media Live, the official YouTube channel of the Holy See. Finally, you can follow live news coverage of the conclave with most major news outlets. USA Today has an extensive roundup of where to watch. How does the conclave work? Eligible cardinals, prominent church leaders, and former advisers to the pope are locked awayfree from the influence and distractions of the outside worldin the Sistine Chapel to vote. The word conclave comes from the Latin phrase cum clave, which means “with a key,” so it’s a fitting name. In order to be eligible to vote in the conclave, cardinals must be under the age of 80. It is important to note that only men are allowed in the Catholic priesthood. There are 135 eligible cardinals for the conclave but Archbishops Antonio Caizares and Vinko Puljiĉ will not participate due to poor health, as Catholic News Agency reported. Francis appointed 80% of the cardinals voting for his successor, expanding the decision-making process to 71 countries and eliminating European dominance. For the first time ever, countries such as Rwanda, Myanmar, and South Sudan will also have a vote, the Washington Post reports. Upon entering the conclave, cardinals take an oath of secrecy, making the process even more mysterious. Outsiders eagerly await the results of the votes by watching the color of smoke emitted from the Sistine Chapel. On the first day after mass, the initial secret ballot is cast. In order for a winner to be declared, a two-thirds majority must be won. If not secured, the ballots are burned along with a chemical to make black smoke. After the first day, up to four ballots can be cast daily, two in the mornings and two in the evenings. The process repeats until the new pope is elected. White smoke, bells ringing, and a declaration of “Habemus Papam!” signal a new beginning. How long does the conclave last? This depends on how long it takes to reach a two-thirds majority. The longest conclave dragged on for almost three yearsfrom November 1268 to September 1271. Eventually Pope Gregory X was elected, as the Associated Press points out. Thankfully, modern conclaves in the 1900s and beyond have been much less suspenseful, lasting under four days. Pope Francis was elected in two days and many predict a similar situation for his predecessor. Who are the frontrunners to be the new pope? Although there are only two requirements for being elected pope, being male and a baptized Catholic, no one outside of the Cardinals has been elected since 1378, so President Trumps AI-generated image is a bit of a pipe dream, as this election will also likely promote from within as well. There are four cardinals whose names are swirling around as front runners: Seventy-year-old Cardinal Pietro Parolin of Italy served under Francis as the Vatican’s secretary of state. He has a global worldview yet is still considered a moderate. As Franciss former right-hand man, his odds are good going into the conclave, perhaps even too good. There’s an old Italian saying: “He who enters a conclave as a pope, leaves it as a cardinal,” so lets not put the horse in front of the cart. If 64-year-old Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle from the Philippines is elected he would be the first modern Asian pope. His election would also signal the churchs continuation of Franciss legacy. Tagle, who is a favorite among TikTok users, also spoke out on social issues and migrant rights. He urged the Catholic Church to be more inclusive and less harsh on the LGBTQ+ community, single moms, and divorced individuals. Cardinal Peter Turkson from Ghana, age 76, is an energetic conservative who once played guitar in a funk band. In 2013, he claimed not to want the top job in an interview with the BBC, but we are pretty sure hed take it if it was offered. His election may mean more old-fashioned family values, but Turkson did speak out against the criminalization of homosexual relationships in Ghana. Cardinal Péter Erdġ from Hungary, age 72, is also considered conservative, but has the respect of many more liberal members of the conclave. This makes him an ideal compromise candidate if voting comes to that. What will the final choice say about the future of the Catholic Church? With the world at large currently at a crossroads between traditions and progressive ideals, the new pope will signal how the Catholic Church plans to move forward. Will it continue with Francis’s more liberal ideals or will the pendulum swing the other way toward habit and convention? Only the white smoke can tellthe rest is secret.
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Residents living near SpaceX headquarters in Boca Chica, Texas, will soon have a new public body through which to raise concerns about everything from road maintenance to garbage collection. Earlier this month, more than 200 residents voted to establish the city of Starbase, Texasa 1.5-square-mile community governed by three elected officials, all of whom have ties to SpaceX, the space exploration company based in the area. Of the 218 people who voted in the electionmany believed to be SpaceX employeesonly six opposed incorporation. The news marks a win for Musk, who has wanted the area around his companys headquarters to become a city since at least March 2021. It sounds like the city will be governed by a city commission comprising current and former SpaceX employees, who presumably answer to Musk, says Lily Roberts, managing director of inclusive growth at the Center for American Progress, a think tank that published a report on the rise of the new company town in 2019. Roberts believes SpaceXs control of Starbase poses concerns. But Ajay Agrawal, a professor of management at the University of Toronto who has studied company towns and visited Starbase for a SpaceX launch before the incorporation effort began, sees potential upside. Agrawal noted the areas lack of infrastructure. If SpaceX succeeds in its mission, then it will be like the Port of Los Angeles, except the gateway to space, he says. What he saw during his visit, however, didnt match that vision. It struck me how underdeveloped the route [from the airport] was. The fact that the commission is composed of individuals with ties to Musk may give some observers pause. Still, the incorporation process introduces limits on the citys authority. They obviously cant legally create some kind of independent society, says Roberts. Theyre still subject to state and federal laws. Given how little Musk has demonstrated that he knows about how government works, Im not sure that he knows that. Musk did not respond to Fast Companys request for comment. However, he posted on X when the incorporation election was ratified by Cameron Countys election department: Now, it is official! While Musk has welcomed the decision, Roberts argues that the companys desire to incorporate a city is misguided. Most businesses do not want to incorporate cities, she says. Businesses typically make a product or sell a servicethey dont want to worry about the sewer system or run a school district. Nevertheless, they may now find themselves responsible for managing those services alongside the civic aspects they want control over. It sounds like SpaceX wants power over closing the public beaches and public roads during their launches, says Roberts. Because this is a relatively isolated area, they might want to find a faster track to building new housing. But all of the city services that come along with being a city seem far beyond what SpaceX is equipped to provide. Agrawal isnt convinced thats a problem. Having visited the site, I wouldnt be surprised if they had already taken over things like garbage management and security, he says. They would need far greater security than what sort of a local police force of that area would have had [for their launches]. There are also checks and balances in place that prevent Starbase from seceding from federal oversight. They will only be able to control, or certainly influence, municipal-level decisions, says Agrawal. They won’t be able to override federal or state rules. Even if the three elected commissioners wanted to manage everything from trash pickup to road maintenanceand hand control to Musktheres no guarantee that Musk has the capacity or interest to govern effectively. I think that Musk has proven with DOGE that any skills he has are not transferable from business to government, cautions Roberts. He cant find the cost savings he promised, he accidentally fired people who keep track of nuclear weapons and then had to rehire them, and he keeps claiming that people receiving Social Security are dead when theyre very much alive. Because of these issues, Roberts offers a cautionary note to potential residents: SpaceX employees who move to Starbase may come to realize that theres a huge difference between the campus model of big tech firms and a whole town where everyoneincluding the teacher and the firefighter, not just the scientistshas the same boss.
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As far back as records of the subject go, the art and science of leadership has always addressed one constant question: How should humans lead other humans? Today, that paradigm is shifting. Leaders must now learn to guide hybrid teamscomposed of both human professionals and AI systems that support and augment human team members, while increasingly also performing complex tasks independently. Already, more than 75% of knowledge workers report using AI at work. Meanwhile, Gartner predicts that 100 million workers will collaborate with robo-colleagues by 2026. This is not a minor evolution. It may be the most profound transformation in human history of how we conceive of and implement leadership. As AI systems grow more advanced, we must reimagine what it means to lead. The skills that ensured success in the past will not be sufficient for what lies ahead. Through my research and my work with organizations undergoing this shift, I have identified seven essential ways that leaders must evolve if they are to lead effectively in this new age of AI-augmented work. 1. Become a Conductor of the AI Orchestra Shift: from task director to systems orchestrator As AI moves into the mainstream, and as agentic AI begins its rollout in workplaces around the world, leaders must understand how humans and AI systems interact across their organizations. They must become skilled conductors of what I call the “AI orchestra.” This requires more than just tool proficiency. It means enabling and supporting every human team member with the skills they need to coordinate across multiple AI systems. It means learning to give clear and strategic direction to AI systems, human team members, and the unified system of which they both form a part. Critically, it also means learning how to assess AI-generated outputs with discernment. Just as a conductor ensures harmony and rhythm without playing every instrument, todays leader must orchestrate intelligent collaboration between humans and machines. Exercise: Assign a team project that requires the use of three distinct AI tools to solve a single challenge. Afterward, debrief together: How did team members coordinate their use of the tools? Where did friction arise? What did the exercise reveal about managing complexity? 2. Gain Firsthand Experience of Collaborating with AI Shift: From delegating AI adoption to modeling it You cant lead what you havent lived. Leaders must personally engage with AI toolsnot to become technical experts, but to develop an intuitive understanding of their evolving capabilities and limitations. When team members see their leaders using AI thoughtfully, it normalizes adoption and sets the tone for healthy human-AI collaboration. Just as importantly, this firsthand experience equips leaders to make better strategic decisions about where and how to implement AI. Exercise: Use AI for three leadership-related tasks this weekwriting a summary, analyzing trends, and preparing communications. Note what worked, what didnt, and share your reflections with the team. 3. Intentionally Create Skill Development Opportunities Shift: From assuming organic growth to designing skill resilience As AI handles more cognitive tasks, human skills like critical thinking, reasoning, and interpersonal judgment risk erosion. Leaders can no longer rely on natural work progression to build these abilities. Paradoxically, we must sometimes introduce frictionby designing projects that intentionally limit AI useto preserve the skills AI cannot replicate. Exercise: Create AI-free zones within select tasks or stages of a project. Ask teams to complete these without assistance, then reflect: Which human capabilities were most essential? What gaps became visible? 4. Master the Art of Asking Questions Shift: From providing answers to elevating inquiry The most effective leaders of hybrid teams will distinguish themselves not by giving commands but by asking better questions. Prompting AI well requires the same clarity, curiosity, and critical thinking that great leadership has always demanded. This shift also enhances team dynamics. Asking questions encourages dialogue, surfaces blind spots, and builds collective intelligenceboth human and machine. Exercise: Create a questioning matrix focused on five areas: ethics, data quality, user experience, regulatory impact, and business value. Apply this to your next AI initiative to guide both human discussion and machine prompting. 5. Cultivate Clarity of Purpose Shift: From doing more to focusing on what matters most AI dramatically expands what is possible. But when everything becomes feasible, the leadership challenge becomes discernmentknowing what is worth doing. Purpose provides direction amidst the noise. It ensures AI is deployed to amplify what truly mattersnot just whats trendy or easy. Exercise: Draft a one-sentence AI purpose filter (e.g., We implement AI only when it deepens customer trust or improves outcomes). Then evaluate all current AI initiatives through this lens and realign as needed. 6. Develop Enhanced Emotional Intelligence Shift: From performance oversight to emotional stewardship The AI transition is deeply humanand often unsettling. People worry about their relevance, identity, and future. Leaders must acknowledge this emotional landscape and create psychological safety. Leading AI-augmented teams requires greater empathy, openness, and emotional clarity. Teams need help not just with tools, but with meaning. Exercise: Host AI concern circles where each person shares one fear and one hope about AI in their work. Listen without judgment. Follow up with individuals who express high anxiety and help them envision new roles for their unique human strengths. 7. Transform Into a Moral Agent Shift: From operational decision-maker to ethical guide AI raises urgent questions about bias, surveillance, accountability, and human dignity. These questions cannot be outsourced or automated. They are leadership responsibilities. Studying AI ethics is importantbut ethical leadership begins with cultivating your own moral compass. Leaders must be willing to pause, challenge assumptions, and prioritize long-term human impact over short-term gains. Exercise: Run an ethical pre-mortem for your next AI project. Imagine it has failed ethically one year from now. What went wrong? Who was harmed? Use this scenario to build safeguards and accountability from the outset. The Future of Leadership Is Human + Machine The integration of AI across the workforce will not make human leadership obsoletebut it will reshape the role of leader from the gound up. In this new era, the most successful leaders will be those who evolve from directive to facilitative, from efficient to intentional, from reactive to reflective. Leading AI-augmented teams requires more than technical adaptation. It demands a deeper humanityone that blends curiosity, ethics, emotional intelligence, and purpose. If done right, the result wont be less human leadershipit will be more.
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