Simple: announce that your organization's new mission is to become an AI-first company. Hold an all-hands meeting where you inspire your staff by declaring "AI won't replace you, but a coworker who knows AI will!". This will create panic and chaos among employees: some will be motivated to drop everything to learn everything they can about "AI", including signing up any expensive training course they can find. It also creates an atmosphere of competition, where those that are younger and single have time to learn "AI" outside of work can dream of easily beating their family-burdoned coworkers to the most coveted roles. Important: don't explain the "why" and don't offer any clear guidance, support or training paths. Let them sink or swim!

Slow down. Check in. Boosting morale is such a nebulous outcome. How would you know you boosted morale? Everyone is different. What’s going on with your team? What’s the impact the change is having on them? Sometimes it’s easy to forget we’re all human. We all have fears, concerns, and complaints. And to voice them in a professional environment is even scarier. Because “what will happen to me if I air all my frustration to my boss? I’ll share it with my colleague instead. Because they’re probably feeling frustrated too.” …and thus, the complaint vacuum is creating on the team. Your people are talking among themselves and not with you. Possibly because you haven’t slowed down enough to ask them yourself.

I focus on two key principles: honesty and optimism. Honesty: Acknowledge the situation openly. Avoiding the issue erodes trust and wastes energy. Address the challenge directly, without blame, to unite the team in problem-solving. This focused pressure can actually enhance productivity. Optimism: Convey confidence in overcoming the obstacle together. Share your action plan or involve the team in developing one. This collaborative approach fosters ownership and motivation. Use appropriate humor to lighten the mood and reduce counterproductive stress. By balancing candid communication with a positive outlook, you create an environment where the team feels informed, valued, and capable of tackling the challenge head-on.

It's important to stay calm. It shows confidence and gives the rest of the team a sense of stability. I take a moment to collect my thoughts before responding to unexpected news or challenges. Keeping the team updated on the situation helps reduce stress and build trust. I communicate to the team what steps I plan to take to resolve the situation, being flexible if the situation requires adjustments to workload or deadlines. Reminding them that setbacks are temporary and part of growth helps, as does highlighting past successes. Focusing too much on the problem can demoralize the team. I prefer to focus on a solution-oriented approach.