AI & Automation: The Creative Destruction Your Business Needs

You know how we're always talking about making things better, optimizing this, improving that? Well, today I want to talk about something that might sound a little crazy at first: letting AI and automation burn some things down.

(Stick with me here - I promise this isn't as destructive as it sounds ??)

Let's think about forest fires for a minute. Yeah, they're devastating, but here's the wild thing - they actually help the forest grow back stronger. They clear out all the dead stuff, refresh the soil, and make room for new life. Sound familiar? It's exactly what AI is doing to our businesses right now.

And let me tell you - I'm seeing this everywhere. It's not just about making things better anymore. Some things are getting completely transformed:

• Those customer service processes you've spent years perfecting? AI might just burn them down and build something entirely different.
• That data analysis team you're so proud of? They might need to become something completely new.
• Those workflows you've fine-tuned? AI might just rewrite the whole playbook.

But here's where it gets interesting - and this is something I've been thinking about a lot lately. There's a huge difference between a controlled burn and a wildfire. One you choose, one chooses you.

Think about it: some companies are already doing this right. They're not just sprinkling AI on top of their old systems (come on, we all know that doesn't work). Instead, they're deliberately choosing what to transform. They're saying, "Okay, our old ticket system? Let's burn it down and build something AI-first." And you know what? They're not just seeing better results - they're seeing different results.

But here's the thing about transformation - the setting matters. Just like you wouldn't start a controlled burn on a windy day, you need the right conditions for AI transformation:

• Your team needs to be ready to unlearn (yeah, I said unlearn) and relearn
• Your systems need to be ready for the change
• Your leaders need to be willing to imagine something completely different
• And everyone needs to understand what's happening and why

I keep seeing organizations trying to protect their old ways while simultaneously trying to transform. It's like trying to start a new fire while hugging your old kindling. At some point, you've got to let go.

Because here's the truth - and this might sting a little - AI is going to force changes whether we like it or not. The only real choice we have is whether we guide that transformation or let it happen to us.

So let me ask you something: what in your business are you willing to let burn so AI can help you build something better?

(Drop a comment - I'm really curious to hear about your experiences with AI transformation. What are you protecting that maybe you should be willing to transform?)

#AI #DigitalTransformation #Innovation #FutureOfWork #Leadership

How's this hitting you? I'd love to hear your thoughts. ??