AI Readiness: Buzzword or new leadership paradigm?
The web is full of AI readiness reports, each emphasizing the massive shift in leadership required to thrive in this digital age.
It’s clear that AI is transforming industries—but the real challenge is ensuring that leaders are equipped to navigate this change. These reports consistently highlight the need for hands-on leadership as the key to ensuring that AI is successfully implemented and drives results.
Why hands-On leadership matters
According to Microsoft, employees are 2.6x more likely to support AI initiatives when their leaders are actively engaged. This speaks directly to the approach I and my team leads have always taken—being present and engaged with our teams. We don’t lead from afar. All of my team leads are fully hands-on and have embraced this new model of leadership where involvement in day-to-day operations is critical to our success with AI adoption.
McKinsey’s research reinforces this approach, showing that organizations with leaders who are hands-on across multiple business areas, such as marketing, operations, and supply chain, are seeing revenue increases of over 5%. Leaders who engage directly with AI initiatives help ensure that the technology is integrated effectively, creating measurable business outcomes.
Key Findings Prasanna Lohar AI Readiness Report
"The report also highlights that 64% of respondents believe AI will maintain or increase job numbers, with potential headcount increases of up to 9%(2024-State-of-AI-Change…). Leaders need to prepare their teams for this reality by fostering an environment of upskilling. Sabio and Genesys similarly note that 63% of organizations agree that employees will need new skills to work effectively with generative AI"
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Empowering teams through upskilling
As AI transforms the workforce, leaders have an even bigger responsibility to ensure their teams are ready. The Sabio and Genesys report highlights that 63% of organizations agree that employees will need new skills to work effectively with AI.
My leadership team and I focus on upskilling in our Marketig Academy, ensuring our teams have the training and resources needed to not just cope with AI, but to thrive.
According to Josh Bersin AI in HR: A Game-Changer for the Workforce
The recent Cornerstone OnDemand acquisition of SkyHive highlights how AI in HR can transform workforce management by identifying skill gaps and creating personalized development paths. This advanced AI integration allows leaders to proactively reskill and upskill employees using real-time data and workforce trends. It complements the broader push for hands-on AI leadership, where leaders not only drive AI adoption in operations but also actively engage in human capital development. By utilizing AI-driven HR tools, leaders can ensure their teams are ready for future roles and business needs.
Trust and ethics in AI leadership
Trust is another key theme across these reports. Korn Ferry notes that 44% of organizations have already encountered ethical challenges with AI, and 96% of companies in the Sabio report agree that balancing AI-driven personalization with customer privacy will become increasingly challenging.
Microsoft’s AI Readiness Report and McKinsey’s AI Leadership Insights, I felt validated by the strong alignment between these reports and my leadership style. They highlight the importance of leaders being actively engaged in AI and digital transformation.
As a hands-on leader, I’ve always prioritized building trust within my teams. Being present and engaged allows us to navigate these ethical challenges head-on, ensuring AI is used responsibly and transparently.
Leading from the front
AI readiness isn’t just a buzzword; it’s a call to action for leaders to be more hands-on, more engaged, and more connected to their teams than ever before.
The researches are clear—leaders who are actively involved in AI adoption, who foster a culture of upskilling, and who ensure ethical AI use will drive success.
Are you ready to adopt a hands-on leadership style in the age of AI?
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