A hallmark of great leaders is their ability to adapt to the times. The Covid-19 pandemic, awful a time though that was, provided a stage for seeing moments of greatness play out. We all have lasting memories of the leaders we followed at the time, making high-stakes judgment calls with little to no certainty about the future to go on–rethinking operations, creating new value for customers, and looking after their teams. Finishing up one monumental undertaking and replacing it immediately with another, non-stop, their ability to juggle hats was inspirational.
Another such leadership moment is upon us now, with AI building steam as a disruptive force in business. Of course livelihoods hang differently in the balance with a technology than a pathogen, but the lack of certainty about the future is similar in many ways. We are about to witness a fundamental reshaping of how work gets done at all levels of the corporation–the composition of jobs and teams, the structure of organizations, the make-up of operations, and, inevitably, the focus of strategy. Great leaders are getting ahead of all this now–assessing their opportunities and threats, seeking opportunities for operational improvement, readying their teams, and creating a roadmap for change. Juggling hats once again.
Our sense is that there are at least four vital hats that leaders will need to be wearing, sometimes all at once (fun image), in order to steer their organizations to success across this time of AI transformation.
Hat #1: The Functional Strategist–Driving Efficiency and Effectiveness
Executives wear the “Functional Strategist” hat to meticulously analyze every facet of their business in search of the most promising opportunities for improving operations. By examining each value stream through the lens of customer need and AI enablement potential, they can craft discontinuous strategies to streamline processes, enhance decision-making, and optimize resource allocation. Every functional executive should be approaching his or her role as though they have been given a fresh mandate to create a well-oiled, AI-powered, business system.
Hat #2: The Talent Steward–Extending Human Capital
Most AI futurists imagine a world where talent is not so much replaced by AI as enabled, enhanced or elevated–away from rote task and thought work and toward higher-value-creating undertakings. To realize this vision, leaders are donning the “Talent Steward” hat, and making it their job to shepherd teams intelligently through the AI enablement process. Doing so requires them to gain a much deeper understanding of the career aspirations of their teams and the mobility options at their disposal–reskilling, upgrading, reassignment, etc.––in order to properly reconnect the puzzle pieces making up the new, transformed organization.
Hat #3: The Transformation Manager–Orchestrating Unified Progress
The third essential hat is that of “Transformation Manager.” Successful AI integration demands a new level of alignment throughout the entire organization–especially given both the magnitude of operational change conceivable through AI enablement and the fear and uncertainty that so often characterizes AI. Executives must create a shared vision and purpose for transformation, and bring the organization with them every step of the journey. Effective communication, transparent information sharing, a collaborative mindset, etc.––all become the instruments by which executives lead their teams through the choppy waters of change.
Hat #4. The Executive Student–Modeling Continuous Learning
The fourth hat, that of “Executive Student” (or “Beginner”), is perhaps the most critical of them all. To make smart decisions about the business and to guide teams effectively, leaders must possess an intimate understanding of AI, its fundamental technologies and applications, and its many potential risks and opportunities. And many don’t. Even if (especially if) executives lack a technology background, embracing a beginner’s mindset is critical. By investing time and effort into educating themselves, leaders acknowledge that everyone has something to learn, and set a precedent for their teams to follow in getting up to speed.
Executives must be the captains of their organizations’ AI journeys, while also recognizing that they can’t do it alone. Effectively swapping in and out of these four hats, they can chart a course that balances efficiency and empathy, focus and change, and strategic thinking and continuous learning. As AI continues to reshape industries, great leaders will be the ones who juggle hats with purpose, leading their organizations toward a future where AI amplifies human potential. And giving us all new memories to look back on.
