The Counter-Intuitive Leadership Mindset for Thriving Amidst AI Disruption

Learn how product managers can use unconventional leadership tactics to crush it in the ever-changing AI world.

The quote, ‘the only constant is change’ is one of my favorites. It’s from the Greek philosopher Heraclitus. With the every increasing presence of AI in all facets of our lives, Heraclitus has never been more right. There are changes occuring at all organizational levels, which means as AI transforms the business landscape, the role of leadership is evolving in unprecedented ways. Effective leaders must juggle collaboration, innovation, multiple generation workforces, demands for empowerment and evolving technology to grow and stay ahead.

In today’s newsletter, we’ll dive into change — specifically how individual contributors and managers can evolve their leadership skills to thrive personally and professionally amidst the organizational shifts brought on by AI.

How leaders can help their teams to navigate in the face of constant change

Leadership isn’t just for those with formal authority; it’s a quality anyone can and should develop. In all fields and roles, we often work with others to influence outcomes. To do so effectively in the age of AI, one must exhibit leadership traits such as the following.

1. Adaptability — Allows leaders to pivot quickly, keeping organizations competitive and resilient during times of rapid change, such as we are seeing today with AI.

• Stay updated with AI advancements and foster a culture which encourages exploring new developments, experimentation and failure.
• Apply agile approaches which enable quick adjustments based on learning

2. Strategic Thinking — Recall my earlier posts on the strategy stack (Part 1, Part 2, Part 3). Apply strategic thinking to anticipate future trends and set a clear direction which aligns and motivates individuals and teams towards shared goals.

• Encourage transparency and collaboration by bringing people together to brainstorm ways to rethink historic practices to leverage AI.
• Give individuals an opportunity to ask questions and be heard to ensure they understand and feel committed to the evolved future vision and goals.

3. Emotional Intelligence — Acknowledge change creates uncertainty by increasing your efforts to build strong interpersonal relationships, especially as AI increasingly takes on more routine tasks.

• Create a supportive work environment by giving your team and contacts your full attention and responding thoughtfully (see post on the power of listening).
• Consider emotional and psychological needs by seeking diverse viewpoints, encouraging developmental growth, and offering support when needed.

Along the way, you’ll encounter individuals who feel they are struggling to swim upstream against a constant flow of change. Start by trying to understand what is holding them back. Focus on the person first instead of leaping to your perceived solution or trying to “fix them”. Remember we’ve all had times when the voices in our head get a bit unruly.

• Start with the largest challenge. Raise the question “what is your biggest concern” to better understand the origination of the emotion.
• Then delve deeper by asking “what do feel is behind your statement”? This question helps to unravel the contributing or motivating factors.
• Ask “and what else” to empty and refill the thoughts circling in the person’s head. This technique is a self-management tool to stay curious longer and to see where the conversation leads instead of jumping to conclusions.

In all cases, use silence effectively to show support and validation. The person is feeling uncertain in the face of so much change. You are not in a position to disagree with how they are feeling — it is their feelings, not yours. You don’t know what internal monsters they are facing.

Being an effective leader or exhibiting leadership characteristics requires self analyzing your own behaviors and attitudes. Are you adopting a growth mindset and enabling others to do the same? Do you apply a lens of curiosity, pushing for a wider range of perspectives and insight? Or do you believe you have all the answers and are the only one capable of inspiring and guiding the team into the future effectively?

Product management and leadership at all levels, from individual contributor on up, are team sports. It’s wonderful to think that everyone is instinctively running along with you towards the goal. Unless you earn their respect and trust — and tame some monsters along the way — you’ll be tackled by the AI-powered competition as everyone was “trained” to keep their distance.

What it takes to unlock creative transformation through AI driven change

The workplace today faces a significant challenge — a staggering 64% to as high as 87% of the workforce is disengaged from their jobs (Gallup). This disengagement stems from the traditional top-down, control-oriented approach to leadership, which fails to invite the creativity found in every individual. Rather than forcing people into boxes, the rise of AI is a perfect reason for organizations to shift and amplify the unique qualities that make us human.

A tiny acorn grows into a magnificent oak tree, and it never goes: ‘I have to improve myself’. It just needs the right environment to grow. — paraphrased from Joe Hudson

Recently I’ve been coaching students and graduates of the School of Information at the University of California, Berkeley. Many entered the workforce during the pandemic, grew up in a time when it was common for parents to distrust authority, and are now eager to make a greater impact. Each one is seeking more opportunities to contribute while also maintaining a strong work-life balance. The key to unlocking the creative power in these students and beyond lies in empowering individuals to work without constantly seeking permission.

Gone are the days of corporations investing heavily in structured, top-down programs. Instead a culture of continuous learning, where coaching — both formal and peer-to-peer — is incorporated, better suits the personal and professional growth today’s knowledge workers are seeking. Yes, AI will play a role. What’s tricky for AI is humans say one thing and do another. A human, ideally in the form of an empathic leader, is still needed in the loop.

Unfortunately traditional leaders often fall into the trap of believing that their perspectives are inherently clearer and more “right” than others. This mindset slows progress and stifles the very creativity that today’s organizations, facing the onslaught of AI-powered everything, must cultivate to grow.

Here are actions you can take to be a human-centered leader, which is a phrase emerging in the coaching space (and is nicely aligned with people-first leadership).

• Change is underway in how leaders are developed, recognizing the value of diverse viewpoints and the importance of empathy in the face of rapid technological change.
• Organizations that encourage innovation at all levels will be in a better position to respond to market demands by moving beyond preservation and top-down mandates.
• AI has the power to free up teams to spend more time with customers and explore market dynamics, enabling insights to come from those with insider and outsider perspectives, challenging traditional notions of leadership development.

As we embrace AI’s role in work, we must shed outdated leadership mindsets. By fostering an environment that values diverse perspectives and encourages creativity, organizations can tap into the potential of their multi-generational workforce and be better setup to thrive in today’s topsy turvy landscape.

Strange change: mindsets now drive methods and processes

A recent article in Forbes shared this title and the following image.

The article highlights the importance today of mindsets and values — indicated at the top of the 21st century diagram. With the right mindset, empowerment leads to collaborative networks which drives process-enabled outcomes. In summary, lots of points in buzzword bingo.

I still like the image as it drives home the importance of empowerment and collaboration. What can I say, it’s always nice to be validated by Forbes. I also believe today, with the rise of AI, individuals who have direct reports or lead colleagues and partners must start with the right mindset to be effective. Building on these themes and our friends at Forbes, here are the trends I see emerging in leadership:

1. From Tell Leader to Ask Leader

• The traditional leadership model of providing answers is shifting to one that prioritizes asking questions — aka in an AI-driven world, generating the right questions is more valuable than having answers.
• Leaders can use AI to explore topics and generate insights, forming questions that unleash their team’s thinking power.

2. Growth Mindset Over Business Process

• Firms focused on rigid methods and micromanaging are creating workplace zombies.
• Today, people seek firms prioritizing innovation, collaboration, and career development, fostering growth mindsets, celebrating collaboration, and ensuring psychological safety.

3. Leading From Behind not Pulling From the Front

• Helping people navigate ambiguity is a crucial attribute of modern leaders. Anne Morriss of Harvard Business Publishing underscores the importance of making others better and ensuring that impact endures in our absence.
• For example, today’s leaders work alongside knowledge workers who may know more about their specific areas, requiring flatter organizations and coaching to enhance effectiveness.

Ultimately leaders should strive for a compass culture, inviting diverse perspectives to guide the organization towards collective goals, rather than a rigid map that stifles creativity.

Summary

Demonstrating leadership qualities in the AI era requires individuals to take a different approach, to change. Embracing new mindsets and encouraging input from all levels is essential to drive innovation and growth in today’s rapidly changing business landscape. The key to success lies in our ability to ask the right questions, adapt to change, and continuously learn and evolve as leaders alongside our teammates. Which you can see Lancaster is seeking to adopt with his pals. Take care — and remember, you’ve got this!