The Leadership Challenge Nobody Prepared You For

Why AI is fundamentally a leadership challenge and what the best

leaders are doing differently

I've spent my career helping leaders navigate complexity, build resilient teams,

and drive transformation. I've seen leaders face economic downturns,

organizational restructuring, cultural shifts, and global crises.

But I've never seen anything quite like what leaders are facing now.

Artificial Intelligence isn't just another technology trend to monitor from a

distance. It's not like adopting a new software platform or updating your digital

strategy. AI is fundamentally reshaping what work looks like, what skills matter,

and what leadership means.

And here's what I'm observing in conversations with leaders across industries:

the challenge isn't the technology. The challenge is leading through a

transformation you don't fully understand yourself.

What AI Actually Demands of Leaders

AI requires a kind of leadership that many executives weren't trained for. It

demands:

• Leading without complete understanding. You don't need to become an AI

expert. But you do need enough understanding to ask the right questions,

evaluate recommendations, and sense when you're being sold something that

doesn't fit.

• Modeling learning publicly. Your teams are watching how you engage with

AI. If you delegate it entirely, you signal it's not important. If you dismiss it, you

give permission for others to do the same. If you engage visibly, including

making mistakes and learning from them, you create permission for the entire

organization to learn.

• Transforming fear into engagement. AI activates real anxieties: about job

security, about relevance, about being left behind. Leaders who ignore these fears

or dismiss them as resistance will find their transformation efforts blocked at

every turn. Leaders who make space for these conversations, and address them

honestly, unlock the energy needed for change.

• Making decisions that won't age well. AI moves so fast that any decision

you make today will need to be revisited. This isn't a sign of poor planning, it's

the nature of the technology. Leaders need to be comfortable with provisional

decisions, experimental approaches, and continuous adaptation.