How A.I. Impacts Workplace Culture: Pinning Down What Effective Leaders are Doing

“If you are not using AI, you are not effective.” 

“I am trying to outlast this AI wave until I can retire so I don’t have to use it.”

“I am trying to figure out how my team and organization should use it, when to use it, and how often.” 

All of these statements are from leaders. Leaders from both large and small organizations who have a common ground of struggling, either consciously or unconsciously, with how Artificial Intelligence (AI) is being managed in their workplace ecosystem. What they commonly know is that AI is a tool, that AI has a level of importance, and in two of the statement cases they have drawn lines about AI usage. When working with executives across a number of industries preparing and researching for my bestselling book The PinLeader Path: Identify, Engage, and Develop Effective Human and AI Leadership for Your Organizational Culture, the questions around AI and how it would or should impact the workplace began to take shape. Inevitably no one can predict the future, however, there are real working suggestions we should adopt to prepare not only leaders but their teams and organizations for what comes next - in whatever form that takes. 

PinPoint Ready 

The most effective leaders are what I call PinLeader ready for AI. Twenty years ago when I started speaking to what the most effective leaders had in common and before AI was a factor in the workplace, I found that effective leaders possessed three main attributes: sharpness of mind, straight forwardness, and a strength of character others wanted to follow. Their sharpness came from improving their education and intentionally seeking new experiences to ensure their relevance in whatever field they were in. For the new experience of AI, this is no different. The leaders embraced a straightforward approach with having a strategic plan with the ability to pivot when a curveball came into play coupled with their clearness in communicating the plan. And that last characteristic among them included strength of character to keep the fabric of an organization together. With all three attributes, this made for an award-winning ingredient mix to make for a “Pin” that makes all the difference when new concepts like AI make their way into a workplace. Those leaders who are not only good or great but excellent at what they do are demonstrating strong pathways to how to manage the new AI norm. 

Intelligence Ready 

So what did and what are those PinLeaders currently doing? The first step is they are approaching AI utilizing four main intelligences: intrapersonal, emotional, interpersonal, and artificial. 

Concerning tapping into their intrapersonal intelligence, PinLeaders have been examining their own self-interest on why they want AI in their workplace. Coming to understand what is motivating them does impact how they are rolling out policies and procedures with AI. For example, excellent leaders understand that AI is not going away and have decided not to allow Ego or being “first” drive their decision making. They carefully weigh their own desires and think about the implications on the workplace AND the perception of their client or customer base before creating or directing policy to require usage, especially at all levels. 

Excellent leaders are attuned to their actions and if they are moving quickly based on an emotional response that may include fear rather than a more desirable approach of strategic planning for AI to be part of the everyday workplace culture. This emotional intelligence check is typically carefully watched by fellow leaders as well as those in the workplace. In other words, if the leader is “panicked” there may be a higher likelihood that the team will follow.

When examining their interpersonal intelligence, excellent leaders are putting their relationships with their staff first and have an empathetic ear to the ground to see how the presence of AI is driving the work environment. The best workplaces are having open discussions regularly about AI and its impact on business and perceptions on the customers and or clients addressing any misinformation immediately.

Culture Ready

Being efficient does not mean exclusively utilizing AI. Telling your workforce that they are not efficient if they are not utilizing AI sends a mixed message for your organization culture. Excellent leaders acknowledge the needed integration of AI and are being clear on how, why, and when AI should be utilized and not leaving it up to their staff to guess. Those excellent leaders or PinLeaders share guidance on how effective teams are utilizing AI as a tool with the clear direction to not solely rely on information generated from it. PinLeaders understand potential AI “hallucinations” or misinformation may occur, adopt just a handful of AI virtual assistants at a time to provide some context when using them, and have their IT teams heavily involved to safeguard on information breaches when AI is regularly utilized as a tool.

Understanding that teams can shape AI and leverage their interactions to help shape their own stories or experiences as well as the organization’s external-facing information is too a powerful opportunity to not pass up. Will this make the workplace more efficient? Definitely. Will AI solve all the workplace challenges? Definitely not. Keeping sharp on AI trends, building AI into strategic plans, and having the strength of character to be clear on what can be done with AI in the workplace will create a level of assurance that may help address fears about AI and ultimately help you retain your best workforce.

Dr. Shanda Gore is a bestselling author and president of Mays and Associates, Ltd. (MAYS), a full-service leadership development, strategic planning, and culture building consulting firm. With more than two decades of experience in leading organizations for change, Dr. Gore leads the MAYS team of experts that works across more than 20 industries. She is the host of the international PinLeader Podcast and the author of the #1 Amazon bestselling new release for HR and Personnel Management “The PinLeader Path: Identify, Engage, and Develop Effective Human and AI Leadership for Your Organizational Culture.” Connect on LinkedIn and find out more at https://www.shandagore.com