The deal is done on the way in
In respect of your time - here's your TL;DR summary:
AI isn’t a just a tech rollout. It’s a leadership alignment test.
If your exec team isn’t aligned on risk, ownership and what success looks like, ROI becomes guesswork.
AI doesn’t automatically deliver Return on Intelligence. Aligned leadership does.
Curious?…
Having AI in your workplace would be easier if it was a tech issue – because tech people are smart. And often misunderstood, I know this because I’ve coached dozens of them and heard about the issues of joining the dots between tech and strategy.
It’s a perfect example of why AI is a leadership alignment issue - and why misalignment is where ROI leaks. You’re effectively introducing a new workforce capability. That carries cost, risk and expectation. Alignment determines whether that investment compounds or corrodes.
There are really two layers to this. Yes, effective AI use needs top-down direction and bottom-up feedback, reality and learning. But before any of that works, your leadership team has to be aligned on why AI matters here, what risks they’re prepared to take, and what success (short, medium and long-term) looks like.
There’s no way to shirk this one at the top. Sorry-not-sorry.
Imagine this…
You’re stranded on a deserted island. Half the crew want to build a raft and cross the shark infested oceans. A few are keen to see what’s over the distant cliffs. And the rest are happy to sit on the beach, get a tan and wait it out. Collectively you’re down to your last two coconuts, so separating to go your own way is not an option.
It’s the perfect metaphor for what’s going on at a leadership level. You’ve got a bit on:
Gaps in enthusiasm and capability
Pressure to speed up
Pressure to slow down
And a new crew member that is untrained, temperamental and changing by the minute
It can feel like AI is being done to you at one end, or that you are light years ahead of the curve and waiting for your colleagues to catch up. Yup, easier to take the coconuts and make a run for it. I’ve seen really smart leadership teams skip this bit. It ain’t always easy.
AI doesn’t automatically deliver Return on Intelligence. For that you need alignment first.
When alignment isn’t there, decision quality drops first. Confidence follows. And ROI becomes guesswork. I see teams align on small things quite well, that then unravel because they don’t have a higher ‘umbrella level’ alignment.
These are the conversations I’d love you to be having:
why AI matters here
what risks you’re prepared to take
how much you’re prepared to invest in money and effort
what success looks like across the bottom line, the impact on your people and strategic objectives
what level of experimentation is acceptable
Ownership alignment is huge too, humungous even. Let’s get those politics sorted upfront too. If ownership is vague, accountability will be too.
But, get this right, and AI stops feeling political and starts feeling purposeful. I want that for you!
Just like that desert island, I’m betting you have a few decisions to make. You’re probably tempted to just get going and see what happens. And I also reckon you’ve seen a few case studies and read some AI adoption horror stories. Please learn from those and get your leadership aligned first.
If you’re stuck on a deserted island, call the coastguard.
If your AI alignment is stranded, call me!
Here are a few ways to make AI alignment easier:
Forward this to your exec team and ask where you’re aligned - and where you’re not.
Read more about being AI ready and aligned here
Talk about a thorough alignment session with me – if you’d like help as a team or individual leader with how intent, behaviour and risk are lining up, let’s sit down and look at it together.
Send me a message, tell me a bit about your business and how to contact you and we can make a plan.
