How to Convince Management Colleagues That AI Isn't a Passing Fad
John Edwards, Technology Journalist & AuthorJune 4, 20254 Min ReadRancz Andrei via Alamy Stock PhotoIt may be hard to believe, but some senior executives actually believe that AI's arrival isn't a ground-shaking event. These individuals tend to be convinced that while AI may be a useful tool in certain situations, it's not going to change business in any truly meaningful way. Call them skeptics or call them realists, but such individuals really do exist, and it's the enterprise's CIOs and other IT leaders who need to gently guide them into reality. AI adoption tends to fall into three mindsets: early adopters who recognize its benefits, skeptics who fear its risks, and a large middle group -- those who are curious, but uncertain, observes Dave McQuarrie, HP's chief commercial officer in an online interview. "The key to closing the AI adoption gap lies in engaging this middle group, equipping them with knowledge, and guiding them through practical implementation." Effective Approaches The most important move is simply getting started. Establish a group of advocates in your company to serve as your early AI adopters, McQuarrie says. "Pick two or three processes to completely automate rather than casting a wide net, and use these as case studies to learn from," he advises. "By beginning with a subset of users, leaders can develop a solid foundation as they roll out the tool more widely across their business." Related:Start small, gather data, and present your use case, demonstrating how AI can support you and your colleagues to do your jobs better and faster, recommends Nicola Cain, CEO and principal consultant at Handley Gill Limited, a UK-based legal, regulatory and compliance consultancy. "This could be by analyzing customer interactions to demonstrate how the introduction of a chatbot to give customers prompt answers to easily addressed questions ... or showing how vast volumes of network log data could be analyzed by AI to identify potentially malign incidents that warrant further investigation," she says in an email interview. Changing Mindsets Question the skeptical leader about their biggest business bottleneck, suggests Jeff Mains, CEO of business consulting firm Champion Leadership Group. "Whether it’s slow decision-making, inconsistent customer experiences, or operational inefficiencies, there's a strategic AI-driven solution for nearly every major business challenge," he explains in an online interview. "The key is showing leaders how AI directly solves their most pressing problems today." When dealing with a reluctant executive, start by identifying an AI use case, Cain says. "AI functionality already performs strongly in areas like forecasting, recognition, event detection, personalization, interaction support, recommendations, and goal-driven optimization," she states. "Good business areas to identify a potential use case could therefore be in finance, customer service, marketing, cyber security, or stock control." Related:Strengthening Your Case Executives respond to proof, not promises, Mains says. "Instead of leading with research reports, I’ve found that real, industry-specific case studies are far more impactful," he observes. "If a direct competitor has successfully integrated AI into sales, marketing, or operations, use that example, because it creates urgency." Instead of just citing AI-driven efficiency gains, Mains recommends framing AI as a way to free-up leadership to focus on high-level strategy rather than day-to-day operations. Instead of trying to pitch AI in broad terms, Mains advises aligning the technology to the company's stated goals. "If the company is struggling with customer retention, talk about how AI can improve personalization," he suggests. "If operational inefficiencies are a problem, highlight AI-driven automation." The moment AI is framed as a business enabler rather than a technology trend, the conversation shifts from resistance to curiosity. Related:When All Else Fails If leadership refuses to embrace AI, it’s important to document the cost of inaction, Mains says. "Keep track of inefficiencies, missed opportunities, and competitor advancements," he recommends. Sometimes, leadership only shifts when management’s view of the risks of staying stagnant outweigh the risks of change. "If a company refuses to innovate despite clear benefits, that’s a red flag for long-term growth." Final Thoughts For enterprises that have so far done little or nothing in the way of AI deployment, the technology may appear optional, McQuarrie observes. Yet soon, operating without AI will become as unthinkable as running a business without the internet. Enterprise leaders who delay AI adoption risk falling behind the competition. "The best approach is to embrace a mindset of humility and curiosity -- actively seek out knowledge, ask questions, and learn from peers who are already seeing AI’s impact," he says. "To stay competitive in this rapidly evolving landscape, leaders should start now." The best companies aren't just using AI to improve; they're using the technology to redefine how they do business, Mains says. Leaders who recognize AI as a business accelerator will be the ones leading their industries in the next decade. "Those who hesitate? They’ll be playing catch-up." he concludes. About the AuthorJohn EdwardsTechnology Journalist & AuthorJohn Edwards is a veteran business technology journalist. His work has appeared in The New York Times, The Washington Post, and numerous business and technology publications, including Computerworld, CFO Magazine, IBM Data Management Magazine, RFID Journal, and Electronic Design. He has also written columns for The Economist's Business Intelligence Unit and PricewaterhouseCoopers' Communications Direct. John has authored several books on business technology topics. His work began appearing online as early as 1983. Throughout the 1980s and 90s, he wrote daily news and feature articles for both the CompuServe and Prodigy online services. His "Behind the Screens" commentaries made him the world's first known professional blogger.See more from John EdwardsWebinarsMore WebinarsReportsMore ReportsNever Miss a Beat: Get a snapshot of the issues affecting the IT industry straight to your inbox.SIGN-UPYou May Also Like
#how #convince #management #colleagues #thatHow to Convince Management Colleagues That AI Isn't a Passing Fad
John Edwards, Technology Journalist & AuthorJune 4, 20254 Min ReadRancz Andrei via Alamy Stock PhotoIt may be hard to believe, but some senior executives actually believe that AI's arrival isn't a ground-shaking event. These individuals tend to be convinced that while AI may be a useful tool in certain situations, it's not going to change business in any truly meaningful way. Call them skeptics or call them realists, but such individuals really do exist, and it's the enterprise's CIOs and other IT leaders who need to gently guide them into reality. AI adoption tends to fall into three mindsets: early adopters who recognize its benefits, skeptics who fear its risks, and a large middle group -- those who are curious, but uncertain, observes Dave McQuarrie, HP's chief commercial officer in an online interview. "The key to closing the AI adoption gap lies in engaging this middle group, equipping them with knowledge, and guiding them through practical implementation." Effective Approaches The most important move is simply getting started. Establish a group of advocates in your company to serve as your early AI adopters, McQuarrie says. "Pick two or three processes to completely automate rather than casting a wide net, and use these as case studies to learn from," he advises. "By beginning with a subset of users, leaders can develop a solid foundation as they roll out the tool more widely across their business." Related:Start small, gather data, and present your use case, demonstrating how AI can support you and your colleagues to do your jobs better and faster, recommends Nicola Cain, CEO and principal consultant at Handley Gill Limited, a UK-based legal, regulatory and compliance consultancy. "This could be by analyzing customer interactions to demonstrate how the introduction of a chatbot to give customers prompt answers to easily addressed questions ... or showing how vast volumes of network log data could be analyzed by AI to identify potentially malign incidents that warrant further investigation," she says in an email interview. Changing Mindsets Question the skeptical leader about their biggest business bottleneck, suggests Jeff Mains, CEO of business consulting firm Champion Leadership Group. "Whether it’s slow decision-making, inconsistent customer experiences, or operational inefficiencies, there's a strategic AI-driven solution for nearly every major business challenge," he explains in an online interview. "The key is showing leaders how AI directly solves their most pressing problems today." When dealing with a reluctant executive, start by identifying an AI use case, Cain says. "AI functionality already performs strongly in areas like forecasting, recognition, event detection, personalization, interaction support, recommendations, and goal-driven optimization," she states. "Good business areas to identify a potential use case could therefore be in finance, customer service, marketing, cyber security, or stock control." Related:Strengthening Your Case Executives respond to proof, not promises, Mains says. "Instead of leading with research reports, I’ve found that real, industry-specific case studies are far more impactful," he observes. "If a direct competitor has successfully integrated AI into sales, marketing, or operations, use that example, because it creates urgency." Instead of just citing AI-driven efficiency gains, Mains recommends framing AI as a way to free-up leadership to focus on high-level strategy rather than day-to-day operations. Instead of trying to pitch AI in broad terms, Mains advises aligning the technology to the company's stated goals. "If the company is struggling with customer retention, talk about how AI can improve personalization," he suggests. "If operational inefficiencies are a problem, highlight AI-driven automation." The moment AI is framed as a business enabler rather than a technology trend, the conversation shifts from resistance to curiosity. Related:When All Else Fails If leadership refuses to embrace AI, it’s important to document the cost of inaction, Mains says. "Keep track of inefficiencies, missed opportunities, and competitor advancements," he recommends. Sometimes, leadership only shifts when management’s view of the risks of staying stagnant outweigh the risks of change. "If a company refuses to innovate despite clear benefits, that’s a red flag for long-term growth." Final Thoughts For enterprises that have so far done little or nothing in the way of AI deployment, the technology may appear optional, McQuarrie observes. Yet soon, operating without AI will become as unthinkable as running a business without the internet. Enterprise leaders who delay AI adoption risk falling behind the competition. "The best approach is to embrace a mindset of humility and curiosity -- actively seek out knowledge, ask questions, and learn from peers who are already seeing AI’s impact," he says. "To stay competitive in this rapidly evolving landscape, leaders should start now." The best companies aren't just using AI to improve; they're using the technology to redefine how they do business, Mains says. Leaders who recognize AI as a business accelerator will be the ones leading their industries in the next decade. "Those who hesitate? They’ll be playing catch-up." he concludes. About the AuthorJohn EdwardsTechnology Journalist & AuthorJohn Edwards is a veteran business technology journalist. His work has appeared in The New York Times, The Washington Post, and numerous business and technology publications, including Computerworld, CFO Magazine, IBM Data Management Magazine, RFID Journal, and Electronic Design. He has also written columns for The Economist's Business Intelligence Unit and PricewaterhouseCoopers' Communications Direct. John has authored several books on business technology topics. His work began appearing online as early as 1983. Throughout the 1980s and 90s, he wrote daily news and feature articles for both the CompuServe and Prodigy online services. His "Behind the Screens" commentaries made him the world's first known professional blogger.See more from John EdwardsWebinarsMore WebinarsReportsMore ReportsNever Miss a Beat: Get a snapshot of the issues affecting the IT industry straight to your inbox.SIGN-UPYou May Also Like
#how #convince #management #colleagues #that
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