Admired Leadership

The introduction of powerful applications in artificial intelligence has upset the normal strategic planning process for most organizations. Changes and new applications are appearing so quickly that it is exceedingly difficult to get a grasp on where the threats and opportunities exist. Good leaders and organizations engage in Scenario Planning to help them think through the many possibilities they need to prepare for. One of the more popular tools for Scenario Planning is the Uncertainty Matrix. It can be applied to future changes in any arena, including artificial intelligence. The Uncertainty Matrix operates on two axes: Uncertainty and Impact. Visualize a 2x2 box or grid with Impact on one side and Uncertainty on the other, both rated as high or low. If we apply the Matrix to planning for the influence of AI, the grid might look like this with some possible examples: Top right: high impact, high uncertainty (autonomous vehicles) Top left: high impact, low uncertainty (fraud detection systems in finance) Bottom right: Low impact, high uncertainty (music creation) Bottom left: Low impact, low uncertainty (data analysis automation) Leaders in a specific industry or arena might quibble with the examples, but the point is to use the Matrix to identify those trends and potential developments as a way to generate discussion and to guide strategic thinking. By working through the Matrix with multiple possibilities, leaders can converge on a view about the future that can help them to prepare. Leadership teams often use the Matrix to assist them in prioritizing projects and allocating resources to address concerns, risks, and opportunities. The options available to combat or take advantage of future possibilities are more easily generated and evaluated when using the Matrix. As this simple example illustrates, presuming that fraud detection systems will be dramatically improved by AI might give leaders more confidence in how they use credit cards for expenses or how they can ensure their billing process is not invaded by outside forces. Working through the Impact and Uncertainties of AI is only one possible application of this simple but powerful tool. Great tools improve the way leaders think. The Uncertainty Matrix meets that standard by making the future less puzzling. That’s pretty good for a simple 2x2 grid.

"Behind every failure is a team of people who were afraid to dissent and debate. But research shows that leaders can take specific actions to elicit constructive challenges." Celia Moore and Kate Coombs' work here in MIT Sloan Management Review is worth your time.

This is a good reminder about something I see leaders of teams assume regularly. What Not to Presume About Large-Scale Change from Admired Leadership "Four presumptions stand out for their influence in undermining an effective change process. 1) The commonly held belief that the majority of the organization is supportive of the change. 2) The idea that the change will take hold and materialize quickly. 3) That team members are rational and willing to be convinced to take a new direction. 4) Viewing change as a binary decision. https://bit.ly/3P2iAGB

Interested in developing an attractive workplace culture? Start with creating a compelling vision.

OKRs, KPIs, and other metrics are commonly calculated on a rolling basis, giving leaders a snapshot of the current stability and success of the team. Rarely do leaders calibrate these measurements themselves.

“Making inferences from small acts is something all good decision-makers do. But…” https://lnkd.in/ghjqe-an

Here is the final question that came up during last week's #ALDirect conversation. Those of you who are part of our community who missed this full discussion can watch it in full here: https://lnkd.in/g77dvuvG

The most powerful development tool is experience. So what does that mean if you’re a leader who constantly provides answers and solutions quickly?

Incredible dialogue in Philly yesterday with John Cook. Among the insights shared by both John and attendees was this little gem: "We don't change who people are, we are in the business of changing what they do." Thanks to all the leaders who attended and added such value to our conversation on talent. Looking forward to more of these events in the new year. #BehavioralBasedLeadership #LeadershipIsWhatYouDo

Somewhat surprisingly, research shows that imposing limitations or constraints on the creative process commonly leads to more innovative and original ideas and solutions...