Imagine you're attending an industry conference.

A company unveils an impressive demonstration that promises to reduce costs, improve productivity and transform how people work.

You notice that some of your competitors are eager to adopt it.

You return to your organisation to share what you've seen in your boardroom.

Then the questions begin.

What would we need to adapt it? Do we have the right people, data and infrastructure? What are the risks?

And perhaps the most important question: Will it deliver value?

Suddenly, an exciting technology opportunity exposes your lack of clarity in AI.

You may understand the potential, but can you challenge the assumptions, evaluate the evidence and explain the trade-offs well enough to recommend a course of action?

And what happens if you get it wrong?

Today, you are more accountable than ever for AI decisions you may not fully grasp. If an initiative fails, it can cost more than money. It can damage customer trust, your organisation’s reputation and your own career.

And the biggest risks are rarely obvious. They hide in the assumptions we don’t test, the questions we don’t ask and the decisions we make too quickly.

AI is changing your profession. Will you be ready to shape what comes next?

That is why I wrote Pole, Pole: Stop Rushing AI. Prepare. Adapt. Lead. It’s the antidote to the frantic, reactive rush that leaves so many organisations stumbling over hidden risks.

Pole, pole (POH-lay, POH-lay) is Swahili for “slowly, slowly.” Guides on Kilimanjaro say it constantly. It doesn’t mean go slowly; it means set your pace by the conditions, not your ambition.

Drawing on my climb of Mount Kilimanjaro and more than 25 years of experience, it brings together 14 leadership principles, the blind spots behind them and more than 30 real-world AI successes and failures, so you can lead AI with clarity before the pressure decides for you.

My goal with POLE, POLE is to help you fast-track your journey into a confident AI leader, regardless of your profession or technical background.

In today's AI-driven world, you don't need to know how to code. But whether you're a doctor, finance professional, sales manager or business executive, you need the knowledge and judgement to question AI proposals, assess their implications and contribute confidently to decisions.

Pole, Pole equips leaders with:

 

• The "POLE POLE" Framework: The eight-phase framework, from preparing yourself and your organisation through to launch, evolve, and scale, explains why old leadership styles that focus on speed and predictability don’t work well with live socio-technical systems.
• Rigorous Risk Assurance: Practical methods help you spot hidden blind spots before they affect your bottom line and confidently present your case.
• Personal & Organisational Readiness Blueprints: Step-by-step strategies to help you align people, processes, and culture, and drive AI change successfully.

Over 25 years, I have advised and delivered programmes for organisations including Accenture, Barclays, BJSS, Cognizant, aramco, First National Bank, BJSS, the NHS, Health Service Executive and the Department for Education.

With a PhD in Systems Engineering from the University of Birmingham, postdoctoral research at the University of Cambridge, an MBA from Warwick Business School and leadership education from MIT Professional Education, I bring both academic rigour and real-world experience to this topic.

Pole, Pole: Stop Rushing AI. Prepare. Adapt. Lead. is now available on Amazon: https://lnkd.in/ehbWiBhQ

To learn more -(1) #73 | 14 AI Blindspots Every Leader Must Avoid And The Principles to Overcome Them. NEW BOOK RELEASE - POLE, POLE | LinkedIn

By Dr Anandhi Vivek Dhukaram

Keywords: AI, Digital Transformation, Leadership

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