AI is a consistent, dominant topic of conversation in boardrooms, yet many organisations still struggle to realise its potential.
As Herminia Ibarra and Michael G. Jacobides argue, the problem is rarely the technology itself. It is the leadership capability required to adapt organisations, reshape teams, and enable people to use AI effectively.
Their paper identifies five critical skills that leaders need to develop to thrive in the age of AI.
1. Span organisational boundaries
Leaders who seek out diverse networks are better equipped to understand how AI can transform their business. Exposure to different perspectives helps them see possibilities others may miss, develop confidence in experimenting, and bring new ideas into their teams. AI fluency depends less on technical expertise and more on curiosity and connectedness.
2. Redesign organisations
Real productivity gains come when structures and processes are rethought, not simply automated. Leaders must decide when to use AI to enhance decision-making, when to keep tasks fully human, and how to align both with organisational purpose. Redesigning work around AI requires reimagining how value is created and ensuring that people and technology complement each other.
3. Orchestrate collaboration
AI can enrich team problem-solving, but it also changes how teams think and decide. Effective leaders ensure that human and algorithmic insights are integrated thoughtfully. They design spaces for critical questioning, encourage learning through iteration, and create the psychological safety needed for open dialogue and experimentation.
4. Coach and develop talent
As AI changes the nature of work, leaders must help people adapt and grow. Coaching, collaboration, and continuous learning replace traditional command-and-control approaches. Supporting employees to build confidence, experiment safely, and develop new capabilities is now a core leadership responsibility.
5. Lead by example
Finally, leaders must engage personally with AI. Using new tools builds credibility, demonstrates curiosity, and signals that learning is part of the culture. When leaders experiment openly, they encourage others to explore, question, and innovate without fear of failure.
The authors conclude that AI will deliver value not through investment in technology, but through leaders who cultivate these human capabilities.
Each of these skills has a deep connection to inclusion. Spanning boundaries requires openness to difference, redesigning systems calls for fairness and transparency, and orchestrating collaboration depends on trust and psychological safety. Coaching and modelling learning behaviours create cultures where everyone can contribute. Inclusive leadership, therefore, is not just a complement to AI transformation: it is its enabling force.
You can read the original article here.
Q&A
Q: Why is inclusive leadership essential in the age of AI?
Inclusive leadership ensures that the benefits of AI are shared across the organisation. When leaders value diverse perspectives and create psychological safety, teams are more willing to experiment, challenge assumptions, and collaborate effectively with AI. This openness drives innovation and ethical decision-making.
Q: How can leaders build AI-readiness without being technical experts?
Leaders don’t need to code, but they do need curiosity and courage to learn. Building diverse networks, engaging with new ideas, and modelling experimentation help develop organisational confidence in using AI. Inclusive leaders make it safe for others to learn too.
Q: What practical steps can organisations take to develop these skills?
Focus on leadership development that strengthens coaching, collaboration, and systems thinking. Encourage leaders to span boundaries, redesign processes with fairness and transparency, and integrate AI in ways that enhance—not replace—human capability.
Q: How does inclusion create competitive advantage in AI transformation?
AI succeeds when organisations can adapt quickly and think creatively. Inclusion fuels this adaptability by bringing together different experiences, disciplines, and perspectives. Companies with inclusive leadership are better positioned to innovate responsibly and build trust in how AI is used.
