Leadership skills for an AI-augmented workplace
Leaders who promise AI productivity gains often struggle to deliver results. New research from London Business School professors suggests this gap exists because organisations focus on technology pilots rather than developing the human capabilities needed to realise AI's value.
Their analysis of over 300 board directors reveals that AI projects frequently fail not due to technical limitations, but because employees fear the technology and existing organisational structures do not support its effective integration. The researchers identify five critical leadership skills:
- Cultivating AI fluency through diverse professional networks
- Redesigning organisational structures to unlock value
- Orchestrating cross-functional collaboration
- Building workforce trust, and;
- Developing adaptive governance frameworks.
Rather than emphasising technical mastery, these capabilities centre on human judgment, organisational design and relationship building, areas where AI cannot substitute for effective leadership.