Without mentioning the full word of AI, most of us may already know that it stands for Artificial Intelligence. However, not all of us can truly understand application of AI and its consequence. It is right to say that, at this current situation, AI already becomes a part of daily life both private and working environment. Take a look at both side, usage and understanding, it’s undeniable that users still lack of proper knowledge to handle AI application.

Practically speaking, new innovation and technology’s adoption, in this case is AI, takes time to migrate and benefit to society. Migration of AI is faster than any innovation of human history while its downside consequence has not fully understood yet.

“AI-Ready” Leader can play a critical role to lead and guide organization and society to the right and proper path of using AI. With high reliable psychometric assessment, organization can effectively identify the right successor and CEO who is truly “AI-Ready” Leader and has potential to bring their people to next level of prosperity through five work styles as discussed below.

Adaptability

Adaptability refers to an executive’s likelihood of adjusting quickly to constant change, embracing new ways of doing things, adjusting to new goals and work procedures, and working effectively where there is a great deal of uncertainty.

Analytical Thinking

Analytical Thinking reflects an individual’s tendency of gathering facts and information, systematically using logic and analysis, anticipating problems and potential solutions, and identifying connections or patterns in complex issues.

Innovation

Innovation demonstrates an executive’s possibility of generating new and creative ideas, approaching problems from a fresh perspective, having a vivid imagination, and offering original thought to arrive at inventive solutions.

An executive that is AI-Ready will have scores of 70 percentiles or above on Adaptability and Analytical Thinking.  Also, they will have a score at or above 60 percentiles on Innovation.  This indicates that they are mentally agile and adaptable the changes that AI creates. These three personalities are in the Openness of experience cluster under umbrella of Big 5 personality theory.

Stress Tolerance

Stress Tolerance indicates an individual’s tendency of working calmly and effectively in difficult situations, accepting criticism and not having feelings easily hurt, not becoming overwhelmed by problems, and quickly recovering from disappointments.

Self Confidence

Self-Confidence refers to an executive’s likelihood of showing confidence in their ability to be successful, being self-assured and optimistic in new or challenging situations, being confident of their future, and not being intimidated by people or situations.

People who are adaptable to AI will have scores above 60 percentiles on these two scales (Stress Tolerance and Self Confidence).  These people are not inclined to become frustrated with AI.  They will tend to be self-confident when addressing AI and are unlikely to become irritated and annoyed or emotionally resistant to the changes that AI will create.  Some people can become emotionally resistant to all the changes that AI presents and scores above 60 will mean that they are unlikely to emotionally resistant to AI.

Stress Tolerance and Self Confidence are two personality scales in the Emotional Stability set of scales within FFM, Five Factor Model personality theory, or Big 5.

Executives who have scores as indicated above will be adaptable to the changes that AI presents and are likely to invest the effort to learn more about AI.

The case of an IT company

From one of my studies with an IT firm, which is based on a question how many persons of 52 samples are AI-Ready Leader according to 60 percentile thresholds, there are 10 persons score 60 or above in all five work styles. This is understandable since, in reality, it is rarely to have all people in one firm to have 60 percentile scores in all five categories.

When taking a closer look of an individual personality, they are 31, 22, 19, 16 and 10 persons who scores 60 percentile or above of analytical thinking, innovation, self-confidence, stress tolerance respectively.

What does this mean? It means this group of people are somehow AI-Ready. The good news is there is almost 60%, 31 out of 52, who hold 60 percentile or above of analytical thinking which is one of the foundation personalities and, in my view, is critically important for the person at the first place to have this quality since it requires logical practice in order to move forward on AI path.

For the rest of four work styles, CEO should initiate development programs, to provide an opportunity to each person to improve, by adopting 70:20:10 principle. This model suggests to develop a person by 70%, 20% and 10% of time and resource with action-based program, coaching/ mentoring, and studying (self, online, on site) respectively.

I would suggest to pay attention to the action-based program which can provide an excellent opportunity for the person to allow him/her to practice and learning from success and failure, which is important to be the next leader, such as a challenge project which applies AI in the process, reducing bottle-neck of core process, etc.    

Last but not least, AI-Ready leader issue tends to be a tangible subject, however, one should pay attention to ethical practice also. This means, although AI may be useful and evidently benefit to organization, and society, its application should be guided by moral compass of leader at all time. 

If corporation equipped with leader with the above five qualities and ethical practice, it will certainly prosper in rapid-changed world for which we have never seen before.  

Disclaimer: This article is written for educational purpose only.

Sorayuth Vathanavisuth, Ph.D. a DCP 3 & CDC10 - Graduate Member and former facilitator of DCP’s Strategic HR section. He can be reached at sorayuth@sealeadership.com.

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