Today’s core question from Anonymous:

We've recently been surprised with a change in direction to become an ai first company. Can you share some advice on how to manage the team through these changes?

AI is a major buzzword in business today, possibly the decade, or even this century. For many companies, it's more than hype; it's a new way of working. But what happens when this shift feels sudden? Today, I'll share advice on managing team dynamics, keeping morale high, and adapting to new expectations. Welcome to Ask Hartley Anything, the advice podcast for engineers. I'm John Hartley, tackling your toughest career and leadership questions.

Today's episode is timely as we dive into managing teams during big shifts like becoming an AI-first company. If you have questions, send them to askhartley.com or connect with me on LinkedIn. Each week, I'll focus on one core question from you. Today’s is from Anonymous: We've been surprised with a change to become an AI-first company. Can you share advice on managing the team through these changes?

This situation is common now. One day you're solving usual problems; the next, you're supposed to embrace AI like it was always the plan. It's a big ask emotionally and technically.

Have questions you’d like answered? Let me know in the comments or at https://askhartley.com/

First, breathe and look at the situation objectively. Why is the company making this shift? Is it driving a business goal for 2025? Is it essential for survival? Understanding the context helps you explain it to your team.

My initial reaction to such pivots is often skepticism: Are we just following others out of fear? The market is saturated with AI applications, so understanding the core reason for this shift is crucial. If you don’t understand it, your team won't either.

Work up the ladder to understand why this decision was made. Is it a revenue driver? A retention play? Becoming a leader in your field? Without understanding the context, you can't manage the team effectively.

Acknowledge the disruption upfront with your team. Transparency builds trust. Be honest if you don’t have all the answers but share what you're doing to find them.

Frame AI as an opportunity, not a threat. Share specific ways AI can reduce busy work or open new opportunities for innovation. Highlight that AI enhances work rather than replaces people.

Invest in learning and development. Host workshops and encourage experimentation to build confidence in using AI tools.

Set short-term wins with manageable projects that showcase AI's value. This builds momentum and confidence within your team.

Stay human-centered. Remind everyone that AI is just a tool; their expertise and creativity are still vital.

Keep communication open and frequent. Regular retrospectives help gauge team sentiment and address concerns promptly.

The fact that you're asking these questions shows you care about your team's success during this transition. By understanding the business context, staying human-centered, and building short-term wins, you can guide your team through this change effectively.

Remember these phrases: Here's what we know right now, Here's what this means for you, and Here's how we'll tackle it together. These help maintain transparency and collaboration during any change.

I hope this advice helps as you move into 2024 and beyond with confidence in managing your team through an AI-first pivot. Keep asking questions and stay engaged with your team's journey.

And that's it for today's episode of Ask Hartley Anything. If you have more questions, send them along to askhartley.com or connect with me on LinkedIn. Until next time!

It's not productive to dwell on mistakes. Instead, channel that energy into preventing future issues. Consider the benefits this can bring to you and your fellow engineers. Collaborate on solutions to enhance your processes.

As a manager, staying calm during incidents is crucial. Incidents aren't about yelling or showcasing individual prowess. Managers direct the work, they don't do it. By maintaining composure and working with your team, you can figure out how to prevent repeat occurrences. It's valuable for organizations to adopt a blameless approach to incidents. No one should fear reporting them. If people start hiding issues to avoid angering superiors, it leads to more problems in the background.

Build a culture where it's okay to call out problems and fix them together. Take a cue from Toyota's manufacturing lines, where anyone can press a button to signal an issue, and everyone works together to resolve it. This openness is better than covering up mistakes.

As you move up in an organization, discussing outages with executives can be uncomfortable but necessary. Explain what happened, the impact, and the steps being taken to address it. These conversations can be tough, but they're essential for transparency and improvement.

If incidents are frequent, there's a deeper issue that needs addressing. But if they happen occasionally, continue inspecting tools and processes to understand why and how to prevent future occurrences.

Incidents offer a rare glimpse of teamwork in action, similar to sports coaching. You've prepared your team, and now it's time to see how they perform under pressure. If they do well, praise and encourage them; if not, identify areas for improvement.

Don't fear incidents. Fear stifles progress and delays development. Instead, implement monitoring systems that detect issues early and often.

In conclusion, managing AI involves acknowledging disruptions, framing AI as an opportunity, investing in learning, aiming for quick wins, and keeping communication open. By doing these things, your team will understand the changes and participate actively in the transition.

If you have questions or stories to share, reach out at askheartley.com or on LinkedIn. I'll be back next Wednesday with more answers. Until then, thanks for listening and have a great week!

Summary generated by Audiopen.ai

Links:

* https://www.cio.com/article/190888/5-famous-analytics-and-ai-disasters.html

* https://www.reddit.com/r/ExperiencedDevs/comments/1h86g99/how_do_you_not_beat_yourself_up_over_causing_an/

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Navigating AI-First Pivots For Your Team