It feels like every conversation I have these days eventually leads to AI. 😅 From building AI-native leadership teams to redesigning organisations, rethinking roles and managing knowledge to empower employees.

AI opens up new possibilities, but it can also leave experienced leaders questioning what they know.

There's a reason people talk about the 10,000-hour rule. Mastering a craft takes thousands of hours of practice. Think about the judgement we've developed through leading teams, making difficult decisions, learning from mistakes and understanding how businesses work.

AI can supercharge what we do. But it still takes leadership judgement to decide which problems matter, what trade-offs to make and how to bring people along.

That's the thread running through this month's stories.

AI was changing everything around Sara’s business. Her CEO was moving fast, rethinking how the business operated, and expecting the HR function to keep up.

Sara was excited by the possibilities. But she was also uncomfortable having more questions than answers. What should she prioritise? And how could she contribute when AI was changing the rules?

Then came a suggestion from her CEO: get rid of the applicant tracking system (ATS) to demonstrate what AI could do. Sara initially liked the idea… but she questioned whether replacing HR tools was really the transformation the business needed.

Instead, Sara asked a bigger question: If AI changes how the business creates value, how should the organisation change? That meant rethinking roles, capabilities, performance and incentives, not just technology.

Today, as Chief People & AI Transformation Officer, she's leading the team building the company's “brain”: structured knowledge that AI can use to understand the business and support teams. 

She's still learning, and she doesn't pretend to have all the answers. But Sara knows what she brings to the table. “AI is a builder, I’m a thinker.”

Congratulations, Sara. What a brilliant example of using your HR craft to lead change, rather than letting technology lead it.

CONNECT WITH SARA →

One thing I'm particularly excited about this month is welcoming Machiel Kunst, Founder of Bluebird and former Director of Sales at N-able, and Fastspring, as our first Go-to-Market Expert in Residence in the STEP UP Boardroom (a community for HR leaders who own the people strategy in investor-backed businesses).

Why GTM expertise in an HR community?

Because if we want HR leaders to operate as business leaders, we need to understand how the business makes revenue. And with AI disrupting how businesses sell, HR leaders need to stay ahead of the changes and their impact on people and organisations.

Every month, our Boardroom members can book a private 1:1 with Machiel to get a second opinion on their commercial challenges. Machiel and other GTM experts also lead Business Intel sessions to help our members build their commercial understanding. I'm excited to see where these conversations take us!

A few messages from Learngility leaders this month that made me smile, laugh and feel very proud.

AI can change how you work, but it still takes business understanding and sound judgement to know what matters.

The STEP UP MBA for HR leaders helps you build that capability, strengthen your credibility and earn the trust to influence business decisions from the HR seat.