By Mostafa Sayyadi & Michael Provitera
Some executives like to look at academic journals but unfortunately, the crossover literature has not reached them enough. In this article, we attempt to blend scholarly concepts with real-world applications. We portray a more detailed picture of the effects of ‘Electronic’ and ‘Artificial Intelligence’ on the future of leadership in the new hybrid corporate world that has been mentioned but not placed in a model in the past.
What does the new corporate world look like? Well, you are in it now. As a senior management consultant, this is what we see now, and predict later: Better-managed desk space, right-sizing, restructured workweeks, and a talent age gap as many seasoned executives, and the career devoted, decide to retire. Does remote work get the job done? A question faced by the world in which global business sustains. The right formula for the new hybrid corporate world is a sweet spot that keeps people engaged but allows some freedom as they work from remote locations. Now electronic leadership and artificial intelligence are the two pillars of agility to move an organization to hybrid work advancement.
Pillar 1. Electronic Leadership
Executives have also encompassed a new norm these past years. They learned how to manage a hybrid team with perhaps, them, and a few others, being at headquarters, with the rest of staff and followers working remotely. The differences encountered are:
- People want to be heard at some point in an electronic meeting
- Some people do not feel comfortable showing up on electronic meetings
- People need to be recognized for housing their own electronic database at home
- People are feeling as if their jobs may be on the chopping block
- Leaders need to assure people how they are doing financially so that people feel secure
- Safety is not something to take lightly
- Some people are fearless while others are still apprehensive
- Keep the conversation personal and not open to everyone to avoid conflict
- There is no new normal, there is a new corporate world
All leaders need to learn electronic leadership. Electronic leadership encompasses many facets. [1] [2] Skills to enhance an electronic leadership environment such as:
- Be at the forefront of the use of new technology
- Setting strategic direction and a purposeful vision and mission
- Working collaboratively to retain and motivate talented employees
- Help the company maintain and develop competitive advantage
- Meet all stakeholder’s needs
- Just the right electronic communication is necessary
- Giving people a voice in meetings is important in the new hybrid corporate world
The new hybrid corporate world has increased the communication between leaders and followers. [3] [4] Leaving out this important milestone, weeding out some, and focusing on only a few is limiting the power of leadership. Leaders must be mindful of in-group versus out-group silos and address the group as a whole to meet the needs and objectives of everyone. Leaders are more caring and concerned about followers than ever before and this is a very positive shift in the mindset of the new future.
Sentiment is key and managers at all levels need to be aware of how they communicate to followers. [5] We are in a very sensitive time today and we all know how losses influenced all of us. We must come together in solidarity to embrace the new future in positive ways. There is also a psychological shift for some people because of the new corporate world. This shift may mean that they may not want to travel as much, miss out on leisure, and not attend events with large amounts of people.
Pillar 2. AI-powered Leadership
As organizations enter the age of artificial intelligence there are a plethora of unique opportunities. [6] [7] [8] [9] One opportunity is to develop an AI-powered leadership. Developing a technological infrastructure is one important component but there is another that will likely make or break the traditional organization. [10] [11] [12] [13] Success in the era of the hybrid corporate world does not only require money and investment in technology infrastructure, but it also requires a change in the way leaders think about corporate leadership. In this section, we call this effective leadership AI-powered leadership and provide leaders with the best practices for the development and design of this effective leadership. The best practices for the development and design of an AI-powered leadership depend on how senior managers can create a “rapid technology change program.” There needs to be a strong emphasis on maximizing the performance of artificial intelligence development and implementing a human resources development project to begin designing and developing a new form of leadership.
In the new hybrid corporate world, executives should be aware that artificial intelligence is changing the form of business all over the world. Decision-making is focused on gaining insights from data from a more decentralized organizational structure. Organizational processes are becoming increasingly automated to bring benefits to companies around the world transforming their relationships with their customers to be quicker and more responsive. For example, Google is the crème de la crème of high-tech AI built on algorithms with minimized error rates. This technology gives organizations the power to break free from the limitations of traditional processes offering unique market opportunities. AI coupled with continuous learning allows organizations better performance in this new corporate world.
Alibaba, another successful company that has developed AI is now ranked among the most valuable companies in the world. Algorithms are their main criterion for decision-making reducing error rates similar to Six Sigma. Most executives and senior executives are not considering AI initiatives in their corporate strategies. Leaving them left at a station that is not only moving at extenuating speed but also leaving them less competitive product-wise. Some CEOs have been considered for immediate replacement due to AI. Thus, the key is for CEOs to develop AI-powered leadership.
AI coupled with data analysis and digital core is going to be the strategic advantage of the future in the hybrid corporate world. Here is how to do it:
- assess organizational capabilities and needs
- effectively evaluate human capabilities and technological infrastructure
- implementing an effective knowledge management system
- develop strong human resources infrastructure
The lack of an effective knowledge management system causes insights such as these to create bottlenecks in communication channels. [14] [15] [16] [17] [18] [19] Chatbots, the way of the future, can also lead to the development of a data-oriented approach in companies and eventually strengthen the data analysis side in AI-powered strategy.
Digital core knowledge refers to the software on which algorithms are derived from data analysis. [20] [21] In this new corporate world, decision-making is redefined most scientifically, and algorithms are fully automated processes. CEOs Should not be influenced by vendors who seek to only sell their software. The lack of accurate evaluation and the implementation of inefficient software can delay the effective implementation of an AI-powered strategy. Organizations still need to redesign many processes and effectively divide work between humans and robots.
Furthermore, the effective development of AI-powered leadership requires the extensive participation of human resources and the strong support of CEOs. CEOs must highlight that AI does not mean eliminating the role of human resources, but rather enhancing their role more effectively. The key is to reduce resistance and better align human resources.
Human resources are usually managed around participation in centralized meetings, teamwork, trust, and learning:
- Participation of organizational members through cohesive collaboration in which the entire organization is rowing in the same direction.
- Team building and better sharing of organizational knowledge through greater collaboration improves data quality.
- Trust is basically a framework of satisfaction coupled with safety. People need to know that when they wake up in the morning that they will have a job waiting for them.
- Organizational learning is a given mantra throughout the organization with professional development by vendors and experts in the field that add the glue that creates an ambiance of growing and developing. [22] [23] [24] [25]
After the human resources are set upon these four tenets, there needs to be expansive advertising of activities and milestones. A newsletter or means of communication includes accomplishments not only within the organization but also for those who left for better positions based on their knowledge gained, training and development, and tenure at the organization. The intention to keep all employees is a good one but we must consider natural attrition levels and movement up the organizational ladder or the risk of people leaving for better positions. Thus, while a culture must be the glue that keeps the organization together, it must be elastic and realistic too. Trust is a double-edged sword, one in which, leaders must trust their subordinates the same way that they trust them. We run studies in which we find which employees want to move up the organizational ladder, linear, those that want to keep learning and growing in their current position, technical expert, and those that may be transient and looking to change careers when the spirit moves them to do so. Putting people first, and then offering the technology employees need to stay up to date in artificial intelligence encourages them to keep up with rapid technological changes. Team leaders encourage risk-taking for their teams, and they attempt to be optimistic about innovation. This new mindset offers greater flexibility and agility.
Accelerating Agility for Hybrid Work Advancement
A corporate structure reflects an internal resource that is used to integrate knowledge, creating a competitive advantage. Leaders led the way while followers felt as if they gained wings, learned to fly, and became much more gregarious during meetings. A new definition of decentralized structures adorned the hybrid work like a hawk eying its next prey. Agile organizations found ways to facilitate the exchange of ideas and implement more innovative solutions based on decentralized decision-making.
Leaders inspired and transformed aggregate human capital into social capital to implement the required changes to create better solutions to solve the plethora of problems and advantages that the new corporate world brought about. At first, organizations barely survived, and then, with remote settings, people emerged vibrant and vocal, stepping up to the challenge. The highly formalized structures that remained more bureaucratic, and, were noted by executives themselves as being somewhat negative, limited the contribution of the effectiveness of leadership in our changing environment. Thus, the hybrid decentralized structures improved interactions and created more knowledge in organizations based on agility.
Delegation became a concern since the executives had the same space as other workers in the meeting frames. Respect for authority figures held the barriers in place while communication had a level playing field. Leaders, knowing that delegation of decision-making power could create a climate that in turn develops inter-departmental communication within organizations, empowered people to rise to the occasion by giving them a voice in meetings.
Executives turned over responsibility by delegating more to their subordinates and watched them not only survive but also thrive. Thus, decentralization encourages organizational communications and develops a climate of openness for employees to exchange new ideas.
In the remote setting, this was done via email communication, instant messenger, and text. Pre-meeting and post-meeting communication were enhanced with technology. Once the information and clarification are disseminated, employees implement ideas through the delegated authority of decision-making at the department level and to the lowest organizational level possible, while keeping the execution viable and timely. The agile organizations survived as executives pushed decision-making down the organizational chart resulting in the hybrid work advancement.
In Conclusion
Here are practical applications for executives, consisting of electronic leadership and artificial intelligence, and creating agility. Thus, a change in leadership within organizations, in preparing for the new hybrid corporate world, has manifested itself as the norm today. By creating an agile and technologically savvy, organizations will survive, prosper, and live to see new horizons.
About the Authors
Mostafa Sayyadi works with senior business leaders to effectively develop innovation in companies, and helps companies—from start-ups to the Fortune 100—succeed by improving the effectiveness of their leaders. He is a business book author and a long- time contributor to business publications and his work has been featured in top-flight business publications.
Michael J. Provitera is an associate professor, and an author of the book titled “Mastering Self-Motivation” published by BusinessExpertPress. He is quoted frequently in the national media.
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