The Future of Work Requires a New Kind of Leader, and a New Kind of Thinking
Brian Solis
Head of Global Innovation, ServiceNow | 9x Best-Selling Author | Keynote Speaker | Digital Futurist | Ex Salesforce Exec | Ex Google Advisor
Recently, I had the pleasure of joining Peter Mahoney on GoTo’s Practically Tomorrow podcast to talk about one of the most urgent, and misunderstood, topics of our time: how AI is reshaping the world of work. But this wasn’t just another conversation about automation and productivity. It was a much deeper exploration of how we need to rethink leadership, empathy, and innovation in the age of intelligent machines.
"The most dangerous thing for any organization of any size is when we do not think big enough with what we can do with AI."
Why AI Requires More Than Automation
It’s tempting for companies to treat AI as a faster horse, yet another tool to speed up existing processes or reduce costs. But that’s not transformation. That’s stagnation, accelerated.
True transformation begins when we ask: What can we do now that was never possible before?
That’s why I draw a distinction between practical AI and innovative AI as inspired by GoTo's research, "The Pulse of Work in 2025."
Most companies start with the practical. The most courageous and visionary leaders learn to balance both.
"AI isn’t here just to optimize yesterday’s work. It’s here to open up new frontiers of value creation.”
Curiosity Is the New Superpower
AI is a blank canvas. But many leaders are painting with old brushes. In the podcast, we explored how many employees, and even executives, aren’t getting the most out of AI because they’re using it like search engines. They’re prompting from yesterday’s mindset.
“You can’t imagine a better future if you’re looking at it through the same lens that created the past.”
If there’s one practical takeaway I’d offer any business leader, it’s this:
“Be curious. Lean into what you don’t know you don’t know. Ask what you can now do with AI that you couldn’t before.”
This curiosity unlocks a new mindset, one that helps you build not just a more efficient organization, but a more adaptive, inspired one.
Empathy Is Your Competitive Advantage
One of the most surprising and often overlooked side effects of our accelerated digital lives is what I call digital narcissism. It’s not just a buzzword. It’s a behavioral shift where people have become the center of their own digital ecosystems, with heightened expectations and lower patience.
That makes empathy the most powerful (and underutilized) tool in your leadership toolbox.
“Empathy is experience. And experience is a feeling. There are only two kinds of experiences people remember...those that are amazing and those that suck.”
In the episode, I shared stories from working with retail leaders who had to walk through their own customer experiences to truly feel what their customers go through. When we embrace empathy, by observing, experiencing, and listening, we design better services, more engaging experiences, and ultimately, more resilient businesses.
AI Is a Mirror, But What Will It Reflect?
One of the most important insights I’ve taken from years of studying technological shifts is this:
“AI will not just change how we work, it will reveal who we are.”
Some companies are already operating like 24/7 organizations where AI continues to deliver value after hours. In time, AI will level the playing field between SMBs and large enterprises. Those who move first, those who rethink work, who redesign experiences, who reimagine leadership, will set the pace for everyone else.
Want to Hear the Full Conversation?
This article only scratches the surface. In the full episode of Practically Tomorrow, Peter and I discuss:
If you’re leading, or aspiring to lead, through this next chapter of technological disruption, I hope this conversation and these reflections give you a new lens to look through.
Let me know what you think, and share the episode with someone who's ready to move from automation to transformation.
Listen now on Spotify
Learn more about my book Mindshift
Facilitator | Learning Specialist | Leadership Trainer
2moLove this, Brian!
Internal and change communication | Leadership communication | Technology communication (including Employee Experience and AI)
2moFantastic post. Totally agree that curiosity is a superpower and the need to ask ourselves what we can do now that wasn't possible before. I tend to ask that question along with another... what can we do with the time we've saved? People are always saying "AI frees you up so you can take on more strategic work". But you never hear them articulating what that more strategic work is.
TFM Top 100 Marketing Influencers 2024 | Top Digital Strategy Voice | FMCG eCommerce thought leader | Ex Sr Director Digital & eCom @Mattel EMEA | P&G Alumni | Helping Digital & eCommerce leaders drive change that sticks
3moFailing to think boldly about AI limits a company’s ability to harness its transformative potential. The real challenge lies in evolving leadership styles to foster a culture where experimentation and human-centred innovation thrive alongside technology; only then can organisations stay competitive in an AI-driven future.
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3moTotally agree - AI isn't just a tech play, it's a culture reveal. The leaders who lean into curiosity and real questions will be the ones who actually make progress, not just noise. Spot on about empathy too. Adding this to my listen list.
Brian Solis, curiosity really does change the game. We’ve noticed that when teams start asking different questions. testing new prompts, exploring edge cases, etc., it leads to far more usable AI outcomes. Maybe that’s what makes the difference: not just using the tools, but wondering what else they could do. What's your advice on making room for that kind of exploration without slowing down the core work?