At Leader’s Talk #21, Mr. Bao Nguyen, Vice President – Digital Service Delivery at Kyanon Digital, delivered a powerful and practical session titled: “AI for Leaders & Managers – Enhancing Leadership, Direction, and Decision-Making with AI.”
In a close-knit setting of 30+ participants, the session sparked insightful discussions around how leaders can effectively integrate AI into their workflows, build a future-ready culture, and guide their teams with confidence in the age of AI.
Context & Challenges
Recent global studies reveal a growing gap between leadership perceptions and actual employee behavior in AI adoption:
- Many employees, especially younger generations, are adopting AI tools faster than their leaders realize.
- Leadership hesitance and slow AI integration have been flagged as bottlenecks to innovation.
- While investment in AI is increasing across organizations, only a small percentage report having truly matured in their AI transformation.
- Employees cite training and leadership support as the most critical needs for successful AI implementation.
These trends highlight an urgent question for today’s leaders:
“Are we truly ready – not just technically, but strategically – to lead in an AI-powered workplace?”
The Leader’s Role in Driving AI Transformation
Mr. Bao Nguyen emphasized that in the near future, teams that do not actively leverage AI may struggle to meet delivery expectations in fast-paced, competitive markets. As client demands accelerate with AI-supported tools, delivery teams must keep pace by integrating AI into their own processes.
Key messages included:
- Lead by Example: Leaders need to be the first to apply AI in their work—not only to optimize productivity but also to set a visible standard for their teams.
- Define the Right Questions: Rather than asking “What can AI do?”, leaders should ask “What problems are we facing, and how can AI help solve them?”
- Build AI Literacy: Leaders must equip themselves with foundational AI knowledge to guide, verify, and support effective usage across the team.
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Practical Applications of AI in Workflow
Participants explored practical ways AI can support day-to-day operations and long-term planning, including:
- Workflow Optimization: Automating repetitive or manual tasks (e.g., syncing task lists with release notes or generating documentation).
- Project Scoping & Architecture: Using AI to analyze client briefs, identify potential scope issues, and propose architectural approaches.
- Recruitment & Training: Assessing AI literacy in hiring processes and enabling self-learning through AI-powered knowledge bases.
Building an AI-Ready Culture
A recurring theme was the importance of creating a culture that encourages exploration and responsible use of AI.
- Encourage Experimentation: Create a safe space for employees to try new tools, share effective prompts, and learn from small failures.
- Integrate AI Across the Employee Lifecycle: From onboarding to upskilling, AI can help new hires get oriented and support continuous learning.
- Celebrate Use Cases: Sharing real success stories and use cases internally builds momentum and encourages wider adoption.
Reflections from Team Leaders
The session also featured candid input from other team leaders, emphasizing key takeaways:
- AI is a powerful assistant, but not a substitute for thinking: Leaders must help their teams understand not just how to use AI, but why and when to use it.
- Verification matters: AI-generated outputs must be cross-checked and validated, especially in technical problem-solving.
- Understanding the model: Using AI effectively means knowing the strengths, limitations, and appropriate applications of different tools.
Conclusion
Leader’s Talk #21 delivered a strong reminder: AI doesn’t replace leadership, it redefines it. The leaders of tomorrow are those who embrace change, stay curious, and equip their teams with both the tools and mindset to adapt. As AI becomes a core part of business operations, the most effective leaders will be those who guide their teams with purpose, clarity, and responsibility.
Kyanon Digital looks forward to future sessions where we’ll continue exploring how technology and leadership converge to shape the next generation of digital organizations.
