Leading AI Adoption & Critical Thinking Skills
The Challenge
“I know I have to drive AI adoption, but what tools should I be training them on?”
I am getting this question from senior leaders across various industries. My first response is to reframe it: “What is my role in leading AI adoption, and what skills should I focus on now for future growth?”
The leaders I work with feel pressure from competitors moving quickly on AI and from CEO mandates to deliver on efficiency gains. At the same time, many fear being exposed as less fluent in the tools than their teams. That vulnerability is real, and acknowledging the gap takes courage.
The Research
Gallup data show the rapid adoption and the risks. AI use at work has nearly doubled in two years, yet only about one in five employees say their organization has communicated a clear adoption strategy (Gallup, 2025a).
Gen Z, while enthusiastic about AI, also voices concern about “cognitive offloading,” with nearly half worried that relying on AI could weaken their ability to think critically about information (Gallup & Walton Family Foundation, 2025).
Research from MIT Sloan underscores this point. Their new EPOCH model highlights Empathy, Presence, Creativity, Opinion, and Hope as the human skills that best complement AI (Loaiza & Rigobon, 2024). The “O—Opinion,” which includes judgment and ethics, stands out for me as the skill leaders need to invest in now, particularly for frontline and middle managers.
The Advice
I recommend three actions for leaders:
Show up as a learner first. Demonstrate curiosity and willingness to use the tools yourself. Identify an early adopter as your teacher and coach.
Select targeted AI tools. Focus on a few tools that enhance collaboration and accountability, and lead the change process so teams can optimize and embed those tools into their daily routines.
Coach critical thinking skills. Many professionals have not been exposed to structured ways of thinking, so it is essential to teach and reinforce proven tools in your day-to-day decision-making process.
Five practical frameworks to start with:
TOWS Analysis: useful for sales and product leaders creating regional or segment strategies
Ishikawa (Fishbone) Diagrams: valuable for leaders driving process improvement and innovation
Decision Matrices (e.g., BCG or Ansoff): effective for evaluating growth strategies or prioritizing a portfolio of initiatives
Cost/Benefit Analysis: essential for leaders making a business case for incremental investment or a shift in tactics
RACI Charts: ideal for cross-functional teams establishing governance and accountability for change or transformation initiatives
What matters most is that as a senior leader and coach, you slow down, walk colleagues through these tools and methods, explain your reasoning, invite input, and create opportunities for practice. Over time, your people leaders will develop the confidence and judgment necessary to face increasingly complex challenges, leveraging AI as an enhancer of their human operating system.
The Spark
Invest now in critical thinking and decision-making skills. They are the foundation for growing tomorrow’s leaders.
Sources
Gallup. (2025a, June 15). AI use at work has nearly doubled in two years. Gallup. https://www.gallup.com/workplace/XXXXX
Gallup, & Walton Family Foundation. (2025). Gen Z research. Gallup Analytics. https://www.gallup.com/analytics/651674/gen-z-research.aspx
Loaiza, I., & Rigobon, R. (2024, November 21). The EPOCH of AI: Human–machine complementarities at work (MIT Sloan Research Paper No. 7236-24). MIT Sloan School of Management. https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=4685672
