Human Leadership is the AI unlock

I heard this quote recently and it’s stayed with me.
 
Right now, the world is transfixed by AI; the promise, the potential, the sheer pace of it all. Meta is building data centres the size of Manhattan. ChatGPT is rewriting what it means to "know" things. AI is not just coming. It’s already here and it’s only just getting going.
 
It's easy to get caught up in the marvel of it. But if we're honest, most people I speak with feel more scared than excited. About their roles. Their future. Their value.
 
Because underneath all the noise, there’s a deeper human truth: we don’t like change. We're creatures of habit, routine and familiarity. AI threatens that comfort in profound ways.
 
And if that weren’t enough, business as usual - slow-moving, hierarchical, bureaucratic - isn’t fit for this new age. We're no longer in control of neat org charts and tidy plans. We’re part of a broader, chaotic ecosystem that we can’t contain. In the age of AI, business has become an infinite game where the rules are constantly changing.
 
This isn’t a blog about all the shiny things AI can do (I’ll leave that to the likes of Jensen Huang, or better yet, ChatGPT). This is a call to the humans in leadership. To those who want to help their people not just survive but thrive in the new landscape AI is shaping.

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After 25 years helping businesses, leaders, and teams boost their energy, think differently and navigate change, here are six things I believe demand your attention now:

1. Engage and Embrace: This is everyone’s business

AI is not just a CTO problem. It’s not just for the digital team. It’s for all of us. Yet, in many organisations, adoption lags behind awareness. In Co-pilot rollouts, HR surveys show that only 30% of those trained actually go on to use it. Training alone won’t move the dial. Top-down mandates won’t either. We need to understand that people are overwhelmed, scared even. Stuck in old ways of working. We’ve got to engage with empathy, not enforcement.

2. Playful experimentation and a growth mindset‍

One of the best ways to shift energy and unlock confidence is through low-stakes, everyday experimentation. Call an AI amnesty. Encourage teams to tinker, try, and test together. And just to get one more T in there, do it with total transparency. Then build a feedback culture that supports learning, not punishes failure. The goal isn’t mastery; it’s building confidence and momentum.

3. Go First

Leaders must show the way. Not with perfection, but with humility. Be open about what you don’t know. Learn in public. Make it okay to feel stupid. When leaders show vulnerability, it gives others permission to do the same.

4. Get Creative

As AI takes over the routine, humans are freed up to do what only humans can: create, solve, imagine. Create space for people to use their ingenuity. Don’t just fill the calendar with tasks. Free up the time to ask better questions, solve messier problems, think bigger.

5. Invest in Culture

AI can replicate knowledge. It can’t replicate connection. Now more than ever, your culture matters. Not only to attract and retain talent, but to create an environment where people can self-express and be themselves. Focus on building trust, meaning, and a sense of belonging. Your team needs to feel seen and safe before they’ll stretch into the unknown.

6. Build Resilience

Change isn’t a phase - it’s the new baseline. Help your team build resilience through strong relationships, a clear sense of purpose, and a healthy relationship with challenge. Make space for the tough days but celebrate the grit it takes to keep showing up.

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I love what Jensen Huang, founder of Nvidia says about this: "People with high expectations tend to have low resilience and resilience matters in achieving success…I encourage pain and suffering - in a good way, in my business”.

You need to refine the character of your company, in order to build resilience. And above all, protect Your Energy. As Geoff McDonald, ex-Global VP of Unilever, puts it: “The most valuable resource in your business… is energy.”

The energy of you as a leader or your team is something ai can’t create. It’s that intangible that sets businesses apart. Nurture it. Prioritise it. Lead with it. Because when everything else is uncertain, human energy - focused, connected, purposeful - will be your greatest competitive advantage.

The brilliant team at Wavelength Leadership land this point beautifully in their Speed of Light Leadership piece here. It’s a cracking look at AI and leadership -  how to stay brilliantly human while the world moves at warp speed. Totally worth ten minutes of your time.

If you’re thinking seriously about your leadership style in the age of AI, at Upping your Elvis we’re famous for helping the likes of Nike, Unilever, Diageo, Levi’s and Kingfisher lead with energy, resilience, connectivity and creativity. We’d love to chat about how we could help you too…

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