How Teams can Thrive in an AI-Driven Environment

Top-performing AI users are twice as likely to quit. Here's why - and how to stop it: While AI tools are dramatically increasing productivity, They're also dramatically increasing burnout. According to new findings from The Upwork Research Institute,   88% of top AI performers report burnout, And they are 2x as likely to leave their jobs. The reality is that AI is quietly eroding ↳Human connection ↳Trust ↳Purpose Which are all critical to long-term success. But it doesn't have to be that way. Proactive leaders can take advantage of AI's massive contributions, While still supporting motivated, engaged, and thriving teams. Here's how to start: 1. Make it okay to log off ↳AI tools are always available, which makes people feel like they should be too ↳Ex: Say, "You don't need to respond outside work hours," and back it up 2. Make time for real connection ↳People now say they trust AI more than coworkers, putting connection at risk ↳Ex: Start team meetings with shoutouts and appreciation, not just metrics 3. Notice the good stuff out loud ↳AI delivers quick results, but people need to feel appreciated to stay engaged ↳Ex: Ask, "What's something you're proud of this week?" in 1:1s 4. Give people time to think ↳AI increases speed, but without space to think, quality suffers ↳Ex: Block two hours daily for deep work across the team 5. Remind people why their work matters ↳AI can make work feel transactional, draining the meaning that fuels motivation ↳Ex: Share a customer story to remind people what they're part of 6. Make it safe to speak up ↳AI moves fast, but without safety, speed leads to silence, not innovation ↳Ex: Encourage questions even when things are moving quickly 7. Share the full picture ↳AI tools give fast answers, but people need context to feel connected ↳Ex: Share how and why key decisions were made 8. Celebrate what only humans can do ↳AI optimizes for output - humans thrive when their unique gifts are seen ↳Ex: Recognize creativity, empathy, or leadership, not just speed or output 9. Show it's okay to struggle ↳AI can make it seem like everyone's cruising, making people hide their own challenges ↳Ex: Share your confusion or frustrations so others feel safe doing the same 10. Slow down when it matters ↳AI can answer fast, but it takes human judgment to ask the right questions ↳Ex: Praise someone who pauses to think critically instead of rushing 11. Find moments to build trust ↳Trust is built through action, but AI has made human follow-through less visible ↳Ex: Send the message, make the call, follow up - show them they can count on you AI's short-term gains are real and impressive. But only the leaders who invest in people will make those gains last. Are you seeing burnout rise as AI use increases? --- ♻️ Repost to help more teams thrive with AI. And for even more tips on how to strengthen workplaces in the AI era, Check out Upwork’s complete report: http://spr.ly/GeorgeStern #UpworkPartner #FutureOfWork #AI

AI isn't just a tool; it's becoming a teammate. A major field experiment with 776 professionals at Procter & Gamble, led by researchers from Harvard, Wharton, and Warwick, revealed something remarkable: Generative AI can replicate and even outperform human teamwork. Read the recently published paper here: In a real-world new product development challenge, professionals were assigned to one of four conditions: 1. Control Individuals without AI 2. Human Team R&D + Commercial without AI (+0.24 SD) 3. Individual + AI Working alone with GPT-4 (+0.37 SD) 4. AI-Augmented Team Human team + GPT-4 (+0.39 SD) Key findings: ⭐ Individuals with AI matched the output quality of traditional teams, with 16% less time spent. ⭐ AI helped non-experts perform like seasoned product developers. ⭐ It flattened functional silos: R&D and Commercial employees produced more balanced, cross-functional solutions. ⭐ It made work feel better: AI users reported higher excitement and energy and lower anxiety, even more so than many working in human-only teams. What does this mean for organizations? 💡 Rethink team structures. One AI-empowered individual can do the work of two and do it faster. 💡 Democratize expertise. AI is a boundary-spanning engine that reduces reliance on deep specialization. 💡 Invest in AI fluency. Prompting and AI collaboration skills are the new competitive edge. 💡 Double down on innovation. AI + team = highest chance of top-tier breakthrough ideas. This is not just productivity software. This is a redefinition of how work happens. AI is no longer the intern or the assistant. It’s showing up as a cybernetic teammate, enhancing performance, dissolving silos, and lifting morale. The future of work isn’t human vs. AI. The next step is human + AI + new ways of collaborating. Are you ready?

How can leaders transform their teams to be AI-first? It starts with mindset. An AI-first mindset means: Seeing AI as an opportunity, not a threat. Viewing AI as a tool to augment teams, not just automate tasks. Using AI to reimagine work, not just optimize work. As leaders, it’s on us to build this mindset within our teams. Here are 5 ways we do this at HubSpot: Use AI daily: Lead by example—trust grows when teams see leaders embrace AI themselves. I use it everyday and share very specific use cases with our company on how I use it. Now every leader is doing the same with their teams. The result is that we will have almost everyone in the company use AI daily by the end of year. Apply constraints: Give clear, focused challenges. We kept headcount flat in Support while growing the customer base by 20%+. Result - the team innovated with AI and over achieved the target. Smart constraints drive innovation. Establish tiger teams: Empower small, agile groups to experiment, innovate, and teach the organization. We have AI Tiger teams in every function - they share progress in Slack channels and there is so much energy with small groups experimenting and learning. Be a learn-it-all: Foster a culture of continuous learning. Share openly about successes and failures alike. We have dedicated 2 full days to learning and scaling with AI this quarter as a company - we have lined up great speakers, ways to experiment and gamified learning. Measure progress and share it: Measure which teams are completing learning modules, using AI everyday and share that openly. A little healthy competition goes a long way in driving AI-fluency. AI isn’t just a technology shift. It’s fundamentally reshaping how work gets done—and that requires shifting our mindset first. Leaders who embrace AI now will unlock creativity, performance, and impact. Are you building an AI-first mindset with your team? #Leadership #AI #Innovation #Mindset #FutureOfWork

Running global AI teams isn’t a technical challenge. It’s a psychological one. My 7 principles behind world-class results: 1. Cognitive diversity trumps technical skills Teams with varied thinking styles outperform homogeneous groups, even with lower individual expertise. 2. Psychological safety is the foundation Create an environment where risk-taking and vulnerability are encouraged. Innovation thrives when fear is absent. 3. Growth mindset is non-negotiable Fixed mindsets kill AI progress. Cultivate a culture where challenges are opportunities, not threats. 4. Cultural intelligence is critical AI is global. Teams that navigate cultural nuances collaborate better and build more inclusive solutions. 5. Emotional intelligence amplifies technical brilliance EQ often determines success more than IQ in complex AI projects. It's the glue that holds teams together under pressure. 6. Continuous learning is the only constant The AI landscape evolves rapidly. Foster curiosity and dedicate time for exploration and skill development. 7. Purpose alignment drives retention Connect AI work to meaningful impact. Teams aligned with a greater purpose push through inevitable setbacks. Tech skills are table stakes. The real competitive edge lies in building teams with the right psychological framework. Master these principles, and watch your AI initiatives soar. Build teams that think differently, feel deeply, and innovate fearlessly.

🎯 The CIO's Organizational Playbook for the AI Era... I recently spoke with a CIO friend about how IT teams are changing. Our discussion made me think about what sets apart IT teams that succeed with AI from those that don’t. I looked over my research and reviewed my interviews with other leaders. This information is too valuable not to share: ✓ Build AI-Ready Capabilities 🟢 Establish continuous learning programs focused on practical AI applications 🟢 Implement cross-functional training to bridge technical/business gaps 🟢 Prioritize hands-on AI workshops over theoretical certifications ✓ Master AI Risk Management 🟢 Develop processes to identify and mitigate technical failures early 🟢 Create a strategic AI roadmap with clear risk contingency protocols 🟢 Align all AI initiatives with broader business objectives ✓ Drive Stakeholder Engagement 🟢 Build a cross-functional AI coalition (executives, HR, business units) 🟢 Communicate AI initiatives with transparency to reduce resistance 🟢 Document tangible benefits to secure continued buy-in ✓ Implement with Agility 🟢 Replace waterfall approaches with iterative AI development 🟢 Focus on quick prototyping and real-world testing 🟢 Ensure infrastructure scalability supports AI growth ✓ Lead with AI Ethics 🟢 Train teams on bias identification and mitigation techniques 🟢 Establish clear governance frameworks with accountability 🟢 Make responsible AI deployment non-negotiable ✓ Transform Your Talent Strategy 🟢 Enhance IT roles to integrate AI responsibilities 🟢 Create peer mentoring programs pairing AI experts with domain specialists 🟢 Cultivate an AI-positive culture through early wins ✓ Measure What Matters 🟢 Set specific AI KPIs that link directly to business outcomes 🟢 Implement continuous feedback loops for ongoing refinement 🟢 Track both technical metrics and organizational adoption rates The organizations mastering these elements aren't just surviving the AI transition—they're thriving because of it. #digitaltransformation #changemanagement #leadership #CIO

AI adoption is failing quietly inside most enterprises. Not because of bad tools. Because of bad leadership. The companies that win with AI aren’t the ones with the best tech. They’re the ones creating environments where people want to use it. What actually drives AI adoption? Psychological safety. Team-led learning. Eliminating soul crushing work. Here’s what leading companies are doing differently: 1. They build real time for learning. At top companies, teams block time to experiment, test prompts together, and learn in public. Zapier went from 65% to 89% daily AI adoption by enabling this culture. At Udemy, leaders host group learning sessions before asking teams to change behavior. 2. They dismantle the 'AI equals layoffs' narrative. At Shopify and Zapier, leaders promised not to cut jobs due to AI. Instead, they raised the bar and invested in reskilling. Engagement scores rose. So did performance. 3. They empower managers as AI multipliers. BCG research shows that when managers use AI and engage their teams directly, adoption increases 4X. Not with top down mandates. With shared experiments that remove pain points, especially admin and reporting tasks. 4. They reward transparency, not perfection. Lauren Franklin at Zapier helped handle support tickets weekly to see what was working. That clarity improved process and team morale. 5. They measure what matters. Leading teams track frequency of use, shared prompts, and real workflow impact. Their AI maturity is defined by behavior, not just access. This is what works. And this is how companies are closing the gap between pilot projects and scaled transformation. Thanks to Brian Elliott for this phenomenal breakdown. Check the comments for the full piece and carousel. What’s the most effective team based AI strategy you’ve seen so far? #PeopleAnalytics #AIatWork #FutureOfWork #DigitalTransformation #WorkplaceInnovation

⚙️ AI is transforming the way we work. But leadership? That still starts with people. We’re in the midst of an AI revolution. Tech is moving fast. Automation is accelerating. And leaders are being pushed to integrate these tools—fast. But here’s what’s also happening: Teams are unsure where they fit. Burnout is creeping in Human connection is thinning. Leaders today face a unique dual mandate. Embrace AI, upskill teams, and stay competitive. And lead with empathy, care, and adaptability. Here are 8 steps I use with my executive clients to lead through this kind of change with clarity and confidence: 1. Acknowledge the Disruption: Start by naming the shift. Teams need to know you see the change and are leading through it, not avoiding it. 2. Lead with Empathy: Check in with your team to see how they are coping. Emotional clarity builds trust and resilience. 3. Upskill, Don’t Just Automate: Invest in reskilling. AI isn’t here to replace people—it’s here to enhance them. 4. Model AI Literacy: Be the first to learn and try new tools. Your curiosity sets the tone. 5. Encourage Dialogue: Let teams ask questions, explore new tools, and even fail. Innovation needs room to breathe. 6. Communicate Transparently: Share what you know—and what you’re still figuring out. Clarity over certainty builds credibility. 7. Balance Performance with Well-Being: Don’t just measure output. Pay attention to energy, burnout signals, and team cohesion. 8. Stay Anchored to Purpose: Remind people why the work matters. AI can improve outcomes, but it’s human meaning that drives real engagement. 💡 The tools may be new, but the best leadership is still rooted in trust, communication, and clarity of purpose. If you’re navigating this kind of landscape, I support leaders and teams to adapt with purpose and performance in mind. 📩 To learn more, email me at mc@mccoachingnyc.com. #AIleadership #executivecoaching #changemanagement #futureofwork #wellbeing #digitaltransformation #peoplefirst

In a world where AI announcements seem to drop every 15 minutes (seriously, it’s so hard to keep up), I've been reflecting on what actually matters beyond the hype. As a people leader navigating this landscape, I've learned that the challenge isn't just adopting AI tools quickly—it's adopting them thoughtfully. This is especially important at HubSpot, where helping our employees move faster helps our customers win faster. I'm seeing AI reshape not just what we do, but how we make decisions and prioritize our people. Here are some approaches that have worked well for us as we continue to test and learn: 1. Expedite access to AI tools and encourage experimentation. We're experimenting with the latest versions of Claude, Gemini, ChatGPT, and more—providing teams access within hours of new releases, not weeks. This creates a culture of experimentation and keeps us ahead of the curve. 2. Foster knowledge-sharing. We've created dedicated channels where employees share their AI wins and habits. Our People team sends a weekly "MondAI" digest featuring different employee use cases that inspire others across the organization. 3. Prioritize leader enablement. We've built AI-first resources, starting with People Leaders who then cascade knowledge to their teams. This isn't just about tools—it's about developing judgment for when AI enhances human work and when human expertise should lead. 4. Seek external expertise. We regularly bring in experts from companies like Anthropic and Google to share insights with our teams. We've cultivated a culture of learn-it-alls, not know-it-alls. 5. Integrate AI into existing workflows. We're incorporating AI tools directly into team processes, focusing on high-impact, repetitive tasks first. Our AI support bot now handles over 35% of tickets while maintaining high customer satisfaction. The most exciting part? Watching our teams develop the discernment to make AI work harder for them, not the other way around. When people and technology make each other stronger—that's the sweet spot. Fellow people leaders: How are you balancing rapid AI adoption with thoughtful implementation that truly empowers your people? Other insights we can learn from?

Should I buy this apple? Let’s ask the LLM. It sounds silly, but this is where we’re headed. AI is quickly becoming a default response engine for every question, every decision, every moment of hesitation. But when a tool becomes a crutch instead of a catalyst, we might lose... duh duh duh... critical thinking. So how do we ensure our human teams don’t turn into AI regurgitation machines? How do we design systems and cultures that encourage our teams to think with AI, not just through it? Here are 5 principles to guide your organization: 1. Ask questions: Don’t just optimize for efficiency. Optimize for exploration. Encourage your teams to use AI to explore different angles, test assumptions, and surface edge cases. 2. Stay skeptical: A confident AI answer isn’t the same as a correct one. Build workflows where teams interrogate the output and their own thinking. 3. Design for reflection, not reaction: AI works fast, but real insight takes time. Slow down. Create moments for deliberation, interpretation, and synthesis. Embed review cycles that go beyond checklists.  4. Value original thinking: If everyone’s using the same tools, differentiation comes from how you think with them. Encourage teams to add context, bring in their own perspectives, and challenge outputs. 5. Keep humans in charge: Systems should amplify judgment, not eliminate it. Avoid over-automating critical decisions. Make space for disagreement, deliberation, and nuance. If we’re not careful, we won’t just outsource answers to AI. We’ll outsource our agency. The ability to question, reason, and make meaning is what makes us human. We have to stay engaged, curious, skeptical, and accountable. That’s how we ensure AI serves us, not the other way around. Because the real potential of AI isn’t to replace human thought, but to push it further. #AI

If you’re in leadership, you need to understand *how* genAI will transform your organization, and what that means for restructuring teams. Here's what we're learning: BREAKTHROUGH IN AI IDEATION OpenAI is getting ready to launch new AI models (o3 and o4-mini) that can connect concepts across different disciplines ranging from nuclear fusion to pathogen detection. (Reporting from The Information's Stephanie Palazzolo and Amir Efrati). Molecular biologist Sarah Owens used the system to design a study applying ecological techniques to pathogen detection and said doing this without AI "would have taken days." THE NEW TEAMMATE EMERGES Remember the HBS study with 776 Procter & Gamble professionals? It showed that genAI functioned as an actual teammate. Individuals using AI performed at levels comparable to traditional human teams, achieving a 37% performance improvement over solo workers without AI. Teams using AI were three times more likely to produce top-quality solutions while completing tasks 12.7% faster and producing more detailed outputs. BREAKING DOWN SILOS That study showed that AI also dissolves professional boundaries. Without AI, R&D specialists created technical solutions while Commercial specialists developed market-focused ideas. With AI, both types of specialists produced balanced solutions integrating technical and commercial perspectives. A NEW KIND OF TEAM AI users reported higher levels of excitement and enthusiasm while experiencing less anxiety and frustration. Individuals working alone with AI reported emotional experiences comparable to those in human teams. That's wild. RESTRUCTURING FOR ADVANTAGE The HBS study showed that AI reduces dominance effects in team collaboration. When genAI translates between roles, it accelerates iteration at a pace that there’s no way traditional teams could match. ++++++++++++++++++++ THREE THINGS YOU SHOULD BE DOING NOW: 1. Upskill your entire workforce: Develop a fundamental behavioral shift in how teams interact with AI across every task. This only works if everyone is doing it. (We work with enterprise to upskill at scale - more below.) 2. Experiment with new team structures: Test different AI-team combinations. Try individuals with AI for routine tasks and small teams with AI for complex challenges. Find what works best for your specific needs. 3. Redefine success metrics: Set new standards for what good work looks like with AI. Track not just productivity but also idea quality, knowledge sharing across departments, and team satisfaction—all areas where AI shows major benefits. ++++++++++++++++++++ UPSKILL YOUR ORGANIZATION: When your company is ready, we are ready to upskill your workforce at scale. Our Generative AI for Professionals course is tailored to enterprise and highly effective in driving AI adoption through a unique, proven behavioral transformation. It's pretty awesome. Check out our website or shoot me a DM.