

The Best Leaders Are Supporting CharactersResearch finds that as people climb the career ladder, they tend to treat their perspective as the entire story, ignoring their biases and blind spots. But when you adopt this “main-character energy,” everyone suffers: Your team experiences lower trust and performance, and you’re more likely to experience depression and loneliness. The strongest leaders stay close to their teams without making themselves the center of everything. Here’s how. Get aggressively curious. The more power you have, the easier it becomes to rely too heavily on your own perspective. Humility helps counter that tendency. Consider how your actions could be affecting others in unintended ways, and approach conversations with genuine curiosity instead of assumptions. When you ask better questions and listen more carefully, your team becomes more collaborative, creative, and engaged. Engage in job crafting. Help people connect their work to what matters most to them. Ask employees about their strengths, values, and the kind of work that gives them energy. Then look for ways they can bring more of that into their role. When people shape their work around what they care about, they’re more motivated, resilient, and invested in the team’s success. 研究发现,随着职位不断升高,人们越来越容易把自己的视角当成“全部真相”,忽略自身的偏见与盲区。但一旦陷入这种“主角意识”,最终受影响的是所有人:团队的信任感与绩效会下降,而领导者自己也更容易感到孤独、压抑,甚至陷入情绪低谷。真正强大的领导者,始终能够贴近团队,却不把自己变成一切的中心。以下是两个关键方法: 保持强烈的好奇心。 权力越大,人越容易过度依赖自己的判断。谦逊,恰恰是对抗这种倾向的重要能力。试着去思考:你的行为,是否正在以你未曾察觉的方式影响他人?与其带着预设和结论进入对话,不如真正保持好奇。当你开始提出更好的问题,更认真地倾听,团队往往会变得更愿意协作、更有创造力,也更投入。 帮助员工“重塑工作感”。 让每个人都能把工作与自己真正重视的东西连接起来。主动去了解员工的优势、价值观,以及什么样的工作最能让他们产生热情与能量。然后,尽可能帮助他们把这些元素融入自己的角色之中。当一个人能够围绕自己在意的事情去塑造工作时,他们会变得更有动力、更有韧性,也更愿意为团队的成功投入心力。
Lead AI Adoption with EmpathyAI adoption on teams often fails because of how people experience it. If you want your team to embrace new tools, you need more than a strategy—you need empathetic leadership that understands concerns, builds trust, and involves people in the process. Co-create AI strategies. Don’t announce sweeping AI changes and expect adoption. Instead, involve your team early. Ask how AI can support the parts of their work that matter most. Replace top-down directives with open conversations. When people help shape the strategy, they’re more likely to trust it—and use it effectively. Focus on the middle layer. Your frontline managers shape daily experience more than senior leaders do. Equip them with the skills to listen, give feedback, and support their teams through change. If you ignore this layer, your values won’t translate into reality. If you invest in it, you build consistency, trust, and stronger adoption. Decide what role AI should play in your workplace. If you use it to replace people, you risk weakening collaboration and creativity. If you use it to connect people—by encouraging collaboration or improving communication—you strengthen both performance and culture. 以同理心引领AI落地 团队在AI采纳上的失败,往往并不是技术问题,而是“人如何感受变化”的问题。如果希望团队真正接受并使用新工具,仅有战略是不够的,还需要一种能够理解顾虑、建立信任并让成员参与其中的同理心式领导方式。 共同构建AI策略 不要以“自上而下宣布AI变革”的方式推动落地,并期待自然采纳。相反,应尽早让团队参与进来,询问AI如何帮助他们完成最重要的工作环节,用开放式对话替代单向指令。当人们参与塑造策略时,他们更容易信任它,也更可能有效使用它。 关注“中间层”管理者 一线管理者往往比高层更直接影响员工的日常体验。因此,需要赋能这一“中间层”,帮助他们具备倾听、反馈以及带领团队适应变化的能力。如果忽视这一层级,组织价值观将难以落地;如果投入建设这一层级,则可以显著提升一致性、信任感与AI采纳效果。 明确AI在组织中的角色 必须清晰界定AI在工作场所中的定位。如果将其用于替代人员,可能会削弱协作与创造力;但如果将其用于连接人,例如促进协作或改善沟通,则能够同时提升组织绩效与文化质量。
Prepare for High-Stakes Media InterviewsA single comment can define how people perceive your leadership. In high-visibility interviews with the media, remarks can be amplified, stripped of context, and judged at scale—often within hours or minutes. That means your intent matters less than how your message lands. To navigate the risk of giving a public interview, you need to prepare for the specific kind of conversation you’re facing. Credibility interviews: “Why you?” Focus on signaling competence. Start by defining a clear anchoring message—the single idea you want people to associate with you. Support it with a few examples that reflect organizational priorities, not your own expertise. Then pressure-test tough questions. Be ready to explain trade-offs, address shortcomings, and adjust your level of detail based on audience cues. Positioning interviews: “Where are you headed?” Focus on strategic judgment. Define the shift you want to make in how your organization is perceived. Clarify the gap between where you are and where you’re going. Anchor that shift in outward-facing proof—real actions that show progress. Then connect your direction to broader forces shaping your sector so your strategy feels grounded and timely. Crisis interviews: “Can we trust you?” Focus on stability. Acknowledge stakeholder concerns directly to show awareness. Align on a clear, factual narrative and stick to it with precision and discipline. Reinforce continuity by highlighting what remains steady, and outline near-term actions to show forward motion without overpromising. 一句话可能决定外界如何理解你的领导力。在高曝光度的媒体采访中,观点可能被放大、被剥离语境,并在数小时甚至数分钟内被快速评价。这意味着,你的“表达意图”往往不如“信息如何被接收”重要。要应对公共采访的风险,你需要针对不同类型的对话提前做好准备。 信誉型采访:“为什么是你?” 重点在于传递能力与可信度。首先要建立一个清晰的“锚定信息”——即你希望外界对你形成的核心认知。用少量案例加以支撑,但这些案例应体现组织优先事项,而不是个人能力本身。随后要对高难度问题进行压力测试,准备好解释取舍逻辑、回应不足之处,并根据受众反应灵活调整表达细节层级。 定位型采访:“你要走向哪里?” 重点在于战略判断力。明确你希望改变外界对组织认知的方向,清晰界定“现状”与“目标状态”之间的差距。用外部可验证的行动作为支撑,让这种转变具象化。同时,将战略方向与行业更广泛的趋势相连接,使你的判断显得既有依据又具有时代相关性。 危机型采访:“我们还能信任你吗?” 重点在于稳定性。首先直接回应利益相关方的关切,以展示对问题的真实认知。随后建立一个清晰、基于事实的叙事,并以高度一致性和纪律性加以坚持。通过强调组织的连续性来强化稳定感,同时说明短期行动路径,以展示前进方向,但避免过度承诺。
Is the Leader a Problem—Or Is It the Organization?When a leader is labeled as “too aggressive,” “too controlling,” or “not strategic enough,” the assumption is usually that their behavior needs to change. But a narrow focus on the behavior—without examining the context around it—may mean that you end up trying to fix the wrong problem. Here’s what to do before deciding what needs to change. Focus on specific examples. Vague feedback like “too aggressive” or “not strategic enough” creates more confusion than clarity. Push for concrete details. Ask: “What decision was being made? What happened next? Where did execution break down?” Added context may reveal systemic issues beyond the leader’s control. Check whether the feedback is current. Narratives about a person tend to stick long after their behavior changes. Ground evaluations in recent, firsthand experiences. Ask colleagues: “Have you personally observed this in the past six months?” This helps separate real patterns from outdated reputations. Distinguish between a skill gap and strength overuse. Sometimes the issue isn’t a missing capability; it’s a strength being applied too rigidly. You might need to help the leader dial their intensity up or down, depending on the situation. Reset with the leader. Before implementing any solution, clarify the leader’s perspective on the issue. Then agree on a path forward together. 当一位领导者被贴上“过于强势”“控制欲过强”或“不够具备战略性”等标签时,人们通常默认需要改变的是其行为本身。但如果仅聚焦于行为,而不去审视其所处的环境与情境,可能会导致你试图解决错误的问题。在决定需要改变什么之前,可以先做以下几件事。 聚焦具体案例 像“过于强势”或“不够具备战略性”这类模糊反馈,往往只会增加困惑,而不会带来清晰判断。应进一步追问具体细节,例如:“当时在做什么决策?之后发生了什么?执行在哪一步出现了问题?”补充情境信息,可能会揭示出超出领导者个人控制范围的系统性问题。 核实反馈是否仍然有效 关于一个人的既有叙事往往会在其行为已经改变之后仍然持续存在。因此,需要以近期、第一手的经历为依据来进行评估。可以向同事询问:“在过去六个月中,你是否亲自观察到这种情况?”这有助于区分真实的行为模式与过时的刻板印象。 区分能力缺口与优势过度使用 有时问题并不在于能力缺失,而在于某种优势被过度或僵化地使用。此时可能需要帮助该领导者根据不同情境,适当调整其行为强度——在某些场景中增强,在另一些场景中则适当收敛。 与领导者重新对齐 在实施任何解决方案之前,应先澄清该领导者本人对问题的理解,并在此基础上共同达成前进路径的共识。
Understand Why Employees Are Resisting ChangeEmployee resistance during times of change can feel like a problem you need to fix quickly. But when you jump to solutions, you risk missing what the resistance is actually telling you. Change resistance is usually driven by one or more of the following underlying feelings. Here's how to address each one. Loss: Identify what’s being left behind. Change always involves an ending. When someone pushes back, ask yourself what they’re losing. Name that loss directly and acknowledge the value of the old way before introducing the new. Then help people see where they can contribute going forward. Anxiety: Reduce uncertainty through consistency. Uncertainty is a powerful stress trigger and can prevent the brain from processing information. Repeat key messages often—and check for understanding. Create space for questions and be honest about what you don’t know. Lack of control: Give people a sense of ownership. Resistance often signals people feel powerless or excluded. Clarify where their input matters and involve them early enough to shape outcomes. Asking them to help solve implementation challenges will give them more ownership of the change. Flaws in the change: Stay open to correction. Treat pushback as insight. Ask follow-up questions to understand operational concerns. Separate tone from substance, and be willing to adjust your plan based on what you learn. 在组织变革过程中,员工的抵触情绪常常被视为一个需要尽快“解决”的问题。但如果管理者过于急于寻找解决方案,反而容易忽视:抗拒本身,其实正在传递重要信号。大多数变革阻力,往往源于以下几种更深层的情绪与心理反应。真正有效的管理,不是压制抵触,而是理解它背后的原因。 首先,是“失去感”。任何变革,本质上都意味着某种结束。当员工表现出抗拒时,管理者需要先思考:他们究竟失去了什么?可能是熟悉的工作方式、长期积累的经验优势,甚至是原有的身份认同。与其急于强调“新的更好”,不如先正视并承认旧体系曾经的价值,再帮助员工看到:在新的环境中,他们依然能够发挥作用,并拥有新的位置与贡献空间。 其次,是“焦虑感”。不确定性本身,就是最强烈的压力来源之一。当人处于焦虑状态时,大脑甚至会降低对信息的理解与处理能力。因此,管理者需要通过持续、一致的沟通来降低不确定性。重要信息不仅要反复传达,还要确认员工真正理解;同时,要为提问和讨论留出空间,并坦诚面对那些尚未有答案的问题。很多时候,员工害怕的并不是变化本身,而是未知。 第三,是“失控感”。员工的抗拒,往往意味着他们觉得自己被排除在决策之外,或者对变化毫无影响力。解决这一问题的关键,不只是“通知”,而是“参与”。管理者需要明确哪些部分员工能够提出意见,并尽可能在变革尚未定型之前,就让他们参与其中。尤其是在具体执行层面,邀请员工共同解决落地中的问题,会显著增强他们对变革的主人翁意识。 最后,也要警惕:问题可能真的出在变革方案本身。并非所有抵触都源于情绪,有时员工的反对恰恰揭示了管理层忽略的现实问题。因此,面对质疑时,不应本能地防御,而应把它视为一种反馈机制。继续追问,理解背后的运营逻辑;区分表达方式与问题本身;并愿意根据新的信息修正原有方案。真正成熟的组织,不是要求所有人无条件接受变化,而是在持续修正中,让变革变得更合理。
Appoint an Interim CEO Carefully谨慎任命临时CEOWhen a top role suddenly opens, organizations are forced to act fast. Stability becomes the priority, and appointing an interim leader often feels like the safest move. But without clear intent, that quick fix can trigger confusion and long-term value loss. Here’s how to approach the interim role with discipline from the start. Define the mandate clearly. Decide what this role is truly for. Are you looking for someone to preserve stability, fix a problem, or drive change? Spell it out from day one. When expectations are vague, decisions stall and uncertainty festers. Clear communication—internally and externally—keeps people aligned and reduces speculation. Choose the right source. An internal executive offers continuity and speed; they already know the business and can keep things moving. But watch for hidden agendas if they want the permanent role. A board member, on the other hand, can provide authority without competing interests. Finally, an external hire signals a reset and brings fresh capabilities when the situation demands it. Determine which option is best for your company’s situation. Set the timeline with intent. Don’t let the interim period linger. Match the duration to the situation, not convenience. Stability may allow for a longer runway, but unclear timelines create inertia. Keep momentum by linking tenure to specific objectives. Decide if this is a tryout. Be explicit. If the interim role doubles as an audition, define criteria upfront and run a parallel search. Without guardrails, short-term thinking and internal politics can take over. 当企业最高管理岗位突然出现空缺时,组织往往不得不迅速作出反应。此时,稳定局面通常成为首要目标,因此任命一位临时负责人,往往看起来是最安全、最稳妥的选择。但如果缺乏清晰的目标与边界,这种“过渡性安排”也可能迅速演变为组织混乱,甚至带来长期价值损耗。关键在于,从一开始就以高度纪律性来设计这一角色。 首先,要明确临时CEO的真正使命。企业需要先回答一个核心问题:这个角色究竟是为了“维持稳定”、解决问题,还是推动变革?必须在任命之初就把目标说清楚。目标模糊,组织决策就容易停滞,内部不确定性也会持续蔓延。无论对内还是对外,清晰一致的沟通都能够减少猜测,稳定预期,并维持组织协同。 其次,要谨慎选择人选来源。内部高管的优势在于熟悉业务、上手迅速,能够帮助企业保持运营连续性。但如果其本人同时希望竞争正式CEO职位,也可能产生潜在利益博弈。董事会成员则往往具备更强的权威性,同时较少卷入内部竞争;而外部人选则意味着一种“重启信号”,在企业需要新能力、新视角时尤为重要。企业需要根据自身所处阶段与问题性质,判断哪一种安排最合适。 第三,要有意识地设定时间边界。临时状态不应无限期延长。过渡期的长短,应由企业面临的问题决定,而不是由组织惯性决定。稳定阶段或许允许更长的缓冲时间,但模糊不清的时间表往往会让组织逐渐陷入拖延与停滞。因此,需要将任期与明确目标绑定,持续推动组织保持行动节奏。 最后,要明确这是否是一场“试用考核”。如果临时CEO角色同时承担正式任命前的考察功能,就必须提前明确评估标准,并同步推进正式CEO遴选流程。否则,短期行为、内部政治与权力博弈,很容易取代真正长期、理性的组织判断。
Focus AI Efforts Where They Matter Most将AI投入到最关键的地方Many companies invest heavily in AI but struggle to turn isolated productivity gains into meaningful business results. The issue is a “micro-productivity trap”: you optimize individual tasks without rethinking workflows or how value is created. To break out of this pattern, focus on four steps that shift AI from incremental improvement to real business transformation. Narrow possibilities strategically. Resist the urge to apply AI everywhere. Instead, focus on a small number of high-impact domains. Look for areas with concentrated resources, repeatable work, and clear bottlenecks. Prioritize use cases that offer strong value with manageable effort, and align them to where your business can win. Reimagine workflows across the organization. Start with how work actually gets done today. Map workflows across teams, identify where time and effort concentrate, and spot variation or inefficiencies. Then rebuild those processes with AI at the center. Focus on improving speed, reducing wasted effort, and driving better outcomes across the full workflow. Engage those closest to today’s process. Involve frontline employees and domain experts early. They understand where friction exists and can help redesign workflows more effectively. Use pilots, prototypes, and feedback loops to refine solutions. Early participation builds trust and accelerates adoption. Measure what matters. Define success using specific business outcomes. Track metrics tied to performance—such as speed, quality, and conversion—and compare AI-enabled results to previous approaches. Continuously evaluate outputs and refine systems to ensure consistent performance. 许多企业在AI上投入巨大,却始终难以将零散的效率提升真正转化为可持续的商业成果。问题的根源,在于陷入了“微观效率陷阱”——企业只是优化了某一个环节、某一项任务,却没有重新思考整个工作流程以及价值创造方式。要真正突破这一困境,企业需要完成四个关键转变,让AI从局部优化工具,升级为推动业务重构的核心力量。 首先,要有策略地收缩应用边界。不要急于把AI铺向所有场景,而应聚焦少数真正具有高价值潜力的关键领域。优先寻找那些资源高度集中、流程可重复、瓶颈清晰的业务环节,选择那些投入可控但价值回报显著的应用场景,并与企业真正具备竞争优势的方向形成协同。 其次,要从组织层面重新设计工作流。不要只关注某一个岗位如何使用AI,而应回到“工作究竟是如何完成的”这一根本问题。梳理跨部门流程,识别时间、人力与资源最集中的节点,找出流程中的低效、重复与偏差,再以AI为核心重新构建整个流程体系。重点不只是提升速度,更是减少无效消耗,并在完整流程中持续优化结果质量。 第三,要让最接近业务现场的人参与进来。尽早引入一线员工与领域专家,因为他们最清楚真正的摩擦点和隐性问题,也最能帮助企业完成更有效的流程重构。通过试点、原型测试与持续反馈,不断修正和优化方案。越早参与,越容易建立组织信任,也越能加快AI在内部的真正落地。 最后,要衡量真正重要的结果。企业需要用清晰、具体的业务成果来定义AI是否成功,而不仅仅是停留在“用了AI”本身。重点追踪与经营表现直接相关的指标,例如效率、质量、转化率与交付结果,并持续比较AI介入前后的差异。同时,要建立长期评估与迭代机制,不断校准系统表现,确保AI能够稳定、持续地产生真实价值。
Build Your “Power Skills”Technical expertise alone will only take you so far in your career. As your leadership role grows, your impact depends more on how well you listen, build trust, and help others do their best work. To strengthen those “power skills,” focus on small, repeatable habits. Start with listening. Get closer to where the work actually happens. Use small-group conversations, informal walk-arounds, and one-on-ones to hear what people are experiencing. Listen to understand, not to fix. Pay attention to patterns, and pause before reacting so you can respond with intention. Practice empathy through observation. Don’t rely only on reports or secondhand feedback. Spend time with employees in their day-to-day environment so you can see interruptions, friction, and workarounds for yourself. Join meetings, observe routines, or sit in on the moments where challenges actually unfold. You’ll make better decisions when you understand the experience from multiple perspectives. Become the learner. Create regular opportunities to learn from people whose backgrounds, perspectives, or workplace experiences differ from your own. Use conversations or structured mentoring to surface blind spots and strengthen how you connect across differences. 技术能力只能把你带到一定高度,但当你走向更高层级的领导岗位时,真正决定影响力的,不再只是“你会什么”,而是你如何倾听、建立信任,并帮助他人发挥出最佳状态。 要强化这些“关键能力”,需要从一些微小但可持续的习惯开始。 从“倾听”开始。 尽量靠近真实的工作现场。通过小范围交流、非正式走访、一对一沟通,去了解人们正在经历什么。重点不是“解决问题”,而是“理解发生了什么”。关注反复出现的模式,在回应之前刻意停顿,让你的判断更有意识,而不是条件反射。 用观察培养共情。 不要只依赖汇报或二手信息。尽可能进入员工的真实工作环境,去亲眼看到那些中断、摩擦和被迫形成的“应对办法”。参与会议、观察日常流程,甚至只是坐在问题真正发生的场景里。你会发现,很多关键决策的质量,取决于你是否真正理解了这些细节。 让自己保持“学习者状态”。 持续创造机会,向那些背景、视角或工作经历与你不同的人学习。通过对话或有结构的交流方式,主动暴露自己的盲区,强化跨差异沟通的能力。 真正的领导力,不只是“知道更多”,而是“理解更深,并因此更懂得如何与人共创结果”。
Finding Hidden Leverage in NegotiationsYou’ll inevitably face a negotiation where it feels like you have no leverage. But even without a clear plan B, you still have ways to shift the balance—if you rethink how leverage works. Look for partial alternatives. Stop searching for a perfect backup plan. Instead, identify options that solve part of your problem. Even limited alternatives can reduce dependence and shift the balance of power. When you show you’re not fully locked in, the other side becomes more flexible. Don’t negotiate from fear. Feeling stuck makes you overestimate the other side’s power. Step back and assess their risks too. If you rely on them, they likely rely on you. Use that mutual dependence to push for better terms instead of conceding too early. Use time to your advantage. You don’t have to accept or reject immediately. Delay with purpose. Ask for time, continue operating where possible, and look for ways to move forward without formal agreement. Momentum often works in your favor. Focus on the players and the process. Shift who’s involved and how the process unfolds. Bring in allies, explore smaller partnerships, or create visibility that pressures the other side. These moves can improve your position without a traditional fallback. Frame consequences as warnings. Avoid threats. Clearly explain what will happen if no agreement is reached, focusing on shared risk. This keeps the conversation constructive and reduces defensiveness. 谈判中最常见的错觉,是觉得自己“没有任何筹码”。但即便缺乏明确的备选方案,只要重新理解“杠杆”的来源,你仍然可以改变局势的走向。 寻找“部分替代方案”。 不要执着于一个完美的B计划,而是去寻找那些只能解决部分问题的替代选项。哪怕是不完整的选择,也足以降低你的依赖度,从而重新调整谈判中的力量结构。当你表现出“并非非你不可”,对方的姿态往往会随之松动。 避免在恐惧中谈判。 “被困住”的感觉,会放大对方的优势感。此时更重要的是退一步重新评估:他们是否同样依赖你?很多时候,依赖是双向的。抓住这种相互依存关系,而不是提前让步。 用时间换空间。 你不必立刻做出接受或拒绝的决定。可以有策略地延迟推进:争取时间、保持现有运转,同时寻找不依赖正式协议也能推进的路径。很多谈判的势能,恰恰是在时间中发生变化的。 重新设计“参与者与过程”。 改变谈判结构本身,而不仅是内容。引入新的合作方、拆分合作层级、或增加外部可见性,都可能重塑压力分布,让你在没有传统“备选方案”的情况下改善位置。 把后果转化为“风险提示”,而不是威胁。 不要使用对抗性语言,而是清晰说明如果无法达成一致,双方将共同面临的现实影响。将表达从“施压”转向“共担风险”,可以让对话更理性,也更容易推动对方重新评估选择。
To Aid Decision-Making, Clarify Your Core ValuesYou don’t always have the luxury of time or complete information when making leadership decisions. In uncertain moments, a clear set of values gives you a faster, more reliable way to act with confidence. Start by reflecting. Look back on meaningful moments at work. Start with a negative experience and ask what was missing. Then revisit a positive one and identify what made it fulfilling. This helps reveal what you truly care about. If the same themes show up more than once, treat them as strong signals of your core values. Clarify through laddering. Compare important elements or choices in your life (jobs, relationships, places) and ask why you prefer one over another. Keep asking “why” until you reach a fundamental principle. Repeat this process to uncover a small set of core values. Sharpen your language. Test each value you’ve identified against synonyms that come to mind (for example, “accomplishment” vs. “excellence”). Choose the word that feels most precise. Continue refining until each value feels distinct, actionable, and non-negotiable. 在领导力决策中,你往往没有充裕的时间,也未必掌握完整的信息。在这种不确定时刻,一套清晰的价值观,能让你更快、更稳、更有底气地行动。 先从回顾出发。 回想你在工作中那些具有意义的时刻。先从一次负面经历开始,思考当时“缺失了什么”。再回到一次正面经历,分析它为何让你感到充实与满足。通过这种对比,你可以逐渐识别出自己真正重视的东西。如果某些主题反复出现,它们往往就是你核心价值观的重要信号。 再通过“追问法”深化。 将人生中重要的选择进行对比,比如不同的工作、关系或生活环境,问自己:为什么更偏向这一边而不是另一边?持续追问“为什么”,直到触及更根本的原则。重复这一过程,你会逐步提炼出少数真正核心的价值观。 最后打磨你的表达。 对每一个已识别的价值观,尝试用不同的近义词进行替换和检验(例如“成就”与“卓越”)。选择那个最精准、最贴近本意的词,并不断修正。直到每一个价值观都变得清晰、可行动,并且在关键时刻不可妥协。
Close the Gap Between AI Ambition and ExecutionClose the Gap Between AI Ambition and Execution Your AI strategy won’t deliver results until the people executing it are set up to succeed. Focus on closing the gap between long-term vision and day-to-day reality with these actions. Diagnose before you prescribe. Start by assessing where your organization truly stands. Identify where teams are aligned, where they’re resistant, and how managers perceive the strategy. Don’t rely on top-level optimism—get a clear, ground-level view before making decisions. Co-create the playbook. Bring managers into the process early. Involve them in shaping workflows, priorities, and rollout plans. When they help build the roadmap, they’re far more likely to execute it effectively. Reduce load before adding more. Free up managers’ time before introducing new expectations. Streamline administrative work and create space for learning, experimentation, and team support. Without capacity, even the best tools will stall. Measure readiness, not just adoption. Go beyond usage metrics. Track confidence, skills, and attitudes. Make readiness a core KPI so you understand whether teams can actually use AI effectively. Build feedback loops that reward honesty. Create clear channels for managers to share what’s working—and what isn’t. Treat setbacks and cautious assessments as valuable data, not resistance. 缩小AI愿景与执行之间的鸿沟 你的AI战略只有在执行它的人真正具备条件时,才能落地并产生价值。要让长期愿景真正转化为日常成果,关键在于弥合“战略想象”与“一线现实”之间的差距。 首先,在给出方案之前,先诊断真实现状。不要只依赖高层的乐观判断,而要深入一线,了解团队的真实状态:哪些部门已经对齐战略,哪些仍存在抵触,管理者又是如何理解这项转型的。只有建立在真实反馈之上的判断,才不会偏离执行轨道。 其次,让管理者参与共创。不要在完成设计后再“下发执行”,而是在早期就将他们纳入流程设计、工作方式调整与落地路径规划之中。当他们成为方案的共同设计者,而不仅是执行者时,落地的阻力会显著降低。 与此同时,在增加新要求之前,必须先释放他们的负担。如果管理者依然被日常行政事务压得喘不过气,再好的AI工具也难以真正发挥作用。通过简化流程、减少重复性工作,为他们腾出时间去学习、试验并支持团队,是转型成功的前提。 评估方式也需要升级,不应只关注“是否使用”,而要关注“是否具备使用能力”。除了使用率,还应纳入信心、技能水平与态度变化等指标,将“准备度”本身纳入关键绩效评估体系,才能真实判断AI是否被有效吸收。 最后,建立能够鼓励真实反馈的机制。为管理者提供清晰且安全的表达渠道,让他们可以坦诚分享进展、困难与顾虑。无论是挫折还是谨慎的判断,都不应被视为阻力,而应被当作推动系统优化的重要信息来源。
让领导愿意接受教练辅导的沟通方式How to Encourage Your Leader to Engage a Coach—Without Undermining Them For leaders rising through the ranks, honest feedback tends to disappear as their visibility increases, stakes get higher, and people grow more cautious. Over time, even strong executives can develop blind spots without realizing it. If you see this happening, suggesting executive coaching to them can help—but only if you approach it carefully. Your goal is to make it feel like their idea, not your critique. Diagnose the real barrier. Before you act, identify what’s actually blocking their openness to coaching. Is it ego, where asking for help feels like weakness? A misconception that coaching is remedial? Or is it simply overload? Match your approach to the barrier. Focus on their pain points. Don’t frame coaching around what they need to fix. Instead, listen for the frustrations they already express. Tie coaching directly to those challenges so it feels like a practical solution, not personal feedback. Reframe coaching. Position coaching as a tool top performers use to think better, not to improve deficits. Emphasize control: they choose the coach, set the agenda, and keep it confidential. This preserves their authority. Choose the right messenger. You might not be the best person to deliver this message. Involve trusted peers or advisors when it feels safer and more effective. Propose a short experiment. Lower the stakes. Suggest a limited trial so they can evaluate value without long-term commitment. 让领导愿意接受教练辅导的沟通方式 对于不断晋升的领导者而言,随着可见度提高、责任加重以及周围人变得更加谨慎,坦诚的反馈往往会逐渐消失。久而久之,即便是能力很强的高管,也可能在不自知的情况下形成认知盲区。如果你观察到这种情况,为他们引入高管教练(executive coaching)可能会有所帮助,但关键在于方式必须极其谨慎。你的目标,是让这件事看起来更像是他们自己的想法,而不是对他们的评判。 在行动之前,首先要判断真正的阻碍是什么。问题可能来自自我防御:他们是否将“寻求帮助”等同于能力不足?也可能是认知误区:他们是否认为教练只是“问题修复工具”?又或者,仅仅是因为工作负荷过重而无暇考虑?不同的障碍,需要完全不同的切入方式。 其次,聚焦他们已经表达出的真实痛点,而不是你认为他们需要改进的地方。认真倾听他们在日常中反复提及的挫折与压力,并将教练支持与这些现实挑战直接关联起来,让它呈现为一个解决问题的工具,而不是一条针对个人的反馈路径。 同时,重新定义“教练”的意义也非常关键。可以将其呈现为一种顶尖表现者用来提升思维质量的工具,而不是弥补不足的机制。强调掌控感:他们可以自主选择教练、设定议题,并完全掌握保密边界,从而保护其权威感与决策自主性。 在传递这一建议时,选择合适的沟通人选也很重要。有时你本人并不是最合适的传递者,可以借助更被信任的同级领导或外部顾问,使信息更容易被接受。 最后,可以将建议设计为一个低门槛的试验,而不是长期承诺。通过提出短期试用的方式降低心理负担,让他们在不承诺长期投入的情况下,先体验其价值,再做进一步判断。
When Employee Requests Irritate You…When Employee Requests Irritate You… As a leader, your day fills up fast with requests: questions, approvals, asks for feedback and support. Some are easy to handle. Others immediately frustrate you. When that irritation spikes, it’s tempting to blame the volume or the people asking. But the real challenge isn’t the requests themselves—it’s how you interpret and respond to them. Name the need. Every request carries a deeper longing. Before judging it, ask what’s underlying it: Is it a need for safety, care, belonging, or meaning? Then notice what the request stirs in you. When you identify both, you move from reaction to understanding. Think of irritation as a cue. Your frustration isn’t random. It’s often tied to what feels threatened in you. Instead of dismissing the request, get specific about your response. Do you feel challenged, drained, excluded, or diminished? The sharper the reaction, the more useful the signal. Respond with kindness—and conviction. Match your response to the need behind the request. When someone seeks safety, offer clarity without tightening control. When they seek care, provide support without taking over. When they seek belonging, stay open and engaged without forcing agreement. When they seek meaning, clarify growth and opportunity without guarding your own status. Ground yourself first, then respond in a way that addresses the need without overreacting. 当员工的请求让你感到不耐烦时…… 作为领导者,你的一天很容易被各种请求填满:提问、审批、反馈与支持的索取。有些事情可以轻松处理,但也总有一些请求,会在第一时间触发你的不耐烦甚至情绪抵触。当这种情绪出现时,人们往往会把原因归结为“请求太多”或“对方要求过多”,但真正值得关注的,并不是请求本身,而是你如何理解它,以及你如何选择回应它。 看见“需求”的本质。每一个请求的背后,往往都不只是表层的事务性需求,而是某种更深层的心理诉求:可能是对安全感的需要,对被看见与被关怀的渴望,对归属的确认,或是对意义与成长的期待。在你准备做出判断之前,更重要的一步,是先尝试理解这种隐藏在表层之下的“真实需求”。同时,也要觉察这个请求在你自身引发了什么反应——当你能够同时看见“对方在要什么”和“这件事在你身上触发了什么”,你就从情绪反射,进入了理解与判断的空间。 把“烦躁”当作信号。很多时候,所谓的不耐烦并不是随机情绪,而是一种信号。它提示你某种边界正在被触碰,某种资源正在被消耗,或某种角色期待正在被拉扯。与其简单地压制或忽略这种感觉,不如具体地去识别:你是感到被挑战、被消耗、被忽视,还是被削弱?情绪越强烈,往往意味着它所指向的问题越值得被认真对待。 用善意回应,但不失判断力。真正关键的,不是消除这些反应,而是在理解需求的基础上选择回应方式。当对方寻求安全感时,你需要提供清晰与确定性,而不是强化控制;当对方寻求关怀时,可以给予支持,但不替代对方的责任;当对方寻求归属感时,保持开放与连接,但不强行达成一致;当对方寻求意义与成长时,帮助澄清方向与机会,而不是用权威去压制可能性。先让自己回到稳定与清醒的状态,再去回应对方的需求,这样的回应才既有温度,也有边界。
Don’t Overburden Your Most Engaged EmployeesYou rely on your most engaged employeesto drive results. They’re dependable, motivated, andconsistently deliver, so it feels natural to turn to them when extra work comesup. But this instinct can quietly create imbalance, overloading your strongestcontributors while underutilizing others. Here’s how tocorrect it. Track task assignments. Keep a simplerecord of who gets assigned additional work, whether in a spreadsheet, runninglist, or brief notes after each decision. The goal is awareness; once patternsare visible, they’re easier to fix. Batch assignment decisions. Assignmultiple tasks at once instead of making one-off decisions. Groupingassignments—weekly, monthly, or quarterly—makes it easier to compare workloads and distribute work moreevenly. This simple shift reduces the tendency to default to the same people. Update beliefs about burnout. Employeeswho are highly motivated can still burn out, especially when extra tasks don’t align with what they find rewarding. Keep this in mind when makingassignments to protect your highest performers. 你往往会依赖那些最投入、最可靠的员工来推动结果。他们积极主动、执行力强,总能把事情做好。因此,当额外任务出现时,把工作交给他们似乎是再自然不过的选择。但正是这种“理所当然”,会在不知不觉中制造失衡:最强的人被不断加码,而其他人却没有被充分激活。 要打破这种隐性偏差,可以从以下几方面入手: 记录任务分配,让问题“可见” 用一个简单的方式记录额外任务的分配情况——无论是表格、清单,还是每次决策后的简短备注。关键不在复杂,而在于建立觉察:当分配模式被看见,问题也就更容易被纠正。 批量决策,而非“临时指派” 尽量避免临时、逐个分配任务,而是将任务集中起来,在每周、每月或季度统一分配。这种“批量决策”的方式,可以让你在同一时间对比不同成员的工作负荷,从而更公平地分配任务,减少下意识总是“找同一个人”的惯性。 重塑对倦怠的认知 高投入并不等于不会倦怠。恰恰相反,当额外任务不断叠加,且与个人的成就感来源不匹配时,最有动力的人也最容易被消耗。因此,在分配任务时,不仅要看“谁能做”,还要考虑:这件事是否对他而言有意义,是否在可持续范围内。
Don’t Let AI Erode Social Connections on Your TeamYou can integrate AI into your workplacewithout sacrificing human connection—but only if youmanage it deliberately. As adoption grows, you need systems that protectcollaboration, trust, and well-being. Monitor the social impact. Regularlymeasure team cohesion and employee loneliness as AI use increases. Combinesurveys with interviews and group discussions to understand how people areexperiencing change. Watch for warning signs such as rising isolation, reducedinformal communication, or fewer collaborative problem-solving sessions. Establish clear usage guidelines. Definewhen employees should prioritize human interaction over AI. Keep coaching,mentoring, conflict resolution, and team building primarily human-led. When AIis involved, ensure it supports employee judgment rather than replaces it. Setparameters during major staffing or workflow changes, and clarify when AIagents or avatars are responding instead of a person. Design AI to promote interaction. Avoidoverhumanizing tools. Introduce prompts that encourage critical thinking andcollaboration. Configure systems to suggest consulting colleagues in nuancedsituations and to recommend reviewers when developing plans. Use AI to foster connection. Reinvesttime saved into team rituals. Let AI coordinate these social activities to takethe hassles of scheduling and logistics off managers’plates. Train for healthy AI use. Educate employees onavoiding overreliance and recognizing AI’s limits. Model balanced behavior by demonstrating when to use AIfor efficiency and when to prioritize direct human engagement. 你完全可以在工作中引入 AI,同时保留人与人之间的真实连接——前提是你必须有意识地进行管理。随着 AI 的普及,你需要建立一套机制,去守护团队的协作、信任与心理健康。 持续监测“社交影响” 随着 AI 使用的增加,要定期评估团队凝聚力与员工的孤独感。将问卷调查与访谈、小组讨论结合起来,理解员工在变化中的真实体验。同时留意一些预警信号:比如孤立感上升、非正式交流减少,或协作式问题解决明显变少。 建立清晰的使用边界 明确哪些场景必须优先人际互动,而非依赖 AI。例如:辅导、导师制、冲突解决、团队建设等,应始终以人为主导。当 AI 参与时,应是辅助判断,而非替代判断。在涉及人员调整或流程重构时,提前设定使用边界,并清楚告知:何时是 AI(如智能代理或虚拟角色)在回应,而非真人。 用设计引导互动,而非替代互动 避免把 AI 过度“人格化”。通过设计提示机制,引导员工进行批判性思考与协作。例如:在复杂情境中,系统可以建议“与同事讨论”,或在制定方案时推荐合适的评审人,而不是让个体独立完成所有决策。 用 AI 反而强化连接 将 AI 节省下来的时间,重新投入到团队关系的构建中。 可以让 AI 负责组织这些社交性活动,从而减轻管理者在时间安排和协调上的负担。 培养“健康使用 AI”的能力 帮助员工理解 AI 的边界,避免过度依赖。作为领导者,更要以身作则:什么时候用 AI 提升效率,什么时候必须回到人与人的直接交流,要清晰地展示这种平衡。