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What Leaders Should Consider When Implementing AI

What Leaders Should Consider When Implementing AI

by Jana Wölfl | Jul 26, 2023 | Agile Leadership, eLearning, Leadership in the digital transformation | 0 comments

What Leaders Should Consider When Implementing AI

A New Step into the World of Technologies – Artificial Intelligence for Leaders

Prefer to listen to the article? Click below to access our AI speech-generated audio. However, if you want to read it as usual, keep scrolling.

Alexa, Chat-GPT, and Co – Artificial Intelligence (AI) is gaining more and more significance. Leaders are also increasingly relying on AI systems in their companies. In this blog post, you will learn about the areas where this technology is particularly suitable and what you, as a leader, should pay special attention to.

What is Artificial Intelligence?

Artificial Intelligence is the ability of a machine or computer to mimic human behavior and intelligence. In Austrian companies, these technologies are already being used to the extent of 38%. Let’s first take a look at the areas where Artificial Intelligence can be best applied.

Customer Service and Recruiting

A form of artificial intelligence that you are probably familiar with is chatbots that provide automated responses to customer questions. This saves your employees a lot of work, allowing them to focus on more complex tasks, thereby increasing the productivity of the company.

AI can also bring advantages in the field of recruiting. AI-powered programs can analyze applications based on keywords and qualifications and recommend the most suitable candidates for the position to employers.

Data Analysis for Success

Another useful capability of AI is to analyze key data and make decisions for the company. These technologies can identify trends and create a plan that is meaningful for the industry. Artificial Intelligence is much faster and more accurate than a human employee in this regard.

However, AI can not only determine existing trends but also predict future trends and adjust the company’s strategies accordingly. This naturally provides a competitive advantage.

Potential Risks of Artificial Intelligence

Although AI brings some advantages to our companies, there are also risks involved in its use. On the one hand, AI systems are more vulnerable to hacker attacks. Hackers can limit the capabilities of the programs, thereby infiltrating and gaining access to important information.

On the other hand, artificial intelligence is still only an imitation of human behavior and cannot replace emotions, creativity, and empathy. Chatbots can, therefore, appear impersonal, and their direct and unfiltered nature can be perceived as hurtful.

What Leaders Need to Consider When Implementing AI

As you can see, the use of Artificial Intelligence in companies is almost inevitable. Here are 5 tips on how to smoothly transition to these new technologies.

1. The Vision

First and foremost, you need to be clear about the exact purpose for which you want to use Artificial Intelligence in order to provide the best possible relief for yourself and your employees. Consider realistic goals that you can set for the company.

Share these goals and ideas in an AI roadmap with your employees. By doing so, you involve more people in the company in your decisions, and you can work out your plans together.

2. Soft Management Skills

In this age, leadership qualities such as curiosity and emotional stability become even more important as AI replaces the “hard” elements of leadership (such as processing information).

Leaders need to be more open to new things and adapt to changes. This can establish a basis of trust with your employees, making the implementation of artificial intelligence easier.

3. Test Artificial Intelligence

No one expects you to immediately master artificial intelligence in your company. You can simply try out the new technologies and test which applications of Artificial Intelligence you prefer.

Furthermore, the programs develop their own feedback loop, which allows you to simplify and improve their use.

Artificial Intelligence

4. Data Privacy and Transparency

Since AI systems often have access to personal data of employees, you should comply with European data protection regulations when using Artificial Intelligence.

In some cases, the applications may even need to be certified according to European standards to achieve the highest possible level of security.

Transparency is also crucial as your employees should know when and in what context artificial intelligence is used in the company. This promotes trust in the leadership and AI systems, and your employees can adapt to their use more quickly.

5. Don’t Forget About People

When implementing artificial intelligence, employees often have concerns about being completely replaced by machines. It is up to you not to forget about the human employees and continue to distribute tasks to them.

Artificial intelligence should be seen as more as a tool and less than a workforce. Data and proposed changes should still be analyzed and interpreted by humans.

As a leader, you should continuously support your employees and provide them with ongoing training to foster their work with artificial intelligence.

Conclusion

Artificial Intelligence brings several benefits to companies as it simplifies and automates work processes. At MDI, we have also familiarized ourselves with programs like Chat-GPT recently.

Of course, caution and careful consideration are necessary when applying AI. However, we are confident that with proper preparation and security measures, a significant step can be taken into a new world of technologies.

Sources:

  • https://www.oed.com/viewdictionaryentry/Entry/271625
  • https://www.hernstein.at/fileadmin/user_upload/HMR/HMR_2_2022_Digitale_Welt.pdf
  • https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbesbusinesscouncil/2022/11/21/the-top-five-ways-ai-is-transforming-business/?sh=1a61f3e88e7f
  • https://www.die-wirtschaft.at/weltmarktfuehrer/kuenstliche-intelligenz-als-fuehrungskraft-51404
  • https://www.forbes.com/sites/metabrown/2018/07/30/predictive-analytics-terms-business-people-need-to-know-no-hype-allowed/?sh=6c3fc4d23d43
  • https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbesbusinesscouncil/2023/03/01/understanding-the-benefits-and-risks-of-using-ai-in-business/?sh=7cf0b2d36bba
  • https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbesbusinesscouncil/2022/11/21/the-top-five-ways-ai-is-transforming-business/?sh=1a61f3e88e7f
  • https://hbr.org/2018/01/as-ai-makes-more-decisions-the-nature-of-leadership-will-change
  • https://www.mckinsey.com/capabilities/people-and-organizational-performance/our-insights/will-artificial-intelligence-make-you-a-better-leader
  • https://www.plattform-lernende-systeme.de/reden-und-beitraege-newsreader/ki-fuer-fuehrungskraefte-wie-der-einsatz-der-technologie-gelingt.html
  • https://www.hbi.de/blog/wie-kuenstliche-intelligenz-ki-die-rolle-von-fuehrungskraeften-veraendern-wird/
Jana Wölfl

Jana Wölfl

Marketing Assistant

Jana Wölfl works at MDI as a marketing assistant and writes blog posts for our site in addition to her studies at Leiden University.

She also works for SDI and supports us with writing content there as well.

Download our MDI Whitepaper:

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Why Should We Lead More Sustainably?

Why Should We Lead More Sustainably?

by Aline Depoorter, Jana Wölfl | Jun 26, 2023 | Leadership Impact, Leadership Tips, MDI Inside | 0 comments

Why Should We Lead More Sustainably?

It is hard to imagine most companies today without the concept of “sustainable leadership.” Leaders are not only becoming more privately aware of the impact of climate change but also want to fight it on a corporate level.

In this article, you will learn what exactly is meant by Sustainable Leadership and how we at MDI are doing our part.

What is Sustainable Leadership?

In the Journal of Corporate Citizenship, Sustainable Leadership is defined as a leadership style that incorporates social, economic, and environmental issues into its professional concepts. Sustainable leadership is the collaboration of multiple individuals striving to provide the best possible professional future for future generations.

It is important to have an eco-centric mindset (sustainable consumption both privately and as a company), to plan for the long term, and to innovate new, environmentally friendly methods and models.

This means, then, that in a sustainable management style, strong thought is given to the future generation of workers. By consciously paying attention to the environment and planning sustainably in the company, you directly contribute to a generally more sustainable leadership culture.

What Are the Benefits of Sustainable Leadership?

According to a Forbes article, two-thirds of international organizations are striving to be more sustainable in their business. They are focusing heavily on expanding sustainable approaches because, on the one hand, they are feeling the effects of climate change both physically and financially (especially companies in the agricultural sector).

On the other hand, sustainability strategies lead to better financial performance and thus higher profitability, as a Harvard Business Review study has found.

Another relevant aspect is the fact that many job applicants prefer a sustainable management style and would rather accept a job that shares their values and where they can make a difference. 69% of workers consider the aspect of sustainability when choosing a career.

Sustainable leadership is therefore not only a financial advantage for companies but also an attractive factor for applicants and employees.

Sustainable Leadership

Sustainable Leadership @ MDI

At MDI, we also take sustainability to heart. For starters, we conduct the majority of our seminars virtually, which significantly reduces our carbon footprint by saving our participants’ travel expenses and the company travel and hotel costs.

Since virtual conferences can also have a negative impact on the environment, the quality of the video does not have to be extremely high. The type of technology also plays a major role – according to this, a fiber optic line is a much more environmentally friendly alternative to standard 3G mobile internet.

In addition, when choosing the means of transport, it is also important to us that public connections are used, for example, in order to reduce the ecological footprint. We also make sure that the average of our participants does not have a long or far journey to the seminar location.

However, MDI still has an annual CO2 emission of 119 tons, which is why we offset our greenhouse gas emissions by purchasing certificates from the “VCS & CCBS Forest Conservation Brazil” project. We also strive to implement sustainable management strategies at our main site in Vienna.

In general, we are aware of the state of the environment and we always strive to do our part for a more sustainable leadership culture in the spirit of Sustainable Leadership.

Office Inner Development Goals (IDG) Collaboration Partner

As an official Inner Development Goals (IDG) collaborating partner, we at MDI are committed to actively engaging with other stakeholders, organizations, and individuals, to promote the integration of transformational skills for sustainable development into our Leadership Development. We aim to facilitate dialogue, knowledge sharing, and collaboration to advance the agenda of the IDGs.

Read more on our Inner Development Goals for a Better Leadership World

Sources:

https://www.researchgate.net/publication/263604448_Sustainable_Leadership_Towards_a_Workable_Definition

https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbeshumanresourcescouncil/2022/09/07/the-importance-of-sustainable-leadership/?sh=36805631b6ae

https://hbr.org/2017/09/how-to-quantify-sustainabilitys-impact-on-your-bottom-line

https://news.gallup.com/poll/346619/environmental-record-factor-job-seekers.aspx

Aline Depoorter

Aline Depoorter

Marketing Manager

Aline joined MDI in 2020 as a Marketing Manager with over 10 years of B2B marketing experience. She is primarily responsible for the overall coordinated organisation of MDI’s advertising activities and the management of marketing projects. This includes, among others, the MDI Business Unit SDI as well as Leadership Horizon and personalist.at. Aline is a strong marketing all-rounder with a passion for leadership development, digital transformation and event organisation.

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Jana Wölfl

Jana Wölfl

Marketing Assistant

Jana Wölfl works at MDI as a marketing assistant and writes blog posts for our site in addition to her studies at Leiden University.

She also works for SDI and supports us with writing content there as well.

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How to strengthen social capital in the workplace

by Jana Wölfl | Jan 26, 2023 | Digital Transformation, Leadership Impact, Leadership Tips | 0 comments

Why do you like your job?

Is it the work, the salary, or perhaps the interaction with your colleagues? 

The latter is being neglected in many companies, especially during the pandemic. Until then, people had lunch together from time to time, chatted briefly at the coffee machine or worked together on projects.

How to foster exhange and strengthen social capital in the workplace.

But how do you foster this exchange, this connection in a hybrid or even virtual environment?

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(more…)

Workation evaluation – lessons we have learned so far

Workation evaluation – lessons we have learned so far

by Jana Wölfl | Nov 28, 2022 | Agile Leadership, Best Practice, MDI Inside | 0 comments

Vacation during working hours seems like a dream – but is it really?

We provide a workation evaluation, weigh the pros and cons and look at the lessons we have learned so far.

* Workation evaluation – Lessons Learned so far

Workation – Work and Vacation – has become a popular tool in recent years for companies to give employees a little relief. After all, who doesn’t want to escape the gray daily work life for a few weeks?

In this article, you’ll learn a little more about what we have learned from our workation experiences so far, and what possible consequences it could entail.

Work on vacation

At first glance, it seems strange to put the two words work and vacation together. Normally, when we are on vacation, we don’t want to think about our job, we want to switch off.

In the past, digital nomads in particular, i.e. remote workers, were not tied to a specific workplace. But in the age of digitalization and technological progress, more employees get the opportunity – regardless of the industry – to work from somewhere else.

Workation is about escaping your work routine.

For a limited time, employees can travel to a specific country and do their work from there. Whether from the beach, a big city or the mountains – the location doesn’t matter. The only important thing is that the Internet connection is stable enough and that the agreed times are adhered to. The rest is mostly up to the employees.

Is all that glitters gold?

Workation evaluation – Lessons Learned so far

Vacation during working hours seems like a dream at first. But is this concept really ideal? We weigh the pros and cons.

Pros:

  • The advantages are obvious. You discover new places and experience a different culture.
  • In addition to the usual work tasks, you can relax a little.
  • Change of scenery: Everyone needs a change from the usual four office walls.
  • Travel stimulates creativity. New impulses arise from new impressions.
  • Flexibility – employees are free to decide where they want to work from.
  • Traveling with other team members can additionally be a good way to get to know each other better and build a stronger team

2022 Facts and figures about workation

Clearly, the concept of Workation is extremely attractive to employees.

But we also come across some benefits for companies themselves. According to statistics from workation.com

  • 93% of employees are more productive than before.
  • This increases the performance of remote working by 20% overall.
  • In turn, the company saves per remote employee $11,000 per year.
  • In addition, 86% of Millennials want more flexibility in the workplace.
  • Workation can be a great solution to create more agility and increase employee satisfaction.

Cons:

  • Complete relaxation is not guaranteed. You probably think about work most of the time and so you can’t switch off completely. Especially when your job is hectic and you have a lot to do it’s hard to enjoy the vacation part of workation.
  • Your technical equipment – laptop, cables, etc. – adds extra baggage.
  • If the Internet connection is not stable, you can hardly do your job.

Maintaining a better work-life balance with workation

In the end, however, it is worth giving the concept of workation a chance. In most cases, employees return more relaxed and can continue working with renewed energy. Complications can’t be avoided, but after all, they also arise during normal travel.

We at MDI have already tested workation ourselves. If you want to know how it went, you can read about it here 🙂

  • Third Workplace – Can you really work from anywhere?
  • Third Workplace – a plea for more flexibility

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Young, working & thriving – Dreams & expectations of the new Gen Z

Young, working & thriving – Dreams & expectations of the new Gen Z

by Jana Wölfl | Jul 21, 2022 | MDI Inside | 0 comments

Young, working & thriving – Dreams and expectations of the new Gen Z

According to PwC, Millennials will make up 50% of the workforce by 2030. But as quickly as Millennials have moved into the workforce, another, even larger generation is coming along:

Generation Z.

And they are capable of being a disruptive force in the workplace. They are more diverse, more technologically advanced and, even though Millennials and members of Generation Z are close in age, their belief systems are verry different.

The way employees, managers and HR professionals interact with this new group of professionals will determine whether they create an amazing corporate culture that benefits both employees and the employer – or miss the mark entirely.

How do leaders and companies need to adapt?

That’s what we try to find out in an interview with MDI’s youngest team member, Jana! Born in 2003, she is part of the Generation Z.

About Jana

In her gap year after high school and before university, Jana started as a team assistant at MDI.

In April she went on an Interrail trip where she discovered 7 cities in Europe. Besides traveling, she likes to spend her time on creative outlets like crocheting, photography or cooking.

Being part of Generation Z, her cell phone is naturally a bigger part of her life than she would like.

Dear Jana, Let’s Spill the Tea on Generation Z 🙂

Tell us a little bit about yourself.

What are your professional interests and what further education do you aspire to?

My professional interests actually change all the time. Right now, though, I’m about to start my bachelor’s degree in the Netherlands – International Studies at Leiden University. It’s an interdisciplinary degree that studies economics, culture, language, and politics based on a specific world region. So it’s perfect for someone like me who has no idea what exactly she’s interested in or what she wants to do later on.

However, I could well imagine going in a creative direction later on (e.g. in the field of graphic design) or writing and reporting for media as I am doing right now at MDI.

What would an employer have to offer (website, job advertisement, etc.) to appeal to you?

First, the price-performance ratio needs to be right – I don’t want to do more work than I get paid for. At the same time, I must get the feeling that I fit in with this company – this can happen through a nicely designed website, a pleasant ad or an exciting job description.

Requirements currently too high

But it’s also important that the employer doesn’t set too many conditions that I can’t fulfil. A common problem in my environment is that you don´t have as much previous professional experience due to school and university as is often required. Right now, it´s really hard to find even an easy job where experience in 10 different fields or a personal contact isn´t essential.

In general, do you already know what is important to you in your job?

No, not yet exactly. I know that I don’t want to spend 100% of my working time behind a screen. And this is going to sound banal, but I expect my job to make me want to go there and maybe even develop a passion for what I do. I can’t imagine anything worse than a workplace where my stomach clenches every time I think about it.

What motivates you in a professional context?

On one hand, as I said,

  • the interest in the job
  • and the fact that I enjoy going to work.
  • On the other hand, the people I cooperate with play a big role.

Team cohesion

I feel incredibly comfortable at MDI, mainly because we have great team cohesion. That motivates me – I always enjoy going into the office and chatting with my colleagues.

Recognition and feedback

Another factor for me, of course, is the recognition and feedback I get for the tasks I complete. It’s important for me to know that what I do for MDI every day is well received or that I’m doing a valuable job for the company. And if that’s not the case, I want that to be communicated honestly and transparently as well, so I know how I can improve.

What are professional must haves & no go’s for you?

For example, in terms of working hours, work models, on and offline work, etc.

Must-Have 

A must-have is the option of home office or third place working. For example, last week I was in quarantine, and it really helped that I could keep my mind busy, even at home. Also, I am very grateful that I can arrange my own working hours. Of course, I know that this is a privilege, and I don’t expect it to be the same later when I work more.

No-Go

A no-go for me would be if people don’t talk to me respectfully & eye to eye. In addition, I always want to be able to combine my private life with my professional life and not have to drown in my work.

Do you prefer home office, third place working, F2F working in the office or a mix of the above?

Hybrid Working

Definitely a mix. I still prefer to physically go to the office because I can socialize with my colleagues there. But also because I can separate my private life from my professional life more clearly there. In the office, my concentration is much higher and I’m not as easily distracted (e.g. by a spontaneous tidy-up).

Third Place Working

Nevertheless, every now and then I’m happy to be able to do my work from home or – even better – from a third location like a nice café.

What channels (social media) should an employer use to reach you?

Personally, I only use Instagram. However, I think it makes sense to display advertisements on all channels possible (Twitter, Facebook, Tiktok, …). After all, that’s where most young people spend their time and why not apply for a job right away if you’re already using the app?

What are your expectations from your direct manager?

I want to be appreciated for what I do. I don’t think much of hierarchical structures, so it’s important to me that my leadership doesn’t patronize me and meets me on the same level. And, as I said before, transparent and honest communication is a must for me.

How important is the age structure of your team to you?

I haven’t given that much thought yet. But basically, I’m always happy to see diversity – which means age diversity, too. It’s definitely important that the company consists of people of different ages, so that knowledge and experience can be drawn from different generations.

Diversity is more

But you have to remember that diversity is not just about age, but almost more about including different ethnicities, gender identities and people with disabilities.

How important are non-work social events with colleagues to you?

Very. Every lunch with the whole team brings me great joy. It’s nice to be able to talk not only about work, but also about our personal lives. I also particularly appreciate that at MDI – there are always opportunities to network outside of the professional context. Great regulars’ tables and parties are organized, where you can get a bit closer to each other.

Dear Jana, last question 😉 Make a choice ... a lot of money, but a job that makes little sense to you or vice versa?

I can answer this question in two ways.

On one hand, it clearly helps me for my current life situation to earn a lot of money in order to save something or to spend it on things that are important to me (my first apartment, traveling, etc.).

On the other hand, in the future, when I am employed full time in a company or maybe even self-employed, I would prefer to work in something that I also see a personal meaning in – even if I don’t earn much for it.

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