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Irma Becerra is president of Marymount University, a comprehensive doctoral-granting university known for its innovative curriculum.
Leaders face daily pressures, in particular when addressing unanticipated problems. Oftentimes, we may think that a good leader should have all the answers. There is an obvious discomfort when we are in a situation where we are asked a question for which we have no answer. But in the era of AI, how are leaders to cope when dealing with the unknown?
In general, humans do not like change. However, like it or not, change is very much a part of life. We needn’t look further in history than the global pandemic to understand what upheaval can do to the functioning of an organization. For millions of organizations globally, getting comfortable with being uncomfortable was paramount to surviving the once-in-a-lifetime catastrophic event. Our university tackled hundreds of obstacles daily in the spring of 2020 with no playbook or historical reference for guidance. As an organization, we made tough decisions, worked together and grew stronger from the experience.
But getting to that point wasn’t easy. While pursuing my engineering degree in the 80’s, I was often the only woman in advanced STEM classes and then, as a new engineer, holding my own in uncomfortable scenarios became the norm. Despite being faced with high-pressure situations, I learned to steady my nerves, think clearly and act authoritatively.
From the start of my career, I knew to view obstacles as opportunities for growth. Every obstacle I encountered and each problematic question I lacked an answer for left me more emboldened and determined. My willingness to ask probing questions, raise critical issues and propose unconventional solutions was paramount to my intellectual growth and professional advancement.
As a result, I work to ensure my faculty, staff and students know the importance of speaking up and asking questions. I also remind them not to be afraid to acknowledge when they don’t have an answer. Here’s how organizational leaders can apply that same mindset to AI:
Get comfortable with being uncomfortable.
When someone doesn’t know the answer to a question, it can spark anxiety and discomfort, regardless of their accomplishments or professional standing. The immediate reaction in these situations is often to not respond, feel embarrassed or become antagonistic. But there’s a lost opportunity when people hesitate to openly acknowledge that they need more information to comment on a situation or issue.
As leaders, one way to remedy the problem is to clarify that no one is expected to have all the information. After all, how can we know what we don’t know?
Reflecting on my experiences at NASA, where pushing technological boundaries was a daily norm, I realized that the most significant “aha” moments often emerged from uncomfortable yet necessary conversations. Whether questioning the feasibility of a project or suggesting a novel approach, being comfortable with discomfort was the key to growth.
Recognize that AI will profoundly impact modern business.
In many ways, organizational culture can benefit from the integration of AI. Still, the road ahead calls for patience and a willingness to balance the contributions of man and machine. Workplace dynamics are evolving, making courageous leadership more critical. While there needn’t be panic over AI replacing humans at the office, many people are understandably uncertain of the future of work. Leaders can reshape their perspective by highlighting AI as a path to growth.
From the advent of the internet to cloud computing, the world has realized tremendous technological strides in the past three decades. And now, the era of AI promises to alter forever how we live and work. AI provides leaders with tools like predictive analytics, simplifying the task of complex data analysis while also automating many non-routine tasks. AI can also provide opportunities to streamline and optimize many business decisions.
Now, more than ever, leaders must adopt a growth mindset and commit to lifelong learning. In her book, “Mindset: The New Psychology of Success,” psychologist Carol Dweck distinguishes between people with fixed vs. growth mindsets. Those with a growth mindset view setbacks and difficult situations as opportunities to learn and grow. For those with a growth mindset, practice, hard work, perseverance, dedication and resilience is the secret sauce to success. When it comes to AI, I encourage leaders to embrace a growth mindset.
Remember that not knowing something is an opportunity to learn something new.
As AI introduces ever-increasing complexities into our work, expect your teams to be uncomfortable with the many radical changes underway. It’s also important to expect mistakes along the way. Leaders who acknowledge what they don’t know create a culture that sends a message to others in the organization that it’s OK not to have all the answers yet. (Dweck speaks to the power of yet in this impactful TED talk.)
AI advancements may cause much unwanted change. As leaders, we know it isn’t possible to please everyone. Last year, I made a critical albeit unpopular leadership decision that brought significant change to our university. My action called for our organization to tolerate short-term pain for long-term growth. For me, that difficult but necessary experience perfectly exemplified the value of getting comfortable with being uncomfortable in the face of change.
We have much to gain and more to learn in the era of AI. Now’s the time to collectively get comfortable with being uncomfortable and embrace the future with a growth mindset.
