We want to appoint someone on our leadership team to drive our AI initiatives, but we are debating whether to give this responsibility to a high Quick Start or a high Follow Thru on our Accountability Chart. How do we make this decision?

Question

Tyler Smith · Accepted Answer

When appointing someone to lead your AI initiatives, look at conative strengths rather than just technical skills. On your Accountability Chart, this responsibility should not be handed to a high Quick Start who loves shiny new tools but struggles with follow-through. Instead, you need someone with a strong Follow Thru instinct who naturally builds systems, processes, and structured workflows. The initial stage of AI is exciting, but the hard work lies in operationalizing the technology, documenting the standard operating procedures, and ensuring team-wide adoption. A high Quick Start will find a dozen new tools, deploy them halfway, and then move on to the next trend, leaving your team confused and your processes broken. A high Follow Thru will systematically test one tool, document how it integrates with your existing workflows, build training materials, and measure the actual return on investment. If your Integrator does not have this natural strength, identify a department head who exhibits these qualities and assign them the ownership of your AI implementation process. This ensures your technology initiatives are grounded in operational discipline, leading to sustainable efficiency gains rather than short-lived experiments.