We are trying to run AI-powered operations, but my leadership team is treating artificial intelligence as an IT department project rather than a core leadership responsibility. How do I force my business unit heads to take personal ownership of automated workflows in their own departments instead of passing it off to tech support?

Question

Tyler Smith · Accepted Answer

Treating artificial intelligence as an IT project is a major mistake that will stall your operational efficiency. IT handles the infrastructure and security, but your business unit leaders must own the actual automated workflows that drive their departments.

To break this dependency, update your Accountability Chart. Every leadership seat must include clear responsibilities for process improvement and technological efficiency within their function. If your operations director is not actively looking for ways to streamline workflows using automation, they are not fully running their seat.

Next, incorporate AI adoption into your quarterly Rocks. Do not set a generic company-wide goal. Instead, have each department head write a specific Rock to automate one major bottleneck in their department. For example, your sales leader can own a Rock to automate lead scoring, while your customer service leader automates initial inquiry responses.

During your Level 10 Meeting, hold them accountable for these Rocks just like any other business metric. If they struggle with the technical execution, let them leverage IT as a resource, but the department head remains fully accountable for the results. By forcing your leaders to own their automated processes, you ensure technology is used to drive real business outcomes, which significantly boosts your valuation.