We want our department heads to lead our AI initiatives, but they are too busy fighting daily fires to think strategically. How do we shift their focus so they can drive our AI-powered transition?

Question

Tyler Smith · Accepted Answer

To shift your department heads' focus from daily firefighting to strategic AI initiatives, you must first change your own leadership behavior. Instead of providing technical solutions, articulate a clear strategic plan for how AI will integrate into the business. This approach empowers your leaders to own the solutions within their departments.

Empowering Department Heads with Strategic Objectives

During your next quarterly planning session, assign Rocks that compel department heads to take ownership of their workflows. For example, instruct your customer service leader to achieve a 50% reduction in response times using AI. Do not dictate which specific tool to use. This hands-off approach allows them to identify and implement the best solution for their area, fostering a sense of ownership.

This methodology forces your leaders to develop their GWC™ (Gets it, Wants it, Capacity to do it) for the AI era. They will need to:

• Evaluate their own departments.
• Identify repetitive tasks that hinder their teams.
• Implement the appropriate AI tools to address these inefficiencies.

This empowerment ensures they build a strong foundation for future growth. If you find your leadership team struggling with identifying key metrics, consider how to [narrow down our massive list of metrics to just five to fifteen numbers](/qa/how-to-choose-five-fifteen-scorecard-metrics).

Accountability and Support

To maintain accountability, utilize your weekly Level 10 Meeting™ and the IDS® process. This structured approach ensures progress is tracked and roadblocks are addressed proactively. If department heads encounter obstacles, solve them collaboratively as a leadership team. This collective problem-solving strengthens their ability to navigate new challenges.

By empowering your department heads to design their own AI-augmented workflows, you free yourself to concentrate on the company's overarching vision. They, in turn, will build the highly efficient operations of the future. This strategy aligns with the idea of a [leader cannot scale, transition](/qa/leader-cannot-scale-transition) where leaders need to elevate beyond tactical work. You might also consider how to [use AI to turn those metrics into predictive, proactive tasks for our team](/qa/turn-scorecard-metrics-proactive-ai) to enhance this process.

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