The AI Organization

Appendix A. AI Crash Course for Business Leaders

I love this TV show in which CEOs spend one day undercover among their employees—Undercover Boss. It’s fascinating (and fun) to watch how terribly unprepared these CEOs are for the most basic jobs in their own companies. Each episode ends with an all-hands meeting at which the CEO shares what they learned during their time with the employees. In most cases they have eye-opening experiences that help them value their employees more, make better decisions, create new policies, or even understand the overall business better.

Most business leaders I know are already very involved in the main business of their companies. In many cases, they have a long experience in that industry and maybe even started in entry-level jobs. I have to admit I’ve always loved that in a leader.

My father emigrated from a small agricultural village in Spain to the city to work as a carpenter in the shipyards. He ended up founding and managing a furniture company, but he would always be a carpenter at heart. He loved the fine art of carpentry, and he was passionate about the work done by each of the workers in his company. That profound connection to the business made him unique as a manager. Leaders like my father, who are born into an industry and have a deep knowledge of their domain, are passionate about the products they deliver; they inspire and motivate the team, and they develop a natural strategic way of thinking that’s impossible to beat.

But something ...