REWIRE OR RETIRE

AI Leadership: What every Executive needs to know, do or decide about AI’s impact on their career

A masterful new book that explores the impact of AI on leadership, culture, ethics and provides clear actions for any executive to either embrace AI or to accept it is time to stand aside .

Free eBook

Structured Approach

REALITY

The first part examines the current state of leadership in the context of technological change, the unique characteristics of the AI revolution, and the critical need for Digital Intelligence (DQ) as a leadership competency. By understanding the stakes and the environment, you’ll gain clarity on why action is urgent and non-negotiable.

RETHINK

The second part addresses the barriers that often prevent leaders and organizations from embracing AI transformation. From psychological resistance and ethical dilemmas to cultural contradictions and governance challenges, these chapters provide insights into the human and organizational dynamics that shape AI adoption.

REWIRE

The final part offers practical strategies for rewiring both personal and organizational leadership. You’ll learn how to build AI literacy, foster cross-functional collaboration, align organizational priorities, and create a culture that thrives in an AI-driven world. Whether you choose to rewire or retire, these chapters will equip you with a roadmap for purposeful action.

What’s Inside

The Digital Divide

This chapter examines the widening gap between leadership and technological advancements. It highlights the critical challenges posed by digital transformation, the lessons from digitally mature organizations, and why leaders need to bridge this divide to stay competitive.

1.1 Leadership in the Age of Disruption

1.2 Digital Maturity: Where Leaders Stand Today

1.3 The Rise of Pure-Play Companies: Lessons from the New Leaders

1.4 Bridging the Leadership-Technology Gap

1.5 The High Stakes of Staying Behind

Use Cases:

  • Rio Tinto (Mining): “Digital Transformation in Traditional Mining”
  • DBS Bank (Banking): “Digital Banking Leadership”

AI Revolution: No Place to Hide

This chapter unpacks the transformative impact of AI, emphasizing its accessibility, speed, and disruption to organizational structures. It explains why traditional leadership bottlenecks hinder AI adoption and showcases the real-world potential of AI.

  1. Why This Revolution is Different
  2. The Democratization of AI: Accessibility and Speed
  3. Organizational Disruption and Decision-Making in the AI Era
  4. Leadership Bottlenecks: The Greatest Constraint
  5. AI’s Real-World Impact: Examples from Industry

Use Cases:

  • Deutsche Post DHL (Logistics): “AI-Driven Logistics Transformation”
  • Maybank (Banking): “AI Banking Revolution”

 This chapter’s exploration of AI’s transformative potential leads naturally to Chapter 3, where we introduce the concept of Digital Intelligence (DQ) as the key leadership skill for navigating this disruption.

 The Digital Intelligence Imperative (DQ)

This chapter introduces Digital Intelligence (DQ) as an essential capability for leaders to thrive in the AI-driven landscape. It outlines the components of DQ, its measurement, and its link to organizational performance.

  1. The Third Pillar: Why IQ and EQ Aren’t Enough
  2. Understanding Digital Intelligence (DQ)
  3. The DQ Framework: Core Components
  4. Measuring Your Digital Intelligence
  5. Linking DQ to Leadership and Business Success

With an understanding of the need for DQ, we move into Part II to explore the barriers that often prevent organizations and leaders from embracing AI transformation.

The Psychology of Change

This chapter focuses on the human and organizational resistance to change. It identifies common psychological and cultural barriers that hinder AI adoption and provides insights into overcoming these challenges.

  1. Resistance Patterns: What Holds Us Back
  2. Personas and Their Reactions to AI
  3. The Role of Cognitive Biases in Decision-Making
  4. Overcoming Organizational Inertia
  5. Navigating the Human Side of Transformation

Use Cases:

  • Tokio Marine (Insurance): “Cultural Resistance to AI Transformation”
  • Anglo American (Mining): “Mining’s Digital Mindset Shift”
  • Carrefour (Retail): “Retail Change Management Success”

This chapter’s exploration of psychological resistance sets the stage for Chapter 5’s deeper dive into the ethical complexities of AI leadership.

The Ethics of AI Leadership

This chapter explores the ethical challenges of AI, including bias, fairness, and inclusion. It emphasizes the leadership role in ensuring ethical AI adoption and governance.

  1. Bias and Fairness: The Ethical Dilemmas of AI
  2. The Leadership Role in Ethical AI Adoption
  3. Diversity and Inclusion in an AI-Driven World
  4. Governance for Responsible AI
  5. Strategies for Building Inclusive AI Systems

Use Cases:

  • Unilever (Consumer Goods): “AI Bias Detection in Recruitment”
  • Standard Bank (Banking): “Inclusive AI Banking Solutions”

Understanding the ethics of AI leads to a broader discussion of sustainability in Chapter 6, including AI’s environmental and social impact.

The Sustainability Imperative

This chapter addresses the dual role of AI in both exacerbating and solving environmental challenges. It provides strategies for integrating sustainability into AI-driven transformations.

  1. The Dual Role of AI in Sustainability
  2. Environmental Costs of AI Systems
  3. Leveraging AI for Sustainable Practices
  4. ESG in AI Adoption: Leadership’s Role
  5. Balancing Growth with Responsibility

Use Cases:

  • Maersk (Shipping): “AI-Driven Sustainable Shipping”
  • Mahindra Group (Manufacturing): “Smart Manufacturing Sustainability”

Chapter 7 builds on this foundation by examining AI’s impact on the workforce and the paradoxes it creates.

The Future of Work Paradox

This chapter explores how AI is reshaping the workforce through acceleration, augmentation, and automation. It highlights the challenges and opportunities in reskilling and workforce transition

  1. Acceleration: Enhancing Human Capabilities
  2. Augmentation: Collaboration Between AI and Humans
  3. Automation: The Realities of Job Displacement
  4. New Roles and Skills for the AI Era
  5. Managing Workforce Transitions

Use Cases:

  • Siemens (Manufacturing): “AI-Augmented Workforce Transformation”
  • América Móvil (Telecommunications): “Digital Skills Revolution”

This discussion transitions to Chapter 8’s exploration of the board’s role in AI governance and strategy.

The Board Dynamic

This chapter examines the governance challenges AI poses for boards and offers strategies for building confidence and competence among non-executive directors.

  1. The Chairman’s Perspective on AI
  2. Governance in the AI Age: New Challenges
  3. Risk Management for AI Initiatives
  4. Building Confidence in AI at the Board Level
  5. Collaborative Governance Between Board and C-Suite

Use Cases:

  • AstraZeneca (Pharmaceuticals): “Board-Led AI Governance”
  • MTN Group (Telecommunications): “Digital Governance in Emerging Markets”

From governance at the board level, we shift to Chapter 9’s focus on aligning perspectives within the C-suite.

The C-Suite Challenge

This chapter delves into the dynamics of the C-suite, highlighting the challenges of alignment, collaboration, and managing competing priorities in the AI era.

  1. Divergent Perspectives in the C-Suite
  2. Managing Competing Agendas
  3. Collaboration Across Functions
  4. Power Dynamics and Territoriality
  5. Building Unified C-Suite Leadership

Use Cases:

  • Air New Zealand (Aviation): “Cross-Functional AI Integration”
  • Saudi Aramco (Energy): “Digital Leadership Transformation”

 Chapter 10 builds on these organizational dynamics by examining how culture impacts AI adoption and success.

The Cultural Contradiction

This chapter explores the tension between legacy and digital cultures and its impact on talent, innovation, and leadership effectiveness in AI initiatives.

  1. Legacy Culture vs. Digital Mindset
  2. Talent Attraction and Retention in a Digital World
  3. Balancing Innovation and Stability
  4. Navigating Cultural Transformation
  5. The Role of Leadership in Shaping Culture

Use Cases:

  • Ping An Insurance (Financial Services): “Digital Culture Evolution”
  • BMW (Automotive): “Manufacturing Culture Transformation”

Having addressed barriers and dynamics, the book transitions to Part III, where practical solutions and pathways for leadership transformation are outlined.

The Rewire Framework

This chapter introduces a practical framework for personal leadership transformation, helping leaders build digital intuition, AI literacy, and a roadmap for progress.o.

  1. Foundations of Personal Transformation
  2. Building Digital Intuition
  3. Developing AI Literacy
  4. Crafting Your Learning Journey
  5. Measuring Progress: Tools and Metrics

Use Cases:

  • Allianz SE (Insurance): “Digital Leadership Academy Success”
  • Reliance Industries (Conglomerate): “Leadership Digital Transformation”

With the personal transformation framework in place, Chapter 12 shifts focus to leading AI-driven organizational transformation.

Leading AI-Infused Digital Transformation

This chapter focuses on strategies for driving AI-enabled organizational change, including aligning teams, managing innovation, and balancing risks.

Setting the Transformation Agenda

12.2 Achieving Cross-Functional Alignment

12.3 Balancing Innovation with Stability

12.4 Building a roadmap for AI integration

Use Cases:

  • CEMEX (Construction Materials): “Digital-First Leadership Strategy”
  • Woolworths Group (Retail): “Retail Leadership Evolution”

With organizational strategies covered, Chapter 13 explores the choice leaders must make to rewire or retire.

Rewire

This chapter provides a roadmap for leaders choosing to rewire, focusing on personal and professional transformation. It details actionable strategies to help leaders thrive in the AI-driven future.

  1. The Mindset Shift: Embracing Lifelong Learning
  2. Building an Ecosystem of Knowledge and Support
  3. Leading by Example: AI Fluency in Action
  4. Adapting to Emerging Trends
  5. Empowering the Next Generation of Leaders

Use Cases:

  • Tata Group (Conglomerate): “Building AI Leadership Capacity”
  • Procter & Gamble (Consumer Goods): “Transformational Leadership in the Digital Age”

After exploring the rewiring pathway, the final chapter delves into the alternative: retiring with purpose and legacy.

We help Leaders increase their Impact

Leadership has always been about responding to change and about people. But the AI age demands a new kind of leadership—one that is adaptive, curious, and unafraid to challenge the status quo. It’s no longer enough to rely on intuition or past experience. To lead with AI is to lead with intention, humility, and a commitment to learning. It is also about determining the blend between Human Led and Machine Led activities and the myriads of variants that exist between theses two absolutes.

This book is not about predicting the future; it’s about preparing for it. It’s about recognizing that AI is not a threat to leadership but an opportunity to redefine it. It’s about understanding that the greatest risk is not the technology itself but our failure to adapt to it.

So, whether you’re feeling overwhelmed, excited, or skeptical about AI, you’re not alone. The journey ahead won’t be easy, but it will be worth it. Let’s get started.

A diverse group of professionals joins hands in a team-building exercise indoors.

“A groundbreaking book about leading in an AI disrupted Age.

This is a book to increase your leadership relevance, authority and impact and is especially helpful to the senior executive without a background I technology who are grappling with the disruption and uncertainty that AI is having on their organisations and their own relevance”

~ Marco Wíren, CFO Nokia

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Meet the Authors

Marco Ryan

is an established thought leader and expert in artificial intelligence, leadership, and digital transformation. Known for driving commercial success through high-performing, diverse teams, he brings over 20 years of experience leading digital transformation, data, and AI strategies in multinational corporations. His leadership approach, initially formed during thirteen years in the British Army, has shaped his success as former Chief Digital Officer of BP, Wärtsilä, and Thomas Cook. Currently consulting to multinational executive teams on AI and cyber risk and coaching FTSE 100 board directors on AI strategy, Ryan serves as Cyber Leader in Residence at Lancaster University Management School, where he is also a visiting professor.

A prolific author and champion of ethical AI and inclusive leadership, Ryan’s works include the bestselling ‘The Cybersecurity Blueprint’ and his 2024 leadership series: ‘101 Cyber Answers for Leaders,’ ’51 Essential Cyber Terms Explained for Leaders,’ and ’51 AI Terms Explained for Leaders.’ His TEDx talk, ‘Digital Transformation or How to Change the Wings of an Aircraft in Flight,’ showcases his ability to make complex digital concepts accessible to leaders.

As a GCHQ Certified Non-Executive Director and mentor at Menttium, Ryan continues to shape digital strategy through various board advisory positions, including his previous role as Non-Executive Board Director at Fortum. Recognized by Forbes Magazine as one of the top 10 Digital Influencers in 2014, he combines commercial acumen, technical expertise, and inclusive leadership principles to help organizations navigate their digital future.”

Alastair Lechler

is a Partner at Argon International, specializing in sustainability transformation and change management. With over 20 years of experience in executive recruitment and business transformation, he works with progressive leaders to redefine organizations and build resilient, future-focused businesses.

As the founder of ReBoot CIC, a social enterprise focused on innovative outdoor learning programmes, Lechler brings a unique perspective to leadership development and team transformation. His approach combines traditional business transformation principles with experiential learning, emphasizing the role of wellbeing and mental fitness in organizational success.

Recognized for his expertise in identifying and developing non-traditional talent, Lechler advises organizations on building diverse, adaptable teams capable of navigating complex change. His hands-on experience in both corporate transformation and experiential learning provides distinctive insights into the human aspects of organizational change and leadership development.”

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