Managers Are the Gatekeepers to AI Success
Managers hold your AI success hostage—and right now, they’re overwhelmed, unsure, and dangerously under-supported.
Here is a surprise for you – managers, the unsung heroes of companies, hold the leverage for AI adoption success. But their rate of engagement in AI – just 30%!
AI initiatives move forward into workflows and workforces based on today's managerial readiness. And they are not ready.
Why?
Let’s start with this – most managers are in their positions accidentally. They did not plan to become managers. They were just promoted into the role and went with it. The pandemic hangover meant little training, if any, and not time to catch on.
The result – managers are the most highly stressed members of the workforce.
And they place stress onto their teams – not intentionally, it just happens.
Managers today are already stretched to the limit. They’re caught between juggling urgent day-to-day demands and attempting to deliver on strategic expectations that often aren’t entirely clear.
Most managers spend only 30% of their time leading people and the rest buried under administrative tasks. Adding AI implementation to their plate, without clarity or the right tools, isn’t just challenging—it’s overwhelming.
Beyond workload, there’s an unspoken but deeply felt anxiety among managers.
Many quietly wonder, "Am I going to be blamed if this AI initiative fails, even though I don't fully understand it?" They worry about their capability gaps, especially when it comes to navigating the complexities and uncertainties of new technology. Without adequate training and support, the idea of leading AI adoption becomes daunting rather than empowering.
Finally, there’s the critical gap around authority and accountability. Managers simply aren’t clear about what exactly they’re responsible for regarding AI—is it adoption speed, employee acceptance, or business outcomes? The absence of clear expectations and defined decision-making authority means managers often default to caution, hesitation, or even quiet resistance, ultimately slowing down or sabotaging AI adoption before it can truly take off.
And how do they see executives in the AI adoption equation? They are not in the room. Managers rated the effectiveness of leadership support for AI initiatives at just 40% - love the idea, just not the work itself.
So, no wonder managers step back from AI. It is not the technology; it is the time and trust they need to make it work for the business and their teams.
As an enlightened business leader, what do you do to save the overwhelmed manager?
Ask them for their perspective and input.
Manager perspectives are the untapped fuel for successful AI adoption in Atlantic Canadian businesses. Leaders hesitate on AI not due to lack of technology, but because they overlook insights their own people already hold about real challenges and opportunities.
Asking managers directly about critical business problems and opportunities for creating value and margin, shortcuts months of guesswork, instantly clarifying how AI can best deliver meaningful impact.
Trust the insights of your managers first, and your AI roadmap practically writes itself.
Are your managers actively driving your AI strategy forward, or are they quietly stepping back and waiting for clearer direction from you?
Find out about measuring manager perspectives on AI positioning for your business by touching base with me at michael@workinsights.io.