Getting Your Board on Board with GENAI
If you’re serious about integrating generative AI in your organization, you need to convince your board.
Like, seriously convince. Jaws on the table, Pellegrino paused halfway to their lips, giggling with delight.
But getting the board’s attention is like trying to get Taylor's attention when she's blowing up MetLife stadium.
So let’s get strategic. Every revolution starts with a plan. (I think? I'm not a big history guy.)
Understanding what BOARDs want
Here's a little secret about boards of directors:
They're terrified of missing out.
I don't care if your company makes cheese graters or spaceships. Boards are made up of people like you and me. Except hopefully smarter and richer-er.
And just like you and me, those brains are vulnerable to cognitive biases.
One of the strongest of these is loss aversion bias, where the pain of losing is twice as powerful as the pleasure of gaining. It's why the "Limited Time Offer!" still totally works on us.
When it comes to generative AI, boards are worried about getting left behind. Of losing market share to the competitor who develops some insane genAI-powered innovation.
But your board has a challenge - here's the problem: Most board members don't know how to actually implement generative AI. Many don't even use it much themselves.
The result? They're not sure where genAI belongs.
Typically, I find, they look at the techiest people in the org and say "Hey, nerd! (They don’t say nerd.) Go figure this out. And report back."
The techiest people are like "Uh, my job is to keep AWS from crashing, compadre. (They don’t say compadre.) Can someone else handle this?"
So the implementation gets passed around the organization. Because there’s no roadmap - this is all too new.
But it doesn't have to be this way, friends.
THE THREE A'S TO GETTING BOARDS ON BOARD
So how do we do this?
Here's where we unveil my patented Three A's Framework.
(I don't have a patent on this. I just like to put the word "patented" in front of things.)
Awareness - Alignment - Action
STEP ONE: AWARENESS
You’ll want to start at a level below your board. Your boss’s eyes need to be popping out of his/her boss head. Create something that they NEED to take to the board.
You’ll need demos that leave jaws on the table.
The demos are where the magic happens. Use cases that demonstrate how your organization can scale up the productivity of everyone in the company.
Here’s the great part of this:
These use cases can come from any level of your organization. The best ideas could just as easily come from the CHRO or the dude who almost got fired for drop kicking the stupid printer.
Make them vivid. Tangible. Get their mental gears turning.
Don’t worry too much about productivity. The point here is the wow factor.
STEP TWO: ALIGNMENT
Align the use cases directly to your company's strategic objectives.
Does your company want to improve customer satisfaction scores? GenAI can help with that.
Is cutting costs a priority? Showcase how GenAI can automate tasks and free up resources.
Trying to speed up product development? There's a GenAI use case for that.
The key here is to connect the dots for the board. To show them, in no uncertain terms, how GenAI isn't just some vague objective - it's a strategic lever that can help achieve their goals.
STEP THREE: ACTION
You need to move the board from awareness to action.
And the best way to do that? With a hands-on immersive experience.
Propose a half-day workshop with an expert who understands how to train companies on generative AI. The goal? To have the board actually use GenAI to solve problems and complete tasks.
Get involved with it! You’ll want to connect with that instructor, tell them about your business objectives. Give the instructor insight about what your leadership dreams about.
Customize the workshop to your company's specific challenges and opportunities. The board will see, in real-time, how GenAI can transform decision-making, spur creativity, and boost operational efficiency.
They'll walk away not just informed, but inspired. Ready to lead the charge on GenAI integration.
And here's the best part - they'll associate all of that progress with you. You'll be the person who not only opened their eyes to the possibilities, but gave them a roadmap to get there.
PUTTING IT ALL TOGETHER
Let's zoom out for a second.
Getting your board bought in on GenAI isn't just about getting budget approval for a new tech tool. It’s about getting leadership excited. It’s about getting the right instructors in to show them the magic.
And a little side benefit? Guess who gets the credit: You. The person who not only sees the potential of GenAI, but can rally the organization around it.
So let's get to work, friends. Let's build that awareness, create that alignment, and spur that action.
AI NEWS OF THE WEEK
1. Anthropic Crushes It
Anthropic dropped a killler new model, Claude 3. I tested it on day one and was blown away - the reviews are coming in hot, and they’re amazing. Especially for mimicking your tone/voice/brand. Amazing stuff.
2. Elon Sues OpenAI, OpenAI Punches Back
Elon Musk is the Donald Trump of tech, never failing to drop bombs to make headlines. Elon sued OpenAI, saying they’re violating the terms of his investment in them. OpenAI shot back with email receipts. It’s wild.
3. Lessons for GenAI in 2024
You don’t have to read everything on generative AI - but when McKinsey puts out a report, it’s gold. Highly recommend their Turning Potential into Value 2024 report.
Generative AI Tips
GPTs are personalized custom ChatGPT bots, built right into ChatGPT. You build in custom instructions into it, which is great.
But even better, you can upload documents.
My favorite use case is uploading a training manual for your new hires, then giving that new hire access. No more too-embarrassed-to-ask-stupid-question or constantly interrupting more senior staff. They can just chat with the admin manual to get all their questions answered.
This requires ChatGPT Plus - please get it. Best $20 per month you can spend!
That’s all for today!
Thanks for reading, and share with anyone you think can benefit! We gotta learn together!
See you next time!
