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Fit For the Future

AI For CX

Examine every step of your customer journey to assess how you can use AI to enhance the customer experience. But there's a right and wrong way to do it - so be sure you combine human intelligence with the power of AI.


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https://swiy.co/go-ai-for-cx

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  • AI Champions

    05:34|
    How do you stay on top of all the changes with AI? It's evolving fast, and staying in touch can feel overwhelming. Instead of trying to track every new development yourself, find an AI champion in your team and give them the support they need to lead AI adoption and integration.https://swiy.co/go-ai-championAI Champion: The Role Every Team Needs to Navigate AII run regular AI Leaders Labs for clients and others in my close network to help leaders share their ideas and experiences about using AI. These leaders are interested in AI, both for themselves and their teams, and want to bring their people on the AI journey.In my most recent Leaders Lab, three participants asked the same question:“AI is moving so fast - how can we keep up with what’s new?”I have two answers ...First, of course, if you want an external perspective, engage me! I can run a masterclass for your team or deliver a keynote presentation at your next conference. It’s part of my regular “day job” to know what’s new in AI and make it relevant and meaningful for you.The other option I recommend - which I also recommended to my group - is to find an AI champion for your team.If you work in a larger organisation, you might be tempted to wait until somebody “higher up” creates rules, frameworks, policies, and tools for everybody to use AI.But that’s too slow!Sure, there are some things that need careful thought and strategic insight. But you can still get a lot of value from AI right now. That’s where an AI champion can help.You want somebody who is excited and enthusiastic about AI, and also keen for everybody else in the team to start using it. She might be the person who’s always testing the edges of what’s possible, and willing to extend the team’s capabilities.Your first step is to find the right person (or people, if you’re lucky enough to have more than one in your team). Your role is to nurture them and create an environment where they can excel as an AI champion for your team.They don’t need to be a senior person who understands all the policy implications and the bigger picture. It’s better to have someone who’s excited about AI, even if they don’t have the experience to make big-picture judgment calls (that’s YOUR role in this partnership).It’s not all plain sailing, though.Often, your AI champion is a more junior team member (although not necessarily a young person). This can create friction - for example:* Other team members might be jealous of this person’s special status.* Your peers, managers, or senior leaders might not respect this “junior” person when they speak up.* The IT department might be wary of allowing your AI champion freedom to test new tech.These are all valid concerns, and they are challenges you and your AI champion will need to navigate together.For help in this process, download my worksheet about finding, nurturing, and working with an AI champion in your team.This process takes a bit of effort - especially at first. But by investing in this effort, you will ensure your team stays informed, adapts quickly, and makes the most of AI’s opportunities.Download the worksheet:https://swiy.co/go-ai-champion
  • DeepSeek Disruption

    07:36|
    What do you know about this new Chinese AI app called DeepSeek that’s taking the AI world by storm?DeepSeek, a new app similar to ChatGPT, became the #1 downloaded app on the App Store when it was launched recently. You might have heard about it in technology news, but it’s also in the mainstream media.But how can we separate the hype from the reality?Let’s talk about three things about DeepSeek, and also what it means for you as a leader.1. China’s Growing AI CapabilitiesThe common wisdom was that China was lagging behind the USA in AI expertise and development. So it caught most people by surprise to see something as good as DeepSeek coming out of China.But that assumption was wrong. China has been a leading force in AI for years - for example:* Last year, they created the world’s first virtual AI hospital to advance medical procedures.* They have been using AI to tackle climate change for many years.* As far back as 2016, China set out to make an entire city that only allowed driverless cars.2. Bias and Censorship ConcernsAnother issue with DeepSeek is the possibility of bias and government censorship in DeepSeek’s results.This is true! For example:* If you ask it about Tiananmen Square, it doesn’t know (although some reports say that has changed).* If you ask it about the sovereignty of Taiwan, it gives you the stock standard government response.* If you ask it to make a joke about Xi Jinping, it says that would be rude.So yes, DeepSeek has bias and censorship. But so do other AI tools!For example, US president Donald Trump recently declared that the Gulf of Mexico was now going to be called the Gulf of America. For most of the world, that makes no difference (no one country can unilaterally rename an international body of water). But in the USA, Google has adjusted Google Maps so that - for US users only - it will apear as the Gulf of America.3. DeepSeek Is Faster And CheaperDeepSeek was developed with fewer resources than its competitors, and that surprised many people. It was cheaper to build, cheaper to train, and uses less energy to run. (In the ultimate irony, Sam Altman, the CEO of OpenAI, claims it has inappropriately used some of ChatGPT’s material in its training!)But this is just a natural evolution of technology. All the other AI platforms and tools are also becoming cheaper and faster. DeepSeek isn’t leapfrogging other platforms; it just happens to be new.What This Means for You as a LeaderWhen you hear news about DeepSeek, take it with a grain of salt. Some of the hype doesn’t match reality.More importantly, what does this mean for you as a leader? In general, not much at all!You should definitely know what’s around the corner, over the horizon, and maybe even just landed on your doorstep. But also assess it carefully, because not everything needs immediate action.If you’re already using ChatGPT, Copilot, or some other AI tools, keep going! There’s no immediate need to switch to DeepSeek.If you haven’t already started using AI, you should. And you should be having regular conversations with your team about using AI in the workplace – to help improve productivity, enhance the customer experience, and make better decisions faster.Download my worksheet about having AI conversations with your team.https://swiy.co/go-deepseek-disruption
  • Leading In 2025

    04:29|
    As we step into 2025, it’s clear we will have much more change and uncertainty - but also opportunity. Your path to success depends on how well you can lead yourself and navigate your team through the year. Your focus should always be about people first: guiding your team, customers, and yourself through the complexities of the year ahead. It’s not about predicting the future but staying adaptable, monitoring trends, and bringing people on the journey.https://swiy.co/go-leading-in-2025As a leader, what are you expecting in 2025? You might have done your initial planning for the year, but we all know that our plans will change! Whatever we can foresee now, we will face a lot of change, uncertainty, and disruption before the end of the year.For example, you might have already heard rumours about the Next Big Thing in AI: AI agents, which can scurry around doing things on our behalf. How can you plan for that now when you don’t know exactly what they will look like?It’s easy to use AI as an example because it’s obvious to us all that it will change. But this applies to many other things in our world as well - including workplaces, hybrid work, Federal and State elections, cybersecurity, sustainability, and more!The most thing to keep in mind as that it’s about people first.Your path to success depends on how well you can lead yourself and navigate your team. It’s not about predicting the future but staying flexible and bringing people on the journey.I recently published some research about the key leadership trends for 2025. Even those that are about technology - like AI and cybersecurity - are about how people engage with the technology, not the tech itself.For more about these trends, join my online presentation very soon, where we’ll look at three in more detail. I’ve chosen three directly related to important groups of people in your organisation: your customers, your employees, and of course yourself.It’s free, public, and open to all. So feel free to invite others in your team as well.Register for the virtual masterclass:https://swiy.co/go-leading-in-2025
  • Bridging The Gap

    05:19|
    With up to five generations working side-by-side, your workplace is more diverse than ever. This offers many opportunities for collaboration and innovation, but it also presents challenges, like differing attitudes toward hybrid work, financial pressures, and conflicting priorities. If you're a leader who can embrace these differences and foster a culture of mutual respect, you will be better equipped to manage conflicts, retain talent, and build thriving, future-ready teams.https://swiy.co/go-bridging-the-gapHow many generations are working in your organisation? It might be up to five – and in rare cases, there could even be six generations working together.From the oldest to the youngest:Baby Boomers, who are usually the most senior people in the organisationGeneration X (my generation), in their fifties and sixties, often in senior roles and some close to retirementGeneration Y, or the Millennials, many now in management positionsGeneration Z, roughly up to the age of 25, who are new to the workforceGeneration Alpha are even younger workers, often apprentices or in their first "real job"With so many generations working together, you have people with different worldviews, different attitudes to work, and very different experience and expertise. This creates some interesting dynamics.On the positive side, if you have the kind of culture that values and embraces diversity, it gives you great opportunities for collaboration, innovation, and different perspectives.But sometimes, it doesn’t work so well. Often, you get these generations butting heads against each other.For example, the pandemic forced organisations to provide working from home for their office workers, and now many – especially older managers – are trying to drag their people back full-time into the office. But younger workers want to hold on to that flexibility. In fact, they have always wanted it, even before the pandemic. They don’t necessarily want to work from home all the time, but they also don’t want the drudgery of the Monday to Friday nine-to-five commute their parents endured.Other things like rising costs of living and rising inflation create pressure at both ends of the generational scale.For younger workers, facing high costs of living and high inflation, it’s more difficult to save for investments – for example, in the property market that created financial security for their bosses.At the other end, many older workers who were planning to retire are being forced to delay their retirement because rising living costs. So, they stay at work for longer. That’s good for the organisation because it retains their wisdom and expertise. But it’s also bad for the organisation because it creates a bottleneck at the top, which hurts the career path for younger employees.Younger people also care more about an organisation’s values, purpose, and ESG commitments. They holding their managers and organisation responsible for things like climate change, sustainability, diversity, and equity. If you don’t provide that, they will often choose to move.I’m running an online prsentation soon about these challenges and other leadership issues for 2025. It’s free, public, and open to all. So register now, and invite other leaders in your team and network as well.Register for the virtual masterclass:https://swiy.co/go-bridging-the-gap
  • Cross-Industry Collaboration

    04:41|
    How do you cope when employees, customers, and other stakeholders are more demanding than ever before? It's impossible to solve every problem, but you can partner with others - even outside your industry - to solve complex challenges and meet rising demands. Use cross-industry collaboration to unlock innovative solutions, share resources, and strengthen your organisation.https://swiy.co/go-cross-industry-collaborationHow are you coping – and planning to cope – with our fast-changing world in 2025?You don’t need a futurist to tell you our world is changing faster than ever before, and we’re going to face a lot more change, uncertainty, and disruption in the future.We’re all experiencing this every day. But as a leader, how are you managing and navigating your team through that?Leaders have a dual responsibility now. On one hand, you have to navigate this change and lead your team through it. And on the other hand, you must keep an eye on the future so you can take advantage of the opportunities that change brings.The problem is people expect more.Customers are more demanding.Our employees are more demanding.Other stakeholders are more demanding.It’s not enough to simply try to pedal faster and faster to keep up. It’s tempting to try, but you will burn out. And even if you don’t, it’s impossible to keep up.So, what can you do instead?Instead of trying to solve all your problems internally, partner and collaborate with other organisations. It doesn’t even need to involve people within your industry. You just need people who can help you solve problems you’re not equipped to solve.This idea is called cross-industry collaboration, and it’s rapidly gaining steam.I’m sure you have seen examples of it aready – for example:Woolworths partners with OzHarvest to provide surplus food to charities so that they don’t waste it.Telstra and the Royal Flying Doctor Service are collaborating to increase the number of telehealth services for people in regional areas.The National Australia Bank (NAB) is partnering with Good Shepherd Microfinance to provide small micro-loans to customers who NAB isn’t equipped to serve.This idea of cross-industry collaboration is one of ten key trends I’ve identified for leaders in 2025. I’m running an online presentation soon about these trends.I won’t cover them all, but instead will focus on three key trends: one about customers, one about employees, and the other focused on you as a leader.This presentation is free and open to everybody. So please register and feel free to invite others in your team, especially leaders.Register for the virtual masterclass:https://swiy.co/go-cross-industry-collaboration
  • 10 Key Leadership Trends For 2025

    32:10|
    The future of leadership is about navigating complexity with clarity and purpose. As technology reshapes industries and societal expectations evolve, leaders must foster human connection, champion transparency, and embrace adaptability. Success will come to those who prioritise learning, sustainability, and collaboration, creating workplaces where people thrive. In a time of uncertainty and rapid change, future-ready leaders will be those who inspire trust, foster innovation, and thrive in change.https://swiy.co/go-10-trends-2025Human-Machine Collaboration: Leaders must foster environments where technology amplifies human strengths, so AI serves as a trusted partner, working alongside humans for greater productivity and innovation.Sustainability: Customers and employees prioritise businesses that value sustainability, and leaders who authentically embrace sustainability initiatives will be rewarded, while those who don’t will be penalised.Cybersecurity: As cyber threats escalate, leaders across all areas and at levels are expected to champion a culture of vigilance and accountability in their teams.Transparent and Authentic Leadership: As the world becomes more digital and automated, customers and employees are demanding transparent, values-driven, and authentic leadership.Future-Ready Skills: Leaders must promote and endorse a spectrum of emerging skills, such as digital literacy, cognitive flexibility, creative thinking, and emotional intelligence.Continuous Learning: Leaders must cultivate a culture of learning where people can upskill, reskill, and even “un-learn” outdated practices - using AI, microlearning, and immersive technology.Cross-Industry Collaboration: In an interconnected world, organisations are investing in collaboration and partnerships to help them solve problems they can’t tackle alone.Employee Experience: In a competitive talent market, where employees expect more, organisations must provide empathetic leadership and dynamic work cultures that prioritise the individual’s journey.Workforce Demographics: With up to five generations working side by side, leaders must navigate diverse expectations, communication styles, and priorities.Crisis Leadership: Organisations everywhere are more vulnerable to external shocks, and leaders need to manage these shocks, balancing decisiveness with empathy and risk with opportunity.(BONUS) Quantum Computing: Quantum computing is still in its early stages, but its impact will be rapid and massive, and has the potential to revolutionise entire industries.Download the worksheet:https://swiy.co/go-10-trends-2025
  • Maybe You're The Problem

    05:35|
    The world is changing faster than ever, and we need teams to be embracing change. But many people are slow to change, reluctant to change, or resistant to change. If that's true for your team, maybe YOU are the problem! Many leaders unintentionally say and do things that create a change-resistant culture. Recognise these words and actions, and replace them with a new mindset and behaviour that encourages change and adaptability.https://swiy.co/go-maybe-youre-the-problemAre you, as a leader, getting in the way of making progress for your team and maybe even for your organisation? You might be doing it unintentionally, but it still stops and slows down change.In a recent online presentation about the future of AI, I asked people to share their biggest questions and challenges about AI. Some were about the future of AI and what’s ahead, but by far the biggest obstacle that many people are facing is slow adoption of AI at work.They said things like:“We’re blocked from using AI.”“I feel like I’m the only one who’s interested in it.”"It’s not part of our policy.""It’s not your job.”These are common frustrations - not only with AI, but with change in general.The problem is, many leaders and managers are unintentionally saying things that stop or hold back change in their teams.Have you ever said anything like this to your team members?“It’s not part of your job.”“We tried that once, but it didn’t work.”“It’s against our policy.”“Our customers won’t like it.”When you say these things, it’s for a good reason: You want to protect your team, keep the organisation safe, ensure projects stay on track, and so on.But you might also be creating a culture that resists change.If someone comes to you with an idea and you say, “It’s not part of your job”, they might feel discouraged. They might try again and get a different objection. After a while, they will stop.As a leader, it’s a tough balance to strike. On one hand, you have a responsibility to the organisation to stay on track, protect its reputation, and remain productive. On the other hand, you also have a responsbitiliy to create a culture of change. With so much change happening in the world, your team needs to be ready to embrace it.So, how do you remove obstacles to change while still meeting goals, KPIs, and customer expectations?Of course, I can tell you to just stop saying these things! But it’s not as easy as that. Instead, look for reasons why those things - while they might have been true in the past - might not be as appropriate now.In other words, find objections to the objections.To help you with this, download my worksheet about creating obstacles to change - and how to overcome them. It’s a useful and fun activity to use with your team to tackle these objections - even before you raise them.This is especially useful right now, as many leaders are planning for the year ahead. As you plan for the future, don’t only think about strategies and goals. Also consider the behaviours you want to encourage in your team - and yourself!Download the worksheet:https://swiy.co/go-maybe-youre-the-problem
  • Flying The AI Flag

    05:09|
    Do you feel like you're only person championing AI in your organisation? It can feel like an uphill battle, especially when you face restrictive policies and scepticism. The key is to respect existing boundaries but still find ways to use - and demonstrate - AI to create value through small, safe projects. Lead by example to inspire curiosity, build trust, and create a ripple effect.https://swiy.co/go-flying-the-ai-flagDo you sometimes feel like you’re the only person in your team - and maybe even your organisation - flying the flag for AI? It’s not easy, especially if others are not interested, actively pushing back, or even banning it.This is one of the most common responses when I ask people about the biggest challenges they have with AI right now. They say things like:“I love using it and there is lots we could do with it. But our organisation is just slow to catch on to new technologies.”“Fear, lack of trust and lack of education make AI an uncomfortable space…. It’s like you are doing something wrong!”“I feel like I’m fighting this battle alone. My team is not really interested in trying to use it.”Do you feel the same way? Are you excited and eager to use AI more, but you’re constantly being blocked or banned?The solution is to smart small.First, of course, everything you do must be within your organisation’s AI policy. Don’t go outside those rules - that would be risky, unsafe, and potentially a career-limiting move!But within those rules, there’s often still a lot you could do.Ideally, everybody is moving fast to becoming an AI-driven organisation. But that kind of change takes time - a lot of time. But even if you’re not there yet, look for things you can do right now.For example:Use AI yourself for admin tasks like email, meetings, draft reports, and data analysis.Identify other AI champions in your team who can help and support each other.Engage your teams in running small-scale AI projects that create value just for the team.Start small, set a good example for others, and demonstrate AI’s value in low-risk, highly visible ways. Over time, these small wins help to spread the message through your organisation.I’ll be discussing this in my next online presentation coming up very soon - about AI in 2025 and beyond. It’s free, public, and open to everybody. Register now, and and share the link with your team and others in your organisation - especially those who are wary of AI now!Register for the virtual masterclass:https://swiy.co/go-flying-the-ai-flag
  • Scaling AI

    06:38|
    At what level are you using AI, and what’s your plan for using it next year and beyond?Whenever I deliver my Leveraging AI keynote presentation at a conference, I always include an extra “hands-on” AI masterclass afterwards - run over Zoom within three months of the conference. The keynote gives them the big picture, and the masterclass shows them how to get immediate value from AI - whatever their role and familiarity with AI.I always start these masterclasses by asking participants to rate - on a scale of 1 to 10 - how much they are using AI. Typically, the average is in the 4-6 range, with a few below or above those middle numbers.When we dig a bit deeper, I find the main reason they don’t have a higher score is something like:“I just don’t know how else to use it.”That’s a reasonable response, especially for something as new as AI.If you’re wondering the same thing, here’s a useful framework. Think of people in your team using AI at four levels: personal, professional, projects, and platform.Level 1: PersonalAre you using AI in your personal life? Tools like ChatGPT can be incredibly useful, even for tasks unrelated to work. I suggest you encourage everybody on your team to exploring AI at home to help in their personal life.Level 2: ProfessionalNext, use AI to enhance your professional role. This isn’t about your core job, but rather the surrounding tasks like managing emails, running meetings, or interacting with people. These tasks are essential but often time-consuming and stressful. AI can reduce the burden and make you more efficient and effective in your professional life.Level 3: ProjectsAt this level, AI becomes a tool for your team. These are short-term projects - no more than three to four months - that deliver real value to the team without needing full organisational buy-in. For example, you could use AI to streamline a process or tackle a specific challenge. Of course, you do them within your organisation’s AI policy, but you can still do them independently.Level 4: PlatformThis is the highest level, where AI becomes integral to your organisation’s operations. Think of banks using AI to assess loan applications, insurers using it to calculate premiums, or HR departments designing personalised learning journeys for employees, or IT teams using AI to enhance cybersecurity. Initiatives at this level typically need a strategic decision at the organisational level, and it’s where you get the biggest overall benefits.Broadly, those are the four levels: personal, professional, projects, and platform.If you’re a senior leader responsible for a department, division, or the whole organisation, you might start thinking about AI at the platform level. But if you’re not, don’t wait until the organisation does something. Look at the other three levels. Encourage people to use it in their personal life first, then in their professional roles, and then create projects as a team.If you want to know more, I’m running a free public online presentation soon about AI in 2025. This will help you use AI strategically and practically to solve business problems and achieve goals, including organisational and people goals. If you’re interested, register here and invite others in your team and network as well.Register for the virtual masterclass:https://swiy.co/go-scaling-ai