Reclaiming leadership's essence in the age of AI

Executive summary

This article explores how leaders can leverage AI to create deeper human connections in organizations, addressing the modern leadership challenge where time is consumed by administrative tasks. Key insights include:

• Connected leadership drives measurable business results: higher engagement, lower turnover, fewer safety incidents, and increased productivity. Research shows that highly engaged business units experience 21% higher profitability and 17% higher productivity than those with disengaged workforces (Gallup, 2022).
• AI tools can handle administrative burden, meeting documentation, and data analysis, freeing leaders to be fully present with their teams. Studies indicate that leaders who use AI report significant time savings during their workday (Microsoft, 2023).
• The future of leadership isn't choosing between technology and human connection—it's using technology to elevate authentic leadership presence. Most leaders agree their companies need to adopt AI to stay competitive, with users reporting it helps them save time (Microsoft, 2023).

Power of presence

David wasn't just another project manager - he was a presence. Walking through the field each day, he knew hundreds of workers by name, asked about their families, shared their concerns, and celebrated their wins. "He really cares," workers would say, capturing the essence of his leadership.

When unprecedented rains threatened to derail a project and cost millions, David called an all-hands meeting. He didn't just outline problems or demand solutions, he connected. With the same genuine care he'd shown in countless field conversations, he shared the challenge and asked for help. The response was extraordinary. The entire team mobilized with renewed purpose and finished on time without a single safety incident. This wasn't just effective leadership; it was human connection in action.

From technical manager to connected leader

Mario, an engineering leader at a mining operation, started from a different place. Skeptical of relationship-focused leadership, he questioned non-technical conversations. "I don't understand the point of talking to people about things not related to work," he'd say - a common sentiment among technical leaders.

Yet through experience, Mario discovered what David already knew: authentic human connection is transformational. As he learned to engage with his team beyond technical discussions, people noticed. He became warmer, more present; a different kind of leader.

Leadership connection gap

Today's research reveals a troubling reality: leaders increasingly lack the time to create meaningful human connections despite their proven value. The cognitive burden is overwhelming:

• Leaders face endless data streams requiring analysis
• Constant decision-making across multiple domains
• Growing administrative responsibilities
• Back-to-back meetings that limit real connection

Studies indicate that leaders spend a majority of their time on administrative and technical tasks, leaving limited time for direct human interaction (O'Connor & King, 2020). Yet leadership fundamentally centers on empowering people, not managing tasks.

The business case for connected leadership is compelling:

Beyond these metrics lies something even more powerful – the sense of belonging and purpose that emerges when people feel truly seen and valued. As leadership expert Simon Sinek observes, "Leaders are not responsible for the results - they're responsible for the people who create the results" (Sinek, 2019).

AI as the bridge: From administration to connection

Many leaders worry that AI might replace human judgment or diminish authentic connections. But when thoughtfully implemented, AI holds the potential to enable deeper human connection through:

• Administrative Relief: AI handles meeting preparation, note-taking, and follow-up, allowing leaders to focus completely on being present, not documenting.
• Operational Intelligence: AI excels at converting complex data into simple, actionable insights, identifying trends that need personal attention.
• Communication Support: AI tools provide context-aware suggestions and track commitments without adding mental load.

Organizations utilizing AI extensively report higher productivity compared to those with limited AI use, demonstrating the positive effect of AI adoption on operational efficiency (McKinsey, 2023).

From enforcement to enablement: A case study

In my work as a safety leadership consultant, I witnessed this transformation with a manufacturing plant safety director who initially viewed leadership as simply enforcing rules and procedures. Through our coaching, he began to understand that people don't deviate from procedures because they want to, but because the system influences them to do so.

We utilized generative AI to analyze procedures alongside field observation data, finding several enhancements that made it easier for people to do the right thing. This shifted his view from enforcement to enablement. Three months later:

• Near-miss reporting increased by over 50%
• People felt psychologically safe to speak up
• Teams were confident their observations would improve the system rather than result in blame

The AI tools freed him from hours of procedural review to focus on meaningful field conversations that built trust – the real catalyst for transformation.

Three pillars of AI-enabled connected leadership

For leaders ready to embrace this approach, focus on these three critical pillars:

1. Time-Creating Systems

Implement AI solutions that genuinely create space in your day. One manufacturing executive deployed meeting transcription with AI summarization, reducing his documentation time by 70% and allowing him to maintain eye contact throughout team discussions. The result was noticeably deeper conversations and team members reporting they felt "truly heard."

2. Connection-Building Practices

Develop skills that maximize the value of your newly available time. A project manager implemented "connection walks" – brief field visits guided by AI-generated insights about team progress and concerns. These targeted conversations allowed her to address specific issues while building relationships, resulting in 23% higher team engagement scores within one quarter.

3. Meaningful Measurement

Track both performance metrics and connection quality. One operations leader implemented a weekly pulse survey asking just one question: "How connected do you feel to leadership this week?" Mapping these responses against productivity metrics revealed that teams reporting high connection consistently outperformed less connected teams.

The Choice Before Us

As we navigate the intersection of technology and leadership, we face a crucial choice. We can remain trapped in administrative overwhelm, or we can leverage AI to return to leadership's essence.

The future isn't about choosing between technology and human connection – it's about using the former to elevate the latter. When leaders build genuine connections with their teams, they tap into fundamental human needs for belonging and purpose.

In our AI-enabled future, more leaders can create breakthrough moments of connection by having the time, space, and targeted insights to be fully present and effective with the people they serve.

Practical first steps for AI-enabled connected leadership

1. Audit Your Time - For one week, track how you spend each hour. Identify administrative tasks consuming more than 20% of your day that could be automated or delegated. These represent your first automation opportunities.
2. Deploy Simple AI Tools - Start with readily available AI solutions like meeting transcription and summarization tools. Choose one leadership activity (such as 1:1 meetings) and implement AI note-taking to practice being fully present.
3. Create Connection Rituals - Schedule 30 minutes daily for unstructured conversations with team members. This "connection time" should have no agenda beyond understanding their experiences and challenges. Use insights from your AI tools to guide these conversations toward meaningful topics.
4. Measure What Matters - Implement simple pulse surveys asking team members one question weekly: "How connected do you feel to leadership?" Track this metric alongside performance data to demonstrate the relationship between connection and results.

What first step will you take today to elevate your leadership effectiveness and connect with your people?

_References

_{Deloitte. (2023). Human Capital Trends Report. Retrieved from https://www2.deloitte.com/us/en/insights/focus/human-capital-trends.html}

_{Gallup. (2022). State of the Global Workplace Report. Retrieved from https://www.gallup.com/workplace/349484/state-of-the-global-workplace.aspx}

_{McKinsey. (2023). The State of AI in 2023: Generative AI's breakout year. Retrieved from https://www.mckinsey.com/capabilities/quantumblack/our-insights/the-state-of-ai-in-2023-generative-ais-breakout-year}

_{Microsoft. (2023). Work Trend Index: Annual Report. Retrieved from https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/worklab/work-trend-index/}

_{O'Connor, M., & King, R. (2020). Leadership time allocation in the modern workplace. Harvard Business Review.}

_{Sinek, S. (2019). The Infinite Game. Portfolio/Penguin.}