Your Team Has AI. So Why Aren't They Using It?

Hi Leaders,

What if the biggest obstacle to AI adoption in your organization isn't the technology or your team's ability to use it?

What if it's the way work gets done?

Many organizations have invested in AI tools, provided training, and encouraged employees to experiment. Yet everyday routines remain largely unchanged.

It's tempting to assume people simply need more training or encouragement. But before investing in another workshop, consider whether your leadership practices are giving people the space and confidence to try something new.

Simplifying Perspectives

AI adoption is as much a leadership challenge as it is a technology challenge.

Imagine a manager who encourages the team to use AI to work more efficiently. One employee experiments with AI to summarize customer feedback and identify recurring concerns. Instead of spending hours compiling a report, they produce a concise summary with actionable insights.

At the next meeting, the manager asks them to transfer everything into the usual reporting template, complete with the same tables and formatting the team has used for years.

The employee has learned something important, and it has little to do with AI.

The expectation is still to follow the old process.

This is how leadership habits can unintentionally discourage experimentation. We encourage people to find better ways of working while continuing to measure their performance against familiar routines.

And people notice.

The question isn't simply whether your team knows how to use AI.

It's whether you've created an environment where they're encouraged to use it.

Getting Started

You don't have to be an AI expert to lead your team through this shift. Start by making curiosity and experimentation part of your everyday leadership.

Here are three ways to begin:

1. Make your own learning visible.

Share how you're experimenting with AI, including what hasn't worked. Showing that you're learning too makes it easier for others to try.

2. Create space to experiment.

Encouraging innovation means little if everyone is already stretched thin. Give people permission to spend time testing new approaches without expecting immediate results.

3. Get curious about what people discover.

Instead of asking only how much time AI saved, ask what surprised them. What worked? What didn't? What might they approach differently next time?

These conversations help teams learn from one another and identify where AI genuinely adds value.

A Coaching Opportunity

Here's a challenge for the coming week:

Choose one familiar work routine and replace it with an AI-supported experiment.

It could be preparing for a meeting, organizing information, brainstorming ideas, or creating a first draft.

Pay attention to what changes, including where AI falls short.

Then invite your team to share their own experiments and discoveries.

You may find that the most valuable outcome isn't a faster process. It's a team that's more comfortable questioning old habits, exploring possibilities, and learning together.

What might change if your team saw experimentation as part of their work rather than something extra?

Until next time,

Katy Caroan
Empowering Leaders to Stay in Demand