Leaders pouring resources into AI strategies might be missing a bigger opportunity. New research from i4cp reveals an unexpected insight: while AI capabilities matter, creating a future-ready workforce has twice the impact on market performance.
“Statistical analysis shows that an organization’s executive leaders are unlikely to use generative AI or encourage others to do so. Lack of leadership in AI may not be the sole cause of their mediocre market performance, but it’s certainly correlated with it,” explains Kevin Oakes, CEO of i4cp, whose firm’s latest research examines how high-performing organizations are pulling ahead through strategic AI implementation.
The Executive Alignment Imperative
“These topics are really relevant as leaders try to make sense of everything,” notes Kim Bohr, President and COO of SparkEffect. “We find value in helping them understand the tactical applications, and then identifying where it can benefit them strategically.”
The data reinforces this observation. Among organizations successfully scaling AI, leadership engagement isn’t just correlated with success – it’s a defining factor. High-performing companies show:
- 2.5x higher rates of AI-trained executive leaders
- 3x more active AI use among executives
- 2.5x greater leadership encouragement of AI adoption
Yet Brandon Roberts, VP of People Insights & AI at ServiceNow, challenges the tech-first mindset: “This is not simply about making us faster or building another chatbot—that’s important, but it’s only a start. It is about transforming the way we define and interact with work and how we shape the employee experience.”
Culture Eats AI Strategy for Breakfast
The research shatters another common assumption: technical capabilities alone don’t drive success. What matters more is cultivating an environment that embraces perpetual change.
“We find these topics to be critically relevant as leaders work to understand the full scope of AI,” observes Bohr. “Our focus is twofold: helping leaders grasp the tactical applications of AI in their day-to-day operations, while also guiding them to think strategically about how AI will transform their roles and enhance their decision-making.”
This requires leaders to master:
- Strategic workforce planning that anticipates multiple futures
- Building psychological safety as roles evolve
- Creating clear development pathways aligned with future organizational needs
- Fostering a culture that transforms disruption into opportunity
Rewriting the Rules of Organizational Adaptability
The stakes couldn’t be higher. “The AI skills gap is real,” Bohr emphasizes. “Only 27% of surveyed HR leaders feel their organizations are ready to advance their AI strategy over the next one to three years. What do they know that others don’t?”
Air New Zealand’s Chief People Officer Nikki Dines captures the necessary shift in thinking: “We should evaluate AI not just by how it mimics human behavior but by how it enhances human-machine collaboration. The goal is finding the optimal synergy between people and AI.”
The message for leaders? While AI readiness grabs headlines, creating a future-ready workforce demands a deeper transformation – one anchored in culture, continuous learning, and strategic adaptability. Organizations that crack this code won’t just survive change; they’ll harness it to outperform their peers.
Ready to build a future-ready organization? SparkEffect helps organizations manage change, sustain growth, and chart a path to a brighter future through tailored assessments and expert coaching at every level. Download our complimentary Professional and Organizational Alignment Review at sparkeffect.com/edge.
