There’s a disconnect between leadership expectations and real-world execution that can cause AI efforts to fall flat. Here is how to embed a strategic, human-first approach that delivers real value – not just digital noise.
Across the country, most businesses are trying to “do something” with AI.
But does your team actually know how to use it well? Or are they wasting hours trying to craft the right prompt, pick the right tool, or fight with the bot? Is there a clear process in place for everyone to follow – or is each team member tackling it their own way?
On the surface, things might look productive – tools are being talked about, content’s being churned out, and tasks are being automated (well, sort of). But dig a little deeper and you’ll likely find confused clicking, copy-paste content, and awkward silence when someone asks about AI and ROI in team meetings.
Let’s talk about the elephant in the room. You can’t just tell your team to “go use Copilot and be more productive” and expect magic. Without training, direction, and a human-first AI strategy that supports real business goals, AI becomes more of a burden than a breakthrough. Just another shiny tool adding to the stress – rather than taking it away.
Being productive – or just cutting corners?
Just because something looks productive doesn’t mean it is.
One team member I spoke to recently shared her frustration about the poorly formed AI-generated briefs her manager was handing out. The instructions were vague, confusing, and hard to decipher – so much so that she’d have to rewrite the whole thing herself before she could even start the actual project. Instead of saving time, the AI had added another layer of inefficiency.
“The skills that matter, like critical thinking, smart prompting, ethical decision-making, and knowing when not to automate, are the ones that stick.”
That’s what cutting corners with AI looks like – when it’s used as a shortcut instead of a tool for quality.
I’ve seen plenty of teams using AI to pump out content in minutes. Social media posts, reports, internal comms – all done in record time. And on the surface, it looks pretty polished. But take a closer look and it’s not aligned to the business. It doesn’t reflect your business values, your voice, or your goals. And most importantly, it doesn’t connect with your clients. I’m also hearing about team members using AI to write emails to each other. So yes, AI is being used. But is it being used well?
Then there’s the tool-hopping trap. It’s so easy to get caught up in shiny AI tool syndrome – testing a new AI platform every week, convinced it’s the missing piece of the productivity puzzle. But in most cases, existing platforms like ChatGPT or Copilot would’ve done the job just fine – without wasting precious hours in exploration mode. The shiny stuff might look exciting, but without strategy, it’s just another form of procrastination.
Busy? Absolutely. Productive? Not really.
Don’t assume embracing AI is easy
Many leaders assume their team knows how to use AI – because when asked, team members nod along and say they do. But in reality, most don’t know what they don’t know. And many are too scared to admit they feel completely lost. I find the majority of teams I speak to haven’t trained their Generative AI tool effectively – to understand their business, brand voice, and customer base. But the leaders tell me this has already happened.
In one recent case, a manager confidently told me their team was already using AI and “quite advanced with it.” But when I sent out a simple pre-training survey to that same team, the results told a different story. Most employees were dabbling at best – with little understanding of how to use AI strategically, or even what was possible.
It’s a common gap – and a costly one. According to Randstad, 75% of companies have adopted AI, but only 35% of employees received any formal training in the last year. Leaders can’t afford to assume capability. It’s time to move from expecting results to enabling them.
AI training isn’t about tools – it’s about thinking
One of the biggest misconceptions I see is the belief that “AI training” means running through a long list of tools or recommended prompts. But I believe the most effective training isn’t tool-centric. It’s thinking-centric.
Tools will change. But the skills that matter, like critical thinking, smart prompting, ethical decision-making, and knowing when not to automate, are the ones that stick. This is where a human-first approach comes in – one that prioritises strategy, judgement, quality, and human connection over speed and scale. The goal isn’t to have your team try every new AI platform under the sun. It’s to help them think strategically about what problems they’re solving, how AI can support that, and what the output needs to achieve.
When teams are trained to use AI with intention, not impulse, the results are very different. The work gets sharper. The communication gets clearer. And the stress starts to lift – because everyone finally knows what they’re doing and why.
AI can be a performance driver – or a distraction. The difference comes down to leadership. If you want real value from AI, forget the shortcuts.
Start with strategy. Lead with humans. That’s how AI delivers.
Leanne Shelton is the founder of HumanEdge AI Training and author of AI-Human Fusion. As a global AI coach, she empowers leaders and teams to confidently integrate human-first AI principles into their work.
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