Talking about the book

In this episode of Leadership Exchange, Rob Ocel sits down with Dr. Priya Sarathy to unpack what it really takes for organizations to adopt AI successfully. Priya shares insights from her executive workshop and upcoming book The AI Leadership Compass, emphasizing the critical role of leadership in making AI initiatives impactful and sustainable. They discuss why AI isn’t just a tech project, the importance of cross-functional stakeholder involvement, how to build AI fluency without hype, and why empathy matters more than ever. Whether you’re a tech-savvy leader or just starting to explore AI’s potential, this conversation is a practical guide to thinking strategically and humanely about transformation in the age of AI.

 

Key points from this episode:

• AI success starts with leadership engagement — Leaders must go beyond delegating AI initiatives to technical teams and develop personal fluency with the tools to guide strategy and measure impact effectively.

• Business goals should drive AI adoption — AI shouldn’t be adopted for its own sake. Start with a clear business need, then explore how AI can enhance or support that objective.

• Cross-functional collaboration is essential — Successful AI integration requires involvement from a wide range of stakeholders, including procurement, UX, and customers, not just data or engineering teams.

• Empathy and communication reduce fear — Leaders must proactively address team concerns about AI replacing jobs by reframing the conversation around growth, new opportunities, and human strengths AI cannot replicate.