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Empower Your Most Curious Employees to Drive Your Digital Transformation
Leaders seeking to turn AI’s promise into business value often overlook employees already experimenting with emerging technologies. These “digital wayfinders”—frequently younger, junior employees but defined by their exploratory approach rather than their age—can reveal new possibilities, challenge established assumptions, and accelerate digital transformation. Indeed, research involving almost 10,000 leaders across 108 countries suggests that organizations making greater progress are more likely to engage these employees. But these employees’ tendency to experiment without permission and challenge established thinking candidly can also send promising initiatives off track and alienate leaders. To channel their contributions productively, leaders should build candid, two-way communication; remove unnecessary bureaucracy while establishing clear business and ethical guardrails; and provide “air cover” through visible sponsorship and support and opportunities to influence consequential decisions.
Leaders seeking to turn AI’s promise into business value often overlook employees already experimenting with emerging technologies. These “digital wayfinders”—frequently younger, junior employees but defined by their exploratory approach rather than their age—can reveal new possibilities, challenge established assumptions, and accelerate digital transformation. Indeed, research involving almost 10,000 leaders across 108 countries suggests that organizations making greater progress are more likely to engage these employees. But these employees’ tendency to experiment without permission and challenge established thinking candidly can also send promising initiatives off track and alienate leaders. To channel their contributions productively, leaders should build candid, two-way communication; remove unnecessary bureaucracy while establishing clear business and ethical guardrails; and provide “air cover” through visible sponsorship and support and opportunities to influence consequential decisions.
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