In a recent panel discussion, three CHROs—Daisy Auger-Domínguez of Digital Asset, Monique Herena of American Express, and Daniela Seabrook of the Adecco Group—discussed how successful AI transformation depends less on technology and more on how leaders guide people through change. Their advice:
Start with business priorities. Don’t treat AI like a separate initiative. Connect new tools and workflows directly to your team’s goals and priorities. If people understand why change matters, they’re more likely to engage with it.
Create space for experimentation. You can’t expect people to learn new systems while maintaining the same pace and workload. Build room for testing, small failures, and iteration. If everything feels urgent, learning won’t happen.
Involve people in the change. People resist change when it feels like it’s being imposed on them. Instead, bring employees into conversations about new workflows, tools, and processes, so they feel ownership over what comes next.
Focus on clarity over certainty. You won’t have all the answers. Explain what you know, acknowledge what you don’t, and communicate what happens next. Trust comes from consistency, not perfect predictions.
Keep developing judgment. Technical skills matter, but the ability to make decisions, adapt, and navigate ambiguity will matter even more.
