Digital Literacy for Leadership

Over the past year, I’ve been exploring what it truly takes to lead teams in the age of #AI. I’ve identified four “As” of leadership: Awareness, Adaptability, Advocacy and Authenticity. Here’s why each of these pillars matters (and how you can start weaving them into your own leadership approach): 1️⃣ Awareness: Understand AI’s capability and impact 👀 ➡️ What it means: It’s more than knowing buzzwords like “machine learning” or “LLMs.” True awareness is about grasping how AI reshapes workflows, decision-making, and organizational strategy. 💥 Why it matters: When leaders comprehend where AI can add value, they’re able to set realistic goals, allocate resources wisely, and prepare teams for potential challenges. 2️⃣ Adaptability: Embrace change and new technology 📲 ➡️ What it means: In a fast-moving AI landscape, yesterday’s “cutting edge” can become obsolete overnight. Adaptability is about fostering a culture where experimentation is encouraged, mistakes are treated as learning opportunities, and iterative improvement is the norm.  💡 For example, our creative and communications team at Technology at Arizona State University is experimenting with the new Google Flow with VEO 3 (https://lnkd.in/g_M3KS4U) to determine if the program has the potential to boost our visual storytelling efforts.  💥 Why it matters: Teams that adopt new tools quickly … while still questioning and validating them … have a competitive edge. Organizations that cling to rigid processes risk falling behind or missing out on efficiency gains. 3️⃣ Advocacy: Champion digital literacy and focus on fluency 🗣️ ➡️ What it means: Being an advocate means educating and empowering your team members to understand how to use AI tools and when and why to use them. It’s about weaving digital fluency into work and ensuring that everyone knows how to ask the right questions of an AI system. 💥 Why it matters: When you build a workforce literate in AI basics (prompts, prompt engineering, data ethics, etc.), you multiply your organization’s capacity for innovation. Suddenly, the entire team becomes a source of fresh ideas rather than deferring everything to one designated team. 4️⃣ Authenticity: Lead with empathy and curiosity ❤️ ➡️ What it means: Authentic leaders don’t pretend to have all the answers about AI. Instead, they model curiosity … asking questions alongside their teams, admitting what they don’t know, and showing genuine empathy for people who worry about job security, bias, or privacy. 💥 Why it matters: Trust is fragile in this new era of rapid automation. When leaders demonstrate humility (“I’m still learning, too!”) and actively listen to concerns (“How do you feel about AI augmenting your role?”), they create psychological safety. Safety is the bedrock for open dialogue, creative problem-solving, and ethical guardrails. Which one of the As of AI leadership resonates the most with you?

The real gap between digital leaders and laggards isn’t just in technology—it's in mindset. The 𝐃𝐢𝐠𝐢𝐭𝐚𝐥 𝐃𝐢𝐯𝐢𝐝𝐞 isn’t about who has the best tools; it’s about who knows how to wield them. The difference between average and excellent isn’t in the number of systems implemented but in the strategic intent behind them. True digital transformation isn’t just an IT initiative—it’s a company-wide movement, a reimagining of what’s possible when leadership, innovation, and agility align. 𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐀𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐚𝐠𝐞 𝐋𝐨𝐨𝐤𝐬 𝐋𝐢𝐤𝐞: • 𝐓𝐞𝐜𝐡𝐧𝐨𝐥𝐨𝐠𝐲-𝐅𝐨𝐜𝐮𝐬𝐞𝐝 𝐋𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐡𝐢𝐩: CIOs and CTOs leading the charge, with an inward focus on IT infrastructure. • 𝐄𝐟𝐟𝐢𝐜𝐢𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐲 𝐎𝐯𝐞𝐫 𝐈𝐧𝐧𝐨𝐯𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧: Tracking efficiency and business performance without a broader view towards future capabilities. • 𝐂𝐚𝐮𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐮𝐬 𝐏𝐫𝐨𝐠𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐬: Proceeding with digital steps without the urgency to outpace the evolving market demands. • 𝐎𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐥 𝐒𝐭𝐚𝐛𝐢𝐥𝐢𝐭𝐲: Maintaining the status quo in operations, favoring predictability over agility. • 𝐒𝐭𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐚𝐫𝐝 𝐓𝐨𝐨𝐥 𝐀𝐝𝐨𝐩𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧: Providing employees with collaboration tools without fostering a culture of digital innovation. • 𝐁𝐚𝐜𝐤𝐞𝐧𝐝 𝐏𝐫𝐢𝐨𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐳𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧: Concentrating on backend upgrades before considering the customer-facing aspects of the business. • 𝐒𝐢𝐥𝐨𝐞𝐝 𝐃𝐚𝐭𝐚 𝐔𝐭𝐢𝐥𝐢𝐳𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧: Using data for routine business operations rather than as a cornerstone for transformation and innovation. 𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐄𝐱𝐜𝐞𝐥𝐥𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐋𝐨𝐨𝐤𝐬 𝐋𝐢𝐤𝐞: • 𝐋𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐡𝐢𝐩 𝐟𝐫𝐨𝐦 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐓𝐨𝐩: Transformation championed by CEOs, integrating digital priorities within the company’s vision. • 𝐂𝐨𝐦𝐦𝐢𝐭𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐭𝐨 𝐈𝐧𝐧𝐨𝐯𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧: Measuring success through the lens of innovation and digital proficiency. • 𝐒𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐠𝐢𝐜 𝐀𝐜𝐜𝐞𝐥𝐞𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧: Not merely adapting but actively advancing digital initiatives, even in challenging economic climates. • 𝐎𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐥 𝐀𝐠𝐢𝐥𝐢𝐭𝐲: A culture that embraces operational efficiency as a path to competitive advantage. • 𝐏𝐞𝐨𝐩𝐥𝐞 𝐚𝐬 𝐏𝐫𝐢𝐨𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐲: Investing in employee engagement and digital literacy, recognizing that technology amplifies human potential. • 𝐂𝐮𝐬𝐭𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐫-𝐂𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐫𝐢𝐜 𝐄𝐯𝐨𝐥𝐮𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧: Prioritizing the customer experience with a strategy that adapts proactively to their needs and behaviors. • 𝐃𝐚𝐭𝐚-𝐃𝐫𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐧 𝐃𝐞𝐜𝐢𝐬𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬: Leveraging AI and data analytics not only to inform decisions but to foster a culture of continuous improvement. 𝐅𝐮𝐥𝐥 𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐢𝐜𝐥𝐞: https://lnkd.in/eU_Cc3ga ******************************************* • Visit www.jeffwinterinsights.com for access to all my content and to stay current on Industry 4.0 and other cool tech trends • Ring the 🔔 for notifications!

Leading in the digital age is not just about mastering technology; it’s about mastering change. As someone guiding an organization through rapid shifts, I’ve learned that digital transformation is, at its core, about people. I used to think building digital capabilities meant investing in the latest systems, but I quickly realized that the most critical investment is in developing a culture of adaptability. Digital IQ starts at the top. If I don’t immerse myself in emerging tech, competition and customer trends, how can I expect my team to embrace them? Instead of attempting to overhaul the entire company, I started with digital-ready teams, those eager to experiment, collaborate, and drive results. Their success became proof of concept, showing the rest of the organization what’s possible. Change requires persuasion, not mandates. A digital leader must inspire transformation at every level, ensuring that innovation, agility and collaboration become part of the mindset. Transformation is sustained when people evolve alongside technology. #digitaltransformation #organizationalchange

As more and more PE-owned organizations aim to digitally transform, executives need to reflect on their leadership style and potentially update it. A 2025 integrative study in Administrative Sciences (Sacavém et al.) analyzed 34 peer-reviewed articles. The key insight? Transformational leadership is what separates digital transformation success from expensive failure. Based on the research, successful leaders excel at four things: 🔹 Inspire innovation. There is no right way to do this but consider exploring the following tools in the toolkit: - Starting small: Book club or training series with thought provoking content, small, focused projects solving specific pain points - Bigger commitment: Internal hackathons, innovation-focused teams, skunk works 🔹 Digital upskilling. Start with yourself. Leaders who build digital literacy set the tone for learning across the org. Then upskill your team across all seniority levels and functions with structured and unstructured trainings. 🔹 Manage uncertainty. Update your decision-making heuristics and models to account for the dynamic environment we all operate in today. Ensure you ringfence risk with guardrails and have agile processes to update goals and objectives with higher frequency than annual planning. 🔹Empower teams to take calculated risks. Building agile governance models is one way to do this. You will need dynamic, real-time dashboards to be able to rapidly iterate and identify what is working and what not. Also, being clear about the desired goal (e.g., strategy on a page) and communicating it across the organization helps align and organize teams. What else have you found useful when guiding your organization through a digital transformation? #SciencemeetsStrategy #DigitalTransformation #Leadership Full article: Sacavém, A., de Bem Machado, A., dos Santos, J. R., Palma-Moreira, A., Belchior-Rocha, H., & Au-Yong-Oliveira, M. (2025). Leading in the digital age: The role of leadership in organizational digital transformation. Administrative Sciences, 15(2), 43. https://lnkd.in/eKSpaxjy

In an era of unprecedented technological advancement, the role of executive digital literacy in driving sustainable success cannot be overstated. As I explore in my latest article, the rapid proliferation of transformative technologies such as AI, IoT, and blockchain, coupled with the escalating threat of cyberattacks, has made it imperative for leaders to comprehend and navigate the digital landscape effectively. Digital literacy empowers executives to make informed strategic decisions, from allocating resources for technological investments to adapting business models and enhancing customer engagement. It enables leaders to strike a delicate balance between seizing opportunities and mitigating risks, ensuring that innovation aligns with corporate values and responsibilities. However, fostering a digitally literate culture extends beyond individual competencies. It requires executives to lead by example, encourage experimentation, and prioritize continuous learning across the organization. By doing so, they can cultivate a workforce that is not only adept at leveraging digital tools but also resilient in the face of disruptive change. The cost of digital illiteracy in leadership is steep, ranging from missed growth opportunities to devastating security breaches. As such, embracing digital literacy as a cornerstone of personal and professional growth is not merely an option but a necessity for organizations seeking to thrive in the digital age. Share your thoughts on the importance of executive digital literacy in today's business landscape. How are you and your organization fostering a digitally literate culture, and what challenges have you encountered along the way?

AI isn't just changing work. It's redefining leadership. 5 skills every leader needs in the digital age: Yesterday's playbook is obsolete. Tomorrow's leaders need a new toolkit. Here's how to stay ahead: ▶️ 1. Quick Thinking, Faster Acting The 5-year plan is dead. Think on your feet. · Use AI to spot trends before they hit · Turn monthly meetings into weekly sprints · Mix teams up to spark fresh ideas Try this: Play "What if?" once a month. Imagine wild scenarios for your industry. ▶️ 2. Tech-Savvy (No Coding Required) You don't need to build AI. Just know how to use it. · Test new apps like you're a curious teenager · Grab coffee with the IT crowd regularly · Jump into online communities about future tech Challenge: Explain ChatGPT to your mom this weekend. ▶️ 3. Digital Ethics Champion As tech gets smarter, we need to get wiser. · Form a diverse group to check new tech for fairness · Make it easy for employees to flag AI concerns · Always ask: "Could this hurt someone?" Key Question: "What's the worst way someone could use this?" ▶️ 4. Human + AI Teamwork It's not us vs. robots. It's us + robots. · List tasks where AI helps vs. where humans shine · Train your team to work alongside AI tools · Create spaces where people and tech mix naturally Experiment: Solve a problem with and without AI. What's different? ▶️ 5. Master of Unlearning Forget "always learning." Start "always questioning." · Have a "spring cleaning" for old ideas quarterly · Surround yourself with people who challenge you · Turn letting go of outdated methods into a game Pro Move: Hold monthly "Idea Funerals." Bury old ways of thinking. Remember: Tech moves fast. People need time. Great leaders balance new tools with timeless people skills. Your job? Guide your team through the AI revolution with confidence. What leadership skill do you think is most crucial today? Share your thoughts in the comments ⬇️ Thanks for reading! If you found this valuable: • Repost for your network ♻️ • Follow me for more deep dives • Join our 300K+ community https://lnkd.in/eDYX4v_9 for more on the future of API, AI, and tech The future is connected. Become a part of it.

Every leader is now an AI leader. Across all jobs in the US on LinkedIn today, AI literacy is now the most in-demand skill employers are looking for according to our new Skills on The Rise report. But there’s a disconnect: while 75% of knowledge workers say they have used AI at work, only 39% have received any formal training from employers according to the Work Trend Index report with Microsoft. Strengthening AI literacy for your workforce is a massive opportunity for talent leaders right now. In fact, AI literacy is also one of the fastest-growing skills for HR professionals too. At LinkedIn, our talent development team has been working to bridge this gap by hosting collaborative hands-on workshops with our engineering partners. The idea for these sessions is to go beyond theoretical concepts and actually immerse employees in practical applications that build confidence in prompt engineering and demystify our GenAI tools so folks use them in their day to day work. What strategies have you found effective in building AI literacy across your organization? Read more about the most in-demand skills here: https://lnkd.in/SkillsontheRise25US  And the top skills for HR pros: https://lnkd.in/g5YKMkWt

The pace at which AI is advancing is astonishing and it’s taking centre stage in many of our Transformation discussions. Using #AI effectively and responsibly isn't just about automation - It's also about understanding its risks, biases, and ethical implications.   Based on this read, AI literacy is one of the most important skills to develop this year as a leader, and I couldn't agree more! Knowing how to create effective AI prompts, interpret its outputs, and apply it responsibly is crucial.   At Standard Chartered, we have deployed an AI-powered internal Talent Marketplace to match business needs with employees’ skills. Managers post project-specific ’gigs’ and employees apply using their ‘Skills Passports’ to show what they’re capable of beyond their job descriptions.   It’s a way to democratise access to opportunities and create a platform where our people can showcase their skills and use these opportunities to reskill or upskill - particularly in AI, data, analytical and creative thinking - which helps them remain employable for longer.   The best leaders won't just follow the pace AI sets. They will challenge it and make it work for them and their teams. How are you strengthening your AI literacy this year?   #AILiteracy #GenAI #Skills #Learning #Leadership   https://lnkd.in/gAud2NPK

Digital Literacy and Digital Mastery are entirely different things. You don't need mastery to be Digitally literate and have a Digital Mindset. All you need is 30% competency in a handful of Technical topics. Tsedal Neeley and Paul Leonardi have created this amazing framework ---The 30% Rule to Digital Literacy, in their book “The Digital Mindset”. Here is what it means. To build a Digital Mindset, you need to have 30% competency in three areas — Collaboration, Computation, and Change. 1/ Collaboration: The first element is to learn how to collaborate with the Machines. For instance, how do you collaborate with AI tools to make yourself and your organization more productive? Building enough knowledge to be able to confidently speak about technology and what it can unlock for your organization. Then how do you interact and innovate using technology? This requires only 30% knowledge of different ML and AI techniques. 2/ Computation: Understand 30% of how technology is collecting, categorizing, consuming, and storing the data. This means basic knowledge of different data analyses and statistical measures. You don’t need to become a statistician, but knowing what different terminologies mean when presented, will make you more confident in making data-driven decisions. 3/ Change: In the context of Digital Transformation, adapting to change is vital. How do you create a culture of change, experimentation, and psychological safety to drive digital adoption in your organization? Again you don’t need to become a project and change management expert, but understanding and acknowledging what is needed to support a culture of change is the key here. 🌐 The beauty of the 30% rule is that it simplifies digital literacy making it an achievable goal for anyone willing to invest in their digital skills. Remember, it's not about mastering every digital tool or trend but about being competent and confident enough to navigate the digital aspects of our world. Let's embrace this mindset and empower ourselves to thrive in the digital age! Share your thoughts in the comments below. #DigitalLiteracy #DigitalMindset #FutureOfWork #professionaldevelopment #DigitalTransformation ——— I regularly write and speak about: 👉 How digital disruption is reshaping the workforce of the future. 👉 Simplifying and automating core processes. 👉 Empowering the future workforce with Digital skills and even more importantly…mindset! ✅ Follow me or connect for more on this.

Why oversimplified images about leadership miss the mark in 2025 We’ve all seen leadership diagrams like this one from Pinterest, which lists integrity, empathy, drive, and respect as the keys to leadership. These are important, but let’s be honest → in 2025, this is just the starting line. According to LinkedIn’s Future of Skills and Skills on the Rise reports, the most in-demand leadership skills now include AI literacy, adaptability, digital agility, and a growth mindset. Korn Ferry’s 2025 leadership trends echo this: leaders today must drive innovation, create psychological safety, and build inclusive, purpose-driven cultures—none of which show up in oversimplified diagrams. How should this diagram be updated? Add... → AI & digital fluency → Adaptability → Curiosity → Inclusivity → Purpose-driven vision Show leadership as a dynamic, social process—LESS about static traits, MORE about creating direction, alignment, and commitment across teams. Leadership in 2025 is about guiding people through uncertainty, leveraging technology, and fostering cultures where innovation and diverse perspectives thrive. It’s not just about being respected—it’s about empowering others to act, adapt, and grow. Your title doesn’t make you a leader. Neither does checking off a list of virtues. Let’s move beyond feel-good graphics and demand more from ourselves and our leaders. Coaching can help; let's chat. | Joshua Miller Sources: LinkedIn Future of Skills Report LinkedIn Skills on the Rise 2025 Korn Ferry Top Leadership Trends 2025 #ExecutiveCoaching #Leadership #FutureOfWork #Skills2025 #AI