---
id: "framework-ai-leadership-transition"
type: "framework"
source_timestamps: ["§ Practical Guidance for Leaders"]
tags: ["implementation", "talent-management"]
related: ["framework-shape-index", "action-assess-shape-capabilities", "action-hire-for-uncoachable", "action-role-model-ai", "action-sunset-redundant-efforts"]
steps: ["Assess: Identify critical AI roles and evaluate current leaders against the SHAPE framework to map strengths and gaps.", "\\\"Hire: Acquire strength where it is hardest to develop (e.g.", "recruiting for less coachable traits like strategic agility and applied curiosity).\\\"", "\\\"Develop: Focus growth where it will stick by providing targeted skills development for specific leaders", "and elevate existing Shapers with stretch roles.\\\"", "Role Model: Make AI adoption visible and consistent at the senior leadership level through daily routines and decisions."]
source_url: "https://hbr.org/2025/09/what-companies-with-successful-ai-pilots-do-differently"
source_title: "What Companies with Successful AI Pilots Do Differently"
sources: ["execution"]
sourceVaultSlug: "hbr-seg-execution"
originDay: 8
articleStem: "hbr-foci-60-successful-ai-pilots"
sourceUrl: "https://hbr.org/2025/09/what-companies-with-successful-ai-pilots-do-differently"
sourceTitle: "What Companies with Successful AI Pilots Do Differently"
---
# 4 Steps for AI Leadership Transition

## 4 Steps for AI Leadership Transition

A practical four-step guide for enterprises to set themselves up for success in their AI transition by focusing on leadership capabilities — operationalizing the [[framework-shape-index]].

1. **Assess** — Identify critical AI roles and evaluate current leaders against the SHAPE framework to map strengths and gaps. → [[action-assess-shape-capabilities]]
2. **Hire** — Acquire strength where it is hardest to develop, e.g. recruiting for the less-coachable traits [[concept-strategic-agility|strategic agility]] and [[concept-applied-curiosity|applied curiosity]]. → [[action-hire-for-uncoachable]]
3. **Develop** — Focus growth where it will stick: targeted skills development for specific leaders, and elevate existing shapers with stretch roles.
4. **Role Model** — Make AI adoption visible and consistent at the senior level through daily routines and decisions. → [[action-role-model-ai]]

### Related discipline
Step-4 role-modeling pairs tightly with [[concept-human-centricity]]; the portfolio rationalization behind the framework is exemplified by [[action-sunset-redundant-efforts]] and the [[entity-johnson-and-johnson]] case.