---
id: "quote-shared-understanding"
type: "quote"
source_url: "https://hbr.org/2024/12/how-to-create-value-systematically-with-gen-ai"
source_title: "How to Create Value Systematically with Gen AI"
source_timestamps: ["§ The Generative AI Value-Creation Pyramid"]
tags: ["strategy", "alignment"]
related: ["concept-value-creation-pyramid", "prereq-shared-performance-understanding"]
speaker: "Todd McLees, Nicole Radziwill and Greg Satell"
speakers: ["Todd McLees", "Nicole Radziwill", "Greg Satell"]
sources: ["spine"]
sourceVaultSlug: "hbr-seg-spine"
originDay: 1
articleStem: "hbr-nm-98-create-value-systematically-genai"
sourceUrl: "https://hbr.org/2024/12/how-to-create-value-systematically-with-gen-ai"
sourceTitle: "How to Create Value Systematically with Gen AI"
---
# The true differentiator in Gen AI success

> "The difference between incremental and transformative gen AI lies not in technical sophistication or strategic vision, but in a shared understanding of what drives performance for your organization."

— [[entity-todd-mclees]], [[entity-nicole-radziwill]], and [[entity-greg-satell]]

**Context.** The thesis statement of the whole source: technical prowess is secondary to organizational alignment when extracting value from AI. It directly motivates the [[concept-value-creation-pyramid]] and the prerequisite [[prereq-shared-performance-understanding]].