Leadership in the age of AI
Amid the excitement around technology, businesses need to bring their focus back to people. Enter the new “human” MBA.
Business leaders are navigating a world that’s increasingly digitised, dealing with constant disruption and overseeing the implementation of AI to automate all kinds of operations. It’s exciting… but it’s also a lot. New skills are needed to step out of the maelstrom and remind us that humans are central to innovation, too.
A new MBA program from the Australian College of Applied Professions (ACAP) puts people at its heart. While it covers all the technical skills expected of an MBA, the course overlays ACAP’s expertise in human behaviour, providing graduates with the confidence to influence change in their organisations and turn digital disruption into opportunity.
“Emotional intelligence is a foundational skill that modern leaders should already have down pat,” says course leader and associate professor, Dr Be Pannell. “Our MBA brings in the next level – we are developing in our leaders a new range of so-called ‘soft’ skills, which
McKinsey calls ‘inner agility’. It’s a combination of a curious mindset, mastery over applied techniques and the ability to overcome cognitive bias. These are essential skills to lead in this complex environment, allowing leaders to adapt and bring others along with them.”
Drawing on her own research and more than two decades of experience in leadership development – and combining it with cuttingedge studies from around the world – Pannell and the ACAP faculty have developed a highly practical MBA. “Students practise techniques in their study groups and take them into their workplace and all our assessment tasks are business-related,” says Pannell. “There’s nothing philosophical or abstract.”
How leaders respond in high-pressure situations is crucial. Under stress, our brains revert to being reactive, causing us to narrow our focus and miss out on the full picture, says Pannell. “Our MBA brings in techniques to reduce stress levels, giving leaders the capabilities to slow down and move forward. It’s a discipline that allows leaders to bring their true cognitive skills online, rather than the fight-or-flight reflex.”
Harnessing these “soft” skills can help executives make productive pivots rather than stressed-out stitches. “The future is only going to be more complex. Well-rounded leaders need a sophisticated skillset to not only positively impact their teams but also drive meaningful business outcomes. Our MBA fosters leaders to grow a curious and open mindset through the understanding of a wide range of perspectives.”