The Leader's Leadership in the Modern Age of AI and Robotics

Let's think about everything that's happening around us. There's significant progress in artificial intelligence, not to mention what can be created with augmented reality , and we can also talk about the number of robots that have been created to work and entertain humans, even replacing what we know how to do and what distinguishes us from the animal kingdom: REASONING. Now, if you want to do a school assignment, young people say ask ChatGPT or use DeepSeek, which are now widely consulted.Machines now learn from their mistakes, and they can make decisions based on learning from their processes and the data that is generated as they work. They can adjust or make more logical decisions based on the rules that were applied to the development of their processes. But it doesn’t stop there. We have machines or robots that can interpret and understand sensory data, whether images or sounds, and to top it off, they can solve complex problems autonomously. There are virtual assistants, there are machines that recognize behavior patterns in data or images. In industry, many repetitive and even complex tasks are now  performed by robots equipped with AI.

There have been numerous significant moments in the development of technology. Let me mention  US President Lyndon B. Johnson’s (1963-1969) formation in 1964 of a National Commission on Technology. Automation, and Economic Progress to study the impact of technology on the economy and work,  declaring sometime later that, "Automation did not have to destroy jobs, but could be an ally of prosperity if we take care of the future."

So let's see, where are we today in 2025? I think we're asking ourselves the same question: The technological advances of recent years have been enormous. Automation has given us the ability to change how we work. It has been applied to the work of miners, gardeners, bankers, fashion designers, welders — and also CEOs. But does it impact employment or not? 

Certainly, it can  reduce operating costs in many areas. Many executives now say that automation can enable productivity growth, bringing several benefits both at the process level and for smaller or even individual businesses. If we consider the replacement rate in the face of the aging population in some countries, or of those who are declining in working age, then productivity is an urgent need, as is quality and cost reduction.

Yet, it is not easy for all businesses or individuals to adopt automation and robotization, since it is dependent on several technical and economic factors, such as the application and the feasibility and availability of software and hardware, as well as costs related to market factors, including production volumes, regulations, and above all, social acceptance.

Given the technologies that have been developed to automate and replace people, we can consider that there really could be a severe impact from developing better robots. However, each of today's professional graduates will need to undergo reskilling to adapt to the new work environment. Our task is to ensure that people and robots continue to coexist.

So, it's a reality, and without a doubt, people will need to continue working together with machines to generate added value, without a doubt.

That's why I want to discuss  the human element. In the end, leaders in different areas of industry will need to continue dealing with people. We can't automate everything and leave aside the key element that humans offer: their reasoning.

To be a leader with coherent practices, developing our people so they can deliver greater quality, better productivity, and attractive costs, while innovating and making improvements with great acuity, we will need to focus on the human being.

Our experience leads us to believe that leaders — and their own leadership — are the engine that drives the company, and their behavior in leading people is essential. That's why I want to emphasize that following these 10 behaviors will produce exceptional results:

Behavior 1: Lead by Example. We suggest leaders dedicate a large part of their time to supporting the operation, analyzing any deviation. We must lead with humility, respecting everyone on our team, supporting people in the processes they carry out so  that everything is within the specifications of the product and the process.

Behavior 2: Working as a Team is to analyze and to learn, to solve problems through teamwork, communicating with your team through short and effective meetings. The intention of these meetings is to provide clarity surrounding facts and data, but also to assign responsibilities and avoid repetition. Thus, leaders can apply different techniques, including implementing a scientific approach, ensuring that techniques related to scientific thinking can be applied to the characteristics of the process and the product, seeking perfection without forgetting that is necessary to respect the individual, and acting and thinking with humility.

Behavior 3: Personal Values. When we integrate people into the company or our teamwork, it is necessary to investigate their personal values. It will be important to introduce them to the company and train them. This process will take time, but the most important factor is to understand their personal values, since these determine their way of thinking and acting. This will help us when we set the purpose with the team and explain what is the value we deliver or add for the client. If the purpose and value align with our team member’s  values, they will be  well accepted. Our team members will then l be attentive to the process so as not to make errors or serious failures. In this way, we can seek process and product perfection alongside people with shared values.

Behavior 4: Certifying Staff. Our task of training and coaching people will require us to certify staff in the assigned operation. In addition to training and coaching, we must recalibrate people’s purpose, giving it a clear operational meaning, motivating them, and aligning them with the company's values. We must always respect our staff and be clear about our purpose in creating value for the customer, who is ultimately what keeps the company alive.

Behavior 5: Recognize and Reward people for their results and collaboration. Senior managers and leaders should primarily show appreciation for people's improvements and results. This will elevate their passion for doing their jobs better, while reinforcing the leader's respect for people and humility. It will also focus people on the process and the company’s purpose.

Behavior 6: Have Goals to Meet. Everyone wants to know how they will be evaluated If we can establish work sequences and standards, as well as the goals we must achieve daily, weekly, monthly, or annually, in addition to constantly generating a challenge, it creates a foundational culture of continuous improvement. It also trains us to pursue and achieve our purpose, and above all, the awareness of creating value for the customer.

Behavior 7: Benchmark Practices. It is beneficial for the team to receive information from competitors and other organizations, with the intention of benchmarking; that is, evaluating best practices. This is not just about copying tools or processes, it is about increasing our awareness of competing and having continuous improvement, without failing in our purpose and seeking perfection so that we continue producing added value for the client.

Behavior 8: Eliminate Waste. This is a bit complex because it invites us to avoid any form of waste and actions that do not generate value for the customer. It is a way to raise awareness of the need to improve costs and avoid an increase in the cost of our processes, thus generating a continuous flow of production while seeking perfection by directing ourselves toward our purpose, and clearly generating a cost reduction in the process.

Behavior 9: Listening. It is clear that our staff knows how to read results and they know when there are abnormalities or deviations from an objective or a standard. We need to listen to their views, and support them so that they know how to detect abnormalities in a preventive manner, not only calling when there are complaints from a client. A production stoppage is a deviation from the standard and we must seek to eliminate the causes without losing our purpose and while continuing to seek perfection.

Behavior 10: Visual Company. We must be very assertive because from the first day, the people who join our company must clearly identify what we do, and what we want. To do that, we need to be a visual company. This allows people to identify how the company is controlled, and how they can contribute to making improvements, if necessary. This can be difficult because we are dealing with recently hired people and we must be careful to respect the individual,while also transmitting control of the process and showing what our purpose is.

With these 10 behavioral guidelines, we can generate a culture of excellence and align the variables to achieve our goals Ultimately, we will provide our clients with added value, making us their go-to company because we exude a culture of respect and because our leaders demonstrate humility in guiding people through a new culture.

We are aware that the presence of  robotization and automation will only increase in the workplace, but we will continue to deal with people, one way or another. Our responsibility is to respect and guide our people, as well as motivate them to be better individuals.