Resources
Post-Webinar Q&A
Read below to see Laszlo and Jacqui’s insightful responses to some of our submitted member questions that weren't answered during the webinar.
Talent Pipeline: Where should CHROs invest now to avoid a manager bottleneck and ensure managers are equipped for the jobs they are managing?
Laszlo: I'd take a page from consulting firms and invest heavily in manager training both through formal training at critical points (eg, before becoming a manager, the first time, etc.) as well as having the managers' managers invest in real-time coaching and feedback (eg, build a culture of debriefing after meetings and projects, etc.). I'd explore personal AI coaches. And I'd revisit an approach like Project Oxygen, where we identified the 8 behaviors managers had that were effective and -- importantly -- built micro-courses and nudges to encourage those behaviors.
AI and Leadership: How is AI reshaping the definition of leadership, especially for CHROs? And will the most effective future leaders be those who are technically fluent, emotionally intelligent, or something else entirely?
Laszlo: Most AI questions or deployments inside companies are messy and complicated, without clear measures of success. CHROs therefore need to upgrade their personal understanding of analytics (so they can tell which AI effort is effective) and problem structuring (so they can focus the AI on specific tasks and problems, rather than peanut-buttering AI everywhere). That's why these are foundational elements of my Berkeley program. CHROs need to be great at all the other stuff too!
Jacqui: The org chart as we know it is disintegrating—and so is the traditional definition of a CHRO. We're seeing more people leaders take on blended roles, reflecting how deeply talent, technology, and AI transformation are intertwined. My own title shift to Chief People and AI Enablement Officer reflects that reality. The focus on people and AI—which my new role represents—is part of what will make a CEO’s business transformation strategy successful. These types of shifts signal that CHROs are shaping strategy, building platforms, and creating capacity at scale. And it's never been more important for CHROs to think beyond HR and work with business leaders across the organization.
AI, Bias, and Equity: As HR leaders, how do we ensure that algorithmic decision-making enhances rather than erodes equity—especially if companies are considering AI use cases in recruitment, performance, and promotion systems where bias can be amplified at scale?
Laszlo: There are standard tests for bias: adverse impact analyses, textual analyses, etc. These should be used for AI as for any people process. It's important to also always have a human-in-the-loop. As IBM famously wrote in an employee training manual: "A computer can never be held accountable, therefore a computer must never make a management decision"
HR and CIO Working Together: How do the CHRO and CIO work together to establish governance for responsible AI use, AND execute business strategy through a combination of people strategy and technology?
Laszlo: I'll defer to Jacqui on this one, as she's in the role now and a great model!
Jacqui: To use AI responsibly and strategically, CHROs and CIOs should work together as co-creators, not just collaborators. Our HR and IT teams work hand-in-hand to integrate platforms, connect data, and reduce reliance on fragmented systems. And together, we use our “AI Control Tower” to track adoption, data quality, and ROI across our AI use cases. This lets us make smarter decisions, faster. It also ensures AI is solving real problems, not just adding complexity. When our teams work together, we can maintain oversight for moral, ethical, and legal use of AI without stifling speed. And when we apply a product mindset—testing and learning—it helps us unlock innovation and transform the business.
Impact on Critical Thinking: As we continue the rapid expansion of AI across industries, schools, and society, are you concerned that critical thinking would become a lost skill set? If so, do you have any thoughts on what leaders should do to address that?
Laszlo: Yes. I worry that the movie Idiocracy moves from satire to prediction! We need to re-tool our educational, corporate training, and recognition and promotion systems to measure and reward critical thinking, rather than rote memorization.
Ted Dintersmith's film Most Likely to Succeed highlights project-based learning as a great approach for schools. For companies, consulting is again a great model for measuring and teaching critical thinking. Taking those rubrics and adding them to performance/promotion standards in most companies would be a big improvement.