As AI pushes industries to maneuver quicker than ever, sustainable enterprise progress nonetheless belongs to groups that grasp the fundamentals.
On The ChangeOver Podcast, I spoke with seasoned strategist Kurt Hahlbeck concerning the surge of curiosity in AI as a path to progress. His problem to enterprise leaders was easy: Earlier than you scale, are you certain your fundamentals can carry the burden?
“What’s paramount above all else is it’s important to know the way to place and pitch your worth and perceive the place you match versus your opponents, what that worth is, and the way to communicate to it in a approach that is smart to the viewers.”
Right here’s why that issues for industrial entrepreneurs and salespeople: a crystal-clear worth pitch slices by way of advanced shopping for cycles and shields margin when value wars erupt. So now could be the time to double down in your group’s core values — whereas nonetheless shifting ahead.
The secret’s to speak worth whereas sustaining humility, empathy, and curiosity — traits solely demonstrated by people, not AI. Curiosity, not code, is the best efficiency enhancer — and it isn’t one thing opponents can copy-paste.
Learn on for extra highlights from the episode, or higher but, watch the total dialog:
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Why Better Learning Beats Faster Tools
AI is changing how businesses operate, and quickly. But as Kurt points out, the disruption isn’t always obvious at first. Quoting Hemingway’s take on bankruptcy — that it happens “gradually, then suddenly” — Kurt notes that AI adoption follows a similar curve. Experimenting with tools may feel incremental, but once automation scales, change hits hard. And that’s where the biggest opportunities — and risks — emerge.
For instance, without a solid data foundation, increased speed only magnifies existing problems. While tools like ChatGPT, NotebookLM, and others offer new ways to gather customer insights, organizations must be careful not to confuse efficiency with effectiveness. Bad data and unchecked assumptions can sabotage the best technology.
“If you automate a mess, you get a faster mess… If you want better outcomes, you’ve got to ask better questions.” — Kurt Hahlbeck
Differentiation Through Humanity and Curiosity
As everyone gains access to the same AI-powered analytics and generative capabilities, what AI instruments can’t stage is the standard of the questions you ask.
If you happen to’re tempted to imagine AI makes mastery of fundamentals out of date, suppose once more. In actuality, it underscores their significance. The sharper your questions, the higher the insights — making a aggressive edge over those that accept surface-level outputs.
Curiosity is as a lot about unlearning as it’s about studying. Encouraging groups to problem long-held assumptions fosters a tradition of considerate questioning — one which helps break away from the “identified knowns” and uncover new paths to progress.
“With AI, what’s altering is the tempo. The basics are nonetheless the basics. We’ve at all times needed to study, however the tempo at which we study is selecting up, as a result of if we’re not attempting to study quicker and higher, we danger being left behind.”
Persevering with the theme of human differentiation, Kurt pushed again on the concept know-how ought to exchange individuals. As a substitute, he argued, AI must be used to reinforce human capabilities — particularly in industries like manufacturing, the place belief and relationships are important. AI doesn’t have inherent core values, moral stances, or the emotional experiences that drive these human qualities — the shared world view that makes for robust strategic partnerships.
This mindset shift applies effectively past manufacturing. Quite than asking if AI can do a job, leaders ought to give attention to why a human is within the function — and the way to amplify their distinctive strengths.
Progress: Technique Beats Pace
All through the episode, one theme stands out: progress isn’t nearly going quicker, it’s about making smarter strategic selections.
Whether or not navigating shifting provide chains, demographic adjustments, or trade disruption, the basics of technique stay:
- The place can we play?
- How can we win?
- What should we be nice at?
To some, AI appears like a menace. To others, it is a progress catalyst. Historical past exhibits that disruption typically paves the best way for alternative — simply have a look at the economic revolution or the mechanization of agriculture.
Farmers who clung to horse-drawn plows couldn’t compete with diesel-powered rivals. However even those that embraced the shift needed to study to function their new instruments — and perceive their limits — to succeed. The identical is true immediately: AI is the brand new diesel, and it nonetheless wants a talented driver.
“There’s loads of nervousness and anxiousness round AI, and I feel persons are right to be targeted on understanding how they will leverage it, the way it can impression them. However on the identical time, AI isn’t a technique. AI is a software.“
First Assume Deeply, Then Act Shortly
It’s a reminder that in moments of upheaval, those that keep grounded within the fundamentals and stay fueled by curiosity are greatest positioned to develop. A number of good steps industrial entrepreneurs ought to take to bulletproof the basics earlier than hitting the AI accelerator:
- Audit, optimize, and unify your knowledge — eradicate the “quicker mess” danger
- Sharpen your worth pitch, and check it with actual prospects
- Domesticate curiosity and reward groups for difficult assumptions and asking smarter questions
Able to pay attention in full? Catch this episode of The ChangeOver Podcast with Kurt Hahlbeck and subscribe for the newest advertising methods and insights.
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