Leading in the Time of AI

The views expressed are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of ASPA as an organization.

By April Townsend
October 24, 2025

As a public sector leader in today’s rapidly evolving technological landscape, you play a pivotal role in guiding your team through the adoption of artificial intelligence (AI). Fortunately, by drawing on your existing leadership skills of adaptability, authenticity, curiosity and analytical skills, you can help your organization leverage the benefits of AI. Your support through clear communication, investment in education and training, and framing what AI can and cannot do will provide your team with the confidence needed to embrace new tools and processes as you work together to effectively integrate AI into public service operations.

The Leadership Mindset for AI Adoption

Four of the most important qualities for successful leadership that translate into effective AI adoption for your team include adaptability, authenticity, curiosity and leveraging your analytical skills.

Adaptability: The world we work in is changing faster than it used to. As a leader, this means learning how to adjust to continually shifting demands and dynamics. Modeling flexibility for your team can help them become more comfortable embracing new challenges and uncertainty and be able to pivot when needed.

Authenticity: As a leader, your team relies on you to be honest with them. Being true and genuine allows people to trust and connect with you and makes them more willing to take risks with you. This quality is critical when encouraging a team to embrace the use of AI, particularly with employees who may be hesitant about using AI tools. To address their concerns, be transparent as you explain why AI is being introduced in your organization and what is anticipated that it will—and won’t—do.

Curiosity: Great leaders have a mindset that is continually trying to understand the art of the possible. Being curious, and modeling that for your team, can help them feel more comfortable looking at situations from a different perspective. Curiosity supports an environment where staff can ask questions, explore possibilities and remain open to new ideas. This skill will serve you and your team as you experiment with AI tools and share personal learning experiences which will normalize exploration.

Analytical Skills: Effective leaders break down complex problems, explore potential root causes and identify new alternatives. This skill goes beyond relying on one’s gut instinct to develop analytical skills that help you identify trends and patterns and to take action accordingly. Utilizing this skill when integrating AI into your work processes allows you to emphasize the value of being data-informed rather than just data-driven to make responsible decisions. When analytics are combined with human expertise and ethical judgment, you and your team can identify implications of certain actions while also being aware of possible biases.

Preparing Your Team for AI

Preparing your team for the successful implementation of AI tools will involve a combination of educating, communicating and framing. Start by explaining AI tools, candidly addressing their benefits and limitations. Invest in training through hands-on workshops, peer learning and “AI literacy” programs. Provide hands-on “sandbox” opportunities to start using AI for low-risk, routine tasks such as drafting summaries, assisting with scheduling or doing simple data entry. As staff become comfortable using these tools, they can gradually move on to more complex applications. You’ll want to provide ongoing support through offering demonstrations, help desks, peer mentors, user groups and regular check-ins where staff can share challenges and celebrate success.

As staff begin using AI, create a safe environment where your team can feel comfortable discussing their concerns, asking questions and sharing candid feedback about the AI tools they are using. Encourage questions and feedback by asking, “What worked well?” “What was confusing?” “What didn’t go as planned?” Actively listening to the responses provided by your team will provide valuable insight into what is working and what isn’t, all while normalizing conversations around experimentation, change and ways to improve.

Finally, framing the adoption of AI tools as a partnership can help address the apprehension that one’s role is being made obsolete. Emphasizing that AI is intended to augment, not replace, human abilities can help team members see its value in enhancing creativity, productivity and decision-making. As your team sees that AI can be a tool to support your mission and service delivery, it can be seen as a means for better governance, not a threat to it.

Conclusion

The successful adoption of AI in the public sector will be as much about the leadership qualities used to support its implementation as it is about the technology itself. Leaders who are adaptable, authentic and curious can guide their teams to use AI confidently and responsibly. It is true that the adoption of AI in the public sector still needs to address ethical and privacy concerns, public accountability and faces technical gaps with legacy systems. However, leaders can set the stage for success by being proactive in communicating openly, educating their teams on the strengths and limitations of AI and providing them with ongoing support. By taking this approach, leaders can play a pivotal role in unlocking the potential of AI to support service delivery in the hands of empowered employees.

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Author: Dr. April Townsend worked in the public sector for over 30 years, holding a variety of executive leadership positions. As a Research Fellow with the Utah Women & Leadership Project, she has published numerous reports and articles focused on leadership, particularly the challenges faced by women leaders. Her email is: [email protected]. Twitter handle: @AprilT2014

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