Let’s be honest, most CHRO groups out there are bad. They are expensive, filled with vendor pitches, and loaded with “fluff” resources that are outdated by the time they are published. That’s why I put together Future of Work Leaders. A CHRO group for people leaders who are moving beyond traditional HR to focus on the future of work and employee experience. No pitches, no selling, no fluff.
The community is focused on discussions, candid Q&A sessions, and sharing of resources and insights. Members include Lego, Novartis, PwC, Saks Global, and dozens of others. I’m just in the process of planning our annual in-person forum which will be at the end of March. if you want to learn more and request an invite go to Future of Work Leaders or email me directly Jacob[at]thefutureorganization[dot]com.
The pace of work has changed. It used to take years for a market to shift. Now, it takes days. A new AI tool can drop on a Friday. By Monday, the whole world looks different. This speed has shaken many leaders. There is a rush to use AI, but there is also a fear of losing trust.
How do you manage a global workforce of 220,000 employees through one of the biggest technological shifts in history? For Amy Coleman, the Chief People Officer at Microsoft, the answer isn’t found in a line of code—it’s found in the culture. In this episode, we explore Microsoft’s playbook for scaling AI without losing trust.
Listen to the episode here on Apple Podcast & leave a review!
The Power of “Unlearning”
We often talk about the need to learn new skills, but Amy argues that the real challenge is unlearning old ones. She identifies the “biggest unlock” for any organization as making it culturally safe for everyone to become a beginner again.
Even at the highest levels of Microsoft, this mindset is non-negotiable. CEO Satya Nadella frequently tells his leadership team to “hit the books,” signaling that it is okay to not be an expert and that leaders must have the humility to relearn their craft in the context of AI.
Practice Adaptive Leadership
In a world that changes weekly, leaders can no longer promise certainty. Instead, they must provide clarity. Amy defines this as adaptive leadership—the ability to lead with vulnerability and authenticity even when you don’t have all the answers.
A key part of this strategy is “decreasing proximity.” As technology threatens to distance humans from one another, leaders must work harder to bring employees closer to the “why” behind decisions. By sharing context and being honest about the “pace of discomfort,” leaders build a foundation of trust that allows the team to move fast without feeling left behind.
The “Solid Handshake” of Accountability
Trust is a two-way street, which Amy describes as a “solid handshake” between the company and the employee.
- The Company’s Role: Microsoft commits to “having the back” of its workforce by providing resources for talent redeployment, upskilling, and re-skilling. This gives employees the security to reinvent their careers internally.
- The Employee’s Role: Employees are expected to bring a “learn-it-all” curiosity and a focus on impact over activity.
Listen to the episode here on Apple Podcast & leave a review!
Shift from “Toil” to Impact
AI is uniquely positioned to handle the “toil” or the routine, low-value tasks that clutter our workdays. As these tasks are automated, Microsoft is shifting its performance management to reward impact rather than performative activity.
By moving away from tracking emails sent or meetings attended, the focus returns to uniquely human strengths: judgment, empathy, and critical thinking. The playbook is clear: AI and humanity must go hand in hand to preserve the essence of what makes a company great.
Innovate Responsibly
Scaling AI without losing trust requires a backbone of ethics. Microsoft has operated with Responsible AI principles and a dedicated team for years to ensure that innovation happens within safe, transparent boundaries. This “scrappy” yet principled approach allows even “citizen developers” within the company to disrupt old systems from the bottom up while staying aligned with the company’s core mission.
Can Your Culture Handle the Heat?
To win in the AI era, you don’t just need a better tool. You need a culture that celebrates the “productive discomfort” of learning and a leadership team that chooses clarity over perfection.
Scaling AI is not a tech challenge. It is a cultural challenge. The tools only work if people feel safe and valued. Winning in the AI age means choosing results over activity. It means being a learner for life. It means staying close to your people even as the tech grows.
Leaders must ask a tough question: Is your culture strong enough to handle the stress of fast change? True innovation means being okay with not having all the answers.
For more behind-the-scenes insights on how Microsoft is shaping the future of work, listen to the full conversation below.
Organizations around the world have lost their way. It’s time to get back to basics and focus on what really drives people and performance. This is why I’m so very excited to share that after 2 years of research and writing, my new book The 8 Laws of Employee Experience: How to Build a Future-Ready Organization is finally available. Grab a copy at 8exlaws.com
