Beware the complexity monster

Less hocus-pocus, more “Hey, we can do this!”

“None of us is as smart as all of us.”
— Ken Blanchard

Want to make AI less complicated for your people? Start by finding inspiration within.

Shiny new tools, sweeping productivity claims, and breathless headlines can turn AI into a complexity monster. The more it grows, the harder it is to see what’s possible.

Spark #4 of BTS’s Ten Leadership Sparks to Accelerate AI Innovation—their AI Innovation Field Guide #3—is simple: Show what’s possible. Teams can’t use what they can’t imagine. So be structured and diligent about looking for inspiration, and actively spread the ideas you find. But beware of false muses. They’re everywhere.

These 3 simple moves help tame the complexity monster:

• Look inside your organization. Some of your people already have inspiration and a plan. Pull them out of the shadows and invite them to share what they’ve built.
• Learn from trusted outsiders. Other companies have successful results. Mine their experience.
• Ask a 10x question. Follow Einstein’s lead. Pick a frustrating task and ask, “What would need to be true to do this 10 times better?”

Need more inspiration? These 4 interactive AI field guides from our partners at BTS have practical ideas on building AI skills, inspiring experimentation, and leading through change, built by teams working alongside clients right now. Struggles, successes, failures, and trial and error. Each one is ready for you to mark up, argue with, and bring to meetings.

→ Get your field guides today!

Most of all, keep experimenting! You might just scare up something brilliant.

Inspiration is the one thing the complexity monster can’t survive.

Question of the week: Where are we overcomplicating AI—and what can we simplify without compromising responsible use?

---

One great thing for 10.27.26 – What to Do When Your Employees Are Hiding Their AI Use – BTS CEO Jessica Skon‘s article in Fast Company reframes shadow AI as both a security risk and a signal that employees are ready to innovate faster than their organizations allow. Rather than simply clamping down, leaders can create approved pathways for experimentation, provide safe sandboxes, clarify data rules, and give employees ways to share what works.

It’s a timely read for L&D leaders helping their organizations balance responsible AI use with the freedom to learn and innovate.