Leadership in the Algorithm Age

ABSTRACT Seeley, CEO of Carew International, contends that today's leaders often neglect the sense of meaning people in their organizations are striving for. At the same time, there is the human (and organizational) failing to not “imagine alternatives to the world they've normalized, even when that world is producing suboptimal, unacceptable, or even fatal outcomes.” He discusses “information asymmetry,” and the shifting role of artificial intelligence/AI, where “meaning is a scarce resource.” He notes that Carew “created the LAER communication tool. It highlights four purpose‐unearthing interpersonal activities: Listen, Acknowledge, Explore, Respond.” He partially illustrates this with his dialog with one of Carew's employees, a blue‐collar worker who transformed his duties into “a cause greater than himself, aligned with what mattered most to him—supporting his family.” He also provides six practical steps for “leading in an AI‐soaked world.” They are, in his words, Double down on “Why” conversations; Audit your internal LAER; Use AI as a force multiplier, not a trophy; Fire faster; Mentor intentionally; and Celebrate meaning. “AI can provide information and insight,” he concludes, “but it cannot develop or replicate the deep work of personal conviction.”