In the age of artificial intelligence,
managers at all levels need to accept
that a significant chunk of their jobs
might be done better and more efficiently by machines.
The researchers conducted a survey
of 1,770 managers across 14 countries,
as well as interviews with 37 executives in charge
of digital transformation in their organizations.
They found that managers at every level
spend the bulk of their time on administrative tasks,
such as juggling employee schedules or writing reports.
These are the very tasks that are most likely to become
automated in the near future.
In fact, some companies have already
seen great improvements by transitioning these tasks
to AI.
More than 80% of the managers surveyed
said they welcomed this sort of shift.
They understood that they will need judgment-oriented skills
to succeed in the future.
These include being able to think creatively, analyze
and interpret data, and develop strategies.
But they undervalued the skills that machines simply
can't do better than humans, such as social networking,
coaching, and collaboration.
Of the managers surveyed, only about 20%
selected each of these "people skills" among the top three
that they thought we be necessary and should
be developed over the next 5 years.
What they didn't seem to realize is
that these skills will help them stand out in a world
where artificial intelligence handles
many of the administrative tasks that they perform today.
Machines will never completely replace managers,
but they will free up nearly half of their time.
The real priority should be re-focusing on the tasks
that only humans can do: using their creativity,
collaborating, empathizing and making judgements.