#7 AI Strategic Leadership
Episode 7 Recap: “From Ready to Results - AI Strategy in Action”
In this final episode of the AI Readiness series, Angela and Loren shift from preparation to execution. Strategy is what transforms your assessment insights into real business outcomes - and it starts with a focused, realistic plan.
Key Takeaways:
- Strategy isn’t a 5-year document - it’s a series of 90-day sprints
- Progress starts with a shared vision and a well-trained team
- AI isn’t plug-and-play; your strategy needs to evolve with your people and tools
- Governance, training, and workflows aren’t separate - they build toward intelligent automation
- AI can 10X your business - but only if you build the foundation first
Explore the featured prompt of the week, designed to help leaders spark growth using AI and their real company data. And don’t miss Loren’s breakdown of why most AI failures stem from poor testing - not bad tech.
Tools to try:
- AI Readiness Assessment – Know where you stand, and what to do next
- AI Strategy Planning Prompt – Learn how to use your mission, values, and assessment data to build your plan
This concludes our 6-track AI Readiness journey - but we’re just getting started. Coming soon: conversations with real-world AI implementers and practical deep dives into tools, trends, and what’s next.
Listen Here:
The Conversation with Model Mind AI YouTube
the Conversation with Model Mind AI | Podcast on Spotify
the Conversation with Model Mind AI Podcast on Amazon Music
the Conversation with Model Mind AI - Podcast - Apple Podcasts
From Insight to Action: Building a Real AI Strategy
Episode 7 of The Conversation marks the final stop on the AI Readiness journey—and it’s all about turning potential into progress. Angela Schultz and Loren Horsager dive into what it takes to move from assessment to action, showing leaders how to build an AI strategy that’s focused, adaptable, and results-driven. If you’ve been tracking your organization's readiness, now is the time to put that insight to work with smart planning and intentional leadership.
Strategy Turns Readiness into Results
It’s not enough to know where your organization stands - you need a plan to move forward. Loren and Angela emphasize that strategy is the mechanism that turns AI from an abstract concept into a competitive advantage. Unlike outdated five-year roadmaps, today’s AI strategies are built for speed and adaptability. Model Mind recommends a quarterly planning cycle to stay aligned with fast-changing tools, team needs, and business goals.
The Power of the 90-Day Plan
Quarterly planning isn’t just easier to manage - it’s more realistic in a space evolving as quickly as AI. According to Loren, even a two-year vision can be built one quarter at a time. Whether you're focused on training, governance, or launching your first AI-driven workflow, this rhythm creates measurable momentum. It also plugs seamlessly into your existing business cycles and helps teams prioritize the most meaningful projects.
Training is Strategic, Not Optional
An AI strategy without team training is like building a rocket with no one to fly it. Angela shares examples from her classes where even small shifts in AI literacy spark big ideas. Strategy thrives when it’s shared - so bringing your people along isn’t just important, it’s essential. And that training pays off fast, helping identify internal champions and accelerating experimentation across departments.
Avoiding the Trap of “Random Acts of AI”
One of the biggest risks Loren sees in companies is the scattered adoption of AI tools without alignment or strategy. This leads to inefficiencies, frustrated employees, and often, wasted investment. By anchoring your work in the AI Readiness Assessment and revisiting it each quarter, your strategy stays grounded in what actually matters - business goals, team capacity, and measurable impact.
A Prompt That Starts Your Strategic Engine
To help kick off strategic planning, Angela introduces a prompt designed to supercharge your thinking. Load your mission, values, and engagement approach into ChatGPT, Copilot, or Gemini and ask: 'Help me radically grow my company using AI. What do you need from me to get started?' This builds a customized, collaborative AI strategy tailored to your real-world needs.
Final Thoughts
This episode closes out the six-track Readiness series, but it's just the beginning of a new phase for AI-forward leaders. Strategy brings structure to the chaos, focus to the hype, and confidence to the unknown. With the right plan, training, and culture in place, you won’t just keep up - you’ll lead.
Next up on The Conversation: technical deep dives and real stories from companies putting AI to work in powerful ways.