On this week’s episode, MT’s former staff writer Éilis Cronin talks to Leon Butler, general manager of IBM UK and Ireland.

Having previously been IBM vice president responsible for global AI sales, Butler has a clear viewpoint on what businesses need to do to get the most out of the technology.

As far as those at the top of the organisation are concerned, this comes down to the need to “lean in” more and actually use the technology themselves, as this enables leaders to not only talk about it but really to understand it and, in turn, effectively implement it within their organisation.

By the same token, initiatives often fall short when they are treated like a “science experiment”, as opposed to rooted in clearly defined objectives.

Butler is an IBM veteran in the truest sense of the word, having spent more than two decades at the company and worked his way up the ranks before clinching the top UK job a year and a half ago. He talks about the lessons he has acquired along the way – not least the need as a leader to really understand your business.

“I’m in the technology industry, and if you don’t understand technology, how on earth will you run a company that rolls it out?” This understanding underpins everything, he says, from the quality of your communication with your teams to their ability to convey the company’s offer, to ultimately the strength of your clients’ understanding of your solutions.

The episode also covers how AI is changing the in-demand leadership attributes, the challenge and opportunity of upskilling, and the importance of psychological safety in harnessing AI’s gains.

Credits:

Presenters: Éilis Cronin and Antonia Garrett Peel

Producer: Inga Marsden

Artwork: Chris Barker

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