Leading through change in the age of artificial intelligence

How to navigate AI change management in government

We are living in a time of monumental change, fueled (in part) by artificial intelligence (AI) and generative AI (genAI). It’s been 4 years since the introduction of a major genAI tool, and the pace of change in our world has accelerated rapidly since. Along with many other industries and sectors, AI in local government is gaining traction.

Change is always the constant in life; this is true. But now we have less time to work through one change before another is thrown at us. As AI evolves, understanding the types of changes it brings with it, and how people and systems are affected, becomes even more important. This is the foundation for better individual outcomes, as well as better outcomes for the organization you work for, the colleagues you work with, and the constituents you provide services for.

How technology driven changes impact the public sector

As soon as it entered the technology landscape, AI began shaking things up. AI in local government is no exception. Since its introduction, AI is changing how government employees perform their work, how agencies deliver services, and how residents access information and assistance. For employees, AI can support research, document drafting, and the review of information used in decision-making. Adopting these tools requires new skills and clear expectations for when to apply professional judgment and verify results.

When agencies adopt AI in local government, it can reshape workflows and speed up routine tasks. This simultaneously requires leaders to establish oversight and accountability. For residents, these changes may offer faster answers and new ways to access government services. This is great, but because this is new technology and it’s changing rapidly, access to human assistance is essential. These changes require leaders to understand what employees need to adapt, actively address their concerns, and prepare them to use AI responsibly, while maintaining reliable services for residents.

There are many types of organizational change within public sector agencies that can create a ripple effect on projects and employees. Organizational restructuring or budgetary changes can require the curtailing of planned projects. When a boss suddenly retires, a valued colleague leaves, or an election brings new members on the board, the remaining employees must adapt. In your personal life, changes like welcoming a new baby or caring for aging family members will bring plenty of learning curves. Ultimately, all these situations can impact how you approach your daily work.

External forces like dangerous weather events (wildfires, tornadoes, hurricanes, etc.) and cyberattacks also have a role to play. I remember in the early 2000’s when a significant fire occurred in the Cook County, Illinois, administration building. This fire resulted in loss of life, as well as temporary displacement of workers. The COVID-19 pandemic also brought tumultuous changes with it for both the public and private sector. When factoring change management in government, a new, multi-year AI initiative may be sidelined because of any one of these events.

Change management techniques for local government

For IT and technology leaders, handling all the different types of organizational change carries double the weight. You are not only adapting to new systems, mandates, and cybersecurity threats. You may also be responsible for rolling changes out across the organization and helping everyone else adapt to it. In this context, AI change management is especially challenging. In these situations, we have no control of the “why”, but we do have the ability to impact the “how”.

Before you can navigate AI change management in government, you must first examine how you currently approach change. Meeting change with hesitation or fear requires different work upfront, versus someone who readily accepts change. You also need to recognize your own response, while also acknowledging different employee perspectives. How you respond to change personally is even more critical when you’re responsible for change management leadership.

Change management techniques include:

• Encouraging and promoting work/life balance. Taking breaks is good on any day, but especially vital during times of change. With the demands of learning AI, this helps to avoid feeling overwhelmed.
• Listen. Sometimes just being able to talk about the change, and how it is making someone feel, is half the battle. Ask staff which tasks they would trust AI to assist with and which require closer review. And as you listen to the employee, you may identify implementation problems.
• Find out why they are having a negative reaction to the change. Is it:
  • Fear of job loss? Be honest about what you know and reframe the new AI/genAI technology as something that changes the job, rather than replacing the person. The employees who learn to use new technology well tend to become more valuable, not less.
  • Fear of the learning curve? Give people a safe, low-stakes space to practice, break the AI/genAI learning into small steps, and pair them with a peer who has already picked it up. You can give additional support by providing resources and other training on responsible AI/genAI.
  • Fear of the unknown? Define and "plan the work, then work the plan" to turn that unknown into a series of smaller steps.
  • Fear of failure? Set the expectation up front that missteps are a part of learning. Failure is only failure if we do not learn from it. The use of AI/GenAI in public sector work is new ground and staff will need to course correct along the way.

By understanding the “why,” you can more effectively address how to deal with the change.

Leading through AI change management in government

How does change management factor into leadership? As a strong leader, showing empathy and sharing your thoughts or feelings about the change is typically received well. Frame your language to express the changes neutrally, rather than using phrases employees might interpret as stereotypical or dismissive.¹ There are other AI change management techniques that can be used, too.

Change management leadership requires a unique blend of thoughtfulness and strategic execution. Leaders can organize group sessions to talk about the change, or schedule individual time with a colleague or direct report. Active listening will reveal how they are tackling change. You can also encourage your team to share how they’re embracing new technology and adapting to the change in group meetings. As takeaways are identified, be sure to follow through.

For me, I generally embrace change well. I had to when I switched jobs and moved to a new home, all within the same month. In that process, my approach included maintaining a positive attitude and focusing on the good aspects of the change (i.e., living closer to adult children and grandchildren). I also found it helpful to develop steps to deal with the change. A colleague of mine often used the phrase, “Plan the work, then work the plan”. It really does help to lower anxiety and reframe failure as part of the process.

If you are still unsure how to deal with change, or you want to gain more understanding, I recommend 2 resources:

• For IT professionals, Steve Monaghan, a former CIO, has written a practitioner guide called Leading Local Government IT: A CIO-Level Framework and Field Guide to Build a High-Performing IT Organization.
• For those in leadership government roles, The Five Stages to Leveraging Your Leadership by Liz Weber walks through her Five Stages of Focused Leadership model. The core idea is that what got you promoted is not what makes you an effective leader, and you often must change how you lead to move your team forward.

Embracing change management leadership in public agencies

Are you or your team embracing change today, or are you in a holding pattern? Changes spurred by AI in local government and new technology are uniquely stressful and challenging for government workers, public organizations, and constituents. By understanding the unique conditions for change management in government and using change management techniques, you can navigate transitions with ease.

I challenge you to identify the “why” and then focus your energy on the one thing you can control: the “how”. Ask yourself these questions about the introduction of AI: What will change for the employee? What oversight will the agency provide? And the ultimate question: “How will residents benefit, and how will problems be addressed with responsible AI?”

Technological advancements won’t slow down, and AI isn’t going away. With the right approach, your organization can develop a plan today to address that change.

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