ESG Webinar – AI Strategy for Workplace

The Executive Study Group (ESG) webinar named “AI Strategy for Workplace – How to Break Through Team Adoption Barriers?” was held by Asia Pacific Institute for Strategy Limited (APIFS) on 8^th Sep 2025. The webinar topics included “Challenges of GenAI Tool Usage”, “Scale GenAI” and “Seven Key Levers to Scale Enterprise GenAI”. 

Firstly, Dr. Mark Lee mentioned 95% of AI pilots fail to deliver measurable P&L impact. Most company misunderstanding human connection and key values of sales and marketing. So the investment of GenAI mostly in sales & marketing but not invested in the back-office which was the key opportunity zone.

Then he briefed the three key challenges of scaling GenAI including enthusiasm plateaus, training gaps and AI shaming.

And then Dr. Lee surveyed what is the GenAI adoption stage from the participants in Poll 1. The top one is Surge – Explorating and Excitement (36.4%) and 2^nd one is Interest Dip (28.3%).

After that he introduced the midcycle dip of GenAI adoption that destroyed people’s enthusiasm for AI technology.

Dr. Mark Lee then introduced three strategies for scaling GenAI in corporations including 1) Adjust GenAI tools based on Job type, 2) Help all employees become AI leaders, and 3) Break down culture problems with AI.

Generative AI (GenAI) models are not deterministic systems because their outputs can vary even when given the same input. Hallucination would happen that is one of barriers for STEM adoption. It depends on creative roles or precision-driven roles.

If you would like to got more deterministic results, a certified templates for prompts should be employed.

In poll 2, he surveyed us who is more effective and productivity by digital natives or digital immigrants. Most of participants selected digital native (69.2%).

But a surprised study showed that more experienced employees who got the high value using GenAI for the workplace. So that senior staff worked to be AI leader in strategy 2.

The last strategy related to culture problem. He quoted Prof. Michale Wade that “Concerns about output ownership and workflow changes fueled further resistance to GenAI. If you want to scale GenAI successfully, start with people, not code.” Because some staff would have cultural resistance.

Finally, Dr. Mark Lee introduced seven levels to scale enterprise GenAI to us. 

In the last poll, we were asked which two levers should prioritize to scale GenAI over the next 6 months. Most participants selected lever 3 – Internal communities of practices (43.9%).

At the end, Dr. Lee mentioned the vision, mission and values of AI-driven strategy for visionary leadership.

Reference:

Asia Pacific Institute for Strategy Limited (亞太策略研究所有限公司) – www.apifs.org

ESG facebook - https://www.facebook.com/groups/esg08

Leader 2030 - Empowering the Next Generation of Leaders - https://www.apifs.org/Leader2030-en

20250806: ESG Webinar – AI Strategy by GenAI Risk Slope - https://qualityalchemist.blogspot.com/2025/08/esg-webinar-ai-strategy-by-genai-risk.html

20250625: ESG Webinar – Future-Proof Your Career: Strategies to Stay Irreplaceable in the Age of AI - https://qualityalchemist.blogspot.com/2025/06/esg-webinar-future-proof-your-career.html

Leader 2030 series:

20250822: Leader 2030 - Innovation Strategy – How to Increase Customer Satisfaction and Reduce Costs Simultaneously - https://qualityalchemist.blogspot.com/2025/08/leader-2030-innovation-strategy-how-to_22.html

20250307: Leader 2030 Webinar – Lean Startup: Quick Innovation Strategy - https://qualityalchemist.blogspot.com/2025/03/leader-2030-webinar-lean-startup-quick.html

20250319: Leader 2030 Webinar – How Are AI Projects Different from Traditional IT Projects - https://qualityalchemist.blogspot.com/2025/03/leader-2030-webinar-how-are-ai-projects.html

20250422: Leader 2030 Webinar – The Secret for Successful Strategy Execution - https://qualityalchemist.blogspot.com/2025/04/leader-2030-webinar-secret-for.html

20250502: Leader 2030 Webinar – The Secret for Successful Strategy Execution (II) - https://qualityalchemist.blogspot.com/2025/05/leader-2030-webinar-secret-for.html

20250515: Leader 2030 -Negotiation Strategy to Lead Changes - https://qualityalchemist.blogspot.com/2025/05/leader-2030-negotiation-strategy-to.html 

20250806: Leader 2030-Innovation Strategy-How to Increase Customer Satisfaction and Reduce Costs Simultaneously - https://qualityalchemist.blogspot.com/2025/08/leader-2030-innovation-strategy-how-to.html

Previous talks summary:

https://qualityalchemist.blogspot.com/search/label/Executive%20Study%20Group

Leader 2030 - Innovation Strategy – How to Increase Customer Satisfaction and Reduce Costs Simultaneously

The Executive Study Group (ESG) webinar named “Leader 2030 – Innovation Strategy Part 2 – How to Increase Customer Satisfaction and Reduce Costs Simultaneously” was held by Asia Pacific Institute for Strategy Limited (APIFS) on 22^nd Aug 2025. It covered relationship between customer experience and loyalty, customer services as a hygiene factor, make it easy by removing obstacles and “Effortless” customer experience. 

Firstly, Dr. Mark Lee reviewed the changes in the loyalty curve and pointed out that raising customer expectations does not necessarily significantly increase customer loyalty.

Then he discussed the emotional side of customer. Dr. Lee said 24% of the repeat calls stemmed from emotional disconnects. So we needed to identify customer’s personality type such as “Controller”, “Thinker”, “Feeler” or “Entertainer”. 

And then balance of detail and speed for different type customer diagnosed. In order to remove emotion obstacle, “Positive Spin” on the need of customer is useful.

Many customers had problem for selection. Thus, minimize channel switching by increasing self-service channel would help customer removing obstacles.

After that he proposed to empower the front-line staff to deliver an “Effortless” experience.

Lastly, he demonstrated the diagram for increasing loyalty and reducing cost.

Reference:

Asia Pacific Institute for Strategy Limited (亞太策略研究所有限公司) – www.apifs.org

ESG facebook - https://www.facebook.com/groups/esg08

Leader 2030 - Empowering the Next Generation of Leaders - https://www.apifs.org/Leader2030-en

Leader 2030 series:

20250307: Leader 2030 Webinar – Lean Startup: Quick Innovation Strategy - https://qualityalchemist.blogspot.com/2025/03/leader-2030-webinar-lean-startup-quick.html

20250319: Leader 2030 Webinar – How Are AI Projects Different from Traditional IT Projects - https://qualityalchemist.blogspot.com/2025/03/leader-2030-webinar-how-are-ai-projects.html

20250422: Leader 2030 Webinar – The Secret for Successful Strategy Execution - https://qualityalchemist.blogspot.com/2025/04/leader-2030-webinar-secret-for.html

20250502: Leader 2030 Webinar – The Secret for Successful Strategy Execution (II) - https://qualityalchemist.blogspot.com/2025/05/leader-2030-webinar-secret-for.html

20250515: Leader 2030 -Negotiation Strategy to Lead Changes - https://qualityalchemist.blogspot.com/2025/05/leader-2030-negotiation-strategy-to.html

20250806: Leader 2030-Innovation Strategy-How to Increase Customer Satisfaction and Reduce Costs Simultaneously - https://qualityalchemist.blogspot.com/2025/08/leader-2030-innovation-strategy-how-to.html

ESG Webinar – AI Strategy by GenAI Risk Slope

The Executive Study Group (ESG) webinar named “AI Strategy by GenAI Risk Slope” was held by Asia Pacific Institute for Strategy Limited (APIFS) on 6^th Aug 2025.  The 1^st part discussed challenge of GenAI adoption for teamwork. The 2^nd part mentioned AI as team members on “GenAI Risk Slope”, and the last part stated seven steps to climb the GenAI Risk Slope. 

Firstly, Dr. Mark Lee explained GenAI is part of AI (subset of AI) which learn from existing data to generate new information and various content.

Then he discussed six limitations of GenAI including accuracy, reasoning, understanding, action and unverifiable, as well as, judgment.  

Dr. Lee also mentioned some challenge for large-scale AI team collaborations because leaders focus on real value from LLM without replacing entire processes that is small scale transformation.

And then Dr. Lee briefed risk slop approach which employed in Hong Kong IT firms.

After that he introduced EU AI Act that defined four risk categories.

Dr. Mark Lee then used AI Act risk categories to develop the GenAI Risk Slope from low risk to medium risk and then to high risk.

There are five strategic advantages by using this approach including phased innovation, risk control, efficient investment, capability building and strategic agility.

In poll 1, he surveyed us what is the greatest challenge for organization. Data and Compliance Risk is the top choice upto 57%.

Then he quoted different cases including McKinsey Lilli which is in-house GenAI with more than 40 internal sources.

One of key step to reduce risk using GenAI is “Human-in-the-loop” model.

In poll 2, we were asked the best describe how our organization applying GenAI. Choice 1 and 2 had half portion. 

Finally, he described seven action steps to climb the GenAI Risk Slop from incremental approach to maintaining a long-term team perspective.

Lastly, Dr. Lee introduced APIFS would provide AI advisory based on academic studies. 

Reference:

Asia Pacific Institute for Strategy Limited (亞太策略研究所有限公司) – www.apifs.org

ESG facebook - https://www.facebook.com/groups/esg08

Leader 2030 - Empowering the Next Generation of Leaders - https://www.apifs.org/Leader2030-en

20250625: ESG Webinar – Future-Proof Your Career: Strategies to Stay Irreplaceable in the Age of AI - https://qualityalchemist.blogspot.com/2025/06/esg-webinar-future-proof-your-career.html

Leader 2030 series:

20250307: Leader 2030 Webinar – Lean Startup: Quick Innovation Strategy - https://qualityalchemist.blogspot.com/2025/03/leader-2030-webinar-lean-startup-quick.html

20250319: Leader 2030 Webinar – How Are AI Projects Different from Traditional IT Projects - https://qualityalchemist.blogspot.com/2025/03/leader-2030-webinar-how-are-ai-projects.html

20250422: Leader 2030 Webinar – The Secret for Successful Strategy Execution - https://qualityalchemist.blogspot.com/2025/04/leader-2030-webinar-secret-for.html

20250502: Leader 2030 Webinar – The Secret for Successful Strategy Execution (II) - https://qualityalchemist.blogspot.com/2025/05/leader-2030-webinar-secret-for.html

20250515: Leader 2030 -Negotiation Strategy to Lead Changes - https://qualityalchemist.blogspot.com/2025/05/leader-2030-negotiation-strategy-to.html 

20250806: Leader 2030-Innovation Strategy-How to Increase Customer Satisfaction and Reduce Costs Simultaneously - https://qualityalchemist.blogspot.com/2025/08/leader-2030-innovation-strategy-how-to.html

Previous talks summary:

https://qualityalchemist.blogspot.com/search/label/Executive%20Study%20Group

Leader 2030-Innovation Strategy-How to Increase Customer Satisfaction and Reduce Costs Simultaneously

The Executive Study Group (ESG) webinar named “Leader 2030 – Innovation Strategy-How to Increase Customer Satisfaction and Reduce Costs Simultaneously” was held by Asia Pacific Institute for Strategy Limited (APIFS) on 6th Aug 2025. He discussed the relation between customer experience and loyalty, customer service as a hygiene factor, make it easy by removing obstacles and 5 strategies for “Effortless’ customer experience. 

Firstly, Dr. Mark Lee defined the loyalty that as customer’s intention to continue doing business with a company, increase their spending, or say good things about it. However, research showed that exceeding their expectations during service interactions hardly improve loyalty.

Thus, Dr. Lee proposed to make it easy by removing obstacles. Shifting the loyalty curve by exceed customer expectation is a wrong loyalty goal. 

But shifting the loyalty curve by making it easy should be correct loyalty goal. For example, coaching staff to reply customer if no product in stock as “We’ll have stock availability for that item in two weeks.” 

After that he further explained “Make It Easy” meaning to remove obstacles for customer. 

Finally, Dr. Lee briefed 5 strategies for “Effortless” Customer Experience as follows. One example that company defined event-clusters that not only resolve customer’s primary issue but also to anticipate and address common downstream issues. 

Reference:

Asia Pacific Institute for Strategy Limited (亞太策略研究所有限公司) – www.apifs.org

ESG facebook - https://www.facebook.com/groups/esg08

Leader 2030 - Empowering the Next Generation of Leaders - https://www.apifs.org/Leader2030-en

20250625: ESG Webinar – Future-Proof Your Career: Strategies to Stay Irreplaceable in the Age of AI - https://qualityalchemist.blogspot.com/2025/06/esg-webinar-future-proof-your-career.html

Leader 2030 series:

20250307: Leader 2030 Webinar – Lean Startup: Quick Innovation Strategy - https://qualityalchemist.blogspot.com/2025/03/leader-2030-webinar-lean-startup-quick.html

20250319: Leader 2030 Webinar – How Are AI Projects Different from Traditional IT Projects - https://qualityalchemist.blogspot.com/2025/03/leader-2030-webinar-how-are-ai-projects.html

20250422: Leader 2030 Webinar – The Secret for Successful Strategy Execution - https://qualityalchemist.blogspot.com/2025/04/leader-2030-webinar-secret-for.html

20250502: Leader 2030 Webinar – The Secret for Successful Strategy Execution (II) - https://qualityalchemist.blogspot.com/2025/05/leader-2030-webinar-secret-for.html

20250515: Leader 2030 -Negotiation Strategy to Lead Changes - https://qualityalchemist.blogspot.com/2025/05/leader-2030-negotiation-strategy-to.html 

Previous talks summary:

https://qualityalchemist.blogspot.com/search/label/Executive%20Study%20Group

ESG Webinar – Future-Proof Your Career: Strategies to Stay Irreplaceable in the Age of AI

The Executive Study Group (ESG) webinar named “Future-Proof Your Career: Strategies to Stay Irreplaceable in the Age of AI” was held by Asia Pacific Institute for Strategy Limited (APIFS) on 25^th Jun 2025.  There are two parts. The 1^st part discussed AI’s Impact on the companies your career depends on and the 2^nd part mentioned AI’s impact on managers beyond front-line staff.

Firstly, Dr. Mark Lee discussed that it is an Era of Abundant Expertise. In the past, knowledge is expensive and domain-specific. But now, it can be obtained instantly, customizable and scalable that challenged us to reshaping our business.

Then he surveyed us about career interruption by AI and most of participant voted AI would affect all levels in the organization. The second and third were voted middle management and entry-level roles, respectively.

Dr. Lee also quoted Prof. Richard P. Rumelt (UCLA) that “A business is a system of capabilities – specialized knowledge, processes, and skills (expertise) – geared toward solving particular problem”. Business exists because of applying their expertise efficiently at scale. He also quoted Shein as example that Shein redefined fast fashion using AI, turning speed and data into its competitive edge.

And then Dr. Mark Lee quoted Prof. Ronald Coase (Nobel Memorial Prize in Economic Sciences 1991) that Firms expand when internal coordination is more efficient than market contracting. But using AI caused that external solution became faster, better and cheaper! The new game rules depended to reconfigure expertise into value.

After that he asked three questions for establishing firms related to AI for ending the 1^st part of discussion.

The 2^nd part of webinar related to AI’s impact on managers and redefining managerial value. Middle level and frontline managers had domain expertise and operational execution skill but the importance level decrease because of AI.  

One of key impact is flattening hierarchies in the organization. No long multi-layer reporting paths. Expertise is less valuable in the AI age and managers roles still value included “Navigating ambiguity”, “Managing politics”, “Exercising judgement”, “Shaping culture” and “Building trust”.

And then a poll about learning AI to safeguard our career was performed. Most of participants agreed that AI literacy is becoming a hygiene factor and it is only starting point.

Finally, he proposed five irreplaceable leadership capabilities under AI.  

However, there were some limits of AI such as psychological safety and team alignment. Thus, managers should enhance this kind of skills.

In poll 3, it surveyed which irreplaceable leadership capacities the most difficult and the easiest to be strengthened. The most difficult item was building team alignment.

Ethics is significant for leadership in AI age.

Lastly, Dr. Lee surveyed us which insight to be the most important for our career moving forward. Most participant selected that “Leadership still matters most in the gray zones”. But I selected career paths are being redefined.

Reference:

Asia Pacific Institute for Strategy Limited (亞太策略研究所有限公司) – www.apifs.org

ESG facebook - https://www.facebook.com/groups/esg08

Leader 2030 - Empowering the Next Generation of Leaders - https://www.apifs.org/Leader2030-en

Leader 2030 series:

20250307: Leader 2030 Webinar – Lean Startup: Quick Innovation Strategy - https://qualityalchemist.blogspot.com/2025/03/leader-2030-webinar-lean-startup-quick.html

20250319: Leader 2030 Webinar – How Are AI Projects Different from Traditional IT Projects - https://qualityalchemist.blogspot.com/2025/03/leader-2030-webinar-how-are-ai-projects.html

20250422: Leader 2030 Webinar – The Secret for Successful Strategy Execution - https://qualityalchemist.blogspot.com/2025/04/leader-2030-webinar-secret-for.html

20250502: Leader 2030 Webinar – The Secret for Successful Strategy Execution (II) - https://qualityalchemist.blogspot.com/2025/05/leader-2030-webinar-secret-for.html

20250515: Leader 2030 -Negotiation Strategy to Lead Changes - https://qualityalchemist.blogspot.com/2025/05/leader-2030-negotiation-strategy-to.html  

Previous talks summary:

https://qualityalchemist.blogspot.com/search/label/Executive%20Study%20Group