Rapid advancements in technology have paved the way for a fourth Industrial Revolution, which is now being spearheaded by AI. For leaders, the pressure is on to change tack in how they guide their teams, and leadership 4.0 – a model that prioritises agility, emotional intelligence, and change management – is becoming the preferred approach. But navigating swift and constant change is no easy job for those at the top, or for the wider workforce.

Leaders cannot support employees without receiving support themselves. And in an age of technological innovation, integrating AI-driven solutions is a must. All of this is creating a perfect storm from which coaching – both human and AI-powered – is emerging as a key resource.

Human challenges in a technological revolution

Industry 4.0 may be driven by technology, but the challenges leaders face are deeply human. Change, for example, is not something people naturally embrace. Stepping out of a collective comfort zone into unknown territory can be daunting, so executives already have to battle a workforce’s innate resistance. On top of this, a leader might have their own worries about leading the charge; how can they instill change, and support their people, if they don’t have the right skills? These anxieties are common across businesses, but if they’re not nipped in the bud they risk creating communication issues, hindering innovation, and fostering a poor workplace culture.

The right resources can help boost a leader’s confidence, sharpen their skills and capabilities, and generally make them feel better equipped to face change head-on. Coaching is one of these, and its positive impact has been evidenced for decades; research from 2001 found that an executive coaching programme produced a total ROI of 788 percent. But whilst coaching is evidently invaluable, there are only so many human coaches available, and their capacity is finite. Moreover, coaching has, traditionally, been an expensive venture, so the reach of its benefits is limited. So, whilst human coaches are, and always will be, crucial for leadership development, their challenges have created the perfect opportunity for AI-powered coaching to step in and support.

Complementing human coaching with AI

AI’s potential is limitless, and the right applications – like AI coaching – can add incredible value to the global workforce. On the one hand, AI can enhance human coaching by extracting data-driven insights to personalise each leader’s development, track engagement, and measure success. On the other hand, AI can be used as a standalone solution for those moments when a human coach isn’t available. Imagine, for instance, that a leader is preparing an important speech to outline new changes to the business. At the last minute, they decide they need some quickfire coaching to bolster their confidence, but their human coach cannot reshuffle their schedule to squeeze a session in. In this scenario, the leader can use AI coaching to work through anxieties, receive real-time feedback, and reflect on their successes and improvement areas afterwards.

But perhaps the most exciting part of AI coaching is that these capabilities are not limited to leaders. The technology can quickly be deployed across an entire workforce, and provide every employee – regardless of their seniority – to access a traditionally limited resource. Every individual gets their own customised plan, their own personalised AI avatar coach, and a safe space for them to speak freely, whenever they wish. This approach ultimately democratises coaching, enhances wellbeing, and spurs on employee development. It also highlights leaders’ dedication to supporting their people through change, which will ultimately help their transition to a Leadership 4.0 model.

Leadership 4.0 is powered by coaching

Industry 4.0 isn’t slowing down anytime soon; if anything, the global workforce is only going to experience bigger and more frequent waves of change. The pressure is on for leaders, which means there’s never been a better time to turn to coaching – both human and AI-powered. And with the right resources to hand, businesses will be able to confidently move through the throes of the Fourth Industrial Revolution, and come out of it stronger, upskilled, and more innovative.