The one skill that could make or break your AI plans

Let me tell you something I don't hear enough people talking about when it comes to AI. It's not prompt engineering. It's not coding. It's not even about understanding how AI works. It's systems thinking. And if you're a leader trying to figure out how AI fits into your business, this matters more than you think.

Wait, what even is systems thinking?

Systems thinking is about seeing the bigger picture. It's looking beyond your own task or team, and understanding how everything connects, how one thing affects another, where things get stuck, and how information flows from start to finish.

Think of it like this: people in operations are usually great at this. They're used to jumping between teams, understanding how a process works from end to end, and figuring out where it could be better. And when it comes to making AI useful in your business, that's exactly the kind of thinking you need.

Why it matters (especially now)

A lot of companies are investing in AI right now, but many of them aren't seeing real results. They've got tools and ideas but nothing's really changing. Why? It's not because the tech isn't good. It's because people don't know how to match the tech to the way their business actually runs.

If you don't understand the process, you won't know what to automate. If you don't know where the gaps are, you can't fix them. And if you don't understand the data behind it all, you're flying blind. That's why systems thinking is so powerful. It helps you spot where AI could help, and just as importantly, where it shouldn't.

Here's how to start thinking more like a systems person

Take a step back. Don't just think about your job, think about how your work connects to others. Who needs what you produce? What happens before and after?

Stretch our your processes. Even a rough diagram helps. Where do things slow down? What feels repetitive? Those are clues.

Talk to other teams. Seriously. Ask how your work impacts theirs. You'll learn a lot by just listening.

Learn what AI can actually do. You don't need to be an expert. Just understand the basics, like how it can help summarise, generate ideas, spot patterns or save time.

Here's what I've learned from working in operations

Systems thinking wasn't just a nice idea, it was how I had to think every day. And now when I see companies struggling to make AI useful, I get it. It's not because the tools don't work. It's because people haven't figured out how to connect the tools with their real-world processes. And that's something you can learn. You don't need a fancy title. You don't need to be in tech. You just need to start paying attention to how things flow and where they don't. That's where AI can really shine, but only if you know where to look.

So my question is: what's part of your work where AI could actually save time, if you stepped back and saw the full picture?