Five ways professionals can demonstrate readiness for management roles

ZDNET outlines five ways for professionals to prove they are ready to move into management as AI reshapes organisations: Gartner predicts 20% of companies will flatten structures using AI through 2026, eliminating more than half of current middle management positions. Paul Neville, director of digital, data, and technology at UK agency The Pensions Regulator, said persistence and learning from mistakes build credibility, noting he worked outside his comfort zone and learned from errors.

Neville also highlighted the importance of ongoing learning and said TPR runs an annual programme that brings in younger people from challenged socio-economic environments who can learn, take opportunities, and tell a story about what they could add to the organisation. Bev White, chair at Nash Squared, advised stressing positives to persuade executives, recommending that negatives be sandwiched between positives and that proposals emphasise customer experience, productivity, margin or efficiency.

Mark Ward, head of identity and access management at Legal & General, urged breaking down silos, saying "we shouldn't have silos anymore" and stressing the need to get close to the business to understand where technology can support organisational strategy.

Key Topics

Business, Management Roles, Artificial Intelligence, Gartner, Pensions Regulator, Nash Squared