HBR Guide to Generative AI for Managers ($21.95)

🌟 Rating: 5/5 – A must-read for any leader serious about the future of work.

This book is a call to action for leaders: AI is not coming in the future—it’s already here. The real question is: Will you be one of the managers who knows how to use it?

In an era where artificial intelligence is reshaping industries, managers and leaders cannot afford to stay on the sidelines. The HBR Guide to Generative AI for Managers (11.feb.2025), written by Elisa Farri and Gabriele Rosani, provides a clear, practical, and structured approach to understanding and leveraging generative AI (Gen AI) in managerial roles.

Published by Harvard Business Review Press, this book is not just about AI as a tool but about how managers can work alongside AI to enhance productivity, decision-making, and leadership.

This guide is designed to help managers move beyond AI skepticism or passive awareness and actively integrate AI-powered decision-making into their daily operations. It does so by breaking AI applications into two main categories:

AI as a Co-Pilot: Assisting managers in executing tasks (e.g., drafting emails, summarizing reports, analyzing data).

AI as a Co-Thinker: Engaging AI in strategic thinking (e.g., brainstorming ideas, making strategic decisions, or simulating problem-solving dialogues).

With its accessible language, real-world examples, and actionable frameworks, the book serves as a manual for leaders who want to embrace AI responsibly and effectively.

Why Should Managers Read This Book?

1. AI is Already Transforming Leadership—Are You Ready?

A Capgemini survey of 1,100 executives across 14 countries found that 95% of organizations have AI on their boardroom agenda, yet only 15% of managers use AI regularly. The book emphasizes this “knowing-doing” gap and provides guidance to help managers bridge the divide between understanding AI’s potential and actually using it effectively.

Excerpt from the book: “Clearly, a new knowing-doing gap has emerged around generative AI. Only those leaders who close it will reap its full benefits and thrive in the future.”

The authors argue that AI requires no coding skills, and gone are the days when data scientists and IT specialists were the gatekeepers.

Today, every manager can leverage AI tools—but only those who act will stay ahead.

2. Practical AI Applications: 35+ Managerial Tasks That AI Can Enhance

Instead of discussing AI in abstract terms, the book provides over 35 concrete managerial use cases, each categorized into four key areas of leadership:

• Managing Yourself: AI-enhanced personal productivity, time management, and self-reflection.
• Managing Teams: AI-supported collaboration, decision-making, and conflict resolution.
• Managing Business: Using AI for data analysis, customer insights, and strategic decision-making.
• Managing Change: AI-driven transformation and organizational change.

Example 1: AI for Email and Time Management

Many managers struggle with inbox overload. The book suggests using AI assistants like Microsoft Copilot or Google Gemini to:

✔ Draft responses in different tones (formal, friendly, concise).

✔ Identify the most urgent emails based on past work patterns.

Excerpt from the book:“A manager’s inbox is often a battlefield of competing priorities. Generative AI can serve as your first line of defense—summarizing, prioritizing, and even composing responses while you focus on higher-value work.”

Example 2: AI for Speech and Presentation Preparation

Public speaking remains one of the biggest managerial challenges. This book walks leaders through a Co-Thinking session with AI, where AI helps:

✔ Structure and refine a speech outline.

✔ Suggest storytelling techniques and persuasive arguments.

✔ Identify possible tough audience questions and prepare answers.

Excerpt from the book: “Managers often underestimate the importance of storytelling in speeches. AI can act as a sounding board, suggesting metaphors, analogies, and compelling narratives that make presentations more memorable.”

3. AI as a Thought Partner: Moving Beyond Automation

One of the book’s most unique aspects is its exploration of AI as a strategic co-thinker—not just a tool for automation. Many leaders assume AI is only useful for routine tasks, but the book makes a compelling case for AI as a sparring partner in:

✔ Complex problem-solving.

✔ Leadership self-reflection.

✔ Scenario analysis and risk evaluation.

Example 3: AI for Strategic Decision-Making

Managers are often required to make complex trade-offs. The book suggests using AI to analyze stakeholder perspectives and simulate “what-if” scenarios.

Excerpt from the book: “Imagine sitting in a strategy meeting where AI provides real-time impact analysis on each decision—highlighting risks, evaluating trade-offs, and synthesizing large data sets in seconds. This is no longer a futuristic vision; it’s the reality of AI-first organizations.”

4. AI’s Risks and Ethical Considerations

While HBR Guide to Generative AI for Managers is enthusiastic about AI’s potential, it also cautions against blind adoption. It covers:

• Hallucinations (AI-generated false information).
• Algorithmic bias (reinforcing discrimination).
• Data privacy risks (confidential information leakage).

Excerpt from the book: “Generative AI is not a calculator; it is a prediction engine. This means it can fabricate details, misinterpret context, or reinforce existing biases. Critical thinking remains the human manager’s greatest asset.”

The book offers practical guidelines for mitigating risks, such as:

✔ Fact-checking AI-generated insights.
✔ Encouraging AI transparency within teams.
✔ Avoiding “over-automation” of human interactions.

Final Verdict: A Must-Read for Forward-Thinking Managers

HBR Guide to Generative AI for Managers is not just another AI book—it is a hands-on survival guide for leaders navigating the AI revolution.

✅ Who Should Read It?

✔ Business leaders who want to stay competitive in an AI-driven world.
✔ Middle managers who need practical AI use cases for daily workflows.
✔ Executives seeking to implement AI ethically and strategically in their organization.

✅ What Sets It Apart?

✔ Real-world applications: Over 35 detailed use cases across leadership domains.
✔ Structured guidance: AI as a Co-Pilot (execution) and Co-Thinker (strategy).
✔ Balanced approach: Covers both AI’s potential and its ethical risks.

This book is a call to action for leaders: AI is not coming in the future—it’s already here. The real question is: Will you be one of the managers who knows how to use it?

🌟 Rating: 5/5 – A must-read for any leader serious about the future of work.