ORLANDO, Fla. — Artificial intelligence and data analytics are helping companies move faster, but they are also creating new pressure for leaders and employees.
As businesses adopt more digital tools, teams are being asked to work across more platforms, respond to more data and make decisions faster. That can create efficiency, but it can also add stress when workflows are unclear or employees feel overwhelmed.
Annie Phan, a data strategist and former business analyst with McKinsey & Company, said companies need to think carefully about how technology affects the people using it.
“Technology should make people better at what they do,” Phan said. “If our systems move faster than our ability to think, we’ve lost the plot. Leadership today is about slowing down just enough to make speed sustainable.”
Phan has written about stress management for business leaders, including in her Forbes article “20 Tips for Business Leaders to Manage Stress Effectively.” She said stress should not only be viewed as a personal problem. It can also be a signal that a process, workflow or system needs to be improved.
That issue is becoming more important as companies invest in AI, automation and data-driven decision-making. For many leaders, the challenge is no longer just choosing the right technology. It is making sure teams can use those tools without losing focus, clarity or trust.
“Tools alone don’t transform companies,” Phan said. “People do. And people can’t innovate if they’re burning out.”
That means workplace productivity is increasingly tied to how well companies design their systems. A new platform or AI tool may save time in one area, but it can create more confusion if employees do not understand how it fits into their work.
Phan also serves as a judge for the Business Intelligence Awards, where she evaluates companies working with data, analytics and business technology. She said the strongest organizations are not only efficient, but also clear about how technology supports their goals.
The same idea applies to data and AI strategy. Companies are collecting more information than ever, but more data does not automatically lead to better decisions. Leaders still need to understand what they are measuring, why it matters and how those insights affect employees and customers.
“The best data organizations aren’t just efficient,” Phan said. “They’re self-aware. They know why they measure what they measure, and they use those insights to elevate people, not replace them.”
For business leaders, that means AI adoption is not only a technical shift. It is also a management challenge.
Companies may need shorter feedback loops, clearer expectations and better ways to measure whether new tools are helping employees or adding friction. They may also need to rethink productivity metrics so speed does not come at the expense of accuracy, creativity or long-term performance.
Phan said sustainable innovation starts with designing systems that help people do better work.
“Stress is often a sign that a process is out of tune,” Phan said. “Fix the process, and you fix the problem.”
As AI becomes more common in the workplace, companies will likely face more pressure to balance speed with clarity. For Phan, the future of leadership depends on using technology in ways that support people instead of overwhelming them.
“The future of leadership isn’t about managing more,” Phan said. “It’s about managing meaning. When leaders prioritize purpose, the technology follows.”
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