Good leaders know that how you lead your team through change is as important as the goals to which you are leading them. As (artificial intelligence) AI reshapes how associations pursue their missions and objectives, association leaders need to maintain the trust of their teams while guiding them through difficult changes in how work gets done. That is easier to do if fundamental ethical values — especially fairness, honesty, and human dignity — are part of a leader’s change management toolkit.

The arrival of AI is catalyzing crucial conversations across society about technological capability and the very nature of our social contracts and ethical frameworks. As organizations craft their first AI policies, leaders must carefully consider their ethical obligations to employees in balance with organizational missions and business objectives that are being reshaped by the new technological landscape.

As you prepare to discuss AI with your team, keep the following thoughts in mind:

Value Fairness, Honesty, and Dignity Above All Else

What employees most want from their leaders is to be treated fairly, with dignity, through honest communication. As Rice and Dreilinger described in “After the Downsizing” (Training & Development, 1991), the desire for justice is deeply ingrained in human nature. “People want to believe that the world operates on the principles of fairness,” they wrote. Ethical leaders plotting a course through the sea changes caused by the arrival of AI must keep this in mind as they guide employees.

Recent data underscores this point. According to a survey conducted by business.com, while 42 percent of small- to medium-sized companies are implementing AI technology, only about half are providing training for their staff. Training is a form of communication that conveys goals and expectations to staff. Advancing without it can undermine employee confidence in their leadership and in their job security.

Employees who don’t trust the C-suite are going to struggle more with change, no matter how important it is to the organization. They may also leave: A 2023 report from TalentLMS and Vyond revealed that 41 percent of employees would consider leaving their current employer within a year if not provided with adequate training.

Don’t dodge the AI conversation. Even if your honest answer is, “I don’t know yet,” it will help your team maintain their trust in your leadership.

If AI is coming to your office and you think your staffing strategy may have to change as a result, it’s time to start having this conversation with your employees. Talk about what you and they need to do to apply AI to the organization’s work. Establish the expectation that some jobs may change, be outsourced, or be replaced wholly by AI. It’ll be a sobering conversation, but it can also be a discussion about the organization’s mission and its future, the market forces affecting the organization and its membership, and most important, how everyone can plan for the future.

Remember, the people who work for you want you to be fair and honest, even when it feels uncomfortable. If you open the door, they may offer ideas you haven’t thought of and be willing to engage in solutions they helped develop.

Defining What Is “Fair”

Organizations, particularly nonprofits supported by dues dollars, face a special challenge in balancing their mission with employee concerns. While there's an ethical imperative to support and develop employees, there's also a fundamental obligation to advance the organization's mission efficiently and effectively. Balancing employee needs against organizational needs is a tightrope every leader finds themselves walking at some point.

“Will AI steal my job?” is a question that nervous employees are asking themselves today. The worry was front and center at ASAE’s AI Summit this past fall. In our session, an attendee asked about the ethical obligations of an organization to employees who may lose their jobs to AI-driven software. Should the organization provide new training for employees? Find them new jobs? Possibly delay adopting AI?

We reminded attendees that the purpose of an organization is to advance its mission, and then we encouraged them to consider the organization’s ethical obligations to its members and supporters. Members expect us to use their dues and volunteer hours wisely in pursuit of the organization’s mission. Failing to adopt efficient AI solutions could potentially harm the organization’s ability to serve its members and stakeholders effectively. Should the organization fall behind its competitors, it could also affect other employees who need their jobs, too.

When you talk about AI, take time to help employees understand the organization’s full range of obligations.

It’s important to keep mission at the forefront of these conversations. AI discussions can become focused on the possibilities of more efficiency, cheaper labor, and other cost-cutting concerns. The purpose of your organization is not to save money – it’s to advance a mission. How you and your employees apply AI to your mission is the most important issue, not reducing expenses.

Creating a Learning Culture

Learning cultures “support an open mindset, an independent quest for knowledge, and share learning directed toward the mission and goals of the organization,” according to Tomas Chamorro-Premuzic and Josh Bersin in a 2018 Harvard Business Review article.

If your employees think this way, AI is less of a threat and more of a hurdle, if not an opportunity. But to enter this mindset, your team must trust your leadership enough to take risks.

As Mark Athitakis noted in his October 2024 analysis on creating a learning culture, organizations benefit significantly from supporting professional development, but this support must go beyond simple training programs.

A holistic approach to workforce development should include:

• Clear communication about AI implementation plans and their potential impact on roles
• Comprehensive training programs that address both technical skills and broader professional development
• Open dialogue about organizational values and how they align with AI adoption
• Regular assessment of employee needs and concerns
• Long-term strategic planning

Ethical leaders will approach implementing AI by prioritizing fairness, honesty, and dignity to build employee trust and engagement. Leaders must choose to:

• Be transparent about AI adoption plans and their potential impact on roles
• Invest in comprehensive training and development programs
• Create clear pathways for employee transition and growth
• Maintain open dialogue about organizational values and mission
• Regularly assess both organizational and employee needs

AI as an Enhancement Tool

In the opening minutes of ASAE’s AI Summit, keynote speaker Charlene Li told attendees that their jobs are not threatened by AI — but they might be threatened by someone who was better at using AI than they are. The same is true for nonprofit organizations at an enterprise level; leaders must prepare their organizations to compete in a market where AI-driven efficiencies and solutions are quickly becoming the norm.

Technology can serve as a powerful tool to make good employees great by automating routine tasks, providing data-driven insights, and freeing up time for more strategic, creative, and relationship-focused work, which associations particularly value. Leaders who approach these changes with fairness, honesty, and dignity in mind will find these opportunities faster.

Striking a Balance

The ethical implementation of AI isn’t just about managing technological change — it’s about maintaining human dignity and organizational integrity throughout the transition. As we move forward, organizations must remember that their ethical obligations extend beyond mere efficiency gains to include their obligations to the people who work for them.

The key lies in finding the balance between mission advancement and employee support. By creating a culture of learning, maintaining open communication, and demonstrating a commitment to both organizational goals and employee development, organizations can navigate the AI transition while upholding their ethical obligations to all stakeholders.