In early 2021, Stephanie Enders stepped into a new role with the Alberta Machine Intelligence Institute (Amii), a nonprofit organization that advances leading-edge research and partners with companies of all sizes and across industries to provide practical guidance for adopting a wide array of advanced Artificial Intelligence (AI) innovations. The organization is one of three National AI Institutes in the recently announced renewal $459 million Pan-Canadian AI Strategy, a machine learning initiative that made Canada the first nation to implement a national AI strategy. Assuming the role of vice president of product for Amii, Enders recognized that she had her work cut out for her.
“We just announced a major a big milestone,” Enders explains. “Five years ago, Amii was set up as a nonprofit at the start of the Pan-Canadian AI Strategy, and we recently celebrated its renewal with an even greater focus on industry adoption. It’s time for reflection. We’ve accomplished so much in only five years in terms of research and the impact we’ve had on the communities we serve. But we must look at what’s on the horizon and determine the best course for how we utilize the tools we have to make the most of the next five years in the push for the commercialization of AI.”
With that in mind, Enders turned to one of MIT Sloan Executive Education’s most highly regarded courses: Creating High Velocity Organizations. She had already completed the self-paced Economics for Business course in late 2020 and started working towards her Executive Certificate in Strategy and Innovation. The live online course that focused on the specific challenges associated with growing high velocity organizations really spoke to her because of the rapid expansion of Amii and the burgeoning tech space in which it resides. She knew she needed to prepare herself to take on her new leadership position, which placed her directly on the organization’s executive team.
“When I joined the executive team, we were preparing for scale. And we are poised to do that because of the interest in AI, as well as the significant investments made by our provincial and federal governments to grow rapidly,” she notes. “AI is an in-demand technology, and clients have high expectations for a return on their investment. We’re dealing with high expectations across the board.”
Seeking Perspective
“As we grow rapidly, I knew that I really needed to get the perspectives not only of instructors who are leading in this area, but also of a global peer network,” Enders asserts. “I wanted to understand the global perspective of high velocity organizations in terms of the way they motivate their teams, build their products, and operationalize their efforts. Our clients are coming to us because of our world-standing in AI excellence, so we needed to be able to see how other brand leaders navigate that landscape as well.”
Enders went into the course seeking the opportunity to have meaningful conversations with peers both inside and outside of her industry and geographical region, as she believed it would allow her not only to develop as a leader, but also better understand her customers. “I felt I would be better able to understand what they’re being faced with as executives and how we can help build AI programs and services that would really meet those needs,” she says, adding that she had the chance to interact with and learn from a wide range of individuals—from pilots and scientists to global HR leaders—during the breakout groups over the course of three days. “If you go in with the expectation that you’re going to share your experiences, it sets the stage for your peers to share as well. It’s going to give you insights into a lot of different areas. And it was really interesting to hear a cross-functional executive team perspective.”
A Pleasant Surprise
What Enders did not expect was how customized the course was to the people who participated in it. In fact, she notes how far from a “plug-and-play workshop” it was thanks to instructors Roberto Fernandez and Steven Spear. At one point, a question she asked during a breakout session about her own leadership style turned into a deep dive for the entire class. And while she worried that her personal experience was potentially derailing the overall conversation, she was assured that the topic was one that would benefit every student in the course.
“The course reaffirmed that my job as a leader isn’t to have all the answers. It’s to provide the runway and the tools for people to be more innovative and to solve problems in their own way.”
“My instructor said that being vulnerable was useful and would help everyone internalize the lessons of the class,” she says. “It wasn’t just about supporting me and answering my question. He was able to provide answers in real time while still delivering useful information to a large class. It’s something that I think is very unique to the MIT live online experience.”
Upon completing the course, Enders immediately found herself taking those lessons and modifying her day-to-day activities at Amii. “I discovered that we already are a high velocity organization, and I found ways to get rid of some of the bottlenecks we were experiencing within our teams,” she asserts. “I found that, while we can make some big fundamental changes in how we operate, it’s really about tweaking your performance and making small changes that can have a big impact.”
She continues, “The course reaffirmed that my job as a leader isn’t to have all the answers. It’s to provide the runway and the tools for people to be more innovative and to solve problems in their own way.” What’s more, Enders realized that rapid growth is not always going to be smooth sailing; there will be friction at different points and levels. However, the lessons she took from the course have allowed her to figure out which types of friction to lean into and use for the advancement of a team or project. “The conversations and disagreements you have about important decisions are vital; within that friction you unpack new opportunities,” she explains. “In high velocity organizations, it’s about harnessing the mistakes, the failures, and the triumphs at every level across teams and the organization. If you can do that in a way that’s meaningful, that’s where you’re going to be able to inspire the innovation you need.”
While Enders expected to enjoy the high velocity course, the experience far surpassed her hopes, and she looks forward to completing her Executive Certificate in the near future. “The course really caught me by surprise. The instructor was amazing, and the experience was so much different than I was expecting,” she concludes. “It was an excellent opportunity to take stock of what we’re doing and really focus on the growth of Amii. I learned that, with a few modifications, you can really set the course for your organization to be on the right track.”
Learn more about MIT Sloan Executive Certificates.