
How Leaders Lead with David Novak #279: Eric Kutcher, Senior Partner, McKinsey & Company – AI is about growth, not just productivity
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Feb 19, 2026 Eric Kutcher, Senior Partner and North America chair at McKinsey with 28+ years guiding large transformations. He frames AI as a once-in-a-generation shift and explains three ways it creates value. He talks about building an AI-first mission to motivate teams. He shares a memorable stress-ball story about rebuilding trust and offers practical ways leaders should develop curiosity and role-model AI use.
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Lead By Using And Celebrating AI
- Role-model AI use and ask teams how they used it in decisions to normalize curiosity and best practices.
- Publicly celebrate smart AI use to create emulation and faster adoption.
AI Unlocks New Business Models
- AI enables net-new businesses by turning unique operational data into products and services you couldn't offer before.
- Firms can monetize fresh AI-driven capabilities beyond core offerings.
Experiment Weekly With New AI Tools
- Explore a new AI technology every week and experiment with it in personal or professional life.
- Use small experiments to build confidence and translate learnings to meetings and decisions.





