Balancing AI Upskilling With Quick Execution: Tips From Tech Leaders

InnovationBalancing AI Upskilling With Quick Execution: Tips From Tech LeadersByExpert Panel®,Forbes Councils Member.for Forbes Technology CouncilCOUNCIL POSTExpertise from Forbes Councils members, operated under license. Opinions expressed are those of the author. | Membership (fee-based)May 18, 2026, 08:15am EDT gettyAs AI reshapes technical work, teams are under pressure to adapt quickly while still meeting ambitious delivery timelines and performance expectations. New tools and workflows can make work faster and more efficient, but they also require employees to keep refreshing their skills so they can use the technology thoughtfully and effectively.For leaders, the challenge is making skill development a practical part of everyday work rather than a separate initiative that pulls people away from execution. Below, members of Forbes Technology Council share leadership practices that can help teams stay technically relevant while maintaining momentum.Practice Curiosity Every DayThe one thing I never want us to lose is curiosity—not as a value on a slide, but as a discipline we practice. The biggest threat isn’t time or bandwidth. It’s quiet hesitation—the worry that trying something new is a distraction, that being wrong is a setback, and that experimenting is time wasted. It isn’t. Stay curious. Don’t let that hesitation temper it. - Kimberly Bloomston, 6senseCreate Safety Around Learning CurvesBuild psychological safety around the learning curve by creating deliberate forums for collective signal extraction and rewarding cross-pollination of failures and best practices alike. This makes upskilling a force multiplier that improves team efficiency and the quality of outcomes for customers without the “adopt or perish” mandates that fuel fear-based compliance, not capability. - Bala Vadlamani, BSV Advisory & MediaForbes Technology Council is an invitation-only community for world-class CIOs, CTOs and technology executives. Do I qualify?Tie Skill Development To...