Generative AI
for Managers
Understand your options
Experiment and innovate
Transform the way you work
By Elisa Farri and Gabriele Rosani
SMARTER THAN THE AVERAGE GUIDE
HBR
Guide to
ISBN-13: 979-8-89279-047-5
HBR Guide to
Generative AI
for Managers
Elisa Farri and
Gabriele Rosani
Capgemini
HARVARD BUSINESS REVIEW PRESS
Boston, Massachusetts
Copyright 2025 Harvard Business School Publishing Corporation
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This book is dedicated to the memory of Alessandro
Di Fiore, whose insights and mentorship continue
to inspire.
What You’ll Learn
Generative artificial intelligence (gen AI) is transforming
how organizations work, yet its profound impact on man-
agement is often overlooked. It is more than just an ev-
eryday productivity tool for drafting emails, summariz-
ing long documents, and recording meeting minutes.
In fact, gen AI can become a Co-Thinker for managers
in organizations of all sizes, aiding in problem-solving
and decision-making. It can become a sparring partner,
providing fresh perspectives, challenging assumptions,
and even enhancing strategic thinking and leadership
development.
You can’t aford to ignore how gen AI will enhance and
transform your managerial role. If you don’t understand
how to work with gen AI, you risk missing out on its full
benefits. And if you don’t take personal action and develop
new skills in this area, you risk a major career misstep.
Whether you want to get up to speed quickly, expand
your knowledge, or experiment with gen AI for the first
time, the HBR Guide to Generative AI for Managers
will give you the information and skills you need. With
What You’ll Learn
practical, applicable advice and plain-language take-
aways in each chapter, the book will help you unlock gen
AI’s full potential and prepare for the future.
You’ll learn how to:
• Understand how machines are evolving into
collaborators
• Explore the key terms and concepts that are shap-
ing the future of management in the age of gen AI
• Envision how gen AI will enhance your job as
manager
• Identify the right approaches for applying gen AI
to your tasks
• Understand the potential traps and risks to
consider when using gen AI
• Cultivate the right mindset to thrive in the
gen AI–enabled workplace
• Interact practically with gen AI in two distinct
modes: Co-Pilot and Co-Thinker
• Understand and practice how gen AI can support
your individual tasks, from personal productivity
to professional growth
• Leverage gen AI to help you better lead and
support your team
• Engage in meaningful dialogues with gen AI to
enhance your business decisions
• Use gen AI to help support organizational change
Contents
Introduction
SECTION ONE
Generative AI–Enabled Management:
The Essentials
1. Machines Are Evolving from Tools into
Collaborators
Machines as tools, machines as assistants,
machines as collaborators
2. Generative AI as a Co-Pilot and Co-Thinker
15
How to use gen AI as a Co-Pilot, how to use
gen AI as a Co-Thinker, key differences
3. A New Mindset That Successful Managers
Need to Master
31
Developing the gen AI mindset
4. Thirty-Five Managerial Tasks That Can Be
Enhanced with Generative AI
45
Contents
xii
SECTION TWO
Managing Yourself with Generative AI
5. Self-Management Tasks That Are Enhanced
with Gen AI
51
6. Gen AI for Personal Productivity
55
Email management, time management,
summarization
7. Gen AI for Content Generation
65
Text writing, slide creation
8. Gen AI for Personal Growth
75
Self-reflection on leadership styles, soliciting
feedback
9. Gen AI for Persuasive Communication
83
Speech preparation, job interview preparation
SECTION THREE
Managing Teams with Generative AI
10. Team-Management Tasks That Are Enhanced
with Gen AI
95
11. Gen AI for Team Operational Support
99
Meeting management, goal setting and
articulation, task planning and reporting
12. Gen AI for Team Creativity Support
111
Team composition, idea generation
13. Gen AI for Leading Teams
123
Crafting team purpose, designing high-
quality work, facilitating conflict resolution
Contents
xiii
14. Gen AI for Complex Problem-Solving
135
Problem framing, root cause analysis,
problem storytelling
SECTION FOUR
Managing Business with Generative AI
15. Business Management Tasks That Are Enhanced
with Gen AI
149
16. Gen AI for Data Analysis Support
153
Information search, data analysis and
visualization
17. Gen AI for Customer Insights
165
Research design and analysis, synthetic research
18. Gen AI for Business Case Development
175
Stakeholder perspectives, evaluating trade-
offs, risk identification and mitigation
19. Gen AI for Strategic Decisions
187
Formulating business strategy, evaluating
innovative concepts, assessing supply chain
strategy
SECTION FIVE
Managing Change with Generative AI
20. Change Management Tasks That Are
Enhanced with Gen AI
203
21. Gen AI for Transformation Support
207
Planning and monitoring, communication
and engagement
Contents
xiv
22. Gen AI for Leading Change
219
Defining the transformation strategy,
overcoming resistance, promoting a
mindset shift
EPILOGUE
Beyond Tasks: Generative AI’s Impact
on Ways of Working
229
Glossary
247
Index
251
About the Authors
261