The arrival of new technologies in companies is not just a technical shift: it is a cultural, organizational, and sometimes existential transformation. Artificial Intelligence (AI), automation, and new collaborative tools are redefining work methods, responsibilities, and human relationships.
But one element remains constant: the crucial role of managers in supporting this change.
Technological change: a zone of uncertainty for teams
While technologies promise efficiency gains, higher productivity, and task simplification, they also generate fears, resistance, and sometimes rejection.
Prosci, a leading firm in change management, emphasizes that resistance to change, poor communication, lack of sponsorship, and neglect of the human factor are the main reasons for transformation failures—far more than the technical aspects of change.
Source: https://www.ciat.org/ciatblog-resistencia-al-cambio-organizacional-algunas-causas-y-propuestas-para-manejarla/?lang=en
Employees may feel their skills are threatened, lose meaning in their work, or fear being replaced. Technological change is therefore not only a matter of software: it is a matter of trust, communication, and leadership.
The 3 key missions of the manager in times of change
a) Translating vision into concrete reality
The manager is an essential link between strategic direction and operational teams.
He or she must translate technological transformation into concrete impacts: “How will this tool change my daily work?”, “Why is this change necessary now?”, “What will I need to learn?”.
It is the manager’s role to provide meaning, context, and answers to the “why” questions that hinder adoption.
b) Creating a climate of trust
Technology evolves quickly, but people need time.
The manager must create a safe and supportive environment where fears can be expressed without judgment. It is in this climate that resistance turns into reflection, and eventually, into acceptance.
Trust cannot be decreed: it is built over time through consistency between words and actions, and through an attitude of active listening.
c) Supporting continuous learning
Introducing a new technology requires skill adjustments. The manager becomes a coach, a facilitator, sometimes even a learner. He or she must encourage teams to dare to learn, make mistakes, and experiment.
This also requires personal questioning: to inspire others, the manager must adopt the tools, self-train, and remain curious.
💬 “The manager is not the one who knows everything about technology, but the one who knows how to bring others on board with change.”
Managerial skills: strengthened or threatened by AI?
The rise of AI-powered tools also challenges some traditional managerial functions: evaluation, reporting, planning…
But what AI will not replace is emotional intelligence, the ability to mobilize, inspire, and understand human dynamics.
This is where the real value of the manager of tomorrow lies.
What companies can do to support managers
Much is expected from managers in times of change… sometimes without giving them the means.
Here’s what organizations can (and must) do:
🧭 Train managers in change management
🤝 Involve them early in the choice of tools
⏳ Free up time for them to support teams on the human side
💬 Encourage peer-to-peer exchange of best practices
🙋♀️ Recognize their role as facilitators, not just producers
Conclusion: The manager, catalyst of technological adoption
Supporting technological change is not about imposing a tool.
It is about bringing a team on board into a new way of working.
And for that, the role of the manager is irreplaceable.
In a world where AI and technologies are reshaping our professions, managers are more than ever the driving force of the human transformation of companies.
They must not be mere executors of change.
They must be its architects.
