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Have an AI transformation story? Share it at Forward 🎤 Forward, Hone’s half-day virtual conference, is back on September 9, and this year’s theme is 'AI Transformation in Practice.' We’re seeking HR, L&D, and Transformation leaders who can share examples and lessons from helping their organizations move from AI experimentation to meaningful impact. We’d love to hear from practitioners who can speak to topics like: → Building AI readiness across the workforce → Creating frameworks or playbooks to drive AI adoption → Equipping managers to lead through AI-driven change → Turning AI investments into behavior change and business impact Have a story you’d like to share at Forward? Submit your speaker idea: https://lnkd.in/e2Kkw3jQ P.S. Know a leader with a great AI transformation story? Tag them in the comments below!

Most AI training assumes everyone is starting from the same place. They’re not. One person is hesitant because they’re not sure what “good” looks like in their role. Another doesn’t feel confident enough to experiment. Someone else has the motivation, but lacks the time or clarity to put AI into practice. Same organization. Same rollout. Completely different relationships with AI. That’s why one-size-fits-all adoption programs stall, and why individual contributors often fall through the cracks. That's why we built the newest class in our AI Transformation series, Elevate Your AI Adaptability. It's designed to meet ICs exactly where they're at, helping them: → Understand what’s shaping their relationship with AI at work → Identify the mindset shift or tactic most relevant to where they are right now → Walk away with a clear, intentional next step Because access isn’t the only bottleneck. Adaptability is. Learn more: https://lnkd.in/e2EhGciu

Performance reviews are supposed to be development conversations. The best ones are. And Xactly Corp set out to make sure every employee had that experience. By embedding Hone’s AI Coach directly into their review workflow, Xactly gave employees a coaching resource they could access anytime to think through their growth, practice the conversation, and show up ready. When Jasmyn Pearl’s team tested Hone against generic AI tools, the difference was immediate. Hone felt purpose-built for development, with a coaching-oriented experience that generic AI simply couldn’t match. Employees noticed, too. 55% used the AI Coach more than once, not because they had to, but because it helped. The results: → 100% on-time completions of self-reviews, compared to the previous cycle. → A streamlined review process, transforming what was once a heavy lift into a simpler, more efficient experience for employees and managers alike. → A more meaningful, development-focused experience, helping employees gain a clearer understanding of their impact and growth areas. When performance reviews stop feeling like a box to check, they become something much more valuable: a moment for real growth. Read the full story: https://lnkd.in/eNAjwaWM

The teams struggling with AI adoption often aren’t lacking tools. They’re operating with beliefs about work that were built for a different era. Static expertise. Fixed processes. Certainty as the goal. Those habits made people successful before AI changed the equation. But now? They’re often the very things that stall adoption. Because AI doesn’t reward the team that knows the most. It rewards the team that adapts fastest, learns continuously, and builds capability together. And that shift doesn’t happen just because you roll out new tools. It happens when managers help their teams think about work differently. That’s why we created Build an AI-Ready Team, a new class designed to help managers: ✨ Reframe success from individual expertise to team adaptability and growth ✨ Redefine “good work” in a world where AI is part of how outcomes are achieved ✨ Foster a team mindset that embraces uncertainty, evolution, and continuous learning Because AI readiness isn’t just a technical challenge. It’s a mindset shift. And managers are the ones who make it real. Learn more: https://lnkd.in/ewT3S9gS

The teams struggling with AI adoption often aren’t lacking tools. They’re operating with beliefs about work that were built for a different era. Static expertise. Fixed processes. Certainty as the goal. Those habits made people successful before AI changed the equation. But now? They’re often the very things that stall adoption. Because AI doesn’t reward the team that knows the most. It rewards the team that adapts fastest, learns continuously, and builds capability together. And that shift doesn’t happen just because you roll out new tools. It happens when managers help their teams think about work differently. That’s why we created Build an AI-Ready Team, a new class designed to help managers: ✨ Reframe success from individual expertise to team adaptability and growth ✨ Redefine “good work” in a world where AI is part of how outcomes are achieved ✨ Foster a team mindset that embraces uncertainty, evolution, and continuous learning Because AI readiness isn’t just a technical challenge. It’s a mindset shift. And managers are the ones who make it real. Learn more: https://lnkd.in/ewT3S9gS

Can we get a vibe check on vibe coding? 🤖 For most people, it isn't clear what the "first step" should be. Or what you can even create. Or how it eventually moves from the AI chat box to The Internet. Teo Soares and I are trying to make the whole thing a bit more approachable: what to build, how to build it, and what to actually do with the thing once it exists. We’ve been offering a few AI masterclasses through Hone for the past year+, and this Wednesday we're hosting an open one for anyone who wants to join. Thank you to Rea Rotholz for bringing us into the Hone orbit, and to Sabrina Creighton, MHR, M.Ed., ACC, Linda Schwaber-Cohen, and Tom Griffiths for continuing to be such thoughtful partners as we help teams make AI feel more useful. Sign up here: https://lnkd.in/et9kgX9D

Employees aren’t confused about AI in theory. They’re asking much more practical questions: - What does this mean for my job? - How will this change my team? - What should I do differently? Managers are the ones who translate organizational AI priorities into answers employees can actually use. That’s why Hone created a new class: Communicate AI Change Clearly. In this class, managers will learn how to: ✨ Recognize how AI communication can create ambiguity, overwhelm, and misalignment ✨ Help teams make sense of evolving AI-related change ✨ Communicate AI updates in ways that feel clear, specific, and actionable Because even the best AI strategy can stall if managers don’t know how to communicate it effectively. Learn more: https://lnkd.in/e5edqmCn

“Is this thing going to replace me?” If your team is asking that question (out loud or not), your AI rollout has already hit its first real test. Resistance to AI isn’t just change resistance with a new name. It runs deeper: - Fear of being replaced - Questions about trust and ethics - Gaps in understanding - Uncertainty about what AI means for their role And that means the standard change management playbook isn't enough. Managers are the ones who encounter this resistance first. They hear the hesitation in 1:1s, see it in team meetings, and feel it when adoption starts to stall. They’re also the ones best positioned to turn it around. In the new class in Hone’s AI transformation series, Overcome Resistance to AI Adoption, managers will learn how to: ✨ Identify psychological responses to AI adoption ✨ Distinguish AI-specific resistance from general change resistance ✨ Avoid the common pitfalls leaders hit when introducing AI Because resistance isn’t a roadblock to AI adoption. It’s information. The best managers know how to listen to it, respond to it, and help their teams move forward with confidence. Learn more: https://lnkd.in/esMxAfwQ

ZenBusiness made a deliberate bet on its managers. As the company grew, it needed leadership development that could scale with it. That’s where Hone came in. Together, we built a manager development program that helped ZenBusiness leaders strengthen the skills they need most on the job, from coaching to feedback to performance conversations. And with Hone AI, managers didn’t just learn the concepts. They practiced them in real time through AI-powered roleplays grounded in actual workplace moments. As Keith Amaker, SHRM-CP, HR Director at ZenBusiness, put it: “Hone AI is teaching and engaging employees in real conversations — their hands are off the keys, and they’re leaning in.” That kind of engagement translated into impressive results: 📈 94% of leaders reported stronger on-the-job performance 🙌 Manager support scores improved substantially year-over-year 💡 90% of managers shared that the learning was effective When managers get the right support, they don’t just complete training. They build skills they can use immediately. We’re proud to partner with Keith Amaker and the ZenBusiness team to help develop leaders who grow with the business. Read the full case study → https://lnkd.in/eFffbVxS