Building an AI-Ready Organization (18 Jun 2026)

Thu, 18 Jun 2026 13:00:00 GMT

Building an AI-Ready Organization

Session Overview: As organizations accelerate their adoption of AI, many are treating it as a technology initiative focused on efficiency gains. In practice, AI is doing something far more consequential: it is placing sustained pressure on leadership systems, surfacing gaps in alignment, clarity, communication, and leadership capability that were previously easier to ignore. Whether AI becomes a catalyst for performance, or a source of confusion, resistance, and stalled momentum depends largely on the strength of these systems.

This session introduces a practical leadership lens for assessing organizational readiness in the context of AI. Participants will learn how to pinpoint where gaps in leadership systems are undermining AI efforts, and where to intervene to improve traction and adoption.

Designed for OD leaders, this session focuses on the leadership systems and organizational dynamics that determine how effectively AI is integrated. Participants will gain the language, perspective, and strategic framing needed to guide their organizations through AI-related transformation with greater clarity, confidence, and impact.

Session Takeaways: Participants will leave with:

A practical lens for assessing AI readiness through leadership systems
A model for understanding where gaps in leadership systems can undermine AI initiatives
A framework for prioritizing where to focus first—without trying to solve everything at once
A clearer understanding of how to position themselves as strategic advisors in AI-related transformation
A list of strategic questions they can ask themselves and their colleagues to take tangible action toward enabling AI readiness.

About the Speaker:

Lauren Cohen

Lauren Cohen is the Founder and CEO of Cohen Leadership Group, a leadership advisory firm that partners with CEOs and executive teams in fast-growing and mid-market organizations to strengthen leadership alignment, accelerate execution, and scale organizations more effectively. She leads a team of leadership advisors who help organizations overcome what she calls Leadership Debt—the hidden friction that emerges when business growth outpaces leadership maturity.

Known for her ability to quickly see the dynamics others miss, she helps leaders translate insight into decisive action and measurable business impact. She was recently named one of the Top 100 St. Louisans You Should Know to Succeed in Business and was recognized as one of the Top 10 Executive Coaches in St. Louis (2025).

Before founding Cohen Leadership Group, Lauren was a business litigation attorney. She brings a pragmatic, business-minded lens to leadership advisory work and has extensive training in executive coaching, leadership development, and team effectiveness. She holds both a B.S. and J.D. from Washington University in St. Louis.

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We look forward to seeing you at this in-person only event.

St. Louis Organization Development Network upcoming events

Building an AI-Ready Organization (18 Jun 2026)