GW Business Forum Highlighted How AI Is Transforming Workforce, Future of Leadership

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The George Washington University School of Businessheld its third annual Business and Policy Forum,inviting policymakers, industry leaders and experts to discuss pressing global issues at Jack Morton Auditorium. This year's theme, "The Future of Work is Now," focused on the impact of emerging technologies on various industries and the workforce.

During the two-day forum, panelists and speakers from companies including McKinsey & Company and Accenture highlighted emerging trends in the business world and strategies for utilizing new technologies effectively.

The event also featured student-focused workshops exploring how to harness AI for professional development and career advancement.

GW President Ellen M. Granbergdelivered opening remarks, emphasizing the timeliness of this year's theme. She acknowledged recent transformations impacting the workforce, including the rise of AI, shifting global dynamics and more recent challenges like the federal government shutdown.

"Here at GW, we believe the most pressing challenges of our time demand collaboration across disciplines, sectors and borders," Granberg said. "Our location in the heart of Washington, D.C., places us at the crossroads of business and policy, where research meets real-world decision-making."

Sevin Yeltekin, the new dean of the School of Business, joined Jim Clifton, chair of Gallup, for a conversation about leadership, employee engagement and the human side of the future of work. Clifton, who has guided Gallup's transformation from a U.S.-based polling firm to a global analytics and advisory organization, discussed how his research helps leaders prepare for the workplace of 2025.

"The future of work is not just about technologies," Yeltekin said. "It's about human relationships and trust."

She cited one of Gallup's studies that found one in five employees feel disengaged and asked what employee engagement means in practice for organizations, and the hidden costs of disengagement.

Clifton explained how Gallup's research identified stark differences between highly engaged and disengaged teams. Drawing on 25 years of data from 30 million employee interviews worldwide, he described the characteristics of the top-performing teams.

"Think of Navy SEALs," Clifton said. "They're taught to approach a problem that looks impossible to everyone else, and somehow, they do it. In business, you'll be given assignments that seem impossible, and somehow you go and do it. Those are the top teams."

He contrasted these teams with the bottom 20%, which often struggle even with simple tasks and experience higher rates of accidents, conflicts and other workplace problems. Clifton said in the United States, about 30% of teams operate at that top level with employees who are highly ambitious, focused on growth and excel at customer service.

He made a connection between the United States' high rates of employee engagement and economic performance, citing data that while the United States is only 4% of the world's population, it represents almost a quarter of global GDP.

"Where engagement is low, economies suffer. It all comes down to ambition and leadership in the workplace," Clifton said.

Yeltekin asked Clifton what advice he would give to students preparing to enter this rapidly changing workforce. He encouraged students to understand their own strengths and embrace their individuality rather than trying to emulate others.

He also said students should pursue work that feels purposeful, and to put their best efforts in all opportunities that come their way.

"Hit that ball as far as you can out of the park…take those moments seriously, the little ones matter as much as the big ones. Pull it off your own way," Clifton said.

The forum also featured a panel discussion exploring transformative workplace trends. Panelists included Assistant Professor of Strategic Management and Public Policy Vikram R. Bhargava, Director of ServiceNow Futures Diana Wu David and President & CEO of the Greater Washington Board of Trade Jack McDougle.

Chris Kayes, chair of the Department of Management and professor of management at GW, served as the moderator.

"Today, we have three panelists who will help us not only make sense of the labor market and workforce but also give us answers for how to deal with some of the challenges we face today," Kayes said.

McDougle shared his perspective on the current labor market, emphasizing that attracting talent and skills remains a top priority in the business community despite ongoing disruptions. He noted recent challenges that have made the current job market uncertain and tenuous.

"Our region has about six and a half million people and three and a half million jobs. Of those jobs, 17% are held by direct federal employees and 7% by contractors. So, a lot of what's happening right now is affecting the job market, as you might imagine," McDougle said.

Despite these challenges, McDougle highlighted the region's advantages, including a highly skilled and educated workforce.

"As we see ongoing investments in technology and other sectors, there are many opportunities, but it will take some time to adjust," McDougle said. "One of our region's strengths is a highly skilled, highly educated workforce, which is very attractive to many companies, especially in the tech sector."

When asked what advice panelists would give to students preparing to enter this competitive workforce, David underscored the importance of leadership and interpersonal skills alongside technical expertise.

"I taught leadership and interpersonal dynamics for a long time," David said. "Once you go to business school, your degree will get you your job, and the time that we spend together thinking about leadership and interpersonal dynamics will get you your career."

David noted that while technical skills are crucial, companies are increasingly focused on broader competencies.

She said with these new technologies, companies will need to reconsider what leadership means in a world where some tasks may be done by AI agents and figure out how to help develop the next generation of leaders. "I would say both education in the company and how we're going to create the future leaders of our companies and of tomorrow that we need to start really engaging with," David said.

Bhargava discussed the ethical and social questions arising from widespread use of AI. He shared an example of a university that issued a letter of solidarity after a nearby campus shooting. While the letter was well-written, a phrase at the bottom inadvertently revealed it had been generated by ChatGPT.

"Now, that reaction you had is the same one I had. But notice that it's not because the letter was poorly written. The letter was perfectly well written. But rather, it's that there are certain things that remain important for us to do," Bhargava said.

He said from a workforce perspective, it's not only important to consider how AI might replace human tasks, but also under what conditions it should, and which skills humans must retain that AI cannot replicate.

"One of the core questions that we'll face as a society is what remains important for us to do, even if AI is better than us at it," Bhargava said.