AI for Managers: How to Transform a Tool into Team Capability Through 5 Roles
By Pedro Sonda, dooop
To transform AI into a team capability, managers need to fulfill five roles: use AI and lead by example; redesign team tasks by deciding where AI fits; define how freed-up time is used; ensure rules and quality standards are followed; and develop people to work with AI. Simply distributing licenses and training is not enough. Without the manager, AI use remains limited to a few individuals and does not change team outcomes.
Updated October 2026.
The Manager Is the Weakest and Most Important Link
| Data | Source |
|---|---|
| Only 8% of HR leaders believe their managers have the skills to use AI effectively; only 14% of organizations support managers in integrating generative AI into daily work | Gartner, 2025 |
| 46% of managers experiment with AI, compared to 26% of employees; only 14% of managers report no challenges deploying AI in their teams | Gartner, 2026 |
| Only 25% of frontline workers say they receive sufficient guidance from leaders about AI | BCG, 2025 |
Gartner summarizes: HR leaders have overlooked the manager’s role in the effective adoption of AI tools.
Interpretation: The manager is the one who turns training into routine, yet receives the least support. Adoption programs that ignore managers tend to stall at training.
dooop Framework: The Manager’s 5 Roles
| Role | What It Does | Question to Ask Yourself |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Use and Lead by Example | Uses AI in their own work and shares successes and failures | Does my team know how I use AI? |
| 2. Redesign Tasks | Decides with the team which tasks involve AI and how workflows change | Which team tasks have changed because of AI? |
| 3. Define the Use of Freed Time | Determines where the time saved goes | What does the team do today with the time AI saves? |
| 4. Ensure Rules and Quality | Ensures review, data protection, and delivery standards | Which team deliverables require mandatory review? |
| 5. Develop People | Identifies who needs support, encourages practice, recognizes good use | Who on the team still doesn’t use AI, and why? |
Role 3 in Detail: The Most Neglected
Only 7% of organizations guide employees on how to use the time freed by AI. Expectations differ: when asked how to use one hour saved, 55% of HR leaders prefer special projects, versus 28% of managers (Gartner, 2026). Without a manager’s decision, time disperses and gains do not materialize. Concrete options include handling more cases, improving quality, dedicating time to clients, or developing skills.
Role 2 in Detail: Redesigning with the Team
The manager does not need to figure out alone where to use AI. A quick inventory of team tasks, done with everyone, usually reveals the best opportunities; see How to Identify Repetitive Tasks That Can Use AI.
What the Manager Needs to Learn
| Competency | Why |
|---|---|
| Use AI in their own management tasks | To lead by example and understand limitations |
| Evaluate the quality of AI-assisted team outputs | To maintain standards |
| Conduct conversations about fear and change | To handle resistance; see How to Reduce Internal Resistance to Artificial Intelligence |
| Measure team results | To know if AI is helping |
| Apply usage rules | To protect the company and people |
AI Uses in the Manager’s Own Work
- Prepare one-on-one and team meetings.
- Organize feedback and development plans without delegating judgment.
- Summarize reports and area indicators.
- Draft communications and clearly explain changes.
What to Do Now
- Ask the five questions from the roles table about your team.
- Decide how to use freed-up time and communicate it to the team.
- Schedule a monthly meeting to exchange AI practices.
To prepare managers and leadership, explore dooop’s program at dooop.com.br/liderancas-com-foco-em-ia.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does the manager need to be the team’s top AI expert? No. They need to use AI, understand its limits, and know how to guide. Team multipliers can be more advanced users.
How to encourage AI use without excessive pressure? Focus on results and quality, not usage frequency. The goal is to improve work, not just increase tool openings.
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About dooop
dooop is a consultancy based in Caxias do Sul (RS) that prepares leaders and organizations to transform artificial intelligence into business capability through strategy, governance, and training.