Leadership in the AI Era: What GCC Leaders Must Do Differently Now

Meet two GCC leaders with equally stellar credentials. Both are intellectually sharp, highly respected, and known for delivering results with precision and speed. Leader A is admired for her strategic clarity and execution excellence. Leader B is known for much the same. Early on, their trajectories look remarkably similar.

And yet, over time, a subtle shift occurs. When conditions become volatile and priorities evolve rapidly, stakeholders express greater confidence in B’s ability to adapt, to read the changing winds and adjust course. The question that often surfaces in leadership conversations is: What is it that B does so seamlessly that sets her apart?

If 2025 was about AI experimentation, 2026 is about material impact. Operating models are shifting, expectations from global headquarters are rising, and the workforce is no longer entirely human. For organisations with GCCs in India, the question is no longer whether India can deliver — but what kind of leadership this transformation demands.

Technical expertise and delivery excellence are no longer sufficient differentiators. What builds confidence is how leaders show up amid complexity and constant change. As technology becomes more intelligent, leaders must become more human. Across industries and GCC maturity stages, three leadership shifts are proving significant.

Lead with trust in a high-visibility, high-expectation environment 

Let’s go back to Leaders A and B. When a global AI-led operating change is announced, both leaders are asked to brief their teams and global stakeholders.

Leader A waits for full clarity from headquarters before engaging widely. She shares what is confirmed and keeps communication tightly controlled — teams comply, but uncertainty simmers beneath the surface.

Leader B starts conversations earlier, even when clarity is still emerging. She is explicit about what is evolving and invites questions she cannot yet answer — making her messaging not just informational, but reassuring.

Over time, stakeholders don’t just see B as aligned — they see her as reliable in ambiguity. Trust compounds not because she knows more, but because she shares more context.

Here is how to build trust and psychological safety amid ambiguity:

1. Deep listening and questioning for context and concerns – this is not passive.
2. Demonstrating credibility through context sharing – it is better to over-communicate than under-communicate.

Develop talent capability with care and compassion 

As automations result in role changes and job contours, Leader A focuses on capability mapping, learning pathways, and redeployment. Development conversations centre on required skills. Leader B notices something else first – anxiety. She creates space in 1:1s for people to voice fear, shifting identities, and uncertainty about relevance. She then coaches for upskilling and transitions.

Months later, both centres have reskilled talent. In B’s organisation, engagement is steady, and attrition is lower. People feel prepared, not just trained.

Here is how to build capability in uncertain times:

1. 1:1s that surface and address fear, resistance, or inertia.
2. Courageous conversationsabout readiness, relevance, and reinvention. Avoiding them doesn’t protect talent; it leaves them unprepared.

Leads strategically through influence and connections  

This is where B’s leadership becomes visibly different from the enterprise. When new work is being scoped globally, Leader A waits for formal requests. She focuses on delivering excellence within her mandate and ensures every commitment is met flawlessly.

Leader B, on the other hand, proactively reaches out across geographies early. She shares perspectives on how her GCC could pilot new capabilities, positions the GCC as a co-creator, and stays engaged even when outcomes are uncertain.

As a result, B is increasingly pulled into upstream conversations, having earned influence through presence and perspective.

Here is how to multiply strategic leadership capabilities:

1. Build relationships and connections across geographies. Own your role as a leader in the broader enterprise.
2. Embed cultural intelligence by demonstrating cultural curiosity and inclusion to enable innovation.

To summarize, the leaders who stand apart in the AI era are rarely the loudest or the most technically accomplished. They are the ones stakeholders and employees trust during uncertain times, and global partners involve early in the journey. Not because they have all the answers, but because they show up differently when the answers are still forming.