Companies aren't failing at AI because the tools don't work. They're failing because the culture never got on board. Morgan Stanley didn't just deploy an AI assistant - they earned the right to deploy it. Before rolling out their AI @ Morgan Stanley Assistant, built on OpenAI and trained on more than 100,000 internal research reports, the firm ran rigorous evaluation frameworks to prove the tool met adviser quality standards.
Leadership transitions are pivotal moments. A CEO's first 100 days in a role are exhaustively studied; the last 100 days far less so, despite the steep costs of poor exits and the compounding benefits of good ones. For organizations, mishandled transitions can erode shareholder value, destabilize strategy, and undermine trust. For individuals, they can unsettle identity, strain relationships, and tarnish reputations.