Ryan McCormack’s Operational Excellence Mixtape: April 17, 2026

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Ryan McCormack's April 17 Mixtape gathers pieces on AI adoption (meet people where they are; elevate human judgment rather than eliminate it), the trap of chasing a single “optimal” answer in complex organizations, and why accountability works best as a steady habit reinforced by huddles and check-ins rather than an occasional reaction. It also flags the illusion of expertise that surfaces when you try to explain a concept simply, points to Roger Martin's new Play to Win article “book club,” and offers a playful experiment with a week of “Do Not Disturb.”

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Operational Excellence, Improvement, and Innovation

The human side of AI adoption

“Why isn't everyone using AI? We've given them all the tools?”. Adoption of AI, as with other technology, won't fail because of the tools, but because we continue to underestimate the context in which they are introduced. It's far more effective to meet your people and processes where they're at, rather than emulate the early adopters. To drive greater adoption, demystify with simple analogies and integrate into existing processes and incentives. 

Elevate rather than eliminate

When tools and technology are used to help people reach their fullest potential, rather than replace them, they become engines of growth and innovation. Removing non-value-added work yields benefits, but focusing solely on replacement narrows thinking and creates a zero-sum mindset.

With pressure on leaders to adopt AI quickly, it's worth pausing. Resist the urge to start by eliminating human judgment. Instead, prioritize high-leverage improvements that amplify human judgment and strengthen the skills that make us effective. In episode 69 of Chain of Learning, Barry O'Reilly, author of Artificial Organizations: Build Better Judgment, Speed, and Results with Human and Machine Intelligence, joins world-class improvement coach Katie Anderson to explore what leaders need to learn and unlearn about AI.

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The problem with optimization

I've always had a bit of a love-hate relationship with “optimization” in organizations. As an industrial engineer, I was trained to hunt for the perfect answer, the local or global optimum in a complex system. Clean, elegant, definitive.

Then I started working inside large, messy organizations.

Reality check: there's almost never a single, neat solution. And the belief that there is can actually do more harm than good – shutting down options, curiosity, and growth in the process.

That's why this line from Harish's The Shape That Does Not Return hits so hard:

“An irreversible optimization forecloses inquiry in exactly this sense. It is efficient in the short run and anti-adaptive in the long one.”

If you're working to improve complex organizations, take this as a nudge: stop chasing the “perfect” solution. It doesn't exist, and pretending it does can quietly stall progress.

Instead, treat your work as a series of thoughtful experiments. Stay curious. Keep multiple paths open longer than feels comfortable. Test, learn, adjust, repeat. Progress in complexity isn't about getting it exactly right, it's about getting it less wrong, over and over again.

So the next time you feel the pull to optimize and lock it in, pause. Ask yourself: What might I be closing off? Then choose the path that keeps learning alive.

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Creating a Culture of Improvement

Make accountability a habit, not a reaction

Leaders and managers tend to agree on one thing: holding people accountable is an area where many senior leaders fall short. And that matters. Managers who say their leaders excel at accountability are three times more likely to be engaged. It's a clear reminder that everyone benefits from clear expectations, specific direction, and consistent follow-through.

So how can leaders strengthen accountability right now? It starts with simple, consistent routines that reinforce priorities, coaching, and direction. If you've worked with me or followed my work, you'll know I strongly believe in regular huddles and check-ins, whether daily or weekly. These moments create structure, keep everyone aligned, and, most importantly, turn accountability into a habit rather than an afterthought. But for leaders who continue to declare they “don't have time” for such routines, I ask them when will you have time to lead? Make the time. Tomorrow. 

8 ways AI-driven change is different

Organizations everywhere are telling their people to “use AI.” As if it's that simple. We already know that pushing change without real thought or support is a fast track to failure, and AI is no exception. In fact, it raises the stakes. With all the hype, fear, and nonstop evolution surrounding AI, strong change leadership isn't just helpful, it's essential.

So yes, AI-driven change has its quirks. But it also follows some familiar rules. Here are eight ways it's different, and exactly the same.

Roger Martin's Play to Win/Practitioner Insights All-Stars Book Club

Roger Martin has set up a “book club” where a randomizer selects from an “all-star” archive of Play to Win / Practitioner Insights articles, where Martin invites us to ask questions and get answers. Check out the first half-dozen here:

Chapter One – Michael Porter's Three Greatest Contributions

Chapter Two – Why Planning Over Strategy

Chapter Three – Strategy & Artificial Intelligence

Chapter Four – Decoding the Strategy Choice Cascade

Chapter Five – The Business of Strategy Consulting

Chapter Six – The Lost Art of Strategy

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Coaching – Developing Self & Others

I've been there. Someone asks me, “the expert”, to explain a topic in simple terms, and suddenly I'm fumbling over the basics. That's usually the moment the internal spiral kicks in: Do I actually know this? Am I really an expert?

Turns out, this is more common than we'd like to admit. It's easy to mistake familiarity for understanding. We rely on repetition, jargon, and surface-level thinking – and call it expertise.

A better test? Try explaining the concept clearly and simply. Wherever you get stuck, that's your signal: there's more to learn. 

‘Do Not Disturb' maximalism

Buzzing. Pinging. Pop-ups. The never-ending notifications of constant connection are at the same time anxiety-inducing but also reassuring. So what would happen if you simply turned off notifications? A week of “do not disturb” may make things blissful for you and annoy the people around you. This is impractical for most jobs, but an intriguing experiment nonetheless.

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