Mamaearth co-founder Ghazal Alagh recently shared her advice for team leaders on using artificial intelligence (AI). Sparking an online discussion with her latest social media post, the 37-year-old entrepreneur urged business leaders to focus on fostering critical thinking and clarity about AI's benefits in their roles.
In a LinkedIn post, Ghazal Alagh discussed the importance of skill development over tool selection in AI for team leaders. The caption to the viral post reads, “Most leaders I speak to are asking the wrong question about AI.”
Stressing the importance of teaching teams how to leverage AI effectively, she said, "They're asking "which tools should my team use?" when the real question is "what kind of skills does my team need now?" Because the tools will keep changing. What's important is the shift that AI actually demands from you as a leader."
According to Ghazal Alagh's observation, the people who are excelling in this AI era are the ones who are self-motivated to learn and experiment with their thinking. Sharing her insight from the working of teams at Honasa Consumer, she wrote, “They are clear on what a good output looks like. AI just helps deliver that output faster.”
‘Teach people how to think and adopt’
Suggesting that the people who are struggling are the naysayers and those who are resistant to change, she advised team leaders not to just “run AI workshops but to teach people how to think and adopt”.
Stressing the importance of teaching teams how to leverage AI effectively, she added, “It's to help your team build a stronger sense of their own craft: what they stand for, what they're trying to create, what quality means in their specific role and how AI can help them in doing their job better.”
Social media reacts
Several people on social media have reacted to the entrepreneur's post. A user wrote, “This is a great shift in perspective. The gap isn’t access to AI, it’s clarity on what to do with it. How are you seeing teams build that clarity in practice?”
Another user remarked, "I think this goes one layer deeper. It’s not just a skills problem. It’s a system problem."
A third comment read, "This is the exact shift: from tool chasing to capability clarity. When teams have a clear, shared understanding of what "good" looks like—defined through a structured competency framework like KASBA—AI becomes an accelerator, not a guessing game. The skill isn't using AI; it's knowing your craft well enough to guide it."
A fourth user stated, “Absolutely agree. Tools will keep evolving, but clarity of thinking and outcome focus is what truly differentiates teams. In retail operations as well, I’ve seen that those who adapt and experiment with new ways of working always outperform others. AI is not a replacement, it’s a multiplier for the right mindset.”
A fifth user said, “Exactly. AI is a capability amplifier, not a capability creator. Teams that win aren’t tool-savvy they’re thinking-savvy, clear on outcomes, and willing to experiment. Leadership’s job is to build that mindset, not just run tool trainings.”
