By Gaynor Duthie, Managing Partner
When Scotland qualified for the World Cup, there was a lot of excitement in the Genoa Black office. Naturally, the conversation quickly turned to whether everyone should get the opening match off.
Instead of making the decision myself, I turned it into a challenge. Develop a marketing campaign, using only AI. If it’s good enough in my eyes to run, everyone gets the bank holiday off.
The idea wasn’t really about football, or even about AI. It was about creating an opportunity for the team to come together, have some fun and try something new.
AI is one of those topics that can feel overwhelming. Some people embrace it immediately. Others are more cautious. Most sit somewhere in the middle, trying to work out where it fits and how it can genuinely help them do their job better.
What I’ve learned is that confidence doesn’t come from being told to use a tool. It comes from being given permission to experiment with it.
The challenge gave people exactly that. It encouraged collaboration, curiosity and a willingness to test ideas without worrying about getting everything right first time. People shared knowledge, challenged each other’s thinking and discovered new ways of working together.
The technology was important, but it wasn’t the star of the show.
The real value came from seeing people combine creativity, strategic thinking and a healthy dose of humour. AI helped accelerate ideas, but it was the team’s judgement, personality, and imagination that made them interesting.
As leaders, we often talk about creating a culture of learning and innovation. Sometimes that sounds bigger and more complicated than it needs to be.
Sometimes it’s simply about creating the space for people to try something different, learn from each other and enjoy the process.
Scotland qualifying for the World Cup gave us the excuse. AI provided the challenge. The team did the rest.
As for whether AI can win you a day off?
Well, our out offices will be on on Monday. C’mon Scotland!
