Recently, I delivered a keynote presentation at a joint conference for the Minnesota County Recorders Association and the Minnesota Association of County Auditors, Treasurers, and Finance Officers.
My presentation was “Leading in the Digital Age: Become a Leader People Want to Follow.” Much of the presentation dealt with the potential impact AI will have on these county employees, both professionally and personally.
I mentioned in my presentation that resistance to change is almost always a dead-end street. Being a quick-change artist can build your reputation, while resisting change can ruin it. I also suggested that leadership is not just positional; it’s personal.
There are many opportunities that can come from embracing AI in our careers, such as fraud detection, smarter dashboards for public engagement, strengthened cybersecurity, and interdepartmental insights.
With significant change comes significant concern that causes stress, even for the most competent employee. Change can be mechanical, physical, external and situational. When you face changes in technology, organizational structure, and responsibilities, there can be a personal, psychological toll on staff. Often anxiety rises and motivation falls.
Changes for county recorders include the automation of routine tasks, significant job redesign, and challenges associated with integrating outdated government IT infrastructure. Changes for county auditors include automated auditing, real-time monitoring, and nearly instant data reconciliation. Changes for county treasurers include predictive cash flow analysis, automated payment processing, investment assessment, and dynamic budget data. Changes for county finance officers include budget forecasting, expense optimization, grant and funding tracking, and AI auto-generated financial reports that highlights trends.
Transitions for county recorders may include a reduction in the need for manual clerical work, thus potentially changing staffing needs. Transitions for county auditors include moving from manual audits to more of an oversight role of automated systems and time for personal investigation of flagged issues. Transitions for county treasurers include recognizing that AI may suggest investment or timing decisions, however, legal and political considerations are still best left to human judgment. Transition for county finance officers may include spending less time on reporting, and more time on strategy. County finance officer roles may shift more toward financial planning and risk mitigation.
So, in a nutshell, change isn’t easy. Even the changes we want are sometimes a struggle. One constant you can rely on is that change is inevitable.
