Just yesterday, you were calmly managing your company's digital transformation. Today, you find yourself googling "AI courses for managers" at 11pm, after reading that 71% of leaders now prefer to hire less experienced candidates... but with AI skills.
Welcome to the FOBO era.
What is FOBO syndrome?
FOBO - Fear of Being Obsolete - is not just a trendy acronym. It's that dull anxiety that grips you when you realise that the AI you deploy could, one day, overtake you.
Numbers speak for themselves:
- 22% of graduate workers fear that their job will become obsolete (Gallup 2024)
- This fear has doubled among senior executives between 2021 and 2023
- 66% of managers say they would no longer hire anyone without AI skills
If you are feeling this anxiety, you should know that you are one of the 89% of organisations that believe in a future transformed by AI... but where only 1% say they are 'mature' on the subject.
This dissonance creates fertile ground for executive FOBO.
How FOBO manifests itself in managers
Do you recognise yourself in these situations?
- Technological impostor syndrome: you nod your head in technical meetings in the hope that no-one will notice your shortcomings.
- Strategic insomnia: you wake up thinking about the "AI-native" start-ups that are disrupting your sector.
- Decision paralysis: you delay AI investments for fear of making the wrong choices.
- Secret learning: you discreetly follow AI training courses to "keep up to date".
Here's the paradox: 47% of managers admit that their organisation lacks a plan and vision for AI (McKinsey 2024). At the same time, 76.7% of AI decisions go directly back to the C-Suite.
The result? Leaders who have to make decisions on subjects over which they have only partial control.
Why does FOBO particularly affect managers?
Factor n°1: The expertise trap
Unlike junior employees who 'grow up' with AI, you've built your career on expertise that's evolving at breakneck speed.
The new rules of the game :
- Skills evolve 25% faster in "AI-compatible" professions (PwC)
- 77% of leaders believe that with AI, junior talent will have greater responsibilities
- Traditional experience is becoming less valued than technological agility
Factor n°2: Pressure to know everything
As a leader, you're expected to have the answers. But with AI, nobody really has all the answers.
The first steps in overcoming FOBO
1. Accept public learning: Stop pretending and show your teams that you're learning too. It's liberating and authentic
→ Openly share a recent AI discovery at your next team meeting.
2. Redefine your role: You are no longer "the one who knows everything" but "the one who orchestrates collective intelligence" thanks to your strategic vision, your emotional intelligence and your critical mind - skills that you will need to cultivate and prioritize.
3. Create "safe spaces" for learning: 43% of managers are already using AI for their strategic decisions (IBM). Why shouldn't you?
→ Test ChatGPT, Claude or Copilot to prepare your presentations or analyse market trends. In private first, then share your experiences.
Your next step
If this article speaks to you, if you recognise yourself in this FOBO syndrome, you are not condemned to suffer this anxiety.
FOBO is best managed by several people. If you want to talk about your specific situation, the challenges you face with AI, or simply share your questions, don't be afraid to discuss them with other managers. You might be surprised at the number of managers who share the same anxiety as you.
And if you need an action plan, coaching or training in the field, just drop me a line or give me a call....you know where to find me 😉.
P.S.: Reading this article to the end proves that you're not obsolete. You're aware and curious, and that's already a huge advantage over AI.