Unlock Smarter AI: 5 Benefits of the Positive Impact AI Framework
By Laura Gramling – Founder & President
In May 2025, IBM released a global study of more than 2,000 CEOs navigating the complexities of AI implementation, innovation, and ROI. Among the key findings:
Only 25% of AI initiatives have delivered expected ROI over the past few years
Just 16% have scaled successfully across the enterprise
As Mohamad Ali, Senior Vice President and Head of IBM Consulting, noted:
“CEOs are balancing the pressures of short-term ROI and investing in long-term innovation when it comes to adopting AI.”
These numbers tell a familiar story: while AI technology is advancing rapidly, the ability to generate real, enterprise-wide value remains elusive for most organizations—not because of a lack of tools, but because of a lack of alignment.
The Silent Threat to Your AI Strategy: Misalignment
The rush to adopt AI often skips over the foundational work of aligning people, priorities, and purpose. Even the best technologies can fall flat if the organization behind them isn’t ready.
This is where the Positive Impact AI Framework offers a strategic advantage.
Unlike AI tools or platforms, this framework is technology-agnostic—it doesn’t help you choose a system; it helps you build the clarity, coordination, and cultural readiness to make your AI investments pay off.
Rooted in Appreciative Inquiry, the framework uses a strengths-based, human-centered approach to unlock innovation and collaboration. It helps leaders focus not just on what they’re building—but on how they’re building it, and with whom.
By focusing on alignment and positive impact, the framework ensures AI initiatives generate measurable outcomes that matter - improved performance, stronger engagement, and long-term value for both people and the organization.
The Strategic Advantage Behind the Positive Impact AI Framework
Build Trust and Reduce Fear
AI initiatives often surface concern about job displacement, disruption, or ethical risks. A strengths-based approach:
Engages people in imagining a better future with AI, not one replacing them.
Surfaces shared values, which builds psychological safety and trust
By focusing on strengths, shared values, and a hopeful vision, organizations can turn fear into fuel—creating alignment, trust, and momentum for responsible AI adoption.
Mobilize Hidden Assets
AI success often depends on capabilities already present but underused. This framework helps organizations:
• Identify untapped data, teams, and skills that can accelerate progress
• Reveal grassroots innovators already experimenting with AI or automation
AI success doesn’t always require starting from scratch—it requires seeing hidden potential. This framework uncovers underutilized data, talent, and innovation already inside your organization, turning overlooked assets into immediate momentum.
3. Align Stakeholders Around a Shared Vision
AI often fails when it’s seen as a technology project rather than a business strategy. The framework:
• Brings together cross-functional voices to co-create an aligned, future-focused vision
• Builds broad ownership and relevance across departments and functions
By shifting AI from a siloed initiative to a shared strategic priority, the framework ensures AI isn’t just implemented—it’s embraced, scaled, and sustained across the organization.
4. Accelerate Prototyping and Learning
Positive Impact AI’s iterative design and delivery allows:
• Early successes—however small—to be amplified and celebrated
• Feedback loops intentionally embedded to refine and scale what works
Momentum is built through meaningful wins and continuous learning—turning early progress into lasting, scalable impact.
5. Support Ethical, Human-Centered Innovation
Positive Impact AI prompts critical reflection:
• “What does positive impact look like for everyone affected?”
• “How do we ensure AI supports our values, not just our metrics?”
By reflecting deeply on impact and values—not just metrics—this framework lays the foundation for AI that is trusted, aligned, and built to last.
What It Offers (and What It Doesn’t)
Leaders know that technology alone doesn’t deliver transformation—people and purpose do.
The Positive Impact AI Framework doesn’t focus on any single AI tool or system. It won’t help you pick a platform or optimize code. Instead, it equips leaders and teams with the process, alignment, and mindset needed to ensure their AI investments lead to meaningful, enterprise-wide impact.
It’s designed to help you:
Build trust and reduce resistance by engaging your people—not bypassing them
Embed AI with your strategic goals, ethics, and culture—not just your tech roadmap
Unlock internal strengths and accelerate adoption by activating what’s already working
Move from pilot projects to scalable, enterprise-wide impact
Lead with purpose, clarity, and momentum—from vision to execution
It’s a process built to help you lead change—not just manage it.
Why It Matters
If only a fraction of AI initiatives are delivering results, it’s time to ask: What’s missing? More often than not, the answer is human alignment.
The Positive Impact AI Framework helps you unlock the potential already inside your organization and use it to build a smarter, more aligned, and more sustainable AI future.
Innovation starts with alignment. Let EnSpark Consulting help you align your strategy, engage your teams, and drive AI adoption that delivers lasting value across your organization.
About the Author
Laura Gramling has the experience and expertise to help you transform your organization in an AI-driven world. Together with her talented team, she builds on the strengths of your people to help them embrace the future with confidence. Laura approaches every client engagement knowing that each person brings a unique and vital perspective — unlocking a greater collective willingness to move forward.
With over 20 years as a change, leadership, and performance consultant, Laura has guided organizations across industries including higher education, tech, and pharma. She is an expert in organizational performance, meeting design and facilitation, and navigating complex change.