prakash

Redesign Business Operations for AI

NetApp

Johnson Controls

Prakash Venkitachalam

Business Operations and AI Leader at NetApp, Ex - Johnson Controls and Tyco

Learn the 3 shifts that make ops AI‑ready—what to change, where to start, and how to build momentum

What are the 3 Essential Shifts for AI-Ready Operations?

Spot hidden bottlenecks AI can solve now—prioritize quick wins to speed execution and improve CX

How to Spot & Eliminate AI‑Solvable Bottlenecks?

Unpack the #1 mistake that kills AI efforts—preview a tried and tested framework that keeps rollouts on track.

How to Avoid the #1 AI Transformation Mistake leaders make?

Lead transformations teams that customers feel—with measurable outcomes that win exec backing, with millions in savings

How to lead AI Ops transformations That Delivers Results?

The Problem: Scaling organizational expertise with generative AI&nbsp;captures the basics but misses the distinctive thinking patterns and cultural fingerprint that differentiate your organization. The Solution: Capture, automate and reimagine your distinctive methodology with agentic systems using frameworks emerging from years of strategic consulting and building AI tools for Fortune 500 companies and think tanks. We provide the strategic insight and hands-on capabilities to integrate generative AI strategically—in a way that preserves your competitive advantage while unlocking new dimensions of interactivity and personalization. Effective AI integration requires new collaboration frameworks between domain experts and technical teams — we teach you how to bridge this gap so expert knowledge translates into reliable, personalized AI outputs. You will master the frameworks we have been applying for half a decade for global consultancies and companies, walking away with a repeatable blueprint for scaling generative AI across the enterprise. Atop the theoretical bedrock, we bring heavy focus on hands-on practice doing unglamorous but essential work for mastering generative tool deployment: data plumbing, iterative evaluation and stress-testing, collaborative prompt design and de-risking roll-outs through phased deployment. This is not just a course. This is a commitment of experts with a decade of combined experience to transform your workflows and multiply your organization's output.- Unlimited one-on-one consultation opportunities during the course- Proprietary chatbots trained on the learning content- A resource hub 3 years in the making- Takeaway: The extent of your learning is bordered only by the time you are willing to commit.

Transform Your Organization's Expertise Into AI-Powered Competitive Advantage

Course syllabus

Synchronous zoom lecture on Tuesday, focusing on the conceptual backbone of AI agent functionality and applications. Recordings of class will be available soon after its completion.

Tuesday

An async walkthrough will guide you in building functional prototypes of AI Agents. You will get to shape the project deliverable. Lecturers will be available by email, during office hours and via one-on-one sessions throughout the week for questions and support.

Weekly projects (async)

Optional office hours where you can ask questions and receive personal guidance on developing your AI applications.

Tuesday & Thursday

Schedule 1:1 coaching time with instructors for individualized help with your hands-on projects, privately thinking through a use-case, or whatever else you need.

1:1 Coaching

Course schedule

Executive Leaders who need to scale organizational capabilities with AI while preserving competitive differentiation

Project/Product Managers leading cross-functional AI integration initiatives bridging domain expertise with technical implementation

Domain Specialists who want to enhance their analytical workflow through custom AI applications without having to code

Who is this course for

What you’ll get out of this course

Master the end-to-end methodology from initial requirements to production launch, including risk assessment, phased implementation, and organizational adoption strategies that minimize disruption while maximizing competitive advantage

Strategic AI Integration Frameworks

Transform unstructured institutional knowledge like meeting transcripts, reports, and backlogs into agentic systems that prevent your expertise from walking out the door with the next turnover

Culture Capture From Unstructured Data

Design and implement human-in-the-loop evaluation systems and testing methodologies that ensure trust, relevance, and reliability

Quality Assurance and Evaluation Frameworks

Navigate technical tradeoffs across compliance, latency, and cost vectors while managing non-technical stakeholders through AI development cycles and scope definition

Strategic Decision-Making and Project Management

Update your awareness with strategic foresight and thorough ecosystem analysis of AI affordances in specific industries, domains and modalities, enabling informed investment decisions and long-term positioning

AI Ecosystem Intelligence and Future Planning

Automate and amplify institutional knowledge through AI agents that embody your cultural DNA

Lev Gorelov

Jeremy Kirshbaum

Cohort 14

Cohort 15

Leaders are remembered not just for their technical prowess but for the lasting impact they have on their team's careers and success. In an era where AI is transforming how teams work, the human side of leadership has never been more critical. This course equips both aspiring software engineering managers and experienced EMs alike with the essential interpersonal skills to amplify their influence and drive team performance. It leverages AI tools to enhance these fundamentally human leadership capabilities. Over 100 individual contributors (ICs) and EMs have already enhanced their leadership capabilities through this course. Join them and transform your approach to tech leadership for the AI era. -------- This interactive course will teach you how to solve 4 key problems faced by senior ICs and managers: 1️⃣ Identifying growth opportunities within your team and working with them to fill these missing areas—using both traditional mentoring approaches and AI-powered insights to personalize development plans 2️⃣ Communicating with clarity and impact with direct reports, peers, and upper management—enhanced with AI tools for message preparation, follow-up analysis, and communication refinement 3️⃣ Delivering constructive, actionable feedback that drives real improvement—using proven frameworks plus AI assistance for better situation analysis and delivery optimization 4️⃣ Balancing AI adoption with human needs by helping your team to navigate the challenges of AI integration while maintaining team trust and unity ------- For the duration of this course you'll receive: • 4 live sessions over 2 weeks hours over Zoom, with interactive lessons and breakout sessions• Hands-on learning by walking through case studies and real-life examples with your cohort• Templates and AI prompts you can immediately start using on the job• In-depth live Q&amp;A sessions to get immediate answers to your on-the-job questions• Recording and slides for future reference and review ------- Great leadership is more than just your title, it’s about supporting and growing the people around you. This is a course designed to give technical managers the skills and tools they need to become effective, influential leaders that can inspire teams as well as manage them. You’ve put in the hard work to get to management level, and on completing this course you’ll have the skills to prove yourself as a leader.

What makes a great engineering leader in the modern AI era?

Session 1: Become the leader your team needs<ul><li>Identifying the types of high performers on your team</li><li>Managing medium and low performers</li><li>Using AI to identify trends in performance</li></ul>

Tuesday, August 19

Session 2: Career development without the noise<ul><li>Breaking down the 1:1</li><li>Quarterly development planning for your team</li><li>Building an AI bot to help you write QDPs</li></ul>

Thursday, August 21


Session 3: Communicate like a leader<ul><li>Managing expectations with your team</li><li>Negotiating with your PM and EM peers</li><li>Managing up in your organization</li><li>How to use AI to assist in these conversations</li></ul>

Tuesday, August 26


Session 4: Feedback and conflict without the fear<ul><li>Reframing your own views of feedback</li><li>Tactical feedback delivery framework</li><li>Practicing giving feedback with AI</li><li>Feedback case study</li></ul>

Thursday, August 28


New and experienced managers looking to build the interpersonal skills required to succeed as a leader in the AI era

Technical managers who want to develop their team and build influence across their company while navigating AI adoption

Aspiring managers looking to lay the groundwork to create impact as an IC and future leader, preparing for an AI-transformed workplace

Who this course is for:

After taking this course, you'll be able to:

Your success as a leader is measured by your team's execution, and to execute well, you need a great team. Learn to identify strengths, empower growth, and navigate AI's impact on team dynamics.

Build and scale a high performing team

1:1s and performance reviews don't have to be stressful. Learn how to keep the feedback loop active by applying proven frameworks and AI tooling to conduct meaningful 1:1s and provide tactical, actionable feedback to your team on a regular cadence.

Conduct impactful 1:1s and development check-ins

From performance management to resource allocation, learn frameworks for tough calls while leveraging AI for better information gathering. We'll cover how to gather the right information, involve the right people, and confidently communicate decisions upward and downward.

Make difficult decisions with confidence

Learn how to give constructive feedback from a trained therapist! Master effective communication strategies for conflict resolution within your team to build influence within your organization. Discover how AI can help you prepare for conversations and follow up effectively.

Navigate challenging conversations with peers and direct reports

Balance AI advancement with human needs, ensuring your team thrives in an AI-augmented workplace. Learn to maintain psychological safety during change, help team members adapt their skills, and create an environment where both AI tools and human creativity can flourish.

Lead through AI transformation

Master essential people skills to transform from technical expert to impactful leader in today's AI-driven tech landscape.

Kelly Vaughn

Cohort 5

Cohort 6

Build clarity, alignment, and the strategic direction needed to enable enterprise AI.AI is reshaping how businesses operate. Decision-making is becoming more data-driven. Automation is changing how work gets done. Cloud costs and value tracking are now leadership priorities. Security and compliance risks are evolving. To compete, organizations need to move beyond experimentation and establish clear, actionable AI strategies. If your teams are navigating these shifts without a cohesive plan, you are not alone. Many organizations have strong capabilities but lack a structured approach to AI readiness. This course gives you that path. Built on the proven 10 Dimensions of Enterprise AI Readiness, this program helps leaders assess where their organization stands, align teams around the right priorities, and develop a practical strategy for enabling enterprise AI. What You’ll Get From This Course ⦿&nbsp;A clear understanding of how AI is reshaping Business ITLearn how AI, automation, cloud, security, and data are driving change across operations, strategy, and leadership expectations. ⦿&nbsp;An actionable AI readiness assessment frameworkUse the 10 Dimensions of Enterprise AI Readiness to assess strengths, gaps, and opportunities across the organization. ⦿&nbsp;Alignment on strategic prioritiesFacilitate conversations that help leadership teams identify the right focus areas and build consensus on where to invest in AI enablement. ⦿&nbsp;A practical path from AI trends to business outcomesTranslate current AI trends into initiatives that drive measurable value and support business goals. ⦿&nbsp;Cross-functional collaboration and leadershipStrengthen alignment between IT, data, finance, security, and business leaders to support enterprise-wide readiness and strategy execution. Learn with a Supportive Community This is not lecture-based learning. It is hands-on, discussion-driven, and outcome-focused. You will work alongside peers from across industries who are also leading AI readiness efforts, sharing insights, building alignment skills, and shaping strategic action. By the end of this course, you will be equipped to assess your organization's AI readiness, align leadership around strategic priorities, and build a clear, actionable path to enable enterprise AI.

Future-Proof Your Organization with AI Readiness for Organizations


Join interactive, instructor-led sessions where we break down key concepts, discuss real-world applications, and work through challenges together. Expect a mix of guided learning, open Q&amp;A, and hands-on exercises to help you apply what you’ve learned.

Instructor-Led Live Sessions


Drop in for live office hours to get personalized guidance, ask questions, and connect with peers.

Open Office Hours


Apply what you learn through hands-on projects, case studies, and skill-building exercises designed to help you gain confidence and real-world experience.

Weekly projects

Get lifetime access to all future course material updates, including workshop templates and slides. Stay current, even as Business continues to evolve in the years to come.

Updated Course Materials


Join the class Discord server for continued access to instructors and community members, even after the class has ended.

Join the Community


Business and IT leaders seeking to align teams and drive a clear, actionable AI strategy that delivers results

Internal consultants and change agents working to assess organizational AI readiness and guide strategic priorities

Cross-functional leaders in roles spanning IT, data, finance, security, or operations who are shaping enterprise AI initiatives

Gain clear, practical insights into how these forces are impacting operations, decision-making, and competitive positioning across the business.

Understand how AI, automation, cloud, security, and data are reshaping Business IT

Learn to run structured readiness assessments that reveal strengths, gaps, and opportunities across teams, systems, and practices.

Assess organizational readiness using the 10 Dimensions of Enterprise AI Readiness

Use proven facilitation approaches to help leaders and teams build consensus on where to focus and how to sequence AI enablement efforts.

Align leadership and teams around clear priorities

Apply real-world examples and case studies to identify where AI can drive measurable business value, efficiency, and innovation.

Translate AI trends into actionable business outcomes

Strengthen coordination between IT, finance, security, data, and business functions to support enterprise-wide AI readiness and strategy execution.

Build cross-functional alignment and collaboration

AI Readiness for Organizations helps leaders align teams, set priorities, and build a clear, actionable strategy for enabling enterprise AI.


July Start

John Tanner

Founder & Chief Strategist @ C4G Enterprises Inc.

Private 2 Day Cohort

September Start

You Don’t Need to Master Every Tool. You Need to Master the Leadership That Makes Any Tool Deliver Results. New models are dropping weekly, the tech is racing ahead, but the business results aren’t catching up. So if it’s not the tech, what’s really slowing you down? ↳It’s misaligned expectations.↳Shifting direction.↳Burned-out builders.↳Poor decisions being made in the name of urgency. Because, if everyone is a priority, nothing is. Do any of these sound like you? You're leading an AI initiative (maybe as a business, product, or strategy head) and you find yourself wondering: 1) How do I even evaluate whether this AI use case is worth doing?2) Everyone's excited about agents and RAG, but which one fits my workflow?3) My team keeps asking for more budget. How do I make tradeoff decisions across cost, latency, and ROI?4) My execs want results fast, but my builders are blocked. How do I create alignment?5) We’ve launched a few pilots, but nothing’s scaling. Are we missing an operating system? If you’ve asked yourself even one of these questions, then this Agentic AI Business Leadership OS is built for you. Because, as a business leader, you don't need to code, but you do need to lead and deliver results Join the Agentic AI Business Leadership OS by enrolling for this course now!!! 💬 Why I Built This? From my experience leading AI transformations, working closely with leaders across AI startups, enterprise innovation teams, and product orgs, I kept seeing the same pattern: * Smart teams blocked by vague direction* Leaders are under pressure, reacting to hype* Execution breaking down not from tech but from leadership drift This course is the operating system I wish every decision-maker had when they were told to “just bring AI into the business” Because tools change weekly.But execution still runs on systems, tradeoffs, and trust. Why learn from me? If you’ve ever asked, “Why isn’t this AI project moving?” I’ve been the one senior leaders called to diagnose the blockers and rebuild momentum. I’ve worked inside high-stakes C-suites and late-night product reviews, translating strategy into execution on AI projects that couldn’t afford to fail. As an advisor to enterprises, innovation teams, and AI startups, I’ve seen: ↳Roadmaps that excite the board but confuse the team↳Tech that demos well but never ships↳Strategy decks with no system for decisions So I built this course to give leaders not more tools but the operating system to make the right calls. Who This Course Is For? ✅ You’re a business, product, or transformation leader tasked with AI strategy✅ You’ve got domain expertise (telecom, cyber, supply chain or even web3) but feel unsure how to layer in AI✅ You’re responsible for execution, but overwhelmed by vendors, jargon, and pilot fatigue✅ You care more about credible delivery than playing with shiny tools You don’t necessarily need to know the math.But you do need to own the decisions that get AI shipped. What makes this course unique? ✅ It includes real-world case breakdowns, red flag decoders, and tradeoff playbooks✅ It features insights from applied AI leaders and operators in the trenches✅ It is designed for deep transformation (and not vague trends or AI 101s) It’s the OS for how you lead in the age of agentic AI. It didn’t exist, so I built it. 🚀 ❌ Who This Course Is NOT For: 1) Engineers looking for deep technical model training2) AI veterans who've already scaled successful AI-native orgs (though you may benefit from the OS frameworks inside)3) Leaders who want a casual AI overview without execution If you're building in an AI-first world, the pressure to “get it right” is only growing. This course helps you make better decisions, faster. 🚀 Apply now to join the upcoming cohort

Build Scalable Agentic AI Businesses and Lead the AI Economy

Business Leaders &amp; Decision-Makers working closely with technical teams

Entrepreneurs &amp; Founders who are either building an AI-first company or integrating AI agents into an existing business

Product &amp; Strategy Leaders looking for the tools to prioritize AI opportunities, assess feasibility, and measure ROI effectively

Scope the right AI initiatives with business-first thinking

Opportunity Discovery Framework

Make fast, high-quality calls in ambiguous situations, without waiting on perfect data

Decision Velocity Toolkit

A 6-layer leadership model: Opportunity → Economics → Metrics → Flywheel → Org Design → Impact

Agentic OS Stack

Know when to use RAG, agents, open vs. closed models, and why. Spot critical tensions like speed vs. trust, novelty vs. ROI, feasibility vs. ambition and resolve them with clarity

AI Economics & Tradeoff Radar

Design systems with trust, ROI, latency, and feasibility baked in. Learn what “good” looks like, how to measure success, and where most orgs go wrong in tracking AI value

AI ROI & Adoption Metric

Plug AI into real business processes

Workflow Integration

Know where your org stands and how to scale wisely

Agentic AI Maturity Ladder

A systems-first leadership OS for decision velocity, intelligent execution & AI-native transformation

Lightning Lessons

Redesign Business Operations for AI