Overview

Before the Fingerprint Fades is a practical leadership guide for CEOs and executive teams navigating the transition from the Information Age into the emerging Ingenuity Age. As artificial intelligence accelerates decision-making, restructures work, and reshapes organisational power, leaders face a fundamental choice: drift into irrelevance or deliberately cultivate human wisdom at scale. Drawing on three decades of executive leadership, enterprise transformation, and psychological insight, Katharine McLennan introduces a twelve-month roadmap for organisational renewal. The book integrates two proprietary frameworks-ORG6, the six levers of organisational ingenuity, and VISTA, five leadership choices for the AI Age-to help leaders redesign strategy, culture, teams, and operating systems in an AI-accelerated world. Structured around a real-world executive journey, Before the Fingerprint Fades blends narrative, neuroscience, and practical tools. Each chapter offers clear diagnostics, thought experiments, and actionable practices that senior leaders can apply immediately with their teams. The result is a grounded, human-centred approach to leadership-one that shows how organisations can align human judgment and machine intelligence to build resilience, relevance, and long-term value.

Full Product Details

9781764406956

Table of Contents

Reviews

""Before the Fingerprint Fades gives leaders something we all need: a practical way to build organisations that stay human as AI accelerates in the business world. McLennan shows how insight becomes the enterprise's true competitive edge."" Chris Smith CEO, NeoGenomics; Ortho Clinical; Cochlear ""Katharine cuts straight to the reality facing today's executives: performance now depends on how well leaders blend human judgment with machine intelligence. This book shows exactly how to do it."" Jon Sutton CEO, ScotPac; Bank of Queensland; Bankwest ""A rare guide for leaders who want to strengthen culture while navigating profound technological change. Katharine shows how trust, clarity, and connection become strategic assets in the AI era."" Judy Hoff Gilbert Chief People Officer, ŌURA; Zymergen; VP, People Operations, Google & YouTube ""A compelling and practical roadmap for executives facing the next frontier of leadership. McLennan draws on her deep experience to show how ingenuity and collaboration - not automation - will define organizational relevance in the years ahead."" Peter Crawford Managing Director; Chief Financial Officer, Charles Schwab ""This is the book senior teams need right now - grounded, practical, and sharply attuned to the pressures of global operations. McLennan gives leaders the tools to lift enterprise performance without losing the creativity and courage that drive it."" Tony Ross Senior Director, Americas Operations & Supply Chain, Apple ""A masterful guide for leaders who want to strengthen culture, accelerate performance, and keep humanity at the centre of technological change. Credible, wise and insightful-from a woman critical to shaping Sydney 2000 Olympics' operational planning."" John Quayle General Manager, Sydney 2000 Olympics; CEO, Australian Rugby League

Author Information

Katharine McLennan is an executive advisor, consultant, coach, and psychotherapist with over thirty years' experience developing senior leaders and transforming organizations across Australia, Asia, Europe, and North America. She has worked with more than fifty organizations across banking, health, technology, mining, and global manufacturing. She has led enterprise-wide transformations and served as the most senior executive in charge of Human Resources for the Commonwealth Bank of Australia and the Global Chief of People and Culture (CHRO) at Cochlear. Prior to that, she advised on integrating strategy, psychology, and organizational performance at Booz Allen, Heidrick Struggles, and PwC. Her work brings together neuroscience, leadership development, and practical organizational design. Katharine is the creator of the ORG6 and VISTA frameworks, which underpin her consulting, coaching, speaking, and course programs. She holds degrees with highest honors from Duke University (BS in history and neuroscience), the University of New South Wales (MA in Political Science), and the Stanford Graduate School of Business (MBA), and is a qualified clinical psychotherapist.

Tab Content 6

Countries Available