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Wiley · Out now
Show AI—Don't Tell ItBuild Buy-In with Visual Storytelling
Translate complex AI into clear results with visual storytelling. A leadership playbook — not a tech manual — for executives who need AI to move from buzzword to business value.
Now in the
classroom
classroom
Northeastern State University teaches
Show AI—Don't Tell It in its “special topics in cybersecurity” curriculum and its new
AI degree program.
Adopted as course material for the next generation of AI and security leaders.
Does this sound familiar?
If any of these is you — this book is for you
We're stuck
Your successful AI pilot is gathering dust while your business and tech teams disagree on the path forward.
Time to amp it up
You're making progress with AI but need to build momentum and turn it into a self-driving innovation engine.
The team is afraid
Your teams see AI as a threat to their jobs instead of a tool to amplify their expertise.
The philosophy that shaped the book
There is no desire greater than to alter someone else's draft.
AI isn't failing because it's too technical. It's failing because we're not showing what success looks like.
The lesson
A beloved teacher taught me that people engage far more with a draft than a finished pitch. That single idea became the foundation of my philosophy.
Visual Dartboarding™
Early in my career it led me to share rough drafts first — turning passive presentations into active co-creation sessions where others shape the outcome with me.
The boardroom hologram
In one boardroom we skipped slides and brought a holographic AI agent wearing the client's team jersey, interacting with simulated fans on game day, right in front of them.
Funding was unlocked. Belief was born. That's the power of showing, not telling.
Wiley286 pagesTaught at Northeastern State UniversityOut now
Inside the book
What you'll learn
A leadership strategy playbook for executives, change agents, and boardroom decision-makers — the proven system for turning potential into performance.
Applied AI Guiding Principles
Build unstoppable momentum with the AI Performance Flywheel™ — Foundation, Execution, Scale, and Innovation.
A four-phase momentum system
Five AI Success Pillars
Ground strategy in research-backed pillars, from Business Value Creation to Data as a Strategic Asset.
A research-backed strategy map
Visualization Decision Framework
Master Visual Dartboarding™ and pick the right visual for the right audience — ROI heatmaps for the CFO, workflow diagrams for the team.
The right visual for every audience
Early praise
What leaders are saying
6 endorsements · CIOs, analysts & operators
Her step-by-step methodology is the essential AI guide for driving collaborative, secure innovation, fast.
“Critical resource for business leaders — this book fills in all the gaps between LLMs and making money!”
“Every services partner chasing AI deals needs a blueprint like this for turning strategy into action and pipeline into revenue.”
“If you want to turn skeptics into champions, show them exactly how AI changes the game for your business.”
“Finally, a playbook that shows how to unlock AI's power with business leaders, not just engineers, and demystifies the path from vision to real value.”
“Dr. Lisa delivers the field guide for leaders ready to secure the future by pairing advanced technology with courageous human leadership.”
Who this book is for
The C-suite
CEOs, CIOs, CFOs, COOs, innovation leads, and board directors.
The changemakers
Leaders pitching strategy, aligning stakeholders, or launching pilots.
The stalled
Teams feeling stuck, stalled, or short on traction.
No code. No engineering degree. Just a visual toolkit and a new way to lead.
Book FAQ
What is the title of the book and who wrote it?
Show AI—Don't Tell It: Build Buy-In with Visual Storytelling, by Dr. Lisa Palmer, published by Wiley.
Who is the book for?
Senior business leaders expected to lead AI initiatives — CEOs, CFOs, CIOs, COOs, and board members — who need to guide strategy and build buy-in without a PhD in data science.
What is the main purpose of the book?
It equips executives with a pragmatic, proven system for turning AI initiatives into measurable business outcomes. It is a leadership playbook rooted in real-world experience, grounded in the belief that transformation happens only when people feel, see, and trust AI: how to align teams, secure funding, gain traction, and scale impact.
What is the core framework introduced in the book?
The Bold AI Leadership Model™, built on three components: Mindset (the four Applied AI Guiding Principles), Strategy (the five research-backed AI Success Pillars), and Action (visualization tools for strategic, iterative execution).
What is the "Show, Don't Tell" approach?
It is the key to making AI real inside the enterprise: a leadership approach that uses visualization to translate strategy into business language, demonstrate ROI through early wins, turn resistance into momentum, and align technical and non-technical teams. You demonstrate AI's value visibly rather than explaining technical details.
What is the Bold AI Leadership Mindset?
The foundational layer of the model, built on four guiding principles: Business Value (tangible, measurable results from pragmatic innovation), Speed with Rigor (agility plus structure), Simplicity (making AI approachable and understandable so trust and adoption follow), and Human-Centricity (AI augments people rather than replacing them).
What are the Five AI Success Pillars?
Business Value Creation (solve real problems with measurable ROI), Customer-Centricity (focus AI on experience, insight, and loyalty), Collaborative Teams (unite technical and business talent), Cultural Shifts (build trust, literacy, and readiness), and Data as a Strategic Asset (quality, structure, and accessibility that power the AI).
How do the Mindset principles and the Success Pillars work together?
The Mindset introduces the beliefs and behaviors required for strategic AI leadership. The Pillars provide the strategic map — a structured foundation that keeps AI initiatives focused, aligned to business priorities, and able to scale instead of stalling.
What is the AI Performance Flywheel™?
A repeatable system for building and sustaining momentum through four interconnected phases: Foundation Momentum (converting skepticism into trust), Execution Momentum (scaling initial wins into operational improvements), Scale Momentum (turning departmental success into enterprise-wide change), and Innovation Momentum (creating competitive sustainability).
Why is visualization critical to Bold AI Leadership?
Visualization is the catalyst for change. Leaders must show, not tell, AI's value to secure buy-in, because visuals turn abstract concepts into tangible experiences that teams can see, relate to, and trust. It breaks down complexity and fuels every momentum phase of the flywheel.
What is Visual Dartboarding™?
A technique for accelerating decisions and stakeholder alignment: create a visual draft of a plan, model, or concept and invite stakeholders to react to it and refine it. An imperfect sketch beats a blank page, and reacting to a draft turns abstract discussion into co-ownership.
How does the book address resistance to AI adoption?
Through Execution Momentum: leaders dismantle barriers with stakeholder-specific visualization strategies. Executives, IT teams, and frontline staff each need tailored visuals and messaging that speak to their concerns, from ROI skepticism to fear of job displacement.
Board presentation, pilot launch, or full transformation