The CEO community is split on how to incorporate AI into increasing productivity and managing costs. Some companies are using AI to replace workers, while others are figuring out ways that AI and humans collaborate with each other. Many are doing both. AI can do many things, but it can’t replace these three human superpowers.  

Relationship Building to Get Things Done 

• Leaders who prioritize relationships, with a focus on transparency, emotional intelligence, and values-based leadership, consistently achieve better outcomes in engagement, productivity, and financial performance. Source: The Power of Healthy Relationships at Work 

• My Tips: You know when you are chatting with an AI bot vs. a real person. Which feels better for authentic connections? The real person of course! Connecting with your colleagues in-person, by video, and by phone is key for relationship building. If you are in-person, put your laptop and phone away, focus on the human connection. If you are on a virtual call, turn your camera on, don’t multi-task. Use CRM or another tool to remember to check in with your network. People do business with people they know and trust.  

 Master Critical Thinking 

• Analytical reasoning involves using logic and critical thinking to understand a situation, identify patterns, and find solutions to problems. Critical thinking involves evaluating information, arguments, and assumptions to form a judgment or decision. Albert Einstein is quoted as saying, “If I were given one hour to save the planet, I would spend 59 minutes defining the problem and one minute resolving it,” which illustrates the integration of critical and analytical thinking skills. In the context of a business, developing an elegant solution to the wrong problem creates no value for the business. Source: Are Critical Thinking Skills Relevant in the Age of AI? | Columbia University School of Professional Studies 

• My Tips: For an AI prompt, you must put the real issue in the chat to get the real solution. When you have a meeting with your clients and/or stakeholders, listen and discuss with your stakeholders their pain points, roadblocks, barriers, what “keeps them up worrying at night.” Once you understand the real issue, the solution becomes easier, even if AI helps.  

 Ethical Decision Making  

• There are two types of AI: autonomous AI and Assisted AI. Autonomous AI works without human intervention, and Assisted AI works with human intervention. For today’s entrepreneurs and business leaders, grasping the nuances of AI’s autonomous decision-making capabilities is critical. It’s about more than just technology; it’s about integrating ethical considerations into the fabric of your business strategy to ensure that AI deployment aligns with not only business objectives but also societal values and ethical standards. Source: Leading Ethical Decision-Making In The Artificial Intelligence Age 

• My Tips: Be clear with your organizational and personal ethics policies and design your AI tools around them. It is much easier to incorporate on the front end vs. unwinding on the back end. At the end of the day, you are responsible for the decisions or indecisions, not the AI tools. Do what’s right as if your CEO, board, shareholders, or clients were standing over you watching.  

Where do you and your organization stand in developing these skills?
What’s your biggest challenge: time, awareness, tools, processes, or culture? 

If this resonates with you, let’s connect. I’d be happy to share insights or help assess your current state. 

Connect with me at bgordon@penonpartners.com