A prompt to your leadership style
In a time where tech evolves faster than we can keep up, Generative AI stands out as both a marvel and a menace. It's no wonder folks are breaking out in a cold sweat every time it's mentioned in the workplace. This pace of change has left leaders and managers in a tricky spot—figuring out how to harness this power without getting overwhelmed.
As a manager or individual contributor, you can also use GenAI (or other tools) to enhance, change and push how you're thinking and working;
- Ever thrown a presentation into GenAI and asked it to give you feedback, in the persona of a board member of a FTSE 100 company?
- Do you have Personal Development Plans for your team and want to change paragraphs of notes into SMART goals?
- CleftNotes - Talk quicker than you can type? Turn your voice notes into a pretty nicely structured written form
- Grammarly - Typing more comfortable? Work with an AI writing partner that helps you find the words you need (I used this before GenAI was mainstream and it worked fine)
- Facing a tough decision? Use it to input the challenge you're facing, and let the AI suggest a range of innovative solutions
- Take rough and messy notes somewhere? Whack them in and ask it to pull out actions from your writing… inspect and adapt what it's written.
It's not going away…
Now, firstly, the actual technical side of GenerativeAI, LLMs and AI is far more interesting to me than the ethics and privacy element of it, but I do understand how folks have concerns regarding all of these things.
As a leader, it's your job to guide our teams through this new landscape with a pragmatic hand, showing them how this shouldn't be treated as a threat but as a boost. By setting the example of how to embrace and leverage it, we can transform uncertainty into opportunity, and anxiety into amazement.
Riding this wave isn't just about survival; it's about leading the charge with confidence, creativity, and a somewhat clear vision of how you want to use it.
However, to remind ourselves one thing… it's a tool. The success or failure of a tool is the environment you set up to use it. If every problem was a nail etc etc
Take for example asking ChatGPT to finish this blog using the writing style that I've fed it;
CHATGPT > To successfully navigate the Generative AI wave, it's crucial to embrace education, pilot projects, and a culture of continuous learning within our organizations. By demystifying AI through practical workshops and collaborative pilot initiatives, we can showcase its value in automating routine tasks and fostering innovation. Encouraging experimentation and ethical discussions around AI ensures its integration aligns with our values and societal norms. Leading with an explorative and ethical mindset allows us to not only adapt but also thrive, transforming AI from a perceived threat into a powerful tool that enhances human potential and creativity. This approach solidifies our indispensable roles in an AI-augmented future, steering our teams towards innovation and excellence.
CHATGPT > To get through this Generative AI storm, we need to knuckle down and actually learn what it's all about. We cannae just sit around moaning. A bit of education, trying out some small projects to see what works, and encouraging the team to muck about with it and share what they find—that's the way forward. We need to keep our eyes open, though, making sure we're not stepping over the line when it comes to the ethics of it all. No use in gaining the world if we're losing our souls, aye? So, let's roll up our sleeves, dive in with a bit of that stubborn grit, and turn this AI business from a looming beastie into a tool that actually gets us somewhere. It's about making sure we're still the ones calling the shots, using AI to boost our human cleverness, not replace it.
Yeah, we still have a bit to go. I'm off to get my Kilt and Irn Bru.
