Why being more human will help you lead in an AI world
One of the phrases I’m hearing a lot these days is, “AI won’t take your job, but someone who knows how to use AI will.”
So it was refreshing to hear Dr Susan David’s perspective at the recent LeaderShift conference.
While many of us see this time as an AI revolution, Dr David calls it a “human skills revolution.”
For too long, the essence of what makes us human – communication, compassion, and curiosity – has been dismissed as “soft” skills and pushed to the side. Yet these human skills are crucial to thriving in changing conditions.
Research from McKinsey & Company[1] indicates that demand for social and emotional skills is surging as intelligent machines take over more physical, repetitive, and basic tasks.
Adapting to AI isn’t about becoming a more technical leader. It’s about becoming more human. We need to amplify our uniquely human skills.
Here are three ways to lead with human skills in the AI era:
1. Become playful
The leaders who adapt won’t necessarily be the most technical.
They’ll be the most curious. And they’ll also be playful.
Professional mentor and mindset coach, Ben Crowe, defines play as creating the space for curiosity, experimentation and imagination.
Curiosity play, where leaders ask “what if?” questions, will become a valuable skill.
In an age where knowledge is commoditised, good questions are what set leaders apart. They build the bridge between information and insight.
2. Redefining Productivity
One of the big questions around AI is “what do we do with the time savings that AI generates?”
Will it look like more output? More speed?
Or will productivity be redefined as doing more ‘human’ work?
If AI gives you back five hours a week, what will you use it for?
Will it be better thinking? Coaching your team? Innovation? Or like one of my clients, having more strategic conversations to grow her business and strengthen relationships with her team
Or will it just be more tasks? How we use this time is a leadership choice.
3. Get Comfortable Not Having the Answers
Never before have leaders needed to adapt so quickly to constant change.
None of us fully understand where AI is going.
As leaders, we’re used to having answers. But now we may need to say:
- “We’re experimenting.”
- “We don’t have this fully figured out.”
- “We’re here together, we’ll support each other, we’ll navigate this as best we can.”
- “We’ll test and learn.”
For leaders with perfectionist tendencies, this can be challenging.
In my coaching conversations, I often see how hard it is to let go of having the perfect answer. But what leaders really need is to cultivate a culture of openness, curiosity and a willingness to learn when using AI.
The real advantage isn’t from the technology itself, but from how quickly teams are able to experiment, learn and apply their insights.
Leaders must shift their identity, mindset, and definitions of productivity to thrive in this new environment.
As machines get better at tasks, we have the opportunity to get better at being human.
The question isn’t whether AI will change the world. It’s which human skills we’ll prioritise to adapt and thrive in this new era.
