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Turning the Levels Model Upside Down
There is a very short list of thought leaders that have contributed more to the study and practice of leadership …
Today, about 78% of companies use artificial intelligence (AI) and as a result, the nature of many jobs has changed. Many people wonder what does the future of employment look like with advanced technology? AI can do a lot of things, from streamlining data processing to automating mundane tasks, but it can’t replace the one thing every workplace needs: human intelligence.
Advanced as it may be, AI simply can’t replicate the deeply human skills that are vital to operating a successful workplace, like empathy, trust and respect. As more companies opt to integrate AI into their workplaces, developing these skills has to be every organization’s top priority.
The more AI becomes ingrained in workplaces, the more organizations must invest in the human side of work. Certain routine tasks can be handed off to AI, but the tasks that can’t be automated require uniquely human abilities, like critical thinking and emotional intelligence, making those skills increasingly valuable in an AI-saturated world.
“Soft skills” or “human skills” vary, from communication and teamwork to time management, adaptability and leadership, but all are irreplaceable in a world that’s continuously being automated. Discover the top human skills you should focus on developing in your teams as well as how to leverage them as strategic advantages in your workplace.
Although AI can enhance clarity with speech translation and grammar tools, its lack of consciousness makes it unable to communicate openly. Open communication is essential to facilitate the sharing of ideas, which can result in more productive work and encourage collaboration.
AI relies on patterns from past data and struggles when situations don’t fit those patterns. Instead of relying on structured and controlled settings, humans can thrive in unpredictable environments, adapting to changing processes, challenges and environments to keep things running smoothly. People can use their background knowledge or common sense to infer what to do next and make informed decisions.
Humans are naturally curious and self-driven. We want to learn and explore, which means we ask questions, seek answers and strive to discover unique solutions to our challenges. While AI systems can exhibit curiosity-driven learning and generate questions, the technology lacks true wonder and intrinsic motivation.
The World Economic Forum indicates that 70% of companies believe creative thinking is an increasingly important skill. It enables people to generate unique ideas and solve problems.
AI is reactive, not original. It produces responses based on past data, so its results are not net new. On the other hand, humans draw on their emotions and lived experiences as sources of inspiration, enabling them to create something entirely new and innovative.
Workplaces need accountability to foster a culture of responsibility and trust, increase productivity and ensure objectives are met. Accountability requires empathy, a moral compass and an understanding of consequences. All of these are uniquely human skills that AI lacks.
An optimistic environment encourages employees to feel more inspired and motivated to succeed, even when facing challenges. Optimistic employees are more likely to collaborate, problem-solve and build resiliency at work.
People can program AI to generate responses that mimic optimistic outlooks, but technology doesn’t have the subjective emotions, consciousness and experiences required for authentic, humanlike optimism.
Empathy helps build trust and strengthen relationships at work. It can help people understand different perspectives, resolve conflicts more effectively and support one another, which contributes to a team and organization’s overall success.
Even though AI can simulate empathy, it can’t truly feel emotions or connect with others. Only humans can have heart-to-heart conversations.
Critical thinking is a uniquely human skill that involves analyzing, evaluating and synthesizing information to form a judgment. It’s essential for decision-making and problem-solving.
When AI provides information, people are still needed to validate the information and understand complex nuances in decision-making processes.
Ethical judgments ensure decisions are grounded in responsible practices and core organizational values. While fair decisions can build trust with employees and customers, unfair or biased decisions can lead to legal, financial or reputational consequences.
AI isn’t capable of making ethical judgments. In fact, the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) states that AI systems have embedded biases that could cause potential risks in decision-making.
As people process information, their unconscious mind rapidly sifts through cumulative knowledge and past experiences to influence their reactions and enable faster decision-making. AI doesn’t have past experiences to reference, so it’s unable to have intuition.
Being genuine involves expressing emotions, values and ideas that come directly from a person’s unique lived experiences and perspectives. Workplaces and customers alike value integrity and honesty, as well as connections to the human story behind the work, which AI can’t provide.
Individuals might personalize technology and give it a name, like Alexa or Siri, but it doesn’t have a genuine “self.” AI lacks the emotions and lived experiences necessary to demonstrate authenticity.
While AI can process information to help with creating actionable goals, it can’t envision a compelling future. AI lacks essential human qualities such as emotions, personal values and lived experiences. These elements are fundamental for drawing inherently subjective and personal conclusions.
Developing a clear, focused direction is essential for aligning an individual’s efforts with a group’s objectives. When an employee knows what’s expected of them, they can feel more motivated to fulfill that purpose by a set deadline and drive actionable results that support the organization.
In the age of AI, leaders can sharpen their human skills and inspire their team to do the same with the following tips:
In a world being reshaped by AI, human skills aren’t a fallback but rather a future-proof foundation for strong teams and organizations. While AI can be a useful tool for data processing and automating repetitive tasks, it can’t replace the vital human skills every workplace relies on to run efficiently.
The Center for Leadership Studies (CLS) offers a Situational Leadership® Essentials course that focuses on helping leaders improve their open communication skills, lead with a personalized approach and make intentional decisions based on the performance needs of an individual or group.
Contact our team to discuss our courses and sign up.
