In this age of AI I reckon the value we bring as leaders is in our human-ness/ It’s what will set us part in the future of AI and what will become an even more important part of our role as a result of this future. There will be much of our roles that AI can do, but the things it can’t do: emotional intelligence, human connection, intuition and bringing the best out of other humans is a critical part of leadership in any generation. Out of all the things on your position description it’s likely to be the who you are not what you do that AI won’t replicate.
I was watching my dog the other day. I was chatting to my wife over FaceTime, she’s been working away all week and wanted to chat to the dog (possibly me as well at the same time)! Even though she could hear and see her it didn’t register with the dog, she wasn’t the least bit interested, barely moved from the couch which is a very different experience to when we’re present in the room and she’s not seen us for five minutes! Compare that to a walk we had along the beach 2 years after we got her from SPCA where she raced up to a complete stranger like she’d known her all her life. Only for that stranger to ask if she came from Wellington SPCA who turned out to be her dog walker during the time she was there.
Why do I share this? Not to suggest that dogs have emotional intelligence but to demonstrate there’s so much more to being human than simply how we look and sound. There’s so much that goes on in an exchange beyond this, things that even dogs pick up on. Scent, tone, body language, energy, atmosphere, intuition and reading between the lines in such a unique human way that we can barely explain what it means or how it works scientifically but we ‘just know’.
It's our human ness that sets us apart and it’s the unique experience of being human that makes us great leaders and allows us to understand other humans and bring the best out of them too. It’s our point of difference, our unique value proposition and the most valuable skill for the future.
I’m on a mission to put the being back into human-being. In this age of AI and busyness where we’ve become human-doings not human-beings what does being human really mean? When we put the being back into human-being we are more engaged at work, we perform better, we live with purpose and life becomes aligned to what matters.
We’ve focused on wellbeing for decades and yet burnout is on the rise and mental health is still the number one health issue our developed world is facing. It’s time to rediscover what being really means, in our work and in our life. Being is at the centre of everything we are and all that we do.
When we’re able to be ourselves we belong. When we’re able to be present we’re connected to our state of being. We’re aligned to who and what we’re being in the world and we’re able to do our best work - to make an impact. This in turn improves our wellbeing, performance and what it means to be human.
I’m passionate about this because it sits at the core of all of the work I do. I specialise in building leaders for the future. Creating equity in our workplaces and helping individuals build a life by design to live with purpose.
Using ancient wisdom to solve modern problems. In the age of AI we’re all about the human-ness of our workplaces and our lives, the things that robots can’t do and the things that will be come even more critical as AI continues to evolve. Understanding humans is our business and one of the most important ways we’ll navigate the future together.
I dream of a world (and am working to create one) where:
· Our leaders are energised, they perform at their peak and they are equipped to engage high performing teams and adapt for the future
· In workplaces that are equal, where everyone can belong, bring their whole selves to work and do their best work. Where diversity and inclusion isn’t a target or a work programme but just the way things are
· Where people are well and happy, they are aligned to their values and live a life full of purpose
If you’re keen to help me co-create that world, I’d love to chat about how we can work together.