To make yourself ‘unforgettable’ in an AI-driven world, do these 5 counterintuitive things, says leadership expert , by Sarah Jackson

 I’ve had a creeping suspicion lately that you might share: It seems a lot of posts I see on social media or emails I receive are written by AI. The trouble is they all start to blur into one. If more and more people are starting to sound indistinguishable from each other, how can you stand out?

 

It’s a question Erica Dhawan has been thinking about for years. For nearly two decades, Dhawan has coached CEOs and senior executives on how to communicate, collaborate and stand out as leaders. Over the past few years, she started noticing that the qualities that once made people successful at work were becoming easier to automate. If everyone has access to the same intelligence, what will actually make someone unforgettable?

 

For her forthcoming book, “Use Your Brain,” she interviewed CEOs, scientists, artists, parents and students across five continents to understand what separates people who use AI to sharpen and improve their thinking from those who surrender to it and lose their point of view. 

 

People who retained their autonomy and kept their work memorable had developed these counterintuitive habits, she found:

 

1. They slow down at the start

The best critical thinkers don’t rush. When using any AI tool, they employ what psychologist Sumona De Graaf calls a “Think Sandwich” — Think, AI, Think. To build your own, answer three key questions before you prompt: What do I believe about this? What problem am I actually solving? What would a bad outcome look like?

 

2. They are less polished 

It used to be that polish signalled credibility. Now with the proliferation of AI tools, polish can seem cheap or empty. Being less polished can look like starting an email or text message with a detail only you could know; putting your stance on a subject in the first sentence, rather than clearing your throat with small talk; or naming one thing you’re unsure about.

 

3. They go looking for disagreement 

The people who stand out will be the ones who are willing to challenge the thinking in the room, including their own, Dhawan writes. You can do this by asking questions instead of delivering verdicts or assigning a designated sceptic in meetings to normalize pushing back.

 

4. They protect their independent judgment

Leaders who spend all their time just approving answers then struggle to identify biases in their team’s work, Dhawan writes. To intentionally protect their thought processes, Dhawan recommends, leaders should do one meaningful piece of work from scratch every week and explain the core logic of anything AI-assisted out loud before presenting it.

 

5. They choose to have the live conversation 

If your message contains emotion, conflict or disagreement, or requires a hard decision, call or meet in person to have a real-time conversation, Dhawan writes. AI can help you craft the perfect message, but it can’t replace the trust that you personally build in the moment.

Curtesy of CNBC/Sarah Jackson