Artificial intelligence is an incredible tool. It can write, design, summarize, brainstorm, and even generate images like the ones you see on this site. But here’s the thing every leader must remember:
AI is not a substitute for thinking. It’s a partner in the process—not the driver of it.
The Illusion of Effortless Output
We live in an on-demand world these days. If I want to listen to a song, I don’t have to wait for it to come onto the radio or buy the album at the store, I open Apple Music. If I want more toothpaste, Amazon has it to me in 24-hours or less. I even see teens Door Dash tacos to school events. We are getting out of the habit of patiently waiting or persevering to get what we want or need, we just buy it now.
Now, AI is here and has a lot of amazing features. It’s tempting to let AI do the “thinking” for you. I mean thinking is very draining and time-consuming after all. Why not let it generate articles, analyze data, and even give leadership advice in seconds? You can see videos and articles everywhere now that are clearly AI generated…
But high-quality leadership and team success isn’t about speed—it’s about judgment.
You can outsource content generation, but you can’t outsource wisdom, discernment, or intentionality. AI doesn’t know your team. It can’t sense morale. It can’t determine when silence is better than a response. That’s your job dear human.
What AI Can Do (And How I Use It)
Here’s how I personally use AI to support my leadership, not replace it:
- Clarify my thinking – When I’m overwhelmed or unsure how to structure a message, I talk it out with AI. It helps me go from scattered to clear.
- Stay on topic – Like many leaders, my brain runs fast. AI helps me organize ideas and stick to my main message.
- Play devil’s advocate – I test my decisions by asking AI for counterpoints. It helps me see how others might view things—and refine my message or pivot entirely.
- Create examples and analogies – Good teaching depends on clarity and context. AI helps me find the right metaphors to make ideas stick.
- Generate visuals – The illustrations in this post were co-created with AI. They bring abstract ideas to life and help me avoid copyright issues.
- Plan and prioritize – I feed AI my goals and schedule, and it helps build a weekly plan. That’s hours of busywork saved.
- Summarize big content – While I don’t fully trust summaries blindly, AI helps me digest hundreds of pages and extract key themes fast.
- Support hobbies and wellness – From fitness plans to book lists to killer drink recipes, it’s helped me explore life beyond leadership.
- Homework: If you are like me and are asked to help your kids with math you haven’t done in 30 years, use AI to teach you how to do the problems first.
The Leader’s Role: Think, Then Leverage
AI can enhance your voice, but it can’t define it. It can reflect your values, but it can’t decide them. It is an amazing tool that can highlight, organize, and add-to your thinking.
AI is great—but it should never be your first stop. Here are four ways to exercise your own thinking muscles first:
Use prompts, not answers – Before asking AI what to do, ask yourself what you already know. Then use AI to build on that—not replace it.
Reflect quietly – Spend five minutes with pen and paper or even a Word doc if you are anti-paper. Ask: What am I really trying to say? Who is this for? The first draft in your head is often the most honest.
Talk it out with someone – Grab a peer or mentor with an actual pulse and share your thoughts out loud. Talking forces you to clarify and fill in the gaps. Listening helps you learn and to refine.
Sketch the problem – Visually map out the issue, decision, or concept. This helps you see connections and gaps before AI jumps in.
Then, use AI to help you express that—faster, clearer, and more visually.
Final Thought: Leverage, Don’t Abdicate
The future of leadership isn’t in resisting AI or handing it the wheel completely. It’s in knowing how to leverage technology without abdicating responsibility.
Let AI sharpen your message—but never stop being the one who thinks, decides, and leads.
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