Undoubtedly, we all are aware of the current buzz surrounding the imminent fundamental shift regarding AI in the workplace. In its recent Future of Jobs report, the World Economic Forum predicts that artificial intelligence will lead to 83 million “structural” job losses in five years.
This comes shortly after Goldman Sachs analysts predicted that “a new wave of AI systems and shifts in workflows triggered by these advancements could expose 300 million full-time jobs to automation.”
Five years from now, there is no doubt that AI will profoundly alter how work is performed and the skills that are sought after in the workplace.
But what about leadership? Surely robots cannot replace human leaders. If you are a leader who believes your value lies in your capacity to make strategic decisions, beware: AI will replace you.
These highly valued and refined strategic skills, such as analyzing market trends, identifying development opportunities, and potential acquisitions, will soon be surpassed by artificial intelligence.
In the near future, AI will be able to analyze massive data sets, provide insights, and make future recommendations more precisely than humans.
Therefore, will we require human leaders in the era of AI? Undoubtedly, AI will make algorithm-based decision-making faster, more precise, and more egalitarian than human cognitive processing.
Then, it will be crucial to give teams the authority to implement these decisions as rapidly as possible – perhaps even without the bottleneck managers can present. In an AI at Work study by Oracle, 64% of respondents indicated they would trust a robot’s advice more than their manager’s.
If this is the case, wouldn’t it be simpler to eliminate human leaders? What will the unique utility of human leaders be in a world dominated by AI?
The situation is not a zero-sum contest. Utilized correctly, AI will increase our intelligence and productivity. We will spend less time focusing on content, allowing us to have the impact that only humans can by focusing on context. In the future, “soft” abilities will be the only skills for which humans will be employed.
- To connect with, care about, motivate, inspire, empower, coach, and mobilize the individuals we collaborate with
- To be imaginative, foster collaboration, and bring intuition to a circumstance
- To broaden the perspective to see a holistic, long-term, and unusual perspective while considering the impact – to lead wisely, not intelligently
- To be accountable by applying ethical and social principles to the pursuit of profit to realize a purpose-driven and meaningful future for all stakeholders
This will be the focus of future leaders, as it already is for some of the greatest leaders.
In essence, Leadership Soul cannot be replicated by a machine. Therefore, if you want to remain relevant in future businesses, it may be necessary to focus on developing your EQ in addition to your IQ.
