Happy November!
To support you in being F.I.R.S.T. (Future-Ready. Innovative. Relevant. Strategic. Trusted.), here’s 1 tip and 1 quote.
The F.I.R.S.T. Tip
Let’s be honest, AI is incredible. It can draft in seconds, analyze mountains of data, and spot patterns we might miss. But it can’t feel a room. It can’t share a genuine moment of inspiration. It doesn’t have a gut feeling.
As these tools get smarter, the leaders who will truly stand out won’t just be the tech-savvy ones, they will be the ones who use AI to amplify their humanity, not replace it.
3 ways to harness AI without losing your human touch:
1. Let AI be your assistant, not your brain.
Think of AI as the world’s fastest research intern. It can handle the data, but it cannot find the meaning. That part is still your job.
I recently spoke with a marketing lead who uses AI to summarise thousands of customer comments every week. But here’s how she does it: Every Friday, she brews a coffee and reads those summaries herself. As she goes through them, she doesn’t just ask, “What are they saying?” She asks, “What are they feeling?”.
That simple reflective habit is what turns cold data into campaigns that truly connect.
2. Lead with empathy. Always.
No algorithm can replicate genuine curiosity or compassion.
When you are giving feedback, mending a relationship, or guiding your team through change, use AI to prepare but let your own words deliver the message.
AI can give you the draft but only you can ensure it lands with heart.
3. Demystify AI for your team.
Fear often comes from the unknown.
Try holding short 20-minute “AI curiosity sessions”. These are just informal huddles where team members share one cool way they used AI to make their work a little easier.
You will be amazed how quickly a little shared curiosity can dissolve anxiety.
From Hype to Your Human Advantage
A 2024 McKinsey Global Institute study found that leaders who use AI effectively can boost productivity by up to 40%. But here’s the kicker: those who also invest in human skills like empathy and critical thinking outperform their peers in innovation by more than double.
In other words: AI gives you scale. Your humanity gives you impact.
This is the core of our F.I.R.S.T. Leadership Framework, a blueprint for blending technology with the human edge:
- Future-Ready:Use technology to anticipate what’s next, not just automate the now.
- Innovative: Encourage curiosity and safe experimentation with AI.
- Relevant: Keep the human experience at the core of every digital solution.
- Strategic: Let data inform your gut, not override it.
- Trusted: Build confidence by being transparent about how AI is used.
AI is changing the game, no doubt. But it’s our humanity, our ability to connect, to care, to inspire that will determine how that story unfolds.
Ready to help your leaders harness AI the human way?
At Influence Solutions, we design programs that empower leaders to use AI as a force multiplier, not a replacement for human creativity, empathy, and decision-making.
👉 Talk to us to see how your organisation can lead confidently in the AI era.
The F.I.R.S.T. Quote
