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I recently chatted with Tomas Chamorro-Premuzic about his latest book, I, Human. Camorro-Premuzic is an authority in people analytics, talent management, leadership development, and the Human-AI interface; he’s Chief Innovation Officer at Manpower Group, co-founder of Deeper Signals and Metaprofiling, and Professor of Business Psychology at University College London and Columbia University.
We discussed his findings on the way forward for leaders within the new automation landscape. As Chamorro-Premuzic shared with me, AI isn’t going away—but it can provide a productive way for applying and unlocking knowledge. Chamorro-Premuzic shared that being a leader in the AI age is still about human leadership, not disconnecting from the physical world.
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Real leadership, off of social media.
Chamorro-Premuzic shared in I, Human that social media platforms high-jack our attention through content and product services; the quick hits of likes and comments we get on social media lubricate our egos. These platforms show people what they want to see, the net effect being that they and believe in their “righteous way of thinking”—which may or may not be realistic. As Chamorro-Premuzic shared in I, Human, leaders must take an empathic approach—not selfish or entitled—and focus on how they relate to their teams, not how they appear on social media. Chamorro-Premuzic shares that everyone needs to be exposed other others’ opinions. If leaders are going to improve, they need to get coached and hear feedback from others. In essence, they need to be willing to change.
What distinguishes a good leader.
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Chamorro-Premuzic shares that, in our highly automated landscape, the two things that distinguish good leaders are their curiosity and ability to ask good questions. Asking good questions yields insights that lead to solutions. Subsisting on a constant diet of information (which AI provides in abundance) is akin to eating a diet of all fast food, Chamorro-Premuzic says. A solid leader is able to disseminate relevant information and ask questions that cut through the noise.
The Connection
AI and automation can help us to be more imaginative, Chamorro-Premuzic shares. Leaders who deploy their natural curiosity can use AI as a research collaborator. Leaders can consider new pathways forward and utilize AI to go forth and conduct reconnaissance. Once the best pathway forward is identified, the leader can unite the humans involved around a shared vision. Emotional intelligence and relational skills, as Chamorro-Premuzic shares, are still necessary.
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While there’s much change occurring in the technology space, there will always be a need for research and human collaboration. Leaders who succeed in this new age will lead with curiosity— even if that curiosity produces discomfort. As Chamorro-Premuzic says, discomfort is good.
