Steering Your Career in AI
You've read it. That timeless little book about winning friends and influencing people by Mr Dale Carnegie. Its lessons, about genuine interest, active listening, and making others feel valued – resonate. They always will. But now, with AI tools a standard part of our daily work, these aren't just polite suggestions. They are your new mandate. Your next job title.
AI excels at scale, speed, and precision. It’s brilliant.
It struggles with the nuanced dance of human negotiation and emotion though.
This is where your leverage already lies.
The Path Forward ...
Your roles are now about amplified human value.
- Maybe an AI Sales Development Representative; where the role moves beyond basic lead qualification to strategically build early-stage relationships. You'll leverage AI for targeted outreach and research, but your focus will be on listening and understanding complex needs through initial conversations.
- Tech to know now: Apollo.io, HubSpot Sales Hub, Airtable AI
- Or Customer Success Manager (AI): Your responsibility is to use AI insights to proactively identify customer rapport and personalise support. You're the human bridge ensuring customers gain maximum value your product or service, often using AI-driven nudges for timely intervention.
- Tech to know now: Zendesk, Airtable AI
- And a Sales and AI Architect: Your job is to understand complex client challenges and design bespoke solutions. You'll blend your sales acumen with an understanding of AI capabilities to craft tailored, tech-enabled answers.
- Tech to know now: Make.com, Microsoft Power BI, Airtable AI
AI has stripped away the mundane, leaving us with the essential. Your next job title demands that you become profoundly, strategically human. Time to prepare:
- AI can transcribe, but you need to Master Listening by practicing actively hearing not just words, but the underlying needs and aspirations.
- The core skills you use everywhere Negotiation & Problem-Solving. Develop your ability to understand diverse perspectives, build rapport, and navigate complex discussions to find mutually beneficial outcomes.
- Translate, Don't Just Operate: Learn to bridge the gap between AI-generated insights and human understanding. Your value is in interpreting complex data and translating it into clear human-relevant strategies.
The choice is to become indispensable within its current landscape. Consider this: 🤖 AI cannot understand or cultivate essential human qualities like conflict resolution, accountability, giving compliments, or building genuine friendships. It cannot compute the value of personal relationships or truly manage your time with the important people in your life. That's your domain. That's the part only you can lead.