The rise of artificial intelligence is reshaping how businesses operate and redefining how professionals navigate their careers. From automating routine tasks to enhancing decision-making processes, AI is becoming an indispensable part of the modern workplace and prompting the healthcare field to rethink what skills are needed and how they are learned.
According to the World Economic Forum’s The Future of Jobs Report 2023, 85% of the organizations surveyed expect to increase adoption of “new and frontier technologies” to drive organizational transformation. Adaptability is crucial in this environment, and professionals must continuously update their skills to stay relevant. The rapid rise of AI will no doubt require businesses to consider the concept of AI as a coworker that helps shape how work gets done; improves productivity; and elevates human intelligence, creativity and innovation. At the same time, the intersection of AI and humanity will necessitate working together better, including increased emphasis on human connections, communication, collaboration, change and creativity.
As technical proficiency has become more important for leaders so, too, have the uniquely human skills that machines cannot replicate. Professionals today need to know how to communicate effectively, collaborate and handle conflict among their team members, adapt to changes in various settings and new environments, bounce back from setbacks, overcome barriers, and creatively innovate and solve problems.
The following are three examples of essential skills that leaders can hone to keep in stride with the changes AI is driving in the workplace and career advancement.
1. Effective Communication
Communication has always been a key leadership skill, but it takes on new dimensions in the AI age. In addition to communicating with AI systems, leaders must be able to clearly and effectively communicate with each other—and across diverse audiences and channels—using the outputs AI tools generate. This requires not only clarity in conveying thoughts and ideas but also an understanding of how to interpret and act on insights, especially AI-generated insights.
Leaders can consider using AI-powered speech analytics tools (such as Yoodli) to improve their communication skills. For example, a leader might engage with these tools, which can provide insights into speaking pace, clarity, use of “filler” words and audience engagement, when preparing a presentation or talking points for a meeting.
2. Foster Collaboration
In an AI-driven workplace, the ability to collaborate is not just about working well with others; it’s about leveraging the strengths of both AI and human intelligence to drive growth and innovation. Collaborative skills allow professionals to share insights, build trust in AI systems, optimize their use in decision-making processes and innovate.
In collaborative environments, leaders allow healthy, respectful conflict, prevent groupthink and ignite creative solutions. These safe and inclusive environments allow teams to reconsider approaches or come up with new ways of thinking. AI tools can provide an abundance of data, information and insights that require careful interpretation. They also offer the team an avenue for considering new ways of thinking, which can become fertile ground for collaboration and creative solutions to persistent challenges.
One strategy, for example, may include using AI to generate market forecasts but then bringing the team together to discuss the implications of those forecasts and how they align with the community’s healthcare needs. In this case, AI provides the initial insights for the team so it can focus on fully understanding the findings, take time to appreciate other team members’ perspectives with empathy, be aware of their own emotions and triggers, and work to foster positive relationships and promote a culture where collaboration is valued over competition.
3. Build Change Resiliency
Change is as much a part of life as breathing, and healthcare leaders and organizations have had plenty of experience and awareness on the subject, long before the advent of the AI era. Change as a constant, however, can be a challenging reality for professionals to cope with and work through.
Author William Bridges’ research on change transitions emphasizes the emotional and psychological elements that come to the forefront when leading through change. According to the Bridges Transition Model, as people pass through the phases of change, it’s important that leaders appreciate the narratives formed in the human brain and the experiences that shape individuals’ beliefs and biases and drive behaviors. When changes don’t go as planned, it’s typically because of the various narratives and experiences that people have. Building resiliency for change requires using leadership behaviors such as communication, flexibility and making personal connections to help teams transition through a change successfully.
AI tools such as sentiment analysis (used on platforms such as Microsoft Viva or Slack) can help leadership teams analyze the emotional tone of communications from staff, like emails and survey responses. These tools can detect shifts in mood and stress levels. Having this information helps leaders proactively ease anxiety and foster trust when transitioning from old to new ways of doing things.
Consider a leader overseeing an EHR migration. This leader uses AI to assess employee feedback in internal communications and detects a rise in negative sentiment or frustration among team members about the migration. Based on this, the leader can organize additional training sessions or Q&A meetings to alleviate concerns.
Harness AI … but Keep Humanity at the Center
AI is a powerful tool for enhancing creativity, offering new ways to approach problems and generate ideas. However, the creative process itself remains a fundamentally human endeavor. Leaders who can harness AI to augment their team’s creativity will have a significant advantage in the workplace.
As AI continues to transform the workplace, the importance of the skills described here will only grow. Professionals who can balance technological proficiency with the ability to connect and inspire others will be best positioned to succeed in this new era. By embracing this dual imperative, leaders can not only navigate their own careers more successfully, but they can also more effectively guide their organizations through the challenges and opportunities that lie ahead. s
Andy Hillig, FACHE, PCC (ICF), is a leadership and executive coach with LAK Group, Sussex, Wis., (andy@andyhillig.com).
3 Essential AI Career Advancement Skills
- Communication: Communication has always been a key leadership skill, but it takes on new dimensions in the AI age.
- Collaboration: In an AI-driven workplace, the ability to collaborate is about leveraging the strengths of both AI and human intelligence to drive growth and innovation.
- Change Resiliency: Building resiliency for change requires using leadership behaviors such as communication, flexibility and making personal connections to help teams transition through a change successfully.