AI Chat #2: Connecting With A Leader

So you are working hard, you are actually enjoying what you do, and you seem to delivering very acceptable performance.

Only problem is that you cannot seem to properly connect with the guy you are reporting to, which of course leads you to question your very existence...

Eish...

So, what does the AI have to say?

I had a conversation with ChatGPT to see what it suggests should be done in this situation, with a specific focus on:

1. What you should be thinking (and not thinking)
2. What to consider relevant to the situation, and
3. Actions to take to achieve a stated outcome

If you are interested, I copy the full conversation below which you can access by clicking on this link:

ChatGPT: Connecting with a Leader

The Discussion

I initiated the discussion with this prompt:

I have a friend working in a fairly large company as a marketing analyst. She is doing well, enjoying what she does, but she says that she is struggling to build a rapport with her direct manager. Interactions feel cold and impersonal and it is to the point where she is not sure if she is actually doing a good job or not. And then there is the fact that he is 15 years older than her. 

This is the only negative about her job at the moment, but it is a big one obviously. 

What advice can we give her about this situation? Let's address her own feelings about the matter, the most important things she should consider doing and how to start taking action. 

But before proceeding - please consider if there are any specific questions you need to ask for additional context.        

Key Elements:

• As always, context is really important. Provide relevant information about the situation that ensures the LLM can correctly interpret the relationships between the various concepts,
• I then provided a general instruction with some elements I wished to address, and
• I used the "Ask me questions" technique which aims to create more context data for the discussion. This means you don't have to stress about all the info you should add - in most cases the Chatbot will ask it of you if you give it a chance.

The Response

As with any conversation with a Chatbot, you should not stop at the first response but use it as additional data in the discussion to get more, and better, output.

Eventually the conversation provides good guidance for anyone facing a similar situation and the advice can be summarized with these key points:

• Take Ownership: Understand what you want to achieve here and why it is important. What are the outcomes you wish to achieve?
• Understand Differences: Consider that the age and gender difference may have an impact here and the manager may not even realize his approach causes challenges. This may the key to unlock things.
• Take Action: Set up a meeting and have a discussion. Express how you feel, what you experience and what you would like to achieve. Request specific actions from the manager that will help here. The email and teams message templates shared can be quite useful.
• Development is your Responsibility: Not all leaders will spend large amounts of time training and mentoring, so don't expect it. Seek mentorship elsewhere if need be.

Final Thoughts

If you have a similar conversation with your version of a ChatBot, it can become a very handy, continuous tool to use.

For example:

• Once the initial meeting is completed, continue with the discussion and provide feedback,
• Ask for further guidance or advice to take to next steps and in this manner this discussion can almost act like an on-demand coach to hep you through this process,

But like always - don't simply accept everything that is shared. Challenge the thinking if something does not make sense, ask why something is suggested, request alternatives. You still make the final decisions, use the guide to get options.

Best wishes

Johan