Gen AI Done Right Is Applied SuperEmpathy

Empathy is awareness of, and being sensitive to, the feelings, thoughts, perspectives, experiences of another, and then using that understanding to guide your actions.

I learned applied empathy as a design student. One of our guides for creative problem-solving was the 1970s book, The Universal Traveler. There I learned methods for analyzing problems and generating ideas such as What Others Have Done; Tell Me, Stranger; and Get Out of Town. All variations of “Look at the problem through another person’s eyes…Think as they would.”

These approaches would eventually morph into what we now know as Design Thinking: An innovation and creative process whose first step is Empathizing: Understanding the needs of users and their feelings about a problem.

AI Prompts Are Applied SuperEmpathy

The art and science of writing AI prompts uses applied empathy: “I am a project manager and my goal is to…” — provide a persona, clearly define the task, and add context — tells the AI program to put itself in the shoes of an expert project manager and create a solution that s/he would create.

Another example: If you need to make a crucial, career-making presentation to the executive leadership team, your persona could be “I am a seasoned member of the C-Suite with a short attention span…”

During a recent webinar with Reid Hoffman, Unlocking Human Superpowers with AI, he advocated for this strategy: C-Suite executives should input their Board presentations into AI, and seek the questions and insights that the Board members might have.

So Gen AI done right is applied SuperEmpathy. You ask it to put you in the shoes of the coolest, kick-ass-iest, subject matter expert and solve the challenge as they would! For example...

Eight Prompts That Will Make You Superhuman!

The following AI prompts are from Alamin Hossain, who makes AI easier from Bangladesh. I’ve added SuperEmpathy frontends (personas) to his awesome backends (tasks and context).

1. Generate New Ideas

Prompt: “I am a creative director for a toy company. I need fresh ideas on (topic or goal). Could you suggest creative approaches or alternative ways to achieve this goal?”

2. Enhance Decision-Making Skills

Prompt: “I’m a pharmaceutical CIO, with profit and growth responsibilities, and I’m trying to decide between (option A) and (option B). Can you help me weigh the pros and cons of each option based on (specific criteria)?”

3. Learn from Mistakes

Prompt: “I’m the head of HR for a fast-paced financial tech company. I made a mistake while practicing (skill). Can you explain what went wrong and how I can avoid making the same mistake in the future?”

4. Train AI to Learn Your Writing

Prompt: “I’m a best-selling book and blog author on leadership skills. Analyze the text below for style, voice, and tone. Create a prompt to write a new paragraph in the same style, voice, and tone: (insert your text.)”

5. Compare and Contrast

Prompt: “I’m the head of product development for a consumer product company. Compare and contrast (concept 1) and (concept 2) to better understand their similarities and differences. Use examples to illustrate your points.”

6. Networking

Prompt: “I’m new to my team and the most junior team member. Connect me with a community of learners and experts in (topic). How can I join a forum, social media group, or other online community to share my knowledge and learn from others?”

7. Simplify Complex Information

Prompt: “I need to make a presentation to my boss’s bosses. Break down (topic) into smaller, easier-to-understand parts. Use analogies and real-life examples to simplify the topic and make it more relatable to decision-makers.”

(BTW: My first book, Simplicity, explored this topic in depth. For more, see the post in this AI series, Tell Me Like I’m a Sixth Grader.)

8. Memorize Key Information

Prompt: “I need to present compelling information to an audience with no notes and no slides. What are the most important facts, dates, or formulas related to (topic)? Help me create a memorization technique to remember them easily.”

Bill Jensen is a seasoned strategy and transformation executive, advisor to C-suite execs, globally-known keynote speaker, and author of nine best-selling leadership and change books, including Simplicity, Disrupt, Future Strong, and The Day Tomorrow Said No. Reach him at [email protected].