How AI Transformed My Leadership: A Personal Journey

"I never thought a machine could make me more human." That was my realization after nearly 2 years of integrating Gen AI tools into my practice as a technology and business leader. In just 22 months, AI helped me increase my productivity and the teams I work with by 40% and cut decision-making time in half. But the real transformation went far beyond the numbers.

When I first encountered generative AI in 2022 in the form of ChatGPT, I had no idea how profoundly it would change me—not just as a technologist, but as a leader. Over the past year, my journey with AI has reshaped my approach to creativity, problem-solving, communication, learning, and systematic thinking. Today, I want to share how this transformation has made me a better leader, and how it might do the same for you.

From Blank Slate to Idea Factory: AI-Powered Creativity

Remember the days of staring at a blank whiteboard, willing brilliant ideas to appear? That used to be me. Now, my brainstorming sessions look radically different. AI-focused "GPTs" have become my always-on ideation partner, dramatically amplifying my creative output.?

For instance, when one of the AI startups I advised needed a critical pivot in their go-to-market strategy, I built a specialized AI agent to assist in our planning process. We fed it our problem statement, initial ideas, and constraints, then engaged in a dynamic dialogue. The AI proposed unconventional approaches, challenging our assumptions and combining ideas in novel ways. This led us to an innovative strategy that addressed our need for quick market entry while preserving resources for core development. Through this AI-human collaboration, we rapidly explored a vast range of possibilities and developed a detailed execution roadmap, accomplishing in a few intensive sessions what might have taken weeks of conventional planning. This approach didn't replace our creativity; it supercharged it, enabling us to arrive at a more innovative and robust strategy than we might have through traditional methods alone.?

Leadership Takeaway: Embrace AI as a brainstorming partner. It can help you break through creative blocks and explore ideas you might never have considered otherwise.

From Fuzzy to Focused: The Art of AI-Enhanced Communication

Perhaps the most unexpected benefit of working with AI has been how it's improved my ability to communicate clearly and think precisely about outcomes. Crafting effective prompts, and a clear context of the situation for AI requires a level of clarity that has spilled over into my leadership communication.

I realized this when preparing for a presentation for my agentic apps startup, Cloudshift,ai . As I worked on explaining our strategy to the AI, I found myself distilling complex ideas into clearer, more concise language. This process of 'AI-driven refinement' resulted in a presentation that conveyed our vision with clarity. The feedback from advisors and partners was excellent and the message was well-received.

This newfound clarity hasn't just improved my presentations; it's transformed how I communicate with my team and clients. I'm now much more precise in outlining expectations, defining success metrics, and describing desired outcomes. The result? Fewer misunderstandings, more aligned efforts, and better results.?

Leadership Takeaway: Practice explaining your ideas to AI and writing longer form prompts. The precision required will sharpen your thinking and improve your ability to communicate complex ideas clearly; This will bleed into how you engaging with the people you’re leading.?

From Lifelong Learning to Hyperspeed Growth: AI as a Personal Tutor

Working with AI has changed my approach to learning. It's like having a patient, knowledgeable tutor available 24/7, ready to explain concepts, answer questions, and even create personalized learning materials.

When I needed to quickly get up to speed on GraphRAGS (Knowledge Graphs and Retrieval Augmented Generation) technology for a new project, I engaged in a series of Q&A sessions with an AI agent. I started the process by gathering high-quality materials - documentation, videos, and blog posts and then began asking it different questions based on different personas and knowledge levels. It broke down complex concepts, and provided analogies. This accelerated learning allowed me to contribute meaningfully to discussions and decision-making much faster than traditional methods would have allowed.? This AI-enhanced learning approach has made me more adaptable and quicker to grasp new concepts—crucial skills for leaders who need to stay informed and help guide their teams?

Leadership Takeaway: Leverage AI to accelerate your learning in new areas. It can help you stay ahead of the curve and make more informed decisions. A little curiosity and willingness to learn will go a long way in this new AI-driven world.?

From Chaos to Clockwork: The Rise of AI-Driven Systematic Thinking

Perhaps the most profound change in my leadership style has been the shift toward systematic thinking. Inspired by Ray Dalio's principles "Everything is a machine" and amplified by my work with AI, I've come to see every task and process as a system that can be optimized.

For example, when reviewing a customer onboarding process, I used AI to help break down each step, identify potential bottlenecks, and generate improvement ideas. We input our entire onboarding workflow into the AI system, along with feedback and team pain points. The AI analyzed the process, identifying that the email verification step was causing significant delays. It suggested implementing an instant verification API, which it estimated would reduce our onboarding time by 10%. This systematic approach, combined with AI's analytical capabilities, is allowing us to redesign various processes for greater efficiency and scalability. ? This mindset shift has made me a more effective leader, capable of seeing the bigger picture while also optimizing the details.?

Leadership Takeaway: Harness AI to dissect your business into a series of 'machines' – distinct, optimizable processes. Challenge yourself to scrutinize each 'machine,' using AI to uncover inefficiencies and generate improvement ideas. This systematic, AI-enhanced approach not only leads to more efficient, scalable solutions but also cultivates a mindset of continuous optimization across your entire organization.?

As we look to the future, it's clear that AI will play an increasingly crucial role in business leadership. However, it's important to approach this technology with both enthusiasm and caution. While AI can significantly enhance our capabilities as leaders, it should not replace human judgment, creativity, or empathy.