Leveraging Artificial Intelligence via Emotional Intelligence…..Maximizing ROI

Many of us are still trying to comprehend the transformative power of Artificial Intelligence(AI), and there is little doubt it will have an impact on our lives analogous to the impact of computer chips on information processing. In fact, AI expert Kai-Fu Lee, former President of Google China and Chairman & CEO of Sinovation Ventures, recently stated that “AI is going to change the world more than anything in the history of humanity…more than electricity”

While AI may in fact, “change the world” dramatically, as Kai-Fu Lee asserts, when we consider some of the significant issues faced by the world that we read about and experience every day, to include corporate scandals due to unethical behavior, a dangerously polarized political environment, cyberbullying on social media,? among other serious headwinds, will “AI” provide us the solutions to these challenges? Highly unlikely. As influential as AI will be in our lives, I contend advancing our level of Emotional Intelligence, (EI) will be the ultimate game changer over the long term. Strictly from a business perspective, the development of EI should increasingly command our attention in lockstep with advances & investment in AI.? A commitment to master EI will help us leverage and maximize the return on investment in AI capabilities, and the combined impact of AI AND EI could have a potentially profound impact on business performance.

Artificial Intelligence—What we know & how we learn

Artificial Intelligence, “AI” is an ever-broadening field which comprises a set of technologies that use machine learning and computer processing to gather and organize information at light speed. Artificial Intelligence promises advancement across all fields and disciplines and early indications suggest it has enormous potential to improve decision making as a result of real time access to vast amounts of data. The enormous amounts of capital invested in AI by companies(and investors) such as NVIDIA, Microsoft, Alphabet and Meta reflect stratospheric expectations of a significant financial return over the long term. However, it is still too early to tell if these investments will deliver the expected return on investment (ROI) on which the financial markets are betting. However, we already know that notwithstanding the potentially positive impact of AI, there are numerous risks & ethical gray areas posed by AI. These risks include but are not limited to displaced workers as a result of massive structural shifts in the labor markets, individuals misrepresenting themselves (and their work product) hiding behind AI generated “work” and an overreliance on AI analytics at the expense of developing our own critical thinking . However, these risks can be managed through enlightened & responsible leadership IF we are guided by French political philosopher Voltaire’s assertion that, ”with great power comes great responsibility”

?Emotional Intelligence—-Who we are & how we lead

In a nutshell, Emotional Intelligence is a set of abilities & characteristics that includes recognizing the impact and managing one’s own emotions, as well as understanding the emotions of others and serves as the foundation for building trust and personal relationships. As opposed to a person’s IQ, which is difficult to change, your EI can be enhanced & developed through self-awareness, feedback and personal commitment. Leaders with advanced EI skills are more likely to build trust with their employees through transparent dialogue and therefore better equipped to draw the best from their teams since they actively seek to listen, learn and understand individual perspectives with no risk of adverse consequences. As a result, in team meetings or 1:1 conversation there is a higher degree of trust, open dialogue & input, resulting in leaders being better informed to make better decisions since they will have the full range of facts and opinions from their colleagues. In many ways, the extent to which a leader demonstrates advanced EI ultimately defines who they really are as a leader in the eyes of employees & colleagues. I therefore contend that an investment in developing greater emotional intelligence will result in better leaders with stronger trust-based relationships across the enterprise, with the capability to create corporate cultures driven by higher engagement, increased discretionary effort and improved talent retention.? This EI-centric leadership will ultimately maximize the return on investments in AI, driving a higher performing workforce and sustained business performance. ?

The powerful synthesis of AI AND EI

In the medical field approximately every 75 days the amount of information available to doctors more than doubles. This immediate access to such vast amounts of data can provide doctors the ability to make more accurate diagnoses quicker and potentially improve patient outcomes. However, as many of us know from our life experience,?the relationship between doctor and patient is an intensely personal one and is largely reliant not just on the availability of facts & data. Doctors with a high IQ is our minimum expectation. However, a doctor with high IQ AND highly developed EI demonstrates greater empathy and understanding and as a result builds trust quicker with the patient?during the evaluation and diagnostic process. The trust built between doctor and patient through improved two-way communication better enables the patient to fully evaluate and make better health choices through improved understanding of?the consequences of alternative treatments and therapies.?

In the business world, AI enables the analysis of large datasets in accelerated timeframes to provide valuable insights for better decision-making across every function. However, it is clear that AI investments will have a material impact on people, either through the creation of new roles, eliminating other roles, or dramatically changing how people work every day.? We also see how employees are over relying on AI as a substitute for their own work……raising ethical questions and questionable work practices that over rely on “crowdsourced insights” at the expense of personal creativity and the power of human imagination.? If not managed thoughtfully, missteps in the deployment of AI strategies will create trust issues and negatively influence employee motivation, morale & retention. Alternatively, leaders with high EI will take human factors into account when making important AI investment & implementation decisions, particularly with respect to change management communication, organization design & workforce development.? A leader's ability to finesse and synthesize the full range of financial & employee considerations associated with an AI strategy ultimately can enhance employee understanding & commitment, dramatically raising the company’s likelihood of reaping the financial benefits of such high stakes capital investment decisions.

AI + EI = Max ROI

Investing in AI capabilities has reached a fever pitch and there is increasing pressure on companies to accelerate their AI investment for fear of falling behind the global competition. Boards, investors & CEO’s rightfully expect a return on these significant investments. As is the case with any investment, there are strategies that companies can employ to maximize the return and minimize the risk as part of sound leadership & fiscal responsibility.?

I assert that the best way to maximize the return on the significant financial capital associated with?AI investments is to simultaneously invest in EI across the organization, starting with leaders and cascading to the front line.? Investing in EI will enable leaders to quickly and thoroughly comprehend the people & organizational implications of an AI strategy. This strategic capability of EI will help companies not only maximize the return on the invested financial capital associated with AI , but will provide the organization with a competitive leadership & workforce advantage that will have sustained business benefits.??

In summary,?rather than thinking of AI investments as an independent strategy, a decision to concurrently invest in Human Capital through a commitment to EI will maximize organizational success through improved financial returns.....driven by the power of maximizing human potential.

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