How AI Is Pushing Leaders To Be Better

Exploring how AI enhances leadership by improving emotional intelligence, creativity, and decision-making, while also prompting ethical and social reflection in diplomacy.

There seems to be two areas of thought when it comes to AI. Some people think the technology is going to take their job by replacing them. Others view AI as a tool to enhance their work by automating repetitive tasks. While I typically fall into the second school of thought, I think there’s another perspective worth exploring: how AI is driving humans to improve themselves.

While we give AI prompts and train it to get better, it’s simultaneously improving our ability to give instructions and strengthening our critical thinking skills. But that’s not all. Because AI is a tool that allows people to focus on more creative, strategic, and high-value activities, it’s time to flex those muscles and strengthen them. This is especially true for leaders, who rely on their interpersonal skills and emotional intelligence to navigate the challenges that come from managing other people.

Here are a few ways I think AI is pushing leaders to be the best version of themselves:

1. Enhancing Emotional Intelligence

As you’ve likely already heard, AI is reshaping industries by automating routine tasks. This lets humans focus on more complex parts of their jobs, and this shift means many professionals need to upskill and reskill to stay relevant. When it comes to leadership, one of the most important skills you can develop is emotional intelligence, since this is an area where AI falls short.

Unsurprisingly, EQ is the number one leadership skill for 2024. According to the Word Economic Forum’s Future of Jobs report, qualities associated with EQ are “highly prized” by businesses and, no surprise, they will continue to be for the next few years. (I’d bet indefinitely.) Resilience, curiosity, and self-awareness will always be important.[…]