Search

Despite well-intentioned leadership development programs or for that matter any other behavior or skill development training where coginitive skill or any kind of language skill is at the core, the impact of such training often falls short. Because, for participants it is the problem of opportunity to apply such skills immediately after the training and receive a real time feedback. For example, consider a leader trained in performance appraisal discussions. During the training session he learnt the theory and best practices, engage in role-play, and return to work feeling confident. Months later, when the time comes for an actual appraisal conversation he struggle to recall the training and lack of instant coach or mentor support (because getting a people resource anytime and everytime is difficult to get) , leading to a disastrous outcome and losing a high-performer to a competitor. So where was the gap? The program was good, intent was right but even then the desired outcome has not come. This hypothetical scenario highlights the gap: The lack of practice opportunities and real-time mentorship. Here comes the role of Conversational AI. What is conversational AI: It refers to the use of artificial intelligence to simulate human-like interactions, providing real-time responses and engaging users in meaningful dialogue. So conversational AI can bridge the gap to a large extent in leadership training by providing a virtual coach available 24/7 to your participants, allowing them to rehearse conversations, receive instant feedback, and refine their skills precisely "when needed". By practicing with an AI tool tailored to the persona of their team member, leaders can better prepare in the moment of need (because normally Adults learn when they need it the most) for critical interactions, reducing the risk of costly mistakes. However, before adopting Conversational AI, it's essential to consider the investment of time, resources, and energy to ensure it aligns with your organizational context. Explore such use cases and engage with such edtech vendors offering Conversational AI solutions or inhouse development (if you have internal resources to develop) of such tool to bridge the gap in leadership development training effectively.

The Curious Advantage Podcast series is brought to you by the authors of the book The Curious Advantage, Paul Ashcroft, Simon Brown & Garrick Jones and it is about how individuals and organisations use the power of curiosity to drive success in their lives and organisations, especially in the context of our new digital reality. It brings to life the latest understanding from neuroscience, anthropology, history and behaviourism about curiosity and makes these useful for everyone.

Alex Singla, a senior partner and global leader of QuantumBlack, AI by McKinsey, said that conversations with CEOs have shifted over the past several weeks. Gone are the requests for explanations of how the technology works — and whether it’s over-hyped. Now, Singla says, five questions dominate: What are the specific use cases? How do I get started? What are the risks I need to manage? What are the implications for present and future employees? How do I learn fast?

Corporate reality is changing fast, especially with Artificial Intelligence (AI). For those of us in Learning and Development (L&D), it's time to ask: Should we guide AI use like ambassadors, or explore bold new ideas like pirates?  With this article I also give a big shout out to Michael Vaughan for creating the thinking effect community, to Lauren Waldman, Learning Pirate for inspiring this article and to Angela Yu and Chris Haroun & Luka Anicin for introducing me to Python programming. The AI Change in Pharma:  AI is making big changes in our field. It helps discover new drugs and promises to take care of patients in special ways. But, it also means we need to learn new skills. That's where L&D comes in. L&D's Role: We need to teach people about AI. Whether it’s showing how AI works or finding new ways to learn, we're the ones to help everyone get ready for an AI future. AI Ambassadors vs. AI Pirates: If we're AI ambassadors, we focus on teaching AI skills clearly and carefully. We help everyone understand and use AI well. But as AI pirates, we try new, exciting ways to learn. We might use fun tech tools or surprise methods to make learning about AI interesting and different. What To Do Next: No matter which way we choose, here are some ideas: • Create classes about AI for different jobs. • Work with tech experts to make learning fun and interactive. • Keep learning and trying new things ourselves. Conclusion and call to action: Being an AI ambassador or pirate isn't just picking one. It's about finding the best mix for us and our teams. We're here to make sure everyone can succeed in a world with AI. How do you use AI in your teaching? Do you prefer being an ambassador, a pirate, or a bit of both? You may even prefer more or less visible: the Advocate, the Rockstar or the Ninja? Let’s talk about it and support the learner to be her best version.