Mindprep Reflection: TJ’s Other Hand

Published 13 days ago • 1 min read

Reader,

I had a nice conversation with my friend TJ this morning. We were talking about AI and how this technology is changing the world of work.

TJ is both excited about AI and just a wee bit worried. Our conversation got us into a short exploration of “on the other hand.”

Here are a few of TJ’s ponderings that I thought worth passing along.

On the one hand, by using AI I can produce multiple explanations, not just the first plausible one. On the other hand, if I let it provide the “best” explanation, my brain stops building my own explanations.
On the one hand, it gives me a high-quality starting point for analysis and writing. On the other hand, I’m losing skepticism because it often sounds certain, coherent, and decisive, even when it’s wrong.
On the one hand, it’s great at summarizing long, complicated material. On the other hand, I’m afraid my learning is becoming passive.
On the one hand, it helps me translate complexity into a well-organized structure. On the other hand, I’m becoming a “selector of answers” instead of a “builder of understanding.”

And so, we concluded our conversation with a few observations about AI.

You feel informed but you don’t become more capable.
You know where to look for quick answers, but you don’t spend enough time deep in thought.
AI is not a truth machine; it’s a sharp tool that can hurt you if you’re careless.

TJ and I came to a tentative conclusion about this new technology. AI can improve our thinking when it increases our questions. However, it can degrade our thinking when it replaces our questions.

The Prepared Mind Project

We are running a free webinar, Don’t be Taken by Surprise, this Wednesday. Join us if you can. You can get the info HERE.

Bill

Introduction to my forthcoming book

Reader, Here’s the draft introduction to a forthcoming book which is still untitled. Leadership When the World Will Not Sit Still Many leaders today have come to an unsettling realization: the word in which they are leading no longer behaves in ways for which their experience prepared them. Problems do not stay solved. Decisions trigger consequences far from where they were made. Actions intended to stabilize the organization often introduce new forms of instability. Stakeholders disagree not...

6 days ago • 3 min read

MindPrep Reflection: What Is Judgment and is AI Eroding It?

Reader, Judgment is the human capacity to make sound decisions when rules are incomplete, data is ambiguous, trade-offs are real, and consequences unfold over time. Judgement is not synonymous with intelligence, expertise, or analytics. Judgement is an integrative act. It combines: Contextual understanding (We are part of a larger system.) Interpretation of weak signals (We imagine “what if” scenarios.) Moral and ethical reasoning (Yes, truth and morality still count!) Experience-based...

27 days ago • 2 min read

MindPrep Reflection: AI, Higher Education, Executive Education, and the Mess

Reader, AI has hit our current and future workforce with a proverbial 2x4. Is a college degree necessary and sufficient for helping our future leaders build a meaningful career? What about additional “executive education?” The disruption facing leadership education is often described too simply. We hear explanations such as: “AI will change teaching.” “Degrees are losing value.” “Executive education needs to go digital.” Each of these statements is partially true but incomplete. What leaders...