ChatGPT is here—and causing quite a stir. Along with the many other artificial intelligence (AI) bots already present and yet to come, this growing technology will change the way we work, educate and live. And that can be scary because it’s new and unknown. But it can also be very exciting because with change comes immense opportunity.

And life-altering technology advancements aren’t new. Think back to the days of typewriters and floppy disks. Look how far we’ve come with cloud-based storage and phones that are essentially computers. Plus, it wasn’t that long ago that the internet wasn’t even invented. We’ve adapted before and we will adapt again. With any big change, there is choice. You can choose fear, or you can embrace opportunity. Right now, as a leader, you can curiously question to find out what’s possible. And you can prepare your team to adapt, just as you’ve done before.

In this blog post, we’ll discuss how you can develop a leadership mindset that views change as opportunity, and also, share three ways you can invest in your team now so they are prepared for the impact that AI will have in the professional world.

How to Develop a Leadership Opportunity Mindset in Times of Change

• Ask yourself, “What am I thinking, feeling and believing—about this change?” Before you can lead others well, you must lead yourself well. And in order to do so, you must have a healthy understanding of your inner gear (what you think, feel and believe about yourself, others and your circumstances). Acknowledge any emotions that bubble up and discern which thought or belief they are tied to. Then do the work to analyze if that thought is true. Is your thinking tied to a deeply rooted belief? Is that belief true of yourself, the person or circumstance you are believing it is? Take some time to assess if your own inner gear is turning smoothly, or if it needs some maintenance.

• View resources with abundance. In seasons of change, it can be easy to adopt a scarcity mindset because we don’t know what’s coming. And while it can be prudent to steward and preserve resources, it’s dangerous to act with a scarcity outlook. Scarcity limits you and stops you from taking risks that come with opportunities. As a leader, actively work to view your resources as abundant gifts, not guarantees, and you will walk through change with a much more positive, generous and risk-taking mindset.

• Stay hungry. Roll up your sleeves and get ready to do the heavy lifting needed to keep your organization and team scalable and relevant. Technology changes quickly, so stay agile. Don’t let the phrase, “But this is how we’ve always done things” stop you from moving forward with the changing climate.

• Ask yourself, “What does this make possible?” Be curious. Change can make what seemed impossible possible. Just think about how many organizations adapted to a remote workforce during the Covid-19 pandemic. It was hard, and perhaps rocky at first. But it was possible for many. What is now possible with the changing technology landscape? How can you lead your organization into the future?

• Commit to being a life-long learner. As a leader, you have a privilege to coach your people and help them grow and develop their skills and abilities so that they can be the best versions of themselves. But don’t let the opportunity for growth skip over you. The more you learn, the more you can give. Strengthen your own skills and abilities by introducing new ways of learning, trying and even failing to your own life and leadership.

3 Things You Can Do Now to Prepare Your Team for AI’s Professional Changes

1. Upskilling: Develop the skills of your people so they are prepared for growth and change within their departments.

   In PWC’s recent 2022 Global Workforce Hopes and Fears Survey, they reported that only 40% of employees said their organizations are actively upskilling. So there is clearly opportunity now. As a coaching leader, you can help your teammates grow. If you give them opportunities now to sharpen their skill sets, they will be much more likely to easily transfer into a new role should their role change. And by helping your people stay relevant and competitive, you will not only see them flourish, but your organization will attract and retain top talent.
   

2. Micro-credentialing: Offer your teammates the chance to gain competency-based learning opportunities. 

   You can offer micro-credentialing through a variety of professional learning platforms. Not only will these self-directed learning opportunities communicate to your employees that you care enough to invest in them, but it will also help them stay informed with new and emerging industry trends—so that both your employee and organization benefit. Micro-credentials can be completed at the employee’s pace, but as their leader, you can encourage them along by adding the topic to your agenda for your one-on-ones with them. 
   

3. Reskilling: Teach your people new skills for a different job.

   If you’ve been upskilling and micro-credentialing then reskilling will be much easier for you and your teammates. In a World Economic Forum’s Future of Jobs Report, it was stated that by 2025 (because of technology changes) 50% of employees will need reskilling. That’s coming soon. By demonstrating belief in your employee’s abilities to learn new skills for new organizational needs, you’ll experience high levels of employee engagement. It may be harder for some than others, but you have the privilege to speak confidence into them and help them see how they can help the organization move forward into a new technological space.

Disruptions in life and work are unavoidable, it’s how you prepare for them that makes the difference. Embrace the inevitable changes that will come with rapidly growing AI and cast a vision now for your organization to grow together into the exciting opportunities that await. We, at Building Champions, have been coaching leaders just like you through the many changes that the last nearly 27 years have held; and we’d love the opportunity to walk with you through this next one. Get in touch with us, we can help you navigate this changing technological professional landscape.