4 steps to win in the age of AI
They're simple yet profound
Last week I shared with you my thoughts on what AI means for assistants.
Now I want to give you a roadmap to win in the age of AI.
Mindset is a big part of it, so let’s first take a moment to talk about emotions. It’s important for you to acknowledge your own here as they may be subconsciously holding you back.
The fear is real
Emotions about AI right now are incredibly mixed.
Some are relentlessly optimistic that AI is going to change the world for the better. Others are hung up on p(doom) – the probability that AI will 😟 eliminate humankind. It’s a broad spectrum.
Those in admin-heavy roles, including executive support, understandably have questions about what this all means for them.
I’ve asked 100s of assistants how they feel about AI over the past year. Here are the top emotions I’ve heard:
🤔 Intrigued
😃 Excited
🙂 Optimistic
🤨 Wary
😟 Worried
🫠 Overwhelmed
Let me be clear: I think the single biggest AI risk to individuals right now is disengaging due to fear.
Ironically those who tap out or bury their heads in the sand will be left behind, and will be most at risk.
Take a moment to 🪞 reflect on your emotions. Acknowledge them. What you feel is completely valid.
If you have fear or anxiety, know that much of it comes from unfamiliarity.
It’s natural to be cautious of what we don’t know — that’s why I believe the best way to tackle AI is to understand it (what I’m trying to help with here via The Carve Edge, and really all the resources I share).
Let’s get into steps you can take to give yourself the best chance of success — including practical actions + reflections you can take right now.
4 steps to win in the age of AI
If you’re a 🎧 podcast person, you can listen to me talk through these on The Assistant Lab podcast (3 min snippet).
Step 1: get curious
Be open and receptive to how you can use AI to your advantage — see it as an opportunity rather than a threat.
Get comfortable with the idea of learning and unlearning to explore new technologies and new ways of working. (Unlearning because to truly get the benefit of AI, you need to unlearn doing it all yourself by default.)
🪞 Reflection — explore your own mindset and emotions about AI. Are you holding yourself back? How? What are some tentative first steps you could take to embrace a mindset of curiosity?
Step 2: use AI
Start using AI now.
There’s no substitute for playing around with tools and figuring out where you can get the most leverage in your workflow.
If you’re blocked from using AI at work, start in your personal life to understand tools like ChatGPT inside out. It’s a matter of time before your organization brings these tools in (and knowing them will help you lobby for access).
⚡ Action (3 options)
Beginner: start using an AI chatbot like ChatGPT in your personal life, on your phone. Read more about why this is the best place to start, and dive into the (free) Carve Starter Guide to ChatGPT to get going.
Intermediate: Set aside AI playtime every week. 🛝 Yes, you read that right, playtime — just like when we were kids. Even 10 minutes a week will get you far.
Advanced: log roughly how you spend your time this week. Take the top 3-4 time sucks and research how you could shortcut these right now using AI.
Want more support on your AI journey?
Join like-minded assistants for Carve AI — a high impact course to learn AI and uncover your ideal AI tools stack for work. We’ll open the doors to our May-June cohort tomorrow, limited to just 30 seats. More details here.
Step 3: evolve in your role as a strategic partner
Imagine 💭 in a year 50% of your repeatable admin is automated.
Consider how you can add value in other ways and stretch yourself beyond the bounds of your current role.
Draw on your very human strengths while also seeking new ways to support your organization.
Proactively look out for opportunities for stretch projects where you can help your exec or other teams by with strategic work – stuff like board decks, culture initiatives, internal comms, managing KPIs – and so much more.
The possibilities are almost endless when you use AI to clear the admin drudgery.
🪞 Reflection — think about the parts of your role you love. Where do you find your flow? Consider how you might be able to do more of this as some of your repeatable admin gets delegated to AI.
Step 4: rewrite your own job description now
We’ll all have to rewrite our job descriptions in the coming years because AI and automation will reshape how we spend our time.
You know better than anyone else what you’re capable of. Identify your very human strengths and take advantage of them to contribute in new ways.
And don’t let this be something that HR does to you. Be on the front foot and lead the conversation with your manager now about how your role might shift and change in the age of AI.
⚡ Action — in your next 1:1 with your exec or your line manager, start the conversation about how AI will reshape your role and what types of projects you’d like to lean into. Make a plan to begin to develop yourself in these new areas over the next 3-6 months.
Hit reply to share your thoughts and which of these reflections + actions you’re taking on first.
Fiona
p.s. I’m on the latest episode of The Leader Assistant 🎧 podcast (no. 263) — listen in here: Apple | Spotify | The Leader Assistant site