Developing Emotional Intelligence in the Age of AI
It’s long been known that AI and automation/robotics will change markets and workforces. This began when machines started replacing humans in the manufacturing industry that made thousands of workers look for other opportunities. We can look at any number of occupations to see that this holds true. Doctors perform tests, analyse the results, interpret the results to make a diagnosis, plan a course of treatment, and then work with the patient to make this treatment plan a reality.
Financial advisers gather and analyse data about their clients and potential investment vehicles, interpret the implications given a variety of factors such as risk tolerance, recommend an investment strategy, and help their clients carry this strategy out over time. Business consultants do much of the same but diagnose and solve business problems.
These highly skilled workers can command high rates because of three capabilities. Their abilities to go through the early rote tasks quickly and accurately; their experiences and judgment in determining a course of action; and their savviness for helping clients navigate that course. AI and machine learning will quickly surpass our abilities on the first two capabilities—and this will shift the skillset required for any worker wishing to stay in these careers as they are transformed by artificial intelligence.
Those that want to stay relevant in their professions will need to focus on skills and capabilities that artificial intelligence has trouble replicating — understanding, motivating, and interacting with human beings. A smart machine might be able to diagnose an illness and even recommend treatment better than a doctor. It takes a person, however, to sit with a patient, understand their life situation (finances, family, quality of life, etc.), and help determine what treatment plan is optimal.
Similarly, a smart machine may be able to diagnose complex business problems and recommend actions to improve an organization. A human being, however, is still best suited to jobs like spurring the leadership team to action, avoiding political hot buttons, and identifying savvy individuals to lead change.
It’s these human capabilities that will become more and more prized over the next decade. Skills like persuasion, social understanding, and empathy are going to become differentiators as artificial intel ligence and machine learning take over our other tasks. Unfortunately, these human-oriented skills have generally been viewed as second priority in terms of training and education. We’ve all experienced the doctor, financial planner, or consultant who is more focused on his or her reports and data than on our unique situations and desires.
For better or worse, these skills will become essential to anyone who wants to stay relevant in their field as automated systems proliferate. Developing emotional intelligence requires a commitment to self-awareness and self-reflection. It involves understanding our own emotions, as well as being able to identify and respond to the emotions of others.