I remember working with an organization on leadership development and transformation. When I talked with people individually, they were excited about AI. They told me how much they use it in their personal lives and how helpful it is. They use it to learn new things, to create documents, even to plan travel itineraries.
In the larger group meetings, people were a lot less forthcoming about the tools they used, unless I asked at the end of the meeting in a simple yes or no format. That surprised me, because they’d shown so much excitement when they explained it to me individually.
I also noticed a hidden emotion of shame. It was as if admitting they use an AI tool could mean losing the talent or knowledge they add to the team. Almost like a threat to their skillset.
What the Silence Might Mean
When people hide a tool that makes their work easier, I think shame is part of it. People were excited about AI one on one and quiet about it in the group. Before anyone writes an AI policy, I’d ask two questions. What do people here believe would happen to the first person who admits how much they use AI? And were the people doing the work part of writing the AI plan?
What I Did in the Room
Noticing this shame, I started talking out loud about my own use of AI. I framed it as a thought partner, not the thought leader.
I lean heavily on being human-led and AI-informed, meaning I value the gifts and talents of human creativity, resilience, and social-emotional intelligence. AI isn’t leading or directing. It’s more of a collaborator. I treat it like a smart intern. I can direct it to help with ideation, organization, and areas where I have to work harder, like automating repetitive work. But the true power comes from being human. I pride myself on being personable, building connections with the people I work with, sharing my personal stories, and bringing ideas to life by sharing the human experience.
The tool I use most with organizations is vulnerability, and sharing my own use of AI. I lean into what is naturally me. That gives the room permission to be honest, exploratory, and forthcoming, and it shows that I can use AI tools while still holding and honoring my knowledge, skill set, and expertise. It’s all about using AI as a tool.
For example, I built a dashboard that keeps all of my roles and responsibilities in one place, and it’s engaging, dynamic, and colorful compared to the traditional corporate spreadsheet. I also use it to shape and expand my emails, not with clients, but with teammates and my manager, so I get my full thoughts across in an organized way.
From there, people started opening up about how they use it. The mood in the room shifted, like a veil of authenticity was finally being lifted.
This is how work is supposed to be: a space where creativity, collaboration, and excitement intersect.