Spend the Time AI Saves on the Things It Can't Do
AI is a part of your life for good. Don’t hate it. It’s a tool to boost productivity and improve the quality of our work. Most importantly, AI can do the same tasks you do much faster. This creates a great opportunity for leaders: to spend more time on what matters most—people. Investing the extra time in relationships is the absolute best way to use AI to make everyone’s life better.
Imagine AI saves you five hours every week by drafting reports, summarizing meetings, organizing data, and handling administrative tasks. Where do you spend those five hours?
Imagine AI saves you five hours every week by drafting reports, summarizing meetings, organizing data, and handling administrative tasks. Where do you spend those five hours?
Real Results Are Bigger Than A Few Hours
Most leaders flush those extra hours down the drain by going straight back into more emails, meetings, reports, and tasks. It’s insane to use technology to create margin—and then immediately fill that margin with more work. Warning: Increasing your output doesn’t necessarily improve your leadership.
The greatest return on AI isn’t squeezing more activity into the week. It’s giving you more time to do the work only a human can do.
The greatest return on AI isn’t squeezing more activity into the week. It’s giving you more time to do the work only a human can do.
Spend Less Time Reporting—And More Time Relating
Don’t ask AI to do something entirely and completely human. AI can summarize a conversation, but it cannot have a compassionate conversation for you.
It can identify patterns in employee performance, but it cannot sit across the table in a hard conversation and listen without rushing. It can help prepare for a one-on-one, but it cannot look someone in the eyes and help them feel valued.
If AI helps you save time on reports and summaries, use that extra time to build stronger relationships. Schedule a one-on-one meeting, learn more about someone personally, ask thoughtful questions, listen attentively, recognize their efforts, coach new leaders, and reconnect with those doing the hands-on work. While this additional time might not show up on a productivity dashboard, it builds trust—one of a leader’s most valuable assets.
It can identify patterns in employee performance, but it cannot sit across the table in a hard conversation and listen without rushing. It can help prepare for a one-on-one, but it cannot look someone in the eyes and help them feel valued.
If AI helps you save time on reports and summaries, use that extra time to build stronger relationships. Schedule a one-on-one meeting, learn more about someone personally, ask thoughtful questions, listen attentively, recognize their efforts, coach new leaders, and reconnect with those doing the hands-on work. While this additional time might not show up on a productivity dashboard, it builds trust—one of a leader’s most valuable assets.
Efficiency Should Create Availability
If you’re anything like me, you are busy and difficult to reach, with packed schedules and overflowing inboxes. Leveraging AI can free up valuable time. Make that time go to meaningful interactions like leading by listening—not just more work.
True leadership often occurs in informal moments, such as sensing someone’s mood or having authentic conversations, which require time and space. You may need to actively protect this time from urgent tasks, even with AI’s help, because these moments are essential to effective leadership.
True leadership often occurs in informal moments, such as sensing someone’s mood or having authentic conversations, which require time and space. You may need to actively protect this time from urgent tasks, even with AI’s help, because these moments are essential to effective leadership.
Don’t Forget To Measure The Human Return
Companies often think about AI’s value in terms of hours saved, costs reduced, and productivity increased. These are great, but they don't capture everything. The best leaders see the real benefit in how AI can bring people closer together.
Imagine a workplace where everyone feels truly understood and motivated. Does your boss dedicate meaningful time to inspire growth? Do you? Do people feel genuinely valued? Are you actively engaged where the work happens, leading by example and fostering trust? If so, AI has strengthened relationships and enhanced collaboration. If not, it’s just adding to your workload.
Don’t let AI drive a more demanding workload. Use it to create space for you to inspire people and fuel their collective success. The most successful organizations don’t just move quickly—they harness AI to help them become more human, compassionate, and empowered.
Imagine a workplace where everyone feels truly understood and motivated. Does your boss dedicate meaningful time to inspire growth? Do you? Do people feel genuinely valued? Are you actively engaged where the work happens, leading by example and fostering trust? If so, AI has strengthened relationships and enhanced collaboration. If not, it’s just adding to your workload.
Don’t let AI drive a more demanding workload. Use it to create space for you to inspire people and fuel their collective success. The most successful organizations don’t just move quickly—they harness AI to help them become more human, compassionate, and empowered.
Frequently Asked Questions
1: How can AI improve productivity without increasing workload?
Answer: AI can automate reports, summarize meetings, and organize data. Use the time saved to focus on meaningful work and build stronger relationships instead of adding more tasks.
2: How can leaders use AI to build stronger employee relationships?
Answer: Leaders can use AI to create time for one-on-one meetings, thoughtful questions, attentive listening, recognizing efforts, and coaching new leaders. These interactions build trust and help people feel valued.
3: What are the limitations of AI in leadership?
Answer: AI can summarize conversations and identify employee performance patterns, but it cannot replace compassionate conversations, attentive listening, or helping someone feel valued.
4: Why is human connection important in the age of AI?
Answer: Human connection builds trust, strengthens collaboration, and helps people feel understood and motivated. Effective leadership requires time and space for authentic conversations and meaningful interactions.
5: How should organizations measure AI’s return on investment?
Answer: Organizations should measure AI’s value through hours saved, costs reduced, and productivity increased, as well as stronger relationships, greater trust, and improved collaboration.
Answer: AI can automate reports, summarize meetings, and organize data. Use the time saved to focus on meaningful work and build stronger relationships instead of adding more tasks.
2: How can leaders use AI to build stronger employee relationships?
Answer: Leaders can use AI to create time for one-on-one meetings, thoughtful questions, attentive listening, recognizing efforts, and coaching new leaders. These interactions build trust and help people feel valued.
3: What are the limitations of AI in leadership?
Answer: AI can summarize conversations and identify employee performance patterns, but it cannot replace compassionate conversations, attentive listening, or helping someone feel valued.
4: Why is human connection important in the age of AI?
Answer: Human connection builds trust, strengthens collaboration, and helps people feel understood and motivated. Effective leadership requires time and space for authentic conversations and meaningful interactions.
5: How should organizations measure AI’s return on investment?
Answer: Organizations should measure AI’s value through hours saved, costs reduced, and productivity increased, as well as stronger relationships, greater trust, and improved collaboration.
Meet Us at the Fire
Can Your Faith Survive the Fire? Join Jeff Struecker for Light in the Forest, an evening around the fire exploring faith, courage, and survival when life gets hard. Come ready for honest conversations, meaningful fellowship, and a challenge to stand firm when the heat is on.
October 26 | 6:00–8:30 PM | Gateway Baptist Church, 1651 Dutch Fork Rd, Irmo, SC
The fire is lit. The challenge is real. Will you show up? REGISTER NOW!
October 26 | 6:00–8:30 PM | Gateway Baptist Church, 1651 Dutch Fork Rd, Irmo, SC
The fire is lit. The challenge is real. Will you show up? REGISTER NOW!
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