Don't panic about AI. Instead become a "realist"

Don't panic about AI. Instead become a "realist" | practice | Don't underestimate the power of your leadership story Created for {EMAIL} | [{NAME}]( at [{NAME}]( [For more relevant content - Update Your Profile]( | [Web Version]( April 10, 2023 CONNECT WITH SMARTBRIEF  [LinkedIn]( [Facebook]( [Twitter]( [SmartBrief on Leadership]( Innovative Ideas. Ahead of the Curve. [SIGN UP]( ⋅ [SHARE](  [] Leading the Way [] [Don't panic about AI. Instead become a "realist"]( [Don't panic about AI. Instead become a "realist"]( (Pixabay) Instead of believing the hype that artificial intelligence is either going to destroy jobs or lead to a new utopia, Axios CEO Jim VandeHei recommends that leaders be an "AI realist," and try out the technology for themselves before passing judgment and focusing on the possibilities they see in it. If AI sparks anxiety, get some training in the technology, use it to automate repetitive tasks and remember how you finally overcame initial fears and mastered other new technology in the past, suggests Julie Winkle Giulioni. Full Story: [Axios]( (4/6), [Fast Company (tiered subscription model)]( (4/5) [LinkedIn]( [Twitter]( [Facebook]( [Email]( [] Put it into practice: You can also use AI to train yourself to ask better questions so you can see the potential in the technology that others might miss, [adds Winkle Giulioni](. "We're on the doorstep of a new age," [writes VandeHei](, "don't be a bystander." [] Smarter Communication [] [Don't underestimate the power of your leadership story]( When leaders are vulnerable enough to share stories about their own doubts and fears and how they've learned from their mistakes, they help those around them experience a sense of hope for themselves, writes Kristin Hendrix. "When we share our stories, we give someone else the ability to see how they may rewrite their ending or start a new chapter," Hendrix writes. Full Story: [Leadership Vitae]( (4/6) [LinkedIn]( [Twitter]( [Facebook]( [Email]( [] Put it into practice: Your story can give others a new perspective, [Hendrix notes](. When she talked about often not feeling safe at work, a male co-worker was shocked and had his awareness expanded. Stories can also help "others with similar experiences feel less alone," Hendrix writes. [] [Better communication can help workers maximize benefits]( A lack of effective employee benefit communications can result in misconceptions, misinformation, frustration and well-intentioned offerings going unused. Nielsen Benefits executive Brian Lacher says leaders can prevent these problems by adding digital tools to help people understand health plans and use tax-advantaged savings vehicles, providing sustained access to resources after enrollment and setting up an email address dedicated to employees' benefit questions. Full Story: [Employee Benefit News (free registration)]( (4/7) [LinkedIn]( [Twitter]( [Facebook]( [Email]( [] Put it into practice: Providing apps and other tools can help employees identify and use their benefits more frequently. "The challenge is guiding employees to this technology," [Lacher says](. "But once they get in there, the results can be outstanding." [] Smarter Strategy [] - [CEOs focused on talent, tech and turbulence]( McKinsey (4/6) [] - [4 ways to put humans at the center of the work ecosystem]( Chief Executive (4/6) [] - [Understand what your customer values to sustain brand relevance]( Harvard Business Review (tiered subscription model) (4/7) [] Smarter Working A weekly spotlight on doing more without working longer [] [Work toward smart collaboration]( Work toward smart collaboration (Pixabay) Taking credit for someone else's work is a "trust breaker" for Harvard career expert Heidi Gardner and too often shows up in the workplace. Instead, work for smart collaboration, including several people on a project that could have been done alone that will increase productivity, work quality and trust, Gardner says. Full Story: [CNBC]( (4/3) [LinkedIn]( [Twitter]( [Facebook]( [Email]( [] In Their Own Words [] [Airbnb exec: Leaders should model good communication]( Jay Carney spent much of his career as a journalist and later as President Barack Obama's White House press secretary before becoming Airbnb's global head of policy and communications, and Carney emphasizes the need for leaders to advocate for, and model, clear communication practices. "The best, most creative environments that I've found are the ones where there are no bad ideas, and people aren't afraid to throw something out on the table for fear of being judged," Carney says. Full Story: [Axios]( (4/6) [LinkedIn]( [Twitter]( [Facebook]( [Email]( [] Daily Diversion [] [Study: Climate change causing more MLB home runs]( Study: Climate change causing more MLB home runs (Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images) Climate change has led to at least 500 more home runs in Major League Baseball from 2010 to 2019, according to a new study published in the Bulletin of the American Meteorological Society. Researchers found that the lower air density from warm temperatures causes a ball to be carried farther, and climate-affected home runs are more common in open-air baseball stadiums such as Chicago's Wrigley Field and Detroit's Comerica Park. Full Story: [NBC News]( (4/7) [LinkedIn]( [Twitter]( [Facebook]( [Email]( [] SmartBreak: Question of the Day [] Which US Supreme Court justice cited director Sidney Lumet's film "12 Angry Men" as an inspiration for becoming a lawyer? Check your answer [here](. [Vote]( [Ketanji Brown Jackson]( [Vote]( [Thurgood Marshall]( [Vote]( [Sonia Sotomayor]( [Vote]( [David Souter]( [] About The Editor [] Candace Chellew Candace Chellew Candace Chellew Just for fun, I asked ChatGPT to write an Easter sermon. Let's just say that while it may have been accurate enough to get a passing grade in a seminary class it lacked ... inspiration. For that, you need a human touch and the very real human stories -- [as Kristen Hendrix writes]( -- that move others and give them hope in ways that a bot can never do. (Spoiler alert: I didn't use the bot's rendition as my sermon on Sunday. Sorry, technology.) How are you using AI these days? [Let me know](mailto:candace.chellew@futurenet.com)! If this newsletter helps you, please tell your colleagues, friends or anyone who can benefit. Forward them this email, or [send this link](. What topics do you see in your daily work that I should know about? Do you have praise? Criticism? [Drop me a note](mailto:candace.chellew@futurenet.com). And don't forget to send me photos of your pets, your office and where you spend your time off. [LinkedIn]( [Twitter]( [Facebook]( [Email]( Sharing SmartBrief on Leadership with your network keeps the quality of content high and these newsletters free. Help Spread the Word [SHARE]( Or copy and share your personalized link: smartbrief.com/leadership/?referrerId=japnABMSAp [] [] If things don't go as expected, make the unexpected work in your favor. [Jose Andres](, chef, restaurateur [LinkedIn]( [Twitter]( [Facebook]( [Email](   SmartBrief publishes more than 200 free industry newsletters - [Browse our portfolio]( [Sign Up]( | [Update Profile]( | [Advertise with SmartBrief]( [Unsubscribe]( | [Privacy policy]( CONTACT US: [FEEDBACK](mailto:leadership@smartbrief.com) | [ADVERTISE](mailto:lengel@smartbrief.com) SmartBrief, a division of Future US LLC © Full 7th Floor, 130 West 42nd Street, New York, NY, 10036