A Book That Left a Lasting Impression
As a student, I once attended an interview with a consultancy firm. I don’t recall much about the interview itself—except for my ill-fitted suit borrowed from my Dad for the occasion—but I vividly remember their bookshelf. Among the displayed titles was a book titled something like “Organizing Work So It Becomes a Source of Learning.”
The concept intrigued me enough to ask for a copy, which the secretary kindly handed over. Though I didn’t get the job, I kept the book. It turned out to be dry and overly theoretical, but the idea stuck with me: how can even the simplest task become a learning opportunity? That question has guided me throughout my career.
Building a Foundation in Process Engineering
My professional journey started as a process engineer, a role that trained me to see the world through the lens of systems, efficiency, and problem-solving. In manufacturing, uncovering the root cause of a quality defect often requires diving deep into the data, asking the right questions, and formulating hypotheses to explain what’s happening. The ability to break down complex systems into measurable, actionable components has been a cornerstone of my career.
This rigorous analytical mindset has always complemented my passion for understanding human behaviour. Where I once focused on the mechanics of a process, I now focus on the mechanics of leadership, team dynamics, and behavioural patterns. Both domains require precision, critical thinking, and an ability to interpret subtle signals.
Mastering the Complexity of Leadership Development
Over the years, I’ve broadened my expertise to include coaching, therapy, and behavioural science. As a trained therapist and certified practitioner of several behavioural methodologies, I bring a unique combination of intuition and structure to leadership development. Leadership is complex—it’s not just about skills or strategy but also about understanding nuanced behavioural patterns and underlying motivations.
My work often involves sifting through vast amounts of qualitative and quantitative data to uncover subtle trends: the kind of insights that can unlock personal growth, enhance team performance, or resolve deep-seated conflicts. These aren’t tasks that can be automated easily. They demand a blend of technical expertise, emotional intelligence, and years of experience.
AI’s Flaws and Frustrations
Recently, I’ve been experimenting with AI to assist in analysing leadership data. My goal was to use it for tasks like identifying behavioural patterns, detecting blind spots, and generating insights that could support an organisational leadership development program.
Initially, I was optimistic. AI seemed perfect for synthesizing large amounts of data—something I’ve done manually for years. But I quickly discovered its limitations. It was inconsistent, sometimes inserting biases, distorting conclusions, or—even worse—making up answers when it didn’t understand the input. As someone trained to trust the integrity of data, this was deeply frustrating.
AI reminded me of a well-meaning people-pleaser: eager to provide an answer, any answer, to keep me satisfied, even if it wasn’t accurate. This tendency clashed with the precision and depth required for providing valuable leadership insights.
Turning Challenges into Opportunities
Rather than abandoning AI, I approached it with the mindset of a process engineer. Just as I would with a manufacturing issue, I broke the problem into smaller pieces, formulated hypotheses, and systematically tested solutions. I created a tailored version of GPT for my leadership work, designing step-by-step instructions to guide each part of the output.
This methodical approach has paid off. I’ve trained AI to recognize the patterns I need, ensuring its outputs align with my expertise. Now, instead of replacing my intuition, AI enhances it—handling repetitive tasks so I can focus on the higher-value aspects of my work.
A Learning Opportunity in Disguise
Interestingly, while AI has streamlined parts of my workflow, it hasn’t necessarily saved me time. What it has done is force me to articulate my expertise explicitly, deepening my understanding of my own methods. It’s also taught me to think critically about how I transfer skills and knowledge—a valuable competency in leadership development.
The process has reminded me of that book from my student days: organizing work as a source of learning. By engaging with AI, I’ve turned frustration into growth, building new skills and reinforcing old ones.
The Expertise Behind the Machine
AI’s potential in assisting in leadership and behavioural analysis is exciting, but it’s not a plug-and-play solution. It requires someone with the expertise to guide it—someone who understands the nuances of both the technical and human aspects of leadership. My background as an engineer and therapist uniquely positions me to bridge this gap.
It demands not only technical proficiency but also the ability to interpret human behaviour at a deep level. Putting this blend of expertise to work has allowed me to turn AI into a powerful tool, rather than a frustrating distraction.
AI Won’t Replace Us—It Needs Us
There’s much talk about AI replacing jobs, but the reality is more nuanced I believe. AI may perform tasks, but it still requires expertise to teach it, refine it, and set up environments where it can succeed. Moreover, we need the expertise to understand the output and its relevance. Without my years of experience in engineering, behavioural science, and leadership coaching, I couldn’t do what I’m doing now.
Could the key to IA be not to let it lead, but to guide it—ensuring it reflects the value we bring to the table?
Organizing Work as a Source of Learning
My current experience with AI has shown me once more how a frustrating tool can become a source of learning. By experimenting, iterating, and refining, I’ve turned my challenges into opportunities for growth.
AI is here to stay. Instead of resisting it, I’m trying to learn how to use it effectively. After all, work is most fulfilling when it becomes a source of continuous learning.
I’m curious to know your point of view on this question: do you also see AI as a source of learning?
Through Yinsight, I support companies, their managers and teams in their development with a view to achieving tangible performance that respects people. Creating strategy, working on collective values, aligning teams, managing complexity and interpersonal dynamics, and providing individual and collective support for transformation are at the heart of my work.