Generative AI might be the most powerful assistant you’ll ever have.
But like any assistant — or any member of your team — it can’t read your mind.
If you want it to perform at its best, you have to lead it like you would a person.
That means providing clear direction.
That means giving it context.
That means iterating, giving feedback, and applying your own judgment.
In short: AI won’t replace good leadership. But it makes good leadership go a lot further.
Most people are underusing AI — here’s why
Stanford’s Jeremy Utley says it best:
“Most people are not fully utilizing AI’s potential, not because of its limits, but because of how they approach it.” — Jeremy Utley
He suggests a simple mindset shift:
👉 “What’s the best way you can help me with this?”
That one question reframes AI as a collaborative tool — not a vending machine. It pushes you to lead the interaction, not just consume the result.
Check out Jeremy Utley’s Youtube video on “How Stanford Teaches AI-Powered Creativity” further below.
Kevin Kelly was right: AI is The Assistant — not The Expert
Tech visionary Kevin Kelly described generative AI as The Assistant.
It’s not here to replace you.
It’s here to make you faster, sharper, and more creative — if you know how to lead.
Too many people delegate everything and call it productivity. Others ignore the tool altogether.
Both miss the point.
The best leaders use AI like they use people:
- They give direction.
- They communicate expectations.
- They offer feedback.
- And they own the decision.
Leadership in practice: how to get the best from your AI
Think of AI as your newest team member — highly capable, but still dependent on leadership to thrive.
Here’s a 5-step method that mirrors how great leaders bring out the best in their teams:
- Clarify the objective
Define the problem or goal. Vagueness leads to generic output. - Ask AI how it can help
Treat it like a collaborator:
“What’s the most useful way you could support me with this?” - Feed it the right context
Like onboarding a new team member — share background, audience, tone, examples, and constraints. - Iterate and give feedback
Review what it gives you. Refine the direction. Stay engaged.
Sometimes you’ll hit a dead end — that’s okay. It’s part of the process. - Take human action
AI can help you plan, write, or strategize.
But it won’t pitch the idea. It won’t have the hard conversation.
Leadership means doing the things only you can do.
Garbage in = garbage out (still true)
If you give poor direction to a team member, the result will likely fall short.
Same with AI.
The quality of what you get out depends entirely on what you put in:
- Do you know what you’re asking for?
- Have you given enough context?
- Are you reviewing and adjusting based on the output?
AI doesn’t remove the need for clarity. It amplifies it.
“Computers aren’t smart, just fast. Garbage in, garbage out.”
— Peter F. Hamilton
In closing: leadership is still the differentiator
The leaders who thrive in the age of AI won’t be the ones with the most tools — they’ll be the ones who use those tools with purpose.
AI doesn’t want to think for you.
It wants to help you think better, faster, deeper.
Treat it like a capable team member. Lead it well.
And let it make your leadership more effective, not obsolete.
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