24: Big paws

In the last email (subject: ​Ain’t seen nothin’ yet​), we acknowledged the opportunity we have to positively impact humanity.

And with great power, comes great responsibility.

But left unchecked, and that responsibility can turn into stress, anxiety and Imposter Syndrome.

Because on a daily basis, we're flooded with messages about how quickly technology is changing, how adaptable we need to be, and how unstable our careers might become.

And this creates pressure. We feel obliged to work harder, create more, deliver faster...

But I want you to stop.

Take a moment to breathe.

Close your eyes and listen to the mellifluous sound of birdsong drifting through that open window (but then open them again so you can keep reading).

Because what we're talking about when we discuss principles like the design of work are timeless.

They have nothing to do with technology. They have nothing to do with AI. They're principles that were true before we were born, and they’ll be true long after we’re gone.

And so, whilst technology and business will keep accelerating, creating the space to reflect upon and discuss these ideas requires us to pause.

But that ain’t easy!

It's tough to suggest slowing down in a world hell bent on speeding up.

But whilst this might feel scary, it should also be empowering. Because the skills we're discussing will be valuable forever.

Because someone will always need to understand the work before technology can support it. Complex work involves hundreds of hidden decisions, trade-offs and dependencies that most organisations don’t even realise exist. In fact, usually the person doing the work doesn’t realise they exist!

And so, in a world that's changing so quickly, having a skill set that will largely remain unchanged is extremely helpful.

Of course, we’ll need to keep one eye on what the tech is doing. But we can take respite in knowing the skills required to deconstruct, analyse and improve someone’s work are evergreen.

Now, there is one caveat to this idyllic vision of the future - the organisations for whom we work may not be ready. It takes a certain level of consciousness to recognise short-term AI productivity gains won’t be enough to protect the business from competitors who are thinking more strategically.

And so, whilst I can make throwaway comments like "you'll be valuable forever", that doesn't necessarily mean things won't get hairy in the meantime. Businesses will adopt AI at different speeds. L&D will be more heavily scrutinised. People will be forced to rethink their USP.

But ultimately, by doubling down on performance improvement (instead of ‘learning’), our value will only increase - because with AI, it will become more important than ever for businesses to understand what drives performance i.e., how the work is designed and how people operate within the context of that work.

And so, if we can slow down and take a breath, we can create space for the conversation.

Because those who’ll survive won't be the busiest - they'll be the ones asking better questions.

Yours,
- Ant