Ready or not, AI is here and here to stay.
While most others dabble in artificial intelligence or shy away from it, how can we lead ourselves and our teams to fully integrate it to stay on the precipice of what’s truly possible?
There’s no one better to help you answer these questions and many more than my latest guest on The Wisdom Of… Show, Dr. Sean Gallagher. As the founder of Humanova and a member of AHRI’s Future of Work Advisory Panel and the Australian Cobotics Centre in the human-robot workforce program, Dr. Gallagher is one of Australia’s prominent experts on AI and the future of work.
Sean has a front-running understanding of generative AI, having led the first research on the impact of GenAI on knowledge work in Australia partnered with Deloitte. Sean has supported thousands of leaders spanning private and public sectors, including Westpac, Spirit Super, ANZ, Mirvac, the Victoria Department of Transport, Regional Development Australia, QBE, and AMP. His research has influenced federal legislation and government policies and is endorsed by APEC (Asia-Pacific Economic Corporation) and Richard Branson.
Throughout our conversation, his cutting-edge expertise, deep insight, and keen perspective on artificial intelligence and its implications show us that by wisely leveraging it, we can drive the most value out of our businesses and discover the most humanity in each other.
Want more groundbreaking insights on how to guide your business toward industry dominance through the AI revolution? Watch the full interview with Dr. Sean Gallagher now.
The Modern Workplace - A Harbinger For Humanity
As I sat down with Dr. Sean Gallagher, one of the first topics we explored as we began our conversation was the effect of technology on the modern workplace. While I expected him to talk about increased productivity or evolving innovation initiatives, what he said caught me off guard, as it was less about the trends of technology and more about the shifting role of the office itself.
“COVID showed us that we didn’t have to be in a physical workplace to do work. So, that change in mindset was actually a lightning bolt for us in how we envisioned the structure of work… What’s really being shown under the spotlight is the value of why we come to the workplace. It forces us to focus on the value of human interaction and, more importantly—meaningful interactions.”
This forced focus on humanity from its absence, and then the balancing of it with the rise of hybrid working arrangements taught Sean and his clients another lesson, which he has carried over the years as a crucial insight.
“My fundamental thing in all of this is… as technology becomes more sophisticated, we have to become more human at work, and valuing the human contributions we bring—not just as workers, but in the people we employ.”
With the importance of valuing those uniquely human qualities clear, we then discussed a few of the key areas that AI will have great difficulty automating where humanity has space to shine, including:
Context: The meaning and motivating factors behind data and information. AI can easily identify data but struggles to interpret it as humans can.
Conscience: While it can detect certain cues, AI lacks the organic qualities we associate with consciousness, such as introspection and self-awareness.
Compassion: While AI can respond to predetermined patterns to vaguely interpret an emotional state, it cannot truly experience empathy.
Amazon’s Strategic Failure & The Hybrid Advantage
As we continued our conversation and talked more deeply about the implications of hybrid working, Sean cited Amazon’s recent decision to mandate all its employees back to the office full-time.
“It’s a strategic mistake”, he said.
“Research shows that productivity is better when you take a few days at home and a few in the office. Why would you make a decision that is going to reduce the productivity of your organization? I’m not sure, but the strategic part is much more about alignment to the future.”
He then continued by expanding on this, giving context as to the future he was referencing.
“If you set up hybrid right, that means the work you’re doing at the office is very human, and the work you’re doing at human is very repetitive. In some respects, if you haven’t begun to pass the work that you do across the organization in a hybrid arrangement, you’re not actually separating what work will be better targeted for AI and what will be better targeted for humans.”
By setting up your company in a hybrid arrangement, according to Dr. Gallagher, you’re effectively optimizing which types of work you and your team are best suited for, not just in terms of baseline productivity but based on innovation, and I would posit—the attainment of more net original genius, which is something AI will never be able to replicate.
Additionally, during this part of the interview, he outlined this very simple but impactful rule:
At Home: Do the repeatable and routine work that AI will eventually automate.
In The Office: Do the creative and cooperative work where humanity truly shines.
Leading In The Age Of Artificial Intelligence
This is great advice for your team, but you may wonder: “What is my role as the leader in all of this?”
Next, we explored how leadership has changed in this context and how to effectively guide your team through the mounting complexity.
“Things are much more dynamic and complex than they’ve ever been before. From an organizational perspective, the key thing is having a North Star and an immutable fact that will only further be reinforced the more that change occurs along with a vision to chart a course towards that.”
He then continued by outlining four core traits that he has observed when it comes to the “people” side of leadership, which are:
Engage: They will share their time and talent with everyone on the team
Empower: They will encourage everyone to contribute regardless of title
Visibility: They will transparently embody the company vision and values
Vulnerability: They will share their challenges and openly admit mistakes
Regarding vulnerability in times of uncertainty, he wisely noted that “psychological safety is going to be critical in a world where the future looks nothing like the present, let alone the past.”
In an effort to create safety for their team, great leaders must acknowledge the unknown unknowns they are facing. Beyond this, they possess the courage to embrace the risks they’re facing and open up to their team about these risks, which instils trust and amplifies everyone’s learning.
This is not easily embodied, but once it is, it can make the difference between a team that flounders in uncertainty and one that flourishes.
The Fundamental Misunderstanding About AI
As we wrapped up our conversation, we shifted the focus back to artificial intelligence, which revealed what Dr. Gallagher believes to be one of the biggest things most of us get wrong about AI.
“We need to think of AI as not being a technology. This is a transformative way in which we will change what work is. It’s almost like hiring an army of virtual coworkers to come into your organization.”
When we think of artificial intelligence this way, that simple reframing helps us see it not as something to be reticent about but rather—as he went on to stress—something we can’t afford not to adopt.
“When we often see new tech come out, most don’t want to be new adopters. In my view, that’s too late”, he began.
“AI is not like any other technology. It is a general-purpose technology that we can use in everything. Every worker and every team needs to integrate AI into every single task so they can evolve as the technology does.”
When AI is fully integrated for every worker, task, time, and team, your organization doesn’t have to play catch-up and can scale the realized value that adopting AI can provide now and into the foreseeable future.
But to create that future in which machine and man both bring out the best in each other, as Dr. Sean Gallagher said it best…
“…The change needs to start today.”
As an embodiment of the innovative spirit and the impact of new technology on the way we create and command value, I immensely enjoyed my opportunity to meet with Dr. Sean Gallagher. His fearless foray into the future of work was brimming with insights, which we can all learn from, just as I have.
This potent and timely wisdom not only shows us how to better engage with our teams and the technology they use but also how the pursuit of innovation itself can amplify what makes us uniquely and incomparably human.
If you enjoyed what you read, I encourage you to watch this episode.
Immerse yourself in Dr. Sean Gallagher’s profound wisdom and unforgettable drive as a pioneer in generative AI and the future of work.
Join the transformation and conversation…
Watch the full interview with Dr. Sean Gallagher on The Wisdom Of… Show
And don’t miss Simon Bowen’s transformative masterclass on unlocking your hidden genius. Your future self will thank you.