Getting Started with AI at Work
In this episode, we kick off a conversation on AI in the workplace, sparked by the launch of the AI Upskilling Project in the Project Violet community. We share foundational perspectives on how AI fits into the people-process-technology framework. We chat about how non-technical professionals can begin using AI to enhance their daily work. We finish with practical starting points, the importance of human judgment and trust, and how leaders can guide their teams through AI adoption with both curiosity and caution.
Key Takeaways:
1. Start Small and Build Confidence AI can be a powerful tool to augment and automate work, but adoption should begin with low-risk, low-complexity tasks (e.g., summarizing meeting notes). These “table stakes” use cases help build comfort and understanding before moving into more complex workflows.
2. Leaders Must Lead the Way To guide their teams effectively, leaders should use AI tools themselves, host open conversations about AI usage, and encourage experimentation. Piloting ideas in a safe, collaborative way is key to creating a culture of innovation balanced with compliance.
3. Trust and the Human-in-the-Loop Matter AI is a tool—not a person. Keeping the human in the loop is essential. Companies can empower domain experts to serve as a “gatekeeper” to more powerful AI systems, allowing thoughtful experimentation while maintaining safeguards.
Timestamps:
00:10 – Podcast introduction and welcome
01:01 – Internal project work: budget management and quality control
06:01 – How to lead without formal authority
07:33 – Creating clarity in goals and team alignment
09:25 – Building credibility through consistency
10:35 – The 3 C’s of leading without authority: Clarity, Credibility, Connection
13:54 – Internal motivators: purpose, relationships, and recognition
19:16 – Getting work started and helping teams build momentum
21:54 – Using status reports and structure to drive accountability
23:37 – Recap of key leadership principles when you don’t have formal authority