AI is exciting, but it’s a messy playground.
With new tools arriving daily, it’s difficult to keep up. But, we've got you covered...
.png){kind=small}
Remember to sign up, for free, to our Leaders' Briefing to get the latest updates
AI for Leaders Resource Hub
How do I know if a colleague has used AI?
Try Grammarly's AI content detector that can help identify AI-generated copy.
Just Done and Decopy also work a treat. No sign-up required. Just paste in the email, report or text from anywhere, and you will get a confidence score of whether a human has written it or not!
How can I find an AI tool that fits what I need?
No problem!
Check out There’s An AI For That – it does exactly what it says on the tin! Search by the problem you are trying to solve or the theme, and try the latest tools.
Featured: Setting automated tasks
Watch how to set up ChatGPT Tasks
Video credit: @Marketingdonebetter via TikTok
ChatGPT Tasks
AI can help you stay current on global trends, industry developments, and the niche topics relevant to you as a leader.
ChatGPT is probably the AI tool you’ve experimented with, but the Tasks function is your new secret weapon. It allows you to set up specific, recurring tasks to help you stay on top of the latest trends, updates, and research.
That’s right… you can create automated daily, weekly, or custom tasks that deliver summaries or answers to specific questions, direct to your inbox. It’s like having 100 personal assistants working around the clock just for you.
​
Examples of how leaders can use it:
-
A CEO might set a daily task to receive a summary of global politics in 10 bullet points every morning from selected sources, such as the BBC or New York Times.
-
Stay ahead of the curve by requesting a daily article on emerging leadership practices. Specify sources like Forbes or Harvard Business Review.
-
Post on LinkedIn? If you share insights on HR trends or advertising effectiveness, for example, ask for a daily list of topic ideas linked to trending discussions. Tasks can even draft posts for you (but, of course, apply caution and the human touch!)
-
Track competitors by requesting weekly reports on competitor activities.
-
Don’t forget reminders! Enter line reports birthdays or key department meeting dates and ask Tasks to notify you with helpful ideas.
How to set it up:
-
Create a task in ChatGPT by typing a command like “Create a daily briefing on global politics". Or go to your profile icon and select Tasks, then create your own custom task.
-
Customise it - add sources, specify the delivery time, and focus on key topics.
-
Enable reminders or notifications to receive updates at your preferred time.
How can I quickly read a long document?
No time to read a whole report?
Come on, that’s your job! Only joking!
If it the alternative is neglecting something completely, you might want to generate a simple summary and recommendations using AI.
​
So, if you been sent a proposal, report, or overview and want help spotting weak points, risks, or ways to improve it, upload it to ChatGPT and try these prompts:
-
“Highlight three weaknesses in this document and suggest improvements.”
-
“Identify potential risks in this proposal and how to mitigate them.”
-
“Summarise this report in five key points for senior management.”
To do this securely without risking data leaks, ensure you use ChatGPT’s enterprise version or an AI tool that guarantees privacy. See further down for more on this subject!
Read
of
the
month
1,491 participants were surveyed across 101 countries. Insights include:
-
53% of executives say they are regularly using gen AI at work, compared with 44% of midlevel managers
-
Only 20% of orgs check AI content before use
-
Reskilling teams is expected
-
Inaccuracy, cybersecurity, and IP infringement are the top gen-AI risks causing negative impacts
-
More than a 1/4 of orgs are using AI to computer code
How do I communicate my team vision more compellingly?
Struggling to clearly communicate your vision for the team ?
Upload your team plan, and your summary of what you are trying to achieve, and try these prompts:
-
"How can I describe my team’s vision in one clear, memorable sentence"?
-
"What metaphors or storytelling techniques can I use to make my vision stick"?
-
"If my team were wildly successful in the next five years, what would that look like? Tell it to me in bullets, then a para, and then as a story."
Enjoying this so far? You'll love our free 'Leaders Briefing'
How do I save time in and after meetings?
AI can take notes and capture action points for you in meetings.
Tools like Fireflies.ai and Otter.ai can summarise meetings and ensure nothing gets missed.
Note: There are subscription fees with these ones.
There is a school of thought that says this makes us lazy, and stops us looking for the real value and deeper needs/actions in meetings. But, let’s face it, for some meetings we could all do with a robot by our side.
How do I ensure my spelling and grammar are
flawless?
Grammarly is an AI-driven writing assistant that ensures clear and effective communication, which of course is crucial for leadership roles.
Add it as a browser extension or integrate it into tools like Microsoft Word, and it will automatically suggest corrections wherever you write online. That sounds technical to do, but it's simple. Visit Grammarly to find out more.
Feature: job hunting
Looking for a new job? AI can help...
Poised
Want feedback on how you sound? Poised tracks your speech in real-time and tells you exactly how to improve.
Claude by Anthropic
Tailoring a CV can be time consuming. Claude rewrites your CV to match job descriptions.
Final Round AI
This tool simulates real interview questions and gives instant feedback.
Teal
Your CV might not be getting past the ATS filters (Applicant Tracking System - a software tool used by employers to automatically scan and sort resumes based on keywords and criteria). Teal scans job descriptions and optimises your resume with the right keywords.
​
More on how AI can help you with your CV....
Had enough hey? Ok, time for a CV refresh
If you haven’t updated your CV in a while, AI can help you fine-tune it for your next move.
Upload your CV to a generative AI tool like ChatGPT and provide details about your most recent role, key responsibilities, achievements, and measurable impact. Then, use these prompts to refine it:
-
"Review my CV and provide feedback based on my goal of applying for (specific roles) in (specific sectors). I want to come across as (desired perception, e.g., strategic, innovative, results-driven).”
-
“Rewrite my CV incorporating my latest role, making it compelling and tailored for (target job). Ensure it highlights my key strengths and industry impact.”
​
Top tip: Try a few different versions of the summary at the top of the CV. Ask for a version that is confident but humble, or a version that shows you are a leader with unique skills. Have a play, until you find something you can work with.
How do I keep track of ideas I see?
Try Glasp AI.
It's like a smart highlighter – you can highlight things on websites and docs and PDFs as you browse, which all get stored for you, to revisit any time.
They get stored in a structured way, and you’ll receive recommendations based on what you highlight. You can share your clippings if you wish to, and explore what others are storing by interest area.
How leaders can use it:
-
Easily highlighting all the great work and feedback you receive on your line reports, storing them by name, ready for your next 1-1
-
Create collections of insightful content to share with the team that you see on Linkedin on news sites
-
Organise and retrieve impactful quotes or ideas for presentations
-
Working on a strategy? Save insight and ideas when you see them and easily retrieve them once you start drafting your doc
Want to future proof your team's skills?
Discover our modern leadership courses,
team skills development training and away days
How do I keep my data and sensitive information safe when uploading to AI?
Ah, we're glad you asked!
Firstly, we recommend that you work with internal teams to create an AI policy, and make colleagues aware about the legal requirements and risks of sharing sensitive or personal data.
Secondly, to upload a document to ChatGPT (or any AI tool) without it being shared publicly, use an enterprise-grade AI like ChatGPT Enterprise, Microsoft Copilot, or Claude AI, which offer strict data privacy controls.
If using a standard AI tool, turn off “Chat history and training” in settings to prevent data from being used for model improvements.
For extra security, store sensitive files in encrypted cloud services like OneDrive or Google Drive, then copy only necessary sections into AI. If handling confidential data, consider local AI models like LM Studio or PrivateGPT, which run on your device without internet access.
Image creation: How can I be more visual in my communications?
Watch more about Leonardo.ai:
Video credit: @MattFarmerai via TikTok
Just like adding an emoji or a giff, leaders can bring their team updates or presentations to life through image creation. Use DALL-E (integrated in ChatGPT), Midjourney (good but less user friendly) or Leonardo.ai (our pick) are all useful tools.
​
Leonaardo, seen below, gives you 150 free image tokens a day, and has the ability to use your own images as reference points. Watch the video to learn more!
​
If using ChatGPT (as we know many of you are!), here's an example prompt:
“Create an image of a sign saying ‘well done’. We’ve just finished a project about ice cream, so make it ice cream-themed on a sunny day with lots of bright pink and green colours in the image. I want to share it with my team with a thank you note.”
Follow up prompt:
“Make it look more like a realistic sign"
How do I analyse my budget for insights I'm missing?
Need a fresh perspective on your budget?
Securely upload your budget data (see above!) and try prompts like:
-
“Identify three areas where cost savings could be made.”
-
“Highlight potential risks in this financial forecast.”
​
Top tip (for personal use): If you are feeling brave, you can upload your personal bank account statements and ask ChatGPT to analyse them. It can tell you when you spend the most during the year, what areas you could cut down on, what areas you spend excessively in, etc. Or, lord help us all, the total amount you are spending in supermarkets (or other places!) so far this year compared to previous years.
What are the environmental impacts of AI?
You may not realise, but AI tools impact the environment primarily through their energy use. Training and operating AI models require powerful computers, which consume significant amounts of electricity.
Currently, much of this energy comes from fossil fuels, which results in carbon emissions and contributes directly to climate change. Furthermore, the construction and maintenance of data centers also have substantial environmental impacts, including resource use and electronic waste.
Organisations need to be conscious of these implications and make informed choices accordingly.
We strongly recommend creating an organisational policy or guidance document to help staff understand the environmental impact of their AI usage. In the meantime, here are some useful tips:
-
Did you know some AI tools are 'lighter' and more energy-efficient than others? Platforms should be transparent about their sustainability, so always enquire about their environmental impact
-
Prioritise using tools and providers with clear sustainability policies.
-
Only use AI when it adds genuine value and efficiency
-
Regularly assess and monitor the overall environmental footprint of your AI initiatives.
-
Educate and engage your team to increase awareness of responsible AI use.
DebateDevil
How do I get through a difficult conversation or win an argument at work?
A great leader strengthens their empathy muscles by understanding other viewpoints.
Use DebateDevil AI to input your opinion and get an alternative perspective.
Alternatively, use a tool Like ChatGPT with these prompts:
“Challenge my viewpoint on (topic).”
“Give me the strongest argument against my position on (issue).”
How do I get better
at giving feedback?
Try capturing what the honest feedback is, and ask a generative AI tool (such as ChatGPT) to help you structure and word the feedback, to aid your delivery.
Feedback is usually done best in person, but the AI support can give you a fresh perspective on how you phrase things.
Here’s an example scenario:
Prompt: "I need to tell a colleague that their energy levels and engagement in my meetings isn’t meeting expectations. I know they are good at their job, but they don’t help team culture when they disengage, look uninterested and rarely contribute. Please help me to structure the feedback so I can land this in a way they will respond to. Keep your advice concise, with short sentences, and guide me as if you have the mixed skills of a team leader, HR professional and a coach. Provide me a rough script that I can use as prompts."
Output from ChatGPT:
Start with positive intent
-
“I appreciate the work you do and the value you bring to the team.”
-
“I want to share some feedback to help us work better together.”
Describe the behaviour objectively
-
“In meetings, I’ve noticed that you often appear disengaged. Less eye contact, little contribution, and low energy.”
-
“This can make it harder for the team to collaborate effectively.”
Explain the impact
-
“Your experience and ideas are valuable, and we miss out when you don’t contribute.”
Invite their perspective
-
“Do you recognise what I’m describing, I’m keen to hear what you think”
-
“I’d love to hear your thoughts on what might help.”
Set clear expectations and offer support
-
“I need you to be more visibly engaged, such as sharing thoughts if you have them, and role modelling good behaviours for the team. But let me know if there are meetings you don’t think you should be in.”
-
“If something is making that difficult, let’s talk about how I can support you.”
End on a positive note
-
“I know you have a lot to offer, and I want to see more of that in our meetings.”
​
Helpful hey?
How do I get my email tone right?
Got a tricky email to respond to?
Concerned about how your tone is coming across?
Copy.ai can rewrite an email in different tones. Try asking it to make your message more assertive, informal, collaborative, or diplomatic to ensure you land it just right.
How do I keep track of ideas from Podcasts?
Try Snipd AI.
It allows you to capture transcripts of the most valuable parts of a podcast and store or share them easily.
How do I have better 1-1s with your line reports?
Leaders often have the intention to be great managers, but preparation time for 1-1s can be an issue.
Try these AI-powered prompts in ChatGPT or Perplexity to get ready for any meeting:
1. “Suggest three great opening questions to check in on my team member’s wellbeing, both at work and personally.”
2. “Give me five ideas for making my next 1-1 feel more supportive and productive.”
3. "Give me 10 things to consider to make my next 1-1 the best one yet"
How can AI help me manage a crisis communications?
Have you had a crisis hit, and need to work out what to do and say next?
Well, firstly, we highly advise using real people to judge the situation based on the nuances and the context. However, AI can help give you ideas and guidance, quickly.
There are tools like Crisis360, which Offer AI-driven crisis management and communication tools. But you can use generative AI, such as Chat GPT. Example prompts:
-
"(INSERT SCENARIO DEATILS). Develop a communication plan to internal and external stakeholders to address the recent data breach incident."
-
Draft me an internal communications message to keep people informed of what is happening and what we are doing about it."
-
"Draft me a note for my board as a status update."
-
"Identify the main reputational risks we face in the next 48 hours, and steps we should be taking now to minimise them."
Would team training be useful?
We can run learning sessions, deliver keynote talks or facilitate team learning on AI for leaders at all levels.
Email Jack directly and he'll get back to you straight away:
-
Just click to email jack.lowman@hackyourselfnow.com
-
Alternatively, you can message through Linkedin, call 07903 288 420 or fill out the form below.