Navio Kwok, PhD, is a leadership adviser, specializing in organizational psychology, at leadership advisory firm Russell Reynolds Associates. Anuradha Chawla, PhD, is an executive director at Russell Reynolds Associates, who specializes in complex succession planning and development for private capital and family office firms.
Important but non-urgent tasks, such as preparing for the impact of artificial intelligence on our jobs, often get pushed to the backburner. They’re crucial, so we don’t remove them from our to-do lists, but more immediately pressing matters always take precedence.
Despite alarmist headlines, a full transition to AI is not imminent. There is currently no evidence that organizations are adopting AI any faster than they have other technologies over the past 50 or 60 years. Organizations today estimate 34 per cent of all business-related tasks are performed by machines, contradicting expectations from just four years ago that by this point, 47 per cent of such tasks would be automated.
In theory, having ample time to prepare means we will be ready when our jobs are automated or augmented. Yet, consider how we approach trip planning. When an event is far away, we think abstractly about what we need to do (for example, experience a new culture or future-proof our careers). It’s only as the event gets closer that we focus concretely on how to do it (for example, bring a travel adapter or complete one module of an online AI course).
Some people are naturally wired for change and planning ahead. For those who aren’t, try this thought experiment: Imagine we are in the future and your job has been affected by advancements in AI. What advice would you give to your past self?
Start preparing earlier
With all this time, use some of it to consider your job or industry’s exposure to AI, such as the research by Pew Research Center or Goldman Sachs. If you’re in a highly exposed job, such as a web developer or technical writer, or industries such as administrative support or legal, begin exploring adjacent careers.
Starting early provides the emotional bandwidth necessary to stay open to possibilities. While positive emotions expand our perspective and encourage exploration, negative emotions narrow our focus and make situations appear threatening.
The shock, dismay or anger that comes from unexpected job impacts can close you off to new career paths. Critically, you might prematurely dismiss “unrealistic” opportunities that themselves aren’t the right fit but could be springboards that eventually help you land on your feet.
To be clear, high exposure to AI doesn’t guarantee job impacts, nor does low exposure mean no effects in the future. However, this awareness provides insight into how urgently you should act.
Expand your identity beyond your job or organization
Identifying with what you do and where has many benefits, including increased job performance and commitment to the organization. However, transitions out of a role or organization, especially if they are no longer viable options, can be profoundly destabilizing if your sense of self is tightly wound with them.
One way forward is to take sabbaticals, a trend that has been gaining traction in recent years. As an extended break from your current job, sabbaticals are an opportunity to evaluate whether your identity is too entangled with your work and provide a safe avenue to experiment with new identities. They also enhance performance in your current role by developing aspects of yourself outside of work and expanding your perspective.
Build relationships outside your organization and industry
Having strong relationships with people in your role, organization or industry is important for job performance. However, if your job is affected by AI, these people are probably facing similar challenges.
This means you’re less likely to find new opportunities within these familiar circles. Instead, it is people on the periphery of your network who can expose you to options and other people that you weren’t aware of or hadn’t fully considered, and who are likely to be a source of fresh thinking.
And, your transition into a new identity requires social validation to feel legitimate. You may need to surround yourself with new people who don’t reinforce an image that you are trying to let go.
Be disciplined with your preparation
If we’re lucky, this article might inspire you to start preparing over the next few days. However, that initial motivation will likely dwindle – it is an important but non-urgent task, after all.
But, if we only did things when we felt like it, nothing would ever get done. While motivation is doing something when it feels good, discipline is feeling good because we did something important to us. Creating a plan and following through is the difference between a dream and a goal.
One way to keep yourself accountable is to share your plan with someone you respect who is at arm’s length. Most people share goals with family and friends, but it’s difficult to see them beyond their identity as loved ones, making us less receptive to their feedback.
Importantly, telling someone you respect adds some reputational skin in the game. Because we care about what those we respect think of us, we are more likely to strive to live up to their expectations.
We don’t want to be alarmist, but we also don’t want to pull punches. You have time to prepare for AI’s impact on jobs, but while days are long, years are short. How will you use that time?
This column is part of Globe Careers’ Leadership Lab series, where executives and experts share their views and advice about the world of work. Find all Leadership Lab stories at tgam.ca/leadershiplab and guidelines for how to contribute to the column here.