I’m noticing some themes emerging that will shape leadership & coaching short-term.
Who will we choose to be in response?
AI – the exponential rate of adoption at scale is profound. My LinkedIn feed is now full of ‘10 super prompts you need… etc…’ The integration we’ll see short-term will embed these AI capabilities into our daily lives.
Some people are saying AI type coaching interventions will remove the need for coaching but I think this is upside down. I actually think they’ll reinforce the need for coaching because the human interaction, compassion & resonance that comes in conversation will be an antidote to the de-human experience elsewhere in our lives.
The reality is that some work & jobs will disappear because of automation & being skilled in supporting an exploration of purpose will become a key part of coaching work.
Polyvagal & embodiment – as we move towards AI & exponential technology, we increase DIS-embodiment e.g. stuck to screens, notifications, scrolling, anxiety & loneliness etc. The healing, wisdom & presence that comes from developing our sense of self will give us a feeling of grounding needed.
Symbols – who we see in others & their roles, what we see around us is because of the unconscious symbols & archetypes we’ve been conditioned with. Some of these are from our direct experience, others from the media & influences around us. Paying attention to these symbols reimagining their meanings will help us grow beyond.
Presence – being in the moment, being present to ourselves & our experience of life will be a rare experience but the more we can return ‘home’ to presence, the more alive & open we’ll feel. Other people who are lost uncertain will lean on this presence & groundedness.
Heat experiences & estuaries – the space at the edge of our comfort zone, just before overwhelm, will be the home for some, the warriors, who lean us towards a brighter horizon. The heat created here needs a tolerance which can be developed & the space will feel like an estuary: where sea water & fresh water meet – a combination that is constantly moulded & moulding.
Burnout – as we settle into a new way of being together virtually, work expands until the boundaries are created. The lack of control that people feel over their work & outcomes will increase burnout until leaders trust & empower their employees but this will be hard learned & AI as an alternative will be an enticing choice in place of ‘difficult’ people.
Leadership as a model – leadership is under intense focus at the moment but the reason is not always the leaders, it’s the projection of what leaders are in our minds & the connnection to the systems they represent which collectively have lost trust.
Who leaders choose to be given those realities will need to be carefully articulated but also embodied or it’s pointless. Closing the say:do gap with clear mutual expectations will regain trust as leaders lead us towards the uncertain future.
What do you think?
