Augmented Intelligence: Can an AI help you become a better leader?

Artificial Intelligence has been one of the hot topics amongst leaders in 2023. As the field makes big strides, some companies and leaders are adopting it, some are fascinated by it, others are rightfully asking hard questions on ethics and bias, and others are wondering if it will make us irrelevant in the future of work.

As someone who trains leaders and is passionate about communication and public speaking, I found Yoodli, an AI powered AI Communication Coach particularly fascinating. I have been using Yoodli and assessing how this AI Communication Coach will change what I do and most importantly, how it can help the leaders I train. 

Will AI make humans irrelevant?

I believe AI will not make humans irrelevant, but in this age of augmented intelligence, we will change how we do things, and what we expect from humans. AI won’t replace human only traits, but it will do some of the work previously done by humans, so we can focus on the things ONLY we can do. 

If you are a leader working on your communication skills, and wondering if you should use this AI communication Coach, here is how augmented intelligence, Yoodli and your coach, can help you become a better communicator and leader. 

How Yoodli AI helps you become a better leader

1. Words Choice: Yoodli does an awesome job of letting you know if you have repetition words in your speech, how many crutch words such as Uhs, uhms you used, what your top keywords are and list of weak words you used. 

2. Listening: This is another awesome feature in Yoodli, as you will get the percentage of talk time, so you will know if you dominated the conversation, if it was a monologue, and if you asked questions. This is awesome as it will gently remind you to give others a chance to speak 🙂

3. Delivery: Yoodli gives you information on your delivery such as how you looked on camera (your position on the screen and whether you were smiling or not), whether you made eye contact or not, and the pace of your speech. 

If you are wondering, what else will my communication coach help me with then 🙂 Worry not. 

There is a quote by Maya Angelo that says  “I’ve learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.”

While what and how we say something is important, communication especially for leaders, is all about how we influence and impact others. 

Yoodli will tell you how great your speech is and that it has no flaws in it, and your coach will tell how it impacts the audience by giving you their reactions.

Yoodli will tell you that you had no filler words and no weak words, which is great. Your coach will inform you if the story you shared is moving, sad, uplifting, or powerful. The coach will be able to share his/her reaction and if it moved him/her, if it made him/her cry, laugh, emotional, and if it was powerful.

Yoodli will tell you how your pace was and if you smiled, and your coach will tell you whether that smile was distractive or amplified the point you were making. 

Finally, you might give a perfect speech on your own, but how would you do it in front of someone or in front of a crowd? Afterall, the fear of public speaking is not only about how we communicate, but rather about how to communicate in front of others. 

It truly is a time of augmented intelligence and I think as we figure out how this all will pan out, there is an opportunity for leaders to use this tool and their communication coaches, to improve their communication skills.

Nejat Abdurahman is a Founder, Keynote Speaker, and Trainer who aspires to enable organizational growth and transformation through learning and leadership development. A continuous learner herself, Nejat loves to spark passion for learning and help people unlock their potential.

Nejat currently runs N-BAC and facilitates Leadership Development programs at N-BAC Academy to equip managers and leaders with the needed skills to transform the way they lead so as to transform their businesses and create a meaningful and sustainable impact.

Nejat is a Distinguished Toastmaster (DTM). DTM is the highest award Toastmasters International bestows to recognize a superior level of achievement in both communication and leadership.