AI is already changing coaching. The question is not whether we use it, but how wisely we do.
Six times the charm. I was just re-awarded my PCC (Professional Certified Coach). Every three years, I complete 40 hours of coaching education to maintain my PCC credential.
As part of my ongoing learning, I attended Convergence, the International Coaching Conference, virtually. The most talked about and least agreed-on topic was AI and coaching.
AI is a reality. It doesn’t matter if you love it, hate it, or fall somewhere in between. It’s changing coaching. Everyone has an opinion and uses it differently. AI is a technology disruptor, like the Internet, smartphones, and Netflix.
As a former technology leader turned professional leadership coach, I pay close attention to technology disruptors and how they shape leadership and human behavior. AI is one of the biggest shifts I’ve seen. It’s also raising an important question for everyone.
How can I use AI to strengthen my coaching or leadership without losing the human connection?
Coaching is expensive. Great coaching has mostly been available only to those who can pay for it. AI makes coaching more accessible to everyone. In many companies where I work, coaching is offered only to senior leaders or when a complex challenge cannot be resolved internally.
Pros: Everyone can use AI. It’s an easy way to be coached. It can add perspectives, validate ideas, and generate new insights.
Cons: Don’t take what AI says as gospel. I once asked AI a question and was surprised by the answer. I followed up with, “What about the ethical implications of what you just suggested?” AI replied, “Yes, glad you mentioned that. That’s not ethical. Here’s an alternative approach that is more ethical to try.”
Security, ethics, and morality are not always clear or considered in AI.
Tip: Dig deeper. Validate. Question what AI suggests.
AI is evolving. It’s a tool that can be used for good and harm. There are ethical, moral, cultural, and security issues to consider. AI is not always right. It reflects the data and logic it was engineered from.
If you need a dose of caution about AI, check out the thought-provoking book Unknowable Minds by Mark Bailey, about AI and weapons. Here’s my review of it: Thought Provoking Learning
How I’m using AI in my coaching practice now
AI and gratitude are a positive game-changer that has elevated my coaching.
When I’m curious, I engage with AI before or after a coaching session to gain additional insights, improve my coaching, and support my client. I also offer clients the option to receive AI-generated reflections from our coaching meetings.
Here’s what AI and I have discussed:
- What are this leader’s values, beliefs, and brand?
- What question should I have asked?
- How could I have improved my coaching?
- What percentage of the talking did I do?
- How would I score on PCC or MCC markers if this session were reviewed?
AI also helps me stay more present with clients by taking notes and creating summaries. I am a terrible note-taker and forget everything. After trying several apps, I’ve settled on Fathom to capture notes, summaries, and action items.
Bottom line: AI has improved both my coaching and the administration of coaching. I know my clients benefit by achieving their goals faster.
At the same time, the need for more human-centered cultures and skills is greater than ever because of AI. Some AI can emulate human compassion and emotion, activate our body’s feel-good chemicals, and apply ethical principles. Still, it’s crucial to engage with AI with your eyes wide open.
AI is not the end of coaching or humans, unless you believe the AI paperclip apocalyptic scenario. AI is a collection of tools with the potential for good and evil, and the ability to dramatically shift how we lead, work, and live.
This is where gratitude matters more than ever. Having a strong foundation of gratitude helps us navigate change and uncertainty with steadiness and perspective. Gratitude keeps humans human by helping us stay authentically caring, curious, and cautious during time of great change and uncertainty.
How are you using AI as a leader or coach, while still staying fully human?
