AI, Connection, An Evolving Landscape
August 1st, 2024
NOTICING AND WONDERING
The topic of most conversations these days, especially in the tech startup world, is AI. I notice that the people with the most knowledge say a similar thing, “AI is an enabler of humans”, not a replacement for.
If this is true, I wonder in what ways AI can enable organizational psychologists to deepen cohesion and improve collaboration on teams?
At Groops, we built and are using an AI-enabled platform that integrates employee surveys with de-identified notes from our Groop Guides (taken post-team coaching session) to surface ongoing themes and provide recommendations over time. AI allows us to provide ongoing insights and recommendations to improve team functioning at scale. We would not be able to serve the scale of people we do without AI.
If we (at Groops) are building towards being the global hub of workplace connection, I wonder in what other ways AI can enable our work?
I wonder, what ways can AI enable your work?
If AI will free us from some of the tedious tasks we have to to focus on the things that matter most, how might we double down on human connection on our teams (especially our virtual ones)?
Some ideas are:
Use AI to enable tactical tasks, not the relational / people part of the job.
Have regularly scheduled meetings with a clear goal to stay in communication.
Start each meetings by inviting team members to share their highlight / lowlight of the week (30 secs each) to 1) bring humanity to a professional setting, 3) know the mindset of everyone, 3) deepen empathy, and 4) help people learn and connect with each other over similar experiences.
Level set: pick a meeting where it is expected that everyone has their camera on. This does not have to be all meetings, but determine what frequency feels right for your unique team.
Most meetings are task oriented. Ensure to schedule time together with the sole purpose of team building / connecting (this is Groops for many companies) but this can also look like pulling a Groop Connection Card and discussing as a team.
Ask each other questions using “what / how” and see how the conversation deepens.
A QUOTE TO THINK ABOUT
“Science and technology revolutionize our lives, but memory, tradition and myth frame our response.”
A DEEP-ish QUESTION (or Two)
If you park any fear or resistance to AI, ask yourself - what parts of your work are most time consuming or tedious and how might AI enable you to better navigate this?
As we move deeper into the world of technology, how might you preserve or deepen human connection on your teams?
SOMETHING TO TRY
Push yourself to ask a colleague two open-ended questions (what / how / sometimes why) before you make a statement in a conversation (How did that make you feel, What were you hoping for).
CASE CONSULTATION
Question: I lead a global virtual team and we only see each other in person, maybe once a year. We like each other but I feel the disengagement. How do I improve this?
Dr. Bobbi: Thank you for sharing. Distributed teams are particularly vulnerable to lack of cohesion / connection which often leads to disengagement and retention problems. You are smart to think about this ahead of time. As I mentioned above, make sure to set aside regularly scheduled times to get to know each other outside of what has to be done for work.
You can come up with your own topics (like how do you best like to communicate and why) or this is what our Groop Connection Cards are really good for - they are conversation starters for teams. Aside from the suggestions mentioned above in the Noticing and Wondering section, I would use “noticing and wondering” to talk directly with your team about this. “I notice people might be feeling more disengaged as evidenced by _______, and I wonder 1) how people are feeling and 2) what we need as a team to help make this better?” This is a great starting point as people will feel cared for and you are also modeling how to handle difficult team situations with radical candor (directness with empathy for the people in front of you).
ANNOUNCEMENT
Our Groop Connection Cards are now on Amazon and help teams discuss what best functioning looks like for them.
We are launching a podcast this fall. If you are interested in being a guest or know a person who would be wonderful, please let me know! Stay tuned.
Keep on connecting.
Best,
Bobbi
Bobbi Wegner, Psy.D.
Founder and CEO of Groops: helping teams feel and function their best
Lecturer at Harvard University in Industrial-Organizational Psychology
If you are curious about a workplace dynamic or issue, send me an email at drbobbiwegner@joingroops.com and I will anonymously post it and respond. If you are thinking it, others are too. We can learn from each other. Also, if you are curious about the cohesion and health of your team, book a complimentary 30-minute consultation HERE with one of our Groop Guides.