You don’t really even need to be paying attention to notice the quiet tension showing up in more and more conversations about AI. On the surface, we are amazed by what it can do, but underneath that awe, there’s something else that makes all this progress feel a little off and a little unsettling. While all this change is a little disquieting in its own right, there is something else that may be sneaking up on all of us that makes this shift feel even more uncomfortable.  

It might be our pride. 

For hundreds of years, we have built our value around what we know and how we communicate it. We have gotten accustomed to being rewarded for being sharp, educated, well-read, quick, and in control. But now, we’re watching tools do in seconds what used to take us hours, and in a lot of cases, they’re doing it better. It sometimes feels like we’re all just one GPT release away from becoming totally obsolete. 

I am no technologist, but I have become infatuated with learning about the maturation of AI and ML. These tools we now have access to are incredible, and once you learn to use them adequately, it can be difficult remember how you got through the day without them. And that’s more than scary… it’s terrifying. This realization can send your mind spinning into a deep and dark place (it certainly did mine). 

But over the past few months, I’ve started to intentionally reframe how I think about what’s actually happening here. 

I love this take from Harvard Business Review: 
AI won’t replace humans. But humans with AI will replace humans without it (Lakhani & Ignatius, 2023). 

That line hit me hard. Not because it felt like a threat, but because it offered clarity. It reframes the moment we are in. This isn’t just about learning how to use new tools; it is about rethinking how we define value, how we show up, and what it really means to be human. 

I still hear passing comments like “I don’t need AI” or “It wouldn’t help me with what I do.” For someone who sees the incredible value these tools can bring, those comments have been exceedingly difficult for me to interpret. But here’s the thing: to use AI well, you have to let go of the need to be the smartest person in the room. That’s not just a technical hurdle; it’s an emotional one. It requires humility, and for most of us, learning to become humble is much more difficult than learning how to prompt a chatbot. 

I’ve been following the evolution of AI pretty closely this past year, and I will be completely honest – it’s really easy to get anxious. Every week there’s a new release, a new bold prediction about job loss, or a new headline about what’s coming next. I find myself getting pulled into the noise, and when that happens, I intentionally have to recognize the need to pull myself back to a simpler place. That simpler place is one that centers on what I can actually control. 

I can control how I lead, how I learn, and how I choose to engage with the tools in front of me without losing what makes me me. 

At some point, I found myself reaching for a tool we teach at The Encompass Group called effective followership. It’s one of those concepts that tends to catch people off guard because we’re so used to talking about leadership. But lately, I’ve come to see it as one of the most grounding mindsets you can bring into uncertain times. 

Here’s the gist: effective followers aren’t passive. They think for themselves. They stay focused on the mission, not their ego. They don’t wait to be told what to do; they step in, contribute, and help shape the work. 

Ineffective followership is effective followership’s antithesis. It can look like going quiet. Or resisting just to resist. Or clinging to old ways because they once made you feel important. 

That lens helped me get honest with myself. Not just about AI, but about any moment that pokes at my pride or makes me question where my value comes from. It reminded me that fear and busyness and defensiveness are often just signs I’m protecting the status quo. 

Whether you’re leading or following, the question is the same: am I here to prove something, or am I here to be part of something bigger than me? The future of work isn’t going to reward pride or protect comfort zones. It’s going to reward humility, adaptability, clarity, and the ability to build trust in uncertain conditions. AI will keep getting faster, but our edge (and what still makes us essential) is not rooted in speed. It’s our ability to frame the right problems, bring people together, and move things forward with intention. That’s not going away. If anything, it’s becoming more essential every day. 

Written by Robert Rich, SPHR, SHRM-SCP, VP of Transformational Consulting at The Encompass Group


Reference 

Lakhani, K., & Ignatius, A. (2023, August 4). AI won’t replace humans — but humans with AI will replace humans without AI. Harvard Business Review. https://hbr.org/2023/08/ai-wont-replace-humans-but-humans-with-ai-will-replace-humans-without-ai