I use AI, but I’m not there yet
Let’s be clear: who among us can truly say they’re making the most of artificial intelligence? I’m not hiding it—I use it, but I know I’m still far from fully leveraging its potential. And that’s the challenge. AI is everywhere, in our work, our strategies, our thinking, it’s changing the way we understand our professions. But for many leaders, it remains underutilized: an opportunity we brush up against without truly seizing.
In my work as a coach, I often see this: some leaders use AI the same way one would use an Excel spreadsheet. Functional, yes—but far from revolutionary. But to stay in the race, it’s no longer enough to just dabble in innovation. You have to integrate it, master it, and above all, align it with your goals and your vision. AI isn’t a trend or a plug-and-play solution. It’s a lever. When used with discernment, it can move mountains. My own journey with artificial intelligence proves it. Here are the lessons I’ve learned—perhaps they’ll be useful to you too.
1. AI: A mirror of our ambitions… and our limits
I won’t lie to you: when I started using AI, I thought I’d found a practical tool. Nothing more. Today, I realize it acts like a mirror—it reflects our ambitions, but also our biases, our blocks, and sometimes our contradictions.
Let me share a personal example. For several weeks, I kept having a recurring dream: I was back to being a trader. The dream changed slightly each time, but the theme was always the same. I’d wake up wondering, “Why this? Why now?” One day, I decided to use AI to analyze the dream. Using tools like ChatGPT, I explored possible meanings: my attachment to my past in finance, my fears of regression, hidden desires.
The very next day, I received two coaching contracts with executives in the finance sector. A coincidence? Maybe. But in reality, the dream was showing me that I wanted to reconnect with that world—not as a trader, but as a coach. ChatGPT helped me articulate what I already sensed deep down, but hadn’t dared to say aloud.
What that episode taught me is that AI doesn’t do the work for you. It amplifies your thinking—and you must be willing to ask yourself the right questions:
What am I really trying to achieve with this tool?
Am I being honest with myself about my ambitions and fears?
How can I align my intuition with concrete strategic decisions?
I also use AI in my strategic board. I integrate it to bring fresh perspectives and spark new thinking. I even “asked Taylor Swift” for strategic advice—and I must admit, it was excellent! By intelligently using your data with AI, you can turn raw information into precise, actionable strategic decisions—far beyond what intuition alone could offer.
AI isn’t there to replace your instincts or your expertise—it’s there to challenge them and accelerate your Go-To-Market strategy. It pushes you further, into territories you might otherwise overlook. And believe me—it can reveal far more than we’re ready to hear.
2. Upskill and stay critical
AI is a revolution, but it’s not a magic wand. I’ve heard it said that this revolution will be as significant as the printing press and the steam engine combined. It demands time, curiosity, and the ability to distinguish real potential from hollow promises. Yes, it’s a powerful tool—and it’s advancing fast. But it’s like an excellent ping-pong paddle: first, you have to learn how to use it.
Here’s what I’ve noticed:
Very few leaders spend enough time testing AI or subscribing to the best newsletters on the topic.
As a result, they easily get “bullshitted” by self-proclaimed experts.
So, investing time to identify and follow the right experts—those who know the tools in your field—is key. It’s exhausting to keep up with a never-ending pace, to constantly learn new skills to master new technologies. We can all feel overwhelmed by ever-evolving tools. But we’re all in the same boat, and it’s exactly this ability to question ourselves that shapes our character.
My practical advice:
Block out several hours a week to test new tools, read specialized newsletters, and listen to conferences.
Create an account on a professional AI platform, get a paid subscription, and observe how it learns about you. You’ll be able to test different models.
Experiment without being naive. Try tools, test prompts, draw inspiration from others—have fun at first, then set a clear goal.
Stay critical. “Too good to be true”? Beware of unrealistic promises. AI won’t replace your leadership, your strategic vision, or the culture you’ve built over the years. Also, remember: the AI hallucination rate is around 15%, which is quite high.
Encourage your teams to use AI regularly—and to be open about it. I see too many who open a personal account and use it in secret.
Engage in dialogue with AI by refining your questions. Don’t forget that the first answer will always be an average of what’s out there on the web.
Finish your prompts with: “Great—what prompt should I have used to get this answer directly?”
AI is a powerful tool that can accelerate your own transformation—and your team’s. You don’t need to become a technical expert, but you do need to understand how this technology can fit into your processes and help advance your priorities.
3. I’ve been talking about it with all my coachees and supervisees for 6 months
Empowering yourself means using every tool available to become the best version of yourself. For me, AI isn’t technology that replaces humans—it’s technology that magnifies our potential. It’s the opportunity to go further, faster, more precisely, more effectively.
The question is no longer if you should start using it—but how.
Use it for specific tasks, but also—and more importantly—to fuel your thinking. AI is the answer; it’s our best ally for developing expertise in specific areas. It won’t replace us—at least not yet—but it will help us grow faster, especially where we’re weakest. And as we strengthen our connection with it (by using it regularly), it will also reveal our blind spots.
Today, I asked Chat 4.5 what my three blind spots are—as a coach and as an entrepreneur. The response wasn’t surprising, but it was a good reminder of what I need to watch out for.
Now, it’s your turn. If you’d like, I’d be happy to share the prompts I used to analyze my dreams, my strategic board, or others.
Where will you start?
#AI #coaching #leadership