Leadership comes with its fair share of challenges. You’ll quickly find a raft of books, courses, seminars and conferences all supporting personal development. It is a role that does require reflection and development.
While traditional coaching is invaluable, more people are now looking at AI tools like ChatGPT as an aid. It is seen as a practical, accessible solution for some leaders looking to enhance their self-awareness and decision-making skills.
Consider these key insights about the rise of AI-powered coaching:
Effectiveness: An AI coach was found to be as effective as human coaches in facilitating goal attainment over a 10-month study period. (Source: PLOS ONE)
Market Growth: The online coaching market is expected to grow from $2.19 billion in 2022 to about $6.79 billion by 2031, driven by AI-powered solutions. (Source: US News)
Adoption Rates: Currently, 28% of learning and development leaders are utilizing AI-powered coaching tools, with an additional 29% actively evaluating options. (Source: US News)
Empathy Gap: While AI can offer structured advice, it lacks the empathy and deep understanding that human coaches provide, especially in complex scenarios. (Source: Psychology Today)
At the recent Learning Leaders Conference, panellists highlighted the growing role of AI in self-coaching. I was interested to hear from the panel about how they are using AI in self-coaching? Did they use it daily or just as an aid when needed?
One speaker shared their experience using ChatGPT to create a detailed vision for their personal and professional life. By providing the AI with their priorities and goals, they received a vivid, inspiring narrative of a “day in the life” of their future self. This helped them identify the daily behaviours and long-term strategies required to achieve their vision.
Further examples were AI tools facilitating self-reflection. Leaders using platforms like ChatGPT to process challenging situations by asking questions such as, “What could I have done differently in that meeting?” or “How can I improve my approach to managing my team?”
The conversational format provides an objective sounding board, enabling leaders to uncover insights they might not have considered otherwise.
For those hesitant about sharing their challenges with others, AI offers a private and judgment-free alternative. Note. It’s always worth checking what your model is doing with your data!
One panellist suggested telling AI tools to “think like a coach” or align with specific values for more personalised advice. This ensures the responses resonate with the leader’s unique perspective and priorities.
While AI cannot replace human coaching, it was suggested as complementing traditional methods by offering on-demand support and guidance. Leaders were using these tools to supplement their growth journeys, making reflection and planning more efficient and actionable.
Incorporating AI into self-coaching routines was discussed as a step toward embracing innovation in leadership. By leveraging these tools, leaders were seen to enhance their self-awareness, refine their strategies, and build a more intentional path toward success.
Would you use AI as a coach? More people are using AI as a coach? It doesn’t have the empathy and deep understanding that human coaches provide, but what would you use it for? Would you use it all?
