When people talk about AI, they usually mention code generation, productivity hacks, or content creation. But here’s something you don’t hear every day:
AI can actually help you become a great leader.
Not in some abstract, futuristic way, but right now, in the real challenges you're facing with your team, time, and decision-making.
Let me share how I discovered this.
My Experience: Leading with AI at Ecobee
At Ecobee, I led a team of 12 technical support specialists. We were in the middle of a big transition, moving from UKG to Workday. As anyone who's dealt with platform migrations knows, this meant new workflows, retraining, and lots of uncertainty.
Team members had questions. Documentation was scattered. Training sessions were eating up too much time.
So I decided to bring AI into the room.
I opened ChatGPT and wrote a detailed prompt:
Prompt: “Create a 2-page training summary for Workday tailored to support reps who were previously using UKG. Highlight key differences, use plain language, and include a sample workflow.”
What came out was surprisingly solid. I edited the tone, aligned it with our team’s voice, and shared it internally.
It saved us hours. Training sessions became smoother. The team felt more confident.
And most importantly, I had more time to focus on listening, guiding, and being present as a leader.
What Prompt Engineering Really Means
Prompt engineering sounds complicated, but it’s really about asking questions thoughtfully. The better you frame your request, the better the response you get from AI.
Prompt engineering is:
- Asking the right questions
- Giving the right context
- Getting the right output
Think:
❌ “Summarize Workday.”
✅ “Summarize Workday in simple terms for tech support agents transitioning from UKG, focusing on time-off requests and schedule changes.”
It’s not about being technical. It’s about being intentional.
Tools Beyond ChatGPT That Can Help You Lead Smarter
Here are a few AI tools I’ve explored or seen others benefit from:
| Tool | Free Tier | Paid (USD/month) |
|---|---|---|
| Perplexity | ✔️ Free | $20 Pro / $40 Enterprise |
| Pi.ai | ✔️ Free only | — |
| Klap | ❌ No | $29 Basic / $79 Pro / $189 Pro+ |
| Beautiful.ai | ❌ No | $12 Individual / $38–46 Team |
| Notion AI | Limited free use | $8–10 add-on (workspace) → \$18–25 total |
| Reclaim.ai | ✔️ Free | $8 Starter / $12 Business / $18 Enterprise |
You don’t need to master them all, just experiment and see what fits your flow.
How Can AI Help You Lead Better?
Here’s where AI makes you a 10x leader:
- Communication: Auto-draft tricky emails with the right tone 🎯
- Strategy: Brainstorm ideas with zero bias 🤝
- Conflict Resolution: Simulate conversations before the real ones 🧘
- Coaching: Role-play feedback sessions to become more empathetic 💬
- Decision Making: Compare pros/cons fast with reliable data 📈
The Takeaway
AI won’t replace your leadership instincts. But it will give you leverage.
It helps clear the clutter so you can focus on what actually matters, your team, your vision, and your ability to lead with clarity and intention.
And once you start using it this way, you’ll wonder how you ever led without it.