The Algorithm of Authenticity: Can AI Help Founders Be More Human, Not Less?

Hey there! Welcome back to Founder Mode!

I’ve been thinking a lot about the intersection of AI and human connection. Most of the time, we hear about how AI will replace human jobs and make us less human. But what if AI could actually help us be more human—especially as founders? Let me explain.

AI + Human Connection: My Experience with Feedback

This week, I had a chance to experience this firsthand. I gave my intern feedback on his recent work. Usually, this means a lot of back-and-forth. I explain what works, what doesn't, and what needs fixing. AI tools can simplify the process and still keep a human touch in feedback.

Here’s how it went: We had a meeting where we discussed some of his work and interactions with the team. I pasted the transcript into ChatGPT, and here’s where it got interesting. The AI found important themes in the conversation. It pointed out his lack of intuition and ownership. It even gave me a 90-day plan to help him improve.

At first, I was hesitant. I didn’t want to make the feedback too formal or rigid. - I asked the AI for a simpler bullet-point version. The AI's reply felt a bit harsh. So, I asked it to adjust the tone for a more positive and constructive response.

How AI is Transforming Feedback in Business

I have had over 100 interns in the past 25 years. At big companies like Yahoo, VMware, and Microsoft, there are large university programs. This means each team gets many new interns each season. I recall times at Microsoft my team had more than 15 in a single summer. I always found it hard to give feedback. I’d hear good and bad things about an intern in the halls or meetings. If I could make it semi-anon I’d shoot them a quick note to help pass along the feedback. If we had today’s tools, gathering feedback would be easier. Now, most internal meetings and a lot of external ones have AI note takers. We can set up a system to automatically collect helpful feedback. This feedback would include ideas to improve each intern’s experience based on their context.

In my case, he received practical feedback. More concrete and better worded than I could myself. It motivated him to improve and kept his spirits high. I gave him feedback quickly. After our chat, I sent a bulleted list on Slack. He replied positively. He shared new ideas for his work, inspired by different parts of the GPT menor. :)

Performance Feedback in the Age of AI

AI does more than just automate tasks or answer questions. It helps us connect, communicate, and lead better. And I believe AI can make us better managers by improving how we deliver feedback. In the past, performance reviews and coaching took a lot of time. There were long surveys and many discussions. Now, we can use AI to analyze conversations. It lets us capture key points and deliver quick, custom feedback. It can even look at their recent work or code and review comments to get hyper specfic.

AI is a game-changer. It helps us keep the essence of human connection. We provide clear, direct, and helpful feedback. Plus, it cuts down on the usual admin work. AI helps us stay connected and engaged with our teams. This is true, even when we have many priorities to manage.

Key Takeaways:

1. AI can streamline feedback processes. It helps maintain the human touch.
2. You can use AI to automate performance reviews. It analyzes conversations and offers clear feedback.
3. AI eases the mental effort needed to manage teams. This lets you concentrate on what really counts.
4. Using AI for feedback is faster, simpler, and more efficient.
5. It's not about replacing people with AI. It's about boosting human connection and communication.

Final Thoughts:

The more I use AI, the more I see it isn’t taking our jobs. Instead, it helps us work better, lead stronger, and connect more. In a task-filled world, AI lets us prioritize the human aspects of business. It lets us connect, share feedback, and help others grow.

If you aren’t using AI for performance management or feedback, give it a shot! It could be a game-changer in how you lead your team.

What are your thoughts on using AI to help manage feedback and team dynamics? Hit reply—I’d love to hear how you’re using AI!

See you next week,

-kevin

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