Dr. David Day & Dr. Jonathan Reams - How Could AI Support Leader Development?
May 31, 2023
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Join Dr. David Day, a leadership psychology expert from Claremont McKenna College, and Dr. Jonathan Reams, a professor at the Norwegian University of Science and Technology, as they explore how AI can transform leader development. They discuss the integration of technology in personal growth and the pivotal role of emotional awareness in effective leadership. The conversation also challenges traditional models of adult development and emphasizes the potential of wearable tech in shaping future leaders while addressing ethical concerns.
Understanding adult developmental stages is crucial for leaders to effectively communicate and cultivate trust within diverse teams.
The integration of AI in leadership development offers potential for personalized growth, but necessitates careful consideration of ethical implications to avoid biases.
Deep dives
Insights from Adult Development in Leadership
The discussion emphasizes the importance of understanding adult development in leadership contexts. Dr. David Day and Dr. Jonathan Reams share their reflections on how varied developmental stages affect individuals' perspectives and behaviors in organizations. One key insight highlights how trust varies depending on the developmental level of individuals, suggesting that leaders at higher complexity levels may understand a concept differently than those at lower levels. This misalignment could lead to misunderstandings and mistrust within teams, urging leaders to adapt their communication to bridge these gaps.
The Role of Context in Leadership Communication
The podcast underscores that effective leadership communication must consider the audience's developmental complexity. Leaders often assume that their nuanced ideas are accessible, but those at lower developmental stages may struggle to comprehend them. An example discussed is Obama's inaugural speech, which exemplified the challenge of speaking to a diverse audience with varying levels of understanding. By recognizing the need to tailor messages, leaders can foster better connections and facilitate genuine engagement with their teams.
Leveraging Technology to Enhance Leadership Development
The conversation incorporates the potential of technology, including AI and virtual reality, to enhance leadership development. The guests suggest that these tools can provide feedback and support for individual growth by simulating real-world challenges and scenarios. For example, AI could help track behavioral patterns and emotional responses in leadership situations, offering insights for improvement. This integration of technology presents exciting opportunities for developing the skills necessary to navigate complex organizational dynamics more effectively.
Navigating Ethical Challenges in Developmental Technology
A critical theme of the discussion revolves around the ethical implications of using AI and other technologies for leadership development. The experts caution that while these tools can augment learning, they must be implemented carefully to avoid unintended consequences. The potential for bias in AI systems and the influence of their creators' intentions were highlights of this concern. Thus, maintaining a balance between utilizing these advancements and ensuring ethical practices is essential for fostering a healthy leadership environment.
* Note, this episode is (in part) a reflection on episodes 154-163. A series about the intersection of adult development and leadership: listening to those episodes will provide context for this discussion.
David V. Day holds appointments as Professor of Psychology and Leadership, and as Academic Director of the Kravis Leadership Institute at Claremont McKenna College. He is a Fellow of the American Psychological Association, Association for Psychological Science, International Association of Applied Psychology, and the Society for Industrial and Organizational Psychology. He has published more than 100 peer-reviewed journal articles, books, and book chapters, many pertaining to the core topics of leadership and leadership development. He received the Walter Ulmer Research Award from the Center for Creative Leadership in 2010 for outstanding, career-long contributions to applied leadership research.
Dr. Jonathan Reamsis driven by an insatiable curiosity about the essence of human nature and how to cultivate this essence in the service of leadership. He uses various outlets to achieve this. He currently has a position at the Norwegian University of Science and Technology, where he teaches and does research on leadership development, coaching, and counseling. He serves as Editor-in-Chief of Integral Review, A Transdisciplinary and Transcultural Journal for New Thought, Praxis and Research. He is also a co-founder of the Center for Transformative Leadership and the European Center for Leadership Practice. Jonathan’s Ph.D. is in Leadership Studies from Gonzaga University. Jonathan practices the cultivation of leadership through consulting and leadership development program design and delivery.
A Couple Quotes
"Much of this adult development work is about how people talk and think, or how they talk is supposed to reflect their thinking. But what about behaviors...how can we use virtual reality to put people into situations and see how they navigate that?"
"We're trying to capture reality in flight. Development is going on all the time, every day, and the stages are helpful to a point, but then they sort of get in the way of what's going on in someone's developmental trajectory."
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