“Communication — the human connection — is the key to personal and career success.” – Paul J. Meyer

Answering Threats of Automation, AI and Empty Toilet Paper Shelves

The (m)asses are in charge.

It seems when uncertainty of a certain level occurs in modern times, the backside takes priority.

The port strikes initiated yesterday on the East and Gulf Coasts has toilet paper rolling off the shelves.

For sure, there’s reason to be concerned, as prices on everything moving through ports will undoubtedly increase, just in time for multipe end-of-year holidays.

There’s also reason to take note of the underlying issue at the heart of port workers’ demands: preventing automation from taking their jobs.

Now, I’m no economist, but I am a career tactician. And the undeniable truth is that, in “Night of the Living Dead” fashion, “they’re coming to get you Barbara.”

AI and all forms of automation are encroaching at an increasing pace. It might be delayed, but it won’t be stopped.

Here are just a few fun facts:

• 39% of HR managers currently use AI in the hiring process
• Not only can AI create an indepth profile of how you act and think based on your resume, but it can analyze a video interview and provide a hiring manager with a complete personality profile of you even before you speak with them (ye-bye Myers-Briggs and DISC!)
• A summer survey of US firms showed that 60% of them plan to incorporate AI within the next year to automate jobs that people now do.
• A similar 2020/2021 implementation of automation at the ports of Long Beach and Los Angeles (in my backyard) eliminated 572 full-time jobs.

So, what’s the answer? Usually in those zombie movies, after all the exhaustive fighting, humans prevail. But this isn’t a movie, and AI/automation will no doubt win.

However, in whatever quiver of career skills you’ve developed thus far, there’s a very special one that will always keep you above the Matrix of machinery nipping at your heels.

That mostly unmastered and undeveloped skill is Human Connection.

I like to call it Human Connectibility.

• Human Connectibility has you rise above the mass of lemmings submitting on LinkedIn when 100 have already applied before you.
• Human Connectibility has you able to reach through cyber zaps to have people actually get to know you vs bots simply scrolling you.
• Human Connectibility has you pierce into hidden circles of publicly unknown leadership opportunities vs being relegated to Big Brother public lists of open positions clawed at by throngs of job seekers
• Human Connectibility  creates bonds with folks whom YOU proactively choose to bring into your career consciousness (and you into theirs) vs being on the reactive side of simply hoping to hear from somebody, anybody you’ve applied to.
• Human Connectibility ensures your value as irreplaceble while so many other less skilled professionals fall into AI obsolesence

The old saying, “If you can’t beat ’em, join ’em” applies here.

You can kvetch all you want about the AI/automation annexation of your career life, OR you can become a dedicated student of Human Connectibility which, once mastered, becomes a skill machines will never replace.

So, your AI (Aspiration Intelligence) enhanced mission, should you choose to accept it, is to begin learning the career skill of Human Connectibility to ensure your own life, liberty and pursuit of happy career.

Think differently, play better.

Radically,

Darrell

CareerGuy and Back Forty Freedom Flier

P.S. Want to explore how Human Connectibility shapes a passionate and purposeful career? Attend the upcoming CareerGuy Passion & Purpose Breakout!

“As more and more artificial intelligence is entering into the world, more and more emotional intelligence must enter into leadership.” – Amit Ray