5 ways to boost your team’s productivity – without relying on generative AI
ZDNETThe experts suggest generative AI’s game-changing capabilities mean we won’t have to focus on mundane tasks that limit our productivity. However, while the technology has benefits, generative AI also comes with challenges, such as ethical risks and hallucinations.Various business leaders have told ZDNET that keeping humans in the loop is the key to the successful deployment of AI. Talented professionals ensure emerging technology behaves as it continues to evolve. Also: Is your business AI-ready? 5 ways to avoid falling behindSo, with humans expected to fulfill an important role in a workplace boosted by generative AI, how can managers ensure their staff are eager and productive? Five business leaders gave us their best-practice tips. 1. Make your team feel empowered Carrie Jordan, global director of proposals at Microsoft, said a solid culture is the key to creating more productive teams. “I believe that to create the best team in the world, you have to create the best team to work for,” she said. “In my experience, when your team feels valued, they feel known as a person first, you celebrate their unique characteristics and recognize them, and you encourage collaboration and create a safe psychological space in the team, then they will naturally want to rise and be high performers for you.” Also: 5 quick ways to tweak your AI use for better results – and a safer experienceJordan told ZDNET managers should see culture as the foundation to build great teamwork. “As the leader, you must communicate that you are in a safe place and failure is just learning — we either win or we learn. Then the team will be more innovative, more trusting, and they’ll work hard for you because they feel safe and empowered by you,” she said. “When you hold yourself and your team to high standards, it’s not intimidating. It’s empowering.” 2. Stop having pointless meetings Madoc Batters, head of cloud and IT security at Warner Leisure Hotels, said he boosts productivity using Agile development techniques. “We’re big believers in using extreme programming, running sprints, doing Kanban sessions, and applying all the artifacts for Agile workflows,” he said. Batters told ZDNET he likes to make work processes visible so everybody knows what tasks they should be doing. Once people have direction, you can stop attending pointless get-togethers. “I sometimes think about the number of meetings I used to go to with a bunch of people — maybe a dozen or more — talking about what they’d done last week or what they’re going to do next week,” he said. “If you’d ask them an hour later, the other people in the room wouldn’t know what each person was supposed to be doing.” Also: Here’s why you should ignore 99% of AI tools – and which four I use every dayBatters said people should be able to see the tickets for everyone else. Update those tickets regularly, and people will know what they’re supposed to achieve, without constantly asking others. “There’s so much time wasted talking about what people should be doing,” he said. “Save those meetings for when teams need to make important decisions.” More
