When leaders say,
“Maybe we should start thinking about ChatGPT or AI...”
I know one thing immediately:
They’re already behind.
Because here’s what’s real—your team is already using it.
Right now. On company time.
To write emails. To recap meetings. To brainstorm decks. To answer questions you haven’t even asked yet.
But it’s happening with no oversight. No standards. No strategy.
And that should concern you more than whether ChatGPT “works.”
This Isn’t an Experiment. It’s a Movement.
You can’t afford to treat generative AI like a side project.
This is now a core capability, like cloud or mobile was a decade ago.
And if you don’t set the tone, define the standards, and guide your teams on usage—you’re not leading it. You’re following it.
10 Uncomfortable Truths for Leaders About ChatGPT Right Now
1. You Already Have Shadow AI
People are using personal ChatGPT accounts to do work-related tasks.
No controls. No data protection. No visibility.
You’re one NDA away from a breach.
2. “It Doesn’t Work” Just Means “I Don’t Know How to Prompt”
Most people type to AI the way they Google.
Lazy: “Summarize this report.”Strategic: “Act as a product lead. Summarize the attached 10-page spec for an exec team. Focus on risks, timeline, and top-level features. Output: 4 bullets.”
3. Prompting Is a Leadership Skill Now
Knowing how to structure inputs isn’t just for tech roles.
If you can’t delegate a clear task to AI, you're going to fall behind faster than you think.
4. GenAI Is Already Touching Critical Workflows
Customer support scripts. Onboarding docs. Sales pitches.
It’s already being used at the edge of your business.
You just haven’t mapped it yet.
5. Without Guardrails, You’re Training the Wrong Behaviors
If you haven’t defined what “responsible AI use” means inside your org, then TikTok tutorials and random influencers are doing it for you.
6. Your First Move Shouldn’t Be Tools—It Should Be Culture
Don’t start with “Which AI vendor should we use?”
7. You Can Get 10x ROI with Just 10 Prompts
Want fast value? Standardize 10 high-leverage prompts for sales, service, operations, and leadership.
Then teach your team how to adapt them.
That alone will return hours every week—per person.
8. Security Can’t Be an Afterthought
Here’s your checklist:
- Never input sensitive data unless you're on a private instance.
- Use generic roles instead of names (e.g., “VP of Sales” vs. “Michael Thompson”).
- Assume everything typed into a free LLM is public unless governed.
- Create redacted prompt templates as standard operating procedure.
If you’re not locking this down, you’re opening your IP vault to the internet.
9. If You’re Not Teaching Prompting, You’re Outsourcing Strategy
Prompts aren’t just for copywriting—they shape thinking.
How you ask the question dictates how your team frames the problem.
That’s not just productivity. That’s culture.
10. AI Isn't Coming for Your Job—But It’s Rewriting the Job Description
This is about leverage.
Do more with less. Think faster. Move cleaner. Communicate clearer.
That’s what AI enables when leaders lead it intentionally.
What to Do Next (Before the Year Slips Away)
If you’re serious about leading in a high-performance environment, here's your 3-step start:
- Acknowledge Reality
- AI is being used already. Stop pretending it’s optional.
- Set Guardrails and Guidance
- Write the usage policy. Define “acceptable use.” Teach prompt discipline.
- Operationalize It
- Build an internal prompt library.
- Create team-specific playbooks.
- Assign someone (or yourself) to own enablement.
AI Is Not a Tool. It’s an Alignment Test.
If your team is confused, scattered, or skeptical—it’s because they haven’t seen leadership make it matter.
ChatGPT isn’t inconsistent. Your strategy is.
Fix that, and this becomes the most powerful teammate your org has ever had.
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Want help designing an internal prompt system, training your team, or building your AI operating framework?
Let’s build it the right way—before it gets built without you.
