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Despite well-intentioned leadership development programs or for that matter any other behavior or skill development training where coginitive skill or any kind of language skill is at the core, the impact of such training often falls short. Because, for participants it is the problem of opportunity to apply such skills immediately after the training and receive a real time feedback. For example, consider a leader trained in performance appraisal discussions. During the training session he learnt the theory and best practices, engage in role-play, and return to work feeling confident. Months later, when the time comes for an actual appraisal conversation he struggle to recall the training and lack of instant coach or mentor support (because getting a people resource anytime and everytime is difficult to get) , leading to a disastrous outcome and losing a high-performer to a competitor. So where was the gap? The program was good, intent was right but even then the desired outcome has not come. This hypothetical scenario highlights the gap: The lack of practice opportunities and real-time mentorship. Here comes the role of Conversational AI. What is conversational AI: It refers to the use of artificial intelligence to simulate human-like interactions, providing real-time responses and engaging users in meaningful dialogue. So conversational AI can bridge the gap to a large extent in leadership training by providing a virtual coach available 24/7 to your participants, allowing them to rehearse conversations, receive instant feedback, and refine their skills precisely "when needed". By practicing with an AI tool tailored to the persona of their team member, leaders can better prepare in the moment of need (because normally Adults learn when they need it the most) for critical interactions, reducing the risk of costly mistakes. However, before adopting Conversational AI, it's essential to consider the investment of time, resources, and energy to ensure it aligns with your organizational context. Explore such use cases and engage with such edtech vendors offering Conversational AI solutions or inhouse development (if you have internal resources to develop) of such tool to bridge the gap in leadership development training effectively.

The Curious Advantage Podcast series is brought to you by the authors of the book The Curious Advantage, Paul Ashcroft, Simon Brown & Garrick Jones and it is about how individuals and organisations use the power of curiosity to drive success in their lives and organisations, especially in the context of our new digital reality. It brings to life the latest understanding from neuroscience, anthropology, history and behaviourism about curiosity and makes these useful for everyone.

Alex Singla, a senior partner and global leader of QuantumBlack, AI by McKinsey, said that conversations with CEOs have shifted over the past several weeks. Gone are the requests for explanations of how the technology works — and whether it’s over-hyped. Now, Singla says, five questions dominate: What are the specific use cases? How do I get started? What are the risks I need to manage? What are the implications for present and future employees? How do I learn fast?

According to the World Economic Forum: Cognitive skills top the list of those deemed greatest importance for workers in 2023. Analytical thinking is considered a core skill by more companies than any other skill, making up, on average, 9.1% of the core skills reported by companies. Ahead of three self-efficacy skills – resilience, flexibility, and agility; motivation and self-awareness; and curiosity and lifelong learning – which recognize the importance of workers' ability to adapt to disrupted workplaces. "There's more of a focus and an interest in having people with analytical thinking, people with creativity," Saadia Zahidi, Managing Director of the World Economic Forum, said in an interview for the Radio Davos podcast on the Future of Jobs Report 2023. "But it's also become very important to have leadership skills and to have social influence, and the ability to work with other people. The traits that make us human, make us able to relate with each other and to get innovative, creative things done in the workplace."