Thought-provoking Things Worth Sharing - Issue #157
Holiday Break
Before we dive into the news, I wanted to remind you all that after this newsletter goes out, I’m taking a little holiday break. The next issue will arrive in your inbox on Jan. 17th. Essentially, with this every-other-week schedule, I’m just skipping the issue that would have been sent in two weeks, on Jan. 3rd, so that I can get a break over the holidays and deal with some medical appointments and testing I need to complete.
No worries, it’s nothing serious. It’s all just preventative and part of my new reality with Type 2 diabetes. But new realities take time and energy, and I could use a break.
In the meantime, I wish you all a happy holiday and the best for 2025!
Welcome to this week’s collection of thought-provoking things. For each issue, I’ll share information about careers and workplace culture, mental health in the workplace, talent development, and important information about privacy, security, and legal tech.
You can find out all about me here - Mike McBride Online.
Careers and the Workplace
Linked - Are public speaking skills a cheat code for IT career success?
No matter how much technical skill you have, eventually, you will have to communicate your knowledge to someone who isn't as skilled in the technology. If you can't do that, your career will hit a ceiling.
If you think networking is a lot of work, think about this - Send A Note To Someone In Under A Minute.
There’s a lot to think about here - Building a Better World Without Jobs
Artificial Intelligence
Last week I participated in a webinar with the folks from HaystackID about AI risks and opportunities to break down information silos. In the end, my parting advice for those who want to think deeply about AI was to follow many experts, certainly people who know more than I do, especially these two.
Ethan Mollick is a Wharton professor and AI expert who tries every new tool out there in the way only a Wharton professor would. Ethan is very optimistic about the power of AI and thinks it will continue to impact our work every day in the future.
Ed Zitron - podcaster and tech writer, is convinced that AI has already peaked and the tens of billions of dollars companies like OpenAI, Microsoft, Google, etc., are investing in AI will eventually be lost, and an economic disaster is looming.
Then, I asked the audience to read them both and hold space in their brains for the possibility that they’re both right. That AI may impact our work significantly while never making a profit, and what that means for our future.
In other AI news:
I feel like we shouldn’t need to say this, but it’s probably a good idea to say it anyway:
Don't trust ChatGPT Search and definitely verify anything it tells you
This could become a problem - People are falling in love with — and getting addicted to — AI voices.
This seems extremely low - Just 10 Percent of Law Firms Have a GenAI Policy
The agents are coming for us - Agentic AI in legal: What it is and why it may appear in law firms soon
Dennis Kennedy has some thoughts on AI in Legal - AI's Role in Legal Practice: High-End and Middle Ground
Something to think about: if an AI company admits their tool can create false information, can you sue them for product liability? - Unpredictable AI: Legal Implications
Training and Development
Sometimes it's not a lack of training
Think of it this way: As a technology trainer, I can teach you everything there is to know about a specific technology, but it won't solve anything if it's not the proper technology for the job that needs to be done or if the job isn't well-defined. That's a different problem.
It’s essential to have this skill to function in 2024 - Managing Change Is an Essential Skill.
Mental Health in the Workplace
Linked - Four actions leaders can take to boost employee mental health
Psychological safety in your workplace environment cannot be achieved without training your managers on mental health.
An interesting counter to the everyday click-bait headlines on social media and mental health:
To improve mental health, go online, over-50s told. It keeps you connected and informed.
Privacy, Security, and Legal Tech
During Microsoft’s Ignite digital sessions, I watched an employee who is neurodivergent talk about using Copilot to get more information to help her understand personal interactions that took place during the meeting. That seemed interesting. On the other hand, how comfortable are we with letting Copilot judge our intentions? I’m not sure I would rely on it. Anyway, if you want to disable the feature, Tony Redmond’s got you covered:
Blocking Microsoft 365 Copilot Making Inferences in Teams Meetings
That’s all, folks. If you found something interesting in this week’s newsletter, please share it with your friends. It’s the best way to help support the effort I put in each week to share this with you.