Professional Expertise in the Age of AI: Why Better Questions Matter
Most of my clients work in professional services. They’re accountants, lawyers, bankers - and they have got to where they are because they are experts in their field.
This comes with a strong sense of professional identity in being an expert. It also comes with challenges - a fear of getting something wrong, or of not knowing the correct answer or of not wanting to look stupid in front of the boss or a client. There is a tendency to overprepare, to not deviate from the script when presenting information.
But the world is changing. If we believe the AI hype, technical expertise, in humans, at least, may become a thing of the past. In an AI-enabled world, expertise is not about having the right answers, but about knowing the right questions to ask.
Asking the right questions is fundamental to working with GenAI - both in careful prompt engineering and then in analysing the information you get back, ensuring its quality and applying it to your particular scenario. You move from expert to interpreter.
I’m not a GenAI or prompt engineering expert - there are plenty of places you can go to if you want to learn that. But I do know a bit about asking good questions and the benefit this brings to solving complex problems, whether or not you are augmenting it with generative AI.
Here are five of my favourites when solving a knotty technical issue:
Where are we and how did we get there? Useful for defining what the problem actually is and uncovering the root causes behind the problem
What are we trying to achieve? There are two benefits to this question: firstly, it ensures that your end goal is clear and specific. Secondly, by exploring this question, you can ensure that everyone is on the same page, and communication with wider stakeholders becomes easier.
What potential solutions have we not considered? Often, we default to the most obvious solutions to a problem. Asking this question allows us to think broader - the word “potential” means we are not limited to something tried and trusted and have permission to consider the innovative and possibly even wacky.
What do we know and what do we not know? In the modern business world, it's not possible to know everything, which can sometimes lead businesses into paralysis. Deciding to step forward is easier when we have considered what is known and what we need to assume or estimate.
How will we know when this is working? It sounds obvious, but in solving a complex problem, it’s not going to be immediately apparent if you are on the right path or not. Tricky problems need long-term solutions. Understanding when you know you are on the right path or not helps you decide whether to stay as you are or course-correct as you go along.
Of course, the other element of this is that over time we will need to redefine what it means to have mastery - what is professional expertise in the age of AI? The technical experts of today will need to become experts in application, interpretation and guidance rather than experts in knowledge. This may mean more time working at the coal-face rather than being in the ivory tower of academia or a technical department. It will mean reshaping your professional identity into something more sustainable and valuable in the current climate, whilst remaining authentic to your passions and skills.
Executive coaching can help professionals to feel confident and comfortable in their chosen professional identity and give them the tools and support they need to adapt to changing environments and flex their leadership style.
To find out more about how working with me can help you or your organisation overcome its leadership challenges, get in touch here.