AI is changing how we solve problems, make decisions, and run our businesses. But as AI becomes more powerful, the key question isn’t just “What can AI do?”—it’s “What should people do?” What role do humans play in a workplace shaped by AI? And how do we prepare our organizations to use AI wisely?

This article highlights key areas to strengthen your AI strategy—especially the human skills that make AI more effective. They may not be technical tools, but they’re just as essential. If you’re building or updating your AI strategy, these are the conversations to start now.

1. Ask Better Questions

AI is only as helpful as the questions we ask. Tools like the “5 Whys” help uncover root causes, but good questions also need context, judgment, and experience—things only people bring.
Help your team ask sharper, more strategic questions. This leads to better answers from AI and stronger decisions overall.
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2. Build Wisdom Through Diverse Perspectives

AI delivers data. People bring wisdom. That wisdom grows through experience and by listening to different points of view.
One way to build this into your culture is silent brainstorming. Give each person 5–15 minutes to write down ideas without discussion. Then, meet the next day to reflect and plan. Over time, your team will get better at turning ideas into action.
For example, our team uses a structured creative problem-solving process. Each member is trained to work through challenges using this framework—often bringing in a colleague to gain a fresh perspective. At our most recent strategic retreat, this approach helped the team align department objectives with company goals in a focused, half-day session.

3. Strengthen Community and Communication

Strong teams challenge each other. Weak teams say, “Whatever you like.” While that kind of agreement may seem polite, it can block innovation and lead to poor decisions.
Create a culture where people feel safe speaking up. Help your team understand different communication styles and their pros and cons. This will make the above problem-solving sessions more effective. If they gather answers from AI, they will have the tools to discuss and evaluate those responses for accuracy and effectiveness.

A helpful resource: Being assertive: Reduce stress, communicate better – Mayo Clinic

4. Don’t Confuse Confidence with Accuracy

AI can sound confident—even when it’s wrong. That’s why human oversight is essential.
Ask yourself:
– What checks are in place to review AI-generated content?
– Which tasks can run without human review—and which ones can’t?
These are policy decisions, not just technical ones. Make those decisions intentionally.

In our own work, we developed an AI agent to respond to customer inquiries using senior-level engineering knowledge. While many responses were accurate, some missed the mark—or worse, felt off-putting. We added a human review step, and the quality of responses improved significantly. So did our team’s confidence in using AI responsibly.

Final Thought: Keep the Human in the Loop

AI can boost your team’s abilities—but only if your team knows how to use it well. That means investing in human skills like questioning, collaboration, communication, and critical thinking.
These skills aren’t just nice to have—they’re what make AI work in the real world.
Need help building your AI strategy?
We help small and mid-sized organizations design and implement AI strategies that work—both technically and culturally. From training and workshops to full implementation, we’re here to help.
👉 Let’s talk about what’s next for your organization.