Thriving Amidst Change: Focus On The Unchanging

As AI takes a more focal place in our lives the connections we make with others are going to become more important than ever.

We cannot run away from this reality. This article focuses on recognising that while change is around us at a rapid pace, it’s also important to focus on what isn’t going to change (and lean into that). 

What is going to become our differentiator as AI shapes our world is how we connect with each other. When we live a faceless life, we all become strangers.

Producing more content isn’t enough to attract and engage people, no matter how easy it is.

It’s important to consider what happens when people arrive. What are your intentions when people are in front of you? What today is shaping is to never lose sight of what really matters, making people feel welcome and seen when they come to your side. 

The interactions you make with people are what make our work (and our lives) meaningful. While many businesses may look at ChatGPT as a way to generate traffic and SEO, it’s important to remember that the ultimate goal is to connect with those who buy in.

Simply churning out more information isn’t going to cut it anymore (as everyone is feeding the machine), it’s how we can make an impact on someone else and cultivate our own spaces that will truly make a difference.

When content becomes easier to create, the levels of content increases, which means an even higher risk of being ignored. 

Let me share examples from my side.

A friend who never considered themselves to be a confident writer so tended to shy away, is now reaching the rewards from his company, by having the ability to produce daily articles. Another friend is now seeing the use of ChatGPT to help with top-of-funnel awareness and to gain attention.

Buy why?

What’s happened is that people are fast-tracked to deliver, without necessarily knowing how that can help create something meaningful. They see content now as a magic wand to make a house, but not quite sure what to do when you step inside the hallway. As long as someone clicks, it’s mission accomplished.

It can’t all be producing more content, the connections are going to matter even more.

This helps us recognise that for small businesses, let’s recognise what isn’t going to change. What isn’t going to change is how we get on with each other. People build businesses around what is stable and people want to feel a part of something that can be of benefit them and bigger themselves.

That’s the answer as we all get swept up (me included) in the life of AI, is how we can make a genuine difference for someone else that they cannot see or be a part of anywhere else. 

As You Are The Media reaches its 10-year milestone, I now acknowledge it’s the ability to keep going, even when there were times to throw the towel in, is what matters. This is something no algorithm can achieve when someone steps forward to subscribe or someone books to attend an event. It’s easy to make the commitment, it’s being tangible, visible and available that makes you stand in a different place from everyone else. 

This comes back to recognising what cannot change so heightens the impact. This is what I am going to focus on more as AI becomes commonplace in our lives. 

There are three factors I am working on it comes to fostering relationships, finding kinship with others and creating value where it matters. It’s collaboration, credibility and communication. 

Let me explain.

This means working together with those who want to step forward with you, where you can pool resources to find a common goal. For example, the YATM newsletter always begins with someone from the community sharing what they do and what others might find of interest (from a book they’re reading to a TV show they’re enjoying).

YATM is also present in different locations where other people lead. Catherine Adams and Fleur Cook have been that first step into YATM working independently in another city, Bristol. The 2023 YATM Creator Day has also happened because of the support and working with three businesses SAFI Valves, Foundry and Magic Digits where I reached out for help. We’ve all taken something from this, not just awareness.

This means a foundation of trust and expertise helps to elevate the whole effort. One thing that has elevated YATM awareness in 2023 has been being featured as a case study in Mark Schaefer’s latest book, Belonging To The Brand as an example of how to build community and connection.

What ChatGPT makes us recognise is that it’s easy to spew content and present more information, but no one has the entitlement to trust, reputation and attention. Credibility is something that has to be earned. You just have to be patient to lead and contribute, so that the time with you is worthwhile. You can’t take attention, no matter how much space you can fill, it takes time.

This means the ability to share ideas and perspectives to help build meaningful relationships.

Introducing the YATM Club has meant people can be open with each in a place that is ‘off grid.’ We have a session every Thursday AM, where people work together but spend time sharing what we’re up to. If it didn’t have a business link to it, it would be ‘let’s talk….and then work.’ It’s the dialogue that grows and brings people together that can make a difference. It’s the ability to join in, feel a part of something and to be seen that is something that AI cannot replicate. 

Collaboration, credibility and communication all work together to create a network on relationships that is greater than the sum of its parts. By cooperation, trust and communicating effectively, people can tap into collective intelligence over artificial intelligence. It means you can achieve greater things together, rather thinking that everything has to be in isolation. 

If ChatGPT can help us deliver at speed that’s fine. Then again no one ever needs to read more information, our goal today just reaffirm what has always been here, bringing a personal and human aspect to the table, so people can see you and they know you are here for them.

Simply producing more content (or someone to do it for us) is no longer enough. It’s now even easier to get lost in the sea of information and technology.

The interactions that we make with people are what make our work and lives meaningful. 

The human element of interaction and people feeling a part of something is irreplaceable. Let’s focus on creating trusted spaces where people can come together and collaborate toward a common goal.

As AI becomes more integrated into our lives, it is essential to focus on what will not change, which is the importance of the connections we make with others and the impact we make together. Today heightens the importance to make the effort to connect, collaborate, and communicate effectively. That’s where the real magic happens.