As a junior in high school, I fell in love with algebra. The logic of numbers and variables felt like solving puzzles. It wasn’t easy, but I stuck with the homework, wrestled with the problems, and earned good grades through effort.
My classmate John took a different path. He wasn’t particularly strong in any subject, but he had a talent for shortcuts. When our mid-term rolled around, I came prepared from hours of practice. John came prepared with the answers someone had slipped him. He cheated and scored higher than I did.
I remember feeling frustrated. I had worked for my grade while he bypassed the effort. But looking back and now applying this to the real world, the question isn’t who got the higher score. The real question is: who would you trust later in life with a role that required critical thinking?
The AI Parallel
That experience has been on my mind as we face the rise of artificial intelligence. If we rely too heavily on AI, we risk losing our thirst for learning, our ability to struggle through complex problems, and the satisfaction, and ability, of critical thinking.
In Simon Sinek’s A Bit of Optimism podcast, The Future You Avoid is Riskier Than the One You Face, with LinkedIn co-founder Reid Hoffman, Simon asked: “What faculties are we going to lose as we outsource to AI?” His fear, and one I share, is that it’s not just our memory at stake, but core human skills.
Even with calculators, we still teach children basic math. Why? Because understanding the concepts matters. It helps us interpret, question, and challenge results. It’s the mistakes and trial-and-error process that deepen real learning.
Tools vs. Thinking
That’s why I love how MPO tools continue to evolve, including the JIL AI feature. Personally, I find JIL most valuable in coaching when helping someone identify two or three strategies to better connect with others. And the Right Match tool can highlight which candidates have the most essential traits for a role.
But here’s the reminder: it’s “Right Match,” not “Perfect Match.” These are tools, not rules. The work of understanding the complexity of humans; their behaviors, stress responses, and potential, still requires human judgment.
Three Ways to Build Your Edge
- Practice, practice, practice. Study the MPO’s of people you know fairly well. Research suggests it takes 10,000 hours to master something. While you don’t need to be an expert in human behavior, it does take consistent effort to intuitively understand it.
- Get curious. Notice how traits show up in everyday life. People can flex and adapt when things are going well, but their extremes surface under stress or when results aren’t coming.
- Use tools wisely. MPO reports, JIL and Right Match offer insight, but they don’t replace your discernment. Humans are complex, and only thoughtful application makes the data meaningful.
Anyone can use AI. Your value lies in combining insights with your knowledge (and as it relates to MPO, your knowledge of human behavior), curiosity, and critical thinking.
And in case you’re wondering…this post took me 45 minutes to write. These are all my original thoughts, feelings and notations. And I used AI to polish it for publication. 😊