Leading Smarter With AI
Before we begin…
I’m re-visiting emotional Intelligence (EQ) due to the impact of artificial intelligence (AI) in education. There is the concern of teaching “content that is becoming less important.” It may be…but students still need to develop their emotional intelligence in order to communicate, motivate, and understand the emotions of others. This article is dedicated to educators, they are in the frontline— leading students through this new era of leadership.
Let’s Talk Leadership
What do we teach students now that AI is taking over?
Educators are concerned about students using artificial intelligence in the classroom. AI has brought about questions, concerns, and even fear. Should we be nervous? Think about it. As AI takes over routine tasks, we can focus on uniquely human skills. If we bridge AI with emotional intelligence in the classroom—we help students enter the workforce— better prepared. We give them an advantage by helping them develop their emotional intelligence.
EQ and AI are very different how do they intersect?
There are common areas where these two intersect. For example, EQ involves self-awareness, empathy, social skills, self-regulation, and motivation. In leadership, EQ is seen as a critical factor for success. It helps to build trust, resolve conflicts, and foster collaboration.
On the other hand, AI refers to machines designed to mimic human intelligence. AI can help with problem-solving, learning, and decision-making.
Traditionally AI has focused on logic and data. But more and more, AI is being developed to interpret and respond to human emotions and simulate aspects of emotional intelligence. It is called Emotional AI (affective computing) and it’s currently being used in:
Customer Service
Virtual Assistants or Chatbots can detect emotions through tone analysis or facial expressions, adapting responses to better serve customers.
Healthcare
AI tools help detect mental health issues by analyzing speech patterns, facial expressions, or writing style.
Education
Emotional AI can gauge student’s engagement levels to tailor teaching methods.
There are limitations though. AI can simulate EI but it doesn’t actually feel or understand emotions. It’s interpretations depend on data and algorithms. They can misread context, cultural differences, or biases present in emotion-detection algorithms.
AI can reshape industries and relationships, but it can’t replace genuine human EI. It might assist with emotional recognition — but authentic empathy, intuition, and moral reasoning— remain human strengths.
Leading Smarter With AI
Do You Know…
as educators, we can teach students to use AI responsibly when preparing them for the future?
Understanding AI Basics
Teaching students the fundamentals of how AI works, machine learning, data processing, and algorithms, can help students understand what AI can and cannot do. The focus can be on issues like biases, errors, and the need for human oversight.
Ethical Use of AI
There are ethical concerns about privacy and manipulation. Teaching data protections and respecting others’ privacy when using AI tools is essential for students to learn about. We can teach them bias awareness and how biases can enter AI systems and how to evaluate AI outputs. Overall we can encourage them to use AI as a tool for growth, not as a substitute for effort.
Critical Thinking with AI
Students should question and analyze AI results. We can teach students to verify information provided by AI with the understanding that not all AI-generated content is accurate.
How can I help my students increase their emotional intelligence?
Here are some ways:
Increasing Self-Awareness
Teaching them to reflect regularly: They can take time daily to reflect on emotions, thoughts, and actions. Have them consider why they feel certain emotions in specific situations.
Identifying triggers: Have students pay attention to what events, people, or circumstances tend to trigger strong emotional responses, and have them work on understanding why.
Seeking feedback: Have them ask trusted friends or mentors for honest feedback about how they come across emotionally.
Practicing Self-Regulation
Suggesting pausing before reacting: When feeling a strong emotion, (anger or excitement) have them learn to take a moment to breathe and consider how best to respond.
Practicing managing stress effectively: Help students find techniques that help them handle stress. Exercise, meditation, or even deep breathing can help. Remind them that— keeping calm under pressure improves decision-making.
Developing emotional resilience: Students can become resilient and work on bouncing back from setbacks by reframing challenges as opportunities to grow.
Cultivating Empathy
Listening actively: Students should focus on truly understanding what others are saying—-without jumping to conclusions. They can practice making sure they are not thinking about their responses while others are speaking.
Putting themselves in other’s shoes: Have them imagine how others are feeling, and consider their emotions when making decisions that might affect them. Writing reflections help.
Asking Questions: They can learn to ask follow up questions when someone shares their feelings. This will help them to better understand their perspective. Classroom exercises and activities can be created.
Improving Social Skills
Communicating clearly and respectfully: It’s important for students to be mindful of what they say and how they say it. Teach them to be assertive without being aggressive, to use “I” statements to express how they feel.
Building relationships: Shift their focus on building trust and rapport with those around them. Have them learn to be approachable and show genuine interest in others.
Handling conflict calmly: Teach them to stay calm and try to understand both sides before reacting when conflict arises. Have them use empathy to find common ground and work towards a resolution.
Increasing Motivation
Setting personal goals: Have students develop a sense of intrinsic motivation. They can set meaningful personal and professional goals. When the purpose is clear, it’s easier to stay positive and focused.
Celebrating small wins: Acknowledge progress along the way. It can boost emotional resilience and motivation to keep going.
Ultimately, AI is an opportunity for leadership development. It can provide better tools and insights, but the human element of leadership—empathy, creativity, and ethics—remains irreplaceable.
Have a good weekend!
Dr. Aguilar
