"AI Can Manage, But It Can't Lead"

"Years ago, when I was a junior executive at Xerox, I worked under a leader who taught me something no algorithm ever could. We were under immense pressure—deadlines were closing in, and the tension in the office was so thick you could feel it.

A machine would have told us to work harder. It would have tracked our keystrokes and calculated our remaining hours.

But my mentor? She didn't look at the data; she looked at us. She instinctively read the room, realized we were at a breaking point, and did the 'illogical' thing: She told us to pack our bags and took the whole team out to a fine restaurant in the middle of the day.

We didn't talk about deadlines.

We reconnected as people. By the time we got back, the tension was gone, the inspiration was back, and we didn't just meet our deadlines—we shattered them. 

AI can process data, but it can't read a room. It can calculate energy, but it can’t create it." However, you can if you develop these human skills. Beat AI where it can’t compete with you- connecting with humans.

Your call to action: work overtime on developing your emotional intelligence!

Copyright 2026 Cubie Davis King. All Rights Reserved