We live in a wonderful and worrisome time. And one of the elephants in the room is generative AI.

Whether you think it is the best thing since sliced bread or a big nothing-burger, people are talking about AI and the first wave of actions are in motion.

A lot of the discussion is either technical implementation or HR implications. As much as I love the geeky details and the game of what-if, I think that we are missing the importance of our hyper-human skills and earned expertise in an AI filled world.

Human connection and emotion. Expert decision making. Experiences translated into skills. Working with human psychology, not against it.

These are the sorts of things that still matter even when AI "takes over" the low- and medium-difficulty tasks. These matter when attempting to train the AI for challenging tasks. These are the things that matter even if AI fades into the background.

And in a world filling with "AI slop" and "anti-clanker" sentiments, these are the sorts of things that set you apart. That give you an edge. That show off your humanity and experience and expertise in ways that avoid the rush to be average and mediocre that comes with a mindless use of AI tools.

Even without all the AI hullabaloo, it just makes sense to embrace our humanity.

As I have played with the AI tools and listened to the Doomsday predictions, it really hit home -- this grimdark vision of the future is prevented by the exact skills I have been honing over the last several decades. The antidote isn't being the top dog in a dog-eat-dog world. I reject that whole menu and choose a more Noblebright view of the world.

Noblebright: What we do makes a difference. We can create new opportunities for everyone, not just "succeeding" by taking from others. Yes, the world is a mess, but we can make it better and do it in a way that embraces our humanity rather than throwing it away in pursuit of the almighty dollar.

I have been adjacent to the world of direct response marketing for decades. I have friends who made their millions with the classic marketing techniques. And yet, I could never fully embrace it.

Even after learning about the positive, other-centered, relational selling approach in MasterStream, I hesitated to apply it to my own work.

Sure, the ethical sales approach and principles are internalized and show up in any conversation I may have with potential clients. But I could never bring myself to use it in the typical cold calling outreach that seems to be the assumed standard for selling B2B consulting and training. I just relied on word of mouth to maintain the trickle of new clients that kept my businesses afloat.

Then I found a different approach, one that is people centered and respects their autonomy. This "ethical marketing" approach aligned perfectly with the "ethical sales" approach I already embraced. And, most importantly, it aligns with my values and beliefs and worldview in ways that mean I am actually putting it to use.

And this possibility unlocked a bigger ambition that I hadn't realized was blocked by my hesitations around classic marketing techniques.

Amplifying Expertise

I have always had a heart for the entrepreneurs and small business owners out there making a difference. It is thankless work in many cases and yet it is what brings the humanity to an otherwise soulless business world.

I also realized that I love "helping the helpers" and making an indirect impact by equipping those who work on the front lines to do more and better. Sure, I occasionally "pick up a hammer" and do the direct work, but my skills and attitudes and predisposition are aligned to have more impact by stepping back and equipping others with better tools and skills rather than applying them directly myself.

I have mostly worked in the background over the years. This new perspective on ethical marketing combined with my helping the helpers ideal means it is time for me to step out of the laboratory and workshop spaces I typically haunt and make my work more visible. Hence the new web site and framing.

Looking at the way people are embracing the generative AI tools has echoes for me of how people create online "courses."

Too many people, in trying to share their expertise AND in using AI, are stuck at the surface. They give/get a shallow version of the true skill and understanding.

I see too many courses that are simply a pile of videos and/or PDFs where someone describes what they think they do or what stood out to them from that one time they did it really well. Now they frame it as the way to do it with no real understanding of what goes on under the surface.

Or they accept shallow output from the AI tools because they don't know any better. Either about the tools or the topic -- or both!

In none of those cases do they realize there is more going on that they are tapping into. Our expertise is mostly hidden from our view. It is so out of our conscious mind that we truly don't know how we do our particular brand of magic.

Very rarely, someone stumbles upon the actual difference that makes a difference by themselves. Almost all the other instances, people are grasping at straws when attempting to describe their actual thinking that makes a difference. In the last few cases, they get professional assistance to bring that invisible expertise into the foreground and make it visible.

This is why I feel so energized by the opportunity to amplify my own expertise by making the invisible expertise of others visible and transferrable and amplifying their expertise. And to do that, I have to open the door to let people see the work in progress and share the messy stage before it deserves any shine and polish. (And knowing myself, probably only polishing because someone else took that on who raised their hand because that is their driving force and/or talent!)

You'll find resources and articles about the models and frameworks I use and love. You'll also get a glimpse into the values and beliefs and worldview that makes these work so well for me and my clients. Many of them will be raw and off the cuff. Some will get polished over time. All of them reflect the way I move through the world.

If something here resonates with you, I encourage you to "raise your hand" and go deeper when it makes sense for you. Join the guided tour in the emails. Invest in a training. Gather in the community when it opens. No rush. No artificial pressure or scarcity -- just what is a part of your situation.

And in the meantime, wander the site and reach out with your thoughts and questions.

Thanks.

-- Dr.Wayne