Hey Reader -

There’s good news and bad news about AI. The right prompt is a force multiplier, helping anyone instantly kick out dozens of videos, hundreds of social media blurbs, or a stack of contracts. But the downside is that AI-enabled productivity overdrive just leveled the playing field.

The new differentiator is how you partner. But the secret sauce for healthy alliances may surprise you. It isn’t single-minded thinking. Instead, it’s the capacity for conflict resolution.

So, in the June series, Constructive Collaboration Do's and Don'ts, we'll talk through partnership blocks and how you can overcome them by using soft skills.

Skip the Gotcha

First, when you think of finding collaborators or building a network, are you automatically drawn to a friend down the hall? That's a good start but finishing diverse projects is kind of like a baseball club. Success requires a roster of people with different talents. Your one job is to optimize those talents.

The baseball club idea was fresh in my mind when a long, highly detailed prompt to record meetings and identify deliverables crossed my desk. But then I noticed how the output replayed off-handed comments, included timestamps, and tracked potential rather than committed actions.

The "Receipts! Proof! Own it!" strategy is funny for Real Housewives. But the prompt writer overlooked a hard truth that every reality star knows: No one likes a gotcha. And when you burn someone else, get ready for them to burn you back.

Keep People Skills in Your Back Pocket

Building alliances was a lesson Sam Jackson learned on the set of Die Hard 3. He laughed about a sign in the production office which read, “Be careful of the toes you step on today, for they could be connected to the ass you have to kiss tomorrow.”

Sam took that concept to heart and made it his mission to get along with others. And “others” meant everyone on the set—from production assistants to the studio executive who popped up.

​He says, "Some of those PAs became producers and gave me jobs because they said, 'Yeah—I remember when I was a PA, and you never hassled me. You didn't make me run and get stuff. And you spoke to me every day. You were cordial.’"

When asked about his modest gestures, Sam shook his head and said, "You know? It's nothing.

How to Build the No Bias Alliance

Sam’s comments reminded me of a manager who described his favorite employees as people “who could work up and down the organization.” Those employees weren’t transactional, scheming, or creating a favor bank so they could twist arms later. Instead, their alliances work because they overcame a common subconscious block: Bias.

Bias has many faces. Let’s walk through a few examples and easy ways to keep them out of your collaborations. And use the questions to take a walk down memory lane. No doubt you’ll recall some whopper stories!

For instance, ask yourself:

1. When have I seen hierarchy bias, where someone had a kiss-up/kick-down mentality? Use the case study as your turnaround blueprint. Recognize that the person scheduling that last-minute meeting today may be the executive you want to impress tomorrow.

2. When did I witness confirmation bias, where someone only looked for evidence validating their proposal? Side-step that problem by staying open to stress testing. Ideas that work well in the four walls of your office may require fine-tuning.

3. When did I observe overconfidence bias, where a leader rushed ahead because they assumed everyone automatically agreed with them? The alternative is to schedule a quick reality check. The way tools and technology work in practice may need to catch up with how you imagine them working.

And your AI prompt is: Highlight social, cognitive, and decision-making biases and ways I can put people first.

Constructive collaborations seem challenging. However, simple actions—like replacing gotchas and put-downs with good faith intentions and decency—go a long way towards increasing your professional stature. So, don't ignore the little guy (even when it takes extra time) and do recognize and unwind subconscious biases.

All the best,

Michelle Mains

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