You Won’t Be Prompted Away - Part Two
Part Two of a Four-Part MyndShift Minute Series
Over these four issues of MyndShift Minutes, we’re going deep on one big idea: what it actually takes to stay irreplaceable in an AI moment that is moving faster than most people’s comfort level. Each issue focuses on one of four domains drawn from the Gallup CliftonStrengths framework:
Strategic Thinking
Relationship Building
Execution
Influence
Ideas for Claiming Your Agency are woven throughout. One domain. One deep dive. Actionable from the first read. Full disclosure — I leveraged Claude.ai for this project.
Part 2 - Build Relationships That Compound
AI can draft your communications, mirror your tone, and remember your contacts’ birthdays. What it cannot do is show up with genuine intent, earn trust over time, or make someone feel truly seen. That distinction is about to matter more than most professionals realize. Relationships are an asset that appreciates the more you invest in them AND depreciates quietly when you don’t.
In an AI-saturated environment, authentic human connection isn’t a soft skill. It’s your competitive advantage. Here’s a 5-step strategy for success.
Invest with intention. Not every relationship compounds equally. Decide which connections are worth deepening — clients, collaborators, mentors, advocates — and give them disproportionate attention. Breadth is easy now. Depth is rare.
Be the leader who develops people. Coach with clarity and confidence. Ask the questions others avoid. Build accountability without sacrificing trust. Acknowledge people specifically — not generically — for the contributions only they make. Recognize them in public and offer feedback in private. Leaders who invest in other people’s growth become indispensable in ways that have nothing to do with their own output.
Mentor and be mentored. The professionals who are best navigating this moment are doing both simultaneously. Find someone ahead of you who will tell you the truth. Find someone behind you whose growth you can accelerate. Both relationships sharpen you.
Build coalitions, not just contacts. Deliberately recruit allies and advocates. Collaborate across departments, disciplines, and organizations. The professional who can convene the right people around the right problem is doing something no model can replicate.
Be visible and generous. In a world of AI-generated communication, physical and emotional presence is a differentiator. Show up. Pay attention. Contribute your ideas and experience. Follow up. Champion other people’s ideas. Generosity at scale builds the kind of reputation that compounds for years.
The professional whose network is deep, reciprocal, and based on trust is building something AI cannot. That’s not sentiment. That’s strategy
You’ve Got Agency
FOR YOU: Identify one professional relationship that you’ve been meaning to invest in. Not a networking contact — someone who you admire and whose honest assessment and feedback matters to you. Reach out this week. Single them out by simply acknowledging something they did, are, or accomplished (avoid using confusing praise or compliments); then make a simple request before you close.
OPEN: “Hi Ghia, you recently launched the PDQ campaign / made the move from Director to VP / presented at the WMD Conference.”
MAKE A SIMPLE REQUEST “I am facing a similar situation / exploring an internal transfer / and I’m curious to hear your perspective.”
CLOSE: Offer the choice between two yeses: “May we meet for a virtual coffee late this week or early next week?”
FOR SOMEONE ELSE. Show that you are paying attention and noticing the unique contributions they make. Single them out by acknowledging something they did, accomplished, or contributed. Skip compliments and praise and make it exclusively about them.
OPEN “Hi Shea, at the meeting on Tuesday, you presented a new approach to . . .” GET SPECIFIC. “It has the potential to . . .”
CLOSE: “Let’s find time to discuss your ideas in more detail. What works for you?”
OPEN: “Hi Jess, you are leading the . . . initiative. Attached is an article that presents interesting stats on . . .”
CLOSE: “Curious to hear your thoughts.”
Generosity with that level of specificity is rare. It will be remembered.
USE AI AS A TOOL: Use AI as a preparation tool, not a substitute for presence. Use it to research who you’re meeting, draft your follow-up, and organize your network. Then show up as a human being — curious, generous, and genuinely paying attention. No model can do that for you.
Your AI Prompt
“I have an important meeting with [name/role] coming up. Here’s what I know about them and what I’m hoping to accomplish: [context]. Help me prepare three questions that will make them feel genuinely heard, one question that will challenge them productively, and one observation I could make that would demonstrate I’ve been paying attention. Don’t make me sound scripted.”
Next Issue: Execute With Intention
Each MyndShift Minute — including this series — is available as a standalone Spotlight Session: an in-person workshop where attendees learn the practical skills the current and future business environment demands. Sessions are flexible in length and designed for corporate teams, alumni associations, and professional organizations. If this MyndShift Minute sparked something you want to explore for your group, let’s talk. Send me an email or schedule an exploratory call.
Art: Untitled, 1963 - Alexander Calder
