The One AI Skill That'll Improve Your Organization...and America (seriously)

Mondays are rough. It's scary times for Nonprofits. Your time is scarce. That’s why I created the Monday Motivational Minute. Each week, I’ll send you one high-impact, actionable idea to help you leverage AI and save time. It will always be a 1-minute read or less. If it adds value, great. If not, unsubscribe, but I’m betting you’ll want to stay. (Challenge Accepted ☺️)

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Happy "At Least My Job Can't Be Replaced by AI" Day!

I'm going to share an AI skill that not many people know about. This thing is so powerful it could improve America, but let's just start with the nonprofit industry because, well, Michael Jackson said to start with the "Man/Woman/They" in the Mirror. (That was the title of the remix that never came out 😉)

It's Perspective AI!

Before I tell you what that is, let's understand the problem: Way too many people make decisions FOR others without knowing the other person's true perspectives, so we assume. Funders assume what nonprofits need. Boards assume what EDs need. EDs assume what employees need. Everyone assumes what the community needs. Sometimes we get it right, but a LOT of times we get it sooo wrong.

A quote I see play itself out constantly: "Only bad things happen when privileged people try to tell underprivileged people what they need." Think about it; politicians withholding money, funders with strict grants, board members with their "I'm just trying to help," leaders with the, "you kids with your boundaries."

I really don't mean this with judgment. We're all just surviving here, trying our best with positive intent. But positive intent without perspective is the recipe for disconnect.

Perspective AI is the skill of getting AI so close to someone's perspective that we can finally understand "them" so much better.

One of the biggest things I learned in therapy: Two truths can exist at once. You can learn to understand them while also getting what you want.

Actionable Task: Use Perspective AI to Reevaluate Your Situation

Step 1: Think about a current conflict, a difficult board member, or a funder you need to win over.

Step 2: Copy-paste this prompt to ChatGPT:

"I need [BOARD/COMMUNITY MEMBER/MY EMPLOYEE] to [ACTION YOU NEED].

I want you to think about the situation from THEIR perspective. If you need more context, ask me questions.

Once you have at least 20% of the information needed to understand 80% of the situation from their point of view, explain to me:

1. 1. How they're seeing this situation

2. 2. What I may be missing from my understanding

3. 3. How to better approach them to get the outcome that benefits both of us"

Note: I'm only using the 80/20 rule because you're busy. You'd get even BETTER perspective if you deleted that whole line and have AI understand the full situation.

Remember: Everyone is the hero of their own story. The question isn't who is right; it's who is willing to understand first. When you lead with curiosity about their perspective, you execute on dreams that frustration and blame never could. 🙏🏾

......So, was I right? Could America be improved if the-powers-that-be used this prompt? ...You'd at least have more funding... just saying. 🤷🏾‍♂️

#ExistToServe

P.S. Know another NPO leader holding it all together with grit and grace? If you find value in this, pay it forward. Forward this their way. We’re not meant to lead alone, and together, we go farther.

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Regis Arzu (he/him/his)
[email protected]
ETS AI Consulting | CEO
347.748.5078