Ben Sloot

Today I’m sitting at a trampoline park, watching my daughters play, and hopefully get exhausted while casually “conversing” with ChatGPT on my phone.

Over the past few weeks, I’ve been much more deliberate in how I use the tool. I’ve framed different areas of my life—professional, military, family, personal goals—into distinct projects and threads. I’ve been exploring what ChatGPT can actually assist with, and one realization has really stuck with me:

Managers need to be leveraging AI and large language models, because they provide excellent “reps and sets” for key leadership skills—especially giving clear instructions, clarifying intent, and anticipating the questions you’ll inevitably get when leading a team.

When you interact with a large language model like ChatGPT, you quickly see that vague instructions lead to vague or confusing outputs. It forces you to be sharper: to spell out what’s important, to think about the next question, and to clarify your expectations up front. These are the same skills that make or break communication with your actual team.

Sometimes after meetings, I realize I didn’t deliver a message as effectively as I thought—maybe because of my humor or sarcasm, or maybe because I didn’t explain things simply enough. Working with ChatGPT has helped me slow down and be more intentional with my communication.

Another unexpected benefit? Reflection.

I’ve been using ChatGPT to plan my mornings, set my daily focus, and close out my days with simple reflection prompts: what went well, what didn’t, what I’m grateful for. It’s made journaling—something I’ve struggled to stay consistent with—easier and quicker, which means I actually do it.

I wouldn’t say I’m “going all in” on AI, but it has made these small habits more feasible, and in turn, it’s helping me become a bit better every day.

One thing I should mention: I’m currently going through a professional education course as a federal civilian, and I’ve noticed how many classmates are using AI to help inform class discussions. Honestly, it gave me some hesitation. I don’t want to overly rely on a tool for interpersonal thinking or human interactions. But it’s also pushed me to explore what’s possible—while still staying authentic to my own voice and style.

Bottom line: ChatGPT doesn’t replace leadership. But it’s an excellent training partner if you want to get better at the fundamentals.