Excellent Executive Coaching Podcast

Episode 408: How to Thrive (Not Just Survive) in the Age of AI
Guest: Steff VanHaverbeke
Host: Dr. Katrina Burrus, PhD, MCC
Release Date: November 18, 2025

Overview

In this episode, Dr. Katrina Burrus interviews Steff VanHaverbeke, expert in AI adaptation and cognitive agility, about how professionals and leaders can not only survive but truly thrive in an increasingly AI-driven workplace. They explore VanHaverbeke’s book Being Replaced: The 5 Human Skills that AI Cannot Replace, discuss practical strategies for leveraging AI as a tool, and examine what unique human capabilities will define value and leadership in the coming years.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

The Challenge: Navigating the Age of AI

• Context of Anxiety and Opportunity
  Many professionals are anxious about AI replacing their jobs while others see opportunity ("Some people are very enthusiastic and want to explore all the possibilities and others they are looking at what's happening. And... are anxious about, you know, being replaced." – Steff, 01:44).
• Central Q: What skills and mindsets help humans stay relevant and create value—even with AI everywhere?

The 5 Irreplaceable Human Skills

(02:46–05:09)

Steff VanHaverbeke’s framework for thriving alongside AI:

1. Flexible Thinking
2. Emotional Intelligence
3. Collaborative Intelligence
4. Intuition
5. Ability to Innovate

1. Flexible Thinking

• Definition: The ability to switch modes of thought (creative, critical, analytical, big-picture/detail, etc.) quickly and adaptively.
  • “These chatbots...are not very flexible in their approach... But something that we have as biological beings... we can really switch very easily from one mode of thinking to another.” (Steff, 03:12)
  • Reference to Edward de Bono’s Six Thinking Hats.
• Human advantage: Ability to hold creativity and criticism together; to “chunk” and reframe information fluidly.
• Practical Hack to Use AI Better: Think ahead about your goals, context, questions, and desired outcome before writing a prompt. Ask AI to help construct the best prompt to ensure relevance and clarity.
  • “[With AI] I am able to write a better prompt because of that.” (Steff, 06:13)
  • Concrete Example: Competitor research (07:17–08:56)

2. Emotional Intelligence

• Definition: Sensing what others need, empathy, and responding appropriately.
  • Illustrated by Steff’s anecdote about dealing with an unempathetic internet provider chatbot (09:12–12:00).
  • “At some point, we want to be able to connect with another human being…to empathize with us. We don't want to deal with a wall of tech.” (Steff, 11:28)
• Insight: AI lacks genuine empathy and struggles with complexity and urgency of human emotion.

3. Collaborative Intelligence

• Definition: Humans excel in building teams, organizations, and societies—AI collaboration is still primitive.
  • “If there's something that makes us stand out as a species, it's our ability to work together…we develop our whole civilization on this ability.” (Steff, 12:31)
• AI Agents/Agency: The future may bring advanced AI agents, but currently humans must “manage” AI tools as part of hybrid teams (13:29–16:27).
  • “We will have hybrid teams of AI agents and human agents working together. The human agents…make the AI agent do their job even better.” (Steff, 15:19)
• AI as Team Members: Human workers will increasingly set goals, refine tasks, and supervise AI “colleagues.”

4. Intuition

• Definition: Acting from tacit or implicit knowledge, not only what is recorded or explicit.
  • “An AI can have [explicit information] also to some degree. But then there's implicit knowledge...we can intuitively sense this. But this is totally impossible for an artificial intelligence.” (Steff, 19:02)
• Example: Japanese bread-making machine (Nonaka, 18:08) — AI missed crucial tacit steps.

5. Innovation

• Definition: Inventing new value, tools, or approaches; reinventing oneself and the world.
  • “We are innovators by nature and in all kinds of areas... We reinvent ourselves all the time. And so this is something that an AI cannot do.” (Steff, 20:22)
• Insight: AI recombines known patterns; only humans produce true novelty.

Career Guidance in the Age of AI

(22:51–27:42)

• Every Worker Is Now a Creator:
  With AI, anyone can rapidly develop tools/software, far beyond past technical barriers.

  • “Everybody has become a developer... whatever you imagine, you can ask your AI to code what you've just imagined.” (Steff, 24:22)

• Rethinking Value and Work:
  “Value is not anymore... having somebody doing the hours… As knowledge workers, we need to have a new system actually for rewarding what people do.” (Steff, 26:22)
  The real differentiator for businesses will be their human value.

• The Most Human Business Wins:
  “The future of the business is not the AI business...it's the most human business.” (Steff, 27:37)

The Super Worker Mythology/Journey

(28:08–31:39)

• Developed from Josh Bersin, expanded by Steff:

  • Level 0: Not using AI or only sporadic use.
  • Level 1: Task-driven use (e.g., writing emails, data analysis).
  • Level 2: Workflow automation, using AI routinely to optimize standard processes.
  • Level 3: Delegating complete workflows to AI agents (in development).
  • Level 4: Manager of hybrid teams (humans + AI), creating value through human creativity, leadership, and coordination.

• “Most of them, they said, I'm not even on the scale... I'm at level zero.” (Steff, 29:54)

• Reframing this as a journey gives hope and a clear path for progress.

Notable Quotes and Memorable Moments

• “I would even argue [we thrive] thanks to AI.” (Steff, 01:30)
• “Ask your AI now help me write a good prompt so the prompt becomes more useful. That's the thinking that I can do as a human.” (Steff, 08:15)
• “At some point, we want to be able to connect with another human being…to have a sense that they can empathize with us.” (Steff, 11:35)
• “We will have hybrid teams of AI agents and human agents working together.” (Steff, 15:21)
• “Innovation will always come from us.” (Steff, 22:12)
• “The future of the business is not the AI business...it's the most human business.” (Steff, 27:37)
• "Most of us are using AI sporadically or even not using AI, and we want to be a super worker, but we actually not there yet." (Steff, 29:56)

Timestamps of Important Segments

• 00:48 — Steff’s background & book introduction
• 02:46 — Overview of the 5 human meta-skills
• 03:11 — Deep dive: flexible thinking
• 06:13 — Practical prompt engineering strategy
• 09:12 — Emotional intelligence, empathy anecdote
• 12:31 — Collaborative intelligence; why AI “agency” isn’t there yet
• 17:27 — Human intuition vs. AI
• 20:22 — On perpetual human innovation
• 22:51 — Career advice & the democratization of creativity
• 28:08 — The “super worker" mythology explained

Resources & Further Connection

• Steff VanHaverbeke’s Website: coachsteff.live — includes books and free “super prompts” to help level up AI use for beginners.
• Book: Being Replaced: The 5 Human Skills that AI Cannot Replace (Amazon)

Tone & Style

The conversation is practical yet visionary, blending tangible career tips with philosophical ideas about work, value, and humanity's future. Steff’s answers are dynamic and full of real-world anecdotes, while Dr. Burrus keeps the discussion insightful and accessible.

This episode is crucial listening for professionals, leaders, and coaches seeking to future-proof their skills and recognize where humanity’s true value lies in the workplace of the future.