Selling Yourself
The soft skills gap that AI can't close
(and why it matters)
This was inspired by a conversation with Course leader at Raversbourne, where I'll hopefully talk soon.
In a world drowning in artificial intelligence, your humanity isn't just valuable. It's revolutionary.
Remember when everyone thought technical skills were the only currency that mattered? When coding bootcamps promised to transform your career overnight?
That world is gone.
Your taste, curiosity, and individuality aren't just nice-to-haves anymore. They're your competitive edge in a landscape where algorithms can write decent code but can't replicate your lived experience.
This isn't about rejecting technology. It's about reframing the conversation.
The Evolution of You
Think of yourself as living, breathing software. Not cold, clinical code but something organic, adaptive, constantly being refined.
I started as Mark 1.0. The odd one out, the square peg desperately trying to find my place. Each life chapter became an opportunity to upgrade: university introduced Mark 2.0, with fresh approaches to relationships, work, self-expression, even crazier hairstyles!
By version 2.5, I'd cottoned on to something crucial: evolution isn't about reinvention. It's about enhancement.
Like any proper software update, each version builds on what's already there, adding new capabilities whilst maintaining the core operating system that makes you. Well, you.
The most sustainable transformations happen when you build on your foundations rather than trying to erase them.
Now, as Mark 19.1, I've integrated AI into my toolkit. Not as a replacement, mind you, but as an enhancement. It helps me work smarter with challenges like dyslexia. But the essence. The human connection, taste, intuition. That's still distinctly me.
The Quiet Revolution
Picture this. A room full of creatives where the loudest voice commands all the attention, even when the real talent sits quietly in the corner, sketching ideas that will outlast the meeting.
I've been that quiet person. That's particularly common here in British creative circles, where humility often gets overshadowed by confidence that borders on performance.
But here's what I've learned: your voice doesn't need to be the loudest to be heard. It just needs to be authentic.
The Power of Vulnerability
Let's talk about something we Brits aren't exactly famous for: showing vulnerability. We're masters of the stiff upper lip, aren't we? The nation that created "Keep Calm and Carry On" as a national philosophy.
But I've discovered something rather revolutionary: being properly vulnerable. Honest-to-goodness openness about who you are. It isn't just brave, it's good commercial sense.
Think about it. When was the last time you genuinely connected with a perfectly polished LinkedIn or Instagram post or Substack article? It's the honest and insightful ones that grab you. The posts where someone admits they messed up, learned something the hard way, or faced a real challenge.
Clients and collaborators don't just want your portfolio—they want you.
They want the story behind the work, stories, reference points and easter eggs. The thinking that led to that breakthrough. The moment when it all clicked.
I used to think being quiet or reserved would hold me back, but I've discovered that sharing my perspective, even when my voice shakes a bit, is what actually draws people in.
It's like those moments of recognition when someone in a professional setting admits to feeling impostor syndrome. Suddenly barriers drop and genuine connections form. That authentic vulnerability creates the foundation for trust.
And in our industry, trust isn't a nice-to-have. It's everything.
The Way Forward
As AI continues to reshape our creative landscape, remember this: it can replicate, but it can't replace you. Your value lies in:
Your unique perspective. Shaped by streets walked, tears shed, triumphs celebrated. Your ability to connect emotionally with clients and colleagues. Your taste. That indefinable quality developed through real-world experiences. Your capacity to adapt while staying true to yourself. Your willingness to be vulnerable and authentic when all the pressure pushes you toward polished perfection.
The future belongs to those who can balance human intelligence with artificial intelligence, using both to create work that matters. But more importantly, it belongs to those brave enough to bring their whole selves to the table.
Your next software update isn't about changing who you are. It's about becoming more of who you already are, quirks and all.
A Final Thought
For those looking to deepen their understanding of emotional intelligence in professional settings, Dr Ethan Kross offers fascinating insights through his work on emotional distancing techniques. His concept of "self-distancing"—referring to yourself in the third person during self-talk—provides a brilliant framework for reframing your approach to challenges. Check out Modern Wisdom podcast featuring Dr Ethan Kross: "How To Stop Feeling Negative Emotions All The Time."
By creating psychological distance from your own experiences, you gain the objectivity needed to manage negative emotions more effectively. After all, becoming "the next version of you" requires not just enhancing your strengths, but also managing your internal dialogue.
This perspective complements our discussion of evolutionary rather than revolutionary growth. It's another tool for your personal development toolkit—enhancing rather than replacing your authentic self.
Listen to the podcast here