S5 | 454: Reskilling & upskilling for Generative AI with Michelle Boockoff-Bajdek, Skillsoft

Digital StrategyTechnologyConversational AI

Dec 4

About the Episode

In the ever-evolving landscape of work, where AI permeates our daily routines, it is imperative for teams at every company, including marketers, to embrace technology like AI in order to thrive and maintain a competitive edge. By understanding and harnessing the potential of AI, marketers can propel their companies towards success, keeping them relevant and at the forefront of their respective industries.

Today we’re going to talk about why marketers need to be comfortable and fluent in technology like generative AI to support their org’s marketing strategy, development, and execution, and how reskilling and upskilling play a role in this.

To help me discuss this topic, I’d like to welcome Michelle Boockoff-Bajdek, CMO at Skillsoft.

About Michelle Boockoff-Bajdek

As Chief Marketing Officer, Michelle leads a global organization that uses the power of learning to drive business transformation and build a more skilled, resilient, future-fit workforce. Drawing on more than 25 years of marketing, branding, and strategy experience, Michelle serves as Skillsoft's brand evangelist, nurturing and growing a vibrant community of lifelong learners.

Michelle is a firm believer that doing the right thing is always the right thing to do. As such, she serves a dual role as Chief Sustainability Officer, proudly overseeing Skillsoft's commitment to environmental, social responsibility, and corporate governance. Under her leadership, the organization has initiated an ambitious vision and strategic plan for sustainable progress that benefits Skillsoft, its customers, and the greater communities in which it operates.

Prior to Skillsoft, Michelle served as CMO of IBM Watson, where she helped develop the first “Women Leaders in AI” program. She also served as global head of marketing for The Weather Company, an IBM Business, helping companies make better decisions with greater confidence in the face of weather.

A prolific speaker and author on timely topics including the war for talent, digital transformation, and ethical leadership in a post-pandemic world, Michelle also hosts Skillsoft's podcast, The Edge, a platform for candid, thought-provoking conversations about sustainability, learning, and growth in the workplace. Michelle is central to our leadership role in DEI through developing free “Leadercamps,” and has taught two Percipio courses on the Pink Pandemic and Public Speaking.

A firm believer in peer power, Michelle is also a founding member of CMO Huddles, a group dedicated to bringing together highly effective B2B CMOs to "share, care, and dare" each other to greatness. Michelle holds a Master’s degree from Simmons University, and sits on the pro side of the Oxford comma debate.

Resources

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Synopsis

In this episode, guest speaker Michelle Boockoff-Bajdek emphasizes the importance of understanding and embracing AI to unlock possibilities for organizations. By embracing AI and acquiring the necessary skills to deploy it effectively, organizations can benefit in various ways.

Firstly, embracing AI allows organizations to work smarter and make better decisions. AI empowers individuals and teams to improve their strategies and enhance performance. It provides tools and capabilities to analyze data, identify patterns, and generate insights that drive more informed decision-making.

Additionally, AI can help bridge gaps within organizations. By providing education and training on AI, organizations ensure their employees stay relevant and equipped with the skills needed to navigate the rapidly evolving technological landscape. This not only helps individuals remain valuable assets but also ensures the organization as a whole remains competitive and adaptable.

Furthermore, Michelle highlights that while AI is a powerful tool, it cannot replace everything. It is important to recognize that human intelligence is still crucial, and AI should be used to augment and enhance human capabilities, rather than replace them entirely. By understanding and embracing AI, organizations can leverage its potential to work alongside human intelligence, resulting in more effective and efficient operations.

Overall, the episode emphasizes the transformative potential of AI for organizations. By embracing AI and acquiring the necessary skills, organizations can unlock new possibilities, improve decision-making, bridge gaps within the organization, and ensure that human intelligence and AI work together to drive success.

The episode also emphasizes the importance of marketers being comfortable and fluent in technology like generative AI to support marketing strategy, development, and execution. The ever-evolving landscape of work, with AI permeating daily routines, makes it imperative for marketers to embrace AI and harness its potential to thrive and maintain a competitive edge.

Generative AI is already being implemented in core functions of digital marketing and is expected to grow in the coming months as capabilities evolve. Therefore, marketing leaders, in particular, need to jump in with both feet and ensure their teams are equipped with the necessary skills to effectively utilize generative AI.

Education is crucial in empowering marketers to embrace AI with confidence. By providing education and training, marketers can bridge gaps in their knowledge and ensure they stay relevant in the face of technological advancements. This benefits individual growth and contributes to the success of the organization.

While AI cannot replace everything, it can empower marketers to work smarter, make better decisions, and continuously improve their marketing strategies. By understanding and embracing AI, marketers unlock possibilities for their organizations and ensure their people remain the most valuable asset.

Overall, the episode highlights the importance of marketers being comfortable and fluent in technology like generative AI to support marketing strategy, development, and execution. It emphasizes the need for education, reskilling, and upskilling to empower marketers to embrace AI with confidence and stay relevant in the ever-changing landscape of work.

According to the episode, education is crucial for marketers to embrace AI with confidence. The speaker emphasizes the importance of understanding and harnessing the potential of AI to propel companies towards success and maintain a competitive edge. By being knowledgeable about AI, marketers can contribute more meaningfully to their company's success and enhance their own personal success as well.

The episode suggests that marketers need to be comfortable with both influent and generative AI. This means they should understand how AI works and its potential applications, as well as effectively utilize AI technology in their marketing strategy development and execution. The speaker mentions that there are plenty of courses available on topics such as prompt crafting, potential applications, ethics, and governance, which can provide marketers with the necessary knowledge to enhance their value as employees and contribute to their company's generative AI strategy.

Furthermore, the episode highlights the role of marketing leaders in promoting education and AI adoption within their teams. It suggests that leaders should jump in with both feet and help their teams get educated about AI. They should provide the necessary resources, such as courses and training, to ensure their teams have the skills needed to effectively deploy AI and make better decisions. The speaker emphasizes the importance of leaders assessing their own skills and understanding what skills they need to build to guide and train their teams effectively.

In summary, education plays a crucial role in enabling marketers to embrace AI with confidence. By understanding and harnessing the potential of AI, marketers can contribute to their company's success, enhance their own value as employees, and stay relevant in an ever-evolving landscape of work. Marketing leaders have a responsibility to promote education and provide the necessary resources for their teams to develop the skills needed to effectively deploy AI.