A River, A Kitchen, and AI – A Servant Leader’s Perspective
As a fly fisher, I pass by a popular river every day on my way to work. I stop to watch the water’s flow, the fish, and the anglers adjusting their techniques to the conditions. Some anglers seem to hook salmon after salmon effortlessly. That’s not luck—that’s experience, skill, and intuition, refined over time.
It struck me: data is the river, AI is the angler, the customer is the fly, and the team is the camp personnel supporting the entire experience. Just like in fly fishing, success in an AI-driven project isn’t about brute force or automation for the sake of efficiency—it’s about understanding patterns, adapting strategies, and making real-time decisions with precision.
AI as Precision Kitchen Tools – The 3-Star Chef’s Secret
If AI is the angler in the river, it’s also the exclusive, hand-crafted kitchen tool designed specifically for professional chefs. In a 3-star Michelin restaurant, a chef doesn’t just use any knife—they use a hand-forged Japanese Masamoto KS chef’s knife, a Sakai Takayuki damascus blade, or a custom Sujihiki slicer. These tools are not for amateurs; they are made for masters who understand the importance of precision, control, and execution.
The same applies to AI in business. It’s not about replacing the chef—it’s about giving the chef the best possible tools to create something extraordinary.
- Just as a chef uses a custom-forged knife to create paper-thin cuts of Wagyu beef, I use AI to refine communication, predict trends, and execute with surgical precision.
- Just as a chef trusts their tools to deliver consistency under pressure, I use AI to handle repetitive yet critical tasks so I can focus on leadership.
- And just as no two chefs use their tools the same way, no two leaders should use AI the same way—it’s about customizing the technology to your vision.
AI in leadership isn’t about replacing intuition or creativity—it’s about amplifying it with the best possible tools, designed for experts who know how to wield them.
Applying Servant Leadership to AI and Decision-Making
When we launched #ProjectBookshelf45, my focus wasn’t on automation for efficiency—it was on creating a sustainable, trust-driven, and customer-focused ecosystem where AI supports human expertise, not replaces it.
How I Used AI as a Servant Leader
🔹 Enhancing Communication – AI, particularly ChatGPT, helped refine messages to customers, stakeholders, and team members, ensuring clarity, empathy, and efficiency.
🔹 Playing Devil’s Advocate – I used ChatGPT to simulate customer objections, stress-test responses, and refine strategies before rolling them out.
🔹 Creating a Senior Book Expert API – We built an API powered by AI to act as a “Senior Book Expert,” analyzing trends, suggesting pricing strategies, and freeing up the team for higher-value work.
AI became the precision-forged knife, the sous-vide machine, and the blowtorch of my leadership toolkit—enhancing decision-making, speeding up processes, and enabling my team to work at their best.
Key Lessons from #ProjectBookshelf45
1️⃣ Let Experts Own Their Work
🔹 People thrive when they have ownership. I trusted my team, and they delivered. AI supported their decisions but never dictated them.
2️⃣ Give the Team Veto Power
🔹 To maintain synergy, the team had a veto on new hires and contributors. Culture fit mattered as much as skill. AI helped us analyze competencies, but humans made the final call.
3️⃣ Be Present for the Team
🔹 Instead of obsessing over output, I focused on being available. AI managed data, tasks, and workflows, but leadership is about people. When the team feels supported, results follow naturally.
How You Can Apply This in 90 Days
🎯 1. Identify & Fix Profit Leaks with AI
📌 Like a river slowly eroding its banks, profit leaks go unnoticed—until they cost real money.
✅ Use AI analytics to find where revenue is slipping—slow sales, high churn, wasted spend.
✅ Fix the top three leaks with targeted AI-driven optimizations.
✅ Set up automated reporting to track improvements in real time.
Outcome: More revenue without increasing workload.
🎯 2. Boost Conversions with AI-Powered Personalization
📌 A fly fisher changes flies to match conditions—AI lets you do the same for customers.
✅ Use AI to predict customer behavior and adjust outreach in real time.
✅ Automate AI-driven follow-ups for abandoned carts, upsells, and engagement.
✅ Segment customers based on behavior, not just demographics.
Outcome: Higher engagement, repeat business, and stronger loyalty.
🎯 3. Stay Ahead of Market Trends with AI
📌 Rivers change, markets shift—AI keeps you ahead.
✅ Set up AI-driven trend monitoring to analyze customer sentiment and feedback.
✅ Use AI to track competitor strategies and adjust your positioning accordingly.
✅ Act fast—if AI detects a demand spike, adjust your offers within days, not weeks.
Outcome: Faster, more strategic decision-making and a competitive advantage.
🎯 4. Optimize Pricing & Profit Margins with AI
📌 Pricing is like choosing the right fly—an effective fly like a Europea 12 in the right conditions can make all the difference.
✅ Use AI-powered price testing to find the perfect balance between value and margin.
✅ Identify high-value product bundles that increase profitability.
✅ Adjust discounts strategically, ensuring they boost revenue, not just volume.
Outcome: Higher profits without unnecessary price cuts.
🎯 5. Leverage AI for Fast Execution & Scaling
📌 Just like a 3-star kitchen operates at peak efficiency, AI can make sure your team runs at full capacity.
✅ Automate repetitive tasks so your team can focus on strategy.
✅ Use AI for brainstorming, campaign testing, and refining messaging.
✅ Monitor key metrics weekly to adjust strategies in real time.
Outcome: Faster execution, better resource allocation, and scalable growth.
Final Takeaway: The Servant Leader’s AI Ecosystem
When AI is treated as part of a self-sustaining ecosystem, guided by servant leadership, the results come naturally. Instead of pushing for short-term efficiency, we focus on creating lasting impact.
✔️ AI is the precision tool, not the chef.
✔️ Human expertise remains the foundation—AI refines, enhances, and accelerates it.
✔️ Efficiency is important, but sustainability, trust, and adaptability matter more.
A Final Thought from the River, the Kitchen, and AI
Every day on the river reminds me: Success isn’t about force—it’s about flow.
And every chef in a 3-star restaurant knows: It’s not just about the ingredients—it’s about the tools, the skill, and the experience that turns raw materials into something unforgettable.
AI isn’t the answer—it’s the Europea 12 fly, the Masamoto knife, the sous-vide machine, and the precision torch that lets great leaders, great teams, and great businesses serve at the highest level.
So, where will you cast your next fly? What will you create in your kitchen?
And most importantly, what will you create in your artificial kitchen with your Artificial Intelligence Machines?