If you haven't heard of the rubber duck technique (or as I call it rubber ducking) before then hold onto your hats, I am about to change the way you work completely.
What is rubber ducking?
The rubber duck debugging technique is used predominantly by software engineers to unstick themselves from complex problems. Essentially you explain the problem you are facing to a "rubber duck" and in the process of explaining you often find the solution. It's a simple process but it surprisingly works a high portion of the time. It doesn't have to be just software engineering issues, I have used it multiple times for project management, people management and prioritisation issues. Being able to succinctly verbalise the problem you are facing, no matter what it is, causes you to think in a different way. As an example when reviewing tasks first thing in the morning and struggling with prioritisation I often ask the rubber duck (which in my case is a large Lord Zedd helmet on my desk) what are the priorities of the day.
How does it help?
There are multiple reasons why this method helps, but I am going to highlight the ones I feel are the most important (you can read more detail here)
Externalising thoughts
Explaining a problem out loud forces you to externalise your internal thought processes. When thoughts are only in your mind, they can be abstract and fragmented. Speaking them out loud requires you to organise and structure these thoughts in a coherent way, which can lead to new insights and a better understanding of the problem.
Reduced anxiety
Talking through a problem with a non-judgmental listener (like a rubber duck) can reduce anxiety and pressure. This is because not only do you get your thoughts out of your head so you can process them, but you aren't expecting the rubber duck to judge you so it's a safe space to say anything.
How can AI make it better?
AI gives you a rubber duck that can talk back, which can be a valuable asset. It's not true rubber ducking as the duck is usually silent (if it does talk it's because it's haunted) but it does give you someone to discuss the problem with. If you frame your problem to AI in the same way you would a rubber duck you might find that AI doesn't even need to respond, but if it does then most of the time it will be able to offer some valuable insight.
Imagine you have a team conflict between two people and you have been asked to solve the issue, but both parties have given really good evidence. This is a good chance to rubber duck with AI, processing the information you have verbally will most of the time lead you to the right conclusion, but if not AI will be able to offer guidance and suggestions on how to resolve the conflict effectively. It also gives you a transcript so you can reference back in those times when you're in deep thought and get whisked away to some incident you need to fix.
Summary
Rubber ducking is a great way to get unstick yourself, or get your thoughts out in a way that allows you to re-assess everything. With AI you have something that can give you feedback, and even help guide you to a solution. So give it a shot, next time you are feeling lost or stuck, quickly open up ChatGPT (in voice mode if you can) and explain the problem to it, you'll be surprised that even if it can't give you the answer you might find the answer anyway.