Based on my conversation with AI leadership expert Geoff Woods on the Drop The Mic podcast
Let me guess. You've tried AI, and it felt like a waste of time.
You asked ChatGPT to write some social media posts. Maybe rewrite an email or two. The results were generic garbage that screamed "I let a robot write this," so you went back to doing everything yourself.
Here's the problem: You're using AI like it's a cheap intern when you should be treating it like your most strategic advisor.
I recently sat down with Geoff Woods, author of "The AI-Driven Leader," on my podcast. This guy helped grow a steel company's market cap from $750 million to $12 billion using AI strategically. Not by automating tweets. By thinking bigger.
Way bigger.
While everyone's obsessing over AI writing tools, smart business leaders are using AI to solve the problems that actually matter. Problems like:
Think about it. When was the last time you did a team-building activity on a Friday instead of hammering away at tedious desk work? When did you last have uninterrupted time to build relationships with your best clients?
That's what AI should give you back. Not just efficiency, but effectiveness where it counts.
Geoff shared his CRIT framework that turns AI from a fancy autocomplete tool into a strategic thought partner:
C - Context: Give AI the full picture
R - Role: Assign it to be a specific type of expert
I - Interview: This is the game-changer — have AI interview YOU
T - Task: Then give it something specific to accomplish
Here's where most business owners screw up: They skip the Interview step because they think AI is supposed to save them time. Wrong.
AI should enhance your output, not just speed up your input.
Instead of asking AI questions like it's Google, flip the script. Make it interview you.
Geoff told me about a CEO whose manufacturing company was facing bankruptcy. Instead of just asking AI "How do I restructure debt?" he used this approach:
"I'm a manufacturing CEO facing bankruptcy due to debt structure issues with a Japanese company. Here's what I've tried... Role: Act as an investment banker with debt restructuring expertise. Interview me — ask me three questions to gain deeper context so you can generate five non-obvious strategies."
The result? AI asked about his relationships with influential Japanese executives — something he never would have considered. That single insight led to a "saving face consortium" strategy that saved his company.
Ten minutes. One strategic conversation. Business saved.
Remember my core principle from "Drop The Mic Marketing"? You're a commodity of one selling to a community of many.
AI supercharges this concept.
Normally, it would take me hours of research to understand the pain points of a 65-year-old widow looking to downsize to a condo. With AI as my strategic partner, I can create messaging that resonates with that specific avatar in minutes.
Not generic messaging. Personalized, authentic messaging that speaks directly to her fears about leaving the family home and her excitement about a maintenance-free lifestyle.
At Merged Media, we've used AI to revolutionize our client onboarding process. Instead of spending weeks researching a new client's industry and customers, we use AI to dive deep into their business context, competitive landscape, and customer pain points in days.
We also built Chatello.ai — our 24/7 website support platform that answers customer questions instantly. No more waiting 24 hours to find out if a restaurant has vegan options. No more lost leads because someone called after hours.
Here's the biggest mistake I see: Business owners using AI to write all their content without adding any personal touch.
We're getting wise to overused AI words like "delve" and "unlock." AI-generated emails and social posts are starting to leave negative impressions because they look cut-and-paste fake.
The solution? Personalize your AI.
Upload your writing samples. Feed it your old blog posts and emails. Record a conversation or upload a podcast episode so AI understands how you actually communicate. Take a personality test and share the results.
Give AI so much context about you that it can write in your voice, not robot voice.
If you've never used AI strategically, here's your homework:
Stop asking AI to do things for you. Start having conversations with it.
Try this: Pick your biggest business challenge right now. Use the CRIT framework:
Spend 30 minutes on this exercise. I guarantee you'll walk away with insights you never would have reached on your own.
At the end of the day, this isn't about technology. It's about getting back to what makes you money: building relationships.
When AI handles the research, analysis, and strategic thinking support, you get to focus on shaking hands with the people who matter. Your best clients. Your top employees. Your family.
That's the real power of AI leadership. It doesn't replace your humanity — it amplifies it.
Just like rock and roll in the 1950s, AI isn't going anywhere. You can resist it and fall behind, or you can learn to wield it strategically and dominate your market.
Your choice.
But remember: It's not show fun. It's show business.
Ready to stop playing small with AI? Check out Geoff Woods' book "The AI-Driven Leader" and start thinking like a strategic leader, not a content creator. And if you want to see how we're using AI to drive real results for service-based businesses, let's talk.
Co Founder of Merged Media & Co Owner of Chatello.ai
He is the co-founder of Merged Media, an award-winning digital marketing agency specializing in AI-powered strategies. A sought-after speaker and educator, Jason teaches "Leading Change in Digital Tourism" at George Brown College and has presented at major events like Affiliate World and AdWorld. From his unique journey as a Japanese rockstar to building a successful agency, Jason combines creativity and innovation to help businesses worldwide scale their growth and achieve transformative marketing results.