Human Excellence in the AI Age, Part 1: A Soft Skills Course
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Human Excellence in the AI Age, Part 1: A Soft Skills Course
Instructor: Edward D. Hess
2,231 already enrolled
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What you'll learn
Tools to help you be more resilient and make better life choices and decisions.
Strategies to work towards becoming your Best Self.
Skills you'll gain
- Lifelong Learning
- Composure
- Empathy & Emotional Intelligence
- Social Skills
- Emotional Intelligence
- Professional Development
- Relationship Building
- Overcoming Obstacles
- Leadership Development
- Rapport Building
- Adaptability
- Cognitive flexibility
- Meditation & Breathwork
- Willingness To Learn
- Personal Development
- Self-Awareness
- Stress Management
- Mindfulness
- Trustworthiness
- Leadership
Details to know
4 assignments
See how employees at top companies are mastering in-demand skills
There are 3 modules in this course
Finding meaningful work and happiness in the AI age depends on you - your ability to learn, unlearn, and re-learn at the pace of technological change. Follow Edward D. Hess, Professor Emeritus of Business Administration at the Darden School of Business, as he lays the groundwork for personal development and exceptional leadership in an era of exponential technological growth.
Volatility is the new norm. Technology is becoming faster and smarter than ever before. How can we distinguish ourselves in this new work environment? We must adapt to stay relevant, and according to Hess, we must become highly adaptive learners. Taking ownership of our minds, bodies, egos, emotions, behaviors, listening, and thinking is essential to success and allows us to bring our best selves to work each day. When we bring our best selves to work, we develop caring, trusting relationships with others, optimizing our ability to collaborate and work successfully in teams.
Welcome to Human Excellence in the AI Age Part 1, an exploration into the intersection of human potential and artificial intelligence (AI). In this module, we will lay the foundation for understanding the evolving relationship between humans and AI and how individuals and organizations can strive for excellence in this rapidly changing landscape. In this module, you'll meet your faculty, Edward D. Hess, author of 14 books and Professor Emeritus of Business Administration at the University of Virginia's Darden School of Business. Finally, you'll familiarize yourself with the course structure - video lessons combined with reflection questions and checks for understanding that is designed to help you familiarize yourself with the course so you can make the most of your course experience.
What's included
7 readings
7 readingsβ’Total 14 minutes
- Course Structure and Planningβ’1 minute
- Meet Your Darden Faculty - Edward D. Hessβ’2 minutes
- Course Policiesβ’2 minutes
- Coursera Learner Policiesβ’2 minutes
- Participant and Course Supportβ’2 minutes
- Your Coursera Experienceβ’3 minutes
- Use Discussion Forums to Deepen Your Learningβ’2 minutes
Welcome to the Human Excellence in the AI Age module. This module addresses the challenges of work in the AI Age and the need to reman relevant - to not be automated out of a job. In this module, we will explore the skills that separate humans from technology (i.e.. critical thinking, relationship-building, problem solving) and the need for humans to become highly adaptive learners. Finally, we will discuss the biggest inhibitors of our ability to learn at the pace of change and the need for a new way of working to achieve success in the AI Age.
What's included
9 videos2 readings2 assignments1 discussion prompt
9 videosβ’Total 39 minutes
- Human Excellence in the AI Age - Introductionβ’3 minutes
- AI is Here - How Will You Cope?β’3 minutes
- Adaptation is Required - How Do We Add Value?β’4 minutes
- Highly Adaptive Leaders Become Enablersβ’7 minutes
- So, What's the Problem? The Science of "Us"β’7 minutes
- The Science of "Us" - Summaryβ’3 minutes
- Top Priorities in the AI Ageβ’4 minutes
- The Importance of Soft Skills and "Otherness"β’3 minutes
- A New Way of Workingβ’5 minutes
2 readingsβ’Total 20 minutes
- Journal Exercise: Becoming Your Best Selfβ’10 minutes
- Slide Deck - Human Excellence in the AI Ageβ’10 minutes
2 assignmentsβ’Total 11 minutes
- Reflection: Adding Valueβ’10 minutes
- Completion Check - Journal Exercise: Becoming Your Best Selfβ’1 minute
1 discussion promptβ’Total 10 minutes
- Becoming Your Best Selfβ’10 minutes
Welcome to the Managing Your Ego - Quieting Your Mind and Body module. Our ego and our fear are the two biggest inhibitors of our ability to adapt and grow. In this module, we explore how mastery of self (both mind and body) enables us to become highly adaptive learners. We can overcome the limitations of our ego and fear by embracing humility and a new definition of smart. Using a variety of tools (daily meditation, mindfulness practice, coherent breathing) we are able to quiet our minds and master our physical reactions to stress, creating space to become a highly adaptive learner.
What's included
6 videos3 readings2 assignments1 discussion prompt
6 videosβ’Total 39 minutes
- Introduction: Managing Your Egoβ’2 minutes
- Mastery of Selfβ’4 minutes
- What is Humility?β’12 minutes
- Introduction: Quiet Mind, Quiet Bodyβ’1 minute
- The Power of Mindfulness Meditationβ’14 minutes
- Quiet Your Bodyβ’6 minutes
3 readingsβ’Total 30 minutes
- Workshop: 2 Key Behaviorsβ’10 minutes
- Slide Deck - Managing Your Egoβ’10 minutes
- Slide Deck - Quiet Your Mind and Bodyβ’10 minutes
2 assignmentsβ’Total 6 minutes
- Completion Check - Workshop: 2 Key Behaviorsβ’1 minute
- Knowledge Check - What is Humility?β’5 minutes
1 discussion promptβ’Total 10 minutes
- 2 Key Behaviorsβ’10 minutes
Instructor
Explore more from Leadership and Management
- Status: PreviewU
University of Virginia Darden School Foundation
Course
- Status: PreviewJ
John Wiley & Sons
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- Status: Free Trial
Specialization
- Status: PreviewH
Hult International Business School
Course
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Reviewed on Jun 29, 2025
I like the part with practical breathing exercise - I think is very helpful.
Reviewed on Nov 16, 2024
A good course for me to learn how to manage my daily work and how to be best myself.
Reviewed on Nov 30, 2024
It is important to be humble and fearless, as this course emphasizes. But I would also emphasize truthfulness.
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