149: "Vague Thinking Produces Weak Outputs, Specially with AI" ft. Justin Coats

This episode marks the beginning of a new weekly series featuring Justin Coats—AI expert, co-founder of LearnAir™, and now recurring co-host. Erik brings his biggest questions about AI in business, and Justin brings grounded, practical answers.The core tension? AI isn’t the limiting factor—humans are. Specifically, our lack of awareness around how we actually work.Together, Erik and Justin unpack why most businesses struggle to adopt AI, how vague thinking kills automation, and why leadership—not technology—is the true bottleneck. They explore the uncomfortable truth: you can’t automate what you don’t understand… and most people don’t understand their own workflows.👤 About the GuestJustin Coats is Co-Founder of LearnAIR™, an AI literacy and workforce transformation company and one of a select group of global OpenAI service partners.He works with organizations to build AI-ready workforces—helping teams understand how work actually gets done, where AI can be applied effectively, and how to integrate human and artificial intelligence in a way that is practical, responsible, and scalable.🧭 Conversation HighlightsWhy AI adoption is failing—and it’s not because of the tech The “lack of a mirror” problem in modern work How vague language breaks AI performance Why most people can’t explain how they do their job The hidden 30% efficiency gain from simply thinking about your process The role of leadership in driving (or killing) AI adoption How early adopters are creating new organizational bottlenecks The shift from tasks → purpose in the age of AI What happens when humans move faster than the system around them 💡 Key TakeawaysYou can’t automate what you don’t understand — Most workflows are invisible even to the people doing them AI rewards specificity — Vague thinking produces weak outputs Efficiency starts with awareness — Many gains happen before AI is even used Leadership determines adoption — Mandates fail; modeled behavior works AI creates uneven acceleration — Some teams move 4x faster, exposing bottlenecks elsewhere ❓ Questions That MatteredHow do you describe your job at a level AI can actually execute? What steps are hidden inside the “simple” tasks you do every day? Are you resisting AI because of time… or because of ego? What inefficiencies are you unknowingly covering with skill? Is your leadership team actually using AI—or just telling others to? What would happen if your workflow was fully visible? Are you solving for tasks… or the purpose behind them? 🗣️ Notable Quotes“You can’t automate what you don’t already know how to do.” “We truly don’t know how we do our work—we just do it.” “Spend 95% of your time thinking… AI will handle the rest in microseconds.” “The human is the limiting factor.” “Leadership isn’t saying ‘go use AI’—it’s showing how you use it.” “We weren’t created to work in a digital universe.” 🔗 Links & ResourcesCheck out LearnAir™, Justin's Company: www.learnair.comFollow Justin on LinkedIn