In the age of AI, people skills matter more than ever

You’re using AI to handle more of the work that your team used to do. That's exactly why the human side of the business has become a competitive advantage. In this episode, Chip and Gini make the case that as AI slop floods everyone's inbox and feeds, the bar for genuine human interaction has dropped so low that clearing it will make you stand out. Demonstrating real experience and expertise in conversation — not just in content — is where agencies will win. That starts with having actual conversations. Chip argues that meetings have become more valuable, not less, because you can't fake a real-time interaction the way you can a written deliverable. And Gini adds that it extends to one-on-one meetings with your team, which can be used to get the specific decisions needed from you. Written content is increasingly hard to trust, and Chip admits even he can't reliably tell his own writing from AI output. Video helps close that gap for now. So does the handwritten note, which Chip still sends to podcast guests when he can track down an address. He jokes that the illegibility is proof of authenticity. In person beats everything. Chip pushes agency owners to budget for it deliberately, with clients, prospects, and remote team members alike. Gini mentions the Augusta Rule as one way to offset some of those costs, though both are quick to say talk to your accountant before you try to benefit from it. 00:00 Intro 00:37 People skills in AI 02:49 Meetings matter again 05:24 Show real expertise 06:40 Video and in person 08:17 Handwritten notes 11:02 Budget for connection 13:12 Relationships build trust 15:02 Conclusion === Follow Small Agency Growth Alliance (SAGA): LinkedIn:   / small-agency-growth   Twitter:   / agencyleaders   Facebook: https://fb.me/agencyleaders Connect with Chip Griffin: LinkedIn: https:///www.linkedin.com/in/chipgriffin Twitter:   / chipgriffin   Subscribe to our newsletter: https://www.smallagencygrowth.com/sub... Visit our website: https://www.smallagencygrowth.com/ Listen to The Agency Leadership Podcast with Chip Griffin & Gini Dietrich: https://www.agencyleadershippodcast.com Listen to the Chats with Chip Podcast: https://www.chatswithchip.com __ Host: Chip Griffin SAGA Community Manager: Jen Griffin