Andy Dawson (00:00)

The wit and grit bit is easily divided. I'm expecting you to bring the wit.

Yeah, no pressure. Yeah, and I'll be grit I'll be a bit more miserable and gritty. you know, I think it's and again for me, and I obviously want to hear what you think is two things that inspired this. think our mutual concerns slash and hopes for our kids as they're kind of growing up, because I've got a few worries about

PJ Ellis (00:04)

I'm happy with that. I'll be wit and you'll be grit.

Sensible.

Andy Dawson (00:23)

both the world they're coming into, also kind of the expectations that they have as that kind of generation, you know, very digital first, very, you know, walk around like that. So that's one thing. And then secondly, if we can offer some insights, get some interesting people on, champion the region, champion the country, have a bit of fun at the same time and just try and introduce some different

folk into the conversation. I'm sure we'll come on a couple of prospects and hopefully hear this trailer that we can nail down. But yeah, that is for me, mate. What about you? What's all about?

PJ Ellis (00:51)

know what

I'm worried that my kids might not have that ability to bring themselves to the table, whether that's negotiating, relationships, wearing the shorts my Mom would say.

They're very able to look up who Andy Dawson is and what Curium Solutions do and potentially outsource themselves to AI and say, how would I strike up a relationship with Andy Dawson? To pick up the phone, then manufacture that relationship is a different thing. And I think that divide at the moment from the emotional intelligence and the human intelligence to marry that up and work it

in with how they're using AI and all that sort of stuff. I think that's the conversation I want to explore.

Andy Dawson (01:32)

Yeah. couple of things that really resonated from what you've just said. first off, there's a couple of law firms or lawyers I know. and I think the challenge in, business these days, you know, when you're reliant on business development, you know, going out, shaking hands, having coffees, picking up the phone, find people. I think there's a trend for, you know, as people now start to enter the workforce, there's a reluctance to go out.

it's all about text, social, ping a message, you know, and I think that's gonna create interesting challenges for professional services firms in the future. And then I shared something the other day, Microsoft have published the, work index report for 2025.

Now normally, they do this every year. It's normally bit incremental. This year, it was transformational in its outlook and predictions. And the interesting thing about Microsoft, they've got trillions of data points from all the Microsoft products that people use. know, Excel, Word, all that, Teams, all that. And the trends we're starting to see already around how early people start, how late they work, how bombed out they are in the day are quite staggering.

PJ Ellis (02:21)

Of course,

Andy Dawson (02:32)

And in fact, it's, they've come up with a great label. Right. And anyone who listens to this will get this. The infinite work day is now with us. No escape. So actually. Yeah. Always is on. so how do we, you know, that's a great that'd be a great debate to have. cause that touches on both the wit not to fall into that trap and the grit of having to do stuff to get out of it.

PJ Ellis (02:41)

Wow, yeah, it's exhausting isn't it? It's exhausting. Yeah

Andy Dawson (02:56)

So I think that will be an interesting theme as we go on with some of the guests we have as well, hopefully.

PJ Ellis (03:01)

You know you posted the other day, all these tech companies are getting rid of all their workforce because we can rely on AI. We can outsource that. But actually they're then thinking, well, customer service is naff because we haven't got the person on the phone and actually re-employing these people. So actually I think there is a future of AI. Of course there is, but also that future of like that resilience, the grit, that determination. I think if you're able to marry the two and come somewhere in the middle.

you can have a really well performing team

Andy Dawson (03:30)

there's another quick one back to that it's how do, how do companies have really honest conversations? How do you have an honest conversation with people starting on their careers in let's, let's pick on the legal sector because

It's one of the sectors that's being highlighted by people as starting to easily get rid of that work at a junior level. So you're starting to build your career in the legal sector and AI is coming down the tracks and that's going to take your job. Now you can't ignore that fact. You know you need your teams to buy into implementing the systems. It needs the people effect, the people first effect, but you've got to be honest about where it's going to go.

PJ Ellis (03:49)

Yeah.

Andy Dawson (04:06)

So how do businesses generally have an honest conversation about how do you welcome AI into the business that people don't resist it so that you can drive those efficiencies and change the way you work? But there's always that little suspicion in the back of the people's minds. You're getting rid of me. Why do I support this? What's in it for me? That'd be a great topic to have.

PJ Ellis (04:24)

Yeah.

Interesting. I've got legal background and I used that legal background. I haven't practiced for 10 years. with AI to beat a very, very, very good lawyer in a settlement agreement. So

Has that AI tool, put me on a level peggin g almost, it? it's like a nil-nil draw.

Andy Dawson (04:43)

Yeah, and that's it. You the concept of the nil-nil draw is you know, one AI against another, they've got access to the same case law and everything called the same information. So it becomes the human skill that wins, you know, how do you negotiate? How do you collaborate? New ideas, get someone face to face. And that's, that's, I think, is the really important things for every generation now, certainly ours, but certainly for the kids how do you get the kids up to speed with kind of the more social emotional side when

You know, their attention spans are stuck in a world of TikTok

PJ Ellis (05:14)

I'm a massive overthinker, right? There's loads of anxieties. Life's difficult at the moment, right? And I think when I reflect, and I've been doing a lot of that lately, if I'd had AI back in the day,

My brain doesn't switch off at the best of times. And I had to go to libraries to consume that information. To think that it's now on your fingertips. It's really scary, isn't it?