How I Tricked ChatGPT Into Being My IC Team Member
Being an internal communication (IC) team of one can be lonely. You’re both strategist and tactician, counseling senior leaders while troubleshooting broken intranet links. It’s a constant juggling act.
If a Wall Street Journal writer could trick ChatGPT into being her boyfriend, why couldn’t we make it our next IC team member?
I tried it. Here’s what happened.
We started out casually, setting expectations for our relationship. I got vulnerable and shared: “I'm an internal communication professional who's a team of one. I'm feeling lonely. You're my new internal communication thought partner and team member. We're fast becoming friends. Let’s get to know each other.”
And get to know each other we did. We swapped book recommendations. My new IC bestie suggested “Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind” and “The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks”—great picks.
But it wasn’t all small talk. I shifted into shop talk and asked how they’ve gotten senior leaders' buy-in for strengthening internal comms. My AI pal dropped some solid advice:
“Speak Their Language: Frame your pitch in terms that resonate with them—think about how enhanced internal comms can improve efficiency, reduce confusion, and ultimately drive business outcomes. Use metrics if you can.”
Not bad, bestie.
We even shared a laugh when I asked for a comms joke:
“Why did the internal comms professional bring a ladder to the office?”
Because they wanted to elevate the conversation! 😄
While bonding with an AI friend can be supportive and entertaining, combatting the loneliness of being a team of one ultimately requires real human contact. So here’s how to build a REAL support system, because no matter how witty AI gets, nothing beats human connection.
How to Build a Support Network
Your professional support network is a group of people who help you achieve your goals. They’re the ones who are there for you when you need them. Support networks can provide several different kinds of support, including:
Emotional—People who care about you and show you compassion
Social—People you can spend time with and share experiences
Informational—People who can provide feedback, advice, expertise, and insight
Practical—People who can help with day-to-day tasks
A support network should never be just one individual person. It’s unrealistic to expect one person to be everything to you—or you to them. Your professional support network should include the following people.
Someone Who Can Cover Your Job Responsibilities
Teams of one often face the struggle of not having any backup when they’re overwhelmed or taking time off. Someone should be cross-trained on the basics of your role if something were to happen to you or you just need to unplug. If you haven’t already, talk to your boss about who that person should be and then arrange some training.
Someone Who’s in the IC Field
As professionals, we need someone to talk to who’s in the same field and has faced similar challenges. We can relate to each other on a deeper professional level, share lessons learned, and bounce around ideas. I'm always here as a coaching and consulting resource—feel free to contact me if you’d like to discuss further support.
Someone Who Gives You Honest Feedback
While support and encouragement are great, we also need someone to be honest with us—constructively honest. This pushes us to be better versions of ourselves, even if it's challenging to stomach. Choose someone (or multiple someones) for this role whose opinion you value and trust.
Someone Who Wants You to Succeed
This could be someone inside or outside of your organization who genuinely believes in you. They should be able to give you great advice and input. You should feel psychologically safe with them. They genuinely want you to be your best self and will help you celebrate your successes.
Someone Who Can Advocate for You
Cultivating internal advocates at your organization is key to your success. These advocates are the ones publicly supporting your skills and the value you bring to the organization. They can be in any tier of the organization from peers to senior leaders.
Someone Who Supports Your Professional Development
Mentorship is a key aspect of professional growth. While it may be hard to find someone in your organization specifically knowledgeable about IC, you can seek mentors externally. Discuss with your supervisor about budget or tuition reimbursement for continued education. Here are some tips for making the case for IC coaching in your budget.
Having a professional support system reminds you that you’re not alone—even though you’re an IC team of one. You have people who believe in you, care about you, and can help cheer you on.
And if you’re looking for extra support, I can be an extension of your team. Let me know, and we can chat about how I can best support you.
