The Boundary Setter

They’re clear about who’s in charge: them. They don’t mind AI in the room, but they won’t hand over the keys. They’re thoughtful, protective of quality, and deeply values-driven. They help teams stay human-led. But without space to adapt, they risk becoming blockers, not builders.

How to spot them

Signature behaviours:

Sets clear limits – Defines what AI can and can’t do in their work.
Customises everything – Tweaks AI tools until they match their workflow.
Monitors outputs closely – Reviews AI suggestions before acting.
Prefers human input – Seeks peer advice over AI prompts.
Values judgement – Defends human decision-making in meetings.

What this means for you:

• They protect against over-automation and poor-quality outputs.

• They slow things down, in a good way, when others rush.

• But if ignored, they’ll quietly limit AI use across the team.

• With the right support, they become your best AI balancer.

The challenges they create

⚠️ Control over collaboration – Rejects AI features that act without oversight.
⚠️ Tool fatigue – Constantly tweaking settings instead of adapting.
⚠️ Decision resistance – Slows decisions if AI is too involved.
⚠️ Workflow fragmentation – Creates unique AI usage patterns that don’t scale well across teams.

What to do

Let them stay in control

• Give them AI tools that are assistive, not automatic.

• Let them choose where and how AI fits in.

• Offer settings and options they can customise freely.

Make them part of the governance

• Invite them to help shape AI use policies and guardrails.

• Use their standards to improve team-wide quality checks.

• Position them as quality champions, not sceptics.

Show AI as a craft companion, not a shortcut

• Highlight how AI can amplify, not replace, their skills.

• Share examples where AI saved time without lowering quality.

• Encourage them to share how they’ve adapted AI, so others can learn.

Methods that use the profiles

More profiles to explore

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