Carrying a Pivot Table? (Now with AI)

I put this cartoon together a while back when illustrating cartoons for iSixSigma Magazine, and it still makes me smile.

But lately… it’s been making me think even more.

At the time, this was about Pivot Tables.

Today?

It might as well say AI.

It Was Never About the Tool

Back then, it was Excel.

Today, it’s ChatGPT, Copilot, automation tools… you name it.

Different tool.

Same behaviour.

What I would challenge you to think about is this:

Have we really changed… or just upgraded the tools?

Because I’m starting to see the same pattern again.

We’re Carrying AI the Same Way

A lot of people are using AI right now.

But not everyone understands it.

And when that happens:

Outputs look impressive
Language sounds polished
Reports come together quickly

But ask one simple question:
“Walk me through how you got that.”

That’s where things start to fall apart.

From Pivot Tables to Prompts

Years ago, it sounded like: “This Pivot Table is really complex…”

Now it sounds like: “The AI generated this…”

Different words.

Same risk.

Because if you don’t understand:

The inputs
The assumptions
The limitations

…then you’re not using a tool.

You’re handing over your thinking.

A Simple Analogy

Using AI without understanding it is like:

Letting someone else write your report… and presenting it as your own work without reading it properly.

It might look good.

But:

You can’t defend it
You can’t adapt it
And you definitely can’t improve it

That’s not capability.

That’s dependency.

And that’s a problem.

Where This Starts to Hurt

This becomes a leadership issue faster than people think.

Because if teams don’t understand the tools they’re using:

Decisions get made on shaky ground
Confidence becomes artificial
And real capability never develops

I’ve seen this before with Lean tools.

We’re just seeing it again…now at record speed.

The Trap Leaders Are Walking Into

Here’s the part that concerns me.

We’re rewarding it again.

We hear:

“That was generated in seconds”
“Look how polished this is”
“AI did all the heavy lifting”

And we think… this is progress.

But what I would challenge you to think about is: Are we replacing effort… or replacing thinking?

Because those are not the same thing.

The Coaching Opportunity as a Leader

This is where leaders need to lean in.

Not by banning tools—but by building understanding.

Instead of asking:

“Can you use AI?”

Start asking:

“How did you use it?”
“What assumptions did it make?”
“What would you challenge in that output?”

Because the goal isn’t to avoid AI.

It’s to ensure people are still doing the thinking.

Practical Takeaways

If you’re working with teams right now, here’s where I’d focus:

1. Don’t confuse speed with understanding
Fast output doesn’t mean good thinking

2. Make people explain the result
If they can’t explain it… they don’t own it

3. Build capability, not dependency
AI should support thinking—not replace it

Final Thought

My cartoon was meant to be funny.

And it still is (I hope). But the lesson behind it?

It’s more relevant today than when I drew it.

Because whether it’s a Pivot Table…

or AI… A tool is only as powerful as the understanding behind using it.

A question to reflect on:

Where in your organization are people now “carrying AI”… instead of truly understanding how to use it?