What Lies Beneath the Surface
A personal reflection from Brussels Unfiltered on the struggles, setbacks and experiences behind our professional lives.
I don't normally speak at conferences about therapy, my jaw operation, depression, and sensitive personal issues.
But when Shil Shanghavi and Ruxandra-Laura Bosilca came up with the “unfiltered” format, meaning “5 minutes, personal topic, zero business”, I was quite intrigued.
At Brussels Unfiltered, I spoke about “icebergs”: we're not just the visible part above water, the LinkedIn stuff. There is a lot underneath, invisible to most, sometimes even to ourselves.
From the many nods and smiles, it seemed this resonated with many in the audience.
Struggles, growth, setbacks and difficulties are not spoken about at networking events, but perhaps that could change.
We would all benefit, I think.
Thanks again for the invite.
9 AI Prompts for Public Affairs Professionals Who Want Better Thinking, Not Just Faster Drafting
Discover 9 practical AI prompts for public affairs professionals to improve policy messaging, pressure-test arguments, anticipate objections, and communicate more clearly with EU stakeholders.
“What is the single weakest sentence in this briefing, and how would you fix it?”
This is a prompt I would probably never have come up with myself.
And yet, it is exactly the kind of question that makes AI useful for public affairs work.
Not because it writes the briefing for you.
But because it helps you test the thinking behind it.
A lot of AI use in public affairs still focuses on speed: summarise this, draft that, turn this into an email. Useful, yes. But not the whole story.
The real value is when AI helps you pressure-test your message before someone else does.
A policymaker.
A journalist.
A Commission official.
A sceptical attaché.
A client.
A colleague in the meeting who spots the weak point before you do.
So here are 9 AI prompts for public affairs professionals who want better thinking, not just faster drafting:
- Rewrite this message so it would survive a hostile question from an MEP in the relevant EP committee.
- List the 5 strongest objections a Commission desk officer at [DG] would raise to this proposal, then tighten the argument.
- Translate this policy language into something a national journalist would not misinterpret.
- What is the single weakest sentence in this briefing, and how would you fix it?
- Adapt this message for a sceptical Permanent Representation official who is short on time.
- Strip this text of buzzwords and replace them with concrete, defensible claims.
- Assume the audience is politically neutral but institutionally risk-averse, rewrite accordingly.
- What is the hidden assumption in this argument that could be challenged in a meeting?
- Reduce this to a 30-second spoken answer that sounds credible and not rehearsed.
The point is not to let AI do your public affairs work for you.
The point is to use it as a sparring partner.
To make your arguments clearer.
To make your messages harder to misread.
To find the sentence that sounds fine until someone challenges it.
To prepare for the question you hope no one asks.
That is where AI becomes genuinely useful.
Not as a shortcut around expertise.
But as a tool that helps you use your expertise better.
Stop Using AI for Answers. Start Using It for Better Questions
Discover why the real power of AI isn’t in providing answers, but in helping you ask better questions, uncover blind spots, and explore alternative perspectives for smarter decision-making.
Picasso once said: "Computers are useless, they can only give you answers."
That was true in his time, and still true today if you only use AI as a search ("answer") engine.
The real value is in the questions we ask:
- see blind spots in our reasoning ("Identify hidden biases or blind spots in my plan.)
- test assumptions we didn’t know we had ("Highlight my explicit or implicit assumptions.")
- explore alternative framings of the same problem ("How can this problem be viewed from multiple angles? How would a manager, a psychologist, a physicist, and musician look at it?") Or take these for example:
- Instead of asking “What’s the EU’s position on AI regulation?” try “What unintended consequences could the EU AI Act have for small startups?”
- Instead of “Summarize this report,” try “What’s missing from this report that an NGO focusing on circular economy could ask?”
- Instead of “Write a press release,” try “What would make this story credible to a skeptical journalist?”
AI doesn’t (and shouldn't) replace thinking. Just be sure to ask it the right way.
➡️ looking for AI workshops for your team? Influence Builders has trained 1500+ corporate and government affairs teams, and we'll be glad to work with you.
Europe at a Crossroads: Will Leaders Wake Up Before It’s Too Late?
Europe faces an existential crisis. With rising geopolitical threats, internal fragmentation, and a lack of strategic vision, the EU risks collapse or radical transformation. Can European leaders recognize the urgency before it's too late?
Europe’s tragedy of the 21st century: its lack of imagination and short memory on how easily peace can collapse.
Are EU and national leaders aware how serious the situation is?
There is a real 30-40% chance that the European Union breaks up or ceases to exist in its current form. This could be full fragmentation or a partial one where "core" countries, committed to deep integration (internal market, Schengen, Eurozone, defense union, etc.), form a new alliance or remake the rules, excluding members that actively sabotage Europe’s future.
Why?
In November 2024, the US Director of National Intelligence warned that Russia is using its intelligence services to sabotage Europe’s defense industrial base, recruiting criminals and proxies to attack military installations, defense firms, logistics, and utilities.
This is part of a global battle of grand strategies where Russia, and shockingly, the "new right" of the US administration, are winning.
It is not difficult because the EU barely has a strategy or narrative to counter it. Nationalism is appealing, tapping into powerful emotions with effective manipulation that would make George Orwell turn in his grave (capitulation = "peace," democratically elected leader = "dictator," refusing to obey a bully = "disrespectful," etc.).
Meanwhile, Europe struggles to find its own voice, having lost the muscles it wasn’t supposed to use again. It naively trusted its Transatlantic partner that the post-WW2 Bretton Woods system of economic stability and security guarantees would last forever—until recently, when it was hijacked and turned against it.
Terror attacks on European soil are becoming normalized. Terror-supporters march weekly with growing audacity, and foreign interference in elections is increasingly aggressive, pulling European societies apart by eroding the center.
Europe’s social spending and market economy have created prosperity, but the honeymoon from history is over. The awakening may be harder than expected. We can’t afford minimal growth, declining competitiveness, and the fantasy that wars and self-defence are relics of the past.
Technologically, we risk becoming a backwater. While there are local champions, global players increasingly ignore Europe rather than follow its regulations. AI will disrupt labor markets and pose geostrategic risks regarding services, data, and governance. Add humanoid robots and automation, and the outlook darkens further.
The house is on fire, and we complain about stale popcorn while watching TV.
This is an emergency, and the costs of fixing it are rising exponentially.
We need focus.
We need crisis management.
We need new legal and governance frameworks.
We need to let go of non-priority policies.
We need agile and effective leadership.
Most importantly, we need an ambitious new story to rally behind.
Major disruptions, possibly more war, are coming.
Do Europeans understand the paradigm shift?
Leaders: please save the EU while you still can.
AI in Consulting: From Threat to Competitive Advantage
AI isn’t replacing consultants; it’s making firms indispensable.
“We thought AI would replace us. Instead, we realized it can make our firm indispensable”, I was told.
I spoke with consulting teams about the ways they can integrate and use AI in their work, both internal and client-facing.
From instant research and smarter proposals to AI-powered client insights, consultancies can redefine their value with AI.
How?
See the one-page summary below. (If you click on 'full page view' on the document, you can download the PDF directly.)
Let me know what you think (and share with others who'd find it valuable).
The Simple Habit That Reveals a True Growth Mindset
The strongest indicator of a growth mindset isn’t just curiosity; it’s action.
In my 30 years working with ambitious individuals,the #1 indicator that showed a person’s “growth mindset” attitude was one small thing: when discussing ideas or to-do’s with them, they immediately started to take notes.
Not because they were forgetful but because no human can keep everything important in mind.
Look for the note takers and you will find the potential.
Beyond the Bubble: A Podcast Inspired by Brussels, but Not Just About the EU
I'm launching a podcast that explores how people see the world—through the stories of those in and around Brussels.
I'm interested in people's stories, and even more interested in how they see the world.
So I'm launching a #podcast that's not about the EU as such but inspired by those in and around Brussels.
The conversations recorded so far have covered topics as broad as influencer culture, free speech, Middle East, being an expat (migrant?) in Brussels, religious beliefs, narcissists, burnout, mental health, personal values... and we have only recored 3 episodes so far (but many more coming).
Who are the guests?
Anyone interesting who is connected to Brussels in some way, and whose story resonates "Beyond the Bubble".
Release coming in a few weeks.
#beyondthebubble
AI Won’t Replace Consultants, but It Will Expose Lazy Thinking
Many public affairs teams use AI as a fancy spellchecker, rewording the same talking points. But AI isn’t just about efficiency—it can push you to think deeper.
AI will not replace consultants' job (yet). It will nevertheless expose lazy thinking.
Too many public affairs teams use AI as a high-end spellchecker: drafting, summarizing, rewording the same talking points.
But AI doesn’t just speed up work, it can (should) force us to think *deeper*.
Take a classic advocacy goal: "We need to reach policymakers."
Instead of basic brainstorming, prompt it to help you *challenge your thinking*.
-> Go one level deeper and ask: Why?
"Because we want them to hear our message."
-> Go deeper: Why?
"Because we want them to care about our (client's) issue."
-> Keep going: Why?
"Because we want them to change their mind."
So is sending out another policy paper really the best way to do that? Or are we just doing what feels familiar?
-> Now that we found the *core* objective, let's start brainstorming about the best ways to reach it.
AI can’t (shouldn’t) think for you, but it can help you uncover your hidden ideas.
Just push (prompt) it to ask you 5 “why”s, or to state “I want to send a position paper to a lawmaker. Work your way through to the root objective using 5 whys as an approach.”
It can help refine arguments, question your approach, and actually get to the *real* aim—not just the default one.
Efficiency gains are the easy wins. Rather, use it to challenge yourself. To rethink. To help you go deeper.
(Or keep using it the same way and wonder why nobody's mind is changed.)
A Smarter Approach to Marketing (or Advocacy) Strategy
Too many start with where to communicate instead of who they’re speaking to. This 4-part framework ensures your messaging, positioning, and targeting are solid before choosing channels—making your strategy far more effective.
Excellent marketing advice, highly applicable for policy/advocacy communications too.
*This was originally posted on Andras Baneth's LinkedIn account.
AI in the Workplace: Adapt or Fall Behind
AI is transforming the workplace, and staying the same isn’t an option. As your peers embrace AI for better insights and efficiency, falling behind isn’t just a risk—it’s inevitable.
"With AI widely available, does this new shiny object really have to change the way we work?", asked Jacques.
"You *can* obviously carry on and do business as usual, but there will be increasing pressure on you—from the technology itself, because AI is going to penetrate your organization, your computers, your software— but also from your peers."
"Your peers?"
"Yes, be it other lobbyists, advocates, political actors, or businesses—no matter who—it’s inevitable that they’ll start using AI since they will discover how radically it improves their efficiency and effectiveness. And that’s going to put pressure on you to step up your game."
"How so?"
"Because if you go into a meeting and somebody is so well-prepared—with far better arguments, deep research on your policy and stakeholders, whatever it is—and you’re standing there with just your basic notes… well, you’ll feel naked in comparison.
"Naked?"
"Okay, look at it this way: it's as if you were sending carrier pigeons, and the other person has a smartphone… good luck then. Whether you like it or not, whether you want to operate that way or not: you will have no choice but to adapt."
Stay Updated: 11+ AI Newsletters & Experts to Follow
Keeping up with AI can be overwhelming, so I’ve compiled a list of top newsletters and accounts that provide valuable insights, analysis, and practical use cases. Here are my go-to sources for staying informed!
It's often hard to keep up with AI news and developments so I collected a few newsletters/accounts that I follow and read regularly.
1. Ethan Mollick's One Useful Thing: https://lnkd.in/eqMeDH6R
2. David Szabo-Stuban's Lumberjack: https://lumberjack.so/
3. Jurgen Gravestein's Teaching computers how to talk: https://lnkd.in/eyGeG6x6
4. Gary Marcus's Marcus on AI: https://lnkd.in/enyp6b62
5. Charlie Guo's Artificial ignorance: https://www.ignorance.ai/
6. Timothy B Lee's Understanding AI: https://lnkd.in/eQrnAjki
7. David Timis's Linkedin analysis and updates
8. Maria Linkova-Nijs's practical use cases and insights on Linkedin
9. "This week in AI" newsletter's roundup: https://thiswk.ai/
10. Rowan Cheung's The rundown AI digest: https://www.therundown.ai/
11. The Promptmaster community with Dave Talas
+1: Our own (with Jacques Foul) AI for Influence newsletter: https://lnkd.in/emJxsyF7
AI Use in the Workplace: 10 Simple Principles Your Team Needs Now
Most organizations still lack an AI use policy, leaving employees to navigate tools like ChatGPT and Co-pilot on their own. Here are 10 simple principles to help guide your team—before AI use gets out of hand.
Most organizations *still* don't have an AI use policy for their staff.
Even if leadership realizes they need one, they tend to overcomplicate it.
At the same time, a handful of useful principles are better than letting staff use Co-pilot or ChatGPT secretly, or on their own device, for lack of any formal guidance from management.
We've put together 10 principles you may wish to share with your team.
(And if you need more guidance, just let us know.)
Thoughts..?
*This was originally posted on Andras Baneth's LinkedIn account.
Featured articles
and Insights
This compilation takes us through the history of the first #EPSO candidates, showcasing their journey and achievements from the very beginning to the present day—and even looking ahead.
A compilation of the first #EPSO candidates throughout history, until today and beyond.
(Have you played with ChatGPT-4o's new image capabilities? Pretty impressive.)
*This was originally posted on Andras Baneth's LinkedIn account.
Discover the inspiring story behind The Ultimate EU Handbook, a book born from the unexpected connection of a chance pitch and years of creative collaboration.
20 years ago, John Harper said 'yes' to an unknown person's unsolicited book pitch, which set of a chain of positive events. Yesterday, another book came to be as a result of two years' intense work and creativity of Sonia Gongu, Martin Tomov, Ljiljana Pavkov... and 'The Ultimate EU Handbook' was born.
Special thanks to Maryana Panyevina, Klym Ahrykov and David Meszaros for your support to make the launch event at Ambiorix Center & Podcast Studio special.
🇪🇺🙏📚
*This was originally posted on Andras Baneth's LinkedIn account.
What began as a discussion about burnout quickly turned into an exploration of something deeper. In my conversation with Dr. Vasadi Anna, a psychiatrist with decades of experience, it became clear that burnout isn’t just about long hours or stress—it’s rooted in expectations, upbringing, and the invisible pressures we internalize from an early age.
English summary of the latest episode of András' Hungarian podcast, 'Lélek Algoritmus – Ilyen az ember (avagy beszélgetések egy pszichiáterrel)' – 'The Soul’s Algorithm: The Human Condition (Conversations with a Psychiatrist).
What began as a discussion about burnout quickly turned into an exploration of something deeper. In my conversation with Dr. Vasadi Anna, a psychiatrist with decades of experience, it became clear that burnout isn’t just about long hours or stress—it’s rooted in expectations, upbringing, and the invisible pressures we internalize from an early age.
Burnout: More Than Just Exhaustion
Burnout gets thrown around a lot, but what does it actually mean? Many assume it’s just extreme fatigue, but as Anna pointed out, it’s something deeper. Burnout drains you emotionally, mentally, and even physically. It’s not the kind of tiredness that a weekend off can fix.
A key distinction Anna made: while depression can affect every part of life, burnout is usually tied to work. But it doesn’t stay there. It spreads—first to colleagues, then to family, then to an overall sense of disillusionment.
The Perfectionist’s Trap
Burnout isn’t just about overworking—it’s about overworking with the wrong mindset. People who push themselves too hard, who never feel their efforts are enough, who equate self-worth with productivity—these are the most at risk.
A common misconception: If I love my work, I can’t burn out. But passion doesn’t shield you. In fact, it often makes things worse. Overcommitting, ignoring personal limits, and relying on caffeine or alcohol to keep up are all red flags.
The Long Shadow of Childhood Expectations
Why do some people burn out while others keep their balance? Often, it starts in childhood.
Many of us grow up believing that our worth is tied to achievement. If we didn’t excel, love and approval felt conditional. Some parents—often unknowingly—reinforce this by setting impossibly high standards or withholding affection when a child falls short. Over time, this creates a need for external validation, making burnout almost inevitable.
Take elite athletes. Their entire identity is wrapped up in performance. When they lose, it’s not just a setback—it feels like a loss of personal value. The same happens in workplaces. A high achiever who misses a promotion doesn’t just feel professional disappointment—they feel like they have failed as a person.
Midlife Crisis: Burnout of the Soul
This naturally led us to midlife crisis, which, in many ways, is burnout playing out on a larger scale.
Both stem from the same root: spending years chasing external markers of success without stopping to ask, Is this what I actually want?
The midlife crisis tends to hit in the 40s or early 50s, often when several pressures collide:
- Aging Parents: The growing responsibility of caring for elderly parents forces many to confront their own mortality.
- Teenage Children: At the same time, kids are becoming more independent, adding another layer of emotional complexity.
- Career Pressures: By midlife, most people have built careers, but many start questioning if they’re on the right path.
It’s a perfect storm of obligations, internal and external, that makes people reevaluate everything—from their job to their marriage to their purpose.
Finding a Way Forward
So, how do we deal with burnout and midlife crisis without making rash decisions?
- Rethink Success – Instead of measuring success by salary, job title, or external validation, define it in terms of fulfillment and balance. If your work is draining you, can it really be called success?
- Recognize the Warning Signs – Losing interest in work, feeling detached, and struggling to muster enthusiasm are all early signs of burnout.
- Set Boundaries – Work will always demand more. It’s up to you to decide what is enough.
- Address Deep-Seated Patterns – If your self-worth depends on achievement, it might be time to rethink where that belief came from. Therapy and self-reflection can help break the cycle.
- Embrace Change – A midlife crisis isn’t necessarily a crisis—it can be a wake-up call. Maybe it’s time for a career shift, a realignment of priorities, or simply a different perspective.
Final Thoughts
Burnout and midlife crisis aren’t just work problems or age-related phases. They’re signals—urgent ones—telling us that something needs to change. The real question isn’t How do I push through? but Am I living a life that actually fits me?
If the answer is no, maybe the crisis isn’t a disaster. Maybe it’s an opportunity.
