An Addiction to Speed

Currently, we are living our lives at the speed of software and believing that there is an app for everything. However, the reality is that we are not generating more time or space in our lives for clarity or for the things and people that make our life meaningful. Instead, we just feel more hurried and pushed by endless e-mails, meetings and unrealistic timelines.

After considerable reflection, I believe we have loss touch with what it means to live a life as a leader that is balanced, clear, happy, and healthy. In particular, we have lost the body memory of what this feels like to be rested. We also have loss touch with ourselves and with role models of people who live a clear, balanced and healthy life. Instead, we, as leaders, often feel we are all alone with the weight of the world on our shoulders. No one comprehends the magnitude of our decisions or the complexity and ambiguity that surrounds us on a daily basis.

However, over the last decade, I have witnessed something that is very unique. When people participate in the From Vision to Action Executive Roundtables, they discover a room of kindred spirits who are aware and understand the difficulties and challenges of leadership. They discover others who are wanting and attempting to transform their organizations into something better. They find people who believe and are graciously sharing the lessons they’ve learned along the pathway to the future. Instead of feeling overwhelmed, these participants discover a room of possibilities, potential and opportunities. Rather than feeling drained, they feel reenergized by the experience.

On April 11-12, the Spring 2013 From Vision to Action Executive Roundtable will take place at the Courtyard by Marriott in West Des Moines - Clive, Iowa. Already a wonderful group of people have signed up. If you and members of your team would like to participate, there is still time and space for this to happen.  Here is a link for more information: http://www.chartyourpath.com/VTA-RT-Details.html

I hope you can join us at the Spring 2013 From Vision to Action Executive Roundtable. 

Geery Howe, M.A. Consultant, Executive Coach, Trainer in Leadership, Strategic Planning and Organizational Change Morning Star Associates 319 - 643 - 2257

Technology and Strategy

More and more people in strategic planning meetings are convinced that the use and application of new technology will save the day. And as I sit through these meetings, I have become discouraged because, having done this work for quite a few decades and with many different companies, I have come to understand that technology solves some problems but also creates new ones.

Here are some of the current problem that surface during strategic planning sessions: time management, productivity and efficiency issues, data management, customer relationship management, customer service, performance management, and better data based decision making. The most common solution currently being proposed to the above problems is to increase our use and reliance on technology.

However as I listen to this answer and think about an increased use of technology I believe we need to remember two key points. First, “In cyber space, there is no distance between two points,” noted Paul Saffo, a Director at the Institute for the Future in Menlo Park, CA. With the increased use of technology, we create the speed of “now” which in turns creates the expectation of “now” which in turn creates the impatience with “now.” 

Furthermore, as technology creates a company without boundaries, we as leaders have to rethink our definition of what is a company, i.e. to think of the company as extending across to other companies and deriving strengths and capabilities from others, rather than trying to own it all ourself. Technology will let you do that, but it appears that few are truly willing to embrace such a diversified platform and paradigm.

Second, today’s technology does not just support the execution of strategy, it can help determine the shape of the strategy because of the new opportunities it creates. Furthermore, it may cause companies to move too fast and not to have the infrastructure to support that which they have created. 

Add to this mix, my comments a couple of weeks ago about the big picture and in particular the impact of the Millennial generation, and all of sudden we have a huge challenge before us. As we are learning, Millennials will want to use their technology on the company platform. Furthermore, some view work-balance as their right, face time is an alien concept, and they abhor clocks and fixed schedules. For this generation, work is not a place you go; work is a thing you do. This is the generation that detests nothing as much as drudgery and boredom. For more on Millennials, I suggest you read the following: Alsop, Ron. The Trophy Kids Grow Up: How the millennial generation is shaking up the workplace, Jossey-Bass, 2008.

In short, more technology means more problems. It will gives staff and customers an unprecedented expectation of “more” and “now”. And with this increased use of technology, we are creating a new level of impatience. Many will expect change at the speed of software and demand immediate satisfaction and customization.

While these potential strategic and operational problems can not be solved immediately, leaders need to understand this before they commit to new technology being the strategic silver bullet to solve all problems. Furthermore, we as leaders need to build more adaptable and flexible information technology departments that can better lead, develop and support organizational change. As always, the capacity to plan must be matched by the capacity to execute and support. 

New technology, both hardware and software, is amazing.  We just have to recognize that it will also create new and more unique problems, too. 

Geery Howe, M.A. Consultant, Executive Coach, Trainer in Leadership, Strategic Planning and Organizational Change Morning Star Associates 319 - 643 - 2257