In many ways, leaders know that their personal struggles and private development is almost always a pre-cursor to challenges and issues they will struggle with on a larger basis on behalf of their organizations, churches, businesses and work-groups. Simply put, those things you learn on a personal basis will inform your leadership decisions, both positively and negatively.
Yet rarely do you find a leader or one who aspires to leadership who clearly relates these lessons to the private struggle with innovation, technology and the pace of change.
Note: If you are willing to struggle with technology and the pace of change, you WILL be a leader. If you won’t, you aren’t. Period.
The embracing of new technological innovations to business and life is thus-far largely generational. Young generations who are growing up with these gizmo’s and gadgets use them intuitively and the older generations miss the early adaptations and often miss the point of the innovations entirely. This is problematic for organizations if you consider that most executive leaders don’t fit into the younger generation. Even at 42, I don’t consider myself native to these technological innovations. I laugh when I’m accused of being a Techie, since I didn’t have a computer until I was well into my first job and have had to force feed myself on understanding the role of technology for today’s non-profit organization.
Leaders MUST dive headfirst into understanding the potential of innovation, both technological and web-based, in order to help imagine a better future. Here’s the challenge as I understand it:
1. You’ve got to try stuff YOURSELF. Leaders, don’t kid yourself that you can hire someone, or that your younger employees will drag you into the future. That’s not leadership and in this day and age, it’s just not a safe bet to stand pat. Dive in and try out new technologies (smartphones, ipad’s, kindles) and start using some of the web-based services (youtube, skype, blogging, twitter, facebook, foursquare) to see how the world is changing.
2. Spend time thinking and dreaming. How are you going to talk with your supporters in the future? What if direct mail cost $3 a letter? How can you mobile all your followers in a moments notice? How might you share information inexpensively within your organization? Are there services online for free that could be used to benefit your organization? Are there ways to connect with people, younger generations, that are not available to you by other means? Can you use these tools to effectively build intersst in your cause?
3. Make Changes OFFLINE, in your private life. Before I ever thought of using twitter/facebook/skype and other tools for the Rescue Mission, I used them myself, offline. I use the word “offline” to suggest trying something privately, without the pressure of observation and fear of failure, so that you can determine how something ought to be used. If you make a big change without first trying something or understanding it yourself you risk near certain failure. A leader has to get out in front. Even with technology. Especailly with Technology.
4. Ask lots of Questions and experiment. Those of us who are challenged in this area have to lose the fear of asking questions. Ask, Ask, Ask. Why this? What if? What is that? How are people using this? What is next?
Tomorrow I’ll share some of the things I’ve been trying “offline” that are influencing my leadership decisions. What are you learning about how innovation and the new technological tools can be used to help more people, connect with others and save valuable resources?
David Curry
