Recently I had to make a decision about whether I needed to update my website as since I launched my book “Leading for Change – how to thrive during uncertain times” much had changed. This led me to consider my technology strategy and how I was using my website to share information. Was it worth doing? How would it benefit my business and those who wanted to find out more about what I do.
Like others who are responsible for what technology they should be using in their business and whether you are a small business owner or a large corporation there are two forces at play.
· The benefits that using new technology brings – sharing information more effectively, allowing us to collaborate remotely, being more productive
· The costs of developing and implementing technology – the time it takes to assess what is needed, developing/ customizing solutions and critically implementing the solution.
For technology leaders this is no different than it has always been. What is different is the speed that we have to make these decisions (to keep up with the world) and the myriad of choices that we face.
Technology has become more prominent as we have navigated change in the last 18 months. Whether it is using Zoom or Teams for our meetings along with their breakout rooms, or using collaboration tools like vWall, Mural and Miro, these tools are now embedded in the way we do business. Layer in social media platforms, the apps we have on our phone, and the technology we use routinely in our businesses, it’s clear that we all have to be comfortable in using and adapting to the new ways of working that technology enables.
For leaders of change we need to consider not just the cost benefit equation that I describe above but the impact that change itself will have on people that will have to adopt to a new way of working. Is it a high or low impact? Will individuals see more benefits or just a cost to them as they struggle to adapt?
What is best practice for leaders of change who are making decisions on new technology. Here are three specific tips:
· Be clear on why you are introducing new technology, help people to understand the benefits for them and for the business
· Ensure you communicate what will change (and what will stay the same)
· Think about your portfolio of change. When will each change be implemented, as there could be advantages to introducing different changes together or to consider the timing of each
Don’t forget all the other success factors that are critical and which I describe in my book. Leading for Change: How to Thrive During Uncertain Times