Leading In The Digital World

A pathbreaking Harvard study of 500 years on the evolution of business, by Professor Ramchandran Jaikumar, showed that periodically, transformative technologies—which we still use today— profoundly changed the context for leadership

Leading in the Digital World builds on this idea to offer a research-based, real-world tested alternative to the untenable “timeless and immutable” logic.

Arguing that digital technologies are as transformative of work and organization as the ones that came before, it asks and answers, “How then are they reshaping leadership?”

 
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Digital technologies are profoundly changing the demands of leadership in six key ways. For example, leaders 

  • Need broad, albeit shallower, knowledge, combined with the ability to learn rapidly, so they can integrate multiple views on complicated situations. Traditional, narrow, deep expertise is of little use in such situations.

  • Must lead for creativity. The traditional, 20th century, focus productivity—prior leaders neither had to be creative themselves nor ensure others were—can’t make organizations nimble and evergreen.

  • Must get ever better at promoting culture and gender equality with changes in their mindsets, not just behaviors or actions.

What’s driving these demands?

First, fundamental changes in how work is done. Here are two of six ways. Digital technologies:

  • Make work thought-driven, not muscle-powered – hence the need for creativity.

  • Create value through the identifying and satisfying of unpredictable needs – hence the need for creativity and broad knowledge. 

Second, digital technologies work over time and across geography – hence the need for inclusivity.

 Blind pursuit of ‘disruption’ doesn’t uncover such profound changes. And—as the Harvard research suggests—those who don’t change will undoubtedly be left behind.

Harvard Professor Jaikumar’s study of 500 year of evolution of business showed that periodically, transformative technologies—which we still use today—profoundly changed the context for leadership. 

Here is a timeline that shows the evolution:

Circa 1800 CE, the micrometer and engineering drawings gave workers the power to check their own work. As trial-and-error craft became unnecessary, guilds died, and indentured servitude ended. Firms began recruiting workers directly.

Circa 1800 CE, the micrometer and engineering drawings gave workers the power to check their own work. As trial-and-error craft became unnecessary, guilds died, and indentured servitude ended. Firms began recruiting workers directly.

Decades later, go-no-go gauges and specialized machines enabled unskilled workers to mate “acceptable” workpieces. The need for oversight of skilled workers doing precise work fell. Decentralized workgroups now created the first supply chains.

Decades later, go-no-go gauges and specialized machines enabled unskilled workers to mate “acceptable” workpieces. The need for oversight of skilled workers doing precise work fell. Decentralized workgroups now created the first supply chains.

Circa 1900 CE, time-and-motion studies completely deskilled workers. Siloed functions became the norm. All decision-making power, almost at a second-by-second level, shifted to bosses.

Circa 1900 CE, time-and-motion studies completely deskilled workers. Siloed functions became the norm. All decision-making power, almost at a second-by-second level, shifted to bosses.

Circa 1980 CE (circa 1955 in Japan), quality technologies upskilled workers. Groups of workers, now called teams, got back much decision-making power.

Circa 1980 CE (circa 1955 in Japan), quality technologies upskilled workers. Groups of workers, now called teams, got back much decision-making power.

Doctrines of good management that worked beautifully in one technological epoch inevitably fell short in the next.

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