In this extract from his book Networking Matters: The Power of Human Connection, author Kingsley Aikins explains the importance of relationships and trust in a changing world.
Former British Prime Minister Harold Macmillan was once asked what he considered the greatest challenge for a statesman and replied, “Events, my dear boy, events.” In the past, people’s lives were more predictable. However, now we live in a rapidly changing business environment where technology and globalisation are wiping out whole industries, disruption is the norm, and networks are increasingly important.
Professor Anne Marie Slaughter, the first woman to serve as Director of Policy Planning in the US Department of State, has written extensively on networking and stated:
“The information age is over. We now live in the networked world. In the networked world, the measurement of power is connectedness. We are moving from the vertical world of hierarchies to the horizontal world of networks. The 20th century was a billiard ball world with countries colliding off each other in military and economic conflict. Now we live in an interconnected world. Key is centrality in a dense global web. In this world, the state with the most connections will be the central player able to set the global agenda, unlock innovation and sustainable growth. The global economy is increasingly driven by networked clusters of the world’s most creative people. Only the connected will survive. Networked power comes from the ability to make the maximum number of valuable connections. In the 21st century corporations, civic organisations and government agencies will increasingly operate by collecting the best ideas from around the world.”
Disruption and change
In today’s world of VUCA – volatility, uncertainty, complexity and ambiguity – technology is eliminating lower-skilled, entry-level jobs while steadily raising the skill level of new jobs. Creativity and innovation are replacing raw materials, labour and capital as the key source of economic value. We are seeing the emergence of stakeholder capitalism with issues such as climate change, sustainable development and economic inequality becoming factors in how companies see their role in and engage with the world. Impact investing and ESG (environmental, social and governance) issues are going mainstream.Arguably, artificial intelligence (AI) will be as transformative for us as the controlled use of fire for our ancestors and the impact will be enormous. New technologies, data and social networks are impacting how we communicate, collaborate and work. There is also an emerging awareness of the darker side of technology and a sense that global production and consumption systems are not fit for purpose. Change has always been with us but not at the same trajectory, pace and momentum.
Trust in a changing world
The technological changes will put a premium on relationships and trust. For centuries, we made things, but now 80% of work is in the service industry where relationships are paramount. In addition, the top-down, command-and-control structure is being replaced by teams of teams – circles are replacing pyramids – so interpersonal skills are critical. Also the traditional parental career advice – work hard, keep your head down, keep out of trouble and let your good work speak for itself – is wrong, and why? Because good work doesn’t speak – other people speak.
In this new dynamic, employers want candidates to demonstrate their employability. They want well-rounded individuals who have shown their ability to learn new skills and openness to new ideas. They are hiring those with skills for today and those who will continuously gain new skills to make them relevant to future needs. This will come from a combination of academic study, volunteer work and sporting and social endeavours. The implications of these shifts are significant. There is less demand for obedient workers who will show up on time and follow directions. Now, the demand is for self-directed workers who can adapt and learn quickly, think critically and are strong communicators and innovators.
“It is not the strongest of the species that survives or even the most intelligent but those most able to handle change.” Charles Darwin
In the networked economy, information and knowledge are no longer sufficient. Everyone has access to a multitude of content via the internet and you can’t compete with what everybody knows and has access to. As you progress up the corporate ladder, it becomes more difficult to compete on individual competency. The key, then, is not content but the context that comes from your network regarding comments, advice, views and opinions. As people become more dynamic and mobile in their careers, building a diverse web of relationships and community connections becomes more important. Leadership is becoming less about the corporate hero in the corner office and more about collaborative teams who work together and complement each other.
LOADING...