Technology… the double-edged Leadership Sword, Part 1

Even though my grandmother passed away nearly twenty years ago, I can still recall a conversation she and I had one evening about everything she had witnessed in her lifetime. My grandmother was born in 1914 and since that time we have accomplished a great deal. Prior to the birth of my grandmother, three key inventions took place: Transatlantic radio signal; the Wright Brothers successful flight; and the Ford assembly line. Let’s take a short journey through history:

• 1914 – Rocket experiments begin which eventually allowed a group of courageous men to lead the exploration of space and in 1969, step onto the surface of the moon.
• 1924 – introduction of the television…which today is a household staple – the larger, the better!
• 1928 – welcomes the life-saving technological discovery of penicillin.
• 1946 – brought us ENIAC – also known as the first computer.  Who would have considered that in just 50 short years, we’d see computers small enough to also double or triple as a phone?
• 1972 – computers enter the home and provide entertainment with the ever popular “Pong” – does anyone else remember that little ditty?  My, “Wii™” have come a long way, baby!
• 1973 – GPS invented by DOD, and is now not uncommon to find a palm-sized version in many cars.  We also saw the slow take-off of the “mobile phone” – I think I still have one of those HUGE phones in my basement.
• 1981 – the personal computer enters the scene
• 1989 – the world exploded with the world wide web.  It’s difficult to remember just 17 years ago when I had to go to the library for research!
• 2005 – YouTube online videos are changing the marketing, training, and understanding of our culture.

This short list only focuses on the technological advances in the last 100 years and doesn’t even begin to explore the cultural, social, and business changes. With all of these technological advances…how do they affect YOUR leadership? I will challenge you that as technology has increased over the years, effective leadership may have decreased. Don’t stop reading yet!