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We feel threatened by the complex, systemic challenges of a novel virus, yet we’ve been grappling with related problems since we were toddlers. 
 
“Rayden, can you please set the table?” I ask my six-year old. “Mom and I are busy.”
 
Rayden doesn’t even look up from his snowman. “No!” 
 
My son understands how to maximize playtime but misses how his decisions impact the rest of the family. As a result, Rayden doesn’t deliver as much value as he could—and misses out on the increased privilege that would be his reward.

We adults need to train ourselves to see the value in similarly indirect connection. For example, we now understand both the direct and indirect challenges of the coronavirus:

I fear the direct impacts of the disease in the fear for my son who can suffer troubled breathing. And I’m concerned for my older friends with health conditions. Rationally, I realize such risks can be managed, but they feel palpable to me—like the concern Rayden has about leaving his snowman.

More challenging to internalize are the indirect, systemic risks. Suppose you bring 83-year old Aunt Betty, wheezing, to a full emergency room during a surge in local virus cases. Will Nurse Gretta prioritize giving Betty one of only a few respirators? Health Affairs and Vox (among others) describe how slowing the spread of a disease is critical to limiting healthcare system stresses: if we get too many cases at once, we will have insufficient resources to treat everyone effectively.  

The adults in the room are able to process direct and indirect concerns in decision-making, collaborating well. With clarity, confidence, and insight, decision-makers can mitigate all costs and risks.  

You, too, can become the adult in your room, ensuring rapidly improving digital technology delivers better outcomes. Implement tools and strategies that take into account direct impacts and systemic change. Then use your ingenuity to ensure that you and your organization realize a portion of that additional, socially responsible value creation: it’s there to be shared.  

As small pieces of the world around us seem to be crumbling, do you feel like there’s a gap between potential and outcome of what you could deliver? Is there a small change you could take today to reach towards your potential? 

Please share your thoughts in the comments or by sending me an email: info@RodWallacePhD.Com.

Our society cannot just survive. For the sake of our children, it must thrive.

Rod

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Dr. Rod Wallace​ is an economist, consultant, and speaker who helps businesses make more money by solving society’s problems. A Fulbright Fellow, he has led multi-organization billion-dollar initiatives worldwide and partnered with a Silicon Valley pioneer to explore the impact of Artificial Intelligence on society. 

Rod speaks about how to integrate social responsibility into business to maximize profit and purpose. He highlights digital technology’s impact on society and the strategies and tools with which business can solve our big, systemic problems.

Contact Rod at ​info@RodWallacePhD.com​.