As technology develops and the pandemic progresses, our world changes. The Digital Revolution delivers a constant stream of unprecedented technology advancement: automation, smartphones running our social and professional lives, decision-making computers. Our lives are transformed.
However, we struggle to ensure that this sweeping social change delivers tangible improvements for society. A solution to one problem frequently coincides with regression elsewhere. The fragmenting impact of digital technology and rapid social change makes the ability to align for social progress slip from our grasp. As our world changes, we must develop new tools to support our markets so our economy can deliver more productive outcomes for individuals and society.
The relationship between technology, disease, and society reminds me of the relationship between teenagers, their social development, and their parents. As my 14-year-old son Devin matures, he learns to interact with the world in new ways, and my parenting approach evolves. Recently, I caught Devin sitting on a pile of clean laundry in a corner of the basement, his braces glinting in the darkness. Rather than folding said laundry, he was intently reading a book, and I burst out laughing. Devin has become too old to scold or send to time-out, but he’s now sophisticated enough to understand my chuckle as rebuke. He looked up with a sheepish grin and began folding his clothes.
As he gets older and his brain matures, Devin learns to manage social expectations. He experiments with new ways to master his world. That rising cultural awareness makes a reaction as nuanced as laughter the most appropriate response from his parent. To yield the best results, Devin must learn to manage new physical and mental capabilities, and my reaction to him must in turn adapt.
There is a similar relationship between social changes and the nuanced strategies we must adopt to develop our markets and maximize profit.
Where can you find opportunities to revise your approach to life, love, and business?
September 24, Noon-1 PM EST, #RickAlcantaraMA and I will sit down for a fireside chat at the intersection of #ArtificialIntelligence, #CorporateResponsibility, and #CorporateCommunication.
Rethink the role of business communication in your organization. Ensure you uncover indispensable insight. (FREE virtual event will be posted on IABC Philly momentarily.)
See you there.
Safeguard your future today, while positioning yourself to thrive for our children tomorrow.
Rod
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.