In their 2016 edition of the video, “Too Big to Know”, Fisch and McLeod present a picture of a highly connected and networked world population. Three billion of the world’s population are connecting to the internet. Students are being prepared in school for jobs that do not yet exist and according to the US Department of Labor, they will leave that job for another over ten times by the age of thirty-eight. For many of us, this world seems a bit foreign when compared to the one in which we grew up. In an interview this morning on Morning Joe, US Senator Ben Sasse of Nebraska stated that the United States is “going through one of the largest economic disruptions in human history.” He adeptly described this time of uncertainty by noting that we call this age the “post-industrial era” because we don’t know what to call it.
So, how do we deal with a changing and more networked society? One particular challenge that we face in the age when information is at all of our fingertips is not allowing some in society to be left behind. The Pew Research Center conducted survey research on the use of the internet among adults in job seeking activities. They found that while more people are applying for jobs and using online resources to search for employment, more than one in ten do not have the skills to do things considered standard practice in most industries today such as filling out an online job application or communicating with potential employers via email. Results of the research of Nahsa, DaCosta, Kinsell, and Seok (2010) suggests that one’s digital propensity is dependent on factors such as age and socioeconomic status, placing some at a disadvantage in an ever-changing world. Yet, with all that said, there are still opportunities for positive outcomes.
Smith and Anderson reported on 2014 research by the Pew Research Center on the future of jobs and the internet. Respondents to the Pew research spoke of the potential inequality that is created by a more networked and technological world. Additionally, it was acknowledged that the US educational system is not adequately preparing students for this changing landscape. Opportunities still persist, however. Respondents to their survey noted that by relying on human ingenuity has proven successful in the past and that by investing in education, technology, and infrastructure in a more connected world, society can thrive.
This networked and connected world will create new challenges for leaders, who will need to seek out a different workforce in the future. Leaders will need to change and adapt to the more connected world and workforce. Jane McConnell wrote in The Organization in the Digital Age that as people and work evolve with technology, there are far reaching implications. Naisbitt’s megatrend of “high touch” comes to mind as we must remember that technology does not remove the necessity of responsibility and discipline in leadership. Weinberger stated though that great benefit can be achieved by working outside of the traditional hierarchical lines. The leader must seek to understand the networked worker who may be very different from a traditional employee, but who can prove valuable to a progressive organization.
Embracing the networked and connected workforce may prove extremely beneficial to an organization. The linked infographic describes skills such as new media literacy and cognitive load management which are representative of the networked individual and can provide value to an organization. In a world where vast amounts of information and data must now be filtered, those with the familiarity to do so in an effective and efficient manner will be of great value.
In the same infographic linked above, there is also a reference to a transdisciplinary skill. As Rainie noted in a presentation given to the KMWorld Conference, our workplaces are now multidisciplinary and rely on individuals outside of the traditional structure of the organization in many cases. We need team members with a broad range of experience and perspective in order to compete in a frequently changing landscape. Those who can work with diverse partners both within and outside of the organization will be highly sought after and provide value to an organization far beyond what might be found in a traditional job description.
So, it is true that the world may not look the way many of us remember it and Senator Sasse was absolutely correct in that this new world is largely a disruption to the status quo. Yet, there is an opportunity to thrive in the networked world if we are willing to rely on the ingenuity and expertise of networked individuals to help show us a new way.
-The Ayes Have It
Nasah, A., DaCosta, B., Kinsell, C., & Seok, S. (2010). The digital literacy debate: An
investigation of digital propensity and information and communication technology.
Educational Technology Research & Development, 58(5), 531-555. doi:10.1007/s11423-010-