IT Leadership Manual: Roadmap to Becoming a Trusted Business Partner

CHAPTER 11

Today’s New World and How We Cope

One point I have not discussed at length is the pace of change and how it affects us and our society. Understanding this phenomenon is critical to leaders making business decisions—and also critical to all of us as we make decisions in our personal lives as well. The Internet has had a tremendous effect on society and, more specifically, on the way we lead. The two major expectations it has created—instant gratification and personalization—have created an impatient society, one that demands personal attention. We need to understand how these expectations affect our lives and businesses.

The Internet has had a tremendous effect on society in general and, more specifically, on the way we lead. The two major expectations it has created—instant gratification and personalization—have created an impatient society, one that demands personal attention.

During my 40-plus years of corporate life, I've seen profound changes in both the corporate and the social environments. Years ago business was simpler. We were less distracted by outside stimuli than we are today, and we operated with less information and at a more leisurely pace. We could take more time making decisions, face fewer options, and consider those options in greater depth. Today rapid change is a part of our daily lives. With each passing year, the pace of change increases. Moreover, we are confronting information overload. We have created an environment in which we are constantly ...