In the 1980s, a friend of mine told the people at his company that someday, there would be a computer on every desk. They thought he was crazy. Today, 30 years later, there’s a computer in every pocket. We call it a smart phone. We’re connected to each other and to information sources around the world with the press of a button or two. It’s easy to think technology will continue to transform our workplace.
Read articles like “Using AI To Optimize Internal Talent†or “4 Talent Development Trends to Watch.†You’ll find extravagant predictions about how AI will transform leadership development.Â
Let’s pump the brakes for a minute. Before we join the frenzy about the great good news of technology, let’s consider two things.
Leadership Development and Technology
Technology advocates and vendors paint rosy pictures of what the system will do for you. You won’t hear how long it will take to get to that wonderful state or how many glitches you’ll hit along the way.
Developing any complex system is messy and error-strewn. Don’t give the green light to any project unless you know the answers to a few important questions.
How will we know if it’s working? This is not a facetious question. You and the system developers may have very different ideas of what success will look like. Do the tough work of coming up with common definitions.
If it doesn’t work, what then? Who will decide whether to pause the project or abandon it altogether? How will he or she make that decision?
Leadership Development Is a Human Process
The core processes of leadership development depend on human beings. Humans need to get together and assess aspiring leaders. Human beings need to help those aspiring leaders develop their skills. Coaching is a big part of the process.
Human processes and judgement are at the core of leadership development. Technology should be able to help you do those things better. Beware any technological solution that makes the human factors irrelevant or harder.
