How to navigate intense changes in the workplace and what decisions to make about the rapid evolution of AI and other technology are some of the challenges leaders are facing now.
Strong Ground is the new book from Brené Brown. As I listened to this conversation on The Interview, a podcast from the New York Times, I knew that I needed to share some of my key takeaways with you.
I love the way Brown described the current situation we find ourselves in:
We work toward feeling grounded, but we’re in a tempest right now. Like this is a maelstrom of craziness and unpredictability and volatility and instability and it’s disorienting. And so I don’t think that feeling unsettled or feeling disoriented means that there’s something wrong with you. I think it means in very technical skills that you probably have some level of critical thinking skills, anticipatory thinking skills, emotional awareness. I think it’s a good sign to feel unsettled right now.
There is a big push and a sense of urgency about leveraging and integrating the new technology available, but in that urgency, some leaders are not taking the necessary time to think it through. Sometimes decisions are being made too quickly for fear of being left behind, without considering the overall strategy and people aspects needed for successful technology integration. Brown says:
Right now we’re seeing a ton of action over impact as companies try to integrate this technology. And right now this month we are starting to see some devastating numbers around really poor ROI in terms of investment. Yeah. Return on investment in terms of what companies are investing in AI because they’re coming in operationally and making decisions – and not strategically. They’re not understanding how to bring people along, how to use it in smart ways, where it will work, where it will not work.
So what should a good leader do? Brown uses the example of settling a soccer ball and then figuring out what to do next, saying:
A good leader takes the incoming churn and instability, settles the ball, takes a breath, creates some space and time where none exists, looks down the pitch and makes a smart decision about where to kick the ball next.
The conversation goes on to cover many other current workplace and leadership topics. It’s blunt and honest.
From the YouTube description:
After her viral 2010 TED Talk, “The Power of Vulnerability,” Brené Brown became a kind of guru for millions of people around the world who devotedly follow her writing, podcasts and TV specials. In recent years, Brown has turned her focus to the workplace, advising CEOs and promoting the idea of “courageous leadership,” which is also the subject of her new book, “Strong Ground.” On “The Interview,” Brown talks to host Lulu Garcia-Navarro about what makes a good leader in this moment of intense technological and cultural upheaval.
Photo by Emilio Garcia on Unsplash
