{"id":1220,"date":"2021-03-23T15:10:41","date_gmt":"2021-03-23T15:10:41","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/janbosch.com\/blog\/?p=1220"},"modified":"2021-03-23T15:10:49","modified_gmt":"2021-03-23T15:10:49","slug":"10-rules-for-thriving-in-a-digital-world","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/janbosch.com\/blog\/index.php\/2021\/03\/23\/10-rules-for-thriving-in-a-digital-world\/","title":{"rendered":"10 rules for thriving in a digital world"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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Image by Pete Linforth from Pixabay<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Digitalization often focuses on new products, solutions and service opportunities through the use of software, data and artificial intelligence. Although this is an entirely relevant and valid viewpoint, many tend to forget that it\u2019s not just the offerings that change. The people that work in a digital world also need to change. Our priorities, norms, values, practices and routines need to change as we transition from the traditional to a digital world.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

During my engagements with large numbers of people working at a very \ndiverse set of companies, I frequently run into mindsets and viewpoints \nthat clearly are set in the old world, rather than a digital one. When \nyou\u2019re not reflecting on the philosophy with which you approach your \nprofessional life, you may easily end up becoming irrelevant and \noutdated. This limits anyone\u2019s professional opportunities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This year, I\u2019ve been thinking quite a bit about the differences \nbetween the traditional and the digital world from a personal and \nprofessional perspective. What does digitalization mean for the typical \nprofessional out in industry? How should we adjust the way we work and \noperate? One way I thought might be helpful to address this is by \nstating a number of rules on how to act, based on my experience. \nTogether, these capture the essence of the requirements for thriving in a\n digital world.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

1. Clarify your purpose<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

In a fast-changing world, some things move more slowly. Being clear \non what you believe your purpose is, on what it is that gives meaning to\n your life, helps you set direction and guides your actions. Although \nyour life purpose may evolve, it will do so much more slowly than \neverything else and provide you with an anchoring point.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

2. Focus on outcomes<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Once you\u2019ve started to formulate your purpose, the next step is to \nlook towards operationalizing it by selecting tactics. These tactics, \nhowever, are hypotheses on how you believe you can realize your purpose \nbest. It\u2019s critical to focus on the outcomes that you\u2019re looking to \nachieve, rather than the tactics that you currently use, to ensure that \nyou\u2019re indeed delivering on the intended purpose. These outcomes are \npreferably expressed in quantitative, measurable terms.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

3. Instrument and use the data<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

In a digital world, collecting data by instrumenting devices and \nprocesses has never been easier. So, rather than relying on your \nfallible perceptions and memories, focus on measuring what matters and \ntracking quantitatively that you\u2019re indeed progressing towards your \ndesired outcomes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

4. Automate repetitive tasks<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

A digital world is a programmable world. Any repetitive task that you\n perform regularly or periodically should be automated. The goal is to \nfree up your time for the novel and unique work worthy of your attention\n and unique skill set.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

5. Lean into the future<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

As the speed of change all around us is constantly increasing, you \nneed to lean into the future, rather than try to hold on to the past. \nThis requires a curious, experimental mindset where you open up and \nallocate time to exploring new ideas, technologies and products to \nunderstand why and how these might be an improvement over the \ncontemporary. It also requires the courage to let go of old ideas, old \nways of doing things, old relationships, to create space for the new. \nChange is continuous, dynamic and unpredictable and it wants you to \nembrace it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

6. Build skills, not position<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

In a digital world, hierarchies are increasingly fluid, constantly \nchanging and focused on current needs. Relying on positional power to \naccomplish your goals is therefore risky as you may lose that position \nat any point. Instead, focus on building skills, becoming an expert in \nsome and proficient in others to create as many opportunities as \npossible and, consequently, deliver on your purpose.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

7. Think holistic<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

In a stable world, you can afford to focus deeply on understanding \none aspect or component as its context won\u2019t change very much. A digital\n world is dynamic and highly interconnected and as everything is \nchanging at the same time, focusing on one aspect or component tends to \nlead to the wrong conclusions. Instead, you need to think more \nholistically and increase the scope of your attention. Even if your \ninterest is the specific aspect or component, you need to understand its\n context as this context will change continuously.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

8. Be proactive<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Never wait for others to tell you what to do. Always be proactive, \ninitiating action based on your best understanding of the right course \nof action, considering purpose and outcomes. And when you really don\u2019t \nknow how to take things forward, be proactive in asking for advice from \nthose around you.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

9. Empower those around you<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Rather than looking to control the people around you, agree on the \noutcomes that you\u2019re both looking to accomplish and then empower those \naround you to select the strategies and tactics they feel are best. Then\n evaluate them based on outcomes. When purpose and outcomes don\u2019t align,\n despite your best efforts, then let go of the person. It frees both of \nyou up to pursue your respective purposes and reduces suffering all \naround.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

10. Engage with your ecosystem<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Traditional business ecosystems were very static, meaning that a \npartner stayed a partner, a competitor stayed in that role and your \ncustomer is the same as yesterday. In a digital world, business \necosystems are in continuous flux. Your supplier becomes your \ncompetitor. You become your customer\u2019s competitor. You partner with \ncompanies that you never heard of a month ago. By continuously engaging \nwith your ecosystem, you can detect the changes early on and you can \nidentify when the time is right for you to reposition in your ecosystem.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Operating as a professional in a digital world requires a new \nmindset, a different set of priorities and, in some ways, a new toolbox.\n These ten rules aren\u2019t concerned with new skills or capabilities, but \nrather with more fundamental behavioral patterns. Digitalization is of \ncourse concerned with new products, solutions and services, but it\u2019s \nalso defining a new paradigm. And unless you adopt this paradigm, you\u2019ll\n struggle to thrive in a digital world.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Gandhi said: \u201cYour beliefs become your thoughts, your thoughts become your words, your words become your actions, your actions become your habits, your habits become your values, your values become your destiny.\u201d Everything starts with your beliefs and the digital world requires a new system of beliefs, a different paradigm. So, my question to you: do you have what it takes to be successful and thrive in a digital world?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

To get more insights earlier, sign up for my newsletter at <\/em>jan@janbosch.com<\/em><\/a> or follow me on<\/em> janbosch.com\/blog<\/em><\/a>, LinkedIn (<\/em>linkedin.com\/in\/janbosch<\/em><\/a>), Medium<\/a> or Twitter (<\/em>@JanBosch<\/em><\/a>).<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Digitalization often focuses on new products, solutions and service opportunities through the use of software, data and artificial intelligence. Although this is an entirely relevant and valid viewpoint, many tend to forget that it\u2019s not just the offerings that change. The people that work in a digital world also need to change. Our priorities, norms, … Read more<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"generate_page_header":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[12,10],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/janbosch.com\/blog\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1220"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/janbosch.com\/blog\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/janbosch.com\/blog\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/janbosch.com\/blog\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/janbosch.com\/blog\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1220"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/janbosch.com\/blog\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1220\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1224,"href":"https:\/\/janbosch.com\/blog\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1220\/revisions\/1224"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/janbosch.com\/blog\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1220"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/janbosch.com\/blog\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1220"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/janbosch.com\/blog\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1220"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}