Over the last year, I have had a dozen people reach out, asking that I be a sounding board for career questions regarding digital. The underlying intent was either a means for entry or growth in the field. Many of the conversations revolved around the conceptual way things work in digital including fundamental topics such as process, roles, and responsibilities. As we met regularly and trust was built, the discussions started moving to the outer layers, things like values, work/life balance, mental attitudes, emotional intelligence, self-awareness, and collaboration.

There seems to be this void that has developed with this new generation (for context I am 38, the average age of people I talk to was about 26). I am generalizing but to empathize not judge. Those stepping into the digital and technology arena, have described a wedge being formed between them and the ones that they love, trust, and look to for advice. These traditional support networks are unable to dialogue or contribute or advise, they have their own discomfort and anxiety with technology and the rapidly changing times and the unknown future.

Historically a popular career path would be to enter into a vocational school or “big 5" consultancy and they would mold you into your discipline regardless of your background, beliefs, values, and interests. If you were lucky you would connect with a seasoned mentor in that field who could teach you the craft and guide your career. You would lean on your family and friends for “life advice”. It was compartmentalized and neat.

“Mentors” are still referenced as critical keys to success for executives and aspiring blue collared apprentices in all industries and occupations. Unfortunately, we only have one digital generation thus far, so “mentorship” is harder to find for folks entering the variety of different fields. The go-to career guidance and sources of wisdom of yesterday (parents, guidance counselors, human resources) are limited in the new digital frontier. New entrants coming out of college are being sucked into hyper speed start-up environments with their barely formed “self”, evolving values, and a lack of self-awareness that career is just one component of a healthy holistic life philosophy.

In many other more traditional contexts inside companies, digital transformation is happening organically without the proper guidance and nurturing for change, culture, team dynamics, trust, and collaboration. There are daily collisions of schools of thought while roles, technologies, productivity models, physical space, and team chemistry are constantly in flux. Intimate integrated teams with different personalities are spawning, increasing speeds of evolving business models unfolding quickly, new career paths barely traveled or worn, and alluring rewards being promised that are challenging belief/value systems. Inside this ecosystem are a limited network of “mentors” (aside from the elite programs and companies) that are willing to invest the time and energy into subject matter “apprenticeship”, let alone personal growth and development.

As I reflect on my own experiences and career, the overarching theme here seems to be “digital transformation” and it’s bigger than the solutions we create, metrics we try to affect, tools we adopt, or gadgets and apps we think are improving our lives. These are examples of how worshiping digital has impacted people and businesses participating but it’s broader issue in society, coping with this new plugged in lifestyle. This inevitable “exponential growth” of technology will only perpetuate this phenomenon and it is in need of stewardship.

As businesses look inward to analyze values, culture, brand experience or innovation frameworks they will start to come to the conclusion that “digital transformation” and “connected experiences” are not end states, it’s a bigger and more complex blind spot that has only begun to manifest. Just as business models desperately have to adapt, businesses will have to reform many of their traditional pillars and guidelines as millennials infiltrate a majority of the work force within less than a dozen years. It will be a new breed of digital professionals and businesses will be desperate for assistance during the transition to accommodate (re-writing policies, incentives cultures, career paths, remote work spaces, etc.). They’ll need professional coaching, digital upgrades of yesterday’s career counselor, human resources specialists, and mentors.

For service organizations that are hired to guide and strategize on behalf of these companies, the implementation of any future digital solutions, building out of new teams, or infusing innovation should be sensitive to this value add layer. It will prove to be a huge differentiator.

For people like me who are change leaders, trust builders, and hyper connectors this is just a new tribe to understand and bring to the party. If we use mentorship to foster a deeper connection, it will bond people together, and give a common identity and purpose, this leads to group performance. If we use mentorship to understand the differences between groups, cross-pollinate ideas, develop those differences into new ideas and opportunities, this leads to innovation.

My Leadership Journey