Category: Historical Lessons

Tech Exec - leadership lessons from history Welcome to the Tech Historical Lessons category on tech2exec. History is a valuable teacher, and it has much to offer in terms of insights for tech executives. By looking back at past events, we can gain a better understanding of how certain decisions and actions have shaped the technological landscape we see today.

In this section, we will explore various historical events that have had a significant impact on the tech industry. We will delve into the stories behind these events and extract valuable lessons that can inform our present-day decisions as tech leaders.

Leverage Your Strength – a lesson from history

In May 1940, the German army swiftly invaded France, leading to the astonishing defeat of the Battle for France. This unprecedented downfall stunned Europe, especially considering France’s prior reputation as a formidable Western nation. A tech exec can learn from this lesson in history.

Germany didn’t solely triumph with might; even though the French had a bigger, technologically advanced army and knew about the upcoming German invasion, they should have been prepared to repel the invaders effortlessly.

How did it happen?

The lack of trust and effective communication among French politicians and generals was exacerbated by their stagnation in the past. In 1914, France faced a challenging scenario when German forces overwhelmed them. However, their perseverance and strategic prowess proved decisive. The French tactically withdrew, synchronized their remaining armies, gathered crucial support from allies, and counterattacked. Teamwork made the Battle of the Marne pivotal for the allied forces in World War I.

Twenty-six years later the French were still using 1914 tactics against 1940’s technology.

Leverage your strength but update your strategy. The generals believed armor supported infantry from behind, underestimated planes as frontline weapons, relied on horses to outpace the enemy, and used motorcycle couriers instead of rapid communication. They also misplaced trust in misguided technology and overestimated Maginot Line defenses along the German border. The French generals, WWI veterans, failed to recognize technological advancements and clung to outdated strategies. General Gamelin, head of the French military, even lacked a telephone in his headquarters.

The French thought they knew the enemy.

The Germans effectively employed tanks, planes, troops, and weapons in innovative ways. Tanks, bombers, and infantry quickly penetrated, catching the French off guard. The German generals swiftly adapted their tactics using telephone and telegraph. Unfortunately, France failed to grasp the technological possibilities, leading to their complete defeat within 10 days. Unthinkable, but it happened.

A lesson for companies.

Silos in a company are a natural result of its structure, but they must not impede collective power and success. A tech exec should aim for a unified approach to operations, with shared standards across the leadership team. Keeping up with tech advancements and leveraging them before competitors is crucial. Embrace cross-team collaboration and resource sharing to enhance experience and boost versatility.

Organizations that stick in a ridged silo model and do not collaborate will lose to their competitors.

Leverage your strength and avoid having your teams move in different directions, as it weakens a united force. To effectively leverage your combined organization, do the following:

Have a common mission and set of objectives agreed to by all leaders.
Ensure roles and responsibilities between teams are well defined and understood.
Communicate the operating models for each team to all stakeholders, which will help minimize a silo mentality.
Better coordinate work going between teams ensure linkages are understood. This improves teamwork.
Ensure an effective leadership structure where leaders trust and are communicating with each other.
Have a better understanding of the strengths and weaknesses in our teams so individuals can be deployed appropriately.
Ensure that technology is understood and used effectively (to meet business needs) across all teams.

Don’t forget to empower your team! If you leverage your strength, the combined organization, you’ll be unstoppable… and you will have a much more cost-effective technology environment.

Click here for a post on how to empower and use the full strength of your team.

You may also like:

Must Read Book: The German Genius

The Demon of Unrest: Confronting Challenges as a Leader

It’s Okay to Ask Questions

I was reading a funny story about Henry Kissinger that highlight why it’s important to ask questions. If you don’t know who Dr. Kissinger is, you are probably too young. He was the Secretary of State during the Nixon Administration and considered one of the smartest SoS’s ever.

Henry Kissinger’s speech writer handed Kissinger the latest speech for him to review. Kissinger wrote on the paper, “Is that the best you can do?” The speech writer rewrote the piece and handed it to Kissinger for his thoughts. Kissinger wrote the same thing, “Is that the best you can do?” The speech writer did two more revisions with the same responses. Finally, frustrated, he told Kissinger that it was the best he could do. Kissinger said, “Okay, now I’ll read it.”

This anecdote shared by Kissinger’s speech writer highlights the importance of constant and thorough review in creating quality content. In today’s digital world, with rapid information sharing, we often overlook the need to review our work.

To stand out online, prioritize content quality over quantity for businesses and individuals alike. This means taking the time to carefully craft and review each piece before publishing it.

Similar to Kissinger’s speechwriter, we may undergo multiple revisions before reaching a final product we’re proud of. Like Kissinger, who read the speech only when it was perfect, we should publish when confident in our work’s quality.

Reviewing our content helps us catch overlooked errors, maintaining credibility and professionalism. Errors can damage our reputation.

Furthermore, by thoroughly reviewing our content before publishing it, we give ourselves the opportunity to refine and improve upon it. We can add more clarity, strengthen arguments, and make sure each point is effectively conveyed to our audience.

In conclusion, prioritizing the review process when creating content is crucial for success in today’s digital landscape. It ensures high-quality, engaging content that meets audience needs and reflects positively on your brand. Don’t forget to set aside time for review and revision when creating content – your readers (and reputation) will thank you.

And… moral of the story:

Unless you like doing a lot of unnecessary extra work, make sure you understand what the boss is saying. It’s okay to ask questions. That’s what meetings are for. Don’t just nod and agree without fully comprehending the task at hand.

As a tech executive, it’s easy to get caught up in the fast-paced environment and numerous tasks that require completion. However, it’s important to remember that understanding your boss’s instructions is crucial in order to successfully complete your work.

Sometimes, to seem competent or avoid looking ignorant, we nod along with our boss without fully understanding their requests. This can lead to confusion and wasted time as we try to figure things out on our own.

Click here to see a post on questions to ask when building a technology strategy.

You may also like:

Staying True to Your Authentic Self

What is Executive Storytelling?

Was Ernest Hemmingway a good leader?

What was the Pandemic’s Influence on Technology?

The pandemic’s influence forced tech executives to prepare for unprecedented challenges and prompted them to re-examine digital technologies and business applications from a new perspective. This shift required them to adapt quickly to changing market demands and explore innovative solutions to maintain operational efficiency and customer engagement. As a result, there was a significant acceleration in the adoption of digital tools and platforms, transforming the way businesses operate and interact with their clients.

Before the pandemic, 65% of companies invested in digitalization.

In the beginning of 2023, the spread of digital investments has surged even more: 75% of companies plan to invest in these areas due to a hybrid work model. This shift has led to the widespread adoption of digital technologies in personal and professional settings, driven by the necessity of remote work and online communication during social distancing measures.

The pandemic’s influence has driven businesses to invest in tools and platforms to support remote work and maintain productivity. These include collaboration software, video conferencing, project management tools, and cloud-based services. The increased demand has sparked innovation and competition in the digital tech market, pushing companies to improve their solutions for remote work and communication.

The global pandemic highlighted the vital role of cloud computing in providing smooth and secure remote access to data and applications.

The scalability and adaptability of cloud platforms have emerged as indispensable assets, ensuring uninterrupted business operations and continuity amid the unprecedented challenges brought about by these times.

The future holds promising advancements in infrastructure and information system security. Moreover, it encompasses the development of business-supporting models by leveraging cutting-edge technologies like Big Data, IoT, and Cloud Computing. These technological advancements are set to revolutionize the way businesses operate, ensuring improved efficiency and effectiveness in the long run.

Click here to see a post on the future of collaboration tools.

You may also like:

Continuous Learning for Remote Sales Teams

The Importance of Understanding the Economic Baseline

Why are software companies still laying off employees?

Don’t Let Being Stuck in Old Ways Keep you from Innovating

Many companies have a culture that keeps them stuck in old ways of doing things. Many organizations overlook how past successes can hinder change. As a tech exec it’s important to have this perspective.

Success does not always lead to more success but can cause reluctance to change. As organizations achieve more success, they can become entrenched and overlook signs that transitioning from the status quo to a new approach is needed. Many industries have examples like Kodak, where organizations failed to pivot in time when change was needed.

Tech Exec - Tech Executives need to beware of lack of innovation

Don’t get stuck in a company that fails to recognize the changing business environment and is self-destructing. As a tech executive, it’s important to stay ahead of the curve and anticipate how technology will impact your industry. This means constantly learning about new innovations and staying informed about market trends. It also means being open to change and willing to adapt in order to stay competitive.

To achieve this, attend conferences and networking events to connect with field leaders and learn from their experiences. Another option is joining online communities or forums focused on discussing new technologies and their business impact.

Tech executives must grasp data analysis to inform business decisions effectively. Analyzing data effectively can offer valuable insights to drive growth and success in a data-rich environment.

Your success as an employee can be to help your leadership recognize and adapt to change. In today’s ever-changing business world, adapting and embracing change is vital for organizational success. As technology advances rapidly, leaders must stay current and open to new ideas and thinking.

Stay informed and openly communicate with leadership about potential changes or improvements to benefit.

In conclusion, yes, it’s difficult to make your voice heard in large companies. However, when you do, it’s a big deal and nice recognition.

Click here for a post on avoiding unconscious bias as a tech executive.

You may also like:

How to Become a Change Agent