From Looking Digital to Being Digital: The Impact of Technology on the Future of Work Collaboration is vital to creativity and view of people and machines. Moreover, accommodate or even anticipate change. innovation but it cannot be taken for Rio Tinto (along with a rapidly expanding Finally, the role of search expands from one granted. Simply equipping people with cadre of companies) recognizes the that is linear and solution-oriented to one the latest social media or collaboration importance of developing and deploying that is lateral and opportunity-oriented. software will not induce them to use it to competence in the use of social media and generate new products or to find ways to collaboration software in both its younger delight customers. GE has recognized as and its older employees. Evolving the right much when it underscores the importance management mindset of cultivating “adventurous” employees The net effect on skills and competencies who relish the opportunity to invent and of being digital are summarized in Figure In an article written nearly 40 years ago, 38 experiment. Likewise, 7-Eleven and Audi— 4 below. This table captures changes in management scholar Rosabeth Kanter operating in very different environments— the nature of skills required and in the offered a solution to what she foresaw both encourage their employees to engage cadence and even the culture of the digital as an impending “power failure in 39 in dialogue with customers. Rio Tinto needs enterprise. Experimentation assumes that management circuits.” Her observation data scientists and machine operators to one can both follow and question rules applies with even greater relevance today: collaborate in making sense of shared data, using data and method. Working through in an era when companies need (and say undertaking experimental adjustments computers means that the historic divide they want) greater innovation and agility, in the use of extremely expensive capital between workers and machines yields managers need to be willing to relinquish equipment, and in evolving a systemic to collaboration with and through smart control—or release their death grip—on machines. The capacity to live with change work processes. Innovation demands is a shift occasioned both by the nature breathing room—not an abandonment of of the external environment and by the rules, hierarchy or the responsibility that need to adapt and change at work to comes with representing the interests of owners and shareholders—but instead a doubling-down on tools, methods and management practices that give people the Figure 4: What being digital means for skills and competencies room to experiment and take calculated risks without fear of severe reprisal should From To they fail. Follow rules Experiment The case studies bring to light two important issues that arise with being Work with computers Work through computers digital. First, it is entirely possible to increase systemic control while loosening Tolerate robots Team with robots local control. This is the core message from our examples of edge-centricity. If by Expect stability Expect change control we mean the ability to reliably and repeatedly accomplish desired outcomes, Search is a skill Search is a way of life then managers who equip their teams with the tools and the training necessary to Knowledge work Judgment work both do and innovate will extend system control—even if it means that managers whittle back their individual control. 36 | Accenture | Copyright 2014 Accenture. All rights reserved. ©