April 9, 2024
During the #ActivateDigital2018 Conference in Guelph, Microsoft President Kevin Peesker and I gave an interview on where the digital evolution is heading in this country.
In talking about our vision and the passion we share for Canada and its future as a dominant player in the emerging digital economy, we also discussed the responsibility all organizations have regarding the need to evolve from both a technological as well as a cultural standpoint. In fact, and in speaking about ICT professionals, Kevin went so far as to say that if you are a check the box on a menu service provider, you will need to look for a new career because this will not cut it in today’s fast-paced, highly complex world.
The reason for this seismic shift is simple; customers are more advanced and technologically astute than they were in years past. Now I am not suggesting that clients have all the answers to their technological or digital questions. However, they know what they want to accomplish, and what they need to look for in a service provider, and it isn’t a product list. What they want is a partner – or technologist as Kevin put it, who has an organizational depth that can empower them to move their Business agenda forward with a digital transformation strategy.
Of course, on the client-side of the equation, organizations must also go through a cultural shift regarding how they view their business model in the context of their digital future. One example Kevin gave during the interview was a Canadian financial institution who has been in existence since before Canada became a country. Specifically, their recognition that they were a technology company that provides banking services. In short, and in the new digital age, we are all technology companies because we all need to recognize that digital reinvention is not a case of “if” but rather “when” and that organizations will either transform or be “transformed” by this new reality.
Unfortunately, not all companies are hearing the call. According to an HBR report “most incumbent firms are failing to adjust to the digital era.”
This disconnect, or more to the point bridging this disconnect, is why the #ActivateDigital2018 Conference is so important. It is more than simply a call to action. It is a call to action that provides a means by which those in attendance gain access to this country’s biggest and brightest digital minds, and an unprecedented depth of resources that can facilitate the certain transition into the brave new digital world.
Now you might be thinking that the conference has already taken place and that if you were not able to attend, you missed the opportunity. While I will encourage you to make plans to attend #ActivateDigital2019, you have access to Long View Systems’ deep knowledge and resources, including a series of eight 30-minute podcasts featuring the speakers and industry thought leaders who were at this year’s conference.
In the end, the ACTIVATEDIGITAL 2018 Conference is not a one-time engagement but is a continuing and essential part of your growing knowledge base through your partnership with Long View Systems. We look forward to working with you to achieve your digital objectives!