The Rules Are... There Are No Rules Part 1 of 4

Over the past few weeks my articles have been a bit lengthy, making it difficult for some to consume within the confines of a busy day. In light of this, as well as the depth of the topic that I am about to write against, I thought it would be more considerate to break up this article into three separate pieces. So please consider this the first of three.

Since I have set this up so nicely, one might ask – what is this in-depth topic that I feel compelled to discuss at length? Fair enough. What I would like to delve into is three-fold. First, the seemingly invisible introduction of invasive technological advancements and the minds behind them. Second, the surface and sub-level impact of these advancements and what they may mean, that seemingly eludes us all. Lastly, the challenge that companies will soon face to remain relevant in lieu of this impending evolution and what they can do about it.

Before I get into it, I want to elaborate for a moment on what I mean when I say the “surface and sub-level impact of these advancements.”

As a student of technology and the talent that defines it, I can’t help but notice certain things identifying themselves on the horizon. Curious moves made by U.S. and international players alike.

From the shadows of governmental interference with Huawei and rumored acquisitions, speculation of corporate mergers pairing giants like Nokia and Ericsson or, perhaps the possibility of Nokia selling off its technology altogether, I can’t help but wonder out loud who in the U.S. might gain the most and be in the best position to advance 5G. I see the possibility of a Google/Alphabet, Intel (see its recent x86 news bomb for base stations) or QUALCOMM move (or possibly some type of joint venture) to secure a U.S. play in this arena and the incredible dominating hand that 5G will have as it weaves itself into practically every corporation throughout the world. The need to adapt and stay relevant will become, and I don’t believe that I am understating this - a crisis, and something I believe is worth talking about.

I will elaborate on this much further in the second section of this article series, but first I want to touch on why we have come to treat advancements like 5G, among other things that are impacting our daily lives, as nothing more than another day at the office. If history teaches us anything, we need to start learning and applying our learning forward more constructively. Now, more than ever.

Why are we so accepting?

Change is inevitable, it comes in all shapes and sizes and often dictates the highs and lows of generations. Sometimes dramatic, other times subtle. Acceptance of change however seems to favor the latter. It weaves its way into the fabric of our lives and masquerades itself as the latest and greatest “must have,” and before we know it – it becomes commonplace.

Such monumental advancements throughout time that reset the landscape over and over ultimately leading us to where we find ourselves today, have rarely ever left us speechless or awe-struck, as perhaps they should have if we only truly realized the impending impact they would make… But why don’t they appear to phase us? Maybe it’s because we’ve seen them all before.

In 1950 the TV series Dick Tracy offered us a preview of the Apple Watch. It was once again present in the cartoon series The Jetsons back in 1962, along with the moving walkway that we now see in airports know as an Autowalk. The cartoon lent us a glimpse at several other innovations as well that would soon be introduced to us in the not too distant future, such as microwaves, Skype, cellphones, home computers, the internet, EKG’s, MRI’s, robots, and of course the flying car. The concept of a treadmill was even used to walk the family dog Astro as it extended itself out from the 50th floor. As a side note, I also couldn’t help but notice in one episode, that Jane (the wife) says to George (the husband) “Rough day at the office dear?” George replies “Yeah, these three-hour workdays are killing me.” Now we know where Millennials got their idea of flexible hours from. JUST KIDDING – JUST KIDDING (Wink) As you may know, last week we defended the stigma placed on Millennials. If you missed it – take a look. Seriously though, does this portend the future? I invite you to think of this in the context of Universal Income.

And of course, there’s Star Trek. Launched in 1966, viewers looked on as Captain Kirk and his crew used communicators which eventually became flip-phones, they also had their own version of Skype and used voice to speak to their computer/ship – ala Alexa. And believe it or not, hologram concerts are becoming a thing, bringing iconic artists back to life such as Whitney Huston and Buddy Holly where images are projected onto a screen using a military-grade digital lasers. Before we know it, a hologram of Princess Leia will be emerging from our Apple Watch saying “Help me Obi-Wan Kenobi” sooner than we think.

Add a dash of the countless number of the sci-fi movies that we are spoon-fed each day, and one would think that anything is possible, if not likely.

It’s déjà vu all over again

Today, the ever so innocent, beneficial strategic approach of soft introductions continues. Take the emergence of smart homes for example.

At the 2020 Consumer Electronic Show in Vegas last January, smart homes were the hot topic of conversation. As stated in a Forbes article “There was almost no category unturned. Appliances, toilets, mirrors, garage openers, door locks, shower heads and security systems were all once again on display. All were connected, many could be voice activated, and it’s getting easier to see a future where fully integrated smart homes connect devices that work together to create a seamless and truly helpful holistic user experience.

Steve Koenig, vice president of research at CTA, suggested the Internet of Things (IoT) needed a rebrand to the “Intelligence of Things” for the decade ahead. Koenig explained consumers have been able to connect devices to the internet for years. The issue now becomes how to smartly integrate all these devices in a secure way that makes consumers comfortable sharing the data required to make smart homes truly smart. The concept of the “nudge” is getting consumers comfortable with the technology they engage with because of the benefits they receive by feeding it personal data.” However, I think we can all agree - it’s much more than a nudge. The scary part of the equation is – where does all this personally fed data ultimately end up? In a 2019 Washington Post article entitled “Alexa has been eavesdropping on you this whole time,” we discover that when Alexa runs your home, Amazon tracks you in more ways than you might want. Many smart-speaker owners don’t realize it, but Amazon keeps a copy of everything Alexa records after it hears its name, and in some cases, even when it doesn’t. In addition, it also has the ability to actually identify where you are physically located, which is something I’m betting you probably didn’t know.

Who’s vision of the future is it?

As Steve Jobs once said… “Those people who are crazy enough to think that they can change the world, are the ones who actually do.” And he couldn’t have been more on point. Among them are the Bezos, Musk, Branson and Zuckerbergs of the world. When considering this from a historical perspective, I believe you need to go back to the early 1900’s with Vanderbilt, Rockefeller, JP Morgan and Ford to truly understand the precipice (inflection point) of where we are at this moment to truly understand 5G’s impact. It will make “connections” unheard of, and its lasting effects will be pervasive and all consuming.

It has been written that the greatest asset that they all had in common was being visionaries, but I disagree. In my mind, what they all have in common is that they share an unshakeable belief that they can make it happen. They are inventors, not simply innovators and there is a significant difference. Because if you’re not someone who believes that you can make it happen, then you’re just another guy or gal with an idea. As for what differentiates them from other CEO’s, it’s that they are still in the process of creating their companies, and not just simply running them.

These power players seem to all have their own distinct idea of what the future will look like and they are taking an aggressive hand in molding it, while the majority of the world is simply along for the ride as if watching the latest episode of The Jetsons, viewing these progressions as nothing more than part of a natural evolutionary process – but they’re not.

I think that we seriously need to be asking ourselves a few questions, like - are we living someone else’s vision of the future or our own? Is it possible that we are becoming obedient to the perfect model of marketing and simply falling inline? Do we possess the capacity to impact the whole individually? You see, I’m a strong believer that you can’t just sit on the sidelines and say nothing and then complain about an outcome that you could have influenced. Therefore, we have to decide if we are making our choices or, are our lack of choices making us? What are truly the real choices to be made? Is buying a car or a subscription-based car model (autonomous vehicle) the types of choices we are seeking? Might I suggest that we engage this world with the true due respect we owe it, and not the other way around!

It’s called punctuated equilibrium

When science and technology meet social and economic systems? you tend to see something that is referred to as “punctuated equilibrium.” Something that has been stable for a long period suddenly disrupts radically… and then settles out in a new equilibrium. The microprocessor (hello Pentium) – the internet – cell phones – wireless etc.

The U.S. auto industry for example has been relatively static since the passage of the Federal interstate highway act in 1956. Now the synchronous arrival of Tesla? Uber? and autonomous vehicles are creating chaos. When it’s over? a new equilibrium will emerge.

The evidence suggests that we are seeing a mass extinction event in the corporate world in the early decades of the 21st century. Want proof? How about this...

In its wake we are seeing a mass speciation of innovative corporate entities with entirely new DNA like Uber? Google? Facebook? Amazon etc. and it’s just the beginning. When the global power struggle for 5G has come to a head and is released upon the world, a transformation will take place that may never be witnessed again in this century. The underlying question is, will companies – your company, be prepared for it or, will you be represented in that 70 percent?

Digital Transformation is upon us and the world as we know it is about to change. It’s the chaos we have each been experiencing increasingly - the apparent quickening of time that indeed is happening at a pace never before experienced and should not be underestimated. There will be those who are proactively prepared and those who will be forced to react. The questions is… what side of history will you be on?

Second article in this series...

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About Steve Diedrick...

Steve is the founder of Redmond, a global executive search firm whose clients include world renowned brands and start-ups that are shaping tomorrow's world. As a highly respected authority and pioneer in the field of human capital with close to three decades in the space, his progressive ideas on search-excellence reflect a profound understanding/passion for the global economy and the ever-evolving mindset of the unique talent that propels companies forward. He has personally reached out to more than 100,000 professionals and interviewed over 35,000 potential candidates throughout his career. His personal drive, perspective, discipline and focus is a culmination of his life experience living abroad and the 27 years spent mastering the Martial Art of Qi Gong. His Mantra: There is nothing like direct experience that takes you from knowledge - to knowing.

Email me at: [email protected] or Text me at: 947.222.9200 and let's discuss how Redmond can help you.

? Redmond Research, Inc. 2020