Three 2021 Predictions

When I was recently asked about my predictions for 2021, I looked back to my Forbes 2010 predictions for 2020. Definitely a few of those things happened. Phew.

So here in 2020, let me try looking just one year ahead into the future with three predictions for 2021 as grounded in my recent landing in the world of Critical Event Management (CEM) at Everbridge.

"Safety eats the world" as the new norm in Tech.

We're moving from the 2011 Tech euphoria of "software eats the world" to a 2021 human reality of "safety eats the world." Any technologies that make you feel safer — like electrostatic cleaning of an airplane or smart orchestration for emergencies — are what consumers desire even more than the latest LED bling.

A new breed of kinder, gentler CIO will emerge.

The tectonic shift to "Work From Home" (WFH) due to the pandemic resulted in CIOs needing to partner with the CHRO to establish online work cultures that went beyond developers and IT professionals. Meanwhile they all co-experienced the challenges of a blurred work/family life and gained full workforce empathy. 

Businesses that excelled at managing their risks, will take more risks.

If 2020 was the year of responding to the pandemic's impact on work and home life, 2021 will be the work of conquering the pandemic's impacts. For those organizations that were already far along in their digital transformation journey, and who took advantage of 2020 to further accelerate their capabilities, it's their time to excel.

What's my 2020 takeaway?

Back in 2010, I wrote in Redesigning Leadership:

I’ve come to realize that while technology may make it more convenient to communicate, it doesn’t improve our ability to get a point across.

It's top of mind for me these days. Because the pandemic has increased the readership and viewership of online content due to being physically isolated, I'm re-learning that the quantity of information doesn't translate to the quality of understanding achievable in the world. That's why now more than ever I try not to rely on short-form to explain myself — and use longform whenever possible. Thanks for reading all the way through — I'll definitely need to check back on this list in 2022! —JM