Training Leaders in the Information Domain: 'Being Present' and Human-Centered Leadership

Last semester, I taught classes at 美国哥伦比亚大学 and 美国乔治敦大学 . Being associated with these prestigious schools was an incredible opportunity. This experience was further enriched as I worked with authors whose works I've read and greatly appreciated in each program. Columbia’s Dr. Alexis Wichowski wrote The Information Trade, introducing Netizens and the government’s entrance into tech ambassadorship. This book's findings has been central to my teaching, studies, and outlook on the Information Domain. At Georgetown, I had the privilege of working with Dr. Jeanine Turner , author of Being Present, a book that addresses our capacity to remain engaged in the post-COVID-19 era of digital work, competing priorities, and bridging the growing tech-driven societal gap.

It is the second book that I’ll focus on for this article.

As I explored Being Present, a striking realization dawned on me about the intersection of presence and leadership in our technology-driven world. The book generally categorizes individual attention, the struggle for those attempting to gain it, and others working to offer it. I found it practical, informative, and applicable to several use cases in an era dominated by digital distractions.

The book's message resonated deeply with my journey through decision-making processes in the military and academia. I research, teach, and write about decision-making and the civil and physical factors that impact the thought processes behind decision-making. Being Present highlighted a fundamental truth: behind every process, every piece of technology, there's a human element, a decision-maker, whether coding software or leading a team.

Not being present is like texting while driving; you may be conversing, but you’re not watching where that conversation is going. Presence is a human factor crucial in the information domain at the intersection of technology and sociology. As leaders, recognizing and valuing this human element in our digital age is paramount. It leans on my constant concern about confusing the means for the end, but taking away the means may not be what is needed. Putting the phone away (or forcing it to be removed) for a conversation may not always be the best answer.

The best answer is understanding what is needed during that engagement – what type of presence best suits your needs?

After leading various military units and my non-profit, I’ve got a fair amount of experience leading people. However, that does not make me the most prepared, experienced, or capable leader by default. Like anyone, I can be improved by finding new and engaging ways to hone and sharpen my skills. How do you know what type of presence is required? How do you monitor it, maintain it, and keep your team engaging? I sharpened my leadership skills by increasing my understanding of personal dynamics. This year, the year of my Marine Corps retirement, I went through two of the best leadership skills training programs I’ve had throughout my career.

The first program is Dr. Gene Coughlin, RBLP-T 's Resilience Building Leadership Program. I posted about this program when I finished it, and I feel it’s fantastic for understanding how to lead high-functioning, cohesive, and resilient teams. If you’re a leader of any organization of any size and want to achieve your mission, you want these skills. I've already posted about this, but I can't stress how much I wish I had these skills many years ago, developing them throughout my career. If you want to learn more about the program, give it a search or message me. As a brand ambassador, I am happy to walk you through the program details.

The second training program I went through was Aaron Hoffman and Jerry Foulis ’ Facilitation training. A Facilitator is a person who can bring a group of people from a problem to a solution by reducing dysfunction and increasing consensus. In Being Present, several dysfunctions were identified by people who couldn’t handle interpersonal conflict, distracted conversations, digital engagement, or having to fully focus on a single person for events that seemed trite and non-trivial. I held several forums in my final two years of service that would have benefited from reduced dysfunction, significantly increasing group effectiveness and the productivity of outputs. I’m not associated with this program, but I would encourage anyone to contact Aaron and Jerry to get them teaching you and your staff.

From leading service members to teaching the finest students the world offers, I've witnessed firsthand the evolving landscape of leadership in the information domain. Younger generations, often intertwined with technology, bring new perspectives and challenges. This training equipped me with insights to understand these shifts better, emphasizing the importance of the human behind every machine and process.

Programs like these are essential for leading in this complex era, where the lines between technology and human interaction are constantly blurred. They offer strategies to enhance leadership skills by focusing on the human element, ensuring that we're not just leading processes but leading people. They offer more than just knowledge; they provide a pathway to impactful, human-centered leadership.

To lead with empathy, understanding, and a deep appreciation of our people in the Information Domain, let's embrace the human side of the digital age.

How are you integrating human-centered approaches into your leadership?

#RBLP #Facilitation #TrainingLeaders #NeverStopLearning

Georgetown CCT ; RBLP Leadership Certifications ; JCTM ; Georgetown University Press

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