A year in the WIRED World

It’s been twelve months since I joined WIRED Consulting to head up the team - and what a year it’s been! When I stepped into a role that would see me focusing on the trends and technologies shaping our world, not for a second did I imagine quite how much the landscape of my life, my work, and indeed the entire world around me, would change!

So, as I look back at the past 12 months, I thought I’d share my top takeaways, personal and professional, from the journey so far:

1. Tech trends both excite and terrify audiences. Fear, excitement, scepticism, acceptance, hunger for more, head in the sand – just a few of the words and phrases that come to mind as I think of people’s reactions to the technologies and trends that are, or will become, a very real part of their lives. On one hand it has been incredible to watch an audience dismiss a trend as ‘futuristic’ only to see them open-mouthed as today’s example of real-world applications are brought to life before their eyes. On the other, it has been fantastic to watch mental light bulbs switch on as people start thinking of all the new things they might do and achieve by harnessing these new trends. The challenge for leaders is not just to keep on top of these trends, but also to bring their organisation with them as they respond to new opportunities and challenges. Implementing new technologies is one thing, but helping the workforce to understand the benefits, overcome their worries and embrace the changes that they bring, is quite another.

2. Today’s trends are tomorrow's opportunities. For business leaders, today’s trends are an essential ingredient in planning their growth strategy. Curiosity about the changing world around us is a defining success criteria of many leaders – it helps them to adapt and stay relevant to their customers in a world that is changing faster than ever. This has never been more obvious than from the front row seat I have of WIRED’s movers and shakers. Whether it’s the YOOX NET-A-PORTER GROUP, who wholly embraced e-commerce years before most of us even knew what it was, or entrepreneurs like Melissa Snover tapping into the opportunity for personalised wellness, so many of today’s rapid-growth businesses achieved success by observing, understanding, and responding to emerging trends.

3. The WIRED Network is genuinely mind-blowing. WIRED’s network, built from over a decade of writing about the trends shaping our world, is part of the DNA of WIRED. This network of academics, entrepreneurs, start-ups, VCs and business leaders are not your usual suspects – they are the people making change, not just talking about it. Having this network to tap into as part of our Consulting projects has been a revelation. Perhaps even more so, the power of the WIRED brand in engaging these phenomenal individuals has blown me away. From seeing the inspiring economist Marianne Mazzucato at WIRED Smarter 2019, to interviewing one of the world’s leading scientists, Robert Langer, just a few weeks ago, I have been deeply inspired by the WIRED network. And I haven’t even started on all the amazing #womenintech (that’s one for another post!). 

4. One year at WIRED = exponential learning. Recently, I found myself as a speaker on a webinar with the amazing CORQ CEO Sara McCorquodale, waxing lyrical about e-commerce, sharing tips for surviving a pandemic and discussing the benefits of a learning mindset. It was a stark reminder of how my own learning journey has accelerated over the past 12 months. Amongst our busy working lives, it can be hard to find time to read that article, listen to that podcast or keep on top of the things that we should. I’m now privileged to be in a role where knowledge is my world. On a day to day basis, I work with our phenomenal editors and incredible network to cut through the noise, focus on the things that matter and take that out to the business world. Quantum computing, clean technology, lights out manufacturing and blockchain (beyond financial services) - all things I knew of before, but barely understood, are now just some of the new chapters in my ever-expanding book of learning!

5. In a difficult year there is cause for optimism. No blog that looks back at 2020 would be complete without some reference to the pandemic that upended our lives. I count myself extremely lucky to be in a role, and to have a growing team. For me, whilst the year has not been without difficulty, the WIRED World has given me cause for great optimism as my eyes have been opened to the entrepreneurs, leaders and visionaries who are doing good in our world, especially with regard to the future of our planet. From companies like Climeworks, who are removing CO2 from the atmosphere, to the whole host of businesses that are genuinely focused on the UN’s sustainable development goals, to our huge global retail client who is building sustainable practices in all elements of their operation. My twelve month access to the WIRED network has given me renewed hope around the people and the initiatives driving positive change in our world.

And so, as I move into year two with WIRED Consulting, I look forward to immersing myself even further in our changing world. Taking that knowledge out to more clients and helping them to navigate the trends that matter. I hope to share that journey with as many of you as possible.