Steve Brown is CEO of Nelson, Canada’s largest education technology company and developer of Edwin, a digital learning ecosystem.
In an age in which information is readily accessible with a tap of a button online, consumers expect and demand that content is available to them through technology. There is no denying that technology is an integral part of everyday life. “Screen time” is now a term used to describe the amount of time someone spends online, and the average screen time was alarming during the pandemic. Data from DoubleVerify (via Forbes) shows that the average person was spending nearly seven hours per day consuming online content, up four hours from before the pandemic. The way people use technology is also directly affecting how professionals conduct business, and it will continue to influence the next generation of leaders entering the landscape.
To excel in the technology-driven business world, businesses should incorporate the mirroring effect.
The mirroring effect involves creating a working environment or platform that mimics the way people go about their everyday lives by imitating those behaviors in business practices. In this case, the mirroring effect includes the use of technology.
Leaders should ensure that they are reflecting how consumers interact with technology and are delivering content in a way that their audience is already accustomed to consuming.
So, what does the mirroring effect mean for the next generation of business leaders, and how can they put it into practice?
The Rise Of Search Engines
When it comes to starting any kind of research, most people turn to search engines like Google. The predicament with search engines is they give users everything they have searched for—and then some. An abundance of information isn’t necessarily a bad thing, but that’s only true if the user knows exactly what they are looking for.
Another fast-growing search engine is social media. TikTok has been downloaded billions of times. TikTok offers a search bar at the top of its platform that allows users to manually search for topics. At The Brainstorm Tech Conference in July 2022, Google’s Senior Vice President, Prabhakar Raghavan, stated that Google’s studies have found that “almost 40 percent of young people, when they’re looking for a place for lunch, they don’t go to Google Maps or Search. They go to TikTok or Instagram.”
Retrieving information through search engines can be time-consuming. Business leaders can cut that time down if they implement search engines in a productive way.
Leaders should embrace the growing use of search engines and do it in a tailored and secure manner. For instance, my company recognized that the education industry is evolving and that we had to create a learning environment that reflected how students live their everyday lives. That’s why we created an online learning ecosystem empowering educators and students to teach and learn in an autonomous way that mirrors their daily life. When businesses create tools like these, they should ensure they’re safeguarded with controlled content for a specific audience and that they pull only credible resources and information. By embracing the digital world and reimagining the role and purpose of their products, they can create relevance in changing industries.
The Use Of AI In Business
Artificial intelligence (AI) is another technology that will continue to seep into both personal and professional life.
AI has taken the business world by storm. As of 2019, more than 3 billion voice assistants were in use worldwide; this number is expected to grow to over 8 billion by 2024. Further, Authority Hacker found that 75.7% of marketers are now using AI tools for work.
While AI can be used to find or even draft materials, there is a misconception that AI will replace the future workforce. This myth should be dispelled. AI should be used as a supplement versus a replacement when it comes to day-to-day business. AI can be used to streamline and create agility and help get products into the market faster; however, businesses should implement it carefully.
Business leaders should consider two important factors when it comes to using AI in the workplace.
1. First, leaders need to define a clear objective. With AI, this means giving technology a very specific prompt to get accurate results. For example, do you need AI to write a memo to your staff about a new initiative? What’s the initiative, what’s the tone of voice and ultimately, what do you want staff to take away from this memo?
2. Second, AI needs to be used ethically. Companies should never use AI alone; rather, they should use it to upskill staff. Ethical AI is about ensuring that technology does not replace staff, but instead that it supports workflows. We’re seeing world-renowned organizations call for safe and ethical AI; recently, the World Health Organization (WHO) called for ethical practices around AI in healthcare. The need for ethical AI is integral to how business leaders should implement this technology across all industries and business practices. There is no world where AI should replace humanity; we should use it in conjunction with the human touch.
Bringing The Mirroring Effect Into Everyday Business
The next generation of leaders is entering the workforce; market research company McCrindle (via Human Resources Director) estimates that Gen Z will make up 27% of the workforce by 2025. Technology was a pivotal part of this generation’s upbringing, with the age of information at their digital fingertips. At a time when information overload is common, the next generation of leaders must hone ways to be as specific as possible with their use of technology. Leaders shouldn’t reject AI or technology; instead, they should enter the space thoughtfully.
Using practices like the mirroring effect will help ensure that leaders and their staff do not get lost in information. There is no benefit to ignoring technology because it will continue to evolve. Instead, leaders need to be consistently learning and accepting new information, both about how it’s used for leisure and professionally. Leaders should embrace all the technological changes that will arise, and through mirroring, ensure they set clear objectives at the same time.
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