From Global to Local — the Key Ingredients are the Same

I participated in a Webinar a number of weeks ago, part of DNA Global Network's global citizenship series, where the topic of Tech Savvy was covered and the importance of using technology to connect, communicate and collaborate was pointed out as critical to global leadership.

As technology becomes increasingly embedded in everything we do and our peer and work groups become more and more spread out across the globe, the higher degree of connectivity we can create and maintain the more effective we will be.

The concepts discussed were absolutely vital to "global-ness" but also apply as basic principles for heightened success and effectiveness in less global settings, such as change initiatives, organizational and individual performance improvement.

One of the points emphasized was that technology can accelerate and broaden your ability to get input, reactions and improvement ideas from very broad audiences in numbers that are unachievable with face-to-face meetings. Key was — asking and getting input and feedback about proposed decisions to get the input necessary to improve those decisions and more quickly realize new results. Greater diversity of ideas invariably improves results. Technology's reach to bring in that diversity is imperative.

Dr. Doug Walton, organizational change strategist and author, expressed it this way. Most knowledge is flawed to some degree but can be improved with input. Knowledge is not actionable until others accept it, and more knowledge is gained through diverse perspectives.

Connecting, communicating and collaborating, with the support of cross-cultural competences and partnering skills, are part of the core requirements for successfully leading organizations, groups and successfully completing work initiatives in any company.

Mid next month at the 2010 HR Star Conference being held in South San Francisco, Kevin Weitz, Merit's Senior Change Consultant will bring these points home to the work Merit Resource Group does as he presents his views on successful, large-scale change initiatives. Kevin will share secrets that companies he has worked with have discovered in the course of implementing change.

From his experience, successfully processing and implementing change has a great deal to do with connecting, communicating and collaborating and using technology to leverage all three. Inclusion and cross-cultural participation (organizations and workforce), and incorporating the views of those most affected by the change is how knowledge gets refined and turned into actionable steps and progress.

HR has a very important role to play in all of this. Plan now to join us at HR Star on July 14, meet Kevin and learn where HR's most important contributions can be made in addressing change that is exponential these days. We hope to see you there so that we can connect, communicate and collaborate to bring increased success to your HR efforts.