Why do IT people and organizations need improved Emotional Intelligence skills?
I was asked to help explain to other IT professionals why EQ is important in daily IT work. To answer that I need first to explain the current IT situation – the many emerging technologies, Digital Transformation and a skills shortage. These four simultaneous issues are creating the current crisis in IT:
“The fourth industrial revolution has ushered in a new era of change. Experts like the World Economic Forum say that it has no historic precedent in terms of its velocity, scope, or impact on everything in our lives. It is defined as exponential change, as opposed to the linear changes of the first three industrial revolutions. For businesses of all kinds, it means living in a world of constant change. The impact is already being felt in IT organizations and virtually every other business function.” (Joe Topinka, career CIO and Board Chair of the Business Relationship Management Institute, guest blog on Hellersearch.com, April 3, 2019)
The manifestation of the 4th Industrial revolution
is emerging, disruptive technologies
(IoT – Internet of Things, 5G networks, Virtual Reality, Augmented Reality,
Artificial Intelligence, Blockchain, XaaS – Everything-as-a-Service, Big Data/Predictive
Analytics) which are arriving in rapid fire, entering the workplace through
commercial products before IT organizations are prepared to support them and apply
them appropriately.
Examples of industry/business-model disruption caused in the recent past by only two technologies – the Internet and mobile devices – include taxi (Uber, Lyft); music (iTunes, Spotify); retail brick-and-mortar stores (Amazon); entertainment (Netflix, Hulu, Prime, other streaming services); hospitality (AirBnB, VRBO); and exercise/fitness (Fitbit, Jawbone.) Now imagine as many as seven such technologies hitting all within a short timeframe.
In January 2019 the CEO of IBM, Ginni Rometty, stressed that AI will both destroy and create jobs. During her keynote address she said, “100 percent of jobs will be different”
due to AI.
Compounding this onslaught of new technologies without IT experts
ready to support them, there is also a “skills gap,” a shortage of experienced
technology professionals.
Bureau of Labor Statistics, May/Sept 2018 – IT unemployment at 1.9%;
2.1% unemployment for all college grads over 25. The US definition of “full employment” is about 4% looking for work.
CompTIA – 2017 Workforce Study: 800,000 IT workers retiring by 2024
Bersin by Deloitte Feb 2018 – unemployment is at a 17-year low, job switching is at a record highPWC,”Your Workforce Needs Reskilling,” Jan 2018 – one third of desired core skills of most occupations will change by 2020.
At the same time this cluster of thorny problems is facing IT organizations, they are being asked to lead what is called “Digital Transformation.” Wikipedia defines digital transformation as “the novel use of digital technology to solve traditional problems. These digital solutions enable inherently new types of innovation and creativity, rather than simply enhance and support traditional methods.” In other words the business is saying, “IT, please help us learn how all of these new technologies should be used in our industry/organization immediately, before we suffer the fate of taxis, music CDs, hotels, and others whose industries have been revolutionized by disruptive technology.”
Is it any wonder that Info Tech Research Group recently reported that only 23% of organizations have end-users who are highly satisfied with IT? (Info-Tech LinkedIn, March 28, 2019)
The question is, “What does any of this have to do with Emotional Intelligence?” The answer to that is, “Everything.” The skills needed to run a successful IT organization, one that satisfies its stakeholder (end-user) community, are rapidly changing.
In the next few articles we will break down exactly what individual IT professionals and IT organizations need to do to address the interrelated challenges of digital transformation, stakeholder satisfaction and the IT skills gap. Hint: Improving Emotional Intelligence is a key ingredient in the solutions.
Jana is an experienced IT management consultant and organization development (OD) professional. She founded The Collective Mind after a 15 year career as a systems engineer at IBM. Clients include NASA, Sears, Hilton Hotels and the US Army Corps of Engineers. She is the co-author of, Shifting Sands: The People Side of Project Management. Jana holds a BS in Computer Science from Vanderbilt University and a MS in Organizational Psychology from the University of Memphis. She is certified in Emotional Intelligence.
