Did you know that American youth spend an average of six hours or more a day on screens?
As a result of increased social media use and continuous screen time, young adults have become more reliant on the internet for information, learning, working, communication, and entertainment. Today I will share my thoughts on our youth and their relationship with technology and its potential impact on the future C-Suite.
Ubiquitous online access and dependence on digital platforms for real-time information, both professionally and recreationally, has accelerated innovation in leveraging and utilizing technology. The proliferation of the internet has led to new roles with more effective communication methods, collaboration, and improved accessibility to economic empowerment and quality education. Global connectivity and greater access to a variety of platforms have shifted how we work. So, what could this all mean for the future of the C-suite?
Like most business leadership roles, the C-suite isn’t exempt from this shift. The growth of technology innovation and its integration into nearly all professional life poses both an opportunity and a new threat. The transformation already underway from the last two decades of innovation is driven by passionate, creative, and tech-savvy youth.
While the C-Suite has stepped up and embraced technology and undergone considerable change, how are today’s C-Suite leaders adapting to multigenerational leadership, coupled with developing future leaders for a C-Suite role they know little about?
The new opportunity is a welcome shift in the C-suite makeup. As more of the younger tech-savvy professionals rise in their careers with a growing demand for more diversity and inclusion, the recruitment and retention landscape will evolve from traditional models. We’ll witness the acceleration of millennials and Gen Z to crucial positions in the C-suite across industries. It’s an exciting time to leverage our youth’s skills, creativity, knowledge, and innovation!
As a mother of four children, I can see the future C-suite becoming shaped by the rise of younger technology-savvy generations. So, what is our role in supporting a prudent use of technology in tomorrow’s leaders? We need to help them find the balance between soft skills like empathy and resilience coupled with technology use all while teaching them how it applies to multigenerational leadership. With the continued evolution and innovations, the future C-suite is ripe with opportunities to transform itself to appear more like the agile organization it leads while embracing the core competencies of great leadership.
