“It’s not about technology. It’s about behaviour and culture."
I hear this all the time when people talk about the implementation of the digital workplace and I simply do not agree. Since the message above is repeated so frequently I decided to record a podcast on the topic to explain my point of view.
The two main messages you will hear in the podcast are the following:
Technology and behaviour should not be seen as separate items. They are intertwined.
Working remotely has the power of liberating people.
Let me explain these two ideas shortly here.
"We Shape Our Tools, and Thereafter Our Tools Shape Us"
This quote from John Culkin is 50 years old. But the idea behind it is remains relevant.
It is my strong belief that if people are allowed to work remotely, using digital tools to get the work done, they are encouraged to show their work, raise their voice and show their talent. In those moments where people make their implicit knowledge explicit, the magic happens.
They show as authentic people. People who reflect and who make mistakes. Not as anonymous wage slaves, muzzled by their job description and their position in the organisation chart. Quite the contrary.
People become true knowledge workers again since sharing their work presupposes they take the time for reflection. Technology encourages reflective practice. Technology does not dehumanize work. Quite the contrary.
Click on the link to hear the podcast.
