Believe it or not, there is a formula for business transformation and realizing the best possible business outcomes that stays pretty consistent. That formula consists of three key variables: the right environment, the right tools, and the right talent. It can be argued that the right talent—the savvy, innovative individuals who work for you—is the most crucial variable of all. It is the quality of your people that sets the tone for everything else, including your work culture and ethics, the ability of your business to be nimble and responsive to the changing business landscape, the eagerness to try new strategies and technologies, and the aptitude to recognize or develop talent in others.
Because the business landscape is evolving so rapidly along with advancements in technology, it’s no surprise that securing an up-to-par workforce is a challenge. In Gartner’s 4Q18 Top 10 Emerging Risks report, talent shortage is listed as the number-one risk facing enterprises today.
But a recent study by AppDynamics provides some insight on resolving the talent gap: “Transformation is only achieved when you have the right people, with the right skills and character attributes, working in an environment that fosters and encourages innovation through leadership, culture, and technology.” The study goes on to identify five types of technologists, and how they impact today’s digital business landscape:
- Agents of Transformation
- Digital Pioneers
- Untapped Heroes
- Frustrated Innovators
- Disillusioned Dreamers
Agents of Transformation are the innovators—those who possess all the right competencies and tools, and the confidence to make game-changing leaps toward market disruption. They are the early adopters, the influencers, the risk-takers. They invent solutions to problems or new ways of doing things that would have never occurred to anyone else.
According to the study, these individuals tend to work in forward-thinking organizations. Recognizable traits of Agents of Transformation include being both technically and creatively minded—relentlessly learning, researching, experimenting, and staying in front of what’s new.
The other technologist typologies listed in the report exhibit varying degrees of these traits. Digital Pioneers are only as good as their organizations equip them to be. Untapped Heroes are only as heroic as organizations and leadership embolden them to be. Frustrated Innovators can only be less frustrated and more productive if they are operating in an environment of encouragement and enablement.
What type of technologist is working for you? Listen to Sirius’ Meet the Experts Recorded Webinar, or read the article No IT Guts, No Business Glory: Empowering Technologists to be Agents of Transformation.
Contact Sirius to see how we can help.
