Leading in a digital world

     The digital revolution has launched a new era of human empowerment and engagement across business, society and in every aspect of our lives. Never before has there been a more powerful influence on human behavior, irrespective of country or culture, than the combined effect of digital technologies. The effects of this shift on society are tremendous and, in particular, are dramatically changing our leadership responsibilities whether in politics, professionals in business, teachers in school or parents raising children.

     Leading in the new digital world is like walking a very thin tightrope. Digital platforms deliver immense value, enabling us to connect, collaborate and broaden our minds – raising awareness about important issues, bringing people together for a common purpose and achieving new breakthroughs. But these very same technologies can also cause people to feel isolated and disconnected, leaving them vulnerable to the malicious intent of digital perpetrators and as we have seen in recent times, even terrorist activity. The opportunity for users to fulfill the need for social interaction, entertainment and learning is almost equal to the risk of impairment to cognitive, emotional and behavioral development and even mental health issues. Digital technology is extremely powerful at either end of the spectrum, and leaders have a heightened sense of responsibility to answer the call to action.

Basic digital skills: what are they?

     European Union, digital skills consist in being able to use the TSIs (Information Society Technologies) to work and leisure, and the basic ICT skills (Information and Communication Technologies), such as the use of computers to find, evaluate, store, produce, present and exchange information as well as communicate and participate in collaborative networks over the Internet.

     Digital skills also require a solid awareness and knowledge of the role and the opportunities of the ISTs in both private and social life and work. This includes major IT applications such as text, spreadsheets, databases, storage and management of information, etc.

     People should also be aware of how the TSIs can be an opportunity to support creativity and innovation, but also be aware of potential internet risks related to the validity and reliability of available information, and the legal and ethical principles that arise in the interactive use of the TSIs. In 2010, the European Union created a ranking of digital skills to own. Some of these are:

 

• Ability to explore an environment;
• Ability to adopt multiple views and improvise;
• Ability to synthesize multimedia content;
• multitasking;
• Ability to compare different points of view;
• Ability to evaluate sources of information;
• Ability to network and disseminate information

 

Digital literacy

Digital literacy can be defined as “the awareness, attitude and ability to use current knowledge and understanding of computers, mobile devices, the web and related technologies for communication, expression and social action in specific life situations” (Goodfellow, 2011; Vermaat et al., 2016).

 

Digital technology

     Digital technologies are electronic tools, systems, devices and resources that generate, store or process data. These includes social media, online games and applications, multimedia, productivity applications, cloud computing, interoperable systems and mobile devices. Our era has come to see the vital importance of digital technology in our daily lives. It allows us to unlock a huge collection of information and communication data. Each kind of task, be it a regular task or a job specific task requires digital proficiency or literacy.