Recently, while attending an industry meeting where a new technology was being discussed, a longtime associate made a comment that got me thinking. On the surface his statement was nothing out of the ordinary. It was probably a typical comment by a conventional businessman in reaction to a new technology. But on another level, it gave me a fresh perspective on what I'd been viewing as a seemingly insurmountable problem.
In commenting on the important work we were doing, he said, “I really feel like this is an important initiative and one that this group needs to press forward with; but for me, I can safely say that I will probably never use it personally.”
Had I not known this individual so well, I might have interpreted his comment as being pretty unenlightened, if not downright obtuse. Something is important and worthy of continued investment of time and treasure, but at the same time is not something he thinks he will ever use? However, knowing him and his situation, I was struck with a fresh insight into how his company and perhaps many more are approaching adoption of new business technology.
There are three ways a leader in today's aftermarket can deal with the new technology front.
There is the head-in-the-sand approach where they completely ignore emerging technology and let their company be devoured by enlightened competitors. Since I knew my friend was smart enough not to take this path, we’ll ignore it and consider the two more sensible routes.
Certainly, executives can commit personally to learning about new technology and making hands-on decisions about it themselves. This is an excellent option for those who are not intimidated by the subject (as are so many middle-aged executives in this industry). There is no doubt in my mind that those who are willing and able to become students of technology can make better technology-related decisions for their company.
But as my friend had inadvertently demonstrated to me, there is yet another alternative. CEOs or presidents can choose not to stick their heads in the sand nor get deeply involved in technology. They can recognize that they are not capable of directly choreographing the technology transition that is vital to their company's survival and put the task in the hands of those who are.
My colleague had chosen the latter path. He is like the member of a gang being chased by a posse in an old western. He gets "belly shot" and tells his pals not to worry about him and ride on. “I’ll just stay here with my gun and whiskey and see how much I can slow them down for you.” He is holding down the fort with his conventional skill set and enabling those more capable to work on things that could truly put some distance between his company and the competition.
The key to success is not total abdication of anything to do with emerging technology. Rather, it is a logical recognition of what needs to be done and a thoughtful assignment of roles and responsibilities. It is critical that as a leader he keeps the goals and resources of the company aligned and simply supports his chosen technology people with what they need to make an appropriate IT offensive weapon. Along the way he can lend his business expertise as his team encounters decisions where his experience can help, perhaps with issues like is it better to lease or own, or is it smarter to develop an internal capability or outsource?
There is little doubt that technology is changing business. And business people, more than at anytime in recent memory, must be prepared to make decisions on a much more aggressive timetable, or be equipped to identify those who can.
About the Author
Bob Moore
Bob Moore is a partner in the consulting firm J&B Service that specializes in the automotive aftermarket. Moore who chairs the SEMA Business Technology Committee and is a member of the SEMA board of directors, can be reached at [email protected] or follow him on Twitter @BobMooreToGo.