If we were to ask ourselves how the Internet creates economic value, we should start by asking who is benefiting from those newfound opportunities. The story of the Internet is a personal one, repeated 7 billion times. Yes, the Internet is such a vital part of the human experience and even those who don’t have access to it have a role to play in this unique chapter of our history.
What Impact Has the Internet Had?
According to Mary Meeker’s 2015 Internet Trends Report, Internet access has fully revolutionized the consumer shopping experience. However, slide 8 of that same report clearly shows that two fundamental human rights have not yet benefitted extensively from this technology revolution. Healthcare and education have only been impacted by 25% in the age of the Internet. Does this surprise you? Does it make you wonder what you can do to improve the basic human condition for billions of people around the world? Clearly, there is a substantial opportunity for creativity, impact, and growth.
Build a Team and Motivate It
A recent survey by Gap International yielded key results regarding innovation in the executive mindset. Do you see a disconnect between the decision-maker’s willingness to invest in technology versus people?
- “77% of executives will devote most of their innovation investment to technology in the next year.”
- “Executives believe that only 37% of their employees can be top performers”
Why are investments in technology and people seen as separate goals? What are some ways in which technology investments can help increase a team’s collaboration, productivity, and sense of pride?
Respect the Individual
“The only way to be remembered is to be different.” Neil Patel tells us that in a world where everyone is trying to stand out from the crowd, it is increasingly important to just be yourself.
- “There is enormous value in growing one’s personal brand. The value isn’t just psychological. It’s economic as well. You can use your personal brand to improve the lives of those around you, grow businesses you care about, and create a positive force in the world.”
Keep this in mind when building a team. Allow for and celebrate individual perspectives and contributions. Remember that your team is trying to build a better Internet experience for 7 billion individuals! It’s not about getting everyone to think the same, it’s about connecting different thoughts that can build better solutions.
Mobile and Social First
So, you’ve built a team that is motivated and focused on improving the lives of everyone around the world. What do you do now? According to Pew Research Center 90% of American adults own a cell phone.
- “34% of cell internet users go online mostly using their phones, and not using some other device such as a desktop or laptop computer.”
- “Some smartphone owners — particularly younger adults, minorities and lower-income Americans — depend on their smartphone for Internet access.”
- “81% of cell phone owners use their cell phone to send or receive text messages”.
- “67% of cell owners find themselves checking their phone for messages, alerts, or calls — even when they don’t notice their phone ringing or vibrating.”
- “44% of cell owners have slept with their phone next to their bed because they wanted to make sure they didn’t miss any calls, text messages, or other updates during the night.”
Be social, go mobile, and invite everyone to be part of your team.
Bonus Tip: Think #SocialVideo.
#Velfie by the #Twocean
(Twitter ocean) #ENGAGE #TWITTERFORB2B with @LitzenUp pic.twitter.com/Vij8ie733B— Silvia K. Spiva (@silviakspiva) August 27, 2015
We’ve only just started our sharing adventure!
Photo credit: Marco Gomes / Sean Dreilinger
