Since the Industrial Revolution that technology has not only replaced people in businesses, but it is more and more seen as the solution to productivity, performance, profitability. New automated systems controlled by powerful computers now replace hundreds of workers in many factories, and in the office the ancient role of the telephone operator has been replaced state of the art telecommunication systems.
So, what makes a business successful? What really makes the difference? Is the technology more important than the people that use it? I recently watch a video clip about a nuclear power plant in South Texas that was in danger of being shut down due to business reasons. Instead of upgrading the technology, a visionary CEO decided to grab a handful of his employees at a time, from top executives to the truck driver, and have them gain communication skills, that are key for any business. They are now in the top quartile of US power companies and executives from other in and out of the industry come to see how they work.
My point in this post is that, even though I am a technology geek, and love being surrounded by computers and other gadgets, having the right people and investing in their development is the key to make a business successful. Not better technology, even though it is important. Not the processes, because it is the people that make processes work. I sincerely hope that we don't lose sight of how important individuals are, and that technology is a tool which individuals use to make a business successful.
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