Agile. Mobile. Digital. Big data. Artificial intelligence. Robotics. Makes you feel all warm and fuzzy, right? For those helping people employ them, it probably does. For those of us who don’t quite understand them, they bring very different thoughts and feelings.
You will employ or develop your business to embody these concepts and technologies, or you will be overrun by those who do. If you are strategic and smart, you are working on one or all of them.
So much of our life is technology-based now. We truly could never leave our homes, and purchase everything we need online, and have it delivered. Cheaper, faster, better. And with GPS, we’ll never get lost when we do leave the house.
Every aspect of your business is faster, easier and cheaper with online services, apps and technology in general. We need fewer people and have less human interaction. Yet we have better information than ever before, right at our fingertips.
Here’s the thing: The more ubiquitous tech, digital and social media become in our lives, the more important our interactions with people are. It still takes people to make deals, solve problems, provide services and design business strategies.
SFBW hosted a “CEO Connect” session with physician Wael Barsoum, CEO of Cleveland Clinic Florida, whose work history and achievements would make anyone proud—and exhausted. He still performs 12 to 15 orthopedic surgeries a week while leading the company’s growth in the region, which is sparking $500 million in investments. Cleveland Clinic has powerful systems and technology, and an impressive campus in Weston and other Florida locations with state-of-the-art health care.
While all the tech and the systems matter, what is most impressive about Barsoum? How he connects with people and talks about caring. The foundation of the clinic’s operating promise: Care for the patient, and treat your fellow caregivers as if they are your own family.
The most memorable part of the evening was not his beautiful facility, the stunning achievements, the statistics of growth—nor his knowledge of the industry and its challenges. It was his presence, his kindness, and how he (and his team clearly) cares.
The more tech we have, the fewer interactions and the less time we have with people. Now more than ever, the quality of those interactions matters to your success. Use them well. ♦
Stephen Garber is director of Third Level Ltd. Contact him at 561.752.5505 or sgarber@thirdlevel.com.
