…our public, civic and business leaders need to become digital leaders — not just so that they can manage specifically digital programmes and projects, but so that they can make sure their entire organisations are relevant and effective in a digital age.

What a challenge eh? How are we doing in Ballymena? Who are our digital leaders?

To make this kind of transformation happen you need people at the top who understand that it’s not just about doing better digital projects, adopting the latest new technology, having a Twitter account or even automating your existing business processes or bringing in some technical experts.

This is tough if you are a longstanding leader in business, public or civic life and until now, you have largely ignored technology. Surely we can’t just keep bringing in an “expert”. There are a lot of “experts” who will give you conflicting opinions. In the words of Malcolm Tucker when asked in an episode of The Thick of It who his expert was: “No idea, but I can get one by this afternoon”.

All this calls for a completely new style of leadership in the civil service and across our economy: we need skilled, bold and open leaders who can adapt, learn and deliver at pace.

Are we working towards this in business, civic or public life?

Who are our digital leaders? Ballymena?

Note: the suit and nice watch no longer means anything!

These quotes are from an article called: Digital leadership: changing your whole approach, not just doing better digital projects by Janet Hughes for DotEveryone.