B-school, consulting firms and leadership experts all say that the rule of 3 is golden. But sometimes good things come in small packages (says my 5’2 ¾” self), and 2024 is one of those years for me. There were 2 key lessons that stood out above all the others.
B-school, consulting firms and leadership experts all say that the rule of 3 is golden. But sometimes good things come in small packages (says my 5’2 ¾” self), and 2024 is one of those years for me.
There were 2 key lessons that stood out above all the others.
1
PEOPLE DRIVE
DIGITAL TRANSFORMATION
1
PEOPLE DRIVE
DIGITAL TRANSFORMATION
Digital transformation is a topic that companies have been challenged with for 20+ years before AI came onto the scene. And since November 2022, the course of this conversation has shifted, especially for SME’s. The large corporations will always have their IT budgets, and that’s great. The key change is that the SME’s can now play in the same game, or at least at a much closer range than before.
The standard digital transformation process starts with the integration of the tech layer, followed by the more difficult step of change management - changing workflows and employee mindset. In the past, SMEs could not get past the first step to even worry about the second step.
For Skills Bridge, a company of content writers, the launch of ChatGPT undoubtedly created fears within the team. Headcount reduction was definitely not the first thought in my mind. I was excited about the explosive growth that was within reach - but only if the team was confident in their roles at the company.
So here’s what we did to clear everyone’s headspace of all concerns, and get their AI skills to a proficient level. We created ChatGPT accounts for everyone in December 2022 (even before it was available outside the US - it’s Vietnam, there’s always “a guy” for everything 😀). And by the end of 2023, we were creating custom GPTs. In the beginning of 2024, when the quality of several AI tools stood out amongst the onslaught of wanna-apps, we implemented daily AI-exploration sessions. We dedicated an hour every day for a month, where the team sat together, testing apps, sharing use cases and discussing if-only scenarios.
And the results? A team that feels supported to explore potential duds to find the optimal solution, using a combination of AI and human judgement. From that, we have achieved:
While I am a strong adopter and supporter of technology, I fundamentally believe people still, and will continue, to drive growth and innovation. As leaders, we just need to give our people the encouraging pat on the back and warm smile to explore and try new things.
2
EFFICIENCY & IMPACT
CAN COEXIST
During my days on the investor side of the portfolio, the term “double-bottom line” seemed like a concept that most companies found challenging and elusive. Now as an entrepreneur and content creator, I am loving that, at least for this particular business model, it is an inherent part of what we do.
Simply by focusing on becoming more efficient, we have maximized impact without overextending our people and resources.
To sum up 2024, I am filled with gratitude and optimism. The careers we’ve boosted and the stories we’ve heard remind me that digital transformation is actually a very human process, and that efficiency and impact can really be two sides of the same coin.
Thank you for being a part of this journey, and here’s to another exciting year of shared successes and collaborative innovation!
P.S. ChatGPT played a strong foundational role in writing this letter. My good buddy helped me brainstorm ideas, edit the outline, and fill in words that were on the tip of my tongue. She helped me to write this in half the time it took me in the past. But at the end of the day, I still wanted to write this letter (yes, I know she can be trained on my writing style), but I guess I’m still old-school - I quite enjoy the personal touch of a run-on sentence here and there. ☺️
READ MY OLD LETTERS 💌
