“The great paradox of the 21st century is that, in this age of powerful technology, the biggest problems we face internationally are problems of the human soul.” – Ralph Peters

“Keeping in touch is as easy as the click of a Facebook like, a LinkedIn congrats, or an email forward. But the more ways we find to keep in touch, the greater the challenge to keep those interactions honest.” – Ximena Vengoechea

I’ve been thinking a lot these days about both the benefits and obstacles created by technology when it comes to building/maintaining relationships – both in our business and personal lives.  On the one hand, technology has brought tremendous benefits.  On the other, I wonder if our reliance on these tools has created a façade that prevents us from truly knowing each other.  And from a leadership perspective, that can be a huge challenge.

For example, the invention of Facebook (and similar apps like Instagram) has given us the ability to reconnect with long lost friends, keep up with new developments through pictures and posts, and create conversations through our “Likes” and “Comments”.  While I’m not a chronic Facebook user, I will take time on a Saturday or Sunday morning to surf through posts for hours catching up on the lives and events of my friends.  And yes I admit I’ll load a few pictures from vacation or post a few personal updates now and then.    Continue reading →