Welcome to Leading Digital
Insights for leaders navigating a digital world.
Welcome to Leading Digital - a three minute read designed to help you ask better questions, make smarter tech decisions, and lead with confidence in today's digital environment.
Every leader is a digital leader.
We don’t all identify as technologists, but whether you’re a CEO, COO or board director, your leadership shapes how your organisation uses technology. And technology, in turn, shapes so much of your customer, employee, and stakeholder experience.
You don't need to be a technology expert, but you do need to lead in a digital environment. Leading Digital is here to help you take the leadership strengths you have today and apply them confidently in the digital world.
Each fortnight, I’ll share:
A brief insight or perspective on tech strategy, governance, or leadership
A few powerful questions you can take to your team or board
A practical tip or activity to help you move from intention to action
No jargon, no fluff - just clear, relevant thinking to help you lead better in a tech-enabled world.
Cutting through the jargon.
Since you’re new to Leading Digital, here’s something I want you to know right from the start. Most of digital leadership isn’t actually about technology.
Success is defined well before anything gets built or implemented. It’s in the strategy, the governance, the skills, and the processes that shape how your organisation works. Technology is just one part of the picture, and it only delivers value when everything else is working in alignment.
Poor communication is often the root cause of misalignment between tech and business goals. Technology is frequently wrapped in jargon that makes experienced leaders feel like they’re not part of the conversation.
When this gets to an extreme in an organisation, I often see overruns in tech spend, constant requests for more resourcing, and leaders who feel as though the tail is wagging the dog. The promised results are not forthcoming and there's a real toll on team morale.
I've included some simple questions below that can help you cut through jargon and get clearer on technology decisions.
Leaders have been asking...
Asking great questions is a leadership skill you already have. Here are a few prompts you can use to cut through tech jargon.
When you're facing a trade-off decision: "Could you walk me through the short and long term business impacts of each option?"
When you're dealing with a vendor or salesperson: "We don't need to get into the details of how the feature functions - can you tell me how that adds value for our organisation?"
When all else fails, go back to basics: "I didn't follow all of the terminology there. Could you explain that to me in a different way?"
Avoid phrases like "can you tell me in laymans terms" or "explain like I'm 5" - you're neither of those things and you deserve a clear explanation. Curiosity is key here, if you don't understand a technical term or acronym it's always okay to ask for clarity.
Take action!
Set a 15-minute meeting with your Head of Operations, Finance or IT and ask for a quick walkthrough of your organisation’s current technology asset register and risk register.
Use the time to understand what’s being tracked, what’s missing, and whether it’s regularly reviewed at leadership level.
You’ll quickly spot whether your oversight is keeping pace with your digital investments and you might uncover a few risks worth addressing.
If something in this edition sparked a thought, I’d love to hear it. Leave a comment below or send me a message. I'll be back in a fortnight with more on digital leadership.
Scarlett
