Rise of the Geeks
“Jedi” - Photo by Andrew Santellan on Unsplash
#Leadership #GeekToGuru #Agility #Communication #Blog
Neil DeGrasse Tyson was once quoted saying “When human behaviour enters the equation, things go nonlinear. That’s why physics is easy, and sociology is hard.” This is one of the reasons why “Geeks” are hesitant to assume a Leadership role. Besides the added burden of being responsible for the team’s success, they must also exercise Agility. And of course, communication is Agility’s driving force.
However, once Geeks get over their fears and find their groove, there’s very little stopping them from being successful. Geeks are already armed with the technical tools to run an organisation. They just need to get out of their shells and meet their true potential. I know that this is easier said than done, but it has been done. Quite a lot, might I add.
Successful companies are generally run by Geeks. “Under 30 CEO” provides a list of 10 successful Geeks who have managed to accumulate a large fortune in a short space of time. The list includes Gates (Microsoft), Mark Zuckerberg (Facebook), and Jack Dorsey (Twitter). But these giants aren’t the only Geeks to have success stories. Sean Flynn (Shasta Ventures) with their investment on Swipely already has Forbes mentioning it as “One of America’s most promising companies. Shawn Fanning (Napster) possibly started the digital music sharing revolution. Marlena Stell (Make-up Geek) built a $10M business on YouTube and honesty. Suffice to say, Geeks are doing pretty well in the Leadership front.
Jenni Birch of Leader Economics argues that given that the digital industry seems to be showing no signs of slowing down, it is likely that more Geeks will provide more success stories. However, being a Geek does not automatically make someone a good Leader. They still need initiative, and drive. If you’re not willing to put in the work, no matter how Geeky you may be, you’ll find it very difficult to climb the corporate ladder.
Marissa Mayer, the CEO of Yahoo! Fast Company spoke about her Vogue interview, where she revealed she forces herself to attend parties and other social events so that she has to function outside of her comfort zone. But socialising is only a small step to be an effective Leader. You must be social and be a voice for fellow Geeks in your organisation.
A recent article by Forbes, says that if you are a Geek running a company, then you will be respected by the other Geeks who just want to do Geeky things. They will be happy to let you be the boss because you’re just like them. This may be the perfect controlled environment to address your social ineptitude. By gaining the rapport of fellow geeks, you ‘ll be able to ease your way into a Leadership role at your own pace and in your own environment.
“Haters” - Photo by Andre Hunter on Unsplash
There are those who put nerds in a stereotypical box. They argue that nerds are socially awkward, and therefore will not be able to cope when they are placed in a leadership position. They won’t be able to inspire and deliver strategies the same way an extrovert leader can. But then you have Geeks like Angie Chang who not only broke out of that norm but challenged it. Chang, who leads a small company called Girl Geek X that she founded in 2009, has scaled her organisation to weekly Bay Area-wide dinners that have brought in tens of thousands of Geeks over the years. And as a former product manager, she was named in Fast Company’s “Most Influential Women in Technology.” She is certainly a role model every Geek may aspire to be.
A recently published study by Tom Cooper of Brighthill Group mentions 4 levels of thinking that aspiring Geeks need to develop in order to become a great Geek Leader:
1. Individual
Perspective: I perform with excellence
I need more than great geek skills to succeed. I need to lead myself – would I follow me? In addition to my technical talent, I know that I need to learn about business, and about how to work with others.
2. Team Member
Perspective: The team performs with excellence
One is too small a number to achieve greatness. I need team members to want to help me so that together we can deliver bigger, more important work than I could do by myself. My influence comes from relationships, not formal power.
3. Team Leader
Perspective: I grow a team of great performers
As “the boss” of a team, I need to help my team members grow in their ability to lead so that our team can create even more capacity – and further increase our impact as a team. We perform together, and I become a better leader as they become good followers. My influence is from permission, not position.
4. Team Builder
Perspective: I think about succession – developing other leaders
As a leader, I need to equip the leaders who work for me to build their own teams – to become team leaders who develop other team leaders – moving from creating followers to creating other leaders. My influence is from investment in others, not from title or role.
This is somewhat of a blueprint aspiring Geek Leaders can apply to themselves. However, I personally believe that being a Team Builder is more of an elective rather than a requirement. It takes such dedication to develop interpersonal skills in itself. So, Geek Leaders who fall a little short in this area are still okay in my book. But those who devote themselves to all 4 levels of thinking, might just find their names alongside the great Geek tycoons of our generation.
“Passion” - Photo by Ian Schneider on Unsplash
You don’t need to be a Geek tycoon to be considered successful. Angus Davis (Swipely) is already a successful entrepreneur and holds seven issued and pending patents. Michael Hart (eBook) is the creator of the electronic book. Ralph H. Baer is considered to be the Father of Video Games for his contributions. Bob Kahn and Vint Cerf proposed and gave form to the Internet we know today in a paper titled ‘A Protocol for Packet Network Interconnection. According to Matshona Dhliwayo of Entrepreneur, they all share these 7 mindsets that drive success:
1. The love and respect people deny them growing up, they get from what they do. Ridiculed, in some cases ostracised, and in extreme cases brutalised, they spend more time than most working on their dreams.
2. They are obsessed with their hobbies. Spending all of their time and energy on them, they inevitably become the best at what they do. Research shows that it takes 10 000 hours to master a skill. Nerds typically dedicate far more to honing their skills early on in life.
3. They love learning. They don’t rely on their teachers alone for knowledge; they go beyond the curriculum requirements not just out of a desire to get A’s, but out of a genuine love of knowledge.
4. They have more to prove. Having endured years of being treated with contempt, they develop an inferiority complex and with it, an insatiable appetite to outdo everyone.
5. Pain and isolation are catalysts for creativity. They channel negative energy the world throws at them into their work, thereby fuelling innovation and in the best of cases, genius.
6. The world already assumes they are intelligent. Such prejudices mean Geeks don’t have to sell themselves as much as everyone. In fact, the nerdier they are the smarter they appear. And the smarter they appear, the more opportunities they receive.
7. They are not afraid of being themselves. It takes a lot to be yourself in a world that is constantly trying to mould you into someone else. But being unique, being original is a requirement to stand out. It’s the only way you can produce products that wow everyone.
I believe that Geeks already have Leadership character written into their hard drives. They have felt failure (perhaps not academically, but rather socially and emotionally) and are driven by the desire to be recognised. They have the passion to succeed, and that is essential to becoming a great Leader.
“Stormtroopers” - Photo by James Pond on Unsplash
Part of the success of Geeks can be attributed to a paradigm shift in the development of technology. But that’s not the only reason why now is the time for Geek Leadership to flourish. They tend to work hard. Their work ethic helps drive them towards success, especially because they don′t usually let challenges stop them from finding solutions to defeat any roadblocks that stand in their way. So, with all things considered, who do you think would be most qualified to lead your organisation?
Is your Agile Leadership as competitive as it needs to be in the STEM Industry? Here’s 3 ways I can help you with that:
Work with me – Get in touch here, call 1300 684 669 or email davidw@davidwayne.com.au to discuss options for coaching, workshops or training programs or
Download a free copy of the “Inspire to Action” whitepaper
Subscribe for weekly “Inspire to Action” tips, tricks and techniques