Tiffany Sunday

Author | Speaker

Making Every Word Count

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With the abundance of digital communication, we can write millions of words a day. In my day job, I average around 30,000 words a week.

In our firehouse style of content generation should we curate to make sure every word counts? To look upon each word, to determine if it has real meaning in the sentence or has the word been delegated as a space holder.

I am challenging myself, to think about the words I select at work and in my personal novels and books. Each word should count and not be digitally typed as if we had millions of them to spare. I believe the human brain only gives attention to the words that matter.

Why Amazon Will Continue to Dominate

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On April 20, I had the opportunity to hear Jeff Bezos, Founder and CEO of Amazon, speak at Southern Methodist University Bush Library lecture series.

Jeff Bezos is patient.

Somewhere along the way, possibly during childhood, he decided to take the long view.  He made a commitment to remain focused. To hold the line, regardless of what investors thought of his strategies or what Wall Street analysts wrote in their reports.

His focus is singular.

Relaxed, Bezos chatted about various topics while sprinkling tips and advice in conversation.  When talking about entrepreneurship, he stated, “In the future, if you are going to do anything new or innovative you will be miss understood.”

The word innovation invokes thoughts of new products, services, and technological software. Yet, taking a routine practice or process and completely rearranging the system is innovation.  Think Henry Ford and the assembly line.

At the core of innovation is thinking differently and envisioning the future.

Bezos is always focused on two things – customers and innovation grounded in his determination to take the long view of the business.

Bezos sits in the driver’s seat, observes the road ahead. He looks into the future to consider possible opportunities, potential roadblocks and notes upcoming changes in the landscape.

For any business to remain sustainable, leaders must keep their eye on the road instead of staring down at the dashboard. Refreshing sales and ROI on Salesforce or NetSuite, in an obsessive habit, does not drive innovation, especially if your mind is buried in the numbers or data.

Bezos, looks at the dashboard from time to time, keeping an eye on the process of the business.  He cares about developing long-term strategies as indicated by his 2-pizza memo styled meetings.  Time is given for everyone to read the memo; this action ensures an informed and educated discussion during each meeting.

Developing good strategy is difficult. It is the non-sexy side of business and requires everyone involved giving their full attention. Exceptional strategy requires asking “why” not the surface “why” which occurs during fun Friday meetings.

The “why” I am writing about is posing difficult questions, at times soul-searching answers about the business now and in the future.

These meetings require individuals to hold two competing thoughts in their mind at the same time.  Exceptional strategy requires small teams comprised of different thinkers, visionaries, and professionals who can bring a different perspective to the discussion.

To generate innovative strategy, that will make a profound impact in the future, requires being on the outside of herd mentality.  To look away from the dashboard, daydream, ponder why not? and to imagine what is possible on the road ahead.

Last week, I spoke with a tech recruiter who said, “most of the companies I work with are focused on what’s in front of them, the numbers and how they can reach the numbers.” Similar to the obsession with our mobile devices, that we check on average 2,634 times a day, our dashboards can be addicting, requiring a constant need to refresh.

Bezos is looking out the window. My guess is he is driving an old Ford pickup similar to what his grandfather owned in South Texas.

He’s looking into the future, thinking about Amazon’s customers, thinking how can he help them make a better purchase decision.

With advancing of AI and automation, allocating time for difficult strategy work is crucial. Companies staring down at the dashboard will either be purchased by Amazon or become obsolete.

Artificial Intelligence and the Future of Work Part 1

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Artificial Intelligence and the Future of Work Part 1

Six years ago, this month I started researching and analyzing the impacts of big data, predictive analytics on employment from higher ed to how professionals would companies and professionals would incorporate advanced technologies into their jobs.

During this time, my focus has shifted to artificial intelligence, automation, and quantum computing.  The majority of the information continues to focus on the tactical aspects of the future of work, how many employees will need to be reskilled, or who will lose their job, or how AI will change the metrics for measuring every part of an employee’s day.

Before, developing the initiative checklist, a strategic overview of how all these changes will radically transform how we perform our jobs must be done first. To develop a solid, durable strategy for the future, viewing the landscape from the top of the forest first must occur before changing the underneath landscape or individual trees.

Without a doubt, the current liner employment model is evolving into a structure shaped like a sphere.  From my research, within the next 5 – 10 years middle management will most likely become obsolete once AI systems are fully integrated into TSMs (talent management systems).

Imagine a digital beehive, where workers come and go based on the project work that needs to be performed.  System thinkers (professionals who possess both creative thinking and strategic skills and talents) will oversee the process, managing both the machine and the human element.

I also believe as AI is used from an HR perspective to measure every part of employee’s day, companies will hire professionals for incremental granular work.  Think gig workers sitting at their computers, moving from one tactical task to the next.

Pay will be determined by hours worked or project task completed.  Similar to how Amazon pays royalties on music and books read through Prime Accounts.

We are at the beginning of the next phase.   When I wrote You Posted What!? in 2014, about how big data, predictive analytics, and recruiting startups were disrupting both higher education and how candidates found jobs.

The disruptions occurring are just the tip of the iceberg. Much of what was discussed in the book, has come to pass.

The future of work, we are designing today, must be developed with a new viewpoint instead of using an old mindset to build something new for the future.

Announcing the Release of How Dyslexics Will Rule the Future by Tiffany Sunday

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Creativity is the Last Competitive Edge Against the Machines

Artificial intelligence and automation are transforming every aspect of our world. Tiffany Sunday’s, ground-breaking new book, How Dyslexics Will Rule the Future, asserts the last competitive edge against the machines is human creativity.

In the book, Sunday examines the impact of artificial intelligence and automation on employment, the global economy, and society. Sunday condenses research and dozens of interviews into a convincing narrative about the future of work and new job opportunities for creative, problem-solving professionals.

Advanced digital systems and platforms are creating a homogenous mindset. Companies are seeking professionals, who are dyslexic and neurodiverse, to utilize their natural problem-solving, spatial reasoning and pattern finding abilities. Many of the challenges encountered by individuals who think differently are mitigated by software applications and tech devices designed to assist with reading and writing. With all of these advances in technology, bias and obsolete perceptions remain in the workplace.

Sunday challenges readers to embrace a paradigm shift in a new way of thinking about neurodiversity and creativity while shattering the definition of literacy.

Filled with thought-provoking insights about AI and automation, workplace strategies, and lifestyle insights, this book is a must-read for dyslexic professionals, especially HR teams and hiring managers.

Do We Need Famous People to Generate Dyslexia Awareness?

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An email conversation was the inspiration for this post. A friend of mine in the U.K. is developing a presentation for dyslexia awareness week and included a slide of famous dyslexics.

In the past, the slide would have slipped by without a thought as I have included images of famous dyslexics in my presentations.

Today, was different.  I could not get past the slide as I thought about our presentations and how we include famous dyslexics to generate awareness.

I am forever grateful for the famous individuals who have spoken about their dyslexia. Their voice was critically important five or ten years ago, to help build awareness. We needed them to educate the world about our intelligence, and that dyslexics could succeed.

Something was different today, as I kept thinking about all the dozens of professionals with dyslexia I have interviewed or who have sent emails asking for advice.

Conversations from conferences in the U.S. and U.K floated through my mind as I recalled their job success stories and workplace frustrations.

As I prepare for the release of my next book, How Dyslexics Will Rule the Future, I made a decision.

Starting today, in all my presentations going forward, I will talk about the unsung dyslexia heroes who in their jobs, develop on-the-fly workarounds, adapt to the ever-changing work environment, while using their dyslexia talents to solve complex problems or create something new.

I think about the chemist who uses his visual-spatial skills to develop new methods for refining crude oil, to the researcher who uses her big-picture thinking to solve problems for clients, or the micro-entrepreneur in Afraid who is starting a school for dyslexic students.  I think about my friend Skip Howard, who is a co-founder of Spacee, an amazing startup that designs spatial spaces.

There are millions of dyslexics, every day, in every profession, in every corner of the world, doing amazing work.  Quietly, often without help and support.

As you are preparing October Awareness blog posts, articles and social media posts, here are a couple of thoughts to keep in mind.

As a community, let’s focus first on our strengths, especially in the areas of creativity, problem-solving, critical thinking, and spatial reasoning.  By 2020 these will be four of the most in demand skills.  I added spatial reasoning for the accelerated growth of augmented and virtual reality technology.

For educators, think about the future and incorporate innovative learning techniques and assistive technology to help all dyslexics students.  Instead of attempting to fix us, provide tools, software apps, and strategies to mitigate our dyslexia pain points.

For HR team members and managers, think of how you can support your dyslexic employees.  Generally, our request list is short, here are five of the most frequently mentioned request items.

  1. Laptop loaded with accessibility features including audio software to read documents or audio dictate text.
  2. Grammarly!! I’ve exchanged messages with one of the co-founders of Grammarly, and there are workarounds for using the software outside company firewalls.
  3. Quiet space to work with whiteboard access and flat space or work cubbie for folders.
  4. Unlimited supply of Post-It Notes, Sharpies, and Journals.
  5. Mentor and support. It’s 2018; dyslexic employees should, without fear, be able to ask for tech and management support. (All employees should have the freedom to ask for support.)

October will arrive in 19 days.  Let’s think about where we really need to focus our efforts.

Our dyslexia roadblocks, challenges, and struggles make us stronger as we gained three of the most valued human traits – tenacity, perseverance, and determination. These traits cannot be taught.

Our talents, creativity, and different way of viewing the world is a competitive edge.

What defines us, is not our challenges.  Instead, I ask the world to defined dyslexics by how we use our talents and strengths, each, and every day.

This post is dedicated to the global dyslexic community.

Tiffany Sunday Featured Interview on the Codpast

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This past April, I spoke at the British Dyslexia Association International Conference and met Sean Douglas the creator of The Codpast.  Sean and I discussed how the rapid acceleration of advanced technologies are creating new job opportunities for dyslexics.

The video created by Sean, Bitzy, and the CodPast team is amazing and summaries many aspects of my new book How Dyslexics Will Rule the Future. 

Again, a million thanks to Sean, Bitzy and the CodPast team!