TYRONE Wilson is an inspiring thought leader who is committed to digital transformation. He believes an emphasis on skills training for a wider number of individuals will be a key driver in uplifting our country’s economy. We got the chance to share space with Tyrone and he has some great insight on the way forward.

Q: You are big on digital transformation. What are the ways in which you are hoping to see more companies in the Caribbean (especially Jamaica) create areas of opportunity for themselves in a rapidly evolving world?

A: Just two-and-a-half years ago so many business processes in Jamaica were very generic and tied to physical/in-person transactions. The opportunities were available, but we were just slow to adapt. We have long been on the cusp of the Fourth Industrial Revolution which then included a lot of the areas we’re exposed to now, inclusive of automation, robotics, and other forms of artificial intelligence (AI), but for some strange reason Jamaica was just not catching on. It would be great to see more companies understand that they will get left behind if ignoring this persists. I’ll use iCreate as an example. We have had our online curriculum for many years yet there were still people who insisted they needed to be in a physical space no matter how much we tried to push the online options. Students from even as far as Portland and St Thomas insisted they travelled to Kingston in spite of having the flexibility to do the courses online. We couldn’t fight that. But what I think the pandemic did was to force people to adapt, and through that shift in consumer behaviour many companies have been able to expand their existing market reach without the strain of setting up physical infrastructure. There are greater possibilities now because people are more open-minded, fortunately. As a learning platform we were able to reach a much larger group of people because of that shift in mindset. So our traditional face-to-face classes could only accommodate 100 students for an entire year; but in 2021 we collaborated with NCB [National Commercial Bank] and through that initiative were able to train 2,000 people in one cohort. With opportunities like this I’m hoping to see more people taking advantage of thinking bigger. Think about the vast variety of possibilities and release some of the traditional ways of operation.

Q: What values/strategies do you think the most successful entrepreneurs embody best? What separates the talker from the doers?

A: It would be just that… The doing! The action, especially where innovation is concerned, because in entrepreneurship it’s all about the experience. You don’t get that from reading or researching. The execution is what will provide the foundation and the tools throughout that journey. When we started our work in the digital landscape there were multiple attempts at a number of things and we were seeking the experience. From advertising to publishing to video content creation and digital media… we went all in. What that did over time was make us experts in the field and we would eventually become the go-to people for others who were looking to matriculate in that space. It has a lot to do with getting your feet wet. No bad experience is failure because the most important thing is how you learn from those situations.

Q: How do you ensure that your organisation aligns with your personal vision, mission, and values?

A: It’s very important to self-assess on a regular basis. Initially the leading vision and values would have been those of the founder, naturally. But, over time, as more people join the team and add their own additions to the system, the culture of the organisation starts to evolve. As that continues to happen, the company has to revisit the priorities and conduct continuous brand audits. Therefore, it’s critical to listen to your team members, your customers and stakeholders. We do a lot of introspection and research at iCreate so that we can better understand and amend constantly as we go along.

Q: What is one lesson the pandemic has taught you about yourself as a leader?

A: Sometime ago I did a documentary called 50 years of Entrepreneurship in Jamaica and one thing that stood out from speaking to the group of founders was that every decade there was a crisis. In the 70s it was the mass immigrations; the 80s, it was Hurricane Gilbert; the 90s was the crash of Finsac [Financial Sector Adjustment Company]; and late 2000s was a global financial crisis. I’m happy I had the chance to have those conversations because what it taught me was that crisis management has to always be a part of any leader’s long-term plan. Whether internal or external shocks, they do happen and we have to be prepared to navigate the company through those situations. COVID taught me about resilience. Even in a situation where so much was damaged, resilience was what sustained my team and I during that time.

Q: Which book(s) have you read lately that you would recommend to an aspiring founder/CEO?

A: Crisis Leadership – How to lead in times of crisis, threat and uncertainty by Tim Johnson; Inside Coca-Cola by David Beasley and E Neville Isdell; It’s Not TV: The Spectacular Rise, Revolution, and Future of HBO by Felix Gillette and John Kolbin; and Steve Jobs by Walter Isaacson.

HR TIPS FOR MOTIVATING TEAM MEMBERS

1. Celebrate milestones

2. Encourage professional development

3. Support lunch & learn sessions

4. Recognise a job well done

HR THINK TANK

LET’S TALK TALENT: Shifting Gears

THE information age would have been nothing short of a miracle to some of our foreparents.

Imagine explaining the concept of instant access to knowledge any time of the day, from anywhere in the world! Yet here we are, living this experience.

One of the most celebrated purposes of online learning is the flexibility it provides. Anyone considering a career shift can consider an online education to help propel them toward their goals without having to give up their current job. For those who are driven by the desire to align with their soul’s calling or to live more purpose-driven lives, taking online courses often involve less risk and costs, so you can dip your toes in the water without having to immediately deep dive. This, of course, is a real plus for many who may be undecided.

Another key driver for the online learning industry is the vastly more competitive occupational landscape today which has forced many to go in search of new ways to gain a unique advantage. Perhaps competition within a department or company is at a peak and there is a need to add more dynamic skill sets for greater marketability. It could also be that a promotion is on the horizon and in order to stand the best chances for success, a competency upgrade becomes a short-term goal instead of a long-term one.

Whatever the case may be, we can all agree that consistent expansion and change have become a regular part of our existence. You can rest easy, though, since once you open the door to online learning opportunities you are only one decision (or a few) away from moving into a new life full of new possibilities.