--- title: "Monday Buzz: Why Leaders Should Be Tech Literate" id: "42522" type: "post" slug: "monday-buzz-why-leaders-should-be-tech-literate" published_at: "2018-05-07T22:45:58+00:00" modified_at: "2026-11-09T16:04:51+00:00" url: "https://associationsnow.com/2018/05/07/monday-buzz-why-leaders-should-be-tech-literate/" markdown_url: "https://associationsnow.com/2018/05/07/monday-buzz-why-leaders-should-be-tech-literate.md" excerpt: "TechCrunch’s editorial manager makes the case that technology literacy is a must for effective leadership today. Also: Six rules for better communication." taxonomy_category: - "Executive Leadership" taxonomy_post_tag: - "AssociationsNow" - "C-suite" - "Communications" - "Leadership" - "Technology" taxonomy_content_format: - "Article" taxonomy_role: - "Association CEO / Executive Director" - "C-Level" - "Executive Team" - "VP" taxonomy_persona: - "Executive Leadership" --- [Home](https://associationsnow.com/) » [Articles](https://associationsnow.com/format/article/) » Monday Buzz: Why Leaders Should Be Tech Literate How often have you heard someone in a leadership position casually toss off that they don’t really “do computers”? Many leaders are dismissive of technology, but in the digital era, this attitude can hold back an organization. Danny Crichton of *TechCrunch* says that a disregard for technology among leaders creates a gap between decisions and implementation, in both politics and business. “It’s one thing for politicians to sign a bill into law, but another to ensure that the bill’s intentions are actually encoded into the software that powers government,” [he writes in a new post (opens in a new tab)](https://techcrunch.com/2018/05/06/technical-ignorance-is-not-leadership/) . In businesses and other organizations, too, leaders need to be conversant in the technologies that will turn strategy into reality. “If someone can run a multinational company, they can probably ask smart questions about algorithms or machine learning, even if they don’t realistically implement the linear algebra themselves,” he writes, adding, “We would never trust a CEO who brushed off an accountant by saying, ‘I don’t do cash flows,’ and we shouldn’t trust a CEO who doesn’t understand how the internet works.” ### Communication Advice > 6 Ideas to Help Managers Thrive in Challenging Communication Situations [https://t.co/RIBT59XwrM (opens in a new tab)](https://t.co/RIBT59XwrM) > > — Jina Etienne CPA CGMA CDE® (she/her) (@MissTaxCat) [May 7, 2018 (opens in a new tab)](https://twitter.com/MissTaxCat/status/993474318872076290?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw) **No matter how good your specific job-related skill set is**, if you can’t communicate well, your effectiveness as a manager will be limited. In a [recent blog post (opens in a new tab)](https://artpetty.com/2018/04/29/successful-managers-communication-rules/) , Art Petty, a leadership coach and strategy advisor, shares six rules for communicating during difficult moments. He says to start by creating a map consisting of a central message and a few “significant drivers.” “The hard work of developing a clear, core message forces you to think through your ideas from the perspective of the audience,” he writes. “Working on this core message, key drivers, and supporting points helps you lock it into your brain.” ### Other Links of Note **A sense of FOMO (fear of missing out) is a powerful way** to prompt people to act. Movable Ink reveals how you can [create that urgency in your email newsletters (opens in a new tab)](https://movableink.com/blog/how-to-use-fomo-to-create-urgency-in-your-email-marketing/) . **A strong organizational culture can improve employee happiness.** Gallup sheds light on the four [groups that can build or break work culture (opens in a new tab)](http://news.gallup.com/businessjournal/232187/groups-break-company-culture.aspx) . **Bad news for Unroll.Me fans.** The service is shutting down in the European Union because it’s not compliant with the [General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR)](https://associationsnow.com/2018/04/countdown-gdpr-associations-know/) , [reports BetaNews (opens in a new tab)](https://betanews.com/2018/05/07/unroll-me-gdpr-europe/) . (Yuri_Arcurs/E+/Getty Images Plus) [Raegan Johnson](https://associationsnow.com/author/raegan-johnson/) Raegan Johnson is a contributor to Associations Now. [More articles by this author](https://associationsnow.com/author/raegan-johnson/) Tags: [#C-suite](https://associationsnow.com/tag/c-suite/) [#Communications](https://associationsnow.com/tag/communications/) [#Leadership](https://associationsnow.com/tag/leadership/) [#Technology](https://associationsnow.com/tag/technology/) **Stay Informed** [Subscribe to our free newsletter](https://associationsnow.com/newsletter/) , *Associations Now Daily News*, to find out what’s happening in the association world every business day. ## You Might Like - [VideoSmarter Board Management for Associations: An OnBoard ShowcaseJuly 24, 2026](https://associationsnow.com/2026/07/24/smarter-board-management-for-associations-an-onboard-showcase/) - [VideoAmerican Geophysical Union: Standing Up for Science: AGU’s Year of Action for Scientists and SocietySeptember 24, 2026](https://associationsnow.com/2026/09/24/american-geophysical-union-standing-up-for-science-agus-year-of-action-for-scientists-and-society/) - [VideoThe Future is Yours to Create. 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