The Intelligent Leader

CHAPTER 7 Staying Present and Being Vigilant

It’s not exactly a profound cultural insight to suggest that we live in the Age of Distraction. Simply look around in any public space—on a train, in a coffee shop, or even on the sidewalk—and you’re likely to see the majority of people “plugged in,” headphones on and eyes glued to their phone or tablet. Smartphones and almost unlimited access to the internet, along with the emergence of multiple social media platforms, have created a world in which most of us are constantly bombarded with information. A 2018 study by Udemy Research¹ found that three out of every four workers feel distracted at work, and a surprising 36 percent of millennial and Gen Z workers spend at least two hours per day on their phones for nonwork activities. Indeed, it often feels as if we are drowning in a continuous stream of text message alerts, Instagram updates, and phone calls, all of which carry a high demand for our attention.

Attention, it seems, is at a premium.

Meanwhile, the pace of life and work seem to be speeding up as well. Our new technological reality allows us to cram much more into each day—activities, projects, relationships, and even jobs. We can now be in multiple places at the same time, albeit virtually. A friend recently told me that he took a ski weekend, and conducted business calls from his cell phone on the chairlift. Thanks to ...