Siddharth Pai - Techproof Me: The Art Of Mastering Ever-Changing Technology

With more than thirty years of expertise and keen industry observation, Siddharth Pai brings a well-explained survival guide to those aspiring to succeed in tech today and in the future. With its simple conversational tone, Techproof Me has achieved the trifecta of a successful book in its genre: easy reading, relevant substance and experienced vision. Techproof Me is bound to answer your questions, resolve your quandaries and open doors to a universe that seemed closed off earlier. Here begins your journey to tech success without being a techieGirish Krishnamurthy, CEO and MD, Tata Medical and Diagnostics Ltd

I have known Sid for over fifteen years and, for many of those years, he served on my board as chief strategy officer, in addition to leading our business in AsiaPacific. He is a visionary who has an astounding ability to explain esoteric and deeply technological issues in clear and easily understandable terms. If you want to stay ahead of todays mind-boggling changes in technology, this book is a must-read!Michael P. Connors, chairman and CEO, Information Services Group (ISG), Inc.

I have known Sid for many years, both as a technology consultant whose services we used as well as an investor in deep tech. This book is an insightful and engaging read for those who want to keep abreast of the warp speed change in technology in our timesRanjan Pai, chairman, Manipal Education and Medical Group (MEMG)

Siddharth Pai has built an exceptional career in consulting and technology for over three decades. He has had a ringside view of how companies around the world have adopted technology. He has witnessed, first-hand, how our skills of using, making and selling technology have evolved over the last thirty-plus years. I can think of no one better to help us understand how we can scale as individuals in a world increasingly powered by technology. We dont need to learn to code to be technology experts. All we need is a broad understanding of the power of technology and fine appreciation of business models to be successful in the coming decadeVaishali Kasture, head, enterprise segment, Amazon Internet Services Pvt. Ltd, India and South Asia

An essential read for all non-techies seeking to thrive in the digital business era. I have muddled through nearly four decades in the IT industry by learning the hard way how to become a TechImpostor. Would that the wisdom and ideas contained in this book had been available to me at the start of my careerDuncan Aitchison, research director, TechMarketView (former executive vice president, Capgemini, and president, Europe, Middle East and Africa, Information Services Group [ISG], Inc.)

The disruption caused by the rapid spread of digital technologies is unsettling to most people. In this book, Siddharth Pai explains how we can master the use of technology in life and business to enable us to succeed in the era of digital disruptionT.V. Mohandas Pai, chairman, Aarin Capital Partners

Techproof Me is essential reading for any business executive aspiring to effectively leverage digital technologies to improve competitiveness. A valuable and practical exploration of how non-technical leaders can not only navigate the rapid changes in digital capabilities but actually drive decisions and investments to support their broader business strategy, all without having to become an expert technologistPaul Schmidt, partner, Kyndryl Inc.

Techproof Me is a compelling, straightforward analysis of the trends shaping technology today. It is comprehensive, stays away from jargon and provides a clear understanding of complex concepts. The personal insights make for a very worthwhile read with strategies that are easy to adoptKalpana Raina, board director, Impact Investor

A. SIDDHARTH PAI

TECHPROOF ME

The Art of Mastering
EVER - CHANGING
TECHNOLOGY

To Sringeri Sharadamba

Section I

Chapter 1

PrologueLife Is but an Act

I presume you picked up this book to understand how you can co-exist with technology, especially given that its recent changes seem to be unsettling individuals, companies and entire nations. So, Ill get down to the basic premise of this book right away. It is based on three cardinal concepts:

1. You dont need to become a computer programmer to stay ahead of technological changes.
2. An understanding of business functions and a simple framework to analyse and understand how the business process works is a crucial tool in staying techproof.
3. There are only four roles that all of us play in our businesses or organizations. Being sufficiently informed on how technology is morphing will allow you to play those roles well.

Our behaviour changes based on the context in which we find ourselves. When we are alone, or think that we are, we tend to let our guard down and do as we please. This behaviour is often seen online, where people can say hateful things behind the supposed privacy offered to them by a screen and an assumed online avatar. Hence the dangers that lurk in chat rooms and in all sorts of social media.

The illusion we have of not being in the public eye is most certainly also seen in our day-to-day physical lives. For instance, who hasnt seen a driver in the next lane over, doing something which he would never do in public, while waiting for the light to change? This happens because he has the illusion of privacy in the cocoon of his car. We behave differently when we think people arent looking. We change when we think they are.

Our behaviour changes when we are in a group. In a work situation, we behave formally, bending ourselves to suit the culture our work group embodies. So, the suits come outor the sandalsdepending on the groups culture. Our language and use of slang changes to emulate that of the group. No one would be caught dead in a suit and shining oxfords or pumps where jeans and sandals are the norm.

In a non-work situation, such as with family, we follow the codes set by our families and the roles that we hold within them. We have yet another set of rules when interacting with people in social situations, from complete informality on a night out with the boys or the girls to set social rules when at a colleagues house for dinner.