Interconnected leadership with Dimension Data and NTT

Connection gives purpose and meaning to our lives. But in recent times, this word has taken on a much bigger meaning.

Our basic human need for connection has not changed, but our world has. Today, connections matter more than ever because they bring people, organizations and communities together. Over the past two years, our world has become infinitely smaller, yet also much bigger. The hyperconnected nature of the status quo unlocks great opportunities that, with responsible leadership, can be harnessed for good and solve many of the challenges our society face.

Interconnection: it’s not just about numbers

Phone calls, video calls, remote working – we’re living in an era that has seen a lot of change in how we connect. It’s no longer a binary connection, but a complicated and rich interconnection of people, data and things that gives us access to information we've never had before.

Much of the good we can do with technology lies in what those connections mean for the people involved, for example by democratizing access to services. When services are no longer constrained to a place or time, we broaden people’s opportunities to access education, jobs and healthcare. I can’t imagine a more powerful positive impact on our world.

Authentic leadership leverages opportunities responsibly

When I consider leadership, it involves two important factors. The first is that leadership means moving things forward in a way that's positive and beneficial to all, whether it’s clients, employees or our communities.

The second is taking responsibility – performance at all costs is not responsible performance. As leaders, we need to use the interconnected nature of our world to drive progress while still considering the impact on society, mental health and the environment.

By harnessing technology and the interconnections between people, data and things, we can create stakeholder value in sustainable ways. By working responsibly, we can improve our ability to protect our natural resources, create inclusive economic opportunity, and build a fair and equitable society for all.

Using interconnections for good as part of the NTT family

We need to envision how the interconnected nature of the world can be harnessed for good, and how technology companies can come together to solve some of the world’s biggest problems. There are amazing case studies about how big data can be used to support agriculture, manage power grids, avoid floods and even make cities smarter.

Some of the ways Dimension Data and NTT are coming together to do this include creating local talent hubs and developing acceleration programs for underprivileged youths and new graduates, resulting in incredible success stories.

Programs like these provide opportunities that are beneficial both for our organization and for our employees, our clients and the people in our communities. Not only do our employees benefit through development programs, but they’re also able to connect and share knowledge with experts across the globe.

Global capabilities and local expertise: our commitment to sustainable solutions

With NTT, our efforts to invest in local infrastructure mean that our global capabilities are accessible to more people, enabling better connections and driving progress through technology. Our local expertise is bolstered by our partnership with NTT. Recognizing that our managed services are some of the best in the world, NTT chose to invest in growing our local service hub into a center of excellence earlier this year, further inspiring regional job creation.

Of course, for our clients, this means they can access services delivered by people who understand the context of how they need to do business, while benefitting from global resources and expertise. Our focus is to manage the opportunities of our partnerships and ensure we develop sustainable solutions which use technology for good.

To learn more about how we’re making a difference, see our Case studies or contact us to learn how, with NTT, we’re accelerating the connected future.

Marisa Jansen van Vuuren is Chief Marketing Officer at Dimension Data Middle East and Africa