In writing about the rise of digital currencies, and as someone immersed within this environment, I continue to see an increase in the importance of sound business leadership.
Which is to say, the emergence of new technology and the ever-expanding size of global commerce, illustrated by the nonstop traffic of networks connecting merchants in Shanghai to bankers in San Francisco, or online retailers in Seattle with consumers in Singapore, or commodities traders in Manhattan with villagers in Madagascar, the symbolism of these rays of light with the shipping routes of yore represents a never-ending sunrise of capitalism.
The tools of business may change – they will always change – but the fundamental principles of wisdom do not expire because of a new program or an elegant piece of code.
On the contrary, these strengths humanize an otherwise anonymous marketplace. These ideals, with their emphasis on high-quality service, speed, security and convenience, are essential for creating the one element that can transcend differences in language, culture, politics, taxes, tariffs and trade in general: Trust.
For, without trust and the knowledge (not hope or faith) that transactions will happen without delay or additional fees, no economy – never mind a virtual communion of hundreds of millions of people, faceless save the photo or avatar they use to identify themselves – can operate. It will dissolve into the ether of the Web, so many ones and zeroes dissipating into nothingness.
I offer this commentary based on my own observations, where, as a member of Coinvoy.net, which accepts a multitude of digital currencies and manages a large volume of daily traffic, I understand the importance of the values described above.
I recognize that the great facilitator in this spontaneous gathering of merchants, bankers, and buyers and sellers is the confidence that the process itself will work with ease.
The trust that binds these forces together is more than a product of smart engineering or some clever contrivance; it is, instead, the result of talented professionals – men and women whose respective biographies are as impressive as they are intimate – who have a commitment to furthering excellence.
Which is to say, technology does not erase our collective humanity; it requires our humanity to be useful and necessary. It demands our guidance, infused with the civility every society needs to survive. It requires, in other words, the intelligence of people, not machines.
Creating the Technology for a Trusted Resource: The Professionals at the Helm of the New Economy
The universal theme of this discussion, which applies with the same intensity to first-time entrepreneurs as it does to executives of mainline industries with massive fulfillment centers and factories around the world, is simple: Be present.
That is, make it known that the rules of your company are inseparable from the rules that govern your life; that you are a leader, in words and deeds, who appreciates – and encourages employees to invent – innovative forms of technology that improve our lives, so we can enhance that experience with a personal touch.
We make ourselves available to consumers, answering their questions and always thanking them for their support. The latter is the essence of good business because it reminds both parties, vendors and customers alike, that you, as a leader, take nothing for granted.
Inspired by this opportunity, and with a sense of humility before the individuals each of us serves, we can be facilitators in this diverse community.
We can be guides and counselors.
We can be enablers of commerce, and sources of transparency.
We can be – we must be – leaders, now and forevermore.
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Michelle Tilman is a marketing assistant for Coinvoy, which is a leading payment processor for users of multiple types of digital currency, including: Bitcoin, Litecoin and Dogecoin. She specializes in identifying emerging market trends for merchants and consumers, who choose to execute transactions with one or any of three currencies mentioned above. Michelle is based in Hong Kong.