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Elena Taranenko People are saying âdata is the new oil,â but I [believe] that attention is the new oil. Data is plentiful. Attention is scarce, and weâll never get more of it. Thinking about how we focus that correctly, I think, is one of our most significant opportunities. So said Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella in a recent MIT Sloan article about the future of work.
That struck a chord with me. Attention, like oil, is a finite commodity, meaning we need to be purposeful about how we direct it. This is especially important in todayâs distributed and virtual work environment, where attention is also the âoilâ that keeps us productive.