High Tech, High Touch: Why Your DEI Skills Matter More Than Ever in the Digital Age

Back in 2001, in his groundbreaking work High Tech/High Touch: Technology and Our Search for Meaning, futurist John Naisbitt made a bold claim:

“The more high tech we become, the more high touch we must be.”

It wasn’t just a catchy phrase—it was what he called “the one great megatrend of the new millennium.” And today, over two decades later, we’re living it.

From AI writing tools to algorithm-driven hiring processes, the world of work is changing fast. But while the headlines shout about automation, the real edge in today’s workforce belongs to professionals with human insight, emotional intelligence, and a deep commitment to equity and inclusion.

If you’ve worked in DEI, HR, coaching, education, or community leadership, you’ve likely honed some of the most essential soft skills of the 21st century. The challenge? Many professionals in these high-touch fields feel left behind by tech — or worse, pushed out by it.

The Great Career Reversal

I’ve spent years training mid-career professionals — especially transitioning veterans, and those coming from DEI and nonprofit spaces — how to bridge the tech-confidence gap and pivot into new income streams, careers, or businesses. And I see the same familiar pattern again and again:

• Brilliant communicators who feel paralyzed by a spreadsheet
• Visionary leaders afraid to start a side hustle because they “aren’t techy”
• Career changers overwhelmed by digital marketing, cloud tools, or AI-driven job boards

Let me be blunt: It’s not you. It’s the gap. And that gap can be closed.

The Grown Folks’ Computer Club exists to help people with high-touch gifts build the high-tech skills or access the high tech services they need to remain relevant, competitive, and fulfilled in today’s workforce.

Why Now? Why DEI Professionals?

If you’ve been impacted by recent downsizing in corporate DEI departments, you’re not alone. And while those layoffs may sting, they’re not the end of your story — they’re the beginning of your pivot.

You already have what technology can’t replace:

• Cultural fluency
• Empathy-driven leadership
• Systemic thinking
• Resilience and communication under pressure

These skills are more valuable than ever — but only if you pair them with enough digital fluency to translate them into modern opportunities.

This is where our coaching, training, and digital support come in. Not to overwhelm you with tech — but to give you enough clarity, confidence, and capability to turn your God-given gifts into digital success.

Start With Clarity: Your Reset Guide

To give you a jumpstart, I've created a brand new resource I call “From Limbo to Launch: Your Digital Career Reset Guide.” It’s not a gimmick — it’s a workbook containing 28 powerful reflection questions that help you pinpoint your next direction, align your work with your values, and start making decisions rooted in purpose, not panic.

It’s the Day 2 homework manual inside my Career Pivot Accelerator Program, but I’m making it available as a free gift to all DEI professionals who are ready to move from survival to strategy. To get yours, just take the short DEI Career Pivot quiz at this link:

🎯 Start here: DEICareerPivot.com

Just giving a little honest thought to these 28 questions will give you more clarity, confidence, and direction than most people get from a $3,000 retreat — and a clearer sense of how your DEI experience can evolve into something future-proof.

What’s Coming Next

This newsletter is the first in a 12-part series designed to empower mid-career professionals — especially DEI specialists and military veterans — who are looking for new ways to grow, pivot, and thrive in a high-tech world.

Over the next few articles, I’ll be diving into topics like:

• How to use AI as a tool, not a threat
• Turning your resume into a results-driven personal brand
• Building a digital side hustle with the skills you already have
• Making LinkedIn your networking HQ
• Why mid-career professionals are perfectly positioned to lead in the digital economy

If this resonates with you, make sure you hit the “Subscribe” above to join us and let’s stay connected.

You’ve spent your career advocating for others. Now it’s time to advocate for yourself.

Let’s launch this next chapter — together.

~ Lance T. Walker, Founder, Grown Folks' Computer Club

>> Digital Coach, Career Strategist, Online Community Builder, Child of the Civil Rights era, Survivor of Desegregation, Digital Independence Architect.

🔗 Want to Start Now?

Don't let some out of touch billionaire decide your future. Get the free guide: From Limbo to Launch by completing the 3-minute quiz at https://DEICareerPivot.com ... because when your job isn't secure, your skills had better be. Your reset begins with clarity; Your pivot starts today.

(The Career Pivot Playbook: Digital Moves for Grown Folks Newsletter is your go-to guide for mid-career professionals, DEI leaders, and veterans ready to reclaim their power in today’s digital workforce. Each issue delivers sharp insight, real-world strategies, and mindset shifts to help you pivot with purpose, build digital confidence, and future-proof your income — without starting over. If you’ve got wisdom, work ethic, and something to say — but need a little help making tech work for you — this is your playbook. Welcome to the grown folks’ guide to reinvention.)