With Twitter turning ten years old this week, we thought it would be a good time to reflect on just how much technology has changed and affected every aspect of our lives over the last decade. Can you remember that thing called a fax machine that spit out important contracts and left frustrating toner marks on your freshly dry-cleaned outfit? There are professionals in the Ambrion office that would be hard pressed to accurately identify a fax machine in a technology line up and there are those that vividly remember faxing resumes to their clients. Even if the fax machine was before your time, you’ve likely dealt with voicemail. However, voicemail is rapidly going the way of the fax machine.
So what does the next decade have in store for us when it comes to technology? We can only guess that it will include artificial intelligence, 3D printing, and robotics, but here are some ways to handle it.
Don’t bury your head in the sand
As Twitter celebrates its tenth anniversary, you can probably recall at least one person in your circle of influence that said, “That Twitter thing will never take off.” Its 300 million users today are a fairly good reflection of just how many people have bought into this “passing trend.” However, even if you’re not among its users today, you’ve likely had someone pass you their smartphone to show you a funny tweet, or heard a news story that calls out a controversial tweet. Believe it or not, an aversion to adopt a new technology or embrace its inclusion into everyday life has occurred with nearly every new “technology” throughout history. Oftentimes, the willingness to adopt something new is directly tied to who in your life has adopted it, and how regularly you’ll have to use it in your daily life. At first, it might seem like a hassle to learn this new system, device or platform, but fighting the need to learn it will likely make you feel like you’re the last one to learn it. That can cause you to feel more anxiety because you feel like you’re behind, and under pressure to catch up. Keeping an open mind about emerging technology and how it could improve your life at work will allow you to objectively evaluate how much time, effort and energy you should be putting into learning and using new technology. But pretending like it’s not there, or avoiding using it entirely will eventually catch up with you. So don’t bury your head in the sand!
Early Adoption isn’t for everyone
There are times that you’ve likely wanted to be the first person in line when a new technology has come out, both professionally and personally. However, there are times when being the first person or company with the latest technology can prove to be a bigger challenge than waiting for the second generation. If this new technology will immediately solve an expensive problem for you or your company, it might not pay to wait for the next version. However, if you can wait, second generation technologies usually fix bugs and drawbacks that are discovered through the use and experience derived from the first version of the technology. Whatever you do, don’t let point number one be the driving force for waiting to implement new technology.
Ask for help
We know how hard it can be to ask for help when you’re a leader in an organization, and asking for help from your younger team members when adopting a new technology can be intimidating. However, your junior staff might be your best asset in this scenario. It’s a way to give them an opportunity to showcase their skills, teach some of their more seasoned colleagues in an non-confrontational way, and bring value to your team in a new way. This can result in a more cohesive team atmosphere, a new appreciation realized among team members (entry-level and experienced), an opportunity for new work relationships to form, and improved communication across the board. In addition, your whole team now knows how to use the technology that will ideally improve productivity and lead to work getting done with greater ease and efficiency.
Understand your learning style
If you’re attacking new technology on your own, make sure you understand how you learn. If you learn best by watching video tutorials, YouTube will be your best resource to see this new technology in action. If you need to read about something in order to get the best understanding, visit the product Web site, or dive into the lengthy product manual that was likely included. If listening to a podcast might give you the best results, a quick Google search will direct you to experts who have dedicated a podcast or two to the subject you’re wanting to learn about. The more you understand how you learn, the less time you’ll spend spinning your wheels trying to understand something that you’ve never experienced. It can be frustrating enough just to familiarize yourself with something new without adding an undesirable way to have to learn about it.
Practice Makes Perfect
Don’t give up! Whenever you feel like going back to the “old way” of doing something, or feel like if you get one more error message you’re going to scream, give yourself a break. -And if you haven’t given yourself any credit for the small victories you’ve had along the way, now is the time to do it. Remember when you had to give up your flip phone for your smartphone? That Blackberry keyboard drove you nuts, and the rollerball never seemed to roll quite where you wanted to, remember? But, you kept at it. Why? Because you knew that if you could figure this thing out, you could answer that important email from your daughter’s soccer game, and could do that status update with your boss from your backyard. The more benefit we have been able to derive out of technology, the more motivated we have historically been to master it. Aren’t you glad you never gave up on your Blackberry?
No matter what the next decade brings in terms of new technology, if you keep an open mind and reflect on the previous ways new technology has improved your life, you’ll set yourself up to realize its full potential. You don’t have to be the first passenger on the technology train, but just make sure you get on at some point, before it passes you by.