| (NOTE) The following is an excerpt of my | | | | solving small problems as opposed to conquering |
| upcoming book entitled, "MORPHING INTO THE | | | | major challenges. Personally, we tend to live for |
| REAL WORLD - THE HANDBOOK FOR ENTERING | | | | today, as opposed to planning for tomorrow. This |
| THE WORK FORCE." | | | | mindset concerns me greatly. |
| Today, our society is driven by technology and | | | | What if someone pulled the plug on our |
| some would accuse me of being an | | | | technology? Would engineers still know how to |
| anti-technologist. Having been actively involved | | | | draft products? Would we still know how to ship a |
| with the Information Technology industry over | | | | product or process an order? Would our financial |
| the last 30 years, I can assure you this is simply | | | | transactions come to a halt? Would business |
| not true. I have witnessed many different | | | | come to a standstill? The answer, unfortunately, is |
| technological enhancements over the years, but | | | | Yes. This highlights the overt dependency we |
| what intriques me most is how it affects us | | | | have developed on our technology and is cause |
| socially. I firmly believe technology is purchased | | | | for alarm. We are being driven by technology as |
| more as a fashion statement as opposed to any | | | | opposed to the other way around. By unplugging |
| practical application. Consequently, we tend to | | | | our technology, we are unplugging the |
| under utilize or abuse the technology thereby | | | | human-being. Think I'm wrong? Watch what |
| costing companies millions of dollars. Instead of | | | | happens the next time the power goes out at |
| "Ready, Aim, Fire," people tend to, "Fire, Aim, | | | | your office or home. |
| Ready." In other words, people tend to implement | | | | Because of the domination of technology, people |
| the latest technology before they understand | | | | have allowed their socialization skills to slip. Small |
| precisely what it is or what business need it | | | | things, such as common courtesy, appearance, |
| serves. To me, this is putting the cart before the | | | | and our ability to network with others, have all |
| horse. | | | | deteriorated in the workplace. We may be |
| Perhaps the biggest difference between the 20th | | | | effective in communicating electronically, but we |
| century and the 21st is how technology has | | | | are becoming complete failures in communicating |
| changed the pace of our lives. We now expect to | | | | socially. Throughout the book I mention how |
| communicate with anyone on the planet in | | | | people act on perceptions, right or wrong. These |
| seconds, not days. We expect information at our | | | | perceptions are based in large part on our ability |
| fingertips. We expect to be up and walking shortly | | | | to communicate, such as through the messages |
| after a hip or knee replacement. Basically, we | | | | we transmit verbally or written, our appearance, |
| take a lot for granted. But this frenzied pace has | | | | our body language, and how we treat others. If |
| also altered how we conduct business and live our | | | | we cannot communicate effectively in this |
| lives. To illustrate, we want to solve problems | | | | capacity, no amount of technology will be able to |
| immediately, and have no patience for long term | | | | alter the perceptions of our coworkers, our |
| solutions. Consequently, we tend to attack | | | | managers, our customers, our vendors, or our |
| symptoms as opposed to addressing true | | | | friends and family. |
| problems, and apply Band-Aids to pacify the | | | | To this end, I have introduced a new Bryce's Law: |
| moment as opposed to tourniquets which are | | | | "As the use of technology increases, social skills |
| actually needed. We are easily satisfied with | | | | decreases. |