I love this infographic courtesy of Novell and Avalaunch Media. I think it provides a pretty good summation of the evolution of enterprise technology and can be applied more broadly to the evolution of technology in general.
In looking at the graphic, I can place my entrance onto the internet via AOL (America Online) - 1983 - the year after I graduated high school. AOL was really the Facebook of the 1980's and 1990's. It was a one stop social media powerhouse that catapulted the masses into the digital age. For me, CompuServe and AOL was my ticket out of Lincoln, Nebraska and into the World Wide Web. Although my main email is now my gmail account - I still have my AOL email account to this day.
A lot of people wonder how I became so tech savvy and to be perfectly honest, it isn't from any concentrated effort on my part; it is from simply upgrading and adapting to new technology as it evolved. From my perspective, technology has always been – and always has been changing, evolving and moving forward.
I am one of those ‘geeky’ people who embrace new technology as it becomes available. The latest iPhone, iPad, tablet, phablet, schmablet, whatever the new device or term might be – I love to have the latest tech. Interestingly enough, a big part of my job is evaluate technology for my institution. To research, assess and implement technology into our educational processes and curriculum. In the seven years I have been at my institution; I have implemented numerous LMS systems, lecture capture, computer-based testing, online course evaluation and curriculum management, web-conferencing, web 2.0, html 5, virtual learning modules and social media.
As capabilities of technology are expected to continue growing exponentially, it is certain that the future of business will increasingly efficient, streamlined, and will move at a faster pace. This is particularly true of information sharing as new avenues open everyday that allow more people to share more information, like recommendations and software, everyday (Hendricks, 2013).
This has always been the case for me – from portable 8 tracks players to Sony Walkman’s that played cassette tapes to the Apple iPod – I have been a rider on the technology train for as long as I can remember and ‘that’ has been the key to my successful adaptation and integration of technology into my life.
I think that this same ideology can – and actually must – now be incorporated into our roles as leaders. If a leader doesn't stay current with the technology of the day; in a very short span of time, it will be very difficult to keep up or to catch up and the danger of going from tech innovator to tech dinosaur will be a distinct possibility (Hendricks, 2013).
I do think that we are in a very distinct transitional period of leadership that will affect how the adaptation of technology will move forward consisting mainly of three groups of individuals.
The first group are those leaders who are still lingering from the Silent Generation (1925 - 1946) who seem to struggle a bit more with the integration of technology into the fabric of day-to-day life and business.
The second group are those leaders like myself who are from the generation of the Baby Boom (1946-1964), who, for the most part, have grown up in the age of technology and tend to embrace technology.
The third group made up of Generation X, Millenials and so on are those who have grown up with technology so I think they will become leaders who are comfortable with technology and will have the least issues with adaptation.
I realize that these are very broad generalizations but I think that the role of the leaders belonging to the second group will be key players in helping to create processes to stay current and to adapt to emerging technologies as we go forward into the future.
Adopting new technologies is often coupled with a brief period of increased costs and a steep learning curve; however, it is imperative that all entrepreneurs learn to adapt. New devices will be released that old cold would not work on, but instead of holding onto the past, take the time to step into the future (Hendricks, 2013).
References:
Hendricks, D. (2013, September 24). Benefits Of Adapting To The Newest Enterprise Technology. Forbes.
http://www.forbes.com/sites/drewhendricks/2013/09/24/benefits-of-adapting-to-the-newest-enterprise-technology/
In looking at the graphic, I can place my entrance onto the internet via AOL (America Online) - 1983 - the year after I graduated high school. AOL was really the Facebook of the 1980's and 1990's. It was a one stop social media powerhouse that catapulted the masses into the digital age. For me, CompuServe and AOL was my ticket out of Lincoln, Nebraska and into the World Wide Web. Although my main email is now my gmail account - I still have my AOL email account to this day.
A lot of people wonder how I became so tech savvy and to be perfectly honest, it isn't from any concentrated effort on my part; it is from simply upgrading and adapting to new technology as it evolved. From my perspective, technology has always been – and always has been changing, evolving and moving forward.
I am one of those ‘geeky’ people who embrace new technology as it becomes available. The latest iPhone, iPad, tablet, phablet, schmablet, whatever the new device or term might be – I love to have the latest tech. Interestingly enough, a big part of my job is evaluate technology for my institution. To research, assess and implement technology into our educational processes and curriculum. In the seven years I have been at my institution; I have implemented numerous LMS systems, lecture capture, computer-based testing, online course evaluation and curriculum management, web-conferencing, web 2.0, html 5, virtual learning modules and social media.
As capabilities of technology are expected to continue growing exponentially, it is certain that the future of business will increasingly efficient, streamlined, and will move at a faster pace. This is particularly true of information sharing as new avenues open everyday that allow more people to share more information, like recommendations and software, everyday (Hendricks, 2013).
This has always been the case for me – from portable 8 tracks players to Sony Walkman’s that played cassette tapes to the Apple iPod – I have been a rider on the technology train for as long as I can remember and ‘that’ has been the key to my successful adaptation and integration of technology into my life.
I think that this same ideology can – and actually must – now be incorporated into our roles as leaders. If a leader doesn't stay current with the technology of the day; in a very short span of time, it will be very difficult to keep up or to catch up and the danger of going from tech innovator to tech dinosaur will be a distinct possibility (Hendricks, 2013).
I do think that we are in a very distinct transitional period of leadership that will affect how the adaptation of technology will move forward consisting mainly of three groups of individuals.
The first group are those leaders who are still lingering from the Silent Generation (1925 - 1946) who seem to struggle a bit more with the integration of technology into the fabric of day-to-day life and business.
The second group are those leaders like myself who are from the generation of the Baby Boom (1946-1964), who, for the most part, have grown up in the age of technology and tend to embrace technology.
The third group made up of Generation X, Millenials and so on are those who have grown up with technology so I think they will become leaders who are comfortable with technology and will have the least issues with adaptation.
I realize that these are very broad generalizations but I think that the role of the leaders belonging to the second group will be key players in helping to create processes to stay current and to adapt to emerging technologies as we go forward into the future.
Adopting new technologies is often coupled with a brief period of increased costs and a steep learning curve; however, it is imperative that all entrepreneurs learn to adapt. New devices will be released that old cold would not work on, but instead of holding onto the past, take the time to step into the future (Hendricks, 2013).
References:
Hendricks, D. (2013, September 24). Benefits Of Adapting To The Newest Enterprise Technology. Forbes.
http://www.forbes.com/sites/drewhendricks/2013/09/24/benefits-of-adapting-to-the-newest-enterprise-technology/
I was reminding faculty the other day that we have four generations of people at our university who grew up communicating in radically different ways:
ReplyDelete- Traditionalists -- "Write Me"
- Boomers -- "Call Me"
- Gen X -- "Email Me"
- Millennials -- "Text Me"
In historical terms, that really is unprecedented...but is captured well by your first graphic. For some, that is history...for me, that is memories! I had my first typewriter in 1957...and remember 8 inch floppies as well as the first web page! I was at the Pentagon in 1991, and one of my staff called me over and said "Check this out, Commander...you can actually see a color picture on the screen!" We were excited!
Like you, I have felt an obligation to keep up. While working on my Masters in 1984, turning in papers printed out on a dot-matrix printer was "unusual" and not what professors were used to. ("You mean you can go back and change the wording and reprint it?). Fast forward to my doctoral defense in 1996 using Harvard Graphics - a forerunner of Powerpoint - and one of the questions from the audience - "How did you make that slide move sideways?"
So, your post resonates with me. It suggests that leaders today need more of an entrepreneurial spirit.
Hello and Happy Easter!
DeleteThe graphic timeline was also a bit of a trip down memory lane - I remember being in 'Computer Club' and programming on the Apple II in junior high and high school. Harvard Graphics was a great program and I also preferred Lotus Smart Suite (Word Pro and Freelance Graphics) and Corel Word Perfect to Microsoft.
My Smith-Corona Coronamatic Electric Cartridge typewriter took me through all my secondary education reports and papers.
Finally, it was only a year ago (yes, 2013) when I was questioned by the director of Academic Affairs at my current institution as to why I was allowed to 'buy toys for my staff using university funds. The 'toys' she was referring to were iPads. When I explained the many business (and medical school / clinical uses) of the iPad; she rolled her eyes and walked away. The most troubling part of this interaction for me is that she is actually a member of a generation after me.
Last week Robert (McClendon) mentioned his frustration with his institution because they were not embracing technology and I wonder where we are as a nation in the adoption of technology in education and business.
If leaders so not take an active role in pushing the adoption of technology forward, we might be in a position where we might not be where we need to be as we move into the next century.
Thanks,
Pat
I always enjoy your posts, Patrick. This one, and especially your comment, Britt, reminded me of vignettes from my own life and technology revolution (similarly, from typewriters onward). I remember as a young teacher buying a first color monitor computer, and the new thing was it had a sort of CD slot...what was that for, the computer could play CDs, really? My music was on vinyl st that point, anyway. But, in the store I had a hard time conceptualizing the concept of CD-ROM as storage. Looking back, what is fascinating is how quickly that was replaced by the next technology...
ReplyDeleteVery true...ALL of my music (over 6,000 tracks) is now on iTunes and I have purchased many digital copies of my favorite vinyl, cassette and CD albums. I have also increasingly more purchased content on my Apple TV as well which has effectively swayed me into staying an iPhone/iPad user. As much as I love my iPhone, iPad and my Apple TV - I am not a MacBook fan and prefer my Windows-based computers to Mac . If there is another major shift in multimedia delivery I couldn't afford to replace my current library...
ReplyDeletePatrick, I really enjoyed how related the timeline of technology to your own personal timeline. I feel it gives the impersonal technology a face and emotions that are connected to your experiences. This got me thinking about how the pervasiveness of technology has led many people in new and older generations to rely on social media to emote. I think about looking at facebook this morning and now a status can be prefaced with tags such as, "feeling happy, feeling down etc..."
ReplyDeleteThis may be showing the adaption of technology and what the future may hold. The next step may the further reliance and usage of technology to not just communicate but to empathize and communicate non-verbally.
For me, technology is a tool - a tool that I use to enhance my life. Like all tools, they allow me to do things easier and more efficiently. Soon, perhaps technology will 'advance' to the point where we are all again back communicating much more regularly amongst ourselves face-to-face albeit virtually via avatars or video chat.
DeletePatrick,
ReplyDeleteI could not agree more with your assessment of technology as being ever 'changing, evolving and moving forward.' I am a Generation X'er. I learned about computers in high school (Apple IIe), and even took a keyboarding course in typing to prepare for using one. However, it was not until I arrived at Auburn in 1989 that I had access to a PC. As technology evolved and moved forward so did I. So must it be with us as leaders. As leaders we must stay relevant. Today relevancy will partly be measured by staying current with and evolving with technology. We can no longer rely on the concept of doing things the way they have always been done. Otherwise, like Patrick says we will be destined to become 'tech dinosaurs' and become extinct like real dinosaurs.
Robert
Hi Robert,
DeleteI think you hit the nail on the head - we can no longer do things "the way they have always been done" because the time intervals between the way of doing things has drastically shortened...
Pat
Nice job bringing out the differences in the generations and our technological differences in comfort levels. This is another aspect of the digital divide, yes, income (or socioeconomic factors) drive the divide further... But just as relevant is the ease certain generations have in using technology. For example, my father, is in his 70's and is still working. About 15 years ago, his work told him he would have to start keeping all records on the computer and that they would train him. He was so anxious about using computers, but he learned it because of the requirement to change over at work. I recommend that employers remember this digital divide and help their employees learn the technology they need. When employers value their people, they will see that providing their employees the tools they need will bring them great success (my father's employer has asked my father to work well beyond retirement age...).
ReplyDeleteHe is now on Facebook and has enjoyed making connections with family he hasn't been in touch with for years, but he is uncomfortable with texting or using a cell phone and will only use a cell phone for rare occasions. I just love him for all the efforts he makes because I know these tools were well outside of his comfort zone not too long ago.
My 85 year old mother texts me from Japan regularly and I set my 85 year old mother-in-law with wireless in her home, and skype on her laptop and an iPhone. She uses it constantly to send texts via Siri and to stay abreast of everything via facebook. She has become so adept at technology that she embraced the bluetooth option available with her hearing aids and now her phone and the television get piped directly from her phone and television to her hearing aids. Neither of them are particularly tech-savvy. They are truly proof that one is never too old to learn and adapt.
Delete