Years ago I worked in a newsroom where the editor was feared because he kept a pet tarantula in his office. Editors are well known for being sort of commanding and non-flexible, but I recall the time he made some hard-line comments on CNN Headline News just as it was making its debut on the cable channel. The editorial read along these lines, “this is a disorganized and chaotic way to offer the news …. “ Well we all know that Headline News took off to become a success.
New technology is entering the marketplace faster than we can analyze it. We now have “Dick Tracy” phones we hold in the palms of our hands, and we play virtual games to get our exercise. Just the other day, I saw a demonstration for phones with TV screens you can buy for under $50 – priced low enough to give to members of your family. It’s the Jetsons era coming into our reality. (I’m still waiting on my flying car – which by the way, could provide hundreds of new opportunities for small business).
There are many ways improve or streamline the way you do business by embracing new technology – but day after day I observe people choosing to remain in status quo. There are many online applications like Google docs and spreadsheets which offer solutions for collaborative communication. Slideshare is another online solution for presentations which allows you to share with others in similar professions or on similar subjects. You can share publicly, privately or have a home base for your own webinar. Take the time to look around for solutions – here is a great place to start: Squidoo – where you will find easy to use categorized information on a variety of subjects (after a quick and easy signup.
In a recent blog by Seth Godin, he talks about new market innovations and says “The alternative to joining in is to sit out the game loudly. Don’t just hold back your support, organize your peers. Create a (sometimes illegal) coordinated effort to stop innovation. I’m not going to bet much on your efforts, but it will certainly outperform a solo effort. Quiet, passive-aggressive whining in the corner is both annoying and ineffective.”
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