We quite often refer to technology and the resources we use as being obsolete once they no longer serve their original purpose. We might even deem them obsolete if they serve their purpose but, there’s a newer thing out there that can do it faster and\or cheaper. Is that the case when we refer to ourselves? Are you professionally obsolete? If you are not anywhere close to retirement, here are some indicators that you might be succumbing to professional obsolescence:
1. Technology is a bull and you are pulling Veronicas around it like no one else.
A Veronica is basic pass by which bullfighters evade the oncoming bull. Do you find yourself shying away from any tech conversations? If you are manager and above, do you understand how technology is positively and negatively affecting your organization?
2. It’s an IT thing, you wouldn’t understand!
You think every technology issue and information system should be fix by IT. Do you tend to delegate and\or run to the IT department every time there’s an issue with technology? That may be OK for most incidents but, do you ever find out what was the issue once it’s resolved?
3. Leadership Myopia
You are a master on the day-to-day stuff. However, technology evolves daily as well and you are too busy plugging holes into your slowly sinking ship. Do you ever stop and “look ahead”? Think of where your organization would be one year from now with the right technology in place.
4. You Manage People
You simply can’t inspire and motivate those that work for you by managing them. When you manage people, they become resources and they would feel “used”. You might consider applying leadership principles that cultivate followership. Servant Leadership is a great example of achieving what you want through others by inspiration and not organizational title. Just think of it; your customers are people just like your employees are people. This is also a quick read on leadership .
5. You Live and Work in a Box
The “box” is your mindset. In the next five years (probably prior to that) everything will be web based. Many applications are now web based and offered as Software as a Service (SaaS) already. If you are still thinking that everything you need can be held in your computer, then you might be at risk of becoming obsolete. It might be uncomfortable (since it may represent a drastic change in your mindset) but, you could start venturing out of your box by reading a little Ars Technica. You are definitely obsolete if you use any device described on this article.
“a body in motion stays in motion”. What about our minds?
