SAVE | EMAIL | PRINT | MOST POPULAR |  RSS | | REPRINT
|
Digital Phobia: Cross the Digital Divide
October 11, 2007
By Michelle LaBrosse
I was recently at a conference of women business owners and I attended a break-out session about blogging. By the end of the session, I was struck by how many of the women in the room were digitally illiterate. These were highly successful and intelligent women, but it seemed that many of them were fearful of technology. With technology affecting all aspects of our lives exponentially, I realized that their digital fear could become paralyzing and get in the way of their personal and professional success.
When we think of the digital divide traditionally, it focused on access to the Internet, computers, software and education. That division hasn't gone away. It has shifted, but it's still a critical issue—especially when we look globally at the developing world.
In the United States, there is an income digital divide—more than 62 percent of households with incomes over $100,000 subscribe to high-speed broadband at home, while just 11 percent with incomes below $30,000 subscribe. There is also a rural/urban digital divide: Only 17 percent of adults in rural areas subscribe to broadband compared to 31 percent in urban and 30 percent in suburban areas.
Beyond the socio-economic factors, there is another digital divide that is perceptual. If you have the access to technology, but you don't use it to your advantage, you're throwing away your ticket to the great digital concert. You're wasting an opportunity that many people don't have and potentially affecting your ability to succeed in the future.
But don't fear. If you see yourself as a digital disaster, it's not too late to learn and take the digital dive. Here are five ways to get you started:
1. Figure out your personal and professional needs.
Think of what technology or software skills would improve your performance. Sign up for a class online and experience e-learning.
2. Learn from subject matter experts (SMEs).
Spend time with your IT friends or colleagues. Pick their brains. Ask them what they read online and what sites and blogs they visit.
3. Learn sing your interests.
Choose a topic that you're passionate about, do an Internet search and begin reading and participating in a blog that speaks to you. It's proven that the mind retains information easier when its learning information that you are stimulated by—whether its sports, cooking or stocks.
4. New minds have new tricks.
Watch your children or the youth around you and see how they interact. They are the poster models for digital communication. Sart text messaging your favorite niece. Build a profile on FaceBook or MySpace and get in touch with old friends. Get in the groove with where the next generation is going.
5. Make your life easier.
These days there are a multitude of technological solutions to help save time and make your job more efficient. You'll be more likely to take the technology leap if you readily see the results. Always ask yourself: "Can this be automated?" and "Is there a way to make this easier?"
Being digitally proficient is a key part of your success in business and management. You can use web-based tools like Wikis to manage your teams and projects, or web meetings to bring a virtual team together. The more technology is working for you, the smarter your workflow will be.
Michelle LaBrosse, PMP, is the founder of Cheetah Learning, and author of "Cheetah Negotiation and Cheetah Project Management." She was featured in the October 2006 issue of PM Network Magazine, and also graduated from the Harvard Business School's Owner President Managers (OPM) program in March 2006. Today, she is the leader of the course development team at Cheetah and sets the strategic direction for the company and writes a monthly column entitled "The Know How Network."
Sales & Marketing Management Magazine
This article is brought to you by Sales & Marketing Management, the leading authority for executives in the sales and marketing field.
|
|
SAVE | EMAIL | PRINT | MOST POPULAR | RSS |
|
|
| Back to Management Index |
|
|
