Social
media plays an increasingly large part in our lives, that fused with
technology has taken away much of the personal, tactile relationship building
which enables people to prosper. However, because of this fusion nobody REALLY
cares about you! It’s simply about what you bring to the table.
It’s
that "what" they care about. That "what" is your knowledge. It is what it is,
because technology and media reach has evolved to such a degree that they now
rule many of our daily actions. People believe far too much of what they read, and scrap
amongst one another to be heard…
... in a sense that’s such a shame. While
digital media is good for many reasons, the trade off is considerable. We have
eliminated much of the need for personal contact, built on good old fashioned
values. To the point where now, who and what makes a difference has shifted the
boundaries of corporate and community success. Professional and social networks
become all encompassing or marginalized, "expertise" gets freely banded around,
in a web of virtual diatribe – there is a huge void between what is believable
and what is not.
Put your ego aside for a minute and ask - what
do you offer? Do you make a difference? Intellectually, financially,
emotionally? This is a relatively new dawn for technology and media, but it has
become a breeding ground for skepticism, regurgitation and dilution.
Social media started off hot, and has now
reached melting point. As a result, a new breed of worker must manifest. The
problem is, because of technological shifts, today's culture and lifestyles are
merging and changing completely the concept of relationships. Driven by a
heightened sense of impatience and intolerance we get bored quickly, flitting
from one thing to another. We don’t see things through and as a result rarely
feel completely satisfied.
It’s all about instant gratification; we want
and crave it, now, now, now. So we chase time, money, lifestyles, that are
evolving and even disappearing before our very eyes. As such the corporation
and community must be agile to changing pace or direction. Gaps in knowledge can
be bridged, but loosely and without depth, loyalty or genuine buy-in. Knowledge
is more transitional, based on diversity of need and troubled economic times.
To succeed we must be transparent and collaborative.
Employees too have to evolve quicker than ever.
If only because technologies and their gambit of uses increase by the day.
There is a huge difference between the psyche of a knowledge worker in 2012 and
that of their counterparts 10, 5, even only 2 years ago. Skills are morphed,
competitive choice is in abundance and we can very easily get lost in the
crowd. So we must adapt and embrace, being patient, focused and driven. That is
some balancing act!
We want a work/life balance, we want all the
trimmings of fun, empowerment, wealth, but we also want more, more, more! Of
everything! It’s time to take a step back and decide if you are effective and
add value to the professional and private lives around you. After all, nobody
really cares about YOU!
Photo Credit: Dreamstime.com/Katrina Brown
Series
Photo Credit: Dreamstime.com/Katrina Brown
Series
Very good article and excellent points raised. Would you argue that with increases in tech we're basically turning in to autonomous beings relying upon things we don't really need? Or are we replacing our requirement for human contact with our need for the latest gadgets?
ReplyDeleteI actually think the opposite holds true. With technological advancements and increased ease of digital communications, we're becoming more and more connected with people across the world -- even if those connections aren't formed in person. As a result, not only do we become more aware of what's happening all over the world, but we can put a face on these happenings and make them more "real" to us than ever before.
ReplyDelete