In the past 50 years, we have grown:
- from a few TV channels to streaming hundreds of shows and newly released movies
- from waiting for an operator to connect you to international calls to video conferencing with anyone in the world with internet access
- from using typewriters to voice-to-text and now even help from AI tools like ChatGPT
We first saw these modern conveniences on science fiction shows. Then they became a reality. The internet exploded into society in the 1990s and completely changed the retail, communication, and entertainment industries. The internet was ONE technology. We now have the Internet of Things, robotics, big data, blockchain in addition to artificial intelligence (AI). The changes are right around the corner and will be as big as a tidal wave or a series of never-ending tidal waves. What will it take to adapt to these changes?
Being open to change is crucial as these emerging technologies sprout and set down roots. We may not have the full picture of the changes coming but we can surmise that the rate of change will be increasing. This makes the skill of adaptability incredibly important.
A few ways we can hone our skill of being open include:
- staying curious and exploring new ways to solve problems
- taking into consideration the perspectives of other people (either a customer on the other side of the globe, another generation, or a colleague in a different department)
- listening to innovative ideas and learning how to combine the latest information with experience
- actively seeking new groups to diversify the people you interact with
Being open supports us to be nimble enough to maneuver around the series of possible tidal waves brought on by recent technologies, an ever more global society, and the faster pace of life.
What new thing can you do this week to expand your understanding?
Copyright © 2023 Devashri Gupta. All rights reserved.
