Technology is Like Chemotherapy

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Technology Can Kill You or Save Your Life



So my phone had issues...or I had issues with my phone, however you would like to put it. You cannot go without a phone or with a phone that answers for you without you being able to access the messages....and since I liked my phone I reluctantly went to buy a temporary phone....I was inundated by daily emails from my kids and siblings on "how is your phone?"  This is the first time I was on that side of the issue.         

How many times have I called an employee or a candidate to only get the message that the voice mail was not set up yet, or the box was full? Or how many times have I left messages that were left unanswered? I always assumed that they did not want to answer...and sometimes thought that they could not answer for one reason or another...I particularly recall one employee who could never fix her phone issues: she indeed had several of them. She evidently did not get the message that communication means matter...How annoying! It was useless to attempt to reach her through her phone. We are in a world where communication needs to be fast and reliable. Phone or internet issues? The bottom line is that the message does not get through, connection is missed, and nobody wins that way...

Usually people "love" their phones..... Let's face the ugly truth: they eat, walk, shop, play, drive with them...they live with them...Ever thought of something else that is so essential to people's lives? Chemotherapy comes to my mind. Not that everyone needs chemotherapy but everyone feels compelled to accept it whenever needed. It is often explained as the best course of action. To me, it is the solution of last recourse.....Un mal nécessaire as is said in French. You resort to it because you feel that you have to ...and it will save or kill you. You have to understand the risks. Like climbing up the mountains.....

Go Around it...Let's Move Forward

Same with technology. I  have known several employees and employers alike who had the hardest time adjusting to technology changes. So, it is easy to blame the IT guy. It affects their performances, it affects the perception of their businesses - oh! by the way, have you seen these very amateurish "business" websites? ...But I have to say that some business owners are very set in their ways of doing things...Or want to invest only so much...Garbage in, garbage out...some concepts seem to be difficult to grasp...Or "some things never change" as told me a former colleague, recently.

It is never easy to adjust to changes, let alone when it comes to computerized systems! It comes as a whole package: HR and communication are enhanced by technology. I have not known or seen of any organizational changes that did not come with a system enhancement in terms of operations or production. If you are an employee, you would be better off learning as fast as you could. If you are not ready for that learning, reassess your options. If you have subordinates, please, don't rely on them to do all the job for you: it is not fair....

So you learn everyday. And let's smile: when you get used to the new system, it changes again! As for me, I was given a third new phone: it is supposed to be reliable, faster, user-friendly, loaded with apps, newly introduced on the market, sleek looking..oh! all you want from technology that won't kill you! Let's move forward...






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