Technology – Helpful or Harmful

As a small child growing up, I remember playing a game of dice with my grandmother. We would take three dice and roll them and the idea was to be able to roll the numbers one up to through 10 and then back down to one again. Every time I visited my grandmother’s house, we would play that game and it was a lot of fun.

Today, on my phone, I have an application that will roll three dice as well and you could play the same game using the application on the phone. For the most part, it works. However, sometimes you have to shake the phone once or twice to get it to roll the dice.

My question is, “Why do I need to engage technology when I can just pick three dice out of the drawer, roll them on the table and have just as much fun?” Sometimes in business, as in life, technology provides a great advantage. It brings us a more comfortable living.  It helps us grow our organization.

But sometimes, technology can actually get in the way. Sometimes technology can slow us down, be less tactile and take the emotion and feel out of a relationship or an experience with a client or co-worker. Sometimes, the old-fashioned way is actually the best way. Oh sure we can send unlimited emails and text messages. But you know what? The truth of the matter is, sometimes, a phone call is the best way to go and even better yet, face to face.

In providing webinars for my clients on the Internet, I’m able to share ideas that can make a difference but I still believe that at those meetings, in those conventions, when I’m speaking and sharing ideas face to face, it makes the biggest difference. My challenge to you is to look at your organization, to determine where technology will help you grow and employ the technology. But also look at the old-fashioned way and see if that might really be the better way. And then, continue to use that.

As for me, with my grandchildren someday, I know I’ll probably have to put on a Bluetooth-connected one-piece suit to play a holographic 3D version of tennis. But don’t worry. I still have those three dice in the drawer.