Keeping up-to-date with new technologies

Keeping up-to-date with new technologies

I still remember very well watching my eldest daughter (at that time she was probably 10 years old) teaching my 80-year-old mother on how to use the MS-Word and giving her some advices on how to surf the Internet. My mother was a smart woman, way ahead of her time and she knew that in order to communicate with her grandchildren and be part of their lives she would need to learn about computers, software, games and all these modern paraphernalia.

It is interesting to note that modern is a concept more and more volatile. We are no longer sure if something that is considered modern today will still be modern tomorrow. Equipment, information and specially technologies in general become obsolete in shorter and shorter periods of time. Even if it is a very hard task, keeping well-informed about technology is crucial to everybody and even more to business owners, either technology companies or not. After all, technology is everywhere, from the air conditioning and computer system in our office, to our smartphones and tablets, and our TVs and security systems at home.

To be competitive in today’s business world, we must be current with technology, getting the most out of the technology we have and keep ourselves aware of emerging new technology. This will help us find the information we need to make the right decisions. Besides, business owners have to keep their teams in mind as this requirement applies to them as well. The challenge is, with our 25-hour-per day activities and back-to-back agendas, how to do it? I hope the following ideas could help you with that.

It is impossible to know it all

Since the amount of information and knowledge that are available about virtually everything is absurd, we need to be modest and focus on the sectors or areas that are close to our industry and/ or our hearts.

So, the first aspect to be considered is that you have to determine your niche and your needs. It doesn’t mean that you will forget about other domains that are out there, but you need to put your time and energy on what matters to you. This is where things can become a bit vague and unclear as there is no clear cut, no right or wrong. Use your common sense to set the boundaries and be flexible with that.

Follow influencers on social media

Most people have a mentor or a guide, somebody that inspires them, motivates them to be better personally and/ or professionally speaking, a sort of a guru. Typically, it’s a person that you look up to, that you admire and respect. It’s not somebody that is perfect, but someone that influences you and other people.

Take a moment and try to identify who your influencers are.

One of the best ways to stay on top of new technologies is by following these influencers and experts on social media. Following lists that these folks create on Twitter can help you find the news you need to keep up with. Besides, watching what your influencers are doing in their spare time is a great way to know what might be coming next.

Spend time reading every day

A few months ago, I was discussing with my wife on the amount of information that we can access. Is this good or bad? This can be great, or just very bad, depending on where this information comes from.

To be informed and in sync with what is going on I suggest you read, read a lot. Daily check websites, blogs, podcasts, forums, newsletters, twitters, books, magazines and whatever you feel like. To make better use of your time, sites such as The Wall Street Journal, CNET, TechNewsWorld, The Economist’s Special Reports (when related to technologies), TechRadar, Tech Crunch are well known for providing quality information related to technology, to mention just a few.

Also, subscribing to mailing lists is not a bad idea at all. Besides your favorites, you might consider the ones of Tesla, Apple, Virgin and Samsung as they will send you notifications from time to time.

‘Adopt’ a geek

While some might call them ‘nerds’, every organization or social circle has a technophile or two who are always up on the latest tech trends. You are probably thinking about someone right now. IT is the traditional place for these types, but increasingly, marketing, sales and product development are home to people who systematically follow technology and will be more than happy to provide their perspective on what’s happening.

Get in touch with them as they have a lot to share.

Keep eyes and ears open, observe your surroundings

Chances are that if you try to stay on top and up-to-date on new technologies, this becomes a duty you will end up procrastinating. Instead, make an active and genuine effort to keep your eyes and ears open for new trends and technologies in your regular news and social channels. After you see the same new thing popping up a few times and in different places, then you’ll know it requires your further attention.

From a technology point of view, the only way to stay up-to-date is by being immersed in what’s happening out there, by reading about it and talking about it with people around you, and with people around the world. As John Donne once said, ‘No man is an island’, expressing the idea that human beings do badly when they isolate themselves from others. They need to be part of a community in order to thrive, an up-to-the minute knowledgeable community to keep us fresh and alive.

This article is for general, indicative purpose only and should not be considered investment advice. Florida Connexion is not liable for any financial loss, damage, expense or costs arising from your investment decisions based on this article.

At Florida Connexion our multidisciplinary business brokers can assist you in identifying the right business for you and the right buyer for your business.