Use of Science and Technology

Personal & Leadership Skill: Use of Science and Technology
Developing ourselves requires conscious planning and focus in specific areas. We should not allow our personal and career development to be haphazard or ad hoc. Having a careless attitude towards our career or personal skills could result in us unwittingly becoming redundant and without purpose in the work place.

Read the full "Staying Relevant in A Rapid Changing World" Article here.

An essential skill to start our skill development is in the area of using science and technology.

Most people react the same way to this skill: “Science! What? “

Technology we understand, with new products and gadgets hitting the market every few days. It is important to stay in touch with the new releases in order to remain relevant in the market. Being familiar with the latest technology and capable of whizzing your way around the latest apps will increase your value to the company.

Companies need to remain current with technological developments in order to keep a competitive edge. Technology helps us be cost effective and increases productivity.

With this in mind, make a conscious decision to develop your skill in the techno-gadget world. Nothing inspires that sinking sensation more than feeling like you belong with the dinosaurs when it comes to watching the younger generation play with new gadgets. 

The key to being tech-savvy: familiarise yourself with the latest releases and newest innovations as they are released!

Technology builds on the innovations of the past. The original cordless phone allowed one the freedom to move about the office. The first cell phones increased that range and let one roam about the country side.

Each new release has a little tweak or a small innovation that builds on the frame work provided by the last release, making it a little better, but a little more complex.

However, if you miss a few too many upgrades and you fall behind, getting “current” again may be too big a step. The speed of developments is too great to allow yourself to lose touch. Missing updates results in people feeling “useless” and inadequate when dealing with new tech gadgets.

Staying current with each new development as it is released is a small step, a small change that can be easily managed. Using the current technology is the first step to using new technology. Growing with technology is simple, if you remain current as innovation occurs.

The thought of being “scientific” sends shudders down the majority of backs, although it shouldn’t really.

Science is the study of “events” (nature or otherwise) in a measurable and repeatable manner in order to gain a practical understanding of the facts and information. With this definition in mind, business functions such as filing, recruitment, performance management and even training take on a scientific “look.”

The way in which data is collected, measured and stored benefits greatly from the scientific approach. Science will make the process more efficient and repeatable. The same can be said for the manner in which information is organised and analysed.

Putting labels and categorising everything helps us understand our world, and change becomes manageable. Understanding the intricacies of our own business in a way that we can measure our results in a scientific approach can have a positive impact on the way in which we do business and make decisions. The scientific approach to business lessens the “Unknown Factor” and allows us to take “Calculated Risks.”

The skill of science is asking us to measure the input into a task or service and then measure the result or output of that effort. We evaluate if the value of the output is worth the input. If the value of the result is high, our scientific approach will allow us to repeat the process over and over to our hearts content.

The Scientific Approach is more relevant in life and business than we realise. We should embrace using science and technology as a skill needing conscious development. Like all skills, the use of science and technology needs to be exercised, practised and perfected in order for us to appreciate the full value.