People talk a lot about technology in the context of career replacement. The reality, at least to this point, has been fairly minimal on those grounds.
For now, at least, what’s more true is that professionals who understand digital technology are significantly advantaged over those who do not.
In this article, we take a look at how rapidly changing technology can undermine professional confidence.
Why New Tools Can Be Disconcerting
A doctor licensed just 20 years ago grew up in a world without digital healthcare records. That alone is a massive adjustment.
That’s without even taking into consideration how big data or artificial intelligence are changing the way people consider professional careers.
Once technology is adapted, it very rarely goes away. This means that professionals who are concerned with the trajectory of digitalization have two basic options.
They can pivot into a new career, hoping, perhaps, to find a job that is insulated from digitalization, or they can get with the program and develop new skills. For most people, the decision is pretty straightforward.
Rapidly changing tools can be disconcerting. They’re ultimately an opportunity for greater efficiency.
In the next few headings, we’ll take a look at how you can use digital technology to your advantage as a professional and what it takes to develop these skills appropriately relative to the requirements and expectations of your job.
Technology as a Force Multiplier
Force multiplier is admittedly a buzzword in the world of technology, particularly now as artificial intelligence integrates into almost every professional application.
What it means in practice? With the right tools, you can do what you are already doing better and quicker. That’s all there is to it.
Take, for example, the case of a teacher 30 years ago. Classrooms were incredibly manual. Many did not even have desktop computers, let alone individualized tablets.
Teachers made notes on chalkboards, erasing as they went to make more room. Students did generic desk work by hand and brought home heavy backpacks each night.
Today, same exact lessons can be taught in a way that is much more personalized. A teacher will most certainly present their lessons on a Prometheus board.
Often, those lessons are digitally preserved so that the student can access them from home for review with their parents. Instead of carrying a heavy bag full of books, they’ll typically take home a tablet or Chromebook.
The desk work that they do is typically individualized towards their skill level and learning requirements.
Teachers are then able to extrapolate insights from that work into data that can influence the entire trajectory of their teaching strategy.
Things might be more complicated than they were in the chalkboard era, but in many ways at least, they’re also improved.
How to Make Technology a Positive Thing
First of all, it’s important to understand that though technology may change rapidly, workplaces do not. Many professional settings are relatively cautious when it comes to adopting technology. Yes, things will change considerably over the course of years, but that’s not to say that you’ll walk into work one day and find that nothing is familiar.
In most cases, the business or occupational setting will adopt tools one at a time and even then, only gradually and with corresponding training designed to make the transition as smooth and effective as possible.
Teachers, nurses, doctors, social workers all have a continuing education obligation built into the job description. Often, these seminars will involve upskilling on new technologies.
Private businesses, on the other hand, are not necessarily obligated to prioritize gradual implementation. They do it anyway, because it’s logical.
Even a technology like AI, which has been rapidly integrated into virtually every tool, won’t be readily understood on day one. In fact, at the time of writing, though approximately 90% of businesses have integrated artificial intelligence into their workflow in some way, most have no idea how to effectively use it. The majority have lost considerable money on their AI investment.
This doesn’t mean that new technologies don’t work; it just means that they take time. During that learning phase, professionals will adjust alongside their employers.
Seek Your Own Opportunities
It is true that most employers will provide training on new technologies. That said, you shouldn’t wait for information to come to you.
If you are an educator, healthcare provider, or social worker, there will most likely be clear continuing education opportunities that you can take advantage of.
Many of them will be specifically geared towards upskilling your understanding of technology.
You can also just communicate with your employer. Ask them how they intend to integrate new technology into the workplace.
What are their goals? How can you best meet their expectations? What type of support are they prepared to provide employees who wish to know more about emerging professional technologies?
Don’t be shy! Employers love that kind of initiative.
Conclusion
Too many professionals already feel unsure of their skills, without the additional burden of keeping up with modern technology. Nursing imposter syndrome, or related forms of self-doubt that can occur in other professions, is a very real problem.
You worry that everyone around you knows exactly what they are doing. That you are the only one who ever feels confused. Overwhelmed. Struggling.
The truth?
Most people feel like they need additional training to fully understand the professional applications of emerging technology.
It’s very normal to feel a sense of confusion or even anxiety in the face of change. Rationale, though this response might at times be true, there is a better way to look at it.
Having a strong grasp of technology can make you more effective. It can help you do more/better work in less time. It may even help you increase your earning potential.
Try to see new technology as an opportunity rather than a threat. It’s coming either way. All you can do as a professional is figure out how to ensure that it benefits you.
MindOwl Founder – My own struggles in life have led me to this path of understanding the human condition. I graduated with a bachelor’s degree in philosophy before completing a master’s degree in psychology at Regent’s University London. I then completed a postgraduate diploma in philosophical counselling before being trained in ACT (Acceptance and commitment therapy).
I’ve spent the last eight years studying the encounter of meditative practices with modern psychology.