From the steam engine to the iPhone X, technology has never stopped transforming the definition of what it means to be human. It allows us to move faster and further, to live longer and in much better health. It has also enabled us to swap physical books for their digitized versions, replace some employees with more efficient machines, and rewrite the definitions of friendship or communication.
However, this rapid and abrupt technological evolution continues to cause concern, despite constant progress. Why?
New Technologies, Synonymous with Change
First of all, because we are conditioned to prepare for the worst-case scenario whenever change is involved. If we are so inclined to spot the risks or flaws of various technological advances, it is not because we are afraid of them, but rather because we dread the changes they imply.
One of the main myths surrounding technological progress is the idea that our smartphones and social networks “un-teach” us how to communicate with others in real life. We are forced to admit it: good old face-to-face interaction is not what it once was. However, the notion of change is not necessarily negative, even if it can prove destructive in many ways.
Obsession-Paranoia: An Irrational Reaction to New Technologies
New technologies have monopolized our attention for decades, and we have never stopped looking for ways to counter their supposed negative effects.
Radio, television, and the internet have simultaneously triggered a sense of paranoia and a true obsession, precisely because they pushed the traditional boundaries of human interaction. And we continue to witness this dual paranoia-obsession reaction in the face of electronic messaging and social media. For instance, a study supported by HP recently revealed that emails could be more harmful to IQ than certain drugs; for its part, the Institute of Biology suggested that Facebook could become a risk factor for certain cancers.
Entering a new era, more digital than ever, implies the destruction of the old world, with all the rejections and reluctance that this entails: nothing really new on that front, then.
Adaptability, a Major Asset for People and Organizations
The technological transition is underway; and no, we still haven’t found the right balance in the use of our smartphones, social media, or augmented reality. But the detractors of these revolutionary tools, sometimes perceived as futile, seem to forget that they have opened the way for entirely new ways of connecting people.
Perhaps technology will eventually make us forget the traditional definition of conversation. Meanwhile, it constantly increases the importance of our social skills and aptitudes, both personally and professionally.
The key to the success of organizations therefore lies in their adaptability, especially when their competitive advantage is at stake. And until proven otherwise, humans are clearly distinguished from machines by their strong capacity for adaptation, essential for navigating the digital shift we are currently experiencing.
Thanks to technology, two strangers can now become colleagues from two different continents. Static hierarchies are gradually transforming into collaborative workspaces. Technology not only changes the rules of our social interactions, it also offers us tools to renew them!