Five Technology Trends That Will Impact You This Year
Of the several major changes and technologies impacting the legal
profession, the Internet is one that few can escape. At a meeting of the
St. Louis Forum in May, Betsy Cohen, Ralston Purina's futurist and vice
president of its Extended Enterprise Group, presented this helpful
advice on five technology trends that will impact you this year.
1) Connectivity. The bar is higher for timely
communications due to the ease of connectivity. With friends and
associates available online, there is an expectation that we will
respond to any email, phone, or fax quickly, probably within 24 hours.
In today's world, getting back to someone in two days is too long a
delay. Be aware of this new response mandate and be sure to change your
outgoing phone message or your automatic outgoing email message if you
will be unable to respond to messages quickly.
2) Continuous learning. Every three months it seems
there is another "new tool" to learn. Find out what the new technology
is all about and decide if you need it. Check out wireless options for
your personal digital assistant (PDA), peer-to-peer computing with the
ability to download shared files, and the new applications at
http://www.groove.net. Keeping up is key if your career and personal
growth matter. Hire a tutor or a student to spend some time each quarter
with you doing interesting things like placing an eBay order or ordering
a book at Amazon.com from a wireless PDA.
3) Business techniques. Transformational business
tools are popping on the scene in every industry, including law firms,
schools, community agencies, and businesses. These include new uses of
the Internet for group buying, using reverse auctions to purchase
supplies, and online RFPs (request for proposals) that happen broader
and faster than before. This opens up new relationships with more
potential suppliers and users of your products. Be sure you or someone
in your office is assigned to investigate and pilot these new ways of
doing business. This will allow your organization to keep up with
competition and to capture savings or growth.
4) Knowledge overload. With emails, phones, and
"always on" wireless equipment in your pocket, the torrent of incoming
communication is bound to overwhelm you going forward. You need ways to
create boundaries for yourself and those with whom you are in touch,
leaving good messages as to when you will or will not be available.
Plus, you need to learn how to set up "rules" on your applications that
will organize or streamline what you actually see and read in your email
in-box. You are the only one who can add in the breaks you need for body
and spirit. The booming world of self-care has many small indulgences to
consider so you can take care of yourself in this era of knowledge
overload.
5) The personal touch. In a world of increased
technology, personal touches matter more than ever. They stand out in an
environment where it is easier to send an email to the person at the
desk next to you than it is to walk over. When appropriate, talk in
person or write a personal note. Spend time understanding the underlying
personal sides of issues. Just because something can be done using
technology is no reason it should be done through technology. At the
core, relationships with people matter. Growth for organizations comes
through the relationships we build in person.
