Learning at the Speed of Change

When you look at all that’s happening with artificial intelligence, blockchain, big data, the Internet of Things (IoT), connected cars, robots, drones, quantum computing, just to name a few, you know things are about to change in a big way.

The enormity of this sea change was evident at the recent Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas. But even if you did not attend the show you probably realize, just by looking at the headlines, that these technologies are accelerating at incredible speed.

You may be wondering, of all these, which ones are going to impact my business? More specifically: How do I prepare to take advantage of that technology before it disrupts my business and my career?

I’m convinced that it boils down to this: Not only is technology changing fast; we, as individuals, need to change the way we learn just as fast if we’re to keep up with it.

It’s learning at the speed of change, and I will tell you more about it later in this post.

Begin by connecting the dots 

But first, in order to understand where things are going you have to be able to connect the dots. Draw the line from where change began to where we are now, and then project where it may be heading.

Let me walk you through an example.

The smartphone revolution was triggered by a huge increase in processing power in the device you held in your hand, by a fast mobile network, and by an explosion of applications that were very easy and fun to use.

Those three advancements, together with innovative business models paved the way for companies like Uber and Lyft to totally disrupt the taxi cab business.

Now let’s project the dots from here. 

Disruption in the taxicab business has accelerated the development of electric cars and autonomous vehicles. Once you can get highly reliable and cost-efficient transportation in your city, you may come to the conclusion that you don’t need to own a car. In fact, you can see that phenomenon happening already with millennials in major cities around the world where such reliable and affordable transportation is available.

Let’s project further. 

Electric and autonomous vehicles don’t have to be based on the ground. They can easily take to the air. Intel demonstrated that at CES with the Volocopter (see video), an autonomous helicopter designed for ridesharing.

And, if this concept takes off, it will change everything.

Here’s another example of connecting the dots:

IBM and Maersk just announced a joint venture to promote the use of blockchain technology to track shipping containers. This would not have been possible without the IoT, which can connect all sorts of things, including shipping containers, to mobile networks. The IoT, in turn, would not be possible without pervasive mobile data networks.

If you can use blockchain technology to track shipping containers, what is next and how does that impact the complete supply chain for industries.

Want to guess what’s next?

Takeaways

As I said earlier, I have a few takeaways to help you sort out through this sea change and take advantage from it.

1.   What big problem does it solve?

The first step in sorting through the enormity change is to focus on one thing: What big problem does this technology solve?

It’s easy to get distracted by the cool and glitzy things that undoubtedly grab the headlines. Be careful: you may miss the big picture. 

Instead, ask yourself: Of all that is going on, which technology is going to really solve a big problem for consumers, for industries, for society in general. Look for the underlying technologies that are going to dramatically change the way people live and work. Then consider how they might disrupt you – or give you an opportunity to compete better. 

2.   Learn at the speed of change

Technology is changing too fast for you to rely solely on traditional learning methods.

By the time a book is published on the subject or a course is offered, two things will have happened. One, the information will be out of date and, two, the opportunity for you may have diminished, as others may have jumped on board while you were thinking about it.

That’s why I believe learning needs to happen at what I call the speed of change. You must be constantly curious, staying on top of trends, learning all the time and largely on your own, analyzing and connecting the dots as announcements are made.

This type of learning is the basis of the “self-efficacy” concept, which is commonly defined as the belief in one's capabilities to achieve a goal and, in the process, build skills and resources to overcome future challenges.

It’s self-driven learning on steroids. It’s the belief that, yes, things are complex out there, but I can sort through it all and succeed.

3. Embrace change

The final frontier is your own resistance to change.

We all fear change, so we tend to stick to what we know, even when if it’s no longer true. 

That can be deadly. Not long ago some very smart people believed that consumers would not want to type on a smartphone unless it had a physical keyboard. That was not true and they are no longer in the smartphone manufacturing business.

Now that you’ve taken the time to sort out which technologies are going to bring big change, the next challenge is to convince yourself to act. 

By that I mean being a part of the change, whether it’s by bringing the technology to your business, getting a job in that industry, or maybe even investing in that space.

Remember that the future belongs to those who see the opportunity where others don’t— and are able to seize it.

Are you one of them?

Ralph