Top Strategies for Improving Your Tech-Savvy Skills
The first few years of school were the hardest for my family because we had so little access to technology or resources. We lived in rural Florida and it wasn’t until high school when I was able to experience online learning first hand that something truly amazing happened. It wasn’t until my senior year of college when the entire team at our local community college connected with us through Zoom to discuss career options together and show each other how much more impactful remote work could be than sitting down in front of our computer all day to do everything from our computers. In just one semester, we were able to go from zero to four members on the faculty at no cost! That’s how crucial technological innovation can be if you have good people to lead your efforts.
Technology is not merely limited to classrooms or even offices. As I’ve grown up and become older within corporate America, I’ve found many different organizations who are still struggling with their tech-savvy skills even though they have made themselves successful over the course of time. Maybe it’s because it’s hard to get hired or simply lack the know-how required. Either way, I wanted to write about some strategies for improving your tech-savvy skills and find out what those really mean for yourself and others you will encounter in the coming days before you decide and plan your next move.
Be Presentation Savvy
One important part of building great teams is by being presentable. You can accomplish this by using visual, verbal, and written communication. No matter where you’re going, getting to know your customers on every level and making sure they are happy and supported is vital to any company’s success. Making personal connections and finding solutions to problems like these takes a lot less effort and time when you have the right tools and techniques around you. How often do you think about meeting a person and having another person try to make sense of them? Think about a conversation you have with someone and realize there’s nothing more embarrassing then being presented with two completely unrelated ideas. Being presentable helps establish trust and increases respect so it makes sense that we should adopt it as well.
Build Knowledge About Technology
Most people today are either old enough to remember computers or too young to understand how useful they are today, but they are well aware of modern advancements and how valuable technology has been in the past. This knowledge is key to helping identify new opportunities and finding ways to improve existing processes. These skills can also help inform future directions with an understanding of how to continue working with technologies to make the most out of your employees. To expand your knowledge and create better teams, look at the companies you admire and ask yourself what type of teams their company uses. If you want to build a team with experts across industries and geographies, consider how much attention each individual gives to their roles. When you pay extra for their insight, they have time to really get a grasp on how certain things can be automated or changed to improve efficiency and efficiency.
Get Comfortable With Scenario Thinking
Scenario thinking is essential for anyone looking to succeed at anything in life. The idea behind scenario thinking is thinking outside the box and approaching things from a perspective of someone else’s point-of-view. There are countless scenarios you can turn to in order to learn more and grow — take for example an airline company. They have plenty of great examples and lessons for businesses looking to become effective at delivering their services and products efficiently, but there are also plenty of issues that need to be addressed when it comes to a typical flight company. How does the pilot know to land the plane safely after hitting turbulence? What happens during landing burns? Are the engines running properly? And even more common than safety issues are how they deal with poor weather conditions. All of this information is essential in creating efficient operations and ensuring maximum customer satisfaction.
Be Proactive Instead Of Just Telling People What They Need
When you’re asking employees what they need to be effective, you’re probably expecting them to do everything themselves. Maybe that’s why they aren’t asking the best questions possible. One of the very easiest things to do when trying to figure out what your workforce is busy doing is sit around wondering why they’re not making progress. Often times people don’t realize just how helpful having a dedicated process manager is in streamlining projects and increasing productivity. Their job is to ensure everyone knows what they’re supposed to be doing to reach their goals and stay on track. If they’re not feeling productive, they know how in this instance they must step up their game and start making it happen.
Create Something New That Will Improve Team Performance
What does a leader do? Well, according to Ken Blanchard, former Vice President of Engineering for Intel. While he didn’t discuss specifically his area of expertise, leadership is simply putting people into place for a purpose. Sure, they may feel overwhelmed sometimes, but it’s part of their purpose and their job. Leaders put energy into shaping things around specific values. Imagine someone who is constantly pushing boundaries without realizing it. Would this person create new ones for the task ahead?
To create new things and keep moving along towards the goal that they set out for, a leader needs to prioritize tasks. Take for example a recent project I worked on with some coworkers. At first it took a lot longer than expected and we were understaffed (too many engineers) so we had to cut back to size earlier since we weren’t maximizing the potential of our talent pool like the majority of companies. But now they have streamlined out a small portion because they have realized they’re focused on the end result and not the journey that goes before. By doing this, employees feel motivated and engaged which leads to greater engagement. So the next time someone asks what they need to accomplish in order to remain productive, put your focus on the end result.
Being presentable helps bring visibility and clarity to people. By being presentable, your team doesn’t spend hours trying to figure out what you’re doing that they can only see your face at the office and can see your faces on their screens. When you’re comfortable being presentable, people can see the value in knowing what you do and how you operate. Be proud of your position and act accordingly.