Unlearning technology, your way to better outcomes
If you see yourself as a passionate individual, wanting to change the world, and you want a lucrative career in the process. Then you will need to take a fresh look at how you go about utilising the new digital technologies, by unlearning the old ones.
There could be many people who will tell you, “you have to work smarter not harder”. The only problem is when they suggest it, they don’t tell you about how to work smarter.
Before you get too far ahead of yourself, you probably need to slow things down. Deconstruct and shift your focus to activities which will align what needs to happen with how you use technology to achieve your vision and objectives.
You must unlearn all the things which confine you to a mediocre life. You too are continually fed false information by the institutions, media, people and the world around us about what is possible for you to achieve.
Unlearning, a powerful way to understand modern technology
A single word, quotation or a throwaway line can change the way you look at technology and how you fit into it, forever.
Successful people also create alignment between their intentions and using new digital technology. In doing so, there will be attitudes you might need to address:
- If you implement new technologies, people may see you as inactive
- Should you talk of planning technology, people could see you as wasting time
- Some see unlearning as a weakness, what’s wrong with what you are doing
- By exhibiting drive and energy about new technology, people could see you as pushy
- If you appreciate a vendor, they might think you want something from them
- In making decisions about leading-edge technology, others might see you as irresponsible
You cannot effectively influence others when you look at new technologies, and others see you as wasting time. Before you learn how to accelerate your growth and make quantum leaps in your performance, you first need to unlearn about the digital technologies required.
Learning new technology skills isn’t enough, you must learn new concepts
When we look at the exponential pace of digital transformation, emerging technologies, and rapidly changing socio-economic trends. How does your organisation keep up? A better question might be, “what’s required for me to thrive in the future?”
Of course, nobody knows for sure what the future will hold. However, we can gain an understanding of the concepts it will take to succeed tomorrow with insights from thought leaders and futurists.
Putting yourself in someone else’s shoes does not always help you to understand what technology will best suit your business. It just gives you an impression.
Practical ways to start unlearning
Unlearning is not about throwing away everything you know. It is about questioning the habits and assumptions that no longer serve you, so you have room for better ways of working. The process works best when it is deliberate and broken into small steps.
Begin by listing the tools and routines you use every day. For each one, ask why you use it, what result it delivers and whether there is a simpler or faster option available today. You may find tasks that exist only because they have always been done that way.
- Pick one outdated process each month and test a modern alternative.
- Set aside regular time to explore new tools without pressure to adopt them straight away.
- Ask newer team members how they would approach a task, as they often bring a fresh view.
- Keep notes on what you tried, what worked and what you would change next time.
Making unlearning part of your culture
Individuals can only go so far on their own. Real progress comes when an organisation makes it safe to question old methods and try new ones. Leaders play a big part by admitting when an approach has run its course and by rewarding sensible experiments, even when they do not succeed.
Share lessons openly so the whole team benefits. A short discussion at a team meeting about a new tool or a better process can save hours of effort across the business. Over time, unlearning becomes a habit, and your organisation is far better placed to adopt new technology with confidence.
