Web 2.0: Recovery for the Anxious

As a business owner, I sometimes find myself feeling “newness fatigue.” This is when I just want to stop. Stop meeting new people, facing new situations, discovering new opportunities and taking on new responsibilities. I have especially felt it when it comes to new technology. Perhaps this explains my attitude when attending my training association’s chapter meeting. The presentation was entitled “Web 2.0.” I decided that I was really there to network.

Enter presenter Tony Karrer – the savvy, passionate e-expert – who shook me up with the New Truth: information has gone mad. Tony explained that information is doubling every two years. While you ponder that gem, know that by 2015 information will double every two weeks.

Is that why I had 160 emails waiting for me last week?
Is that why I often find myself fervently praying I can keep up with all?

And this was just Tony’s warm up. His ultimate question was how am I as a corporate trainer going to prepare my audiences for the onslaught? Correction - the careening freight train from which we can’t get off? Tony had my full attention.

I’m guessing that there were differing camps among us at this chapter meeting; on one side the Technology Enthusiastic and on the other, the Technology Anxious. The T-Anxious could be defined as the traditionally minded professional who harbors wariness, confusion and uncertainly about new media and technology. Typical T-Anxious thoughts: this is getting out of control, there ought to be a law; I want to get off the grid and escape.

Is anyone out there besides me identifying?

Then there are the Tony Karrers –the ones I would call lucky. The T-Enthusiastic professional is really enjoying new technology. This person has an accepting attitude, curiosity and a sense of adventure about it all.

As a recovering T-Anxious, I know that new technology presents a huge opportunity. I get to feel deep to the bottom of my toes how my groups feel when I ask them to step out of their comfort zones. I also know the feeling of accomplishment that awaits me as I become more adaptable and interested.

To the fortunate T-Enthusiastics, I implore you to show us. Pull out your gadgets and widgets, your laptops and browsers, modems and blue teeth and show us what they do. Help us know why you like them and what benefit they give you. Reassure us that though it is the end of the world as we know it, we’ll all be in the new world together.

As for me, I’m starting a speed reading course to help me with my Inbox. I write a blog, I socially network and know that one day I’ll understand why Twitter is all the rage.

As for the chapter meeting, at the end a colleague noticed my new phone and complimented, “ah, an early adapter.”

I glowed.