High-Tech Workplace Myths by James Autry

In the book “The Servant Leader” by  James Autry, in Chapter 6, the authors outline something very interesting: High-Tech Workplace Myths.

Myth One: We are all more connected

The idea here is that technology like email, cellphones, and the Internet makes us more connected. While we become more connected electronically, we are less connected personally. The author talks about how years ago he invested millions into a new computer system to manage the large number of words to be processed by the titles of his magazines and his publishing company. Some editors chose to resign rather than work with the new system. It became clear that listening to the technology vendors and imposing their promises on the staff almost backfired. Ultimately, leaders need to realise that the purpose of the new technology introduced into an organisation is to free people from the mundane, so they may bring forth their full creativity. Even in my own experience, using social media like Facebook or WhatsApp has not had the desired results of being more connected.

Myth Two: All our electronic tools have made communication faster, better, and more accurate

The author says that these tools have made the transmission of information faster, better and probably more accurate; however, it has not done the same for communication. The assumption is that if we have more efficient ways to transmit words or images, we’ve enhanced communication. Communication is not simply a one-way road; it takes both the active participation of the communicator and the communicatee. Put this another way, one talks and the other listens, and then switches roles.

Myth Three: Having people come to a central place to work is being made obsolete by the new tools

There is great difficulty in working alone. How do you manage to motivate yourself? How do you manage to solve some small problems when there’s nobody to ask a quick question? Working in an office or team environment gives you constant stimulation and feedback. It’s like in the hunter-gatherer societies, when we went out hunting, we did so in groups. Doing so alone would not remotely yield the same results. The author quotes his friend, John Naisbitt, who coined the phrase: “high tech, high touch.” As our world evolved into a more high-tech environment, it required a more high-touch approach to customer service, employee relations, and so on.

Myth Four: When people multitask, they get more done

The authors state that people don’t multitask; computers do. He quotes a CEO friend who says this about multitasking: “It means you are often screwing up several things at the same time.” As a teacher, I have found that students are constantly checking their phones during the lessons, and do worse on tests. In modern settings where everyone is on their smartphone, they cannot help but pay less attention to the person giving a lecture or delivering a presentation of some kind. There’s various research that’s been done to show how multitasking affects the brain’s cognitive abilities.

These were the High Tech Workplace Myths