It all starts with changing HOW you think.
Today I told my journalists that I would not provide them with business cards in future.
It created the reaction of a puppy when you make a crying noise like puppies do when they crave attention: they frowned inquisitively, turned their heads sideways and pointed their ears. You could see they wanted to know why their editor would commit business sacrilege by not providing them with business cards.
How can he deviate from the culture left to us by our forefathers? How are journalists to provide their contact details to sources and people they meet? Does the editor know that business cards are a prerequisite for doing business in Japan? But they know me well enough to know that there must be method behind the madness, even if the method is also madness.
This is how I got to this point:
- we don’t do business in Japan;
- people often say they lost our business cards and could not communicate with us;
- people rarely go back to the office and record your info on their system, whatever system they use;
- a business card becomes the same as a calendar against the wall - you forget it is there because after two days it becomes part of the furniture;
- WHY must we still work with paper when we have access to all this technology?
What I did:
- I added myself as a contact in my cell phone’s contact list with the info that needs to be there and saved it as a business card in my Nokia E90 Communicator;
- I let all my journalists do the same.
When we need to send a business card, we just ask for cell numbers and send our business cards to them. Although we are still testing it, it works well - so far.
I am sure there are easier and technologically more satisfying ways to this, and I would love to hear about them.
Except for the fact that we save trees by not using paper, it illustrates that unconventional approaches can have benefits and that technology can be used by those who are not necessarily technological whizkids. It boils down to embracing technology and asking WHY?
Much has been said about business taking advantage of technology, but how can the individual, the “man in the street” use technology to make his life more productive?
It all starts with changing HOW you think.
Start with Lea Woodward who works from my country at the moment. Also have a look at Skellie