Information is power! – so the saying goes.
I would like to challenge that in an era when you have your job email account on your phone. Everything is right here and now, one click away from you.
Do you feel powerful?…
I don’t.
When I receive between 100-200 emails per day, I feel lost, paralyzed and torn apart between reality and the expectations that I “inherit” form others (usually of replaying in a 10 min gap). And I have a strong belief that I’m not the only one.
It is one thing to have information. And it is something else to have the right attitude – to want to do something about it when an effort is required. It’s a totally different matter to be able to act on it.
As a consultant, my job is to put people in circumstances and dynamics related to their work intentionally seeking to increase their skills in dealing with this information tsunami. Over time, my colleagues and I observed a subtle shift in the attitude and behavior regarding information.
10 years ago, in a certain business simulation, average groups use to sell or trade sensitive info with their partners.
Nowadays, more and more groups just share it. Not all of them, but enough to create a critical mass and to set this as the norm.
In the past, it was the fear of losing an advantage or the capitalizing of vital information that can dramatically change the other’s life.
Now, in 2020, a lot of that has changed… our hope was that by sharing they will increase the team results. Now I’m sorry to say in hindsight we see there is no direct implication between sharing and getting things done in teams! Something is missing. We propose to you the idea of being responsible for the information that you have. People feel less and less responsible for what they know.
Sharing is not necessary caring – especially when it cost you close to nothing to send some of it by email. And you feel you’ve accomplished your part. Combine this with the issue of responsibility (rather the lack of) entrapped in the mindset “I’ve done my job – I’ve sent you an email” and you get our present status quo.
By the way, I just send you this article.
My job is done!
Cheers mate – You just got emailed! 😊
By Tiberius Budulea
