For David Newman’s 200th episode of “The Speaking Show” podcast, he took a look back at episodes 101 through present-day and chose a handful of his favorites to celebrate the greatest hits of the second century of the show. I was one of those episodes chosen, number 172. It was both an honor and a huge surprise to be listed among his favorites. Missed it? Below is a recap of our chat.
TomorrowZone® is about staying on top of technology and trends so you can stay ahead of tomorrow. “When you spend some time in the TomorrowZone®, thinking about multiple future possibilities, then you step back to today, it changes the decisions that you make and the actions that you take.”
Technologies to Watch and the Onramp to Awesome
We talked about technologies to watch and the onramp to awesome, after he commented on some of these technologies having scary names and acronyms, and joked “We’re all going to be working for the robots at some point.”
In fact, I have been tracking nine different technology categories for years. Things that are all around us, such as cloud based technologies, and artificial intelligence apps. As far as robots, I have the robots working for me, not the other way around. Did you know that I use a scheduling app that has conversations with potential clients, negotiating time and place? That is a prime example of AI technology for everyday use.
Equipment Finance Innovation at the Intersection of Process, Technology, and Future Strategy
It’s one thing to claim, as a technologist, that you are an expert of an industry or field or subject matter, but I actually wrote the book for certification in the Equipment Finance Industry. Having studied the business that much, working with that amount of experts, I was able to compile a body of knowledge that people study to get certified, a statement Newman replied, “Amen. Times 10.”
Virtual Events
Today, we are seeing such an amazingly rapid adoption of digital work style and digital tools that even last year, people would have resisted, but it’s happening. Out of necessity, reinventing how they’re working and how they’re meeting. And most importantly, what you want them to experience.
“We’re actually moving faster and we’re getting more momentum more quickly than we ever did before, because we’re seeing things at the same time. We’re interacting, we’re moving things around and creating these pictures together and we hear each other and we see each other and it’s like being together.” -Deb
Fool With a Tool Is Still a Fool: Digital Experience Design First, Tech Last
You have to think about the final experience you want to deliver for the audience first. How you achieve that and the tools you use, last.
Here are some tools I use: a simple text editor, notepad, Microsoft One Note, MIRO, Mural, MindMup, and Mind Meister. The key is to be co-creating at the same time. Deliver what they’re paying you to deliver, with the least tech, the least complexity, and the best experience.
How I Make Time to Get Into the TomorrowZone®
Technology is progressing at an exponential pace. When you get a grasp of that understanding, then you can start to think about your business in a new way, and can watch for trends that might impact your business over the next five to ten years.
Create your own technology watch list. Start where you’re most curious, and don’t be afraid to change them up. Incorporate daily reading and news based on this list. I use a tool called Pocket, where it tags a bookmark that you can pull up later and discover trends being made from your list.
Tip: “Don’t only think about what’s going on inside of your company. You need to look at what’s going on outside of your company as well.”
