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    Wisconsin Lawyer
    August 01, 2001

    Wisconsin Lawyer August 2001: Leading and Managing Change

    Five Technology Trends That Will Impact You This Year

    <Page 1: Leading and Managing Change

    Of the several major changes and technologies impacting the legal profession, the Internet is one that few can escape. At a meeting of the St. Louis Forum in May, Betsy Cohen, Ralston Purina's futurist and vice president of its Extended Enterprise Group, presented this helpful advice on five technology trends that will impact you this year.

    1) Connectivity. The bar is higher for timely communications due to the ease of connectivity. With friends and associates available online, there is an expectation that we will respond to any email, phone, or fax quickly, probably within 24 hours. In today's world, getting back to someone in two days is too long a delay. Be aware of this new response mandate and be sure to change your outgoing phone message or your automatic outgoing email message if you will be unable to respond to messages quickly.

    2) Continuous learning. Every three months it seems there is another "new tool" to learn. Find out what the new technology is all about and decide if you need it. Check out wireless options for your personal digital assistant (PDA), peer-to-peer computing with the ability to download shared files, and the new applications at http://www.groove.net. Keeping up is key if your career and personal growth matter. Hire a tutor or a student to spend some time each quarter with you doing interesting things like placing an eBay order or ordering a book at Amazon.com from a wireless PDA.

    3) Business techniques. Transformational business tools are popping on the scene in every industry, including law firms, schools, community agencies, and businesses. These include new uses of the Internet for group buying, using reverse auctions to purchase supplies, and online RFPs (request for proposals) that happen broader and faster than before. This opens up new relationships with more potential suppliers and users of your products. Be sure you or someone in your office is assigned to investigate and pilot these new ways of doing business. This will allow your organization to keep up with competition and to capture savings or growth.

    4) Knowledge overload. With emails, phones, and "always on" wireless equipment in your pocket, the torrent of incoming communication is bound to overwhelm you going forward. You need ways to create boundaries for yourself and those with whom you are in touch, leaving good messages as to when you will or will not be available. Plus, you need to learn how to set up "rules" on your applications that will organize or streamline what you actually see and read in your email in-box. You are the only one who can add in the breaks you need for body and spirit. The booming world of self-care has many small indulgences to consider so you can take care of yourself in this era of knowledge overload.

    5) The personal touch. In a world of increased technology, personal touches matter more than ever. They stand out in an environment where it is easier to send an email to the person at the desk next to you than it is to walk over. When appropriate, talk in person or write a personal note. Spend time understanding the underlying personal sides of issues. Just because something can be done using technology is no reason it should be done through technology. At the core, relationships with people matter. Growth for organizations comes through the relationships we build in person.

    Page 1: Leading and Managing Change >


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