I want to take a minute and talk about chickens. Yep. Chickens – the ones that eat bugs and lay eggs… the critters that everything “tastes just like.” (Don’t worry, this is short, and there’s a moral coming)
I’ve been raising chickens for a couple of years now, and I’ve learned a lot by observing things that they do, and things that happen to them. For example, I’ve always heard that free range is the best way to go with chickens – they have plenty of food to forage, they are not as stressed, and thus lay bigger, healthier eggs. All true – for a few months. Then the wildlife in the area starts noticing a new food supply, and free-range chickens become free meal chickens.
You see, when they forage, they tend to wander further and further from the safety of the coup and the main flock, and this draws the attention of nearby predators. Then POOF – Mr. fox is enjoying gourmet chicken sashimi.
So what does that have to do with technology, or the engineering tools? Not much really – it was a stretch. The thing is, though, the chickens were lulled into a false sense of security – and I was too. They went about their day doing what they wanted, going where they wanted, eating what they wanted, not realizing that they had always been in danger. And I think that’s what we tend to do when times are good. When there are tons of jobs, and there appears to be unlimited work, it’s easy to settle into an easy path of not worrying about too many details, letting your skills ride for a while, or not be as attentive to your customers’ needs as you could. I don’t know about you, but I am seeing this in a LOT of the retail brick and mortar stores I occasional shop at – there is a disturbing attitude of complacence.
When that happens, however, sooner or later, the predators – who have always been there – turn their attention to the situation, and POOF! Suddenly life takes a frightening turn – competitors start making inroads to your clients … there’s a security breach that brings your company to its knees and everyone’s position is at risk … New technology makes your role obsolete … (I wonder how the guy that lit the candles on the streetlights felt when they installed all those new electric light posts?)
Times are changing my friends. The predator is ALWAYS there – our job is to remember that, and always stay ahead of him.
Now let’s tie this back to technology. Technology is always changing – to stay the same is to become obsolete. If you are not learning something new every day, then you are already behind and have a lot of catching up to do. The world is a very different place from what it was just 2 years ago. I’ve almost stopped going to brick and mortar stores … and it looks like just about everyone else has too – if your job is running a cash register at the Vitamin Shop, or stoking the shelves at Best Buy, its probably safe to say now is a good time to put together a new 5 year career plan.
Think about this – IBM has led the industry in new patents for 28 consecutive years. IBM Innovations include Artificial Intelligence, Hybrid Cloud, Quantum Computing, and thousands of other cutting-edge technologies. Since 1920, IBM has received more than 150,000 US patents. Why do I point this out? Because it is a longevity factor – IBM is one of the most trusted technology companies in the World, and always has been. If you ever hear someone say that IBM is a dinosaur, or old news – remind them of those patents. Ask them how familiar they are with new tech like Quantum Computing and Blockchain. So when you are reviewing solutions to support your company’s (or your own personal) growth, remember that IBM technology has been the standard that everyone else measures themselves by for over a century.