Finding the edges

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There’s a lot of disruption in the world.

I read today that more than 200,000 job cuts have been announced this month. Most announcements have been by big companies; we never hear about the smaller firms. In fact, many businesses have likely closed all together. We will not hear about those for a while.

These stories remind me of economic climate around the time of the dot-com bust. There was a lot of disruption then, too, but it led to great thinking and innovation in technology and in other sectors.

For those of us in the technology sector then, it was difficult time. Yet, those experiences changed technology. That disruption forced us out of our comfort zone and to the edges of our businesses where we discovered new opportunities to serve untapped markets. In some cases, we created markets where none had previously existed. We found things we never dreamt about or thought possible before someone “dropped the bomb,” forced us out, and made us look back on what had happened.

Without the dot-com disruption, we likely would not know about MP3 players, iPhones, social networks, blogs, or Twitter. Thanks to that disruption, technology makes it easier for us to keep in-touch, check our bank accounts from our mobile phones, and carry thousands of songs in our pocket.

I believe we need disruption in our lives, our businesses, and our worlds. We need to be forced outside of our comfort zone. We need to get to the edges, pull out the binoculars, and look at things a little differently. Like it or not, we need disruption to facilitate change and force us to the next level–whatever that may hold for us.

The good news is, we don’t have to wait for disruption from an external source.  Scary as it may be we can create it ourselves; and, we probably should in this economy. Finding and getting to the edges may well be the only way our businesses will survive.

E-BOOK: 19 Indispensable Websites

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Cool Tools for Small Business: Vol 1 – 19 Indispensable Websites

Please note that this e-book is Dave Harkins’ work created in other partnerships or organizations and the design templates have not been changed. Additionally, this content may now be dated but can still be used as an idea starter for your specific needs.

Cool Tools for Small Business: Vol 1 – 19 Indispensable Websites

The trouble with cell phones

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In my travels lately, I’ve come to notice that people will use their cell phones anywhere to talk about anything. I’ve been privy to conversations about lawsuits, financial difficulties, and marital disputes, all thrown out in the open for any wandering ear to hear. It’s not that I’m trying to listen. I try to tune out other conversations, but it’s almost as if my ears (and I’m sure those of others) automatically tune in on words or phrases like, “lawsuit”, “…divorcing him”, “caught her in bed with…” or “I’m filing for bankruptcy”. I’m not trying to be nosy, my ears just can’t help themselves.

For a while, I was embarrassed when I inadvertently tuned in, but then I figured that it wasn’t my fault. If they didn’t want me to hear, they wouldn’t be having those conversations within listening distance.

This business of cell phones was the topic of a dinner conversation recently with my friend Roger. Roger has a theory that cell phones have replaced cigarettes as a nervous habit. People pull out their cell phones, call others when they feel bored or need to kill 5 minutes or so, and didn’t plan ahead with some reading material. It’s not that they’re conversations are meaningful when they do this. Most of these conversations, according to Roger, consist of such pleasantries as, “What are you doing? I’m just standing in line, waiting…”, or “Where are you? Oh. I’m in line waiting to buy movie tickets. Really? Which line? Oh, there you are…”

Roger may be on to something with this theory. In the airport the other day, while visiting the men’s room, I heard a cell phone ring and the guy in the stall next to me answered and said, “Hello? Oh, hi. I’m at the airport…just hanging around waiting on my flight…”.

I guess he just didn’t have anything to read.