There is so much information available to us these days that it’s becoming harder to decipher what is actually valuable and relevant. What will help us become more valuable to the marketplace? What information will enable us to have a fulfilling career? What will inspire us to do and be more?
A simple example of information overload that isn’t valuable is shown in the image above. I have two weather forecast apps on my phone. One is preinstalled, the other I downloaded. It’s interesting that despite hundreds of millions of pounds been spent over the years to enable me to view a weather forecast on a small handheld device that connects to larger computers by sending invisible signals through the air, the interpretation of the information is different.
So what’s the problem Matt?
Well, as you can see one app was suggesting dry in the morning and rain from noon, while the other app pretty much shows the opposite.
It’s only rain Matt! It won’t harm you.
That’s true. It won’t harm me. But it is an inconvenience to be soaked through.
If I know to be prepared (i.e. it’s very likely to rain) then I can take my umbrella.
On a more important point than rain damp trousers – as leaders of organisations, the question we may want to ask ourselves is what information am I using to plan my strategy?
Only by having more skills (umbrellas to weather the storms of life); by knowing what we want to achieve ourselves and rely less on what “our apps” are telling us what it’s like “out there”; can we take action and experience reality and know whether it is actually raining.
It is useful to take time and ask ourselves what information sources do we use and how accurate and useful are they?
Today do you want to be someone that adds to all the information already out there or offer some inspiration?
[You might be wondering what happened with the weather – did it rain in the morning? Yes it did, but I had my umbrella.]
Matthew Broomhead
“Raising the level of Business Skills in Britain”
Creator of Broomhead Business Channel