The first fully digital month
100,000 years ago, the present-day human being emerged on the savannah in Africa. 2 000 years ago the first paper was made in China. 50 years ago, the first computer in the United States. A month ago, I became fully digital. Maybe not a big step for mankind but a big step for me.
And the answer is: yes. It's perfectly possible to get by without paper, pens, notebooks, paper clips and erasers. Today I couldn't imagine going back. I now have better control over where I have all my work material, which is now also systematically stored in the cloud. Has it worked without problems? Answer: no. Above all, it is the synchronization between the devices from the cloud that has been messed up. It has locked, sometimes missed and even changed appearance between the screens. Possibly it could be due to the different operating systems. But I certainly don't want to go into that in detail, but say like John Cleese in Fawlty Towers:
- Don´t mention the war!
Have I become a more efficient employee? Doubtful if it is so in this first month. In the long term? - Of course! I will be much more efficient. One experience is that I have had to learn more about IT, systems and tools. It has taken time in the first month. But if I hadn't done that and just continued at my old level of competence, it wouldn't have worked. Going fully digital forces evolution.
I can't help but reflect on the fact that the first modern humans took their first steps on the African savannah 100,000 years ago - so cleverly and richly equipped that they can cope even with a digital transition today.
At the same time, we know how difficult it can be for people to change their ingrained habits. Sometimes it can be downright impossible to bring about change. And I am absolutely convinced that those who are going to digitize often benefit more from a behavioral scientist than an IT technician.
I also think of some very wise words about how our thoughts shape our habits. The origin is shrouded in mystery. But in the movie The Iron Lady, it is Maryl Streep who says it in the role of Margaret Thatcher:
Watch your thoughts, for they become words.
Watch your words, for they become actions.
Watch your actions, for they become habits.
Watch your habits, for they become your character.
And watch your character, for it becomes your destiny.
What we think, we become.
Stefan Koskinen
Director of the Federation
Almega Service Companies
