Technophobia is Conquerable!

For many of us life, without computers is unimaginable! The first thing that almost 90% of the knowledge workforce does when it gets to work is turn on the computer and check the email! Those are the lucky ones! Many others, live with pagers, beepers, and wireless devices 24-hours a day. If life without computers were unimaginable, life without microchips would be, simply speaking, miserable. Our remote car keys help us to open car doors from a distance; our microwaves are programmed to pop the perfect popcorn; music is no longer just turning on the radio; telephone manuals read like instructions for a nuclear reactor; VCRs and DVD players are humiliating experiences as highly intelligent individuals learn how to play a tape or a DVD; the list is endless! In a world where an overdose of technology is considered normal and healthy, the idea of technophobia, fear of computers and related technologies, sounds almost alien and unnatural. Yet it is an issue that affects many people, many of who don't even know they have it!

Technophobia, like other phobias, is fear or intense dislike, for technology. It invokes a wide range of negative emotions, such as anxiety, incompetence, fear, stress and nervousness. We are only now beginning to comprehend the existence of this phenomenon and its far-reaching consequences on individuals, organizations and even entire societies by minimizing their ability to reap the rich rewards of technology.

To understand technophobia, we must first understand the invasion of technology into our personal and professional lives. Many other industrial events and advancements in the history of mankind took place at a steady and understandable pace. Technology, however, was behind the scenes one day and in our faces the next. Take for example, the printing press, the automobile, flying, highways, and medicine. Progress in these fields gave men and women to adjust their mindsets to a new and evolving world. In other words, growth and change in these domains has, to a large extent, gone through what we call the human life cycle: birth, infancy, adolescence, and maturity. In technology, however, the change for many individuals has been from birth to maturity. And just when they think they have a grasp on it, the world of technology handles another baby to them, only that this one has four legs and six eyes! Hence it is no surprise that individuals are overwhelmed with technology.

Why should anyone care about technophobia? Technophobia affects all of us to different degrees. If you are a manager who is pushing for technology in your organization, then individuals who are technophobic can slow you down, and in some cases, even prevent you from achieving your goals. We often tend to classify such individuals as "slow to change," "unwilling to accept new responsibilities," "too traditional and conservative." In fact, these may be individuals who like the end result of technology but are simply afraid to embrace technology. If you are technophobic, then life at work can be stressful and anxiety-driven. While the rest of the world appears to be moving ahead, there is a sense of rapidly being left behind and the idea of playing catch-up leads to more frustration, anxiety, and despair. So regardless of which end of the spectrum you may fall, technophobia affects you.

What are some symptoms of technophobia?

• Fear of computers and related technologies
• Resistance to automating processes
• Unwillingness to change from one system to another or one software to another.
• Highly critical of any technology changes or implementations
• Passive resistance to new technology initiatives
• Unwilling to attend training classes
• Slow to learn new technologies
• Providing excuses for not attending training sessions
• Relentlessly arguing the lack of need for technologies
• Pleading "the old way is the best way!"
• Convincing colleagues that "I have made it this far without technology. Why now?"

These are few of the many ways in which technophobia can manifest itself in the organization. In many cases, individuals are unaware that these are symptoms of techno phobia and even if they are aware, understandably many individuals are reluctant to admit their phobia.

What are some things that organizations can do to address this issue? Here are a few guidelines and suggestions:

1. Hold seminars, workshops, and brown bag lunches on techno phobia. The more we share information and knowledge on the topic, the easier it becomes for individuals to recognize that they have a problem.
      
2. Technophobia is not a shameful thing. It is not a disease and it is certainly not a reflection on the intellectual capacity of the individual. Hence it is important to delete blame and shame from any discussion on technophobia. Share with individuals that this is a problem that ails many individuals, from CEOs to delivery folks.
       
3. Admit and recognize the information overload problem and the relentless pace of technology. Let individuals know that all of us struggle with keeping up with technology; its only the degrees that are different.
      
4. Provide meaningful and sustained support to help individuals identify and overcome their phobia. A class or a forum to discuss technophobias may be a first step.
      
5. Create a friendly learning environment. Educate people that failing a few times while learning new technologies is normal. In fact, the more you fail the more you learn!
      
6. Help people take one small step at a time. Reward their efforts and be a mentor.

In conclusion, technology is here to stay. That's the simple truth. How we prepare for a world that is so dramatically different from what it was a decade or so ago is to prepare ourselves for the next decade! Some of us will be quarterbacks in the technology field but all of us must be players. The choice has already been made for us!