Today when we encounter a little white rectangle on a screen, we instinctively know what to do don’t we?
Keyboard + interface with a text box = type.
We also know through experience that selecting publish, send, post, or tweet can initiate a change in both ourselves and others, yet so many still hesitate or refuse to try. What really prevents people from engaging is not a technical barrier, not any more, it’s much more complicated than code and functionality.
It’s about humility – “I’ve nothing to share.”
It’s about fear – “how will I be perceived?”
It’s about confidence – “I don’t have enough expertise in this topic.”
It’s about time – “I have enough to do.”
It’s about value – “I have better things to do.”
Too many fight their basic human instinct to connect and share even when it is made incredibly easy. Looking again at the brief list above, maybe the way to overcome the complicated is to simply take it head on. Help people make these internal questions external. Real change happens one conversation at a time, so online or face to face we can start by asking others who are more open how they feel they are perceived, about the expertise they share, about how they make the time and what value they receive.
Knowledge doesn’t exist within us, it exists between us. But for that to be really understood, one must first get outside of themselves to get over themselves.
Knowledge doesn’t exist within us, it exists between us. But for that to be really understood, one must first get outside of themselves to get over themselves.
