It seems like common sense, doesn’t it? While accidents and mechanical failures do happen, getting hurt while using a chainsaw usually comes from not understanding what the tool is capable of, or how it works. Fire is hot and teaches a clear lesson in an instant, but Technology, despite having an almost unlimited potential to do harm, isn’t always so obviously dangerous like a chainsaw or stove burner. For certain, if you’ve been personally attacked or hacked via technology, you might be a bit more cautious with certain things than someone who hasn’t been “burned”, but unlike fire, technology is constantly changing, and consequently, requires constant lesson-learning. But it also requires a certain level of respect for its sharp edges which most ignore or forget.
What this means to you
As some of you might already know, being book-smart is different from being street-smart, and knowing how to use a piece of technology is a long way from being savvy about that same piece of technology. As an example, most of us know what email is and how to use it, but many still make poor decisions on using or sharing passwords because they don’t truly understand the consequences of doing so. I still regularly meet with clients who don’t understand why their email account getting hacked could have long-reaching financial impact on themselves, their employer and their customers. Not because they are dumb or foolish, but because they haven’t been trained, and our culture deemphasizes it in favor of shiny bells and whistles. Security is rarely featured in marketing and advertising to consumers – advertisers know that security is not sexy, and increased security is often equated with inconvenience or viewed as a necessary evil like warning labels. Similar to the way the mask mandate fight is colored as an issue of freedom instead of safety and compassion, considering security when making decisions about technology is fighting an uphill, cultural inculcation that has been around ever since seat belts were first invented. Humans aren’t always good judges of what keeps them safe – it’s something that has to be learned, and as an employer or leader, you will want to keep this top of mind when considering how to keep your organization and your people safe, technology or otherwise.
Image by Peggy und Marco Lachmann-Anke from Pixabay
